AHHHHHH

I am so bad at blogging! Haha I think my final publication should be something related to that. I feel so behind on these posts that I'm not really sure what the point is, but oh well.....I'm going to talk about SPRING BREAK

Soooooo WAISTED...just kidding. I went to St. Louis, with this organization called "City Lights." It's senior year and my last spring break and I went to help poor people. I really didn't want to go. Not that I had any other great plans, but I'm so burnt out and I wanted to go home and chill with my family, but my friend convinced me to go to St. Louis and I'm actually glad I did.

We ended up staying in the inner-city near Etzel in this old school. The schedule kind of sucked but I got to work with a new organization that aids refugees in the transition to the States. I didn't realize how difficult the government makes it for them. They are placed in a specific area and then they have to in a pretty short amount of time pay back their plain ticket, get their paper work in order, take ESL classes, and get a job. 3 months I think it is? They are usually given a stipend for an apartment...again for 3 months, but no furniture or resources. The place I worked with is kind of like a free goodwill. People donate clothes and furniture etc. and refugees can come to the center and pick up a few things they need while getting help filling out job applications and have a place for community. We picked up one woman from Liberia that I got to know a little bit. There were 8 people living in the house we went to, none of which were employed and as we stood on the porch to pick her up to go to the center, the electrician came to turn off their electricity. It's just a different life.

I know things like that go on, but being there when it happens and knowing someone more than just having read about them in a magazine is different. I forget what I have and how privileged I am. Anyway I won't go on, but it was a good experience.

As messed-up a city as St Louis is, they have a really cool international community going for them. Great restaurants, and little shops, lots of different languages being spoken etc. I lived in Shanghai, China for a while when i was younger and it sort of reminded me of some of the markets and store fronts there. WE had a lot of different food, including Ethiopian. I'm on an "I want to travel and see the world while simultaneously solving problems and helping people" kick. Don't worry, it won't last long. My ambition is fading fast as school/life swallows me up into an "it's all about me and my life" black hole. =)