One roller coaster of a ride

    I expected to have conflicting emotions leading up to this trip. After all, I left almost everyone and everything I knew back in the US for 5 months. Not only that, but my 5 months would be spent in a new culture, with a new language, and few familiar faces. What I didn't expect was the pattern that emerged regarding my feelings both the week leading up to my departure and during the few nights I have spent in Africa. During the days leading up to my departure, I spent every possible second with those I love, storing up enough memories to last me 5 months. I ran errands, did last minute shopping and became more and more excited about my upcoming journey. I woke up early, went to bed late, and had next to no free time. I had an amazing graduation party where I got to see many of those adults who have played important roles in my life, and a great going away party to see all of my friends before I left and they headed off to college near summer's end. I have never felt as much love as I did in that one week.
    At night though, I seemed to undergo a complete change in emotions. While I never once wished I was not taking this opportunity, my excitement was overshadowed by not so pleasant emotions. I lay in bed one night, crying to my mom. Everything was happening so fast. I just wanted more time at home. I was scared. I wasn't ready to grow up quite yet.  What if I hated it? What if something bad happened at home, and I couldn't be there? The realization that, after this week, I would never truly live at Home again, was terrifying. Come the next morning, I would be swept up in a whirlwind of excitement and positive emotions once again.
    As soon as I stepped off the plane at the Kilimanjaro Airport I immediately remembered why I had fallen in love with Tanzania. Everyone is kind, willing to lend a hand, and happy. On the drive to MS-TCDC I got to see the beautiful landscape that would be the backdrop for the next 5 months. I didn't know a single person at TCDC, yet my first lunch that afternoon was filled with laughter, interesting conversation and, of course, ugali. That first night was a different story. As I lay in bed I couldn't stop the tears. What in the world was I thinking? Why did I think I could do this? Had I really overestimated myself so much? I was sure that I had made a huge mistake, and that the next 5 months would be filled with homesickness and sadness. All I really wanted at that moment was to be back in my bed at home. I won't lie; I cried myself to sleep the first night I was here. Nothing was familiar. The smells, the sounds outside my room, the language I heard all around me... Everything was new, and I just wanted comfort.
    The following morning I dragged myself out of bed and to breakfast, the negative outlook from the night before still with me. By the end of breakfast I had made 5 new friends, all with their own fascinating and compelling story that had placed them in Tanzania and in my Swahili course. While it is only the 2nd night after my tear filled one, I haven't shed another tear. I know that I will before I go home. I will probably shed quite a few. I also know that however rough a night I may have, the following day will more likely than not make up for it by far. The amount of support I have pouring in from the states will continue to boost me up. The encouraging words of both strangers and friends alike will remind me why I am here. The next 5 months will test me in ways I have yet to imagine, but I am determined that I will pass each one of those tests.

Safe and sound!

I have arrived! I finally got to Tanzania around 9 am after a long day and a half of traveling, and arrived at MS-TCDC shortly after. The MS-TCDC compound is much larger than I had anticipated and is beautiful. I realized that I was not in Springfield anymore when a monkey ran infront of me and up a tree as I made my way to my room, who needs squirrels anyway! I will try to get some pictures of the center up soon, but for now I believe I am going to take a nap and then get some lunch. I'll leave you with a picture of my room for the next 3 weeks.

Until next time...

As I sit here in the Springfield airport I find myself shifting emotions too rapidly to keep track. One moment I'm excited, nostalgic the next, followed by nervous, then plain scared--always coming back to excitement.
This journey I am about to begin is one that I never imagined I would undertake; one that came about by a good deal of luck, and one that I already know will be unforgettable. Saying "see you later" to those I love was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but I know it is just that: see you later. I will be back, and I will see these wonderful people again. I will see Springfield again. And hopefully I will be able to touch the lives of all those who have touched mine. These past 17 years have been more amazing than I could have dreamed for, and a large part of that is due to the influences I have been blessed with in my life. To all you who have helped me along the long, winding path that lead me here... thank you. To all those who have helped me these past weeks as I prepared emotionally and physically to leave... I will never forget it. The support, belief and love I have felt this last week have touched me beyond words or measure. I will never forget any of you. I am so excited for what the next 5 months have in store, and I promise to keep all of you updated!

Cocoa Honors

with this!

This is a short documentary about the program I have participated in over the last two years. This program, Cocoa Honors, is what opened to door to my upcoming (I leave 1 week from today!) journey to Africa and fueled my passion for both giving back and Tanzania.

We replaced this...

The documentary was done by a Central High student, Kenzi Inman, and a former Central student Sara Swango, who was also a member of Cocoa Honors. This documentary just won an Emmy in the documentary category of high school broadcast journalism. Cocoa Honors was an amazing, and life changing opportunity for all involved, so take a look at the documentary and see what started this whole crazy adventure!
Cocoa Honors documentary

The Roof of Africa!

 I don't climb mountains. In fact, the closest thing I've done to climbing a mountain ended up looking something like this. I'm on the far left, and obviously I was having a ball. 

               Yet here I am, preparing to spend a week this July climbing the highest mountain in Africa,  Mt. Kilimanjaro. I will walk around 40 miles through five different climate zones (savannah, montane forests, heather, alpine desert and glacial plateau) before I reach the 19,300 foot peak. This video clip is a trailer for an IMAX movie on Kilimanjaro that I recently watched. I cannot believe I will be there so soon! The end of high school has flown by.

I will be climbing by way of the Machame route; more details on what exactly the climb will consist of later!

Why I'm taking this path

      It has finally started to hit home just how much everything will change. Beginning in just 32 days, we will walk across that stage, out of this chapter of our lives, and into the next. As my friends make difficult decisions regarding their next 4 years, I have been busy preparing to leave home and spend 5 months in Africa. I'm riddled with emotions. Anticipation. Anxiety. Nostalgia. Senioritis. And love. Love for Central; my home for the last 7 years. For the friends I've made while there. For the teachers who have shaped the person I am today. For the person I have seen myself become. And excitement for the journey I am about to embark upon.
     Many people have asked me why I chose to do a gap year; why I am not simply beginning my college career in the fall. So here it is: at some point in the last year I realized something. I had an opportunity that would never show its face again. Not to say that college is not important, but college will wait for me. The chance to live in Tanzania for 5 months, spending a large part of that time doing what I can to help others, came about through a series of random events. I'm never one to question good fortune, and I plan to grab that opportunity.

“Life is an exciting business, and most exciting when it is lived for others.”

      Another factor in my decision was simply that I need a break. I have been at the same school for 7 years, and while I can't imagine a better middle/high school experience for myself,  I need time away from school. Choosing a college is a huge, life shaping decision. One that I do not feel capable of making right now. I believe that to make the correct decision I need to be less influenced by the person I have been, and focus on who I want to become. During this next year I will spend large amounts of time doing two of the things I love most. Experiencing Africa and scuba diving. I am hoping that these experiences will help me realize what path I want my college experience to take: be it related to marine biology, marine archeology or to African studies and some form of Non-governmental organization. 

     So now I find myself, 50 days from departing Springfield, on the verge of this quest to find myself and hopefully impact the world on whatever size scale I can. 

What I’ll actually be up to next year

At a college fair on Friday, I got the look from a college rep when I mentioned that I was not going to college next year and would be applying in November. He quickly did a 180 upon hearing what I would be doing and showed me some pretty nice scholarships that I could qualify for because of the focus of my gap year, but how easily he jumped to a conclusion about my plans bugged me. Besides, I know some pretty incredible individuals who decided to pass on college in order to chase their dreams. Anyway, I thought I would make a timeline of sorts for my gap year. 

• I leave Springfield on June 3rd (two months away!) and arrive in Arusha, Tanzania on June 5th. I begin my intensive Swahili course on June 6th, and will finish on June 24th. After a week off, I will begin my course in Empowerment on July 4th and finish on July 15th
• On July 17th I begin my climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and will spend the next 7 days hiking the Machame Route to the summit of the 19,341 foot mountain. I will then travel to the island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania with the same group for 4 days working on a service project.   (A view of Kilimanjaro from the distance) (14,000 feet above sea level)
• Following this, I will begin my work with Daudi and Kellen Msseemmaa and their Empowered Girls' Club. We will be traveling to a few rural villages in Tanzania where I will likely be teaching English and giving talks on empowerment. Check out all they have done so far on their blog! http://lenana.net/blog/ 
• I will be returning home on November 2nd and will be home until early January. 
• On January 8th I will begin my Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician training in Midpines, CA, concluding on February 3rd. 
• The month of February is still a bit of an unknown…so I’ll post more on that when I decide what to do!
• During March, April and the early part of May (until my sister's college graduation) I am planning on living in Honduras and obtaining my dive master, instructor and possibly my Master Scuba Diver Trainer certifications through http://www.goproutila.com/  Honduras is one of the few places where it is possible to dive with Whale Sharks, just another benefit!
• And then I will go home for a few weeks in May, possibly work at a dive camp over the summer and then head off to college in the fall of 2012!

There you have it!