Monday, November 12, 2007

I got an invitation to serve in the Peace Corps!

A sample of my writing skills:

*Graduated with B.S. Microbiology, Medical and Public Health from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Class of 2005
*Worked as a Research Associate in Pharmaceutics at Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA
*Worked as a(n) Assistant Teacher/Science Teacher/Substitute Teacher at Legacy Private Academy, Valencia, CA

I apologize for the resume like format but I feel it necessary for me to warn you of the depth of my writing skills as well as what I've been up to since graduating from college. No creative practicum whatsoever for the past two years! I may be rusty seeing that I ignored the "All About Me" sections of Facebook and my former communication tool called Myspace.

So now that you've been warned...here goes the beginning of my blog:)

I am leaving in less than 3 weeks for an experience that I have been wanting for the past 4 years and waiting anxiously for the past year. I have an assignment to serve in the Peace Corps as an Agroforester in Guinea (West Africa) for the next 27 months. The purpose of this blog is to keep my family, friends, students, and acquaintences updated with this awesome adventure that I will soon embark on.

Through all the relationships I've made from high school, college, and my jobs I have learned that life is nothing if you can't share it with those you love. It is exactly this learned love that has inspired me to serve. My motto "There is more to life than just your own" may seem a bit too idealistic and selfless but I assure you that I'm not going thinking that I am planning on saving the world. In fact I become overwhelwed thinking "Am I really going to be able to make a difference?"I admit this was the attitude I had immediately after graduating from college but I feel like God's timing is perfect and he kept me here because I wasn't ready. My attitude had to change into knowing that the biggest change that will happen through an experience like this would be within me. I am ready for this.

The biggest change that happened to me during the past two years is knowing the joy of being an auntie. In an estrogen-filled family having nephews has been the best discovery imaginable. I am generally a very happy person but my happiest moments are when I am with my nephews Noah Patrick and Brody Rowan. Since most of you know me pretty well, you know it is rare to not see me wearing a smile. I have been asked quite frequently what the key to happiness is. My simple answer: Be passionate.