Trying to Make Some Sense of it All

The Sox and Patriots apparently inspired me to post again.

First, all my pictures are now posted on Kodak Gallery- you can find them here:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=13h2keeb.5dqid3zj&Uy=-v839iw&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0

It has taken me far too long to finish up this blog, and I have no great excuse- I only started work at the firm this Tuesday and the orientation has been very gentle there, so it is not work that has kept me from it, but I have finally posted the end of the safari adventure. It does not come off as that exciting, I fear, but I am truly happy to have gone on the safari and would gladly return if I get another chance.

That said, the safari was from the most meaningful part of my time in Kenya. I have struggled a bit in answering the usual question “how was your trip?” since my return, and I think it is partly because I remember different things about it at different times. I also don’t want to sound too dramatic about it- when you say a four week stay was “life changing,” it rings a bit hollow when you think about the experience of those who spend much longer in service to the developing world, whether it be a few years in the Peace Corps or a lifetime of missionary work.

Even so, I think the experience has the possibility to be life changing for me, though the results still need to be seen. At the very least, it was a grounding, centering experience that was what I was hoping for prior to starting my new career. I was seeking a challenge, an opportunity to see something totally different, and to give something to others. I received all of that and more.

I recognized at the end that I could have done a lot more on the service front had I made a longer trip, particularly because I truly began to feel some progress wiith my work in my last week at St. Al’s. I also recognize now that I was very happy to be coming home, that I am a person who enjoys the comforts of friends and family and pizza and HDTV and my own car etc. So while I have tremendous admiration for those who dedicate their life to that type of work, I may not be strong enough to do it myself. I do believe the next time I go I could stay longer and do more, but I have no idea when I will have that much time.

So now I look for ways to bring my experience back to my life in Boston. I am hoping to work with my friends at St. Al’s to support them from afar, and I will keep people posted as those opportunities arise. I am also hopeful that the perspective I have gained from my travels will inform my work and my life to make a positive difference where I can. It has certainly reinforced how grateful I am for the life I have already been given.