Just a short list of things I miss from Africa…

1.  The lack of cubicles amongst my company.  We have cubicles everywhere in my WV office now and I completely hate it.

2.  The absence of cleaning staff, working in front of us.  Yes, in America there are cleaning staff but they usually come secretly/furtively and often at night so we don’t have to think about someone else doing the hard labor for us.  In Africa, the staff came in like six plus times a day, wiped your desk while you stood by the water cooler, fetched more water for that same water cooler, etc.  AKA: reminded you that you need other people to do the blue collar labor that allows you to keep doing the white collar labor you do.  And reminds you that almost everyone’s jobs are valid, useful, necessary, and important.

3.  The freedom of driving myself around.

4.  Trying to remember if I had food in the car to share with the hungry people standing on the street corners.

5.  The trees.

6.  Both of my small groups.

7.  Devotionals everyday at work, not just once a week.