Thank you!

Surprise, surprise, you may have noticed that I've been back in Austria for exactly two weeks. Why? My 90-day visa had expired, so I had to leave the country. Why, you might ask, not return to my birth country? Yes, I don't blame you for asking that question; it's completely understandable, and I had the same thought. Let's take a step back.

The date of November 30, 2023 was quickly approaching. The day we purposefully avoided. The day I had to leave Kenya because of legal visa procedures. My 90-day stay in Kenya was quickly coming to an end. My plan was to travel to Tanzania and then return to Kenya as soon as possible. I wasn't quite ready to leave Africa. However, this plan fell through, and after a long and intense conversation, I decided to return home (Austria) on the advice of a friend. I'm grateful to him for encouraging me to return home. We both knew it was going to be another difficult goodbye, but we were used to it by this point. This time, however, we set a goal for ourselves: we will use the weeks of my absence to make plans. It's going very well right now, and we're making great strides toward the New Year and our shared goals.

So that was a quick rundown. I've had the opportunity to see many of my friends and family members since returning to Austria. I also went back to my old job, taught three hours at my mother's school, went to the hairdresser, went skiing, and just relaxed at home. Coming home as a Christmas surprise was one of the best gifts I could have given myself. My sister, boyfriend, and two of my friends were the only people who knew. My knees shook and my stomach grumbled before each unexpected visit. The joy was overwhelming, and I am grateful for my wonderful surroundings.

Everyone tells me how cool it is that I have a blog and that everyone can follow my journey. I'm overjoyed that so many people have read my articles and are now a part of this story. I had no idea so many people would take the time to read it now and then. You have no idea how much that means to me, and I sincerely thank you today. Thank you for joining me on this journey and being a part of it!

I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank two very important people; this blog would not exist without these two young women. The first is my high school friend Sophia. She created the blog for me and assists me with all technical and creative matters. Thank you, Sophia, for giving me this opportunity! And then there's Elena, my younger sister. Anyone who knows me well or has ever read one of my texts knows I'm a spelling disaster. Elena sees each text before you do, reads and corrects it, and then sends it back to me; only then is it published! Thank you so much, Elena, for your unwavering support and for taking the time to proofread every text!
I wish you a wonderful pre-Christmas season and appreciate your time spent immersing yourself in my world!