Week 3 Update: Being truly grateful
In Rwanda, I really gained perspective on how to be truly grateful for what I have and where I am. It’s really nothing I earned at all. It’s just where I was lucky to be born. Through listening to stories from different people I met, I immediately changed the way I look at every aspect of my life. Whether that’s family and friend relationships or classes in college, I have an underlying appreciation and gratefulness for all these things in my life.
2019 was a really difficult year for me, and being in Rwanda really helped me in ways I’m slowing realizing. I feel much more confident and comfortable in my surroundings, and I believe it’s from being surrounded by people who are easy to talk with and who also look like me. For once, I was not the minority. Being in Rwanda also immediately changed how I view my abilities in photojournalism. I believe I am capable of doing this kind of work because of seeing the skills I’ve learned in action while on this trip. And, in general, I’m much more comfortable being uncomfortable.
A potential change for my future would be that from this experience I now see myself traveling or even living in a different country. The culture and the way people are is a bit different than in the United States. There is a bigger focus on group relations as opposed to individual and because of that, it felt much easier to connect and talk to the people I met. I honestly see myself going back to Rwanda to visit more of what it has to offer and even visiting more countries in Africa. I don’t think I see myself doing this as a career in the future, but it’s been a good learning experience.
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