I'm sitting in London Heathrow Airport waiting for my flight to Boston and already I'm missing South Africa. I just finished eating breakfast and after the first three bites I found myself wishing that the spread in front of me was South African beans and back bacon smothered in sweet chili sauce instead of the blah I was eating. I used up almost an entire bottle of ketchup to get through the meal (and even the ketchup was different than the tomato sauce found in SA).
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| An early morning view of the Drakensburg Mountains. |
But let me rewind a bit - I'm sitting in London Heathrow Airport waiting for my flight to Boston! Waiting for my flight back to the States! Exactly a year ago I was sitting in the same airport waiting to catch my flight to Johannesburg. Talk about coming full circle!
I'm excited for my return to the States. I'm so excited in fact that I keep seeing people from back home in the airport and end up doing ridiculous double takes (I almost knocked an elderly gentleman trying to gawk at someone I swore was Quinn). But pretty soon I won't just be seeing my friends and family; I'll be talking to them, hugging them, jumping on them and maybe even tackling them out of sheer joy.
My last few days in South Africa were fantastic. I drove to the Drakensburg Mountains where I spent my days hiking and my nights curled up in front of a fair listening to the Olympics via the radio (talk about old school) and talking to other travelers. It was idyllic.
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| Day 1: A view from the top of Witsishoek. |
I had a lot of time to reflect on this past year while hiking. I had so much time for thought that I ended up reflecting upon my reflections. But I think that's a good thing because I can now clearly see what this past year was all about: people, growth and adventure.
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| A bedrock river channel that I came across in the mountains. |
Let's start with people. This year I met some amazing people and made some even more amazing friends. But the people who so often kept me strong and determined to do my best each and every day were my friends and family 7,000 miles away. And some of my fondest memories from this past year were "with" those friends and family members. From Google Hangout book club sessions to making international prank phone calls (Kevin and Matt), this was a year that brought me closer to friends and family. I can't wait to start visiting everybody soon!
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| Day 1: That's the Sentinel in the background and the Amphitheater in the foreground. |
This year was also about growth. I grew a lot as a person and learned about my strengths and weaknesses. I grew a lot emotionally and learned how to adapt to new cultures and customs. I grew a lot as a young professional and learned about program management, grant writing, financial management and sport for development. I think even my dreams grew and I find myself often thinking about new opportunities and new paths that I hope to walk in life.
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| Day 2: I found a sandstone wall that had been well- weathered by wind and water and climbed up it. |
Last but not least, this year was about adventure. I immersed myself in entirely new cultures. I travelled to seven different countries. I played soccer with plastic bags and oranges. I learned to cook new foods. I ate plants in the bush. I trekked desolate mountain trails. And I even drank fresh mountain water.
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| Day 2: Near the top (as high as I could climb) of a weathered sandstone cliff face. |
People. Growth. Adventure. That's what this year was about. That's what this year was filled with. And as I move on to whatever is coming next, I hope those three things will continue to come my way. If my life continues to be filled with people, growth and adventure, then I will live and die happy.
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| Day 3: Sitting in the Crack - I had to climb down into this crevice between two mountains. |
