The Last Hours

I don't really have a whole lot to say right now – on this eve of the end of all things South African (and World Cup). It's a strange feeling. Mostly I just want to blog because this is my 100^th blog… and even though I am sure I will blog at least once in Chicago, I wanted to leave my 100^th blog here in PMB.

There is a strange silence in the manse. And by that I don't mean that there is actual, literal silence in this house. After all there are a few people in the lounge and if I was close enough to the shared wall, I am sure that I would hear Martine's kids running about. Instead, I mean that type of silence that is heavy with sadness that seems to settle on to the empty spaces that come with moving. I felt it in IL, I felt it at Bluffton, and now it is here. Feel it – we are going.

My stuff is generally all packed except the stuff that I need tonight and tomorrow morning – so now it's all about waiting. I am currently waiting for everyone to head over to watch the pre-finale of the World Cup so I can quickly mop the floors. I am waiting for tonight so I can finish saying goodbye to people – (even though we are also saying goodbye to a bunch of people at the airport). I am waiting. It's been really nice that we've had this week off of work so we can connect with people and clean and pack and all that. However, this has been like one prolonged goodbye and it really sucks. I was telling someone at church that I could just line everyone up and give everyone a hug all at once. But I guess that's never how it goes.

I feel like I am waiting for a lot of things – although I am not exactly sure what. It's hard to get away from this sadness I guess. I am super excited to go home and see everyone- but then what? Oh my word I have no plan for what I am going to do after I finish traveling around to see everyone. After that… oh man. I guess I am passed the point of the security that comes with being a student and knowing that school comes next. Even with Radical Journey – VS is a pretty typical "Mennonite" thing to do after college. And now the thing to do is get a job. And be an adult. And pay off that tower of debt that I owe Sally Mae.

Okay, I feel as if this blog no longer has a main point so I guess that it is time for this to end. I should be creative and cute and end this with like a top 10 list of things that I will miss – but at this point I think that I will just wait until Chicago and then I will find out what I miss the most.

Okay people, see you in Chicago.

Goodbye South Africa!