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It is amazing how being away from Guyana for only a few short months has my mind wandering there again. My college dorm room is surrounded by pieces of Guyana; there are pictures all over the walls and surrounding my desk, a Guyana flag proudly hangs on my wall. I think about Guyana each and every day and long for the day when I will be allowed to return.

This year, my sister will be joining the team, and it is the biggest honor ever to be able and introduce her to a country that basically feels like home for me. I am so ready to show her absolutely everything, not hiding anything, the good and bad and the ugly. She has no idea what she is getting herself into, but I do, and I am so excited for her.

Just a few weekends ago, it was "Orphan Sunday", a day specifically set aside to remember those who many forget about. To me, they are unforgettable. Everyone of them has a unique, and usually extremely painful story to share to anyone who will just take a few short minutes to listen to them. Sometimes this means not getting the job done, or not finishing a project on time, but the longer I have been to Guyana the more I begin to realize that listening is really the most important thing that I can do. Without pausing from painting or building or whatever else we are doing there, I would have missed so many important details of those children's lives. I would have never known that Reshma and Rolisha are in love with ballet, and I would have never known that Naresh has dreams of coming to the United States. I would have never heard the stories of the orphanage workers or of anyone at all.

I am realizing more and more that this season of my life is simply about listening, to those around me and even to those who I have never spoken to before. It is important, and you really begin to understand people for who they are.

I absolutely cannot wait to return to Guyana this summer!