How do we "wrap up" our experience?

The big group has now been "home" for a few days. Home is relative as Minnesota is not home for everyone -  I think all but Ken have made it to the States though. We left Ilula on Tuesday and made it safely to Dar where some went on to vacation in Zanzibar and others spent the day in Dar at Slipway (a shopping center on the ocean) and the Bongoyo island. 

I have been thinking a lot about how to "wrap up" the trip in a blog post but it has been a challenge. This year was a quick trip to Ilula for me and it felt fast. I have been grappling with what this quick in and out trip meant to me, to the students/learners and to the Ilula staff and patients.

I asked the students to tell me how they would explain the trip in a few sentences and have one to share in particular: "With every adventure there is always it's ups and downs and we had many of both on this trip, especially emotionally. I, for one, am new to the healthcare world and was thoroughly unprepared for the sheer gravity of the helplessness I felt in many situations.  However, though we were surrounded by so much suffering and destitution while working in the hospital and traveling through the bush, the Tanzanian peoples never ceased to amaze me with their overwhelming hospitality and generosity. Though some of the practices in the hospital gave us pause, learning from the Tanzanians in regard to their attitudes is paramount and I hope to carry this completely selfless lifestyle into my practice back home."

I don't think I am off base when I say that each year a lot of American staff and learners feel helpless. It is a frustrating situation and a heartbreaking one at times. But I liked the hope in her message as well - the references to living our lives more like the Tanzanians. What a powerful hope to take away after being in Ilula for nearly 6 weeks. There is still lots to be done with our relationship in Ilula and the care they are able to give to their patients but also a lot we can take away from the experience into our own practices - Shoulder to shoulder. I came to the final conclusion that there is no way to "wrap up" our experience because these trips to Ilula are life changing and the process of digesting the information you learned, the things you saw and the things we witnessed, is life long.