Yes home is where the heart is. And happily I have really seemed to make this place my home. When talking to people I tell them about my village, my room, where I live. I have taken on Kankobe Village as my home in the same way I have taken on Florida, NY, Charleston, Boston, San Diego, and Uruguay. I feel proud walking down to the lake or working in the medical center knowing that this beautiful area is where I live right now. I knew from the beginning that I would miss my friends and family at home but I also knew I would gain new friends and family here, and I sure have. I have made new relationships here that seem unbreakable and only add to my already amazing life!
With that said there still are those times when I begin to be reminded of the distance. I notice the minimal communication I can have with my family, the few phone calls, the patchy internet, the lack of seeing those I love, and the greatly missed hugs and warm embraces that you can only get from those close to you! After finally getting onto facebook last night I began reading posts that read “my heart is with Boston”, “sad for the lives lost in Boston”, “cant believe this could happen”, And so began my full out panic. With slower than slow internet I frantically tried to look up what the heck had happened to Boston? Who was hurt? where was my family? How were my friends? Nobody in Uganda could give me answers and for 15 minutes I was beside myself with unanswered questions, the worst internet connection possible, and a heavy heart. My mind quickly went back to the morning of September 11, 2001 when by brother and I sat in an office at our boarding school frantically trying to get a hold of our parents, unsure if our dad was in the city at that time. The Unknown is a scary place!
Now it was Boston. A city that was my home for 6 years, that I grew up visiting, where my family lives, friends live, a city close to my heart. What was going on? I suddenly felt the distance more than ever before. I felt each mile between us, I felt the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, I felt across the world (well I am across the world), I felt far from home. After hitting refresh 764,592 times, shaking my computer, and talking to the internet as if it had ears I was finally able to read about the bombs that went off during the Boston Marathon and get in touch with a few of my friends and family to ease my heart a bit. From what it seems those close to me were lucky and all seem safe but I am still saddened for those individuals and their loved ones who lost their lives.
In all of the sadness, fear, anger, heart ache I found this quote to make me feel a bit of gratitude.
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’
– Mr. Rogers
Lets try to focus on those helping and the strength of the people if we unite and love each other! Know that I am thinking of everyone at home a little bit extra tonight.
thepresentlife 
That is my very favorite quote from Fred Rogers. So true: In such a devastating situation, we DO come together. Though it should ideally happen more often, I am grateful to see that bit of light through the clouds ❤