We had been given hints, heard rumors, thought about and talked about it so many times, but it was still a surreal moment looking down at the words in front of me . . . Havana, Cuba. I was not even sure how to react, or how I felt, was I happy? was I sad? was I anything? Who knows, but I was being sent to Cuba. I texted my mom and she called back, I was kind of hoping she would be upset so I would have an excuse not to go, but instead she was excited! Shucks. My sister, the voice of paranoia - "Don't they have a lot of hurricanes?" Ok great, one reason not to go. My cousin Renz - "Do they have the Internet? If so, then you can go. It should be okay, as long as u can go online." Hmm, Okay maybe I can go, try a ting, if i ent like it, I know my way back home.
A million trips to Charlotte Street and a few million more trips to Pricemart later and I was all packed, it was too late to change my mind anyway, not after I give up my whole Divali holiday with these packers in my house and certainly not after I had bought all this stuff! and believe me, I bought a lot of stuff, as much as I could buy, or maybe I should say as much as my credit card would let me buy before I maxed it out ... Household stuff, clothes, food, things I can't live without and things I would miss (such as Lipton tea, Matouk's guava jam, CRIX, Chief brand curry, a bottle of home made green seasoning from Aunty Elsa and SO much more) and of course toilet paper, which I was advised to bring LOTS of!
So we all know broke and frustrated is a bad combination, so some days I was vex wid everyting and everybody. Plus I feel them people gave us too many vaccines at once to be honest. I don't feel the same since dat day. At least I don't have to take malaria tablets like some of my collegues. Add broke and frustrated to annoyed at how disorganised everything just seemed. I was tired and feeling sick. And then sprinkle on top of that the emotions involved with losing so many friends at once. Who knows when next we will be in the same place all at once, with the possibility of people going back home at different times or being cross-transferred to another Mission. The airport trips and people leaving one by one was getting harder to deal with. My 'family' was going to be scattered over so many time zones! What did I really get myself into? This thing is pressure, not as glamorous as people make it out to be. My pockets were empty but my heart was as heavy as lead ... Was I really ready for this? Ready or not ... Here I come Cuba!
A million trips to Charlotte Street and a few million more trips to Pricemart later and I was all packed, it was too late to change my mind anyway, not after I give up my whole Divali holiday with these packers in my house and certainly not after I had bought all this stuff! and believe me, I bought a lot of stuff, as much as I could buy, or maybe I should say as much as my credit card would let me buy before I maxed it out ... Household stuff, clothes, food, things I can't live without and things I would miss (such as Lipton tea, Matouk's guava jam, CRIX, Chief brand curry, a bottle of home made green seasoning from Aunty Elsa and SO much more) and of course toilet paper, which I was advised to bring LOTS of!
So we all know broke and frustrated is a bad combination, so some days I was vex wid everyting and everybody. Plus I feel them people gave us too many vaccines at once to be honest. I don't feel the same since dat day. At least I don't have to take malaria tablets like some of my collegues. Add broke and frustrated to annoyed at how disorganised everything just seemed. I was tired and feeling sick. And then sprinkle on top of that the emotions involved with losing so many friends at once. Who knows when next we will be in the same place all at once, with the possibility of people going back home at different times or being cross-transferred to another Mission. The airport trips and people leaving one by one was getting harder to deal with. My 'family' was going to be scattered over so many time zones! What did I really get myself into? This thing is pressure, not as glamorous as people make it out to be. My pockets were empty but my heart was as heavy as lead ... Was I really ready for this? Ready or not ... Here I come Cuba!
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