The Wrap Up

OK, so since I have been BOMBARDED with school work, lesson plans, grading papers, nannying, and my RA job...I am going to wrap it up in one last blog entry. The last few days were spent handing out toys and treats to the kids. One day we handed out McDonald's toys and it was amazing how excited these children got about something as simple as this. Their smiles were huge. We ate our meals with the children, played with the children, and said heart wrenching goodbyes to the children everyday. Amir brought more joy into my life the last couple days than most people have shown me in my lifetime. He is a beautiful child and will have a beautiful life ahead of him, since I just heard the other day that he's been adopted! He will be living in Washington so I hope that I will get to see him someday.

My journey to Africa is one that I will never, ever forget. It has changed my life forever and the smiles of these children are forever embedded in my heart. I hope I have made a difference in their lives, even if it is in the smallest way. I am so grateful for everything I have and remind myself on even my worst of days, that someone always has it harder than I do and going to Ethiopia has helped me realize that. I hope that I have the opportunity to go back because being there was the happiest I had been in a long time. I met some amazing people that traveled there with me and know I will keep in touch. I met some even more amazing people, children, at the orphanage and even though I can't keep in touch I hope they know that they have changed my life in ways they could never imagine. I am so lucky to have had this experience and I never thought seven days would turn my life upside down, but it has happened and in the most wonderful way I could have asked.