The Trip of a Lifetime

My whole experience in Africa has been the most amazing 6 weeks of my life. I struggle to come up with an answer when people ask me, "What was your favorite part?". Everything. I absolutely loved the people, the culture, and the chance to call Bukoba my temporary home. It would be an understatement for me to admit that I fell in love with my time there. I would go back in a second.

Turns out, I want to. I apparently am terrible at functioning as an American--
I was more sick returning home than I ever was in Bukoba
I apparently forgot how to operate my own vehicle while I was away & locked my keys in my car on the way home from the airport
I've already had to cancel appointments because I was late. 15 minutes "late" would make you early in Tanzania. Here, rather, I was obnoxiously late. Nice way to be welcomed back to the fast paced American lifestyle!
I'm overwhelmed by my phone and my computer. I lose my phone countless times everyday and forget I actually have to respond to people's calls/texts. 

I must admit if there was any consolation for leaving Bukoba, though, it was seeing my Mom at the airport with our new puppy and a slew of American food :) That goes for the rest of my family and friends-it has been so great to see everyone back home! "Reunited & it feels so good"?

 --

There is just something about being in Africa that you cannot articulate. I had so much to tell you all while I was away, and now that I'm trying to summarize the whole experience I find myself lost in every moment of the trip. I'm afraid any attempt I could make of accurately describing my last 6 weeks would fall disappointingly short of how amazing it really was; there is really no good way of communicating such an incredible opportunity.

I can say, though, that I will be returning to Africa. Among the hospital conditions I observed, the children I held and played with, the lepers I interacted with, and the people I met I couldn't stay away from this place. I have never in my life been treated so kindly by absolute strangers. It is impossible to effect change in a matter of weeks, but the chance to become an ambassador for the people I saw is an opportunity within itself that I hope to use to continue evoking change.

Possibly a picture montage may help me show you how amazing my experience was. Enjoy :)

Bukoba

Bukoba Town

Bukoba Secondary School (site of computer lab & organic chemistry)

Organic Chemistry Lessons!

The Girls and Bukoba Seco

A very typical African meal-Pilau!

Ntoma Baby Orphanage

Mugeza Albino Orphanage

The infamous Edwin!

Entrance to the Bat Cave

Africa <3

During a muddy hike to church

Soccer and Jumping Dance with the Maasai

Village in Shinyanga

Site of the Community Center for the Leprosy patients awaiting hospital stays--conditions of the housing left capacity for the center at half of what it should be able to hold

Safari!

Lions in the middle of the road, snoozin.

  Thank you ALL for keeping up to date with me while I was away :) I will be happy to chat up with you all when I see you next and tell you even more about my trip!

-Carly