I think I might be perpetually cold for the rest of my life. It was in the upper eighties yesterday and I was walking around with a sweatshirt on and barely sweating... Oh, Africa.

Africa seems to be constantly on my mind as of late. I'm doing something that I haven't done since the first day or so that I was home - I'm calculating the time difference. I find myself sitting here, counting the seven hour difference, and imagining what Prudey and Joel are doing. I wish I could magically show up in their compound and give them both big hugs. I'd chase Joel and make faces with him and sing some songs with Prudey. Lots and lots of hugs. I miss sitting out at night and looking at the stars while they fall asleep on our laps or in the chairs beside us. I miss walking them to bed. I miss Benson's laugh. I miss dear little Fibi and her trying to pick off my freckles. I even miss it when all the African women started picking off my peeling, sunburnt skin. I've had a sunburn the past several days. My ears peeled yesterday - oh they would have loved that.

I miss being hot! Who would have thought? But I do! I miss fresh, cheap avocados. I even miss mangoes! I miss the constant greetings and smiles. I miss the beautiful, Kenyan accent and learning how to communicate with people who don't speak flawless English. I miss watching Man U games with people in Gulu, Uganda. I miss people: Negash, Sunday, Solo, Max, Maselin, Esther (all of them!), Silas, Gilbert, Rose... I miss my teammates.

I miss public transportation (even if you do basically sit on top of each other). I miss the semi-cheesy and very loud music that was always blasting from the matatus. I miss throwing my trash on the ground (which is a very terrible thing to miss, but I still have to make a conscious effort to not do so here in the states, two and a half months later). I MISS STONEY TANGAWIZI! I miss njera. I kind of miss walking (not as much as we did, but around town and stuff). I miss Salama Hotel. I miss Napa (grocery store). I miss Napetet and Nakwamakwi (villages). I miss seeing people in traditional dress.

I want to go back. I desperately want to go back. I know I'm idealizing things, but I still want to go back. Not to stay, but to visit, and to encourage. Maybe someday.