Beginning

this was really written on 2/21...

…I think it started to hit me yesterday. Katie email introduced me to Natasha who is a fundraising goddess of sorts. She very quickly agreed to organize a fundraiser for my Rwanda volunteer trip. Katie already has a fire spinner and music lined up for the fundraiser. Within a couple hours it all became eye opening real. I think what part hit me hard was the excitment in both Natasha and Katie’s emails. I haven’t even left the states yet and this experience is already amazing.I am going to Rwanda in August and there are so many signs that are telling me I have made the right decision. Since I am still in comfortable American mode I will start with work sucks! ...ok done with selfish reasons.Today I turned on the TV (which I rarely have been doing in the last week or so) and Hotel Rwanda was on. Coincidence...I think not :) I have chosen to take that as a sign because I have never noticed Hotel Rwanda to be on TV. And I had just added it to my netflix que last night (speaking of I will need to ax the netflix gig without a job). I watched a bit of it and had to turn it off. I started crying as I did the first and only time I have seen it. And of course then all the mind wandering questions start...how as a nation could we and yes, I mean we as the human race allow that to happen. Cut, stop, zip it....I turned it off. I don’t want my trip to focus on the what ifs. I want my trip to focus on the YES perspective. There are many reasons why I want to go to Rwanda, but I have to admit I have not been able to voice them. The reasons are bundled up so tightly in these feelings I have. They have been smothered and tangled in my heart and head for so long and yesterday they started to unravel. I have been asked quite a few times over the last week or so...Why Rwanda? and all I have really been able to answer back is Why not. I understand that is not a proper answer, but please be patient I assure you a valid worthwhile answer is in me.My biggest goal in Rwanda will be to initiate a Read to Me type program. I currently volunteer with a homeless shelter where the program is a huge hit! Volunteers come in and listen to and help the kids with their reading. If the children are too young to read then the volunteer reads to that child. The goal of the program here is to help instill a feeling of fun with reading, to help the kids improve their reading skills and allow the kids to feel special with the one on one attention they receive.I would like to initiate this program within the community in Rwanda to aid not only the children but the adults to help each learn to read and improve their english. In Rwanda socializing is extremely important. It is far more important to be social and friendly toward each other than to say have a time schedule to get things done that could be done later. A read to me program would not only incorporate the importance of socializing but would also enable them to learn and grow at the same time. Or at least that is my opinion as of now. What I believe, think or feel now may be very much changed when I reach Rwanda and adapt to their customs, social beliefs and day to day schedules. I will be a guest in their community and look forward to all the differences I will experience and adapt to while I am there and after.btw...this is the start of my blogs for the trip since my blog page is not up yet