Unfinished

Friday, June 14^th

            First, I want to wish Brittany Chiesa the most perfect 18^th birthday ever. I cannot believe my little peanut is a legal gal now. I love you so much precious angel! 

            Today we woke up around 5am to make sure we could get down to the lake to watch the sunrise. This also blew my mind with how beautiful it was. I have never gotten up to see a sunrise before and I am so happy that Lake Malawi was my first one. I’m 100% certain that any other sunrise will pale in comparison to this one. Right when the sun peaked over the black silhouette of mountains we played “Circle of Life” from The Lion King to make it the most perfect moment. After the sunrise we all went to breakfast and we were treated like absolute queens and kings. The breakfast buffet was phenomenal and had dozens of choices, even bacon, which made life a million times better than it already was before.

After breakfast we headed out for the long trek back to Lilongwe for our departure to America tomorrow. Along the drive we stopped at this place called Mua Mission, which is a place that specializes in intrinsic and detailed woodcarvings. I purchased this beautiful little table with the last of my kwatcha for the trip. We were able to get in a short tour of the history of Mua Mission while we were there, which was so nice. We stayed for about an hour and then got back on the bus for the remainder of our trip, which would be around 3 hours. I have had such a fantastic time here in Malawi but I am not going to miss those bus trips. It’s not that the bus is uncomfortable or anything but we literally have every inch of the inside of the bus filled, so it gets a little crammed.

            Now we’re back in Lilongwe at the other Annie’s for the night. Our flight leaves around 1:00pm tomorrow so we are planning to leave around 10am for the airport. Sitting here at Annie’s in Lilongwe is like having de ja vu from the beginning of the trip. This is the Annie’s that we stayed at for the first two nights here in Malawi and I cannot believe we are back here for our last night. It’s such a bittersweet feeling because I cannot wait to get home to see my family but I also have become so accustomed to life here in Africa that I’m not sure I’m ready to leave yet. From the very first night to right now I feel like such a different person. I remember the first night here I didn’t sleep because I was scared to death of being in Africa, away from my parents and everything familiar to me. But now I feel like this beautiful place has become apart of who I am. It’s going to be weird going to a place where I see people that look like me, roads that aren't just dirt, highways that are full of cars and not people, and a place that is too fast paced for it’s own good. I’ve been trying to find a couple of words or a sentence to respond to the expected questions from my family and friends about my trip. I think I’ve decided on unfinished. I choose to say that because as satisfying as this trip was for me, I want more. In the beginning of the trip I wouldn’t have said I wanted to come back because in all honestly, I wanted to fly back home the night I got here due to my undying fear of this place and it’s people. In the last month this place has changed me into such a better version of myself. I don’t think I’m doing a good deed for coming here and teaching children who are impoverished. I do, however, think that these wonderful people that I have met have turned me into someone whom I am proud of. A day will not pass that I don’t thank God for this blessing of such a life changing experience. I have left my heart with these beautiful people and I plan to one-day return.

Forever & always,

xoxo