To Africa!

Tanzania to be specific. Home of the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro, and me for six weeks this summer. I'm going on a humanitarian trip with a group called Help International which focuses on fighting poverty through Entrepreneurship, Education, and lucky for me, Health.

I have always wanted to travel internationally and have been fascinated by Africa for years, but I always lacked either time or money. Since I am employed at a type of school (which oddly is the last place I ever wanted to work, but I find I actually don't mind it) I get 6 weeks off in the summer. Money still doesn't grow on trees (last I checked) but I do have more of it these days than I have before so I figure I had better get on the ball and take advantage of the opportunity.

I still don't have all the details worked out as far as the projects I will be working on but they will be health related and I will most likely be helping in a clinic that treats rural Masai villagers. I may also be working on some public health campaigns like teaching first aid or sanitation. I'm really excited to get to work in both the clinical health and public health areas because I have been trying to decide which one I want to devote the rest of my life (or at least the next few years of school) to and I am hoping this experience will help me decide.

I'm also glad to get the opportunity to help others. I feel like I have been living the last few years for myself and focusing solely on what I need and what I want to do. I'm hoping this experience will help me get a better balance and focus a little less on myself. (I also realize that this is a somewhat selfish desire in itself- I want to do x because thinking about others will be good for me. But that's pretty much how I went in to my mission (thinking about what it could do for me) and that turned out ok in the end. I may have gone for selfish reasons but I stayed for the right reasons.) Anyway, hopefully this experience will turn out similarly.

Now you may be asking yourself, "Self, how can I help Linds in her humanitarian expedition? She has kept me entertained on countless occasions, surely there is something I can do for her." You weren't thinking that? Too bad, I'm going to tell you anyway : )

There are three ways that you can help me help others. The first is by donating to Help International under my name. The instructions for doing so can be found here (Be aware that if you donate through pay-pal they charge a 2-3% transaction fee, which will be deducted from the total donation). The money that you donate will be used to fund projects and supplies that will directly benefit the local people (I don't earn any money for my time and I have to pay my own way).

The second, and more fun way, is to come with me! Seriously! I get a discount on my program fee for every person I recruit, whether they come to Tanzania with me or go to another country like India, Thailand, Peru, Nicaragua, Fiji, Belize, etc. There are over 10 countries that Help International operates in. Just be sure to mention my name when you sign up : )

The third and final way you can help me in this endeavor is to hook me up with your airline miles. I still have to purchase plain tickets and travel to Tanzania ain't cheap. So if you have a bunch of frequent flier miles built up that you aren't using, or know someone who does, feel free to send them my way. I will definitely put them to good use.

Ok, I will stop the shameless soliciting now and move on to the personal thanks. I have to give a special shout out to Lacey who served as a personal reference for me and must have done a good job singing my praises because Help decided to let me go to Africa with them : ) Thanks, Lace!

If you decide to donate I will write you a personal shout out as well on this widely read and highly acclaimed blog : )

If you have questions about donating or the program in general feel free to contact me {lindsey lou s AT gmail dot com).

Now I have to get back to singing "Africa" by Toto (The words to which I did not realize are "I BLESS the rains down in Africa" not I MISS the rains down in Africa. I find myself slightly disappointed by this. )