Leaving on a Jet Plane

Less than a month from now, I'll be in Uganda. I'm a combination of terrified and excited and completely calm. Terrified because of the unknown, excited for the same reason, and completely calm because I know it's exactly how I should be spending my summer. My junior year of high school, a guy I knew was planning to go to URI, get a masters in a 5 year program, get a high paying job in Rhode Island and settle there. I remember asking why he didn't want to leave home, at least for a little bit. I had every intention of leaving home for college and beyond that I knew there was little chance I'd come back anytime soon. It's 7 years later, and while I can't say I'm where I knew I'd be then, I'm exactly where I need to be now. I get that not everyone wants to do what I want to do. I also know that I'm nowhere near the majority. Not even everyone in my graduate school program wants to spend 10 weeks in Africa. Or outside Texas. But I'm one of those. It's always been inevitable. And I'm glad for that. For everything negative that comes with it, I'm happy to have grown into a bit of a nomad. Free-spirited doesn't quite cover it, because I have specific goals. I'm one of those for whom wandering is not being lost.