Friday, January 21, 2011

What I've Discovered

Hello out there in blog-land...

Since arriving in Thailand, life has been non-stop action and fun (would you expect anything less from me?)...but over the last few days, some things have come up, which have changed the course of my travels: I'm coming home.

The Power of One Volunteer Program that I participated in during the first few weeks of my time in Thailand, rocked my world on multiple levels...most important lessons gained: 1) working together, we can make a difference in this world & 2) there are so many of us out there that hope, dream, act, and change & 3) the most important change comes from within...I think one of the Thai students said it best: "I want to change the world, but I have to start with myself." Plus, I got to spend almost three weeks with some of my South African family on the program...what a beautiful gift to watch their roots blossom with the right amount of encouragement and love. I served as an adult mentor to high school aged students on this program, which was actually the first time I've done a program like this and been on the adult side...so it was a different experince, but life-changing nonetheless. I couldn't be more grateful for my new Power of One family of 66...and all of the memories we will cherish forever.

Over the last year (yea, can you believe that exactly one year ago I was spending my first week at Botshabelo? Sleeping off the jetlag?), I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things...and discovered lots of things. And I'm sure, as I spend more and more time reflecting over my global travels, different lessons learned will present themselves; certain future experiences will trigger tucked away memories of South Africa, Tanzania, India or Thailand; perspectives and perceptions of my own reality will no doubt shift and change as I continue to integrate this year into my being...and for that growth and opportunity to learn, about myself, about the world, about people and culture, about the past, present, and future...I am forever and eternally grateful.

But for now...as I sit at the airport in Phuket, about to begin about a 26 hour trip to OKC, and I reflect on my journey over the last year the biggest part of myself that I've discovered is my strength.

I am strong. We all are for that matter.

I can travel to a foreign country with a stranger and become part of a village, a family, a community;
I can dress the wound from a 3rd degree burn of a 70 year old man with dementia;
I can sit with a 7 year old and hold space for her as she buries her mother;
I can go against cultural norms and take time to follow my heart and travel;
I can bargain with the best Indian and Thai salesmen/women;
I can take an overnight train, a 17 hour bus ride, navigate through Indian cities alone;
I can make real and dear friendships with people from all over the world;
I can lift a huge bucket of cow poop, papaya, and human pee to help fertilize rice fields;
I can do two two-hour yoga classes a day for a week;
I can learn the names of 180 orphans, and learn ways of communicating in Tswana, Hindi and Thai;
I can survive and function while battling Delhi Belly (for two whole months!!!);
I can teach yoga to an all-age, all-level, group;
I can make a make-shift splint out of a water bottle and cloth diapers when a friend breaks her wrist;
I can learn how to drive a motorcycle (and even go 80 km/hour); and...
I can talk to just about anyone!!

These are just a few of the many ways that I have discovered my own internal strength...now I ask you, what strengths can you discover about yourself? I bet it's easier to list than you think....

For all of your support, encouragement, and love, I am extremely grateful.

This is just another chapter in my life as a global citizen, that I know for sure.


Until next time, sawat dee ka,
Ilene