Anna Hicks-Jaco
Google
Six months after my visit, I can confidently say that Masungi Georeserve changed my life. I'm not exaggerating or using hyperbole at all here.
I used to always think of myself as a cowardly person. I wasn't even necessarily ashamed of it; it was just something about me. I was the one who chickened out of roller coasters, was scared of heights, scared of bugs, scared of lots of harmless things.
At Masungi, I was faced with a choice. Take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on the other side of the globe from where I live to do something amazing and unlike anything I'd ever done before, seeing some of the most beautiful sights on earth, or chicken out as I always did and regret it forever. And it was so beautiful there, and our guide was so kind and knowledgeable and inspired so much confidence, that I found, to my surprise, that I was able to do it—the whole course, never taking the easy option. Suspended hundreds of feet over the ground, looking out at the gorgeous vista with my family, full of adrenaline and endorphins and amazement, I almost couldn't believe that I'd done it. My husband of 14 years was shocked because it was so out of character. And it was so incredibly worth it. It was a unique, beautiful, exhilarating, unforgettable experience, and one that I will treasure always.
Perhaps best of all, the experience opened my eyes to the fact that I didn't have to accept being cowardly as an inherent personality trait. I could be brave if I wanted to! It's been extending to so many other things in my life since then, and it turns out that life is easier when you're not held back by irrational fears. It feels very odd but exciting.
Thank you, Masungi Georeserve, for preserving nature with such care and passion, for sharing that passion with others, and for changing my life.