Leaving and Coming Home

It has been one week since I stepped off the plane back on to American soil. Seven days of yawning and blankly staring and readjusting to the reality that is my life. You can blame it on jet-lag, but I have come up with the term "Post-travel Depression." I am becoming all too familiar with this restlessness within calling me to my next adventure.

I feel incredibly blessed to have been able to experience so much of the world at the age of 25. But the more places I go, the more I want to see. I'm afraid that this sense of adventure for what lies beyond is causing me to miss what is right in front of me. Don't get me wrong - Madison is a beautiful place to come home to. It seems like everything bloomed while we were gone.

Spring is here, and with the changing of the colors I am reminded that I must change too. I must adapt to my environment and learn to thrive right where I am. A flower is beautiful and can remain beautiful because of the simple fact that it has roots. Despite my wanderlust, I too have roots that must be nurtured in order for me to grow.

Now, before I get too sentimental I wanted to share with you some highlights of my trip!!!!!!!

Day 1 - March 13, 2012
We arrived in Dublin at 7 am local time after a brief and restless sleep in the airplane. But we were ready to go! After waiting for James in the airport, he finally came and we headed out to see Dublin. We decided a bus tour was the best way to see all the sights. We stopped at Trinity College to have a look around and ran into some people we met in the airport - it's a small world! We continued on the tour and stopped again at the Guinness Factory, where we got to take a tour and enjoy a pint (well, some of us). Brad fell asleep when we got back on the bus so we decided to head to the Hill of Tara on our way to Enniskillen. Driving into town, we ran into Mark Campbell! Tiredness began to set it, so we ordered pizza and stayed in for the rest of the evening. Early to bed. End day 1. 

Day 2 - March 14, 2012

We started off this day with a drive around Enniskillen. James took us to the top of a big hill (mountain maybe?) to see the view. Incredible. We jumped off of some rocks then we got back in the car and drove to an old castle. We climbed around and took pictures like we were in a band. Then James had a meeting at the mall so we walked around. We ate lunch at Mauds then did a walking tour of Enniskillen, where we ran into the second kid - Alanah! James had to work at night so we went to visit him at the pub. He got off work early so he gave us a little Irish drinking lesson ;) Let's just say it was a late night... End day 2.

Day 3 - March 15, 2012

We got off to a late start today, but James took us to his actual village where we got to meet his mom and talk to the classes at her school. We also got to meet his grandparents. He took us to an old water mill that he dreams of turning in to a theatre. We encountered some sheep in a field, so we quickly left. We continued our driving tour and ended up having lunch at the Red Pepper! We arrived at the Giants Causeway at sunset and it took our breath away. We climbed down on the rocks and sat in awe of the beauty. We drove to the rope bridge, but it was closed so we left for Belfast. We checked in to our hotel then scoured the town for some food. Best fish and chips ever. Went to Tesco and James bought an airmattress/sleeping bag combo. Back to the hotel for snore-fest 2012. End day 3. 

Day 4 - March 16, 2012

Today was a day full of fun in Belfast. We met Fr. John in the morning and had coffee with him at his parish. It was so refreshing to hear his stories about Ulster. His passion is contagious. He sent us off with well wishes to see the peace walls. We went on a brief driving tour and stopped at a divided park before meeting Johnny for lunch at the John Hughes Pub - amazing food and company! We did some shopping in Belfast then drove through the puddles to see more murals and the new Titanic exhibit. After a very tiring day, we drove to Portadown to have dinner with Mario, Maura, Keith, Jennifer, and Patricia. It is people like these that remind me that there is still hope for humanity. We headed back to Enniskillen and the boys went out for some pints. Kim and I spent some time with our friends Katniss and Peeta. End day 4.

Day 5 - March 17, 2012

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!! Lindsey picked me up in the morning for some girl time. She showed me the bakery where she works and we went shopping in her village. She took me to a place called The Watermill Restaurant and we enjoyed lattes and an amazing view. We went to her house (McDonald Farm) and her mum made breakfast for us :) We met the others in town for the parade!! Some UP kids found us outside of the Crowe's Nest and we all watched the parade together. Good times! We went back to the house to rest up before a long night in town. James' housemates had some friends over so we did some pre

Day 6 - March 18, 2012

Today was another slow start. When we finally got moving, we went to Omagh and visited the Ulster American Folk Park. We walked around in little villages and saw what it was like in the good ole days. We were a little tired and a little crabby and a lot hungry so James took us to a fine dining establishment. Only it took FOREVER and then our chicken was dry - first world problems. We got home just in time to take a nap. James went to work and the rest of us chilled. Housemates took us out for some Chinese carryout, complete with chips. You can never have too many potatoes! End day 6.

Day 7 - March 19, 2012

I really can't remember how this day started. All I know is that we ended up at some BEAUTIFUL cliffs and we got to see an Irish beach :) I think I found my next summer home! We visited a friary and got bracelets with the saints on them, then we had lunch at The Thatch in Belleek. Belleek Pottery was next where we did some shopping and had tea with James' mum! We got all caught up on the family gossip then headed back to Enniskillen to meet up with some past UP teens. It was a great way to spend our last  night in Northern Ireland. Except for packing. Packing sucks because it means you have to leave. End day 7.

Day 8 - March 20, 2012

The trip home was long and they almost didn't let Brad on the plane in Chicago. But everything worked out and we arrived home in one piece - minus the pieces of our hearts that are still across the pond. Peace out Ireland - we'll see you in a few years!

For corresponding pictures, please see my albums on facebook.

Love and peace,

Katie

Heavy Heart

I have had a lot on my mind today and my heart is heavy. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but the internet is exploding with updates about KONY 2012. If you haven’t watched this video yet, you should. It is well worth 30 minutes of your life. It has sparked in me an inner conversation about passion and purpose that I feel like I must express. 

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To me, the video is about so much more than a bad bad man who must be caught and brought to justice. It is about a movement - people getting behind a cause they believe in and refusing to be silenced. It is about becoming one voice and shedding light on injustice and bringing hope to the invisible children in Uganda and all across Africa.

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I came home from South Africa in 2009 with a fire in my belly to change the world. I had dreams of going back to Cape Town and telling the world about the people I met - their tragic and beautiful stories that would otherwise go untold. Slowly but surely, my life went on. 

            I got a job. 

                   I got engaged. 

                           I got comfortable. 

But it was like my life was in a constant state of reverse culture shock. I could not reconcile the things that I had seen and the stories I heard with the abundant life in America. I saw so much greed when I came home and so much entitlement. But I told myself that I had to get over it and get on with my life. I felt like I was wasting time and disappointing God by not being able to come to terms with what He was trying to teach me. It sent me into a downward spiral of depression and guilt. 

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I started meeting with a mentor and I would sit in his office and just cry because I didn’t have words to express what I was feeling. Eventually we were able to have speak and he challenged me with the question: why? 

Why did life have to go on the way it did before I went to Africa? 

Why was it okay to go back to “normal” life? 

The short answer is, it’s not okay. 

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Because I have the knowledge of injustice in this world, it is my responsibility to do something about it. Now, we could debate for hours exactly what that should look like, but the fact is 

I am responsible.

                                                                                                  

I think that is why people are so up in arms about this video and the whole KONY 2012 campaign. They don’t like for their little worlds to be opened up and exposed to these things. But here’s the thing - this world has extremely dark places that cannot be escaped or explained away. 

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And we have a choice. We can either choose to stay informed and speak out and take action, or we can choose to sit idly by allowing our complacency to dictate our lives. My choice is to stand. It is to be a voice for the voiceless and to empower the powerless. This whole thing teaches us that we can respond. We can move. We can change reality.

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This is my passion. This is my calling. And it is my earnest prayer that my life will plant seeds of peace and justice.