incipient san francisco

me, i'm mie. actually it's mette-marie but most people call me mie, and that's fine. i'm a coffee buyer, blogger and a norwegian. i broke up with my previous blog and most of my life in norway, and started this one when i lived in san francisco - thus, the name. but, like my friend says: "there will be other san franciscos". this is the story about those places.

Posts tagged East Africa

Mar 27

I’m still in Rwanda, it’s been a sticky past couple of weeks with tears, laughter and sheer, bitter frustration. If I didn’t know it isn’t so I would have guessed I’m losing my mind, but I think it is just the fact that I have never quite landed the last five months that is finally getting to me. It is okay, but happy it’ll be more mellow the coming five months.

Even when traveling, I have routines. I insist on bringing and making my own coffee every morning. I take upon knitting projects and knit my way there, wherever that is. My fondness for familiarity both helps and hurts when there are so many unfamiliar things filling my life these days. The joy of reading news, blogs and twitter is more satisfying than when at home, the pain of knowing who and what you love is far away hurts. Can’t believe these words are leaving my fingertips, but I even miss Vancouver. I miss my stoop, my neighbors, my colleagues and my set-in-stone routines. But for now, it’s East Africa for a little longer, going to Nakumatt to find my bliss in a bag of Hario wine gum, like I always do.

Mar 20

I cried when I walked home to pack on Saturday, Sunday in Montreal was too blissful to believe was real, and when I woke up under a mosquito net in Kigali this morning, it was hard to imagine why I would ever be hesitant about going. Had one night staying with friends in Nairobi, preparing for Rwanda, and when I left their house at the crack of dawn yesterday morning, I felt everything was going to be okay. Also, there are some incredible people here that I am excited about seeing more of after visiting washing stations around the country, and by sunset tonight I’ll be swimming in Lake Kivu. Even being far away from the sea, there are ways to “get your fix” as my friends explained last night.

Hate me now? How about this distraction - I need doable recipes for next weekend, where I’ll be back in Nairobi and I’m sure I’ll want to cook. Also, I have unintentionally started lying about my age, rounding up. Every year it happens around this time, my birthday is in May and…hold on: I like getting older. It somehow gives me leverage, and I enjoy all the things I know now I had no idea about ten years ago. My life is not ordinary and has included some heartbreaks that won’t be fixed, but somehow, I feel chosen to have such a healthy dose of it. Strong people don’t just happen.

Mar 13

I just did the grossest thing I’ve ever done after a return to home - I went out with my friends for all-you-can-eat fish n’chips. Now, I want to die.

I over-ate because I am over-worked and have only four days at home before I take off, but before I land in Nairobi early next week, I have a layover in Montreal Sunday morning. Just about long enough to hit up Lawrence food and see my friends at Myriade. I’m going back to East Africa, and I guess my crush on the region is now official enough to say I am confident that once I get there, I will be excited about it.

Speaking of geographical chemistry - on my way home from Central America, I stopped in California to celebrate a much beloved friend and a wee bit of work-related affairs. It is just that feeling of belonging to California that is so hard to shake - but unfortunately, life is not black and white, not enough for California and me to be together right now. However, I miss every bit of it, and while waiting for a friend at Tartine bakery, I ate all the things I dream about eating when I am far away. Among sugar and wheat and all things delicious, I couldn’t help but order everything I have craved the last eight months. This is what I ate: Morning bun, bread pudding and chocolate croissant. While I know what San Francisco and New York has got is only stuff, and I really don’t want to be so serious about stuff, I can’t help but wonder how my life with will ever be resuscitated?

That being said, I just started a dough for bread, and I’m about to flake on meeting friends in a bar and go grocery shopping instead. Shhhhh…I wish I was better at life, and better at explaining it, but at least I love to bake. Right now I’m so tired and have a few days of a lot of work ahead of me - but being at home will keep me focused, nourished and nice.