Welcome Home! Hey Nic... Never ceasing to amaze, your trip sounds like it was beyond fabulous. I'm glad to hear that you are safe and well. Have you thought about turning your writings into a book? Nic Nakis, best seller -- I see it now. And, then you and Chelly can live anywhere you desire! :)
Wooww.... I was just thinking about you and thought to check out your blog again. Glad that you came back home safe, and I am so thrilled that my Africa has had such an impact on you. Your fiance is beautiful and I truly appreciate your new outlook on life. Never let life get you too jaded, because if we didn't have idiots and dumb asses we'd have nothing to judge the good shit by in comparison.
Good luck to you man!
Home is home, but... Kerry, I admit that home is home, but I don't have to live there. I love Africa, and I'd love to live there. Hell, if it's my marriage at stake, I'd go live on the moon! Thanks for the thoughtful comment, anyway.
happy african Do not let a negative person's moronic ideas get to your head about chelly,I am married to an american having come from kenya.I am happy in my marriage.I waited for 6 months for him to visit me while in nairobi as he worked on the paper work and other 3 months before another visa interview,it was basically a total of a yr and some months and it was all worth it,we will be visiting kenya during xmas time.When it comes to friends here in the US chelly will sure make some and kenyans in the US are just about in every state ,they are very supportive.congratulations.
Hey Nic! Hey Nic - found you on a google search. I found the love of my life in Kenya too and we are going through the fiance visa process right now! It'll take a whiel, but since I'm here in NJ (Damar's in Kisumu) the paperwork/filing side of things hasn't been as bad I guess as it was for you two - but it's tough not being together. I just scanned your blog but will check it out more later. I don't know how to attached a photo to this - but if you're interested, I'll send you some photos of her/us. We're VERY happy and excited. and I wish you the best with Chelly - she looks like a real sweetheart - it's the smile - the great smile! Same with Damar - it was her smile that hooked me! Take care, Doug form New Jersey) ddartt@verizon.net
Good Luck I would like to say that I am not trying to bring you down. I simply speak from experience. I too met a wonderful man while travelling and we have been together for over 2 and a half years. Similarly to you and Chelly, we are both from complete opposite sides of the world. I have moved accross the world to be with him. It sounds very romantic and it is. The problem is, I feel like a fish out of water. I am a million miles away from my family and friends. I will not see my nephew grow up. I will not see my parents grow old. Of course, I get to visit twice a year, at best. But we are still so far away. Please don't take this the wrong way, but don't you think it will be difficult for Chelly to live so far away from everyone she loves? Her parents and brothers and her friends. African culture is extremely different than American culture. Even if you don't agree with many American policies, you still admitted that "home is home", for better or for worse. You returned to America even though you believe Americans are "assholes". What makes you think Chelly will not want to return to her home some day? I advise you to try to make it work with Chelly, because if anything is worth a try, it is love. Unfortunately, the truth is, one person cannot realistically be another person's entire life in the long term. You and Chelly may be very much in love and very much alike, but you have tremendous differences that you cannot deny. I know what I'm saying. I am in the same position as you. Some couples make it. Most couples don't. I hope you will part of the former.
On religion, you absolutely must check out one or more books from Osho. My friend Nicolette turned me on to him and I am very glad. I find his perspectives to be very freeing and unattached from any sociological or religiously imposed boundaries on personal growth.
Stay in touch. On myspace or wherever.
Dont go !! This cant be the last blog !! =( I have been following your entire journey and wow! I do wish you the best of luck in the coming months with Chelly and the wedding, I do wish you would continue writting though, some of the best stuff I've ever read and truly inspirational. Again, good luck !!
Namaste. A wild and crazy ride, Nic. Don't let negative comments drag you down--not that you're likely to. All best wishes from the materialistic East Coast. Jamie
Nic--You and Chelly will make it! I just read Kerry's comment and am glad you responded and will not heed those words. As I said before, my mom came from Europe and it was hard to get her here but she loved it and made it her home. Chelly will do fine because she has people that love her and much support here and she has you, the love of her life. Good luck and she will be here soon. Let us know what we can do to get the tree house ready for her arrival. We are here to help you!
Absolutely As a latecomer to your journals here, I just wanted to say, extraordinary. And I'm happy to see you are not taking the advice of Kerry. We don't know the end of anything, but it's in the attempt to make a better life, even if we may not be successful, that makes life worthwhile. Good luck to both of you.
cool thoughts, I'm liking your ideas.
I've been told by about 5 people in a somewhat prophetic fashion that I will be taking on a large role in helping people to awaken to a more harmonious state of being, and right now the primary way of doing that would be through health.
Hello Hello, I have been an avid browser among travelblog for some time now, just reading blogs to occupy my boring time from within my gray cubicle walls and several weeks ago I came across your blogs. Nothing has captivated me as your blogs have. I read all of them. You write with an increadible knowledge, and reading about you and Chelly was like waiting for a story to unfold, your blogs are amazing !! I wish you both lots of luck and I do hope you'll continue writting once back in the states, you certainly have a knack for it !
Just read your blogs, wow! I hope you keep writing from the US. And don't listen to the naysayer above - you both sound like adaptable individuals and if it works, it works, and if it doesn't, it doesn't, but at least you'll have no regrets. Love is worth chasing! All the best.
Carpe diem! Reading this story and the comments ppl posted on your previous blogs I just felt I have to add my thoughts too..Dont be afraid to live ur life the way u want it..ur only young once and u ll never know when the journey ends.I wish u and ur lovely Chelly all the best and may all ur dreams come true!...and if things dont come out the way u planned them keep this in mind: dont be sad it ended, be happy it happened (or smth like that, my appologies Im in the office not fully awake :))
ps: I asked around and one of my greek managers told me to wish u this: Na zisete!Hronia polla! - hope he didnt make fun of me.. have fun on ur journey
Engagement Party. I must say that was a great party and you have posted it well , we at Silver Africa Tours wish a happy union bro and remember Kenya is now your second home as you hae the daughter of the land.
Always keep in touch
Odek Fred
info@silverafricatours.co.ke
www.silverafricatours.com
I thought that comment over... ...and I think it's total bullshit. At least it's not applicable to our situation.
I know plenty of Africans who are happy in the states. And, actually, I as an American am rarely very happy here. There is a lot about America that I really hate (the attitudes you've expressed here, for example) and we'll need to be balancing our time in the U.S. with our time abroad, for sure.
When Chelly arrives in the U.S., we will have money. We will also have a large network of friends and relatives to give her support. Already, I am imploring my friends to take care of her and show her around when she arrives, as well as beginning to reach out towards the African and Catholic communities in my area. By the time she gets here, we will do everything we can to make her feel at home.
Changing my whole life for this one person has made me very happy so far, so I think I'll take my chances. Thanks.
can't believe it, i'm jealous where do I begin, i found your blog by accident, i'm sitting here in an internet cafe in a nameless airport in a nameless place, hand bandaged, mourning a friend, when i saw your blog about your brother, i read your blog briefly and found myself having sympathy for him but thinking of you "what a puke", then I read of your blogs about Chelly. I'm 8 years older and have been just about everywhere with the scar tissue to prove it, i have walked the road of moral exploration and have tried to make a difference, I have also worked hard, made friends and have succeeded around the world. In every way I am years ahead of you, but would start over again if I could meet someone with what I see in Chelly's eyes(from the blog pics). You look to your future and see hazards and problems to overcome, but you have each other, I can't believe it, I'm jealous.
My name is Nic Nakis and I come from Sedro-Woolley, WA. I started this travel blog as "The Mad Greek's Travel Blog" when I left North America for the first time in 2006. I documented that first 6-month, around-the-world trip extensively. Then, I returned for a few updates around 2010. I revived the blog in 2022 in order to record my ongoing travels and fill in some of the gaps.
I am a filmmaker and a fitness coach.
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Welcome Home!
Hey Nic... Never ceasing to amaze, your trip sounds like it was beyond fabulous. I'm glad to hear that you are safe and well. Have you thought about turning your writings into a book? Nic Nakis, best seller -- I see it now. And, then you and Chelly can live anywhere you desire! :)