Well as I write this, I am 38,002 feet in the air over Canada only a little over an hour from landing in Seattle. Crazy adventures have been had, sickness has been overcome multiple times, proposals of marriage from attractive men on the street have been turned down (true story), zebras, elephants, lions, warthogs, wildabeest, giraffes, and many other animals have been seen, friends have been made, Swahili has been spoken (though not always comprehensible), bugs have been killed, headscarves have been worn, participation in superstitious ancient ruins to have good luck has been done ( I crawled through a grave in Bafamoyo, historical sights that changed the history of the world have been walked through and seen, tans have been acquired (though sunburns were first), understandings of self have been figured out, papers have been written, speeches given, icecream eaten, birthdays had, dancing at bars, photos have been taken, laundry has been done by hand, bucket showers have become a life skill... I really could go on, and continue to go on... But in essence, my life has been changed... Whoop whoop #steryotypicalstudyabroadchanginlifeexperience but in all seriousness. I am very much not the person I was when I left. Thank God for that. If I was the same it would mean I would not have learned, would not have grown, would not have done what I went out to do. While in all honesty I am not sure exactly what I went out to do... But I knew I wanted something completely different. And even though I faces 3 weeks of stomach flu and then probably 2 or 3 more weeks of accumulated sickness I do not regret a moment of it... And if asked to do it again, I don't think I would hesitate in saying yes... Though I might bring more drugs that alleviate uncomfortable sickness symptoms, and probably jump on the antibiotic train sooner... I think it truly says something about my experience when I can say that even through that duration of horrid seemingly unbearable pain... I found somewhere in me to still enjoy myself, still learn, still drag myself to palace ruins, still climb through old slave caves, still appreciate the beautiful sounds of the call to prayer between bouts of throwing up... (true story) I know I found an interstrength and toleration that I had no idea I possessed... Anyways. While this trip to Tanzania is over, I have the feeling that it will not be the only time I find myself in East Africa... I mean, where else am I going to use my Swahili? For my next adventure I am not sure exactly where it will be... But I'm thinking... So, I suppose this is the last entry about this particular adventure; but that said it will not be my last entry ever. I plan to write more about reverse-culture shock and maybe catch up and fill in more about Dar and some of the other places I was... But then again, life might get all busy as it does and I might forget... But I will try. As for this entry, I think I can safely conclude it with a smile. :) and the update that we are almost home... 20 hours of flying and in an hour or so I will be headed through customs, then drive home with my mom and see my family. Looking out through the plane I can see the snow capped peaks of the Rockies. Home is pretty amazingly beautiful, so even though I already miss Tanzania, I feel blessed and excited to come back to the place I like to call my home. :) Tutaonana tena Tanzania. Until we see each other again.
