Tomorrow marks the 1 month anniversary of being “back home.” These past 4 weeks have been a whirlwind of old experiences that feel brand new — such as a grilled cheese sandwich or traffic laws — things that used to be normal, things I haven’t seen, felt, done, tasted, heard in 8 months that are more exciting this time around than they were the first time. I am basking in how simple life feels at home, how smoothly things run and how punctual people are. I am loving the choices I have — what to eat, when to eat it, what to wear, where to go… these little things that are so incredibly normal feel so incredibly special. If I brought any important lesson back to San Francisco with me, it would be to appreciate beauty, to not take loved ones for granted, and to acknowledge that everyone around you is as individually important as you are.
I miss Senegal so deeply — my sister, my sheep, my students, the baobab trees, the sunsets, and the call to prayer. The people I met, taught, laughed with, cried with, learned from, cared for, and loved will be in my heart forever — just as the places I grew to adore, and the scents, the sounds and the customs I grew to love will be a part of me always.
If my childhood was chapter 1 in my life, Senegal was absolutely chapter 2. As I write this blog from my comfortable chair at my desk in my room, reminiscing about mosquito nets and mangoes, I know that I’m so very ready to write chapter 3. Thank you, Senegal.
Watch my Global Citizen Year video here: Dare To Be Yourself
