The Summer that Changed My Life!

During my six weeks in Southern Africa with ISV I encountered so many different people, places, experiences. Learned so many different things, found myself in the process and ended up making some of the best friends Ive ever known! The memories and stories could go on for days, as everyday we pushed head first into a new adventure; from taking care of baby cheetah's, to diving with whales, eating a braai outside in the sand surrounded by friends and funny stories! To walking with elephants and hearing lions roar from our outside tent, to holding an orphan and donating money to buy them food. Diving into the unknown by going on a caving expedition and free jumping into waterfalls, eagerly holding our binoculars to get a look at the Big 5 on both of our Safari's. Sitting back with friends made, eating, laughing, crying and having to say goodbye to some of the group that were only there for four weeks! To finding myself doing the unthinkable by bungee jumping off of Victoria Falls and feeling the wind on my face and the rush of the pounding water beneath me and rafting on some of the most extreme rapids. The stories are endless and cause so much longing whenever I fondly remember them. This trip wasn't just a chance for me to help make a conservation different in Africa, but the chance to grow, to learn and to see the world in a unique and special point of view. But my favorite memory of all, had to have been the remaining part of groups last night all together, we decided to do a boat cruise, we all sat around telling stories and eating great food! We coasted along the shores of the Zambezi River and watched as the sun set and the beautiful stars of the African sky come out. It got quiet as we all sat back and processed the amazing 6 weeks we had spent together that felt like we had just started the day before. As we coasted by the shores, we looked upon elephants with their little ones, money's flying from the trees, birds flying in the distance and took in the beautiful songs of the African wilderness. At that moment I could have agreed more with Ernest Hemingway when he said, "All I wanted to do now was get back to Africa. We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already."