A Different Proposal

Here I was missing the oddities of living in another culture and I get one in my own. :-)

Stopping at Burger King to get an icee on my way home, I called my little brother and ask if he’d like one. “No, but I want onion rings,” he answers. I lower my window to order.

“What can I get you today?” The faceless man through the box queries. “I’d like an icee and medium onion rings, please.” “That will be a bamedium…arg…seeicee…arg! An icee and onion rings? Sorry about that, I got my words mixed up,” announces the box. I chuckle and tell him it’s no problem.

Arriving at the window, a gentleman in a red Burger King visor leans out. “That’ll be $1.57.” “One fifty-seven?” I ask. “Shouldn’t my total should be more than that?” “Yeah,” the guy grins and looks me in the eye. “I’ve got a proposal for you.”

Oh dear. The last dozen proposals I’ve received have only been for one thing: marriage. But since this guy and I met mere moments before, I’m hoping it’s something else…

“Here’s my proposal. You take the satisfaction survey, tell them V** gave you awesome customer service, and I’ll give you a free icee!”

I ponder quickly. Hmm…can he do that? Give away free food for good reviews? Is this corruption on the lightest level? I guess he knows the rules better than me since he works here. A free icee would be nice. I definitely consider free food awesome customer service, so…

“Sure,” I say. “Thanks!” He turns around, tossing the onion rings into the brown sack. “I’ve got one more surprise for you.” Reaching out, he hands me the bag. “It’s a large.” Smiling broadly, the guy bids me goodnight and I pull away.

I don’t know if this is normal in America now, if he does this to everyone or just people who are nice to him when he stumbles over his words, but I certainly was laughing on the way home, sipping my Coke icee in bliss. ;)

Thoughts a Month Later

I’ve been back in Nashville for over a month now. Fall is in full swing (see the colors changing on the trees in the photo above – definitely different than the ever-green rain forest). I have stopped washing and re-using Ziplocks. I have mostly stopped blurting out Malagasy words or phrases. I have stopped remembering people by their outfits (since it’s doesn’t work because those change here in America :P). I have not stopped being grateful for seeing friends and family in person. I am a little amazed at how fat and healthy the squirrels are in my neighborhood – even though several of them are tailless. Very strange.

I miss my friends in Madagascar. I miss getting US embassy updates, humorous as they were. I miss hiking in the rain forest. I miss oddities happening to me every day.

I am still ever, ever so glad to have our Lord with me. He is my Rock and my Refuge. He is my Shepherd. He is worthy of my trust. “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:5-8

Update from the rain forest: Lolo has been sharing her story with other villages. She recently asked if there was anything that forbade her to go to more than one village per day! I praise God that He is rising up believers in the rain forest to tell of His goodness to those who have not heard.

Continuing on...

I am officially a student again. Crazy, I know. :) I'm taking a 15-month RN-BSN program with classes starting in January 2012.

Still thinking/praying about which job to accept. You can definitely continue to lift me up in that regard.

I have a date to meet my soon-to-be favorite Nashvillian-Malagasy friends on the first Friday in December, so yay! :-)

I love all of Isaiah 40, but the ending's really super:
"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

How Cool is God

My little sister mentioned that there was a rumor going around that there are a couple Malagasy students at her university. I had her ask around to see who they were (if they would like to get together to chat, etc). We got a call from a very excited International Student Adviser because it turns out that the school my little sister goes to has the highest population of Malagasy students in America! What's the "chance" of that? Apparently they had some deal with the former Malagasy president and so they actually have TWENTY-SIX Malagasy students!

The Int'l Student Adviser said she didn't think any of them had met an American who spoke Malagasy, so they would be especially thrilled about that (yikes - need to keep practicing...talking with myself :P). The group gets together fairly often for "potlucks and things," and are going to begin inviting me whenever they have them. I don't know what exactly this is going to look like, but I am excited for the opportunity and think God is pretty cool for organizing this "coincidence." :-)

What Was I Thinking?!

The masses are wondering: What was Cara thinking on her way back to America from Madagascar?!” Well wonder no longer. lol. Okay, maybe you should continue wondering in general, but wonder no longer about this…and pardon the flight of ideas. It doesn’t always mean mental illness, you know. ;)

“It really doesn’t seem like I’m moving back to America. I’ve been traveling so much this past year. Maybe what’s going on is that I’ll be there for a few weeks and then come back to Mada.”

“Ads for medications on the airport bathroom wall? It’s almost like you can make an informed decision about which ones you want or something…”

“I am so incredibly glad that God is my Guide and will always lead me in His timing. Man does that bring peace of mind.”

“There are some guys that like…other guys? I forgot about that. All the guys I met in Madagascar liked girls.”

After turning to whisper to Heather in our “secret” language – English – I realized: “A lot of people speak English even if they’re foreign. It can’t be the language we talk about other people in anymore.”

“I’m supposed to have big emotions right now, right? I don’t. I’m strange.”

“American airports keep people SO updated. How can they possibly need/want/care about so many updates?”

“Even if I am doing ‘mundane’ things in the day, I can adventure with my God throughout that time. Because He is THAT cool, oh yes, He is. Thank You for these last two years, LORD, Praise Your name, for mighty are Your acts, and glorious Your ways…I am so glad I never have to leave Your presence. Please let me be a blessing – a channel of Your love – as I return. Do I ever need WISDOM!”

“Spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendy’s are amazing. Truly amazing.”