Life in the USA

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(Arboretum in DC)

So it’s been nearly two years since my last blog update; and almost eighteen months since we left South Africa. Perhaps I feared that I wouldn’t have anything interesting to write about after moving back to the states, but that’s simply not true.

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(Our glorious kitchen)

House
(Our house)

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(The new screened-in porch)

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(The dogs chilling out on the upstairs balcony)

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(A warm welcome with friends – before our belongings arrived)

As most of you know, we ended up buying our house online, sight unseen! With four dogs, it’s imperative to have a landing upon arrival….as much as we love our pack of critters, you simply can’t show up on someone’s doorstep with that many animals in tow. Buying the house from afar (let alone, another country) creates its own set of barriers. For instance, we had a tight timeline to put an offer on the house and I had to make a down payment – not a big deal for most people, since everything is done online.

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(I quickly returned to Pretoria for work – and was able to reconnect with friends)

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(And see Joshua!!!)

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(missing all our friends)

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(Maria from Karabo Asara Orphan Center)

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(Sarah and Elisa – my housekeeper and her sister)

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(More friends)

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(a quick stop to Hazelwood market – I miss my Saturday morning outings)

But I happened to be in rural Lesotho (Qachas Nek, to be exact) with a poor mobile network – which made any connection almost impossible. I spent four hours desperately trying to send a picture of a check that could be used as a down payment. Alas, the tears of frustration and anxiety paid off….as we flew to DC a few weeks later to close on the house.

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(Back in the villages doing what I love)

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(Buying bracelets from the Himba)

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(Oh Malawi, I miss you…)

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(Anything is possible to transport on a bike)

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(Maize)

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(Lake Malawi)

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(Lifelong connections)

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(Exploring the mosque in Abuja)

Fortunately, we fell in love with the place as soon as we saw it (although truth be told, I felt a little disappointed with its quirky layout) – but now that we’ve personalized it with all our belongings, we couldn’t be happier with our home! The house sits on an acre of land, which abuts Wheaton Regional Park – so dense woods are directly behind our place, with no plans of development in the future! But with four dogs, we needed to figure out a fence…

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(Sisters in Geneva)

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(Meeting up with Laura @ Chula Pop-up in Geneva)

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(Love Chris Bailey!)

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(Scottie…)

Life in the states, and DC (or more literally, Silver Spring) is EXPENSIVE. The quote for a fence started at $15K. And I was worried about how it would look….so we went for the cheaper option, an electric (or invisible) fence.

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(Friends from South Africa in DC – Kevin & Alla)

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(Maria in DC)

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(Little chilly on the national mall)

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(A trip to Philly)

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(Eastern State Penitentiary)

We even built an addition to the house – a screened in porch with a dog door (as well as a balcony from our bedroom)…but the catalyst for the porch was thinking through how to provide a safe indoor/outdoor space for the dogs while we were away at work…

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(Merryland in DC)

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(Family gatherings – pre-covid)

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(Uncle Steve with Chelsea)

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(Celebrating Koshie’s 75th Birthday)

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(Quality time with Merryland and Koshieland)

We beamed with joy as our plans came together. The dogs took well to the electric fence…and we let them go in and out on their own accord during the day.

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(Family Ski Trip to Wolf Creek)

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(Road trip from Santa Fe, NM)

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(Love to Ski)

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(The only photo of all of us on the mountain)

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(Jazzy and Sami)

Meanwhile, on a random Tuesday after living in our home no more than a month, the doorbell rang at 7pm. I excitedly turned to Darren and announced, “Darren – we have visitors!!!”. I leaped to the front door, anxious to meet whichever neighbor was obviously coming over to welcome us to the neighborhood….alas, boy was I wrong. Animal control was at our front door – with their dog wagon in view. Turns out, they had received an anonymous complaint about our dogs…and they were coming over in person to give us a warning.

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(Hot Springs)

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(Winter storm)

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(DOG SLEDDING – my new favorite sport)

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(Dog Sled)

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(Selfies with the dogs)

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(Darren taking the reins)

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(Such beautiful dogs)

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(Winter Wonderland)

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My heart immediately sank – and so many thoughts raced through my head. First, all our meticulous plans and thoughtful consideration for our pets literally blew up in our face. Second, I was pissed that the neighbors voiced an anonymous complaint – if there was an issue, they should’ve come to us directly. And third, it left a bad taste in my mouth – which set the tone for what life in the states would be like….lonely, isolating, and each person fending for themselves.

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(Chula settling in nicely)

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(Padre made a spiked collar for Chico after a coyote was spotted in our yard)

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(Chelsea)

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(Pablo)

After fourteen years abroad, where community was EVERYTHING, I sank into a deep depression. I know a lot of people in the DC area, yet people are spread out, busy with their own lives, and don’t prioritize community in the same way (at least, not upon first impressions – I guess this takes years to form)…

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(Sunflowers)

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(Sunflower Fields)

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(Gorgeous)

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(Picking blackberries)

I’ve been known as a ‘connector’ in every country that I’ve lived in as I think it’s important to create avenues for people to come together, which is why I love to host gatherings. And our new house is perfect for bringing people together….and right as we started to feel like we were building a sense of community, COVID hit…which brought all social gatherings to a screeching halt.

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(Weekend getaway to Charolottesville)

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(Checking out the vineyards in VA)

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(Hiking)

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(University of VA’s campus)

In the beginning, I didn’t mind – as my job is all consuming. I’m now Director of Strategic Information (M&E, Health Information Systems and Surveys/Surveillance) for a global HIV award at FHI360. It’s been an incredible undertaking – but I’ve definitely shed a few tears along the way.

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(Hot air balloon ride – our very first)

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(Gorgeous views from above)

I’ve had to completely overhaul our data collection system – which is actually something I love (and am quite good at – which started long ago when I designed the Program Management and Tracking System (PMATS) for the Texas Department of State’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention section – still running strong almost two decades later)…

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(Daybreak)

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(Darren looks so happy!!)

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(Getting ready to lift off)

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(Almost landing…)

I’ve been building our Strategic Information Team’s capacity and focusing our efforts on data visualizations as well as developing a standard metadata package for DHIS2 Trackers for HIV programs (stay tuned – we’ll finalize in the next few weeks)…so in short, this past year has been tough, but we’ve managed to transform our information systems to truly meet the high reporting demands of PEPFAR. I must admit, I’m quite proud by how far we’ve come over the last sixteen months.

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(Packing the balloon)

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(Stopping in Shenandoah National Park)

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(Deer in our backyard)

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(Brookside Gardens – next door)

Prior to COVID, I was able to travel for work. Ultimately, this was the best of both worlds – where we can feel settled in our new home (as a first-time homeowner – it feels pretty good) yet still travel and experience life in the field. I returned to South Africa on multiple occasions – which rejuvenated my soul – as I still feel more connected to my friends and the community at large in Pretoria. And I had the joy of returning to Malawi, where I made an effort to return to the villages that I have a long history with…bringing more photos and joy to the people I’ve grown to love.

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(Davo in DC – visiting St. Michael)

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(Pier in St. Michaels)

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(Meeting David’s friends in DC)

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(Library of Congress)

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(Union Station during rush hour – can really feel the impact of Covid in DC)

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(Paying our respects to RBG)
And I flew to Nigeria for the first time – and really loved Abuja! I’m not sure what I was anticipating, but when I now think of Nigeria, I immediately think of people that are highly educated, impeccably dressed and fun-loving – especially with their vibrant music and amazingly delicious food. I look forward to returning…

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(Hiking at Harpers Ferry)

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(What a view)

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But the best perk of my work travel was attending a meeting at WHO in Geneva, which allowed me to spend quality time with Sami and her family. Prior to accepting my position with FHI360, I was applying for jobs in Geneva – but the cost of living was a deterrent….even more ridiculous than DC…alas, I’m grateful that things turned out the way they did.

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(Another trip to Philly)

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(Dominoes)

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(Cool scene downtown)

Ironically, the real selling point of moving back to the states was to spend more time with family. Yet, covid has put the kibosh on family gatherings. But I do have some family in the DC area, for which I’m grateful.

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(Museum of Modern Art)

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(Full shot)

And even with COVID, Darren and I try to get out to explore the surrounding environs as much as possible. It’s not quite the same as going on safari, but we’ll take what we can get. One highlight was going up in a hot air balloon outside of Charlottesville, VA – our very first time in a hot air balloon!

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(Riverfront in Philly)

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(Statues)

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And my brother braved the elements and traveled to DC to spend quality time together. In some ways, COVID has allowed more fluidity in where we work as he hunkered down and worked during the days, but the evenings and weekends were ours!

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(Loved riding around in my little Miata – which is 20 years old)

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(National Cathedral)

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(Fresh Seafood on the wharf)

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(The Jefferson Memorial)

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(And the view from across the lake)

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His trip coincided with RBG’s passing, so we spent a lot of time at the Supreme Court to pay our respects to the legendary Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We marched along Black Lives Matter Boulevard and protested DJT in front of the White House.

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(Baltimore’s Waterfront)

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(Reflections)

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(Brunch with family)

I’m cautiously optimistic that change is on its way, but I’ve learned not to be complacent…

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(Ladies weekend in Indiana – Loved catching up with my high school friend/college roommate – exactly what I needed during these strange days)

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(Indiana University’s Campus)

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(Love you, Tavish!)

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(A perfect weekend)

Let’s just hope that this country can figure out a way to come together. I’m over Trump’s rhetoric of divisiveness, racism and covid denial.

Stay safe…and sending lots of love.

Amy