Leaving the bubble

I am very blessed. I am married to a wonderful man, have a beautiful daughter, tremendously supportive family and great friends. We live in a nice neighborhood with a park near by and are fortunate enough to own our own home. I live in a bubble. I have most of my life only to step out briefly when volunteering at shelters or working in the Tenderloin.

I am 12 days away from leaving my bubble and I couldn't be more thrilled. Not only do I get to meet my daughter and bring her home, but I am blessed to be able to spend time in the country of her birth. To walk the streets that her family may have walked, to be in a place where I stand out. I won't have my bubble, my comfort zone.

I think we should all walk outside our bubble at some point in our lives. We need to see with our own eyes the reality that is this world we live in. I am so grateful that I get to see this. I am going to a place that I never dreamed I would go and looking back I feel I was naive. Who wouldn't want to go to Ethiopia, it is beautiful and the people are beautiful inside and out.

I know I cannot really prepare myself for what I will experience. There will be an overwhelming amount of emotion. The joy of my daughter, the sadness and loss for her birth family, the pleasure of meeting new families, the reality of life on the streets, the smiles on the faces of children with HIV... It will be emotionally draining of that I have no doubt.

What will I do with this experience, I don't know. I hope to come back to my bubble with knowledge and a reality check. With the realization that while I feel I am doing something that I could and should be doing more. What does that look like? I don't know yet. I am hoping for Ethiopia to speak to me.

One thing I know for sure is that Ethiopia is part of me and part of my family. I cannot and will not ignore that and I will do what I can to help those that need it in this beautiful country. The country that gave me my daughter. It is the least I can do. I will forever have Ethiopia on my heart and am anxiously awaiting my trip. And while this trip will be long and difficult at times, it is good for me. I need more perspective and need to broaden my horizons if not for me than for my daughter. I want her to see and know how much we love Ethiopia and I want more than anything for her to be proud of where she came from.