A few weeks ago, while on a morning run in Rwinkwavu, a group of roughly six kids decided to run with me. While this is not an uncommon occurrence, this particular morning, I was craving some alone time and the serenity that comes with a solo run, so, I ventured a little further into the valley, leaving behind the roads and opting for lightly trodden paths and unforgiving sunlight. This first time, I was absolutely turned around when the path I thought I was following disappeared. By the time I finally found my way out of the valley, I had unintentionally added an extra half mile to my run, and I knew I had a new go-to route. I liked the challenge of running on an unknown course that changes daily with the rain. Every day, I get to pick up a new path and maybe get lost a few times, but also have a chance to explore a little more of this beautiful place I currently call home.
Sometimes around here, I feel like I oscillate between feeling comfortable in a steady routine and feeling like I just arrived and I’m following a brand new path. On one hand, I feel like I am truly starting to settle into the rhythm of life here. On the other hand, there are days when everything feels like a new challenge. Even when I think I may have everything figured out, I realize there is still much to learn and much to see. At times, it can be frustrating, and I wish for the comfort and convenience of life in the US. However, I am just as quickly reminded that this is an incredible opportunity to push outside of my comfort zone and experience work and life in a completely new and different way.
April was a slower month, but it was also a much-needed respite and offered the opportunity to do some travel around Africa. First, our Director of Communications, Sam, and I traveled to Namibia for a few days of sand dunes and road-tripping up and down the coast. The next week, Madi and I took a trip to Kenya and Tanzania where we biked through Hell’s Gate National Park and visited Zanzibar. If you had told me a year ago that I would travel to all of these new places, I never would have believed you, but I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do so. Across both of these trips, I found myself in new cultures and visiting some awe-inspiring places I never could have imagined.
After all of the travel, it was nice to return to the familiar rhythms of the village and the basketball court. The idea of coming home, back to the house in Rwinkwavu, was a new feeling for me, but after some reflection, it is clear that this is where I want to be right now. There is a feeling of familiarity here that took a few months to develop. Even on the days when I miss my family or feel like I am walking a new path, I have a sense of home here. When I am on the basketball courts with our beneficiaries and walking around a village where the kids know my name and I know theirs as well, I realize that I am comfortable here.
But I want to be clear, this sense of comfort should not be confused with complacency. I know there is still so much for me to explore, and much that I still have to learn. With only a few months left, I am trying to savor the time I have here and soak up every possible moment, especially the challenging ones.
