Twas 3 days before South Africa...

and I'm not even packed! SO much to do and not enough hours in the day to do it! I *almost* have my sub plans ready for next week, and then I can relax a bit and get my stuff for the trip together.

I tried to explain to my class about my trip. I think it's hard for the average 6 year old mind to understand, but maybe my pictures I will show them when I get back will help.

I want to share an e-mail we got this week from our group coordinator. Vanessa is truly amazing, and our group would be nothing without her.

Ahhhh... 3 days!!!

Austin2Africa volunteers:

I had started a letter for you before I left for Bangkok. I redid it maybe 100 times since and I am still not satisfied with it... How could I ever translate such powerful feelings into words? But then, this morning, when I came to the office, I read again, like every morning, a little sign on the door which, the days before, was just for me another nice and hopeful message posted in the middle of some other posters and such. Today I have discovered its real meaning, and the good timing to have it revealed in me and share it with you was apparently now as it sums up all that I cannot express:

Life is too short to be small.

Think BIG.

Success often comes to those who dare to dream and who work their heart out to achieve it.

My emotions are very intense and honestly unmanageable right now, probably like yours, as I have just realized that I am leaving tomorrow for one of the biggest dreams I ever had since I am little. And what a gift to share this magical opportunity with all of you. I remember being in the plane last year to Cape Town after going to the spiritual Egypt and Jordan and watching the "Bucket list" movie. At a moment, Morgan Freeman asks Jack Nicholson at the summit of the Great Pyramid: "Have you known joy in your life? Has your joy provided joy to others?"... This was just enough for me to understand how much I love and trust my life even though I had no idea where it would drive me.

How can I thank you for that, how could I ever thank you for all the initiatives you have taken to change those children's lives and in the most struggling times while never giving up. I have learnt that a lot can be replaced in our lives, even the things we often think we could not live without. But nothing can replace Love. And this is what you have been bringing every day to those little kids who thought Love did not even exist in such way.

Begin this new journey without expectations, let it guide you, take it all inside even when it will be overwhelming, and live/feel every second of it. This will not change your life, it already had.