Welcome Home

I am here visiting my parents for a few days and thought I’d jump online to see if there were any additions to the blog. Now I’m crying because I miss all your faces. I hope you all remembered to call your parents when you arrived back in Canada. (I got in trouble from my mom for not calling her!) Isn’t it strange being home? No one says “Hola” as you pass by. I’ve caught myself saying “si” instead of yes, and “gracias” instead of thank-you. It’s amazing how quickly we adapt to another culture when completely immersed in it, even for such a short time frame. Now we all see through different coloured lenses. I’ve been reading your conversations on flickr regarding the “shock” of returning to Canada, the responses of friends and family who may or may not fully understand your experience. Let me encourage you to not judge another by their reactions or actions. A few short weeks ago, wouldn’t your responses have been similar? Now that you have seen the other side of life – tasted, touched, smelled and walked in the middle of poverty – your perspective has changed. Remember what Vaden talked about in debriefing: don’t reject your own culture. We are blessed and highly favoured with a great inheritance: We are Canadian. (Or if you’re Sarah, American 🙂 We have the tools, the education, the resources and the passion to change our world. We are positioned for this time in history. Let this experience influence your everyday choices and your future. You have what it takes to make a difference on the planet. I believe in you.