...and then there was the snow leopard

I have now been back in Canada for two months. Two fast-paced, blurry, action-packed months. Toronto, Montreal, St.John's, Ottawa and now Vancouver.
I have been putting off sharing how it feels to be back. My family, friends and colleagues have warmly welcomed me back, asking questions about joys, struggles and differences. I have been asked if I would go back, if I'd rather still be there, if I think Canada is a crazy place now. I've been asked about malaria, education, agriculture and culture. I have debated the fact that yams are white and sweet potatoes are orange - yes, most sushi places and grocery stores have got it wrong!

Things that used to be familiar have come back as if they never left yet some things seem insane even though they have been a part of my life for over 23 years.

It is easy to fall back into routine. And it's not to say routine is bad. It's just routine. And I have to decide what I want that routine to be.

After two months, what finally inspired me to write? (I have many "starts" of blogs that I never posted...)
A 17 year old high school girl from Ontario. Let me explain.
I was on the phone tonight, answering a call while working. It was a very friendly mother calling in asking to book a flight for her daughter to Nepal. Craig Kielburger's "Free the Children" had been to her daughter's school to talk about children's rights and poverty and labour rights and she had been so touched by the presentation that she decided to get involved. She travelled with Free the Children to Kenya last year to volunteer. This call was about booking a flight to Nepal to volunteer at an orphanage.
Again - 17 years old.
The daughter came on the phone at one point, to talk about overseas experience and her desire to study international development in University and to discuss the details of her ticket. She had a sweet confidence about her and spoke true to who she was - a Canadian high school student in her graduating year who truly cares about being a part of making the world a better and more equal place.

I bet she has no idea that she inspired me. Her mother thanked me endlessly for helping her with the ticket and for talking a bit about my overseas experience. It was me that really did the thanking though. I think the most challenging part about being back in Canada so far has been seeing how invisible the developing world is in our Canadian reality. If we don't actively think about Africa, equality, dignity, human rights, security and peace worldwide then we struggle to find things day-to-day that remind us.

I worked for five months with youth in Ghana, having conversations about how they are the leaders of not only the future but of today. To be able to talk to a budding Canadian global leader, which I believe this girl will be, just went to show me that passion and dedication to the global community really is borderless.

You don't have to go overseas or want to go overseas to make the world a better place. It seems like all you really have to do is truly care. Here are a few major yet simple learnings that are now really a part of who I am:

- passion is important.
- caring is important.


I've said this in presentations and discussions: there is one thing that every single human being can wear every single day that crosses over all boundaries and that no one will make fun of you for wearing too many times - a smile.

Thank you to everyone who followed me on my journey - it means more to me than you know. And it's not over!

Love,
Carissa

ps the "snow leopard" is the nickname of the first Ghanaian ever to qualify for the winter olympics (this year!)