24 hours: Africa and Austria

I am, slowly, starting to process.  I am not forcing it, just living one day at a time and allowing realizations to slowly surface.

So.  Here's the first one:

Time.

I am finding it slightly overwhelming here that I can do so much with a day.  My brain isn't sure how to handle it.  I get up, go to work (more on daily life later), work on anywhere between 2 and 6 different projects, go to Kat's house, work on something there, come home have something to eat, or work out, or read a book, or watch a movie, or talk to people, or.. or.. or..

We went to Vienna last week for Jacob's graduation.  In two days we did more that I would do in a week in Africa.

In Africa, I am used to accomplishing between 1 and 3 things in a day.  I think that 3 was my max.  I quickly learned if I tried to do more than that I would get frustrated. 

Three things.  That's it.  And I felt accomplished! 

The difference is stricking, it's jarring, it's strange. 

In Austria...
The internet works, really well.  There are no power cuts.  I have my own transportation, or share a ride with someone who always leaves on time.  I am not terribly tired (*I am tired, actually very tired, but not in the same way as in Africa).  I am not always on the spot.  People don't always notice me.  The roads move quickly.  Everything works.  There are more activities to do in the evening than go out to eat or watch TV.  There are clear boundaries, on and in everything. 

In Africa...
 It was overwhelming.  The smallest thing could take hours. Very little was constantly reliable. The phone network would stop working.  The power cut sometimes. I am muzungu.  And I found I could not do very much in a day.

But it's not black and white.  Better and worst.   It's not like that.  It's different.  It's hard.  It's change.

Do I miss only being able to accomplish one, two, or three things a day?  No, I don't miss it. 

But I do miss my team.  Pineapples. My apartment. 


And sometime, I do miss the feeling of being ok with not accomplishing so many things.