I'm coming home!

Well, it's my last night in Manado. Tomorrow I fly to Jakarta, the next day to Singapore, and the following day to America.

Am I glad to come home? YES. Of course. Will I miss it here? Some things, yes. We'll see. But nine months is kind of a long time, and I'll be very glad to start something new. There are a lot of things I'm looking forward to, including but not limited to:

good bread!
friends who live in my city
a comfortable chair to read in
family
the wonderful St. Louis Public Library system!
driving a car, putting things in the trunk
having a little anonymity / people respecting my sense of self

Maybe I should clarify the last. The thing is, the other teachers at my school generally treat me like a puppy. They have loved having me around to take pictures with, or to dress up in Manado batik, but I could have been a horrible teacher and none of them would have minded. The last few days have made my position especially clear; I've been pulled around for one picture after another, people taking hold of my arms or shoulders or cheeks without asking for or expecting to need permission. "Miss Anna," they'd say. "What?" I'd respond. They'd stare at me for a moment before mouthing "FOTO" and waving me over to one place, then another (depending on the light). They even encouraged strangers to take pictures with me. "Anna, they want to take pictures with you." "I don't know who they are." "Yes, it's ok."

People in this country LOVE to take pictures of themselves and other people, and everyone sort of went crazy at their last chance to have a picture with this lovely specimen of whiteness. So right now, I'm thrilled to be going home. Please note, Mom: I don't bother taking pictures of myself because a million other people take pictures of me. After that, there's hardly energy to care what I look like.

Anyway. I'm coming home, leaving a horde of adorers and sweet people behind. My students love me, and I will miss them. I'll miss this city, too; it's been my city for eight months. But! I'm moving on to bigger and better, back to a job I love and then, in the fall, graduate school! (Which may not sound like a happy, exciting thing, but trust me, it is.)


P.S. Family, don't be upset that you're on the list after a chair. The list is in no meaningful order!