My dad; Your patience and kindness with me throughout this journey, not only the time I've been away, but the preparations leading up to it, means the world to me. And your occasional selfies light me up. Who ever thought the day would come where Paul P would know how to take a selfie...I love you dad.
My mama, coolest fricken lady there is. You got on an airplane 62 days ago to another country all by yourself to see me. You are braver than you give yourself credit. You are curious, you are selfless, you are the most incredible woman I have ever known. I can't wait to see you!
My siblings. Josh, Kristen, AJ, Emily, and Luke. You have been one text, one phone call, one FaceTime away over the past 4 months, sending me your love and encouragement at the times that I have needed it the most. I am so proud of each of you, accomplishing your dreams every day. I can't wait to be on that big sectional snuggled up with you guys so soon.
"You can never love somebody as much as you can miss them."
105 days have passed since I landed myself in the Miami airport. About to embark on a journey with 9 strangers. 9 people who I had never met, but was about to go on the biggest journey I have yet to embark on in this life. A life changing whirl wind of 4 months.
And while I did not choose the people I have been with, I couldn't imagine this trip without a single one of them. Caroline, John, Michael, Savannah, Heather, Jenna, Dima, Emma, and Ruthie. 10 strong personalities, and we coexist seamlessly. We share all of our food, we spend every single day together, we are a family. Ruthie, holding us all together, making sure we are all safe and healthy, our mama. I know for a fact that I wouldn't have made it through Guatemala without this incredible woman by my side.
The places we have gone, the stories we have heard, and the things we have seen have changed my life forever; but the compassion, knowledge and presence of my 9 travel companions have made just as big of an impact on who I am today and who I wasn't just one semester ago.
"As with any journey, who you travel with can be more important than your destination."
When I left Minnesota 105 days ago, I was sad. Leaving Michael, my family, my home. But I always knew I would be back. In 7 days I will be back in my house in Minnetonka, laying on my couch with my Zekey. In 7 days, I will be back where I started. And then the countdown ends. There is not another countdown for when I will be back with the 9 people who I have grown so close with. And that is so frightening. We have been existing in the same space for 105 days, having experiences of all degrees, and I don't know the amount of days until we will all be existing in the same space again. I know I'm jumping the gun on this one, because we still have a week left, but I'm just really going to miss you guys. Thank you for putting up with me this semester!
I'm so grateful for our time together, whether it be through hours and hours of active listening, digesting our thoughts, sharing our stories, drinking on a soccer field, or having a rave in a tiny air-condioned room. The memories are endless, and I will never forget them.
"The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with those who matter to you."
I left for this journey thinking I'd go home having figured myself out. Really have it all together. Go home and know what I need to do next, but I am going home more confused than I was when I left. I have learned so much, but still know so little. I can't wait to keep learning, expanding my heart and knowledge as big as it will stretch. I know I will never understand a lot of things, and that's okay. That's part of life. But I will never stop listening and growing.
"We are torn between nostalgia for the familiar and an urge for the foreign and strange. As often as not, we are homesick for the places we have never known."
Hannah
