Here I am sitting in a coffee shop in Africa. I cannot provide details of where I am, but I can discuss what I have seen here. I am especially fascinated with what is alike between my life in Anchorage and life in camp. Take this crow for instance: it appears to be different from our crows but it's nature differs not at all from its cousins half a world away. They are noisy and clever, and will steal anything they can carry away. They fight with other birds and with the bats. They gather together to form "murders" composed of their close family members. They clamor all during the night and retreat to the cool shade of the sparse trees during the heat of the day. They are very similar to their cousins in America in personality if not in appearance.
I am comforted by the sameness. I am delighted by the differences. I love being able to rejoice in both aspects of this life.
The life in camp can become very "groundhog" day in nature, so finding differences enlivens the experience. Being able to connect the difference to what seems familiar connects me to my life back home. I can love both sides of my existence. I love to see new places and to feel that the world is large.
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African Pied Crows
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