Ava already making plans to return

Ava's pictures of her in Cape Town: proof positive it was not simply a dream

It's been a little over a month since I’ve been home. This trip happened so quickly that I often have to ask myself if it really did happen….it feels so much like a dream. Keeping in mind Ben’s (one of our RA’s in Cape Town) advice to keep this experience meaningful and to make sure it does not turn into another story, I have done my best to convey all that I have learned while I was away. As we all discussed in our final class how hard it might be to talk to family and friends about our experiences, I have found that the most difficult question has been, “What was your favorite part about the trip?” I’ve thought of a million ways to answer this question but I think I like to stick to the people I have met, because that answer encompasses every other experience I had. Adjusting to life at home has been less difficult than I thought it would be. I thought I would have major issues talking to my friends but I’ve actually found a lot of support and realized that they actually want to know about the real parts of my trip that I really wanted to talk about; ie not landscapes and animals. Missing Cape Town certainly is heartache! The colors here at home are less vibrant, the air less clear and the food certainly could never, ever compare. I miss being at Christel House the most I think, among many other “daily life in Cape Town” things. There is something that is so fulfilling about the work I had the privilege of being involved with at Christel House that makes me feel empty being apart from it. I so miss feeling like I was a part of something that mattered, but hopefully that feeling of missing will help me do other volunteer work around my community. Being back home is a bit boring so I am looking forward to starting my next adventure with my first semester on the Storrs campus. I have begun to make plans to return to Cape Town and I can honestly say that despite all of my fears leaving, I would not trade this experience for anything in the world. Until next time, Cape Town!