friendship

In a way this trip reminded me of summer camp. (Or EFY for the Mormon youth.) Combine 14 strangers and have them spend long days, late nights, and early mornings together. It's extreme bonding time. You feel like you have known eachother for years and, in our case, because of extensive bus rides, plane flights, and l.o.n.g. dinners we got to know eachother at hyperspeed compared to co-workers or other friends.

The difference between this trip and summer camp though, is that the bonding was on a higher level. These people are experienced in life, and topics of discussion were more mature and meaningful. I developed a closeness and love for these people that, well, I just did.

They are amazing people. But what I learned is that most people are amazing and this discovery can be made by spending quality time and going through emotional experiences with them. That is not to say that we didn't expose our weaknesses. Considering the illness, fatigue and stress we went through it was inevitable that we see the less than wonderful aspects of our individual pesonalities. But like with family members, these faults were easily forgiven.

I wish I could tell you about them all, one by one. But even if I did, it wouldn't mean to you what it has to me. Which is fine. My life has been enriched by their friendship. And it was yet another lesson to me that friendship can be found in the most unlikely places.