So, while we were in Turkey, we visited the churches that John wrote to in the book of Revelation. It was real crazy going to a place that an apostle wrote about, and walking in the places he most likely walked in. The town of Ephesus was amazing, and the most intact archeological sight I have ever been to.
We went into an old house that has been in the process of excavation since the late 90’s, it was an amazing place. It was sweet walking the floors of a house that had been inhabited 2000 years ago. It is crazy seeing what every day life was like back then, or at least the conditions the people lived in. The house was more intricate than many modern day houses. The person must have been very well off.
The city itself was massive, almost as big as modern day cities. It was cool going into the houses that people lived in thousands of years ago, walking on the same roads that have been used since before Christ was crazy to me.
Well, we left Rwanda yesterday. Today we hang out at The Ahadi Lodge in Tanzania. Tomorrow we begin our climb.
I am so ready to go back to school and get the rest of my life started. Gap year is great, but once I get home I know that I will be well prepared to take on college. A year ago, I never would have thought that I would be in Africa. A year ago I had no idea what I would be doing. Stuff changes, and all you can do is go along with it.
So, we leave Rwanda in just a few short days. Time flies here, it’s pretty crazy that I can still remember getting up from my bed in Oklahoma and saying my good-byes to my family and friends. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were getting on a plane from Brussels to Kigali. But, that was 5 weeks ago.
I wish life in the states was as simple as it was here in Rwanda. I think people would get along much better. People would probably be happier too. As Americans, we keep ourselves busy for really no good reason at all. A good portion of our lives will be wasted on things that we keep ourselves busy doing. Things that will in all reality add up to nothing at all. That’s kind of sad if you ask me. But it’s just an opinion.
It’s a weird feeling when you go to a school in the middle of Rwanda and the students all speak four languages. What is even more shocking is that most of the students know more about American culture than I do. Some even know American history more than I do. That comes as a huge shock.
Going up into the mountains on weekdays is usually an interesting drive. We load up in the truck, which is a normal 4 door passenger truck. The problem is, we have 13 people. So, we fit who we can into the cab and then cram everyone else into the bed.
It must look really odd seeing 8 white people (Muzungus as they call us) just riding along in a truck bed. I wonder what they think as they pass. At least they seem happy to see us here.
Made it to Rwanda safely about 2 weeks ago, and it’s been great so far. It’s nothing like I would have expected. By that, I mean it’s nothing like The Lion King. I’ve been learning a lot here, and time goes by super fast. I can’t believe that I’ve been here for this long already.
So, for the past few years I have been keeping a journal on my computer. I usually write three or four times a week. I have been going through these past entries and it’s unreal. It’s as if i was reading a totally different persons journal. I knew I would change, but this is just so bizarre. I have taken a total 180 degree turn around, and It would seem as if I am sprinting in that direction.
This program is the real deal. Students need this. They need time after school to determine who they are, and what they want to be for their lives. I am POSITIVE that if I had gone to college I would have dropped out within the first semester. It’s a shame that some students go into college and drop out and waste their time and money. I realized really quick once I got here that I needed change, and I needed time to meditate on who I am, and who I want to be.
Ok, let’s be honest. For the past 18 years I have lived an extremely pampered life. Whatever I ask for I get, no questions asked. It has taken this time in Denver to make me realize how blessed I am to have an amazing and stable family, and an awesome group of friends who don’t take advantage of me.
It is really sad that it has taken this long to realize how blessed I am. I don’t think it should have taken me this long to come to the conclusion that I am so ungrateful for the possessions I have. It kind of sickens me to be honest. People need to learn that what they have shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Looking back at some of the things that I have done in the past is just unreal sometimes, It’s been hard realizing how ungrateful I am. It’s amazing to me that some of the people that I work with are so thankful with how little they have. It’s even more disturbing and astounding that some of the people that I know are so unhappy even though they have so much.
Bottom line, It’s hard to truly express how grateful I am to have what I have. It’s awesome to have a loving family, amazing friends, and to have the opportunity with this Gap year.
