It’s been an incredible three weeks in the United States. It’s my very first time coming to America (pun intended) and it’s been nothing but a rollercoaster ride of everything one could think of. I have experienced more emotions in these few weeks than I have in one year. It’s more than just what I have seen on TV and what people have told me. Outside of the infrastructure, the sounds, lights and rush of it all, what has stood out for me has been the people.
While I have interacted with people who are born or from here, what has been even more refreshing was the different cultures that I have had a chance to meet, know and love. From my class alone, I have met people from all over and we represent almost all the continents of the world. Class 28 has people coming from Albania, Russia, El Salvador, Tunisia, Palestine, Morocco, Pakistan and Botswana, and outside of the class the fellowship brings together various tribes, ethnicities and people groups. On our second week, we got to meet the almost 90 fellows, serving across the country doing incredible work. I heard stories of people bringing about change in their countries doing some awe inspiring work that left me inspired and truly humbled by the talent and how large the world is in the whole scheme of things. This seems to also be the fabric of what is America. From everywhere I have stayed I have met people from Korea, Netherlands, Burundi, Kenya and every other country you think of. As I have conversations with these peoples, I come to the strong realization that there is more that connects us then not. We have more in common and more than anything that we are meeting in a foreign land. So it’s my conclusion that it’s not just about being in the United States of America, but being and enjoying what I like to call the “United States of People”. People from different walks of life who like me, are looking to love out their purpose the best way they know how.