Since October, I had been planning on going to Mongolia with the Smithsonian Institution to work on an archaeology project. This trip was to be for 2 weeks in early July. However, in late May, the grants with National Geographic for which the Smithsonian applied did not come through, so I was left with a little over a month to plan an entire new summer. As if by miracle, I found an organization called Sub-Saharan African Adventure where I will work in Nairobi, Kenya with people with disabilities as an occupational therapist. Since I want to pursue occupational therapy as a career, I cannot think of a more perfect project.
Also, it was one of my goals for this summer to work one-on-one with people who are in need, since my longer project last summer offered a more indirect service opportunity. This is why I am so thankful that this project will provide me with career experience as well as the type of service that I have been dreaming of doing since I was told that I would be a Trinity Scholar at Duke.
In Kenya, I will be staying at a homestay and I will be helping people both in the therapy clinic and in their own homes. I also hope to go on a small safari. Before this trip, I will be travelling with my boyfriend and his family to the British Isles, which should also be a very cool trip.
So, even though life threw me some lemons when the Mongolia trip fell through at the last minute, I was able to turn them into some pretty sweet lemonade with the help of a favorable twist of fate. Here's hoping that the month I spend abroad will be packed to the brim with amazing sights and sounds and some life-changing experiences!
