baby steps.

In the movie What About Bob, Bill Murray is slightly insane but looking for a way to cope in his overwhelming life.  When he goes to see a psychologist, he's told that the best way to deal with the difficulties of everyday life is to take baby steps.  Bob took that advice and applied it literally, taking baby steps to the door, baby steps out of the office, baby steps down the hall, baby steps into the elevator...

This movie has always cracked me up, mostly because of how ridiculous Bob is.  (Just seeing it in the Taylor's movie collection is enough to have me rolling on the floor...) Somehow though, the movie somehow seems a little less humorous, because this past week has left me feeling a lot like Bob.  Not in a I'm-suddenly-neurotic-and-psychotic-and-think-I-have-every-mental-illness-in-the-book-but-still-manage-to-crack-people-up kind of way, but in an I'm-in-a-totally-new-and-slightly-overwhelming-context-and-have-no-idea-how-to-cope-in-everyday-life sort of way.  The only possible way for me to manage is by taking baby steps.  I've been suddenly plunged into a new place full of new people, and though I've had to enter the experience head-first at full speed, I still feel like I'm taking baby steps. 

Baby steps into my family.  Who are wonderful.  My host mom and brother are hilarious, and I love sitting with them and hearing stories or watching tv.  I'm working on learning Afrikaans by watching 7 de Laan, my family's favorite soap.  (One of the actors looks just like Amy Poehler, it's the funniest thing to watch her speak Afrikaans and act like a soap star.)  But I'm learning how to be a part of the family, whether that means following the plot of 7 de Laan nightly, figuring out where all the dishes go in the cupboards, or picking up the lingo. (and a bit of the accent, eh man?) 

Baby steps to work.  That one's sort of literal, I live three blocks from the Warehouse, but since I don't have a key yet my host mom still drives me there and picks me up.  She's trying really hard to help me acclimate slowly.  Soon, though, it'll be literal baby steps to the Warehouse. 

Baby steps at the Warehouse.   I'm beginning my internship slowly, but learning more about the Warehouse and how it works daily.  This week has consisted of me sitting like a fly on the wall in a bunch of meetings, trying to soak up all the information about the different programs the Warehouse run and the new structure they're proposing. It's definitely baby steps to understanding all of the ideas there.  Luckily, I get to hear the basic information like six times, so I think by the end of the week I'll have it down.  I'm also getting to know the staff team slowly.  I can see already what an awesome group of people they are, which is slightly intimidating for an introvert who's generally awkward at making small talk.  I'm baby-stepping my way into the family (as they call themselves), drinking about four cups of rooibos tea a day, laughing at all the jokes, and even beginning to crack a few of my own.  I'm really really loving it, and am looking forward to the internship and friendships to come. 

So I'm baby-stepping.  And slowly but surely, my baby steps are taking me somewhere.  I'm hoping, unlike Bob, to soon move past the baby-step phase.  Because I want to run.  I want to take everything in, to experience life here in South Africa, and to walk the path here that God has laid before me, in faith.  Thanks for the prayers and love, and for walking this journey with me. (See how I did that??) 

With hope (and a good pair of sneakers),
Mer