I cried throughout our party and felt I needed to explain why to my friends and colleagues. This is a copy of the email I sent them:
Hey there Ntokozo, Sthe, Ntombifuthi, Mum, Busi, Mummsy, Vusi, Xoli, Paneng, Zanele, Musa, Baba Madondo, Phumelela, S'bo, Phumlani, Mumtaz, John, Tish, Thandeka and Monika,
My time in Ethiopia was great. Maybe even life changing! Derek and I (with Mpume and Dumsani) are leaving Stellenbosch after a couple days in Cape Town and the wine area. We had a great time and are excited to be heading towards Namibia!
So my intention was to send a gift back with Derek for the office, but our week in Pretoria before going to Addis Ababa turned out to be very stressful. The car being stolen was just the beginning of the universe's campaign against me that week but everything sorted itself out (as things always do I have learned). Needless to say I was slightly delayed in getting my token of love and affection organized! Along with the gift I had wanted to explain why I was crying so much during our celebration...
When I got on the plane to come over to South Africa I carried with me an expectation that I would have the opportunity to take some of the blessings I had been given due simply to having been born where I was born and give something to Africa. As I looked out at you all that day I was simply overwhelmed by the fact that really life is not fair: I was the one who benefited the most from these past two years!
Sharing frustrations and hopes and successes with you fine people has truly been the greatest blessing I have received so far (besides marrying Derek of course!)!!! So I felt that although I came with the intention of giving, I took so much more than I gave. So much more. All I can hope is that I am able to take these valuable life lessons and use them to make the world a little bit better in the future. A little bit more fair. I will try with my whole heart to do that, but that was what I was supposed to be doing these past years but instead it was me that was being developed!
You all developed me and I thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart for seeing me as someone worthy of your guidance and input and love and trust. You have transferred to this crazy, emotional, hyper, stressed out American such important skills, tools and information - I was crying because that is what Americans do when they feel overwhelmed and I was and continue to be overwhelmed by how wonderful you all are and how much you have given me. Also, truthfully, I was crying because as that one chapter (the Peace Corps chapter) closed I was struck with remembrances of all my mistakes and failings and for me that is a painful thing to be faced with! Thanks for sticking by me through those dark times!
Anyways!!! I love you all dearly and will forever be grateful for the time I spent working side by side with you! I can't believe I am lucky enough to spend another year with you folks! What I said that day, that I feel like I came here as a child and amongst the Drakensburg Mountains I became a full fledged adult is true! I am proud to call you all my friends and colleagues and mentors and honored to share this world with you! Thank you for everything - I can't wait to see your faces again soon!!!
See you on the first of May!
All my love,
Melissa
