Ninjas Have to Start Somewhere...

A blog post by my professor, Dr. Elaine Young, about her personal brand assignment to us. If you want to know more about what spurred me to blog my journey, check it out.

Hindsight really is 20/20

Though I could have seen myself getting on a plane and going to Tanzania four years ago when I started at Champlain, there was one woman along the way who showed me life isn’t just about the day-to-day. Sure, it’s great to go to school, get a job and live a secure lifestyle. But what is life without a little adventure? 
After all, it’s supposed to be about the
journey, isn’t it?

Beth Fitzgerald was not only my boss; she was [still is] a friend. Through her compassion for people and her determination in helping others she showed me that the most important connection we will ever have is not one of material goods and tangible things but it is our own connection to those around us. It is the relationships we develop and the people that we invest our time and hearts into.

After spending a month in Tanzania last May Beth decided that her path in life was forever changed. She returned to Vermont with a new mission; to help the people in Tanzania. She resigned from her job as Student Activities Coordinator at Champlain with the intent of starting a non-profit and returning to Tanzania in January of 2010. Today, her dream has come true. Her non-profit, The African Empowerment Project, is a budding through a series of blog posts and connections Beth is making in Tanzania.



With her spirit and inspiration behind me I am about to venture out into the unknown on a journey of my own that will lead me down a path that I have yet to discover...

Kwa heri ya kuonana!
(see you soon)

Our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.

Habari,

As some of you may know, I will be journeying to Bagamoyo, Tanzania during May of this year. The two days after graduation before I leave for my journey will be a whirlwind of joy and sadness. Sadness for the close of something that not only I but my parents have worked my entire life for. But joy for the journey that is to come and the people that I will meet along the way! My reasons for going are something that I am not quite sure how to put into words yet but they are my own and I am hoping that through these reflections I will be better able to express my reasoning and my want to help these people.

My education is something that has always been one of the most important aspects of my life, something that I cannot imagine my life without. In first watching the children in Tanzania, I noticed something about them…that they were happy. Truly and utterly content with who they were and where they were in life. They have nothing to call their own yet they are so happy. I looked at these children and realized that I want for them what has been given to me. I want to give them a chance. I want them to be able to imagine a world outside of theirs, a world where education is not only valued but mandatory. I want them to be able to rise above and give back to those around them. I want to show them what my parents have shown me—love and compassion for humanity.

Asante.

The organization I will be traveling with:
Teach for Tomorrow, Champlain College

The organizations I will be working with during my time in Bagamoyo:
Uhuru :: An African Dance & Arts School