We made it to Malabo. Finally. After leaving Jerusalem in February of 2017, it felt like we’d never get here.

Malabo is complex. Equatorial Guinea is complex. To set the scene for blogging over the next few years, I will not publicly grapple with colonial legacies and living here as a wealthy white woman married to a Beninese-American while carrying a diplomatic passport.  Certainly, readers, we can discuss that in person and over drinks should we ever find ourselves in the same part of the world (we do have a lovely guest room!).

What I am prepared to write about is the beauty of the country, the warmness with which we’ve been welcomed into our neighborhood by Guineanos and expats alike, and how delighted we are to once again find ourselves in a situation that’s good for our family.

For example, this marvelous beach about 20 minutes out of town. Our second weekend in town, we drove out and enjoyed a day of blissful peace and quiet on the water.  The kids played on the beach and in the pool, I got some reading done, and we were able to completely relax for a little while.

Beautiful.