Quick Notes

For the non-texting-inclined, quick notes are messages that can be selected as pre-saved messages to send to someone. Most phones have a list of them to choose from. For example, you can choose something like "How are you?" and this will be inserted into a text message to be sent to whomever the sender wishes. I wondered if the quick notes selection would be different in Africa, so I checked my phone (I have been given a cell phone by CRS). Here is the list that I found:

1. Call you later.

2. Urgent! Please call me!

3. I'll be -- minutes late.

4. I wait for you at --.

5. Meet you in --.

6. Be happy for --.

7. I'll wait for you at subway --.

8. Don't worry, be happy.

9. Have a nice day!

10. Love you forever.

#6 and #8 are my favorite. I think that those most accurately describe the people here. However, #3 made me laugh, too, because time is so relaxed here that I can see how that would be a good quick  note to have on hand. Actually, the relaxed attitude towards time is one of my favorite aspects of living here. When I'm home in the States, I find that I am often worrying or stressed. Even when I'm doing something completely for myself, I am thinking of what I should be doing instead to be more productive. Here, what seems to be most important is interacting with people and being happy. I never fully realized it when I was in the States, but living with the attitude, or in the style (whatever way you choose to describe it) that I was, makes it easy to forget about the importance of other people; of the happiness that fills you when greeting someone with a sincere, full, and open heart; of the joy in asking someone about their day and truly caring what they say about it; of making silly jokes about nothing important just to have an excuse to laugh. I hope that these are some of the things that I can bring back with me from Africa.