“There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled…”
A closing reflection on my time in The Gambia inspired by one of my favorite poets.
I am a very data-driven person. I like to plan, organize, and schedule. I like to know what’s happening and when it’s happening. I feel most productive when I see concrete results and when I’ve checked off every item from my to-do list. This way of thinking makes me feel comfortable.
At Starfish International, they like to remind volunteers that “it’s a Gambian experience in The Gambia.” My time in The Gambia challenged each of these cultural, personal comforts and forced me to reframe my thinking. As a result, I’ve learned things and grown in ways that I never could have imagined before this experience. As Starfish International volunteers, our main objective is to create connections. While we are given other tasks and responsibilities, creating connections is at the forefront of everything we do.
The shared vision and collective drive of the people of Starfish International are two of my favorite parts of the organization. From the founders to the students, each person is driven, resilient, and is committed to bettering themselves and their community. I feel lucky to have spent time being a part of an organization whose main objective is to empower young Gambian men and women through education and unconditional love.
Time has passed differently during the last five weeks. While each day felt like four, the weeks have gone by quickly. During my time in The Gambia, I keep coming back to one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems.
The poem is entitled “Moments” and goes as follows:
There are moments that cry out to be fulfilled.
Like telling someone you love them.
Or giving your money away, all of it.
Your heart is beating, isn’t it?
You’re not in chains, are you?
There is nothing more pathetic than caution
when headlong might save a life,
even, possibly, your own.
Before going on this trip, this poem was special to me, but I think my experience in The Gambia has brought these words to life. While I’ve been in The Gambia, and throughout this entire Global Fellows experience, there have been moments that have cried out to be fulfilled. Like choosing to dance even though I’d likely make a fool of myself. Or taking the risk to start a conversation and confide in a total stranger even though it might be scary to open up. Or greeting someone in their local language even though my tongue can’t accurately make those sounds. Each day, moments like these present themselves, and I have the choice to make the most of them or let them pass by.
Sometimes I worry that I have not been listening closely enough for these moments. That I may have missed moments because I was too cautious or fearful or tired and as a result, wasted an opportunity to learn and grow and connect.
But then I remind myself that there have been a series of moments that I have heard and followed that have led me to this moment. Choosing to apply to the Global Fellows program and the series of moments and decisions that followed have all led me here, and I don’t regret it. Coming to The Gambia in itself was no small feat. Each day I have the opportunity to push past my comfort zone, and each time I do, I learn more.
I am so grateful for the connections I’ve made while at Starfish. Starfish International is a family and, at first, it took me a little while to find my place. Now I know I’ll always carry this experience with me. I’ve grown and yet I’m not exactly sure in what ways. It will take time to uncover the ways I’ve evolved and changed, and I want to give myself the space to do so. I hope this experience will allow me to be more globally-minded in whatever I choose to pursue. I hope I’ll be able to share the ways that Starfish International wants to tell its own story and use my privilege to uplift their voices in any way that I can. And, most of all, I hope to never forget the connections I’ve made and the people who make this place and organization so special.
