Bernie knows she's changed ---but waiting to fully appreciate just how

I’ve been home for a week and I am ready to go back to South Africa! Its weird though, it feels like I never left home after this past week back but I feel as if a part of me is missing and I think that part is South Africa and how South Africa made me feel, think, and act. My experience in South Africa is one that I can never explain to anyone and that’s hard because I want everyone to know the greatness that South Africa offers; not just how pretty South Africa is but how it forces you to change your point of view and way of living for the better. I’ve only been home for a week and I’m already nervous about falling into my old roles before I left. However I am working really hard not to do that, I speak up more to express my opinions and notice situations differently. South Africa has changed me but I feel as if I won't notice or appreciate the change completely until after I graduate college and really become apart of the real world and I can't wait for that time.

           

Being in South Africa it made me want to jump into the real world as fast as I can. I went to graduation for UCONN this past weekend and I was jealous that I wasn’t one of the names being called to get my diploma. South Africa was a glimpse into me living my life and I enjoyed every second of it and I didn’t want it to end. I want to be able to start to change the world and the way I want to do that is be an international public health advocate. I want to be able to give countries preventative ways in order to live a healthier life.

           

I miss my internship at Sarah Fox. I miss the babies and their personalities. I just want them to have a good life and grow up just like any other kid should, but with their circumstances they come from I don’t know if that is possible. What is also hard is these babies that I’ve come to know and love, they wont remember me but I will never forget them.

           

I have a long summer ahead of me but I am looking forward to next semester and then graduating so that I can start my life and start to help people. I just hope that what I learned in South Africa stays with me.