Love Without Borders

by Sammi Bennett

  “Look, I know this is a lot to spring on you, especially as you leave to go on your big trip,” Jared added. “Just tell me that you’ll think about it while you’re gone. Take some time and consider it. I’m not terribly patient, but I can wait for you.” He looked so earnest and honest that her heart softened. She admired his direct ways.

  “Jared, I don’t know,” Val said kindly. “I just got dumped by someone I thought was going to turn into a real relationship. I don’t want to rebound. I’m not even sure what I want right now. I’m trying to revive the daring side of my personality. Maybe that means moving to a new country, maybe that means more travel. Even without the drama of my recent relationship, I want to give myself time to figure out myself.”

  “I know. I hear you. That’s why I want you to think about it,” he said. “I know that you thought I wasn’t exciting enough for the life you wanted and that’s why we broke up, but I think I understand that a little better now. I don’t dream about adventure and excitement like you do. I don’t need new places and crazy activities. But I do need you. I want to do all those things—with you. I am more than happy to travel, take a class, eat a new food—with you.

  He went on saying, “Just because I don’t need those things on my own doesn’t mean that I won’t do all of that and more for you.”

  Val was speechless. Jared sounded like he was answering all the questions the girls had brought up at brunch. He was the one to settle down with, but now he was saying that he was also the one to be daring. Could it be true?

  It was too much to consider now. She needed time. Time to think and time to figure out what she wanted, from herself and from her life. “I’ll think about it, Jared,” said Val. She forced a little smile.

  “I’m sorry to put this on you suddenly before you leave, but this is really important to me. You are important to me,” he said. “Think about it. I hope I hear from you soon.”

  He put money on the table, enough to cover the cost of both of their beers, stood up, and left without a backward glance.

  Val downed her beer in one last gulp. She was a mess of emotions on the inside. Now she had to figure out her feelings about Adam and about Jared, all while figuring out what she wanted for herself and her future.

  Their talk had turned Val’s mood somber. She would now have a serious cloud hanging over her head while in Africa. What would she tell Jared when she returned? How would she feel once she saw Adam again?

  Tomorrow was the big day, and Jared’s ultimatum didn’t help her already tangled nerves.

  Chapter 20

  Dulles Airport was one of her favorite sights in the DC area. It was beautiful, with a long metal swoop that arched up toward the sky. She parked in the long-term garage, walked the long tunnel to the terminal, and checked in her bags. She expertly juggled her ticket, passport, and backpack through the long security line.

  Once she was at the gate, she bought a coffee and magazines and waited until her row was called. When it was time, she boarded the aircraft and stowed her bag above her seat. She watched as the other passengers boarded the plane.

  She imagined that the mom with the toddler in tow was headed to visit family back in Europe. The mom had married an American but now wanted to expose her son to the wonders of Belgium and the culture there.

  The strong-shouldered man who walked by in a rumpled suit was an ex-football player turned salesman. He was under pressure to make a big sale to save his career and decided to tap the Belgian market. He was on his way to a big meeting that could be the make or break moment for his job.

  Val thought that the small group of young ladies in yoga pants and messy buns were college students on their way to backpack in Europe for the summer. They would stay in hostels, drink too much beer, and have the experience of a lifetime.

  She could imagine backstories for just about anyone, and she did just that while she waited for the doors of the plane to close. After the safety speech was given, the plane pushed back. Now it was time for the best moment of traveling.

  Val had a smile on her face as the plane taxied down the runway, picking up speed until it was able to lift itself off the ground. Her stomach was pressed into the back of her seat until the wheels lifted from the ground and the plane took flight. There was nothing like the sensation of liftoff. She was flying! She was finally on her way to Africa.

  The first flight was uneventful. Dinner was served. Drinks were offered. Val balled her jacket against the window and used it as a pillow. After a few hours of restless sleep, she gave up trying and watched a movie on the seatback entertainment system. Then breakfast was passed out and it was time to land. The plane touched down in Brussels, Belgium for a four-hour layover.

  Val wandered out of the plane into the terminal. After getting herself together in a bathroom, she shouldered her backpack and walked along the concourse to see what was happening in the Brussels airport at 6 am. She found a duty-free shop and looked at the domestic and international goodies. A jar of speculoos, a peanut butter-like spread made from cookies, caught her eye. She had always wanted to try the trendy treat, but better judgment and thoughts of her waistline prevented her from taking the plunge. To hell with it, she thought. No better way to start a new adventure than with a new food.

  After making her deliciously gluttonous purchase, she walked back toward her gate and found a Starbucks. With a grin on her face, she ordered a coffee and paid expensive European airport prices for it. She enjoyed each sip of her favorite beverage as she watched planes take off and land through the window. The hours passed quickly before it was time to wait at her gate to board her final flight. This one would take her directly to Kigali, Rwanda. Just one flight between her and this grand adventure. One flight between her and seeing Adam again.

  The second flight was as easy as the first. Val loved flying. It was easily one of her favorite parts of traveling. The feelings of liftoff, the excitement of landing, the quiet time in between to read or watch movies. She didn’t even mind the overnight flights as she could usually catch a nap to help her power through.

  During her second flight, Val let her mind wander to her situation with Adam and Jared. The two weeks she had been separated from Adam had cooled her hurt and anger at being left behind, but had it cooled her romantic feelings? And if she still had to question how she felt about Adam, what did that say about her feelings toward Jared? He wanted more than a friendship with her. Did she want that too?

  She thought back to their relationship. It was a good couple of years. She and Jared met after college when she was just starting out in the working world. She was temping for a law firm where he was interning. They were both young and broke. They were only friends at first, hanging out and hunting down happy hours with free food. Then after a couple of years, they admitted that they both felt something more than friendship. They spent lots of time together, always had something to talk about, and looked forward to seeing each other.

  Their relationship was easy and relaxed. While they didn’t have the same hobbies or interests, Jared’s laid-back personality meshed well with her opinionated self. If she had a craving for dinner, he would agree. If she wanted to pick out a new movie, he was happy to go along. Even their families approved. But was this easy life enough? Val had thought that she might need more than that. She wanted adventure and excitement. She broke it off with Jared, and that seemed fine, until he came back into her life. Was she truly missing him or was he a convenient excuse to not feel hurt by Adam? Would seeing Adam in person help her figure out her feelings for Jared?

  Val was having a hard time seeing what she wanted her life to be like down the road. The interview question about what you see yourself doing in five years was always the hardest for Val. This was more than just choosing between Jared and Adam. She could choose neither. She could choose to keep searching for someone else. She was beginning to feel paralyzed by her choices.

  Before she had a chance to make any headway on her predicament, the flight lande
d. She had arrived in Kigali.

  Chapter 21

  When Val exited the plane, the heat she could feel as soon as she stepped out of the plane door into the jet bridge was different. She waited at baggage claim for her bags before passing through customs. She knew as soon as she stepped out into the arrivals area that she wasn’t in the United States anymore.

  People were pushing and shouting to find their loved ones, and she noticed several people give her second glances as she searched for her ride. She spotted a young man hold an ESAG sign,

  and she followed him to a nondescript van in the parking lot. A few people were loading luggage into the back of the van. She greeted them with a smile and shook their hands. The group made small talk as their bags were being loaded and they waited for the last couple of arrivals.

  Val greeted a man in his 40s who talked with a Texas drawl.

  “I’m Brian,” he said. “I’ve never been outside the states before, so this is all new for me.” He was an engineer interested to see the ESAG projects.

  “I’m Val,” she said to the group gathered next to the van. “I work at an engineering firm in Virginia, and I’m on the trip to see if our firm can partner with ESAG on a project or two. It’s my first time in Africa.” Val turned to an older man next to Brian.

  “I’m Frank,” he volunteered with a firm handshake. “Retired and doing some traveling. Never been to Africa before but I’ve been several other places.”

  Val moved to greet the only couple in the group, an older pair with warm smiles on their faces. “I’m Charles and this is my wife, Jane. I run an engineering company back home, but my real joy is traveling with Jane. We’ve been to quite a few places and to Rwanda a few times, too.”

  Val reached out a hand to the last person to join the group, a man named Jerry who looked to be in his late 40s or early 50s. “I’m Jerry. I’m from Massachusetts and was an engineer. Now I’m looking into maybe changing careers, maybe doing more volunteer work. I’m hoping to figure that out on his trip.”

  Val was glad she had Jane as another female in the group. Jane was dressed in hiking pants and a button down plaid shirt. She had her hair tied back with a scarf as a headband. She carried a backpack that looked like it had seen better days. She had a quick smile and greeted Val warmly.

  “Glad to see I have another female here to keep me company,” Jane said with a grin. Val couldn’t help but feel at ease with her.

  At the van, the group was met by a couple of staff members from ESAG who accompanied them in the vans for the trip to the guesthouse. Once their bags were stowed in the back of the van, the staffers laid out the plan for the group. It was late in the day in Kigali, so the group would settle in at the guesthouse, eat dinner, have a quick orientation meeting, and then rest up for the first day tomorrow.

  It was dark as they drove through the city, and the streetlights were few and far between. There were few of the neon signs she was used to seeing back home. The buildings Val could see were small, with hand painted signs, and there were people coming and going with packages balanced on their heads.

  The traffic lights were different; they counted down on the yellow, which struck Val as a very smart thing. There were taxi motorcycles with riders carrying packages or sitting with arms crossed, balancing behind the driver. It all felt so strange.

  After passing through a large metal gate, the vans pulled up to the guesthouse and the ESAG staffer announced that this would be where the group would be staying for the duration of the trip. The group was led on a brief tour of the property. The guesthouse had a main living room with an adjoining dining room and a kitchen in the back. There were two hallways going off each side of the living room. Val’s room was off the right hallway, at the end next to the bathroom. As the lone single female, she got a room to herself. It was sparsely furnished with a double bed and a desk. There was a fan sitting on the desk and a mosquito net above the bed. She set her suitcase down and unpacked it into a small wardrobe. She didn’t have much to unpack. She set a couple of books on the desk, and then she went to check out the bathroom situation, relieved to find a western style toilet and shower/tub combination.

  The staff called everyone for a buffet-style dinner. She filled a plate and sat down at a large table with the rest of the group. The food was tasty and filling with meat, avocados, rice, and several vegetable dishes. Val wouldn’t have to worry about having too little to eat here. She filled a plate and sat down.

  The staff introduced themselves. There was Luc, an ESAG staffer with a jovial personality and quick laugh, who handled visitors and other needs for the local projects. Next, there was Gogo, the translator, who was young and beautiful with a serious demeanor. As the group ate, the staff went over the obligatory instructions, including safety precautions such the importance of not getting separated from the group or getting in strange vehicles, and watching what you eat.

  Next, we were instructed to fill out forms, including one with questions that only you could answer so the staff had proof-of-life if you were kidnapped. Only a few eyebrows were raised as the group completed the questionnaire.

  Things were getting interesting already.

  After the meal was done, the staff wrapped up with a preview of the week and general schedule for each day. Breakfast and dinner would be served at the guesthouse, with a packed lunch on the road. A short wrap-up meeting would take place each evening after dinner. The schedule was full of places they would visit: a local school, the water project site, the trade school, as well as various meeting spots in the community. Val was excited to learn all about ESAG’s work but also about life in Rwanda. As much as she enjoyed reading about the culture, seeing it in person would be much more fascinating.

  After dinner, Val tried out the shower. She was able to manage only a few seconds of warm water before it turned scalding. She had to keep turning the handle between hot and cold to try to get a shower that was a bearable temperature. There was a bucket in the tub that she filled as she showered, and since Val wasn’t sure how long she was allowed to shower, she made quick work of it and used the filled bucket to rinse off.

  After getting dressed for bed, Val looked out the window of her room. She could make out some trees and grass in the dark. There were no screens on the window, but the breeze was nice, and she left the window open to help cool down her room from the heat of the day. She untied the mosquito net and draped it over the bed, switched on the oscillating fan, and fell right to sleep.

  Val woke to sounds of people in the hallway and the unmistakable aroma of coffee. The sun was streaming in through the window, and the day was already heating up. She got up, dressed, and headed out to find coffee. She sipped her mug while breakfast was being set up on the buffet table. She ate baked oatmeal and fruit and finished her drink before grabbing a couple water bottles and stashing them in her backpack for later. She was ready to go.

  She walked out of the guesthouse to find the van that the group would share all week. Outside in the light of day, she was finally able to take in her surroundings. She noticed the yard was modest with a patch of grass and several twisty trees.

  On board the van, Luc and Gogo explained what typical life was like in the villages of Rwanda. It would take two hours to reach their destination, so there was time to listen while taking in the countryside.

  The countryside was beautiful. Dark red, dirt roads stood out against the vibrant green trees that lined them. There were banana trees and matoke trees, heavy with a fruit similar to plantains that is used in many local savory dishes. Many times, people came out of their dirt or concrete block houses to see who was driving by. Val enjoyed waving to the kids as they passed.

  Today, they would take a tour of a community that ESAG was very involved with. This community already had water pumps installed, and ESAG was working to establish other necessary functions, such as a tool cooperative and possibly a branch of the trade school Adam had told her about.

  Once the van arrived at the commun
ity, the children circled the group. The children were quite bold and wanted to hold hands or touch the arms of the people in the group. A couple of children were quite taken with Val, pointing out her blond hair and freckles. Her hair wasn’t super pale, but it was light enough that it was striking compared to the hair of the children, most of whom had dark, close-cropped hair. Val held hands with a couple of the children as the group walked around the community. Luc and Gogo narrated the tour and explained each building.

  The school and the clinic were concrete buildings painted in bright colors. The water pumps had several people around them with oil cans, waiting for their turn at the pump. The children ran around freely, some with shoes, some without. The adults were hesitant to come up to the group, but the children had no hesitation.

  After the tour, Gogo translated for a couple of the community leaders who talked about the difference in the community since ESAG arrived and helped with the water pumps and wells. Now that those functions had been set up, their biggest problem was that young adults were leaving the rural community for the city to find jobs and earn a living. This left only older adults to farm crops, raise animals, and take care of the community. Luc explained that this is one of the reasons ESAG is considering putting a trade school in the community, to give those young adults job skills without leaving the communities that need them.

  The group took a break and ate their packed lunches in an empty classroom at the school. After lunch, the group engaged with the schoolchildren. The kids got Brian, Charles, and Jerry to play a game of soccer. Val wished she had brought one of her new soccer balls today to the school as theirs was well loved and practically falling apart. It did not stop the kids’ enjoyment of the game or the onlookers from intently watching the game and cheering when their schoolmates scored a point on the strange visitors.