The defining moment in my life that shifted the way I was thinking...and brought me to ubuntu.
Great question. Tough to answer.
In the sense of living and breathing and working and playing.
When I got to Sicily after visiting Africa two years ago, I was a bit of a mess. My two girlfriends were VERY sick of hearing me talk about Africa and how homesick I felt for the land, which I myself thought was bizarre.
When I tried to describe it to my friends Italian family, Zia told me of the term "mal d'africa" which is a common Italian/French phrase. "Africa sickness refers to the feeling of nostalgia for those who have visited Africa and want to go back."
Excuse me while I have a really short and ridiculous pity party. In the midst of my day today I found a great blog on Rwanda and became enthralled for about an hour reading articles on the genocide and someone volunteering there. I dug out the book I read last year, "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families." I went back through some of my highlights and notes and got really heartsick. Two years ago, as I left Africa, I promised myself I'd get to Rwanda and back to Zimbabwe. And now, hmmm, I'm going on a major trip, one that I am SUPER pumped about, but it's not back to the wonderful, soulful land of Afrique.
Bah. Silly I know. But I really, really miss it. Maybe saying it out loud will mean in the next two years I'll be back there. Maybe India will capture my heart just like Africa did. I know my heart will be open to it.
When I tried to describe it to my friends Italian family, Zia told me of the term "mal d'africa" which is a common Italian/French phrase. "Africa sickness refers to the feeling of nostalgia for those who have visited Africa and want to go back."
Excuse me while I have a really short and ridiculous pity party. In the midst of my day today I found a great blog on Rwanda and became enthralled for about an hour reading articles on the genocide and someone volunteering there. I dug out the book I read last year, "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families." I went back through some of my highlights and notes and got really heartsick. Two years ago, as I left Africa, I promised myself I'd get to Rwanda and back to Zimbabwe. And now, hmmm, I'm going on a major trip, one that I am SUPER pumped about, but it's not back to the wonderful, soulful land of Afrique.
Bah. Silly I know. But I really, really miss it. Maybe saying it out loud will mean in the next two years I'll be back there. Maybe India will capture my heart just like Africa did. I know my heart will be open to it.
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