There and back again

So here we are, my final entry for this trip. My luggage never did make it to my hotel. Instead, this morning when I returned to the airport to catch my flight home, I stopped in the baggage terminal and lo-and-behold: there it stood, in a sea of other lost and damaged bags. It must have been a bad day for the baggage handlers.

Over the length of another grueling travel day, I had lots of time to reflect over my three months abroad. I’ve seen and done so many amazing things that I couldn’t possibly sum them all up in one entry. But did I enjoy everything? Of course not. As you can read in some of my journal entries, some of what I’ve seen and experienced was less than ideal. However, when I think of these things, I remind myself that I perceive my experiences—and the countries that I visit—through filters that were created by living in a wealthy country where I have ample access to the latest technology and where the water is clean enough to drink from the tap. It’s hard to judge other countries when you know you do so from the perspective of one who lives amongst the world’s ‘haves,’ when so much of the world comprise the ‘have-nots.’ Can one ever fairly judge another country or culture? I don’t think so. All I can do is look through my filters. Sometimes I appreciate what I see, and sometimes I don’t. I hope in this journal I’ve conveyed my experiences as fairly as I possibly can through my own eyes—the good and the bad. Ultimately, I think I’ve learned that it isn’t just about what you see and experience, it’s what you allow past your filters to seep into your spirit and touch you in some way.

Thank you, everyone, for sharing three months of highs and lows with me. Until next time…