In a matter of days, I will have been here in Sudan for 2 years... time flies.... and I will leave Sudan on August 12th. There was a tentative plan for me to return to Sudan from September 15th until November 15th to provide cover for a position that has yet to be filled. Just today though, it was decided that I won't need to return so my final exit will definitely be August 12th. It's hard to put into words what I'm feeling - more or less a sober thoughtfulness as the realization sets in that I will leave and not return. I've lived and breathed this country (North Sudan) for 2 years. I know my life has been markably changed by the experience of living and working here so in some ways what I am feeling is almost like separation anxiety.... man, I am so thankful to God for my time here. Even though the last few weeks have been the most difficult out of the past 24 months, there is still this part of me that knows it's gonna be tough to say goodbye.... You become immersed in a culture, a language, a people who you may never see again... So after staying this long, what do you do with all the specifics you've learned about the country... new habits... little nuances... social mores that were always part of them but are now adopted by you too... throw them away and jump to the next country? Those are the little things that helped mold and shape me along the way... I'll miss the simplicity of life here. I'll miss the back and forth banter - half of which I never understood... I'll miss the people...
