Just 4 Days To Go

Just 4 months ago, I vividly remember expressing my explosive excitement at the prospect of flying to Africa in just 4 days. And here I am today, just 4 days away from leaving this continent and making my journey home, consumed by that same explosive energy. There is so much I love about this continent, its people, and its culture. Many people come to Africa with romantic dreams of the endless Serengeti, colorful tribes, and vibrant culture dominated by traditional dancing and the infectious thumping of drums. Others never dare touch the continent's soil for fear of rampant famine, gut-wrenching poverty, and endless bloody civil wars. The truth is that Africa is a massive continent, bigger than North America, Europe, and Australia combined. A continent of 54 countries, over 6,000 languages, and more than 1 billion people. It's home to modern cities, McDonald's, and the latest gadgetry. It's also a place where preventable diseases, unclean water, and basic human rights go unchecked. Despite the massive hurdles African countries face, its people are optimistic, loving, and gentle. I've experienced some of the greatest acts of human kindness here, but also have witness some of the cruelest. It's a continent of extremes, of parched deserts and snow-capped mountains, of urban sprawl and rural desolation. It's people are black, white, brown, and every other shade in between. Successful democracies neighbor countries whose elders have experienced more modernity than their grandchildren. Africa is all of this, and every gradation in between. Leaving here, I hope people will begin to recognize this great continent as just that, a diverse continent, not a country, not a single entity. Civil war in the Congo shouldn't scare travelers away from Togo, and famine in Ethiopia doesn't mean destitution in Tanzania. The countries I've experienced in Africa have all been magical, be it the generosity, the landscape, or the smiles. Despite the hardships and perceived difficulty of life here, Africa will and always has held a special place in my heart. I've traveled to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Laos, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zanzibar during the past 10 months, and while each country has meant something different to me, it's the African countries as a whole that have had the biggest impact on me.

South-East Asia was about letting go and learning to be selfish. About doing things when I wanted and for no other reason than it made me happy or it felt good. I learned the importance of putting myself first and discovered the liberating sensation of saying yes to me, and when necessary, no to others. India was a spiritual place. A country where I mended a broken heart and tasted the affection of unconditional love. It's in India where my spirituality and beliefs were clarified, where I connected with my inner being and my eternal soul. India forced me to question, to rethink, and to examine. Africa helped me to let go. To let go of the go in me, that negative voice that had me far too concerned about petty things. Once I was able to recognize my insecurities as nothing more than conditions of my past and nuances of my society, that bright, golden ball of light in me began to shine. The warm glow of my soul began to shine again, and I was able to recognize myself again. Just as India forced me to question and examine my surroundings and beliefs, Africa helped to center me and taught me that finding the answers isn't always necessary, that it's OK to not know. But what I do know is this. That each of us are on a spiritual journey, a journey that brings us back to earth time and time again as we strive for enlightenment. The things that we experience are by no means random or by a stroke of luck or misfortune, but carefully timed events to help our souls reach the next level of consciousness. People are brought into our lives for specific periods of time to remind us of things or to teach us lessons. And many of the people close to us are the same souls who we have known in past lives and will continue to have relationships with in the future.

I can't tell you why some people experience devastatingly difficult lives while others haven't a care in the world. Why children are raped and brutally murdered. Why people take machete's to their friends and neighbors, or why entire countries are ravaged by endless, seemingly ridiculous wars. I am more confused about many things since setting foot on the east coast of Africa, but perfectly secure in knowing that it isn't my job to solve the world's problems, to understand everything, or to have perfect clarity. My job is to be an active participant in the events and situations put before me, to listen to my inner voice, and to do what I can to improve the lives of others. This 10 month journey has allowed me to connect with myself, to love myself unconditionally, and to intimately recognize that everything happens for a very specific reason. The universe attracts each of us to the situations that will help us grow spiritually. So take life as it comes. Work hard, but don't push too hard, and know that this probably isn't the first or last time you've been here. Enjoy the journey, embrace it, learn from it, and above all else, don't be afraid of the challenges. You will always be taken care of.