I cannot believe I’m finally at the end of my incredible journey. If someone had told me before I left to South Africa what my experience would be like, I would have laughed right in their face. My life has changed and will never be the same.

For example, I had many plans before I left for South Africa of how I want my life to be when I graduate school. Before this trip, I never would have considered leaving CT and venturing anywhere else in America or even the world. Now that has changed significantly as I want to go places and see the world.

My relationship with my family has also changed significantly. I was planning on crying and missing them everyday throughout my whole trip. I miss them, but I realize now how independent I am, and can survive without talking to them every day. I learned to be self reliant and also relying on people who are not family too. Each and every one of the girls in my group has helped me grow significantly. I could not imagine the trip being as great as it was without them. I can’t say we got along all the time and I can’t say that we will all stay in touch once we graduate college. But I will always carry each of the girls’ memory in my heart wherever the future may bring me. I also know that wherever they are in the future, that community will have an exceptional nurse!

One of the most unreal experiences that I encountered on my trip was meeting people from Egypt. Never in a million years would guess that I would cross paths with them. I learned about their culture, customs, and values. I also learned they do not live in pyramids, ride camels everywhere, and write only on papyrus. I know I’m being “tongue and cheek” in my previous sentence, but if someone were to mention they had traveled to Egypt, I feel those images would pop up in my mind. It is the same when I mentioned to my family I was going to South Africa. A lot of my relatives thought I would be living in a hut and have to fight off lions every day! Hanging out with them was like hanging out with any peer my age in the states. It seems that having fun knows no boundaries.

But one of the most significant things I learned from them was their faith in God. Most of them are Muslim. I was never around Muslim people before meeting them. Their unwavering devotion in God was probably one of the most beautiful things I ever witnessed and experienced in my life. Even though they call God “Allah”, it is the same God Jewish people and Christian people worship. The media in America, as I mentioned, skewed my view on Muslims. One example was that I felt that women were oppressed because they had to wear clothing that covered their beauty, such as their hair. The reason why women cover their beauty is that men won’t focus on their external beauty but actually get to know the woman’s true beauty which is inside them. If anything, I feel that American society oppresses woman because we focus on the outer beauty more than the inner beauty of a woman.

Even though the previous experiences I mentioned were not part of any classes, I feel that these experiences will make me a better nurse. I am now more confident in myself, I am more determined, and I am more understanding. I now cannot imagine myself being a nurse without these traits now. It will be a very bittersweet day on Saturday. I say goodbye to my friends that I made here and my experiences too. Even though I may close this chapter on South Africa, I open a new chapter of my life. I’m ready for this new chapter because life is a joy worth living.

Last, I want to thank everyone from the School of Nursing and my professors for everything that have done to make this trip possible. Without their support, efforts, and confidence in this program, I wouldn’t be the person I am now. Thank you for giving me this opportunity!

With much love,
Katie