why haiti? why not haiti?

this post is going to be about part of my passions that not many people know about. as i thought about what i would write, i realized that it infiltrates multiple aspects of my life in ways that i could never imagine it have doing.

i first will start out by filling you in on my life lately. i'm halfway through my fall term of sophomore year. and am simultaneously working with my advisor on creating a study abroad program for education majors to teach in haiti. consequently, i will be the first person to go on this trip. i will be leaving in March, and will be spending my entire Spring term teaching with Kate Zlotnicki in her classroom in Haiti. i will be taking classes online through Mercyhurst, as well as learning what living in a fourth world country is all about. so my life consists of classes, practicums, projects, babysitting, filling out applications, and meetings. wooosh.

still i wonder how i got to this place in my life. my passion for haiti started somewhere around freshman year of high school. where i learned of Kate and her ministry in this country. i took french for three years, but i don't think i ever thought of my trip there being a possibility. after all i was in high school, and only adults get to go on overseas missions trips, right?! until junior year that was my mindset, it would never happen. i would have to wait until i was much older. however, junior year, two of my friends went to haiti. i knew that my senior year i wanted to go, it would be my chance. i could have one junior year, but the church typically goes around the first week in March, which is consequently when the state tests occur that are mandatory for juniors to take. if i had gone my junior year, i would have had to make up a bunch of tests and that seemed completely out of the question.

my junior year i was also in a relationship, probably not the best one for me to be in looking back in it, but i was seventeen and foolish. i remember distinctly the moment i told him that i wanted to go to Haiti my senior year, because at this point we were going to be dating forever, and he told me no, basically, that i would end up being killed by all the crazy things that happen there. this as my first time realizing that not everyone had the same opinion of this little island as i did. yes, there is risk involved, but there is risk getting into your car and driving. to me, this island is not a scary place, it is a place of hope, full of people who are eager to bring their life out of the wreckage, but sadly have to means to do this. being myself, i didn't are what he said and i planned to go anyways.

senior year, a terribly earthquake hit Haiti at the capital Port au Prince. i remember the night vividly, i was with my friend at the gym, when all of the sudden the TVs started announcing a breaking news story. i was awoken from my gym trance by my friend who had been to a mission trip to haiti, slapping me to look at the tv. i was in disbelief, the images of buildings falling, people crying out for help, they don't leave you. still my heart longed to go, to hold orphaned babies. but, it wasn't my time. i prayed about my chance to go to this wonderful island many times over the next year. my freshman year of high school came, and Kate graced us with her presence. when i told her i was going to be a teacher, she said what i had been waiting to hear for many years "come to Haiti, and teach with me" my heart said YES, but my mind said "how, no, this is not possible." i decided that my freshman year was not my year to go, this whole college thing was still too new.

at advising for my fall term of sophomore year, i told my advisor of my dream. to go to haiti, and informed her that when i was there, i would be working in a classroom. i asked if there was any way i could receive credit for this towards my major. my advisor, who had recently became dean of the education department, started prying for details, who would i be teaching with, where is the school, what is her email? i gave all the information i had, and that summer they met. since then everything has become a blur. i'm in the midst of applying for a passport, obtaining information about travel costs and fees, and preparing my heart for a seven week long stay in a fourth world country.

my heart is overflowing with gratitude towards those who are making this trip possible for me. when it comes to funding this trip, it is completely covered. to those who want to make a donation, i will be accepting old sheets to turn into dresses to pack to deliver to the villages surrounding the compound.

DIY projects.

i have a few projects that i've been eyeing lately. so i went to gabriel brothers to buy some supplies. i bought two long sleeved shirts that i will be transforming into dressy shirts. i also found two h&m shirts that i will be doing the same with. i also found two new york and company sweaters, one is this awesome greenish/yellow color that i am in love with. the other is a simple gray one that i believe i will be using to add fancy trim to.

gabe's is so great because for everything that i bought it cost about 50$ but once i detail what i got it will be ridiculous. i'm babysitting right now, so i can't work on the shirts but i'm itching to get home and do it!!

I love Giveaways!

Check out My Girlish Whims! She's currently giving away a Shabby Apple necklace! So adorable!