Wow, I leave in 5 days. I decided I better do one last blog, since I have a feeling I'm going to be a different person when I come back. I'm less than a week away from the culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of dreams, and a lot of support from my husband. Thank you so much, Matt, for helping me to make this happen. And thanks to everyone else who has supported me. There are a few of you (you know who you are) that will probably be making this trip with me again in 2015.
Since I was in high school, I have wanted to travel abroad, and not just on vacation. In high school, some of my classmates took a trip to England with the AP Literature class to study Shakespeare at the London theater. I wanted to go so badly, but it was impossible at 17 years old, especially since I was headed to college in a few months with only part of it paid for. In college, I requested information on several different programs for studying abroad. All of them looked amazing, but none of them absolutely captured me. I vaguely considered joining the Peace Core with a friend, and after deciding it wasn't for me, looked at doing humanitarian work abroad with various volunteer groups.
All of those opportunities would have been great, but none of them were right for me. And then I learned about Harnas Wildlife Foundation. It wasn't something I had to think about for a long time. It hit me with an immediate, all-consuming, can't-ignore, resounding blast of inspiration. I knew I needed to go.
Although I have not been able to do as much volunteer work as I would like, those of you who know me well know that I am always trying to help people (or more frequently, animals). I've done everything from Adopt-A-Highway, to Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF. I have volunteered for many different organizations, but by far the most touching for me has always been animal shelters. I have volunteered many times. And I have cried every time. There is no more touching experience for me than working with animals, and that is the biggest reason why Harnas appeals to me. It is a unique experience, and was started by a woman who made so much sacrifice in the name of conservation. I am going to spend three weeks of my life making a difference to an animal. Working with lions, cheetahs, leopards, wildebeests, crocodiles, birds, bats, and an assortment of other animals will be the greatest honor. I know I'm going to learn a lot. And I am beyond grateful that a lot of prayers, a LOT of planning, and a lot of support paid off. Again, thank you to everyone who helped. Thanks to my brothers, Deron and Doug, for joining me on an adventure on the other side of the world. To my husband, for encouraging me, and for knowing this is the right thing for me to do. To Kelsay, for being one of the few friends who didn't think I was crazy when I told her what I wanted to do. To my parents, for helping with everything. To my in-laws, for supporting me. To Charlie and Lynee, for encouraging my adventures, and helping to plan new ones. And to everyone (Megan!) who has just listened to me ramble about my dream.
