THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, & WHY

Okay so this post is actually saved on my computer and is written out quite better there, but I think I killed my computer (hence the delay in updates) So excuse my hasty nature as I am in an internet cafe trying to update all of you, do my homework, check email, and of course browse facebook. ANNNYYWAYYYSSS.

So after reading the first few posts my mom pointed out to me that not everyone really knows what this blog is all about so here is the The who, what, when, where and why.

First, THE WHO. I'm Lydia. I go to Indiana University and I'm in the Transition to Teaching Program there. Basically that means that it took me all the way to my senior year in college to figure out what I was meant to do with my life, which is teach. And I truly mean it that way. I really think teaching has been my purpose all along, others seem to have known that --when I told my sister, Lauren I was going right back to school to be a teacher, she said “Oh I always knew you would do that.” – It just seemed to take me a while to realize it. But it was well worth the wait – I LOVE TEACHING AND I LOVE SCHOOL AND I LOVE LOVE LOVE HANGING OUT WITH KIDS ALL DAY (they think I'm funny)! So the Transition to Teaching program is for people who already have a bachelors degree and are seeking teacher certification. I am also doing the plus Master track, because I figure I just love school that much why not add another degree.!

Okay onto THE WHAT, WHERE AND WHEN

IU's School of Education has this amazing program called the Cultural Immersions Project. They have three programs, Urban Development – where students teachers are placed in Chicago Public Schools, the Navajo Reservation – where student teachers go to teach on a reservation in the four corners region, and finally my choice The Overseas Project – where student teachers are placed in many different locations abroad. As soon as Dr. Stachowski presented the information to our class, I was like, “I'M IN...Where do you go in Africa?” She told me Kenya, and I have been preparing ever since fall of 2009. As for the when, I am here right now, typing this in an internet cafe in Bungoma (thats what you have to type into to google to find my local.) But my school and where I stay is actually in Kabula. I arrived in Kenya Oct. 17th and will take off on Dec 21st!

Nowwww...THE WHY

First of all – WHY THE HELL NOT? I'm 23 years old, as my dad would say, “Nobody relies on me to eat” and I have almost no obligations outside of cell phone bill I pay my mom. Clearly it is the perfect time in my life to hop on a plane and have some damn adventures (and believe its been a week and I already have).

But really, why did I choose to push my boundaries and break out of my comfort zone. I think...actually I'm sure the initial spark came from my Dad. When, Lauren and I were younger my dad talked to us about going backpacking after highschool before college, and later recommended doing something like the Peace Corps. He was always encouraging us, and now Brittany of course to have adventures while were still young and had nobody else to worry about and we could really learn something about ourselves.

For whatever, reason Africa has always stuck out in my mind when my dad talks about these things. Partly because when he talks about it, he mentions making a difference in the world, and be the naïve individual I am Africa was always that only place that occurred to me to make a difference (probably all those Feed the Children infomercials.)

So part of me is out here because I have this insatiable desire to make a difference and save the world. However, I also hate the idea of portraying myself as this amazing America who has come to save the poor people. The other part of me is here to be a little bit selfish, because I know that this experience and the people I meet will have a profoundly bigger impact on me than I will on them. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm going to help where ever I can, in schools, HIV/AIDS awareness etc. but I definitely don't consider my trip the “White Man's Burden.”

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Okay, so a lot of this was pretty stream of conscious, so if I made myself out to sound like a complete arse haha by all means let me know. Write a comment, send an email, or some hate mail, and let me explain myself.

Last but not least I like to extend a THANK YOU to all who have supported this trip. To my dad especially for giving me the initial desire to be the way I am and the push to be more adventurous. To my Momma for always being excited about each step of this journey and always helping me dicipher what Dad is saying when I think he is being mean but really he is trying to push me. To Brittany who thinks what I am doing makes me a super cool big sister (AND FOR WINNING REGIONALS). To Lauren, who even though she is not here I can hear her urging me to things like jump off tall platforms (more to come of that). To Johnathan for always being supportive and never once being that boyfriend who says, “I can't believe you are leaving me.” and instead is the boyfriend who says “Go find your 'Personal Legend'” And to alllllll my friends and family who when I said I was going to Kenya said “Lydia that is amazing, I can't wait to hear all about it!” instead of the often heard “What...that's crazy...why would you do that?' I LOVE ALL OF YOU!!!! Now I am done being cheesy and am going to try to write more posts to update all of you!!!