This was my seventh trip up north, yet the feeling never fades. I looked forward experiencing the wide-open space of the North to bring me back clarity. As we boarded the plane, that familiar mix of excitement and focus settled in once again.

I had not been back to Chisasibi since residency. My first visit was as a senior resident, at a time when travel to the North was still limited by the pandemic. Yet despite the steep learning curve, that week became a catalyst in shaping my path as a physician learning to build projects with and for the community.

I enjoyed an unlikely but special kind of vacation to experience culture, community, and rediscover what makes Rwanda feel so inviting.