Last year when I went to Nicaragua for a month, I was confronted with the reality of poverty that developing countries face. I saw children that were supposed to be in school, running around all day without shoes, begging people for money. Then I thought about my childhood and how I dreaded getting up for school everyday and how I would run around all day with my Barbie sneakers making mud pies and playing tag. Why was I blessed with a normal childhood and a wonderful education rather than being one of those kids begging people for money? There were also the people I worked with that struggled daily with access to medicine, money, education, etc. After engaging in conversation with them and learning about their lives, I realized there have been numerous little things that I have taken for granted like clean water (seriously i took for granted our clean water!), education, healthcare, food, my car, and this list could just go on and on. It is very easy to get caught up with life, but if we take a second to step back and look at the bigger picture, we will be able to realize how blessed we are with our lives.
I'm really excited about this next year, but in the back of my head I know there are many challenges to come besides homesickness and ailment. I do hope, however, that even if I can make a change in the lives of a couple people, the small victory will be a step closer to creating social justice. Although I have questioned it too, I hope that those of you who wondered why I have decided to go away for a year to a country we know little about, away from my family and friends, and without the luxuries of my everyday life, finally understand my passion for dedicating this path I have chosen for this next chapter of my life. Thanks for your support and love you all! See you next year!
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