Day 10: Crossing Borders and Changing Spaces

Exhausted after last night’s concert, we pulled ourselves out of bed bright and early, and we had one last breakfast at Chikuni Mission. Before long, the bus was loaded, and we were on our way out. I felt that it was too short of a goodbye for a place that meant so much to us. Despite the frogs and wasps in toilets, I felt very much at home at the mission; Canisius and the Jesuit presence in the area reminded me a lot of the Jesuit high school I attended. I felt my spirit awaken there as I reconnected with Ignatian Spirituality in the African Bush. As we left along the bumpy, water-eroded dirt road, I prayed that the renewal I gained from Chikuni wouldn’t get left behind.

The drive to Livingstone demonstrated the vastness of rural Zambia. We zipped through rolling hills thinly covered with trees. Other than occasional huts, small farm plots, and masonry structures, the land seemed wild for kilometers (being here has me thinking in metric). Every now and then, the road would go through a small village with people selling tomatoes and other produce. On the bus, it was quiet. Most of us either slept or read. I think we all needed some quiet time and some extra rest. The four-hour drive soon started to give way to smoother, newer roads, and before too long, we arrived in Livingstone.

Lunch consisted of, “The best pizza south of the equator,” which is definitely accurate in my experience. Honestly, most of us (myself included) were just happy to eat cheese again. During our time there, we did our best to spend our remaining kwacha, purchasing souveniers for family members and friends.

Crossing the border into Zimbabwe was a slow process, though not nearly as slow as our visa process coming into Zambia over a week ago. Unfortunately, enough time had passed to where we weren’t able to spend time at Victoria Falls as planned for today, so all I can say about them comes from the glimpses we got as we drove past. The mist rises out of the canyon like smoke, refracting the sunlight into at least two rainbows. The geologist in me got drawn into the canyon walls, fascinated by the erosion patterns and vegetation clinging to the grey-brown basalt. It passed us too fast. We were at the edge of our seats, jittering in anticipation for when we will explore the falls in the coming days.

The hotel we’re staying at is quite the change from Chikuni, but a welcome one. For the first time since the flight, all of us have access to the Internet. I spent a good hour catching up with my sister, really brightening my mood. It’s nice to share the experiences we’re having. I’m finding I have way too many stories to tell, and it’s great to connect with people from home outside the choir. I particularly miss my friends; it’s been hard for me to process the emotions of graduation without them. From talking to the other graduates on this trip, I think that graduation won’t feel real until this trip is over. I was hoping to find some clarity in Chikuni, but I suppose that will have to wait. I doubt I’ll find much reflection time here, many of us are worried that Victoria Falls is far too touristy to feel authentic. However, it will be nice to have a break to be tourists.

Peace,
Sean Morton '17