re-entry.

Well after a week of being back I definitely am having a harder time readjusting than I did adjusting to South Africa. Luckily I do have a few pretty great friends that were interested in hearing about the more important parts of our trip, but for the most part, it is difficult trying to explain the trip to people and to get people to really care about what I learned and what I took away from the trip. On a more positive note, I am definitely noticing continuing differences in the way I think and how I am even approaching my classes and projects in my different studios. I am doing an independent study in ceramics that is focused on taking functional objects to relay a social message. At first I was nervous about explaining my project ideas to my professor and getting a blank or discouraging response, but he was actually extremely interested to hear about my experience in South Africa and how it is influencing my goals in art and design. He has done several projects with strong social and political messages and understands the desire to use art as a tool to raise awareness in some way, so it is very encouraging to work with him after our journey in South Africa. I am also taking a Development of Africa class in which we have already talked about South Africa a few times and it already means so much more to me than it would have before this trip, since I can personally relate to the issues we are discussing. The classes I am least excited about, are the ones that I can least apply to what I've learned from South Africa. Basically, even though it has been very hard to come back, and as overwhelmed as I am from all the experiences we had in South Africa, this trip definitely made me more excited about life, and what I'm going to do with everything I've learned. I'm determined to try and do this trip, and all who were involved in making it possible, justice by making myself responsible for the knowledge I gained making a change somehow in the best way I can. Overall, there are really no words for how I feel and how this experience has affected me.