Stepping off the airplane into the thick tropical air. Going into the parking lot on the way to Robyn’s car and being asked by a local Ghanaian for a Coca-Cola, not having any clue what that meant. (He was asking for some money) Just being amazed at the organized chaos of the traffic.

At the beach late at night looking out at the Atlantic ocean and marveling at how small the world suddenly felt.

In the days leading up to my departure, feeling worried about forgetting things or leaving things behind. And then in the final hours before leaving the house, a calm settling over me … and then wondering to myself if this is how mom felt in her last days. You can only do what you can and simply trust that things will be okay in your absence.