A Letter to My Fellow Project WHEE! Comrades

It’s been two months since I returned home. I feel a sense of pride, yet a pang of sadness for the adventure that I embarked on with my fellow batch mates and Kelabit family. So, life goes on and sinking back into my typical schedule is inevitable. But, what about what I experienced there? The people I met, the things I learnt, the emotions I felt? Does this mean I have to leave them behind? When I first came home, I thought “yes” was the answer. However, time has taught me that, there is more to my experience in Bario than community work that stopped after two weeks.

The idea that we cannot turn back time and relive an experience that meant the world to us, just bothers me. But, I revel in the fact that that memory was so impeccable that I would do anything to go back there. Go back to a moment when life was simpler than burning the midnight out for a last minute assignment, or being mad at the world because my wifi wouldn't connect to my phone. At moments like this, I think to myself there really must be more to life than this.

Something unpredictable happened while I was in Bario. An unforeseen spirit was revived in me, and it continues to reside in me even now as I resume to my life in Kuala Lumpur. I was plagued with a spirit that craves adventures, soughts out  meaningful relationships, longs for a simple yet productive life, and appreciates it’s birthplace. But, I don't want this only for myself but the people around me, as well.

You change in deep measures, when the people you return to remain the same, untouched.

So what do you do? You could 
A- smother yourself with dissatisfaction of the unchanged world you have returned to, or 
B- do whatever it takes to extend the pool of change that you had set foot into. 

I don't know about you, but I'm picking B. Being back from Bario has taught me that I don't have to live in a place like Bario to adopt the lifestyle and implement the lessons that I learnt there. I can do it right here. Even though it doesn't seem quite as satisfying to be back in this mundane environment compared to somewhere as great as Bario, for this moment in time, this is our designated residence. And the sooner we accept this reality, the quickly we can begin to revamp it.

As unreal as it sounds, you and I are just a step away from beginning what we started in Bario, here in our own cities. Yes, we spent 16 incredible days in Bario. But, no, it did not just stop there. It's time to implement the very aspects that made our exchange with the Kelabit people a life changing one, back here in the "real world". This could be as simple as passing a simple "Petabi leketang" to a stranger on your way to your class or being as hospitable as the Kelabits are with their home guests. As time prolongs, I foresee this pool of change that we are part of increase by the dozen. But, only if you allow it. As Gandhi put it, change yourself and you change your world. You have changed in deep measures, now it is your turn to change the people around you for the better.  

Jedida Ravi