Box of Love

I received a care package today- an unexpectd gift from a complete stranger.

My first reaction- "Who do I know in NYC?" Next- "How does she know me?"

Apparently, Mom, Nana, you're not the only two that read this.

My new friend told me a bit about her life and her experience in a thrid world country. She opened my eyes up to a few things I hadn't really put much thought to. I hope she won't mind me quoting her on a few things-
"Hindsight has provided me the great gift of thinking about all the things I would do differently if I had the chance to go back into a third world country. I would spend more time in the village just hanging out. Maybe I would befriend a woman at the market and sit with her at the market. Just hang out, even if I didn't understand her. I would ask her if I could try for a day to do all that she does. I would invite someone from the village to my home for dinner. I'd learn how to do the daily things people in the village do: pluck a chicken, carve a chicken, or even kill a chicken. I would spend more time with my village learning everyone's name or almost everyone's name. I would try to think like them, even if I didn't agree. The reason I say all this is because at the time I thought I was pretty well intergraded. I got used to limited electricity, no tv, no computer, no internet, but it wasn't until ten years later that I was able to reflect on my experience and say taht I didn't really learn any skills there. I didn't really know the things the average person in my village knew. I would challenge you to ask yourself that. What are the five basic things your average villager does that you could envision yourself actually doing?"

Those words really got me thinking- I do feel quite intergraded but then again I have never spent more than a few minutes at the market, nor have I planted a machamba, or killed a chicken... I know these are only specific examples, and just because I'm not doing EVERYTHING the people in the community are doing doesn't mean I'm not intergraded, but it gets me thinking that there is always another way to get myself a bit deeper into my experience here.
So, not only did I get encouragement, fresh ideas, and goodies for my belly, I think I made a new friend. You have made not only my day, my week, but my month- you have left me speechless by your generosity. Thank you.