Less Than 10 Days Until Africa!!!!

I've had a very classic upbringing and have been fortunate enough to do things many would only dream of--growing up in the Napa Valley, going to Duke University, studying abroad in Florence for a semester, and getting a masters at the Duke Business School. While I have grown tremendously over the years and learned a lot about myself by traveling across the country for school, sometimes I question if I have become too materialistic and used to the life my parents have so kindly funded for me.

I am so excited to be setting off for the real world in August with a great paying job in the big city of Los Angeles. The downside to this new life: I will be living in one of the most superficial cities in the U.S. and will be working more hours than I would like to admit to. This is the epitome of what has become known as the classic American lifestyle--working too hard to pay for things we probably do not really need. While I have often aspired to a lifestyle as such, I am beginning to realize that there is more to this world than simply great friends and a wildly successful career. These are things that I still hope to attain, but before I reach the pinnacle of success I'd like to take some time to see a different way of life.

I am not out to find myself, although I do not doubt that some soul searching will inevitably be done. In fact, I don't even hope to cure AIDS or banish poverty, but I do hope to make a small bit of difference and bring back a lifetime of memories that do not involve hot showers, blow dryers, or a single stiletto. If moving out of my apartment in North Carolina did not prove to me that I have WAY too many clothes, shoes, high end toiletries, and everything else under the sun, I hope this will finally be a wake up call. I'm not looking to come back and purge all of my belongings, but I hope to at the very least appreciate all my stuff, and every person and every moment because of my new found outlook. It is hard to articulate all the reasons why I find this trip to be absolutely imperative at this juncture in my life, but all I know is this will possibly be the best investment in myself that I will ever make.

I can't wait to share with you my ups and downs, my new friends, and the outcome of my fund-raising efforts. I hope to be able to post pictures while in Africa, but I cannot guarantee the level of technology that I will be using. I am wrought with anxiety and excitement all at once and will be sure to keep you updated as my June 3rd departure date approaches!

Thanks for taking this journey with me!

xoxo