Adelaide’s Summer Recap

This summer was absolutely the adventure of a lifetime. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a family who is willing to dedicate the time and effort to embark on a 76 day journey away from home. While we visited 10 different countries and saw some incredible things, the most important part of this summer was the quality time that I was able to spend with my family. Even if we were being thrown around in the back of a truck or sleeping on the ground or getting blasted by sand in the desert or using some of the worst bathrooms known to humankind, we were doing it as a team. I love my family more than anything and this summer wouldn’t have been the same without them.

With that being said, here are my favorite memories from this summer:

Morocco - While riding camels in Merzouga, we faced a sandstorm that was wildly painful and very funny. Even as we fought to keep the sand from reaching our eardrums, the 6 of us were laughing.

Egypt - Oddly enough, I really enjoyed riding the sleeper train that transported us from Cairo to Aswan. My siblings and I had never spent a night on a train before and it was pretty cool! Although our cabin was kind of dirty, Dagny and I had a room that adjoined to our parents so we could chat with them. Dagny successfully brushed her teeth from the top bunk which was hilarious and we got to wake up to the sun rising over the landscape racing by.

Jordan - Swimming in the Dead Sea was an activity that we all looked forward to with great anticipation. While I spent the whole swim terrified of getting the salty water in my eyes, the feeling of floating was very unique. My favorite part about this day, however, was that we spent some time swimming in the hotel pools after we swam in the sea. The 6 of us wrestled in the pool and practically drowned one another while the life guards laughed at us and smoked cigarettes.

Israel - I’m very grateful that my parents made it a priority to bring our family to the holy land so that we could better imagine what life would have been like when Jesus was alive. Visiting Christian sites across Israel such as Jesus’ birthplace and tomb brought to life the stories that I’ve heard in church my whole life.

Palestine - Visiting the Ayda Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem was an eye opening experience for me. I learned much about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the complex history of the territories over which they fight. Being in such close proximity to the violence helped me to understand what life is like for Palestinian refugees living under Israeli occupation.

Kenya - While our time in Kenya was limited, I was blown away by the hospitality of our hotel staff and the three Kenyans who made our overland trek possible. When our luggage was lost for 19 hours when we first arrived in Nairobi, the hotel staff were so helpful and welcoming. While the 6 of us were beyond stressed about having to replace everything for the second half of our trip, the concierge worked diligently to locate our bags. Our guide, driver, and cook for the overland trek, Michael, Dan, and Emmanuel were all Kenyan. We enjoyed spending a month learning from them about Kenyan culture, the Swahili language, and traditional Kenyan dishes such as Ugali.

Tanzania - From the beaches of Zanzibar to the animals of the Serengeti, Tanzania had a lot to offer. My favorite destination was the village that we visited in the Usambara mountains. I was impressed by the overwhelming greenery and biodiversity. We were able to take an 8 mile hike which included a gorgeous overlook, countless chameleons, a delicious homemade lunch served on wooden plates, and dancing.

Malawi - While our time in Malawi was short, it was definitely impactful. On our free day at Lake Malawi, we had a guided tour of the Mbamba village. I enjoyed getting to know the local artisans as they taught us how to play Bao. In return, we taught them how to play smashball.

Zambia - By our 7th game drive, I thought we had seen it all. However, in South Lalongwe National Park, we got to watch a dozen elephants roll around, play, and swim in a river as they were returning to the park after a night of raiding the nearby village. I loved watching the babies as they learned to swim and ran to find piles of dirt once they were done. Elephants have definitely become my new favorite animal.

Zimbabwe - For me, the most terrifying moment of the entire trip was when we stood face-to-face with white rhinos in Madaba National Park in Bulawayo. My heart was racing throughout the entire encounter knowing that at any moment, the rhinos could charge at us and flatten us before our guide could scare them off. While it was incredible to view the animals from up close, I don’t need to do it again any time soon.

South Africa - While visiting Soweto, we visited a small building consisting of one room which held approximately 20 toddlers and 2 caregivers. These children were all in daycare so that their mothers (as young as 12 years old) could attend school. I was shocked by the health crises and circumstances faced by the individuals living in townships such as Soweto. Lack of sex ed, prevalence of tuberculosis, stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, unemployment, and teen pregnancy complicate the lives of the young girls and boys. I’m grateful that I was able to learn from this community so that I may further discuss global healthcare issues as I pursue a career in medicine.

Adelaide McLain