Coming Home

Coming Home

I know it would be difficult, but I did not know it was going to be this difficult. As soon as I walked on the plane to head home I knew I was not ready to face the realities of starting class at Carlson. Being away helped my mind explore in ways I have never done before. I enjoyed the thoughts and the people so much that I was desperate to hold onto that as long as possible. I was hoping to write this blog post immediately after arriving back in Minneapolis but all I could keep my mind on was Cape Town, the experiences, and the people.

Countless people have asked me what my favorite part was, what I did, or simply how was it. Answering these questions cannot even come close to doing the trip justice. This is not a special bond I will forever have between myself and those I shared my experiences with on the trip. I wish it was easier coming home to friends and family, but by returning to my friends and family I feel like I am leaving my Cape Town family in South Africa. It is one thing to get together and talk about the good times we shared, but being outside of the environment the memories took place in is hard to replace.

My biggest fear upon arriving back in Minneapolis was losing what I learned in Cape Town. It is hard to hold onto my personal gains when I am immersed right back into the atmosphere I was longing to escape. There has not been a moment that has gone by that I do not think about Cape Town or the people. The hardest part is no one can really understand how influential this experience was on my life. As for now there is not much I can do but try not to let go. As time goes on I hope we stay as much of a family in Minneapolis as we were in Cape Town.

Even though the plane ride sucked, I'd sit through that 10 times to be able to spend more time in Cape Town with this group of people.

Thanks Nate