First, I fell amazingly blessed to have the time, resources & a husband willing to do a trip like this. I am so privileged to live the life I do. Such a rich, comfortable and exciting life! There's no comparison to the life of most Gambians. It makes me feel guilty even though I thought most Gambians I met seemed happy. I wish I'd been able to spend more time getting below the surface & really know how they felt about their lives. Language was a barrier. I wish I could see a brighter future for them. I wish I could have done more for them.
Morocco was just fun especially our day with Mariame and the desert was stunning. Portugal was so amazingly full of history, culture & remarkable buildings. Overall, we had a fabulous trip with few hiccups and we're anxious to be home again with our family & friends. It's so true that absence makes the heart fonder!
Here's Roger's final thoughts:
Traveling with a purpose
The last month in Morocco and Portugal has reminded us that we still truly enjoy volunteering when we travel. Our interactions with the locals in these countries were often the result of us needing something, or someone thinking that we should buy something they had to offer.
We did see and briefly connect with other travelers at times, but it was just not the same as our experience in Gambia where we were able to work with many people in several locations…the bike shop, the school, My Farm, even at the prison! The richness of our experience there came from enjoying longer term connections and working together to accomplish shared goals.
We had anticipated that the schedule, the work, or other issues would eventually lead us to decide to stop volunteering. While it's true that we are definitely less energetic than we were 15 years ago when we took our first long winter trip, our efforts are still truly appreciated. We hope that we might "travel to volunteer" again!
