Unintended Compliments

Today, in passing, a girl staying on the Medair Ango base told me, "Structurally, this base is not better than ours, but there is something about it that feels more comfy, makes me like it more. Maybe its the chickens."
Well, it was something of that sentiment.

It lifted my whole day.

Our base is not that bad, all field bases considered. We have electricity from our generator, decent internet, pit latrines, some "running" water and a good community of people that makes life here liveable. Yes, I feel dirty and like I am cabin camping at all times, but it is alright. 

When people arrive in Ango, though, often they do not know what to expect and being so remote, they expect the worst. It is nice to see nervous faces at the airstrip relax as they settle into the base. It lifts my spirits that passers by through Ango can feel home here and comfortable. We try to make people feel welcome, our team here is super nice and usually socialable. I have taken to spending weekends sewing curtains, couches and organizing cupboards so we feel a bit more home than we would, say, in a depot. I have never exactly thought of myself as homemaker (shocker, I know), but I always have really appreciated making my living spaces my own -
- feeling at home in a laundry closet, a boat, a studio, an apartment, a brick and bamboo base.

So, when I heard today that she felt comfortable in our base because of some unknown vibe, it made me happy. I mean, lets be real, these two years will be the most stable living situation I have had in my adult life and I love that it can feel like home to more than only me.

Ango Awesome