On October 2, 2015, I finally started my journey as a Salesian Lay
Missioner in South Sudan! I wanted to gradually immerse myself from my familiar
life in the United States to the very different life in South Sudan. My journey
to South Sudan is a long two week journey, where I can experience other
cultures that are more and more different than my own. I will first go to Barcelona
for four days, followed by going to Amsterdam for four days, then making my way to
Nairobi, Kenya, where I will stay for four days, and finally (after give or take two full days of travel) on October 16,
2015, I will arrive in Gumbo, South Sudan!
It was once said about Europe that it was created by history, it is the “old country”
after all! I have never been to Europe before and it is somewhere I always
wanted to go. I wanted to see the historical monuments and the different yet
oddly similar way of life I had in America. This is why I chose to close the previous chapter of my life in Europe.
I finally step foot on European soil! However, I will not go into much detail about my trip to Europe since
it does not have much to do with my ministry, it was sort of a vacation after all. I
say vacation lightly, since after working 3 years non-stop I wanted to enjoy
some of the fruits of my labor and go somewhere without any business agenda and
just enjoy that place for what it is, thus being the perfect way to close the
previous chapter of my life. In a way, my trip to Europe very much prepared me
for going to Africa. I wanted to experience a culture that was similar to mine
yet different, which is what Europe is. Therefore, my arrival to South Sudan
is a gradual one, going from what is home and familiar, to something that is
completely different.
Starting my experience of gradual immersion, I first went to
Barcelona, which was somewhat different than my life in the US, but at the same
time, I felt at home and familiar because I know how to speak Spanish. Reason
for going was to meet with my friends, I got to meet a close friend of mine in
Tarragona (one hour train from Barcelona) and finally got to meet her daughter
(who I met before, but in the womb, while her mother was pregnant). I also
got to meet my friends from college (my fraternity little, her roommate, and one
of my namesake kids). I enjoyed the culture, the food, and the experiences.
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| Me in front of Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia Church (Still in construction after 131 years) |
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| My Friend and her daughter in Tarragona, Spain! |
After Barcelona, I went to Amsterdam, which is a bit more
different to my life in the US than Barcelona because the city was built much more
differently (with canals) and because the people there spoke a limited amount of English, but mainly spoke Dutch. I met up with my friend from my study abroad
program in South Korea (Yonsei International Summer School) and I stayed at her
house. I went with her to her hometown of Leiden and got to see the house she grew up in, I got to meet her parents, and went to the beach with her. Seeing her
hometown was the highlight of my trip because I got to see something so
different from what I am used to, and yet at the same time see how it feels
like home for someone who is familiar to me. In Amsterdam I learned a lot about
what I need to do to prepare for Africa, and like Barcelona (if not, more so) I
really enjoyed the sites, the culture, the laid-back atmosphere (where I
finally got to sleep in a few days for the first time in a while), and spending
time with my friend.
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| The canals of Amsterdam are so beautiful! |
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| A Dutch windmill in Leiden (I had to see one)! |
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| My friend holding a heart-shaped balloon she found on the beach in Leiden, Netherlands (I think it says "Good Luck" in German)! |
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| My friend had one last message for me before I left to Africa! |
My next stop is Nairobi Kenya, where I will once again
gradually immerse myself in preparation to experience a whole different
culture. On to Africa!!!
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