Everything We Have Done Connects

Yesterday, we talked about our vision statements in class. Personally, I have never thought about creating a single phrase that could define my actions for the rest of my life. Considering my indecisive nature, not to mention my conflicting ideas for a career, it is no surprise that this task was incredibly difficult. How could I narrow down everything I want in life into one single statement?

Apparently our teachers expected this reaction because we were given a worksheet to help guide us through the process. It forced us to go back through our journaling, making connections and spotting common themes along the way. Surprisingly, it became more and more obvious what should guide me in writing my vision statement. When looking through my core values and other assignments, I found repeating themes about how important my family and friends are and how I wished so much that they could be a part of this journey. They became the driving force for my vision statement.

It’s crazy to me how everything we have done here connects in some way or another. I have learned so much about the culture and history of South Africa. Not only that, but I have learned so much about myself. One of the things that I wanted to accomplish in coming here was become more independent. So in relation to my vision statement, this goal may be contradictive of my core value, family. So when editing my vision statement, it is more about finding a balance between the two.

This last week has made me realize just how amazing this experience has been. Not only have I been forced to think about the world in a different light, but I’ve also been given the amazing opportunity to deeply analyze myself. We read an article called “Becoming World Wise”. It talks about disconnect between our experiences here and reality back home. Coming on this trip has definitely changed each and every one of us, but not everyone at home knows what we have experienced. I’m so excited to go home and see my family but it makes sense that we might feel uncomfortable once we get back.

Being a homebody, it’s the small moments that bring me back to the level of gratitude and appreciation for being given this opportunity. For instance, yesterday I was missing my family and counting down the days until our final dinner. My roommates and I went to Camp’s Bay to eat dinner and watch the sunset. This sunset was unlike anything we have in America. The beauty in my surrounding made me stop thinking about a week from yesterday, and brought me right back into that moment right then. This brings me to my final point. If we keep thinking about the past or the future, you often forget to realize what’s happening in the present, and it is those moments that are important.

-Sara Snelgrove