At 6 years old I told my parents that I wanted to be an archaeologist and shortly thereafter became obsessed with the Mediterranean region history. At 8 I changed my mind and resolved to work on a giant panda reserve in China as a zoologist. Middle school made me seriously consider the medical field, skills that are greatly needed in the Peace Corps program. My teenage years were bent on going to law school to become a human rights lawyer or an ambassador or or or or....
The funny thing about dreaming that is implied in the definition itself [but everyone seems to forget] is that it's not real. Yet. But in the hazy vision of what could be, it's hard to imagine what it actually takes to get there.
After my first semester of college, I was clueless. All I knew was that I wanted to leave America and I didn't care how it happened, which is the least effective way of solving your problems. It wasn't until a sequence of divine events fell onto my life's path that I found my passions for international development. Subsequently I became incredibly obsessed with the French culture and language - something to this day I have never quite understood, but embraced nonetheless.
Alas, the stars have aligned and I am living in an extremely short version of my fantasy = three months in Paris working in the field of international development.
I intern with a NGO called Sport Sans Frontières. They provide recreational learning and therapy through sports in Haiti, Burundi, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and France. They're looking to open up similarly successful programs in Italy, Brazil, and Canada within the next several years. The office is quaint and simple, boasting of about 10 employees. They all work extremely hard and are obviously dedicated to their cause. I love that about this place and other NGOs I've had the pleasure of volunteering for - people working for and dedicated to a cause and a purpose. I don't show up to work everyday to mindlessly translate documents and call clients and prepare events. I get to be part of something that directly affects the children pictured in the photographs scattered around my office.
I guess it's just nice to know that I really enjoy this life. I love getting up and going to work. I love using my language and writing skills that I payed thousands of dollars for to help my colleagues. I love living in an exciting city that doesn't care one bit that I've just graced its presence. I love that I know that these past several years of hard work and frustrating times and self-deprecation weren't for nothing - I've tasted a tiny bit of my dream, and as it turns out, I still want it.
Check out this video of Sport Sans Frontières' Playdagogy program!
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