The Sara Adventure

Don't worry, that was just to get your attention...

The thing that I sometimes love and sometimes don't is the TRAIN, but today I love it. I was able to go shopping with my friend even though it has been 8 months since I have driven. On my way home I met some interesting people.

Matt moved to Chicago about a year ago to study animation at a school I can't remember the name of. He is from Houston and misses the community his church provided. I started talking to him because his shirt boldly said "Mzungu," which means "foreigner/ white person" in Swahili. I knew he must have been to East Africa, or knew someone who had, so I started up a conversation. He said I was the first person to ever say something about it and know what is means. I think we both felt like the world got a little smaller.

John is a hispanic young man who wears a cross around his neck. He lives in my neighborhood and knows very little english. I know very little spanish, so our conversation was helped by his english speaking friend. I asked them to teach me some more spanish on our ride home, and so they laughed, practically rolling in their seats, as they taught me "mi amor" which I secretly already knew. It means "my love." We talked back and forth with the little we knew of each other's language. He boldly asked me my name, and told me I was very nice. He and his friend couldn't believe I was married, and told me my husband was a very lucky man. They made me feel like a good person, and made my neighborhood feel a little more like home.

Sometimes the long ride home is a good one.