Mbabani Julius: sol cafe

Mbabani Julius: sol cafe: test

COMING TO AMERICA

It was flying thousands of miles and knowing I was going to be away from home for a few weeks. It was the anticipation, the anxiety, the excitement and the uncertainty, not knowing what to expect in a different country like America. The hearty welcome by family and friends throughout the trip made my time in the US something I’ll never forget.

Family Selfie in tinny Bubble 

Welcome home sign 

20^th November 2014 will always be memorable to me! Standing outside in visa office of the US Embassy, I swiped my hand over my forehead hoping to clear the precipitation starting to gather there. It was a hot day and no sign of any wind. I watched disappointed faces coming out of the consul's booth. It was my last chance to get a visa for the trip we were planning and the pressure was on. I shoved my hand into my coat to squeeze a token Kait gave me on my way to the Embassy. She told me it was supposed to give me good luck during the interview! “Card number 5632, you are next.” I approached the booth. “Gentleman I see you were denied a VISA two weeks back.” “Yes sir,” I reapplied. The Consul asked “How has your situation changed in 2 weeks?”  I answered him back and said nothing has changed! He looked me in eyes and didn’t know what to say, he grabbed a blue paper and stamped on it and said enjoy your trip to America! All of the hard work and stress had paid off! 20^th November is also Kait’s Birthday and we celebrated it in style. 

12^th December 5:10am was plane time! I had to work during day, but I hardly concentrated at my desk. My friend Reagan dropped Kait and I at the airport at 3am, we checked in and headed straight to the waiting room.  Kait kept holding my hand and saying we are going home. I felt blood surging through her palm which reminded me of the day we drove together on dusty road to Bulopa, dodging pot holes, overtaking sugar cane trucks and Boda drivers to meet my family! I firmly held her hand and repeated yes we are going, she smiled back and everyone in the airport felt our excitement!

At around 4:30am, I heard sound in the waiting room saying, those going to Istanbul and boarding Turkish airlines go to gate 2, my heart thumped as it started to dip! We walked through the final check in the airport and boarded the plane.  After listening to safety tips which sounded scary, the plane rolled down to the runway and a few minutes later we were up in the sky. I pulled out my phone and took the first selfie on a plane. I kept looking down out the window and felt like we were not moving anywhere, but looking on the screen we were moving about 580km/hr!,  and in 39 minutes we were crossing  Sudan.  I asked for a glass of vodka, plugged in earphones and listened to music.  Hours later I looked back at the other passengers in the plane and almost everyone was asleep.  6 hours later the captain said we were landing in Istanbul. We headed straight through security, and got our documents verified again.  After 2 hours of layover, we boarded a Boeing. It was a huge monster plane and to be sincere I wondered about how it would even take off the ground, but before you know we were in the air and crossing the Atlantic Ocean! We hit turbulence and the face of the flight attendant sent a signal of worry, but a few seconds later the plane was stable. I let out a sigh of relief and asked for another glass of vodka.

Plane Selfie 

Spreading Wings 

Relaxing In DC

Landing in Washington, DC was amazing. The beautiful lights reminded me of candle light in huge market night in the village, it was quite romantic. Finally we touched down at Dulles International Airport. Lots of people on plane clapped their hands and I don’t know why but I clapped too because 9 hours of safe travel from Istanbul was remarkable.

Crossing immigration and customs in Washington, seemed easier and faster than I thought, till when they sent me back at customs saying that my pass wasn’t stamped. Kait’s heart pumped like crazy and her nerves might have tingled like she had stepped on a sharp nail.  I would read that on her face from the other side, as I ran back through immigration again for a stamp.  But everything was fine and it was just a matter of time until we held hands again! Our flight to St. Louis was delayed by an hour, but at around 11 pm we landed in St. Louis, dragging our bags, tired from the long journey. However, I got a jolt of energy finding the smiling face of Mama Maloney jumping around and waving a sign post “welcome home Kait and Julius”. The hugs and the smiles are the kind of welcome that makes you instantly feel at home.

It was wonderful hospitality and I hope I'll be given the privilege in the future to reciprocate. It was meeting and getting to know the amazing family members of Kait, I have never felt at home like I did being around the amazing Maloney family and friends. It was so exciting.  We had overcome all the barriers. I remember how we rolled in the streets of St. Louis playing Ugandan music and this was our wish coming true!

A long story short, St. Louis gave me a fantastic illustration that fur exceeded my expectation It was running errands every day, seeing new places and learning more about the "American Way of Life." It was appreciating the uniqueness of a country that allows for diversity, but still has very patriotic citizens.  It was testing new recipes, trying new foods and beer. 

The Maloney Magnificent kitchen 

Frog Legs 

Frog Legs Ready 

I was in St. Louis at the right time of the year (according to me) to experience change in weather, I will never forget that morning when I opened the curtain and it had snowed, I smiled like an innocent baby and Kait prepared me to go play in snow like it was my first time in school during winter. While standing inside the house, she goes “Julius, do you feel like you are sweating with all of those clothes on?” and when I said yes she responded, “That’s how you know you have enough clothes on!” Watching A Christmas Story and seeing the Christmas lights decorate the park, going to the arch, the St. Lois zoo, visiting the Budweiser brewery and the road trip across River Mississippi with Kait’s dad are memories that will long stay in my mind. It was all the fun of the unforgettable St. Louis nights. It was appreciating the beauty of St. Louis, a calm town to me with good road network. 

Snow Time 

More  Snow

Snow Neera!

A highlight of the trip was meeting with different people for a common cause of raising money for Uganda Village Project, the public health organization that Kait and I have both worked with. It was learning about different cultures and beliefs and knowing that the stereotypes we hear about a certain nation are often wrong. It was laughing about our differences and uniting in our similarities and realizing that what unites us is a lot more than what divides us. It was making lifetime friends and knowing that I will not be stranded if I travel to St. Louis again even when I am 80 years old!

UVP fundraiser 

UVP fundraiser 

corporate night at the fox

Reflecting on this trip, I have a brighter vision, seeing the world in a wider and clearer perspective. My time in the States will be a story my grandchildren will get tired of hearing, a story of inspiration, love, snow, new foods, new Christmas traditions, new experiences and new friends.  I wish I stayed much longer, but I know I’ll make my way there again. 

Across R. Missisipi 

Heading out USA

Lots of Friends in US and back home keep asking me if i liked the States and i had a good a great time! I believe that the surest way to make more of your self is to become more aware of what is out there and to expand your definition of what's possible which is something i plan on doing for many years to come!