I have now been home from Botswana for a little more than five weeks. Why this blog entry is just now appearing, I am not exactly sure. I have stewed about what I could write to show a glimpse of my post-Africa reflections, but the words were never quite there. Perhaps they still aren't. How does one look back on a life-changing four-and-a-half months and do verbal justice to all they meant?
Anyhow, since arriving back in the parsonage in Commerce and feeling the weirdness of returning to the United States, life has for the most part been enjoyable. I have done lots of journaling, reading, relaxing, reuniting with friends, watching the Mavericks win the NBA Championship (so exciting!), and I have started my second summer of work at the Stewpot Summer Day Camp in Dallas. I am happy when I am surrounded by the wonderful Hispanic children of the City Park neighborhood during the week and can then retreat to my family's home and enjoy conversation and relaxation on the weekends.
But I also must acknowledge that I am forever changed. I can resume my activities as I did before--church, work, family and friends, and know that I am of course still the same Eva, with ambitions and hopes and dreams. The images of all that I experienced a half a world away, however, are forever ingrained in my memory, resurfacing every single day. I still see the Riverwalk restaurants all lined up before me after a hot walk, when all I wanted was to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Maggie. I can still see the faces of children of the SOS Orphanage, still hear their laughter and little voices singing "Waka Waka." I still imagine myself in my little room in the graduate dorms, waiting for Dominique or Kevin or Dean's knock on my window. I can even still feel the heartache I felt when I said goodbye to the people I met there who had become dear to me.
And even though sometimes it is more sad and disorienting than I could have imagined being away from Botswana, it is so totally and completely worth it. Even though I am no longer there, I can share everything I have learned and experienced with my loved ones here at home. I can turn on the famous South African house tune "Still" on my ipod on my way to work and for those few moments be back at the Station, walking among the various vendors and searching for a combi. I can look through pictures of giraffes and elephants and re-live what it was like to be around such majestic creatures in the flesh. And thanks to technology, I can facebook message or skype my friends back in Gabs and tell them how much I miss them.
So I am glad to be back, continuing my life in Texas and looking forward to the unfolding of my senior year of college and all that lies beyond. But Botswana will forever be a part of me.
Anyhow, since arriving back in the parsonage in Commerce and feeling the weirdness of returning to the United States, life has for the most part been enjoyable. I have done lots of journaling, reading, relaxing, reuniting with friends, watching the Mavericks win the NBA Championship (so exciting!), and I have started my second summer of work at the Stewpot Summer Day Camp in Dallas. I am happy when I am surrounded by the wonderful Hispanic children of the City Park neighborhood during the week and can then retreat to my family's home and enjoy conversation and relaxation on the weekends.
But I also must acknowledge that I am forever changed. I can resume my activities as I did before--church, work, family and friends, and know that I am of course still the same Eva, with ambitions and hopes and dreams. The images of all that I experienced a half a world away, however, are forever ingrained in my memory, resurfacing every single day. I still see the Riverwalk restaurants all lined up before me after a hot walk, when all I wanted was to sit down and have a cup of coffee with Maggie. I can still see the faces of children of the SOS Orphanage, still hear their laughter and little voices singing "Waka Waka." I still imagine myself in my little room in the graduate dorms, waiting for Dominique or Kevin or Dean's knock on my window. I can even still feel the heartache I felt when I said goodbye to the people I met there who had become dear to me.
And even though sometimes it is more sad and disorienting than I could have imagined being away from Botswana, it is so totally and completely worth it. Even though I am no longer there, I can share everything I have learned and experienced with my loved ones here at home. I can turn on the famous South African house tune "Still" on my ipod on my way to work and for those few moments be back at the Station, walking among the various vendors and searching for a combi. I can look through pictures of giraffes and elephants and re-live what it was like to be around such majestic creatures in the flesh. And thanks to technology, I can facebook message or skype my friends back in Gabs and tell them how much I miss them.
So I am glad to be back, continuing my life in Texas and looking forward to the unfolding of my senior year of college and all that lies beyond. But Botswana will forever be a part of me.
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