November 10, 2007

Today was so boring, all I did was sit in my room and do homework. I studied and wrote my very last paper of the semester. That literally is all that I have done. So rather than boring everyone with all of my exciting details from the day, I thought that I would add some thoughts that I have experienced during the trip.

A few things I’ve learned since coming to SA:

let people know how much you care. if your flight plans change, go with it, it’s all part of the experience. being stuck in a five-star hotel in Jo’burg isn’t the worst case scenario. money in your savings accounts is supposed to be used. if there’s no money, suck it up and ask dad & mom for a loan. dream big. keep lists. don’t sweat the small stuff. wish upon stars…sometimes the city lights don’t allow you to see them but they are there. take the road less traveled, sometimes a detour can open your eyes to something you would never see. slow down, things won’t pass by in such a blur. no matter how much you plan and prepare, there will always be a hiccup that can’t be cured with peanut butter. don’t hold back, sometimes you just have to hold the six foot long earth worm, because when else will you have the chance. don’t take for granted your own bedroom. waking up to the ocean will never be old. so you gain a little weight, it doesn’t mean you should stop eating the food. when you think that you had a bad day, it isn’t anything close to what half of the country has to deal with everyday. it is a long walk to freedom. you can’t change someone’s opinion, even if they are blatantly wrong. don’t rely too heavily on technology to do the work for you. it is a long flight home. the language may be the same, but doesn’t mean that we hear each other. no matter what people say, Xhosa and clicking is not easy. it’s inevitable, you will get seasick when out on the ocean and no amount of ginger or Dramamine can prevent it from happening. shark cage diving is nothing like the movie jaws. bargain at the market, you can usually get things half priced. McDonald’s ice cream is always a cure. accept the fact that you could have won R100, but left two minutes before your name was called. don’t wish the minutes away, it will get to the end and you will want to stop time. so your suitcase may be a little overweight, it doesn’t mean you should stop buying things to bring home. rugby is life. wearing green and yellow doesn’t mean you’re cheering for the Packers, those are Springbok colors too. no use crying (or throwing a mini temper-tantrum) over spilled milk, even if a whole carton spills in your backpack and soaks through your jeans. smiling is a universal language. when in doubt, take immodium, it cures everything. accept the fact that you will never be on time anywhere, an hour late is still “on time.” you will wear the same clothes over and over, this can be due the fact that you have to walk three blocks to get your laundry done, or you just didn’t bring enough clothes. don’t bring lists when grocery shopping, you’ll only leave disappointed when they don’t have anything you needed. as soon as you are acclimated to driving on the right side of the road, you need to go back to the left. if you go to the beach on a windy day, sand will accumulate up your shorts. always have aloe in the refrigerator. there’s nothing topdeck chocolate can’t fix. pretzels and nutella should be staple foods in the food guide pyramid. two-for-ones doesn’t mean that you still order your “regular amount” of drinks and just get double, share with your friends. some people don’t get the concept of returning money when you have borrowed it to them. don’t look back on the time here and become solely focused and upset with the healthcare systems, family dynamics, poverty, and the lack of education…the tearful thank you from one patient means that you made a difference.