It's hard to believe that our group only has three more days in the great country of South Africa. Over the past few weeks, I have taken up the margins of my journals with numerous lists. There's the list of encounters that I am hesitant to share with my parents: bungy jumping from the world's highest bungy point, digging out a tick from my leg, diving from cliffs into the rivers of the Wild Coast. I have a list of activities that the trip has inspired me to complete: receiving a graduate degree in social work and increasing awareness of the everyday realism of AIDS in Africa.
Everyday has been an adventure. Yesterday, our group explored the SOWETO museum in Johannesburg. We learned how student protests to the apartheid government significantly impacted the resiliance of the people in the 1970's. Students knew a possible risk to protest was death, and they remained strong in their beliefs. I'm hoping to bring as much back the to United States as I can. I can't remember the last time I've been passionate to stand up and speak like the students in Johannesburg and across the country. Everything I've experience in South Africa has been a learning experience and new adventure. I'm hoping to bring a little bit of this nation's passion back as well. A little goes a long way.

p.s.
Mom, the tick bite is fine... really. It was just a little bit of African lovin.