Back in the US!

I am back home, and wow it feels weird. And sad, but also good.
Right now, I really wish I could just say some final story about the trip, or share some of the lessons that I have learned, or even begin to explain how this summer has changed my life. But that is seriously impossible, and the thought of trying to express how amazing, how sad, and how inspiring my experience in Rwanda was is absolutely overwhelming.

I guess I could start by talking about what I miss about Rwanda. I mostly miss the little things, like lime fanta (soooo yummy!), the smile on everyone's faces as we greeted them in Kinyarwanda ("Amakuru!?"), the MTN cell phone stores on literally every corner, and the crazy rooster with no sense of time that lived near our guesthouse. I miss looking at the sky and actually getting a sense that the world is a sphere. I miss teaching random people Spanish in exchange for Kinyarwanda lessons. I miss talking to the cleaning women at Solace, even though I couldn't understand one word of what they were saying. I miss tucking myself into a bednet, and being woken up in the morning by pounding noises of dedicated Rwandans building a church next door. I miss being really confused by the way Rwandans mix up the pronunciation of L's and R's, and wondering why they wanted to "pray" basketball and "play" at church. I miss riding around town in our lovebus, and continously stuffing people into awesome Chris Brown minibuses (you might think they are full, but don't worry, at least ten more people can fit inside!). I miss Kigali's ridiculous billboards. I miss hearing "muzungu" being yelled at me from several blocks away, while I'm standing on the guesthouse patio. I miss the endless supply of french fries, and the delicious ham and avocado sandwhich at Rwanda's very own, wannabe wal-mart (called Simba).
But most of all, I miss the inspiring things that define Rwanda, like how far the country has come since 1994 and how strong the Rwandese people truly are. I miss looking around and seeing a glint of hope in everyone's life, even though it will always be mixed with tragedy and sadness.
Maybe what I learned most from my experience in Rwanda is how lucky we are to be alive, and how important it is to truly appreciate the people you love.
I hope I will remember that forever.
Love and peace,
Colleen
p.s.
Every morning, before I get out of bed, I hope that when I open my eyes, I will be back in Rwanda with the twenty-two other amazing people I shared this experience with. You guys rock.
p.p.s.
But I am also glad to be home with my family!!!