This has been an incredible month not soon forgotten.
In many ways, it felt similar to my summer
spent living in China. It is very different passing through a place as a
tourist than actually setting down some roots: having an address, a phone
number, a favorite grocery store, a barber, local backroad shortcuts to work –
being around long enough to develop an appreciation for what lies beneath the
surface. To, at least in a small way, make this city my own.
This month was a perfect confluence of blessings:
awesome fellow students from Kansas, outgoing international students from
Australia and Germany, a summer escape from wintry Boston, amazing
opportunities to explore the country (African national cup! Kruger safari! Cape
Town!). It was also a tremendous privilege to step into a country that is
making its own history. But the single most important ingredient for success
has been community: sharing in new memories alongside others.
As I write this final entry from the airport, I
am filled with a sweet sadness. This month has been riddled with unexpected
experiences that left me thankful each day for the opportunity to be here. I
have glimpsed into a new healthcare system, a new classist struggle, and a new
culture still evolving but proud in its heritage. And, most of all, I am
utterly delighted to call new strangers friends. God is gracious. How beautiful
it is that we continually shape and become shaped by the lives we intersect.
