It may be the widespread panic over la gripe A (h1n1) or it may be the fact that I have been working with sick little kids, but this morning I woke up feeling a bit strange. I went to school not thinking much of it, and didn't really want to ask to go home since I work so few hours in the institute. However, when I told Alfonso - one of the best teachers you will ever meet - that I felt strange, he said "Go home! What are you doing here?! Health first!". I was surprised and relieved at the same time. My buddy Matt is coming later today for our weekend long Thanksgiving celebration and I want to feel well.
So here I am, sitting in my bed, listening to some Andrew Bird (which I highly suggest if you don't know him already) and contemplating the ways in which I can be thankful. So let's list a few: my family for being supportive of my education, my interests, even though they may lead me abroad for long periods of time; my excellent professors that have motivated me and opened doors both mental and physical for me; my friends, Ellen and Eric, that helped me make this possible financially; my friends, Kendell, Laurel, Kevin, Laurie, Jake, Nicola, Annie, James, Uma and for sure many others that helped support me when I was doubting myself in this or anything else; and last but not least, that all-controversial being, God, who I believe keeps the good works and love circulating on this big rock. If I didn't include you and should have, feel free to comment and tell me what I jerk I am.
The point is, there are innumerable things to be thankful for, but yet I think we find ourselves thinking about desires and goals that haven't been fulfilled or will be able to be fulfilled. I'd like to not focus on those, -which is often my number one flaw - but rather on what has gone well for me. Try and do the same today, I think it will make you feel better, even if you are already feeling good. Think of how many people have helped you or tried to help you, how many people have said kind words to you and meant them or even of the good things you have done unconsciously and have helped others.
This all may sound a bit preachy, but I do it more for myself than anything, because I like to get these thoughts out of my head and down on to "paper". Either way, I hope you find something useful or at least worth reading. Today I am thankful for each and everyone of you.
11/23/2009
Weekends go by so quickly.
So it's Monday. What the heck. I feel like my weekend just started. It seems like everything goes quickly though, not just the weekends. I plan so much for classes outside of school and in between classes that by the end of the day I don't even realize that it has happened. Much better than time dragging if you ask me.
Friday I only have one class, so it feels like the weekend starts a bit early. I only had 6 students show up because of the swine flu. I would complain that no one came, but I guess I am going to consider myself lucky for not getting sick so far. Knock on wood. I had a football game - that's right you patriots, I am calling soccer, the original football, "football" - with the faculty team again this Friday and we won. I maintain my perfect record and killer rep with the students. They started calling me "portolazo", which means monster goalie. I'm honored. Little do they know, I am so nervous every time we play because there are 300 students watching us, especially me, being the foreigner. I thought I left this pressure back in high school...
Saturday I had a great ride with the UCA. We did 110 km again on the less hilly route. Less hilly, but super windy and one MONSTER hill. The first time I did this ride the hill almost killed me. Now, as I am getting used to maintaining a certain cadence and controlling my breathing, the rides are going much better for me. I was the first up the hill this time, which gave me the giddiest, most idiotic grin I have ever had. The best part about hill climbs is that there is usually an awesome descent on the other side, which there was in this case. It is a sweet series of curves and corners that I push 40 mph on. We also did a ton of "aflojando" which is where the peloton changes positions constantly to share the burden of breaking the head wind. It's a good skill to learn and made the ride much easier.
Later on Saturday I went back to Gib with the new English teacher, Dave the Canadian, to check it out for a bit, grab some fish and chips and then meet up with Billy and his dad. Billy's dad was in town from London visiting, so we decided to go watch another Manchester game with some Brits. I think I am quickly becoming a "Manc for life". We had a great time watching the game and listening to Billy's dad talk about the glory days of traveling, playing football and drinking pints until 6am with his mates. It's funny to hear the parallels between his stories and my own father's, even though they are from opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Yesterday we had a barbecue at our friend Jose's new apartment. It was a great time and I got to spend some time with him and a few other friends that I hadn't seen lately. Definitely a great finish to a quick, but fun weekend. I'm looking forward to having him and his friends over for our Thanksgiving feast this weekend. Yours truly, the vegetarian, is in charge of cooking the turkey.
Friday I only have one class, so it feels like the weekend starts a bit early. I only had 6 students show up because of the swine flu. I would complain that no one came, but I guess I am going to consider myself lucky for not getting sick so far. Knock on wood. I had a football game - that's right you patriots, I am calling soccer, the original football, "football" - with the faculty team again this Friday and we won. I maintain my perfect record and killer rep with the students. They started calling me "portolazo", which means monster goalie. I'm honored. Little do they know, I am so nervous every time we play because there are 300 students watching us, especially me, being the foreigner. I thought I left this pressure back in high school...
Saturday I had a great ride with the UCA. We did 110 km again on the less hilly route. Less hilly, but super windy and one MONSTER hill. The first time I did this ride the hill almost killed me. Now, as I am getting used to maintaining a certain cadence and controlling my breathing, the rides are going much better for me. I was the first up the hill this time, which gave me the giddiest, most idiotic grin I have ever had. The best part about hill climbs is that there is usually an awesome descent on the other side, which there was in this case. It is a sweet series of curves and corners that I push 40 mph on. We also did a ton of "aflojando" which is where the peloton changes positions constantly to share the burden of breaking the head wind. It's a good skill to learn and made the ride much easier.
Later on Saturday I went back to Gib with the new English teacher, Dave the Canadian, to check it out for a bit, grab some fish and chips and then meet up with Billy and his dad. Billy's dad was in town from London visiting, so we decided to go watch another Manchester game with some Brits. I think I am quickly becoming a "Manc for life". We had a great time watching the game and listening to Billy's dad talk about the glory days of traveling, playing football and drinking pints until 6am with his mates. It's funny to hear the parallels between his stories and my own father's, even though they are from opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Yesterday we had a barbecue at our friend Jose's new apartment. It was a great time and I got to spend some time with him and a few other friends that I hadn't seen lately. Definitely a great finish to a quick, but fun weekend. I'm looking forward to having him and his friends over for our Thanksgiving feast this weekend. Yours truly, the vegetarian, is in charge of cooking the turkey.
11/20/2009
I'm tired, but happy.
I have had a lot to do in the last few weeks. I have had guests nearly every weekend. This will be my first weekend without a friend here to hang out with, which may sound sad but it's kinda nice. This isn't to say that I haven't enjoyed my time with my friends, Matt, Sam, G, etc., because I really have. But, when you are around so many people all of the time its easy to get out of touch with yourself.
This week has been especially great for me. My classes and lessons went really well with the exception of two private lessons; the kids are a bit spoiled and less than enthused about having an English teacher after they get out of school. This is my biggest challenge at the moment, so I'm going to dedicate some time to it this weekend. Otherwise, I had a few "workshops" that I gave at the school on how to understand readings from context and expand vocabulary using various literary tools. I'm proud to say that I created the activities myself, and with the help of Mane, a fantastic prof at the institute, they went really well.
I didn't get a chance to really go for any bike rides this week other than the two 16km round trip rides that I take to get to a few private lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings. However, I'm not to worried because I am sure over 200km of riding is in store for me with the cycling team tomorrow and Sunday morning (For our less conversion savvy friends, that is around 135 miles). I need to keep up with Kevin's training so that we have a good cadence match-up next summer for our bike trip across Western Europe.
I really miss my family and friends, but in a way that I haven't before. I don't resent being here at all. In fact, I feel lucky knowing that everyone's got my back in whatever I do (within reason). Which is good, because I would do it anyway!!!
I've made a good friend in Xabier, a friend's roommate from the Basque Country of Spain. He's a really funny, honest guy that I can relate to. It's nice to have a guy friend here, because I have been surrounded by girls and was needing a bit of testoterone (haha, you know me, a true macho). Anyway, Xabi's taught me some cooking secrets, because in the Basque Country (El Pais Vasco), the men are in control of the kitchen. I think I may have found my future home. He's also promised to take us on a tour of his region during one of our breaks.
I really don't have many deep thoughts at the moment. Just keeping everyone in the loop and organizing my thoughts via my keyboard. Peace and love to all.
This week has been especially great for me. My classes and lessons went really well with the exception of two private lessons; the kids are a bit spoiled and less than enthused about having an English teacher after they get out of school. This is my biggest challenge at the moment, so I'm going to dedicate some time to it this weekend. Otherwise, I had a few "workshops" that I gave at the school on how to understand readings from context and expand vocabulary using various literary tools. I'm proud to say that I created the activities myself, and with the help of Mane, a fantastic prof at the institute, they went really well.
I didn't get a chance to really go for any bike rides this week other than the two 16km round trip rides that I take to get to a few private lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings. However, I'm not to worried because I am sure over 200km of riding is in store for me with the cycling team tomorrow and Sunday morning (For our less conversion savvy friends, that is around 135 miles). I need to keep up with Kevin's training so that we have a good cadence match-up next summer for our bike trip across Western Europe.
I really miss my family and friends, but in a way that I haven't before. I don't resent being here at all. In fact, I feel lucky knowing that everyone's got my back in whatever I do (within reason). Which is good, because I would do it anyway!!!
I've made a good friend in Xabier, a friend's roommate from the Basque Country of Spain. He's a really funny, honest guy that I can relate to. It's nice to have a guy friend here, because I have been surrounded by girls and was needing a bit of testoterone (haha, you know me, a true macho). Anyway, Xabi's taught me some cooking secrets, because in the Basque Country (El Pais Vasco), the men are in control of the kitchen. I think I may have found my future home. He's also promised to take us on a tour of his region during one of our breaks.
I really don't have many deep thoughts at the moment. Just keeping everyone in the loop and organizing my thoughts via my keyboard. Peace and love to all.
11/09/2009
An eventful week and a half or so.
Since my last entry, I've had quite the number of interesting experiences. So much so, that I haven't really had the time to organize my thoughts enough to write them down. So here we are...
Last weekend, I went with a few of my friends, Hannah, Meghan, Abby, Joaquin, and Billy, to Cadiz, to see the city and visit my friend Matt. He and I were roommates during orientation in Sevilla and became good friends pretty quickly; so quickly that it's hypothesized that we are dating. I'm pretty sure we're not. Either way, a visit was long overdue, especially because I had heard so much about Cadiz.
We left on Thursday night and stayed with Matt and his roommates until early Monday evening. The first night we went out with his Spanish roommate Sandra and a few of their friends from the city. I surprised myself as I am usually the grandpa in the group, and I was the only one to stay out and hang with the Spaniards all night, until 7 am. We had a great time, hanging out near the old city gates, on top of this ancient wall, having a drink. Later on, we went to a few dance clubs, which aren't my favorite, but I was in good company.
The weather was fantastic all weekend, staying near the low to mid 80s. We went to the beach every single day and went swimming, in November! I got a bit jealous of Matt's placement and apartment since it is so beautiful, in a city far more interesting than Algeciras and so near to the beach. But then I thought, I would probably not appreciate it so much if I lived there. Whether or not this is true, its put my jealousy to rest somewhat (haha).
The week that followed my trip to Cadiz went by so quickly. I returned on the 2nd, with enough time to lesson plan for my classes that were the following day and to call my mom to wish her a happy birthday. The week never slowed down, as I had three couch surfing requests for the weekend that was coming as well as Matt coming to visit Algeciras for the first time.
I got my first couch surfer on Thursday night. A Malaysian physics student, living in Manchester, who was hitchhiking from England to Morocco in order to raise money for juvenile cancer research. His name was "G" and was one of the coolest most interesting people I have ever met. He ended up staying with me for two nights and we hung out for the better part of his time here. He came out with our normal group of friends and everyone had a great time with him. I was a bit sad to see him go, but I plan on staying on his couch when I go to England.
Friday, two girls arrived on their way to Morocco, one from the US, one from England (Hannah and Bethany). We didn't get to know each other too well, since both nights they stayed with me, they were only here long enough to brush their teeth and sleep. Needless to say, they were both super nice and invited me to stay on their couches during my travel whenever I want.
The couch surfing experience has been awesome so far and I'm really glad I signed up. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but it really is very safe and a great way to help out travelers and meet new people. A few blogs ago I said I felt like I wasn't really putting much back into the world at the moment. Couch surfing has given me a way to do that I feel. Helping people see new things, meet new people, expand their knowledge and understanding of other cultures. All of these things are so important to me and I am stoked that I can help people enjoy them for themselves.
My house has been quite full as Matt came to stay this weekend. So at one point, I had four guests staying in my house. You would think it might be a bit crowded, but I have two couches, a pull-out bed and a spare room at the moment; our roommate from Morocco is still MIA.
Anyway, I got to take my friends around the city, show them some of the nicer things, eat some great tapas and even go to Gibraltar. It was my first time in Gib, which is sad considering that it is 40 minutes away by bus, but I wanted to take Matt. We met our British friend Billy there to watch a Manchester United game and eat some legit fish and chips. I was pumped that I could have the fish, since it is all caught locally right here in the area! Billy said that it is better than fish and chips you'll get in England because its fresher. The game was a lot of fun and the Brits lived up to their reputation of being rowdy during football matches. I even got called a "Manc ****" because I was rooting for the Reds instead of Chelsea. I took it as a compliment. To top it off, we got to see an airplane take off from the Gib airport, which shuts down the road and uses part of it as the airstrip. Kendell had told me not to come on account of this savage fact, but I thought it was pretty cool...
Now I find myself lesson planning, wanting to give better lessons than I have lately. So, I'm spending a better part of the day trying to think of how to reach my students most effectively, which is tough considering there isn't a uniform level of English. Oh well, its a much needed challenge that I can use some of my free time on.
I have another visitor coming this weekend, my friend Sam, who I studied in Argentina with. He is on break from school in the Czech Republic and decided to come here. We're going to check out Gib again (I want to see monkeys and the other stuff there), Tarifa and Malaga and then he's taking off to Lisbon. It will be fun and makes me anticipate even more the other visitors that I have coming (Kevin, Annie, Mom, maybe more...).
A little side note, I went on my biggest ride yet with the cycling club. Over 100km on the biggest hills I've ever done. It was brutal, but rewarding. It's giving me a good challenge every weekend, as I have a TON to learn about road cycling. And so the adventure continues...
Last weekend, I went with a few of my friends, Hannah, Meghan, Abby, Joaquin, and Billy, to Cadiz, to see the city and visit my friend Matt. He and I were roommates during orientation in Sevilla and became good friends pretty quickly; so quickly that it's hypothesized that we are dating. I'm pretty sure we're not. Either way, a visit was long overdue, especially because I had heard so much about Cadiz.
We left on Thursday night and stayed with Matt and his roommates until early Monday evening. The first night we went out with his Spanish roommate Sandra and a few of their friends from the city. I surprised myself as I am usually the grandpa in the group, and I was the only one to stay out and hang with the Spaniards all night, until 7 am. We had a great time, hanging out near the old city gates, on top of this ancient wall, having a drink. Later on, we went to a few dance clubs, which aren't my favorite, but I was in good company.
The weather was fantastic all weekend, staying near the low to mid 80s. We went to the beach every single day and went swimming, in November! I got a bit jealous of Matt's placement and apartment since it is so beautiful, in a city far more interesting than Algeciras and so near to the beach. But then I thought, I would probably not appreciate it so much if I lived there. Whether or not this is true, its put my jealousy to rest somewhat (haha).
The week that followed my trip to Cadiz went by so quickly. I returned on the 2nd, with enough time to lesson plan for my classes that were the following day and to call my mom to wish her a happy birthday. The week never slowed down, as I had three couch surfing requests for the weekend that was coming as well as Matt coming to visit Algeciras for the first time.
I got my first couch surfer on Thursday night. A Malaysian physics student, living in Manchester, who was hitchhiking from England to Morocco in order to raise money for juvenile cancer research. His name was "G" and was one of the coolest most interesting people I have ever met. He ended up staying with me for two nights and we hung out for the better part of his time here. He came out with our normal group of friends and everyone had a great time with him. I was a bit sad to see him go, but I plan on staying on his couch when I go to England.
Friday, two girls arrived on their way to Morocco, one from the US, one from England (Hannah and Bethany). We didn't get to know each other too well, since both nights they stayed with me, they were only here long enough to brush their teeth and sleep. Needless to say, they were both super nice and invited me to stay on their couches during my travel whenever I want.
The couch surfing experience has been awesome so far and I'm really glad I signed up. I was a bit apprehensive at first, but it really is very safe and a great way to help out travelers and meet new people. A few blogs ago I said I felt like I wasn't really putting much back into the world at the moment. Couch surfing has given me a way to do that I feel. Helping people see new things, meet new people, expand their knowledge and understanding of other cultures. All of these things are so important to me and I am stoked that I can help people enjoy them for themselves.
My house has been quite full as Matt came to stay this weekend. So at one point, I had four guests staying in my house. You would think it might be a bit crowded, but I have two couches, a pull-out bed and a spare room at the moment; our roommate from Morocco is still MIA.
Anyway, I got to take my friends around the city, show them some of the nicer things, eat some great tapas and even go to Gibraltar. It was my first time in Gib, which is sad considering that it is 40 minutes away by bus, but I wanted to take Matt. We met our British friend Billy there to watch a Manchester United game and eat some legit fish and chips. I was pumped that I could have the fish, since it is all caught locally right here in the area! Billy said that it is better than fish and chips you'll get in England because its fresher. The game was a lot of fun and the Brits lived up to their reputation of being rowdy during football matches. I even got called a "Manc ****" because I was rooting for the Reds instead of Chelsea. I took it as a compliment. To top it off, we got to see an airplane take off from the Gib airport, which shuts down the road and uses part of it as the airstrip. Kendell had told me not to come on account of this savage fact, but I thought it was pretty cool...
Now I find myself lesson planning, wanting to give better lessons than I have lately. So, I'm spending a better part of the day trying to think of how to reach my students most effectively, which is tough considering there isn't a uniform level of English. Oh well, its a much needed challenge that I can use some of my free time on.
I have another visitor coming this weekend, my friend Sam, who I studied in Argentina with. He is on break from school in the Czech Republic and decided to come here. We're going to check out Gib again (I want to see monkeys and the other stuff there), Tarifa and Malaga and then he's taking off to Lisbon. It will be fun and makes me anticipate even more the other visitors that I have coming (Kevin, Annie, Mom, maybe more...).
A little side note, I went on my biggest ride yet with the cycling club. Over 100km on the biggest hills I've ever done. It was brutal, but rewarding. It's giving me a good challenge every weekend, as I have a TON to learn about road cycling. And so the adventure continues...
10/27/2009
Support my internship in Argentina!
In the previous entry I had stated that I was looking for several ways to fund my internship in Argentina that will hopefully start next fall. However, I am having some difficulty finding grants and scholarships that are directed at college grads looking to volunteer/intern abroad. While I am keeping my hopes up and continuing my search for these kinds of funding, I want to reach out to my friends and family to help me in whatever way they can.
Ideally, I'd like to remotely set up fundraisers in Grand Rapids and possibly my hometown area (Sandusky) that would help to cover the program costs. This would be quite a process, but I feel like it is more than possible with some hard work and patience (from those of you that are daring enough to offer to help me). Whether the fundraiser be a silent auction at a place where people who would support sustainable development projects congregate (they exist, I'm thinking you know Uma!) or a concert with some of my musician friends, or whatever your brilliant minds come up with! Please, send the link to my blog to as many people as you feel may be interested. I will be soon putting up a "Donate Now" link by which people will be able to make monetary contributions to this project.
I'd like to set any concerns about how the money will be used to rest by quoting the following information from the FSD's website:
Specifically, FSD program fees go directly to funding a participant's expenses:
1. Pre-Departure Support
2. Room and board
3. Transportation to and from the airport, as well as to and from FSD sponsored events, and to and from the
host organization while in-country
4. In-Country Support, including ongoing trainings (see http://www.fsdinternational.org/whyfsd/devtraining)
5. Program Maintenance and Growth, including legal and logistical costs
6. Access to FSD’s grant funds to implement project work
7. Health Insurance
8. Safety and Security Infrastructure (for example, our programs in Kenya needed to be evacuated in January
due to political turmoil).
9. Re-entry support through FSD’s AlumniConnect Program
It is these fees that the host organizations cannot afford to pay. FSD makes every effort to ensure that these
costs are minimized, thereby allowing a maximum number of participants to travel abroad. By funding his/her
trip, a participant benefits a host organization most effectively while gaining meaningful, hands-on international
development experience.
So, as you can see, this money will not go to me to spend as I please. All of it is well-allocated as per a system developed by the FSD that is true to their motto of supporting community based organizations in developing nations at minimal to no-cost to them.
Please, feel free to send or post as a comment any ideas that you may have for me to fundraise the nearly $15,000 that I will need. Thank you so much for reading and pass it on!
Ideally, I'd like to remotely set up fundraisers in Grand Rapids and possibly my hometown area (Sandusky) that would help to cover the program costs. This would be quite a process, but I feel like it is more than possible with some hard work and patience (from those of you that are daring enough to offer to help me). Whether the fundraiser be a silent auction at a place where people who would support sustainable development projects congregate (they exist, I'm thinking you know Uma!) or a concert with some of my musician friends, or whatever your brilliant minds come up with! Please, send the link to my blog to as many people as you feel may be interested. I will be soon putting up a "Donate Now" link by which people will be able to make monetary contributions to this project.
I'd like to set any concerns about how the money will be used to rest by quoting the following information from the FSD's website:
Specifically, FSD program fees go directly to funding a participant's expenses:
1. Pre-Departure Support
2. Room and board
3. Transportation to and from the airport, as well as to and from FSD sponsored events, and to and from the
host organization while in-country
4. In-Country Support, including ongoing trainings (see http://www.fsdinternational.org/whyfsd/devtraining)
5. Program Maintenance and Growth, including legal and logistical costs
6. Access to FSD’s grant funds to implement project work
7. Health Insurance
8. Safety and Security Infrastructure (for example, our programs in Kenya needed to be evacuated in January
due to political turmoil).
9. Re-entry support through FSD’s AlumniConnect Program
It is these fees that the host organizations cannot afford to pay. FSD makes every effort to ensure that these
costs are minimized, thereby allowing a maximum number of participants to travel abroad. By funding his/her
trip, a participant benefits a host organization most effectively while gaining meaningful, hands-on international
development experience.
So, as you can see, this money will not go to me to spend as I please. All of it is well-allocated as per a system developed by the FSD that is true to their motto of supporting community based organizations in developing nations at minimal to no-cost to them.
Please, feel free to send or post as a comment any ideas that you may have for me to fundraise the nearly $15,000 that I will need. Thank you so much for reading and pass it on!
10/22/2009
New, big things! New, big challenges...
So, two days ago I called the office of the Foundation for Sustainable Development in San Francisco. I wanted to know how far along in the process of reviewing applications they were, especially since it had already taken a week longer than I was originally told (2 weeks). The delay in the processing of my application caused me to send in my Fulbright grant application without a letter stating that I had been accepted by the FSD. I felt like this may hurt the viability of my application a bit; however, I am going to keep my hopes up (especially since it would cover the expenses of the program).
I was getting a bit ahead of myself though, as I had not even been accepted yet. But, my impatient phone call to the FSD office allowed me to hear the news that I wanted: that I had been accepted to their Microfinance/Community Development program in Rio de La Plata, Argentina!!! They originally thought I wanted to start in January of this year, but obviously that won't work with me being in Spain until June of 2010. So after a bit of talking, I have been able to defer my application, which means I just tell them when I want to start my program.
At the moment, I am signed up for a 9-month program (starting in September) that would allow me to go home for the summer, save some money, go to Argentina and return summer of 2011 to do the same for my next adventure. Just to touch briefly on this: my dream school is the Institute of Social Studies in the Haag, in the Netherlands. Ideally, I would start my studies there for my Master's in Fall 2011. But, first things first. Argentina.
I need to start figuring out how to fund this internship with the FSD. As of right now, my program fee is $10,000, which includes insurance, housing, food and money for my own seed grants (money that funds my development projects). I am figuring about $1200 for the flight, and another $3000 for miscellaneous expenses. All in all, nearly $15,000. If I were to win the Fulbright it would cover absolutely everything, although I would start six-months later than my ideal time. This has prompted me to search for other grants and scholarships to help defray the costs that are about to swallow me. If anyone reading this has any fundraising ideas, please, feel free to let me know. I am able to get tax-exempt status for all donations, etc. because the money goes to a non-profit agency.
It's nice to know that all I have to worry about is money now. I feel like getting into the FSD's Argentina program was really a huge stepping stone to my long-term, life goals. As a product of the social welfare system of the United States, I know that I have been given many opportunities that have helped me better my situation and ultimately quality of life. I feel like my passion is being able to do that for people much less fortunate than myself, in an area that is under-served by professionals (in which I happen to speak the language). Sustainable community development (social and economic) has been the part of my studies that has grabbed my attention from since before I even knew what it was called.
I'm going to place links to the two programs I'll be working with so all who are interested can check it out. Take care and until next time!
http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/argentina/cdopps
http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/argentina/mfopps
I was getting a bit ahead of myself though, as I had not even been accepted yet. But, my impatient phone call to the FSD office allowed me to hear the news that I wanted: that I had been accepted to their Microfinance/Community Development program in Rio de La Plata, Argentina!!! They originally thought I wanted to start in January of this year, but obviously that won't work with me being in Spain until June of 2010. So after a bit of talking, I have been able to defer my application, which means I just tell them when I want to start my program.
At the moment, I am signed up for a 9-month program (starting in September) that would allow me to go home for the summer, save some money, go to Argentina and return summer of 2011 to do the same for my next adventure. Just to touch briefly on this: my dream school is the Institute of Social Studies in the Haag, in the Netherlands. Ideally, I would start my studies there for my Master's in Fall 2011. But, first things first. Argentina.
I need to start figuring out how to fund this internship with the FSD. As of right now, my program fee is $10,000, which includes insurance, housing, food and money for my own seed grants (money that funds my development projects). I am figuring about $1200 for the flight, and another $3000 for miscellaneous expenses. All in all, nearly $15,000. If I were to win the Fulbright it would cover absolutely everything, although I would start six-months later than my ideal time. This has prompted me to search for other grants and scholarships to help defray the costs that are about to swallow me. If anyone reading this has any fundraising ideas, please, feel free to let me know. I am able to get tax-exempt status for all donations, etc. because the money goes to a non-profit agency.
It's nice to know that all I have to worry about is money now. I feel like getting into the FSD's Argentina program was really a huge stepping stone to my long-term, life goals. As a product of the social welfare system of the United States, I know that I have been given many opportunities that have helped me better my situation and ultimately quality of life. I feel like my passion is being able to do that for people much less fortunate than myself, in an area that is under-served by professionals (in which I happen to speak the language). Sustainable community development (social and economic) has been the part of my studies that has grabbed my attention from since before I even knew what it was called.
I'm going to place links to the two programs I'll be working with so all who are interested can check it out. Take care and until next time!
http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/argentina/cdopps
http://www.fsdinternational.org/country/argentina/mfopps
10/19/2009
Food for thought.
Yesterday I was having a rough day for some reason, but it got better. My friend invited me over for dinner and some Arrested Development because I had told her I was feeling down. I instantly felt better knowing that someone was concerned about my well-being and would take time out of their day to help me.
I came to a realization that this happens a lot to me in my life. People ask me how I am, and on the off chance I will complain or tell them my current woe. It seems like rather than the traditional "Oh, I'm sorry" or "That sucks", that I am fortunate enough to have people who take my happiness into account and make an effort to help me. Many who read this are these same people, whether you have helped me by lending an ear, putting me in my place, monetarily or whatever it may be.
This is a very fortunate situation to be in, but it presents another problem (outside of being dependent upon others): I feel that I receive so much in my life, whether it be love, help, advice, etc., but I don't feel myself overtly putting back into that cycle. Is this something that I (or we) do subconsciously, overtly or a combination of both? I thought about this and realized that every day I want to make an effort to give, to contribute in whatever way possible, because I feel like I am part of such a wonderful "cycle" that I want to do whatever I can to keep it going and help it expand.
Think about this today, about what you receive, who you receive it from, their intent, etc. and also about how you contribute to that. I feel like many of us will be surprised to find much more than we expect or notice on a day-to-day basis.
I came to a realization that this happens a lot to me in my life. People ask me how I am, and on the off chance I will complain or tell them my current woe. It seems like rather than the traditional "Oh, I'm sorry" or "That sucks", that I am fortunate enough to have people who take my happiness into account and make an effort to help me. Many who read this are these same people, whether you have helped me by lending an ear, putting me in my place, monetarily or whatever it may be.
This is a very fortunate situation to be in, but it presents another problem (outside of being dependent upon others): I feel that I receive so much in my life, whether it be love, help, advice, etc., but I don't feel myself overtly putting back into that cycle. Is this something that I (or we) do subconsciously, overtly or a combination of both? I thought about this and realized that every day I want to make an effort to give, to contribute in whatever way possible, because I feel like I am part of such a wonderful "cycle" that I want to do whatever I can to keep it going and help it expand.
Think about this today, about what you receive, who you receive it from, their intent, etc. and also about how you contribute to that. I feel like many of us will be surprised to find much more than we expect or notice on a day-to-day basis.
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