I stepped off the plane & the minute I hit American soil my heart felt at home. I walked through the Atlanta airport & the first thing I noticed was the kindness of the people. The way they smiled back & interacted with me first. My ears perked when hearing people speaking English around me. I found myself continuing to speak in simpler sentences & more clear to the airport worker forgetting we spoke the same language. A couple times I said ‘buna’ instead of ‘hello’ & ‘scuzati’ instead of ‘excuse me’. The taste of ketchup surprised me with how Tomato-e it was. I was confused for a second when there wasn’t a garage can in the stall to throw away the toilet paper before I realized I could flush it. I was happy to fill my water bottle with sink water and not have to pay extra for sauce with my meal!! It was fun to have people jump into conversations because they understood what we were saying. I called my family from my normal phone number and I forgot what it was like to hear the phone ringing & getting through a whole conversation without it cutting out or pausing. Being back in the States for 14 hours after three months felt normal but also weird. It was filled with surprises & a new appreciation for where I live. We were blessed with this layover in Atlanta where we got to grab some of the foods we’ve missed, catch some z’s in the Holiday Inn & use some of what we learned from our time in Romania in our own home. My squad is obsessed with Chick-fil-A & I’ve never had it so I got to experience that with them! And it was sooo good! I got to take a very nice & restful 3 1/2 hour power nap in a comfy bed that felt like home. God continued to show me that life is ministry & gave me an opportunity to live it out in my own country. He told me to tell a lady behind me that she is loved by Him. He gave me just enough time to speak to her before rushing off the ground transportation. Her whole demeanor changed from looking depressed to being filled with His joy!
God didn’t have to give us this time in America & the ability to experience things from home but He loves to bless His children. We would have been totally okay & thankful without all of this but it was a special treat! I am now on my way to my new home, Guatemala where I will spend three months there!! Thankful for the layover & all that God showed me through it! Goodbye America, see ya in six months!
