The Four Week Mark

Four weeks ago Alison and I boarded a plane to Africa

In only 4 weeks I have moved to another continent,

 into a house with a few awesome roommates, 

got a twin, more siblings, and a son. 

I have learned a few words in Kirwanda (and trying to learn more everyday), 

learned how to speak special English with a slight African accent, 

learned how to make paper beads/necklaces, 

I have ridden several moto taxi’s, several buses, opened a bank account, 

eaten more chocolate than all my years combined 

trained my hair not to be so disgusting after not washing it for a day

grown accustom to shaking every living souls hand within a 100 yard radius 

and as of today I have officially run on African soil. 

That’s right, I have decided to get back into shape 

in quite possibly the most difficult place,

due to the altitude and insane hills

 (Rwanda is called the land of a thousand hills

but really should be called the land of a billion mountains.

Am I being a tad dramatic...maybe.)

But let me tell you, it was not an easy run. 

I got many strange stares, questions as to what I was doing, 

and one point I had a trail of children running beside me, 

in sandals, skirts, and turtle necks while laughing the whole time. 

I felt pretty pathetic considering I was panting like a dog and going slow as molasses, 

but hey you got to start somewhere! 

It hasn't been necessarily the easiest four weeks of my life 

but it has been a full four weeks and I wouldn't trade a single second.