Numb

I left Grand Teton National Park on Sunday afternoon. It was cold. There were a few inches of snow on the ground. It was really cloudy, so I couldn't even see the mountains. I'm sure it was snowing there again. We saw some bison. Most of the trees had no leaves left on them. It was so sad!!! The Tetons have been my home the last two summers and now they are over 1500 miles away and I have no idea when I will see them again. I know someday I will. I have to!! But leaving was really sad. I got quite choked up and as I put it when I was in 8th grade "my eyes were misted." If I hadn't have been in a car with 4 men I probably would have just let go and cried. (I was riding with Angel and his son Carlos--2 members of the most wonderful Mexican family ever-- Tulio, and my friend Luciano).
Surprisingly, none of my good-byes to humans were emotional. I just started to feel a twinge of emotion when I said goodbye to Jessica (my beloved fellow HR clerk from Chile) when something interrupted us and she had to go. Luciano was pretty emotional when we said goodbye. I wanted to be, he has been such a dear friend. But-nothing. I get really frustrated at myself sometimes. I feel like I never cry when I wish I could or feel like perhaps I should.
So, I traveled for some 18 hours yesterday. I was able to take some time to try to process everything that's going on, but I hadn't gone through the shock of getting back to PA yet. I knew I was definitely back in Gringolandia though - there was no one for me to speak Spanish with all day! I already really miss not being able to immerse myself in Spanish whenever I please. :-(
Anyway, I landed in Pitt and the first person I saw that I knew was Chrissy. She was a freshman at Grove City last year but we bonded well. When I graduated this spring and said my good-byes here, she was the only person that made me cry. And soon to follow was my best guy friend here, Bryan.
It was so good, but also so weird to see them. Everything here is just so surreal! It is good to be back here, I was starting to feel ready to leave the Tetons-especially since it started snowing and the mountains were covered-I feel like their beauty just got smothered in plain whiteness. But it is so strange to actually be back here. I knew it would be another transition and that it wouldn't be easy, but I am going through culture (and more) shock! Grove City is full of white people and I've been hanging out with people from Turkey, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Nepal, the Philippines, Jamaica, etc. It is humid here and the air is incredibly thick! I've been living in a desert at 6,800 feet. It was winter in the Tetons when I left. I was wearing the scarf Jessica gave me, my winter coat and mittens. Here, it is fall, and there are all sorts of different trees here-the Tetons are dominated by Quaking Aspen and evergreens.
The car ride home was hilarious. I was trying to tell 3 stories at once and describe my life out west and note all these different things. Bryan interrupted me once and just had to laugh I was so scattered, but that's just how things are for me right now. I feel like I haven't totally left the Tetons, and I haven't completed arrived here yet either.
Ok, I want to wrap this up before this gets any longer, but I have to share the best part. We got to the Reuber's house (my new current residence) and my friend Meg (a daughter of the professor who owns the house) was here to greet me. It was about 12:30am by the time we got here. We took my luggage downstairs to my room. I opened the door, AND INSIDE THERE WERE 11 OF MY FRIENDS FROM SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. The thought of them doing that had crossed my mind earlier in the day, but I had quickly dismissed it. They actually did it though. I was surprised. Again, I just wanted to cry, but no tears came. I am starting to wish I would have just let myself cry in the car on Sunday. So, after hugging everyone, eating cookie cake and hugging everyone again I got to share with them just a little bit of what's been going on with me. It was SUCH A BLESSING to be surrounded by all these people who stayed up late at night and left their schoolwork to show how much they love me. Fellowship and community are the things that I lacked most in the Tetons. What a welcome it was! And everyone was calling it "home." The cookie cake even said 'Welcome Home, Carrie!" I have been referring to Grove City as "the closest thing to home" since I don't really feel like I have one on earth right now. But, I know I am loved here and I will be here until my support comes in. So, for now it is home.
Anyway, before everyone went back to school they prayed for me. How wonderful it was to join with others in giving thanks and making our requests know to the Lord! He is so good to me!!! All praise and glory be to His Name!