Hi Everyone,
This will be more like two posts in one.
Why I'm Writing This Blog
I haven't been very good about updating this blog despite the fact that I'm in America and in front of my computer like 5 hours everyday. I guess we'll see how often it gets updated while I'm in Africa. This blog will be closer to a stream of consciousness than anything else so don't expect anything too polished.
Before I get started with this whole blog thing too deeply though, I thought I'd let you know what the point of this blog is and what to expect.
First, I plan to use this more as a journal than as any sort of commentary. I will definitely include my opinions on matters but it won't be my main purpose. The purpose is more to keep people up to date with what's going on with me. I know that sounds somewhat self-centered but it beats answering the question, "How was Africa" a million times. Also, I'll hopefully be able to add some cool pictures. I want to be able to look back on this years from now and get reminded about my thinking and experiences along this trip.
If you ARE interested in some really interesting, well-written commentary about conditions in a third world country, you should definitely read some of the blog of a roommate of mine, Ben R., from when he was in Guatemala. Take a peruse there when you get the chance, http://www.dr-detroit.blogspot.com/
That all being said, as of right now, I'll be in Africa in approximately nine days. I'm super excited, nervous, curious, and a whole host of other emotions. Before I go, I'll be spending about a week in New York City area. I'll be hanging with family and then going to my Grandma's 80th Birthday! Unfortunately, I'll be missing my college friend's wedding but hopefully I can still meet up with some of the guys while I'm over there. Congrats Billy!
Why I'm Going To Africa
To tell you the truth, I haven't always loved to travel. Lately though, a desire to see more of the world has been sparked. So when given the opportunity to do whatever we wanted for a summer for the last time in a long time, I jumped on the opportunity to travel. It sure as hell beats lab research in Columbus.
My desire to travel wasn't specific to Africa, I just wanted to go someplace very different and that I had never experienced. So when two of my travel companions, Reena and Caitlin found this program, http://www.volunteerkenya.org/, I was really excited and interested. To me the program wasn't as important as where I was going.
I wanted to go someplace a more third world for a number of reasons. First, I think it will be an adventure, plain and simple. I expect to see things that I have never seen before and possibly be challenged in the way I look at the world.
I've always appreciated going to places either not frequented by Americans or where I can see the native culture in full force. My favorite trip of my life was a seventh grade trip to Japan. Although a first world country, it didn't seem like they were pandering to American tourists at all. They all seemed to have their own lives going on. The same can't be true about when I went to Italy or Cancuun where I found everything centered around American tourists.
Another major reason I'm going to Africa is to spite my roommate Ben R. Since he's traveled extensively in third world countries, whenever we have a discussion about world politics or international health policy, he always pulls the experience card. "Blah blah blah, well I've been there and I've seen this." It makes it really hard to argue with him when he knows first hand. So, by going someplace possibly even more third world than where he's been, I feel like I might be getting the upper hand. (This reason is said with tongue in cheek)
Another reason that I'm excited to be going is to get away from all of the screens in my life. As you may not know, 90% of what I study is on the computer these days. I spend hours and hours in front of a screen checking e-mails, studying, looking at my phone, watching TV, etc. I'm excited to simplify my life and get away from this for a while.
Another reason that I'm going to Africa is the opportunity to work in a free clinic in Western Kenya. This will be predominantly what I'm doing for my month in Kenya. I've become super involved in a Free Clinic here in Columbus and I'm very curious how conditions for the poor here measure up to the conditions in the rest of the world. In the future, as a doctor, I wonder about where I should focus my service to the community. As of now, I'm leaning strongly toward my own backyard but I know many people here who are very, very, dedicated to global health and I want to understand this better.
One other thing really inspired me to go abroad is the website http://www.wherethehellismatt.com. This website and its videos really got me thinking about all the different places and types of people in this world and how much I wanted to visit them.
Well this was a super long post and I don't really expect too many people to read it all. I think my next post will be on what I expect while I'm over there. As my friend said, "West Africa is the shittiest place on Earth." We'll see.
Oh yea, one more important thing to note, I want to thank Ben Justus for linking my blog from his site. He runs a really awesome charity called EGBOK mission. Please take a moment to visit his site, http://www.egbokmission.blogspot.com/ and learn more. If you appreciate what he's doing, please consider donating.
-Ben
PS. While I'm there I'll be running a marathon. I'll be keeping you guys up to date on that with the plan to run the Columbus Marathon in October.
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