This is a so long awaited post that I wanted to share with you all since I came back from one of the most important experiences in my life.. started just after Maroc in the way back to Portugal by boat and bus, and only now, after so much time, published. And all the words are few and insufficient of feelings to describe the friendships and the life-lessons that i had the possibility to earn and learn.
With the
beginning of 2013 (yes three months delayed), and as one of the first post of
this year it’s a good time to look back on the year… Looking back. I can’t believe
that was almost seven months ago. Looking back now to what was the “summer”, to
the sort period that was two months compared to a life time, looking back to
all the discussions, all the good and bad days thru the camp, to the first days
in the bungalows when we were all starting to know each other’s, to the remote
memories watching the sunset going down in the beach near our bungalows, the
soccer game versus the unknown Moroccans, the long walks, some of them alone,
other’s with your pleasing companionship, the outstanding bathrooms and the
cold mornings, the lack of blankets or pillows, the harm nights playing that
strange games that I learned to love so much, the meaningful conversations on
the porch, the adventures of catching a ride to the Morocco mall even not aware
of the possible dangers of doing it and so much more that only happened in the
first weeks, it was and it is now more
than ever a reminder of how big the word really is, but at the same time, how
where you go and what you do is really only limited to what you can imagine and
set your mind to.
This experience was an opportunity to know
a new world, a new reality, a new culture, meet people with such different
experiences, interests and beliefs. However, the path is not strewn with roses...
You must know how to integrate, visualize, question, laugh, prepare to be ready
to start. This management of feelings is extremely individual and personalized.
The following weeks in the real camp,
if we call it like that, and now I believe that we can, it was, looking back,
where I saw my strengths and weaknesses, the first days with motivation at its
highest level and trying to do what I could to help in whatever was needed as
well the effort of everyone helping in the re-birth of what seemed an abandoned
camping field with at least very poor infrastructures and conditions for the so
awaited arrival of the, let’s say 800 children and youth coming from different
locations of Morocco and surrounding countries for a week of presentations and
exchange of know-how in different areas that we wouldn’t even had thought
about. And I honestly believe, especially with all the problems in the
organization thru our volunteer experience that this was the key point for the
true experience that would change us, the opportunity to get to know better as
a group, knowing people with such different experiences, culture, interests and
beliefs. I still sometime view some of the pictures from the summer camp, I
wish I could back and do it all again for so many reasons! I honestly wish that
in the future we all meet again….
That night we can’t remember. That time we did, we went, we
saw, we laughed, we felt.
Miss you all and this was only the begining,
Rodrigo.
