We are back in Fort Collins. We arrived home on April 10, 2020, after roughly 1.5 days of continuous travel from Cape Town. It was a wild set of circumstances that put us on our path home, considering that South Africa has some of the most stringent covid19 lock down measures in the world, including the closure of all airports. Repatriation became the number one priority of the U.S. Embassy in South Africa. After about 2 weeks of negotiation with the South African government, the Embassy was able to put together 2 repatriation flights for Americans who wished to return home. Chris and I debated about whether or not to take the flight. The data that we were collecting regarding covid19 from the United States did not appear to be particularly promising. Quantitatively, we could see that being the United States posed a greater risk to us than being in South Africa. We were comfortably hunkered down in Cape Town and felt extremely safe. It was baffling and maddening to follow the news in the U.S. and to watch the Trump Administration fumble through decisions that literally threatened to get people killed. This was a stark contrast to what we were experiencing in South Africa where the government took clear and aggressive action to stop the spread of covid19, and according to our daily tracking of the numbers, their decisions were working. Additionally, we knew that if we opted for the flight, we'd likely be dropped in either Newark or Washington D.C., and we were not super excited to be traveling through potential covid19 "hotspots." Nor were we particularly motivated to be on airplanes generally, breathing the same air as hundreds of other people. Finally, the terms of the flight, specifically the cost, were ambiguous, and we had already purchased 2 sets of international flights home for our entire family, neither of which were refunded (one set from South Africa and one set from Frankfurt, Germany). If we took the flight, we knew that we would have to sign a promissory note agreeing to pay whatever cost was settled upon, likely a hefty amount.
Ultimately, what put us over the edge to take the flight was the possibility of being in South Africa for many months, with no option to return home. We had some time flexibility and felt that we could work remotely from Cape Town, as well as engage with home school activities for the kids, through May, maybe even through June. And, because we became somewhat smitten with Cape Town and our situation there, the option to stay a bit longer was actually pretty appealing. But, the idea of being there for an unidentified amount of time was concerning for us. We worried that if we didn't take the charter flight, it might be a very long time, maybe even into the fall, before commercial flights were flying again in South Africa. We worried about becoming a burden on the country if we happened to get sick. We worried about potential civil unrest as income inequality magnified by the virus and the lockdown orders might make it difficult for some people to meet their basic needs of food and shelter.
Several other Semester at Sea families who were also in South Africa at the time were faced with the same decision. About half chose to take the flight, and about half chose to stay. I can see the rationale for both choices. This was not an easy call.
Never would have guessed an Embassy organized chartered flight
would be an experience we would share on this voyage.
would be an experience we would share on this voyage.
Cape Town International Airport. Completely closed except for repatriation flight. Erie.
30 minutes from complete circumnavigation of the globe!
The final leg: Cape Town, South Africa -- Lome, Togo -- Washington D.C., USA -- Denver, CO, USA -- Fort Collins, CO, USA
The first question we often get asked about our return home is, "How did Euchre respond when he saw you?" I'll admit that my expectations were quite high for this reunion. My honest to goodness hope was that he would be so happy that he would pee himself. But, this guy is a model for integrity, and he stuck with his values. I imagine that in Euchre's brain, the reunion resembled the following:"Ohhh, I see some people! Do they have food? Hmmm....doesn't appear so. Whatever."
If I had to pick one word to describe his response, it would be "aloof." The good news is that we were so jet lagged after our journey that in the first two days he probably logged about 20 hours of snuggle time, shoved under the covers of our bed.
(It's also worth a quick shout out here to our fabulous friend and puggle-sitter, Pamela, who managed this clown for us since late December. He didn't require any emergency vet visits AND only busted into a full bag of his food one time! Pamela, we adore and love you and we are so incredibly grateful for your contribution to this adventure).
Puggle at home. Looks thrilled, doesn't he?
Being home has been bittersweet. The moment we stepped out of our minivan from our long journey, we were welcomed by about 20 of our River Rock neighbors. The sidewalk leading up to our door was littered with "welcome home" chalk messages. My mom and aunts had worked hard in advance to stock our fridge and pantry with tons of food. Our friends and colleagues have delivered food and thoughtful messages. It is so nice to feel loved and cared for, missed and valued. So many people have showed up for us in ways big and small during this time of transition for our family.
That said, our arrival comes with sadness and grief. Three days ago, April 20, was the day we were originally scheduled to disembark from the MV World Odyssey for the final time in Amsterdam. One day after our arrival to Fort Collins, we looked at the calendar and noticed that we were supposed to be in Marrakesh, Morocco, one of our favorite cities and a place we were looking forward to sharing with the kids. Our losses pale in comparison to what many are experiencing right now (loss of employment or health) and yet, there are moments that are pretty sad.
One of the things we have learned over the last few months is that the Johnson-Lecks do quite well together in adventure mode. Rigley, having bunked up on the ship with roommates and functioning fairly autonomously for the duration of the voyage is 10-years-old going on 20 (in all the BEST ways possible). It turns out that Wally, the kid that we worried would struggle with lack of routine and social anxiety, is in fact our most flexible and adventurous traveler! Guthrie....well, he's still a live-wire and a massive handful to parent, but other people found him to be cute and charismatic, so I suppose the fact that he didn't ruin everything is a pretty big win. Plus, he can totally rock a Vietnamese manicure.
Rig, Greta, and Elora have made a pact to come back to
SAS as college students and share a room.
Wally on safari in South Africa. This boy has many adventures in his future.
Guthrie and JJJ both enjoy their first manicure ever in Ho Chi Min City.
For me, the changes and personal "ah ha" moments as a result of this voyage fill pages of my journal. There are so many ways that this voyage helped me reconnect with my own desire for the "new" and realize my own potential and desires moving forward. Given this reality, reentering our "old life" under the fog of covid19 is both helpful and difficult at the same time. In one sense, the slower pace and the more insulated lifestyle that this virus requires, has allowed us to take our time reentering the world. Honestly, the idea of rushing back into the hustle of our old life is so unappealing to me, that I actually feel quite grateful for the respite that is now required of us. Having so much quality time together as a family, both on the voyage and now, has been a real gift.
Home school "recess" in Fort Collins
On the other hand, a crisis often drives people to seek stability, which feels in direct contrast to the values that are centered for me right now. Yesterday our Governor, Jared Polis, announced that Colorado will slowly "reopen" starting on April 27, the beginning of our "return to normalcy." I trust this guy, and feel fortunate that residents of our state will benefit from rational and ethical leadership in a time when it is so desperately needed. At the same time, when I heard this announcement, I felt a visceral resistance inside my body to the idea of "getting back to normal." While I desperately want everyone to feel and actually BE safe and healthy, including myself and my family, the notion of "going back to what was" is deeply unappealing to me. Having experienced a profound personal transformation over the last three months, I am focused on change and opportunity, and feel more willing than ever to lean into risk to build and create the future. My feelings are in stark contrast to most peoples' strongest individual and collective desires right now. That truth is scary and isolating.
So, that's where we are at.
I'll sign off with a few of my favorite quotes from the voyage. We have so many stories to tell from this adventure. Ask us about it if you are interested. Hugs and love to all who have followed us.
"When you see the Southern Cross for the first time, you understand now why you came this way." --Crosby, Stills, and Nash
"14 minutes till cake. That's how I live my whole life." -- Doug Sink
Friend and travel companion, Doug Sink. Doug and I work one floor away
from each other at CSU, but it took a trip around the world to REALLY get to know one another.
"What we get from this adventure is sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money." --George Mallory
"You smell like dung." --Rigley re: Guthrie
"We live in a world full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." --Jawaharlal Nehru
Sunrise from the MV World Odyssey, Indian Ocean
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