thankful

Hello! I'm sure my faithful readers have long since forgotten about me- I apologize for not writing sooner...you'll see in the next message just how busy i have become here in the past two months.

I have been wrestling with myself over a lot of issues here- and one of them has been whether or not to just let it all out- exactly what goes on here and exactly the way i see it- or to be diplomatic and ensure that nothing i write is too in-depth and raw for certain types of consumption... im still choosing the latter at this point- which means my posts will be about simple observations here and the differences between our cultures and the perceptions here, i will wait to post about the impact of this experience and how it has changed my once- rock-solid perspectives about NGO's, NPO's, international development, and international relations. These are all topics which I once researched extensively through independent study as well as my chosen course for undergraduate studies, even as potential careers...ready to dedicate myself fully to this path. There is no way to even describe what I have experienced which will shed light on why i have chosen to go down a different path. When I was very young my sister taught me to read while we were playing school, my parents always read to me and I can remember almost every last favorite book of mine from age 4 until now... but i was once told- experience is the best teacher, what you have read does not count as experience... now more than ever have i seen this is truth, all that ive read about the aforementioned areas cannot compare to what i have learned in this time here...

So, even though I miss my family and friends more than i can put into words- i'm thankful for having this experience, this opportunity, people at home who believe in me, people here who have challenged me, and for the continued love and support ive received from those close to me. I miss you so much during this Thanksgiving, but I want you to know how truly thankful I am...