May 31, 2015 – St. Paul, Minnesota

Has it been five months already?

Tonight is my last with my first hosts, and the feeling is bittersweet. I’m afraid Mari and Syr have set the bar a bit too high. They’ve shown me the undeniable strength it takes to be a successful single mother, taught me the true meaning of patience, and embraced me as if I was one of their own. How will my future hosts measure up to this experience? These last five months have been the most transformative of my adult life. With so many changes happening inside me, it’s hard to imagine a future experience that will be more memorable.

I hit a financial low point and have never been more comfortable with it.

I became more open to opportunities.

I had my first real babysitting experience.

I grew closer to my own family in Minnesota.

I influenced others to make changes in their lives.

Due to these transformations, however, I will now be more open to continuing that exact process. Like a virus mutating cells, my typical thought process has been disrupted. Alternative ideas have emerged and replicated. Each new environment will pave the way for further contagion.

The host cell has been infected, and there’s no cure in sight.

“Without growth people atrophy: we waste away, and in a meaningful way we die inside.” – Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Millburn