Advertisement
Disclaimer: As has always been true and shall for now and ever more be true, this blog is a creation of my own thoughts, however random they may be, and has not and shall never be any reflection of the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and/or policies and politics, however pompous or pretentious they may or may not be, of the US Peace Corps, US government, and any of its subsidiaries, parent organizations, lobbyists, spies, puppets, etc. etc. etc.
“One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is hidden to the eyes.”
From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Today, May 22, 2011, we have been in Botswana for two years, one month, and 3 days. We’ve worked hard, worked little, traveled, been homesick, laughed and cried. What legacy we may leave behind, I will never know.
Still, I am most grateful for the friendships that have grown in the red, sandy soil of this country. When I set foot on the plane that will take me west across the Atlantic, I will bring many people home with me in spirit: Batswana, Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff. I will carry with me amazement at the tenacity of both
young and old volunteers. I will hold in my heart as well, people from other African nations and other continents. I will remember the babies that I first knew as infants who are now running after their older siblings. I will remember the very old whose faces reflect years of hardship, perseverance, patience, and love.
I will carry the sorrow and helplessness of knowing that many in this country and on this continent will continue to die as a result of the HIV virus, of drug resistant TB, and of many other ailments they may have survived had they had access to healthcare that many in wealthier countries take for granted. I will also know the sadness of seeing children who are failed by a school system that does not accommodate the needs of its most vulnerable learners, and of teachers who have lost the spark that once motivated them to teach.
I will arrive home to witness many similar joys and sorrows in the country of my birth. I will delight in hugging my children and my grandchildren, in spending time with old friends. I will grieve losses, both tangible and imagined. I will see that the home I’ve romanticized since I’ve been gone still has its flaws.
I will come back changed in many ways, but also carry with me many long standing habits, some carefully cultivated, others carelessly acquired. Still, I will arrive home filled with gratitude for so many who have enriched my spirit, opened my mind, and touched my heart, from those at home who encouraged me to take this risk to those in Africa who have encouraged me to continue to risk safety and security in order to gain a deeper understanding of myself and of this amazing little planet we call Earth.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.102s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 7; qc: 56; dbt: 0.0583s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Tomi O'Fallon
non-member comment
Greatful
I have so enjoyed your great stories and wonderful pictures! I have learned lessons. I believe you leave a legacy of caring. Caring for people and children will never be forgotten. You touch lives in a positive way. We can't resolve the worlds problems, although if they would, could learn what we know, we think we could. We can care, teach and touch their lives in a positive way, will always be remembered. I have missed you and am excited you are coming home. Thank-you again for sharing your experiences. See you soon, Tomi