Connecting.

Last week, the night before I left for my homestay in Atiak, I was flipping through some of my old journals. I came across this entry dated 1 April 2005 (yes, I was putting the day before the month even that long ago), spring of my freshman year of college. As I find myself once again in the process of building so many new relationships and adapting to a new culture, these words rang true in my heart once again.

"Surrounded by life - laughter, conversations, friends - I wonder why I can't immerse myself in such. I can, that must is true, but my soul longs for so much more. It is not your name, major, and state of residence that interest me. Rather, I want to look inside, connect with you on a deeper level. Discover your dreams, your desires, your passions. What makes you get up in the morning? What do you really truly want to do with your life? What are you afraid of? What brings you joy? What are life's deep questions that your soul so desperately longs to answer? What is your story? Those are the questions I want to ask of humankind. To make deep connections; to encounter other souls."

Truly, I've started to make some of those connections: with my host family in Atiak, with the Sisters who have opened their lives to me here in Gulu, with my namesake Daisy. These will deepen, and others must also come, as I immerse myself more fully into this culture and place...

me with my new sister evaline.