I am back in America, and back to the hectic way of
life that describes all western cultures. I feel so awful that I haven't
updated my blog in so long, but my time away from my blog has helped me to
reflect on what I experienced in Africa. I wouldn't be lying if I told you
there isn't one morning I wake up, or night that I lay my head down that I
don't think about Africa. Random occurrences will bring me straight back to a
memory of my travels in Arusha, Tanzania.
I am in the process of researching dogs, and upon
glancing at the hundreds of dog books of the New Hanover Public Library I found
a book that pictured the breed that the other volunteers and I would see
roaming the streets, or sleeping next to a shop on a dirt road.
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| Breeds around the world from doggie book |
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| Doggies in Arusha, TZ
Africa hasn't left my thoughts, but more
importantly it hasn't left my heart.
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When I arrived at the airport at the end of my
Journey on August 19th, 2014 I wrote the following note before getting called
to the gate to board:
To:
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Med&MoreInAfrica
August, 19th at 3:59 PM
Here I am, 3:09 PM, at JRO airport in Tanzania
getting ready to take flight home. My emotions are endless. I feel like I got
here yesterday, yet I also feel as I have been here for months. Truth be told,
today marks six full weeks since I stepped off the plane onto African soil.
This morning I went to St. Jude's Primary School. We visited the library and
were read to, we visited a music class and were performed to, and we visited an
art class where we were shown various works of art completed by the children
over the holiday break. It was extremely special and a fantastic send off for
me. I am very lucky to have gotten this opportunity to touch lives. I sure as
hell didn't know how much others would touch mine. Below I've posted a few
photos of the people who have impacted my life the most since my time in
Arusha.
This is Thomas.
Since my first week in Arusha, he has been
leaving little handprints on my heart. His smile could light up a room, but
it's his selfless ways that set him apart from all the other street bargainers.
This kid's heart is bigger than the Grinch after he realized he shouldn't have
stole Christmas. He always took the time to talk to Heather and I whenever he
would see us out on the town (nearly every other day). I will never forget him.
The woven bracelet on my wrist is the one he made
for me, and the beaded bracelet around his wrist is the one I made for
him.
These are photos of myself and heather with the
ladies of the laboratory. This was the first placement we volunteered
in. The ladies of this lab let us in with open arms, teaching us Swahili and
techniques of lab testing. We also practiced phlebotomy with a few other
Tanzania students.
One of these students is pictured above. This is
Joseph. He is a sweet boy, and walked me through each step of CD4 testing. He
answered every question I had about so many other lab tests (RFT and LFT).
Y'all know I ask a lot of questions, so this act was very generous. We still
continue to keep in touch on FB. Xo Joseph!
The beautiful person pictured above is Angel.
She is the wonderful soul that checked us out at our favorite grocery store. We
often shopped there after the hospital dressed fully in scrubs, looking for
banana chips and chocolate. She always helped us with a sweet smile. Her
English was spectacular. She was kind to everyone, and everyone knew her and
spoke to her as she rang up their items. Yesterday we baked her a cake, and
when we returned to her store to give her one last gift she presented us with
elephant key chains, and beautiful sea green bracelets.
Lastly, pictured above are our 6-week long neighbors who ever so kindly opened their home to us on our last night to have dinner (among so many other sweet gestures). They have been kind, and welcoming since the very first day we arrived. Their children, Amna and Fatima, never ceased to warm my heart, even when they were running around the apartment complex screaming at the top of their lungs. I joined the little ones for soccer some afternoons, and after playing a game one night they pointed at my henna and said, "look, you are like us!" They are right, we are alike.
Each individual has much more in common with another individual than not.
Angel and I still talk every day over What’sApp. I
even have her gifted pink elephant key chain on my key ring. I showed Angel a
photo of my keys with her gift and she wrote, “Am really happy. Because I know
am always with you wherever you go.” She is right, she is always with me, and
so are all the others mentioned above. I am lucky to have gotten the
opportunity to meet such wonderful people from such a new, diverse location. I
was lucky to have had the chance to live a life similar to a life of a local. Thomas and I shared the same sidewalk each day, Angel and I shared the
same banana chips, Joseph and I shared knowledge, and the lab ladies and I
always shared laughs.
I assume many think one would come back form an
eye-opening trip as this and decide to change their life in the form of using
less resources, or decreased technology use… But, I feel what has changed in me
is very different than that.
I feel as though I have learned a valuable lesson
of appreciating the gifts of life by living more slowly. Before I took this
trip, I was always so busy… running around making sure I got everything on my
checklist crossed off for the day, and God forbid I didn’t finish my list. Life
to me was dictated by tasks I had to complete. Although, at times I would stop
and glance at the world around me and breathe deeper… I didn’t do it nearly enough.
Africa helped me to remember to never take any moment for granted. I understand
America is fast paced and in order to remain in the race for success you can’t
alter your speed entirely However, It has been my goal since I arrived back to
make every effort to appreciate this world, and this life as much as possible. This could mean the obvious, like enjoying a beach walk a little more slowly, or the subtle effort to strike up a conversation with a random person in the grocery store checkout line. Life is beautiful, and we have too much to be thankful for.
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| Hashtag no filter ;) |
Thanks to everyone out there for reading my blog.
It means so much to me! If you have any questions about Elective Africa or my
journey in general don’t hesitate to ask.
