As mentioned in previous posts, I'm in an online Masters program from Creighton University in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. It requires I go all the way from my small African village to a small American village known as Omaha, Nebraska. I joke. Turns out Omaha is a pretty nice place. Here's the tale of my adventure to a strange land, my home, the United States of America.
Leaving Kenya
So after crossing half of Kenya (about a 7 hour trip), I stayed a night in Nairobi. The next day I headed off to the Nairobi Airport. As the taxi pulls into the international section I'm struck by the fact that there is no sign for departures, just arrivals. Slightly worrisome, since I did in fact want to depart. Well there in the area marked “Arrivals” is the area for departures. I walk in and kind of wander up and down the not particularly long counter of airlines and quickly realize there is no counter for Emirates, the airline I'm flying with. Again, a bit disconcerting. I ask and am told they will start checking in at 1 PM. I take a seat and settle in. I watch as they essentially set up the Emirates check in desk around 1 PM. I feel better. I should mention, to even get into this gate area you have to go through a security gate. I mention this because after I'm inside, passed through exit customs and buy a water in the duty free, which they then seal in a duty free bag, I find I have to pass through another security where they without saying anything to me throw out my double sealed water bottle I just bought. As I watch others who have liquor and water in their duty free bag pass through without having it confiscated, I ask why mine was. No answer. They then hold my bag. And are talking about it and me in swahili. I ask in both english and swahili if there is a problem. No answer. Eventually they hand me my bag with no explanation of why they held it for a few minutes, not actually opening it, just curiously looking at the x-ray. I move in to waiting room number 2. I dust off my Chinese to talk with a few Chinese businessmen fresh off safari, and eventually everyone loads up onto the plane. 5 hours, 2,211 miles and one pretty good dinner later, I'm in Dubai.
Dubai
Flying into Dubai is pretty great. Amazing skyline and all the cool man made islands are visible even at night. The Dubai airport is nuts. The terminal has a big fancy expensive mall/duty free/food court area. It runs the length of the terminal. It also has a hotel and some really nice restaurants/lounges IN the terminal. After walking around and reminding myself I'm a poor Peace Corp Volunteer, I went and sat down at the waiting area for my gate. A few hours later I get on my plane headed for JFK. 14 hours, 6000+ miles, a great second dinner, good breakfast, all next to a squirming, annoying little child, I land in the US of A.
JFK to Eppley
I found that the second I stepped off the plane and new I was in America I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Without me thinking about it, it popped up and wouldn't go away. So I hand my passport to the first US customs guy and he give it a good hard look as he has with all of the other US citizens coming home, and looks up at me, then the passport then me, “Wow Jason, looks like you've lost a lot of weight.” Thanks CBP agent, I have. I hop a cab to Laguardia. While waiting for my next flight I chow down on some pretzel dogs from Auntie Anne's. I was so, so, so happy. The next two flights go by like nothing and I touch down in Omaha. A few more hours and 1200+ more miles if anyone was curious.
Omaha
As any of my friends from the mid-west can tell you, I poke some fun at the area. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by Omaha. It has a very pleasant downtown area also called Old Market. I also was welcomed into the Mathew home by the parents of one of my very good friends Paige. Joe and Linda Mathew treated me to a great dinner and some lovely gifts. It was a very nice welcome to Nebraska. It was pretty great to meet all my fellow students and current and future professors. We were finally able to put faces to names (and discussion forum posts). I'm always amazed at how quickly people going through a common experience bond, no matter their backgrounds. This week was no different. I already feel extremely close to my classmates and we were all sad to say goodbye. I am really excited about the next residency and seeing everyone again. So now I sit in the Omaha airport waiting for the pair of flights that will take me to all the familiar places, friends and family in the Emerald City.
General notes or observations or realizations that I've come to after traveling back to America
-America is amazing
-Emirates airlines is great
-Embassy Suites is baller
-Bacon cheese burgers are beyond fantastic
-I'm pretty sure I've already gained some weight back, no joke (by the way 40 lbs was the official weight loss count before coming back)
-I have developed an inherent distrust of tap water (I know its perfectly safe to drink here, but I have such ingrained instincts now that I'm very hesitant)
-I used to hate flying, but now, I'm very used to it
-Adjusting back to America was so much easier than I thought it would be
-Flying internationally and stuff you're around a lot of “global citizens” and “international” people. I'm starting to realize I'm becoming one of them. I like it.
Next week on Lost in Kenya.....
Americaland (Part II): Jason returns to the Emerald City
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