I’m done work! Friday we spent saying goodbye to those we worked with, it was quite sad and I will definitely be missing Dr. Mlay, who is possibly the nicest man, ever. He took us for sodas before saying goodbye, it was hard for both Genny and I.

I wish I could describe how I’ve changed here, only words can’t do it justice. I feel changed in every aspect of my life, but in ways I feel internally, how I see the world. I see the people here, struggling, fighting to survive on little to nothing and yet the appreciation they have for life is incredible. They are very much alive, present. I look at the US or western culture in general and feel a pit in my stomach, at the thought of how so many people there live. I won’t pretend I have any special or brilliant insight to life, or suggest how people should or should not be living. All I know is how I want to live. For the first time in my life I feel connected, present, and alive. Not spending weeks, months, years in some rut. Moving, but not much else. It’s too hard to say who has it right. And I don’t believe anyone does. Yes, in the US we have better living conditions, better health care, less corruption (possibly), and for women, rights. BUT what we don’t have seems to be a general lack of being in touch, with anything really. Nothing is good enough, big enough, fast enough. and in the end it seems we’ll have nothing to show for it. I want something, just not sure what right now. But I’m not sure how I’m going to readjust to being home. I had little to no culture shock coming here, but going home is going to be quite hard, I already know this. And I know that in no way am I done traveling, in Africa or elsewhere, it has become far too much of my life. 3 months is nothing.
But on to more uplifting topics, climbing Kili tomorrow, trying not to think too hard about the struggle that will be summit day! Going to the rental equipment place today to pick up boots, poles, etc. Our guides are friends we’ve known since arriving in August and we trust them completely, not really worried, but I know it will be hard! The next update will probably be next week, hopefully after summiting, I’ll be in Dar with wi-fi so hopefully will be able to upload pictures! So untill then, send good vibes up the mountain (I may beed them!)
lots of love