Friday, July 8, 2011

In the end...

It has taken me nearly a week to try and find the words I needed to write my final entry on Malawi. I started writing a final entry nearly a dozen times in Malawi but nothing seemed appropriate, and I couldn't get very far without breaking down into tears. I'm not sure I will ever find the right words to summarize my time in Malawi, they might not even exist.

In the end these are some of the things I will never ever forget: landing in Malawi anxious and excited and extremely exhausted, living with a wonderfully generous Malawian family where I learned to cook on a fire and speak with my hands, eating way too much nsima, getting used to the water (read: becoming violently ill on multiple occasions), swearing in as a REAL volunteer, moving to my first home, heartbreak, a crazy crazy Christmas, New Years in Nkhata Bay, climbing Mt. Mulanje, planning camp SKY, celebration at President Bingu's house, Camp SKY, AMERICA, game count, Thanksgiving, MY FAMILY ARRIVES,New Years on Mumbo Island, safari in Zambia, loneliness, Sarah's death, carrying 20l of palm oil around Malawi and making soap, the opening of AYID, climbing Kilimanjaro, snorkeling in Zanzibar, the world map project, Eunice, Charity, Ruth, Dennis, Derrick, Vinny, Innocent, Henry, Mavuto, Amayi, Mr. Kasiya, Mr. Masofa, Mrs. Matumba, William, Charlie, Alexander, Gertrude, Mr. Lisambo, Enesti, John, Dickens, Blessings, falling in love with Malawi...

In the end my experience is not about the frustrations and the challenges, rather it is about the hope and beauty I witnessed in an extraordinary place. In the end I learned more about myself than ever before, I was challenged and frustrated and inspired. I am so thankful for the support of my family and friends both in Malawi and at home, you knew it was not always easy, but you supported and encouraged me and reminded me why I was there. In the end I will always remember the moments that remind me why Malawi will always be magical.