In spite of having visited England almost every year (although not quite) since we moved to Uganda in 2003, now that we are living here we find that "things have changed" and most days there is something that I do not quite know how to do... Or, a new road junction which confuses me. For example, a few days ago, I found myself in the wrong lane on a roundabout (driving in Uganda, no-one knew what was the right lane anyway), and so made a nifty manoeuvre to get off on the exit I needed - only to find a moment later, an enormous throbbing motorbike pulled up alongside my driver window: the driver's knee was at my eye level, and his visor was bent towards me, beard bristling our underneath, and he was scathingly asking me what kind of driving I thought that was, or words to that effect... "Sorry!" I muttered, bright red in the face, and he was gone. I felt small as an ant, and ashamed to realise that lack of recent experience driving on these roads would not be a great excuse if I caused an accident... but then again, I could also see the funny side of it... and shot up a prayer that God would keep me safe as I drove and protect all those around me, just as he always did on the crazy Ugandan roads.
Today I faced not for the first time the problem of having to buy a car parking ticket at an incomprehensible machine. The sign said, "To pay by credit card, phone this number: (XXX) No ticket needed to be displayed." Help, this is new! I didn't really want to use up my (newly acquired) Orange airtime in a long confusing conversation with no doubt multiple security questions, standing around in the cold windy carpark, and give out my credit card number INCLUDING the "security code" which surely can't be very secure any more to yet another stranger (although probably a stranger in Delhi...) But there was also an option for paying with coins, but the coin slot was unidentified and not very easy to see, and there was a green button near it, but no labelling on that either. I was pretty sure if I put in some coins and pushed the green button, a ticket would come out, and thank goodness it did. But for a few minutes in front of that machine I had that feeling, which is becoming all too familiar, of uselessness, as I had felt when I messed up on the roundabout. Yet another thing I don't know how to do, how thick must I be, can't live in my own country any more, out of date...
But I realise that these are typical "re-entry" problems, and feelings. Things do always change, and lots of people get lost, or need to have something explained to them, and soon I shall be breezing around Gloucester knowing exactly where to go and how to do things. I just have to get through this time...
A friend recently said she was praying for the grace and humour needed to get through the transition, and those are certainly needed. Grace, humility, a certain amount of concentration, and a big dollop of humour.
A nice epilogue to my short struggle in the car park... as we were walking away from our car, a group of Chinese visitors were seen to be standing in front of the same ticket machine. Bravely the tall thin man asked me in fairly good English if I could help them understand the machine. "Oh yes, of course" I said, and asked if they had any coins... Having shown them what to do, I jokily reminded them not to be more than one hour so they wouldn't be fined... They were so grateful, and as we waved and turned to walk away, the man gave me a beautiful Chinese bow. That was the grace...
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