Weekend of Fun. Finger Lakes Style…

So another fun-filled weekend approached with a bridal shower and bachelorette party for my brother’s fiancé. All of the planning was set and it was time for the debauchery to begin. We loaded up the suburban and hit the highway with Rella, Crystal, Jenna and myself all ready for a weekend full of fun. We hit the road and arrived in western NY tired of sitting in a car. Rella’s parents welcomed us with a delicious bbq and a cooler full of beer for all tastes. Her family is so gracious and kind, I am so happy that my brother has found such wonderful people to become a part of our quirky and sometimes crazy family. The next day we went and saw Rella try on her dress… she was exquisite. Rella wears the dress with such grace; it’s breath taking really. I am so happy that I was able to see her in it! Then it was time to get the lake house ready for the bridal shower, decorate, make the margaritas and the food (in that order) and get things ready for Sunday (the wine tour). All in all the weekend was a success and really FUN. I know I had a blast and really felt like I was a part of the bridal party… we played ridiculous games, embarrassed Rella a little (not too much) and mostly let loose and enjoyed ourselves.

Finding a place with Peace Corps…

So, when I told my family that I was joining the Peace Corps to pursue a Master’s degree the responses I received were all very different and very interesting. Confusion was the majority… why? Why would you leave your job and go back to school? Some were confused about what the Peace Corps is and does. A few were excited and asked when they could come visit. All in all the mixed response gave me mixed feelings about my decision. Am I doing the right thing? Does this make sense in my life right now? Should I have looked at other program options?

When it comes down to it, I know that I made the right decision about joining the Peace Corps and pursuing my academic studies simultaneously. What better way to earn a Master’s degree? After 3 years (1 in school and 2 in the Peace Corps) I will have not only an M.P.S. from Cornell in International Agriculture and Rural Development and a completed research thesis but also two years of work experience on the ground in a developing country. I also know that no matter what I decide to do my family eventually warms up to the idea and supports me no matter what. I know that I am going to have anxieties about leaving my family and my comfort zone for the next two years but I hope to adapt to my new way of life and hopefully enrich the lives of those I meet as much as they enrich mine.

The one thing I am most upset about is missing my eldest brother’s wedding. His fiancé has become much like a sister to me (which is refreshing when you only have brothers) and to miss the ceremony that officially makes her part of our family is going to be really difficult. I was even asked to be in the wedding… that I had to turn down due to my other obligations with Peace Corps (unless approval is received or a family emergency occurs, the policy states that volunteers can not leave country until after 6 months of service). So, I will be missing this important event. Which is really hard for me to accept but I have to.

My decisions do not always seem rational to my peers, colleagues or family but sometimes you just have to pave your own road in life. So I suppose… I better get working on it.

Pursuit of bliss?

In preparation for Peace Corps in Moldova, several pieces of literature were sent my way from friends, colleagues and family. After reading “Playing the Moldovans at Tennis,” I was reassured that it is possible to find humor in anything. The book is comical and accounts a real adventure in a real person’s life. You will just have to read it to find out what I mean.

I also read a book entitled “Pursuit of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places on Earth” by Eric Weiner. This book really made me start to think about happiness, the study of happiness and the implications for a culturally engrained pursuit of it [happiness]. If you enjoy travel and the study of people this book is a very real account of different cultures and places from a perspective that is not always highlighted. Interestingly the author travels to Moldova in the second half of the book in order to remind himself what “unhappiness” feels like. This really caught my attention and I began wondering if I would leave Moldova stripped of my smile and happy disposition as well.

One point I found very interesting was the idea that ambition (in many but not all cases) is the root of unhappiness. Pursuit of more, of something better drives us to continually be unhappy with the here, now and less material goods that we have… like family, love and freedom. I think it is something that Americans especially need to ponder. Are you unhappy because you are too ambitious or because you have too little ambition? I think there is a happy medium for everyone. Finding it though can be trying at times…

On the road again… to PA?

As soon as I returned from NYC, the next afternoon my cousin and I decided to road trip to her sister-in-law’s graduation from LeHigh University. Our road trip down was filled with laughter and great discussion. During the past year with all of my studies I stopped taking time out to just spend time with people. I was always running here or doing this or that. It’s nice sometimes to just take time out. Crystal and I were both excited to see Brittany and support her for her big day but also to listen to their convocation speaker, Elie Wiesel.

 

 

Some amazing tidbits from his speech are below… these were jotted down on scraps of paper I found in my purse, so they may not be exact.

“You cannot forget passion. Not passion for self but passion for others.”

“The otherness of the other.”

“The text of the prophet is filled with passion and worthy of attention. Forever, passion.”

I think these are very important messages not only for soon-to-be graduates who for the past four years have been thinking mostly about themselves and their own pursuits but also for all citizens of the world.

In today’s world we live in an “atmosphere of distrust… distrust of all things. Of authority, of economy and of politics. How can one live if nothing but distrust exists? You must instead trust in trust. Accept authority.”

“What do you do against hatred? We learn what NOT to do. But I ask, what do you do?”

“What is the opposite of love, humanity and beauty? Indifference.”

Be not indifferent. BE PASSIONATE about love, humanity and beauty.

Socrates taught the tragedy of the refugee. Let us remember these teachings in our daily lives.

 

 

I found my time spent with Crystal and Brittany to be refreshing and the graduation ceremony was beautiful. It’s nice to be a part of something that is so important to someone close to you. I take a lot away from this short road trip… the messages from Elie Wiesel’s speech, the moments spent singing and chatting in the car with Crystal, and spending time just being with friends and supporting them in their endeavors no matter what they may be. Congratulations Brittany and good luck!

    

In a New York State of mind…

So as an amazing going away gift my mom planned a trip to NYC with some of our neighbors/family friends. We went on a bus that was chartered from Glens Falls so we wouldn’t have to worry about any logistics other than getting back to the bus at the end of the day. It was a great day. We ate breakfast at a French café and I had the most amazing eggs benedict with artichoke hearts and fresh tomatoes and an excellent hollandaise sauce. The meal made my day. We then did some shopping and got measured for new bras. My mom and I then went to see Lion King on Broadway. The show was amazing!!! The costumes were so intricate and engineered so realistically. It completely blew my mind. The music was fantastic. I especially enjoyed the little girl that sat next to me… she was munching on popcorn then slurping her juice box and singing along with all the songs. At one point she freaked out because Nala ran off the stage and she screamed a little. It was amazing. Afterwards we met up with some of my NYC dwelling friends for some delicious food at a place called Little Havana. We drank more tequila than we ate… but it was good to see Chelsea A, Vikas and Chelsea D. When we got back on the bus the group of us were just laughing and giggling about everything. I am sure the other people on the bus were confused as to why we were so “happy.” I think it was a mixture of our amazing day, delectable foods and copious amounts of tequila from the restaurant. It was a fantastic day trip to the big apple.

A Year in Review: Part 2 January – May 2010

I rang in the New Year at a beautiful coffee plantation and eco-tourism spot called Finca Argovia in Chiapas, Mexico.  The celebration was complete with fireworks, the tradition of eating 12 grapes and a lot of delicious Chilean wine.  Every time I travel to Mexico, I meet so many new and beautiful people… including the stories of those that participated in the class and those that we met through our travels.  It is amazing the stories that you learn about life, love and the rhythm and balance of surviving in another culture.  We met fishermen who could not account for the low fish population this year and did not know how they were going to continue to pay for their children’s schooling.  I met a woman who with a group of her friends starter their own beachside restaurant and hotel business of whom are widowed or left in Mexico to fend for themselves while their husbands work in the USA (and support their girlfriends in the USA instead of their families in Mexico).  I met a corn farmer who wants nothing more than to continue to farm corn, even though his crop (due to NAFTA and genetically modified seed) does not make him enough money to survive.  I met people who resist the government and their hold on the many aspects of their lives, the Zapatistas.  I met a German coffee farmer who has maintained the vision of his ancestors and is continuing to diversify in order to minimize risk and continue to live in the hills of Chiapas.  It is the people (not the places) that I meet that add color to my life.  Listening to their stories and bringing a smile to their face is all that it takes to warm my heart.  I carry with me little pieces of each person I meet in my travels and when I think of the people of Mexico, it warms my soul.

So after my amazing travels in Mexico… it was time to put my big, puffy winter coat on and return back to the routine of life in Ithaca/at Cornell in January.  I love winter.  I love the chill of the cold around me while I’m snuggled deep under layers of blankets.  I love sipping cocoa on a park bench while snowflakes quietly settle all around me.  To be honest after my first few years living at my university… I fell in love with Ithaca.  It’s quirky people, the fun festivals, countless outdoor activities available, its diversity in people and cuisine, and the loveliness of a community full of academics all ready for some witty banter at the coffee shop or local pub.  This semester was going to be my last in Ithaca for well… probably forever.  I know that my void will be replaced by a bright-eyed freshman in the fall, but nothing will replace my connection to this community.  Dear Ithaca, ending our relationship will be harder on me than you (I know) but I will miss you and your GIMME! Coffee shops around every corner, I will ache for picnics in the beautiful and blossoming plantations, coconutty spring thaw ice creams from the dairy bar on a 90-degree day with 80% humidity will be severely missed and quirky concerts with jovial Ithacans on the commons will be yearned for.   In short, Ithaca, I will miss you and your community of free and loving people. 

Spring semester (my very last one) brought with it some interesting courses.  I mean this was my last chance to gobble up all the academia I could possibly consume before setting sail on my new adventure in Moldova!  So I took some interesting courses, overindulged in independent studies and tried to fully enjoy my last days on the big red hill. 

IARD 4010/6010: Rural and Urban Realities – Chiapas, Mexico Edition!

So after my travels in Mexico it was time to get down to creating a project worth presenting.  So a classmate and I decided to write a sort of case study.  Due to our limited time in Mexico and our neglect to gather enough financial data, we opted for more of an integrated SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis within a PEST (political, economic, social, technological) analysis.  Basically we analyzed a business that we thought was very interesting and worth looking at on a deeper level based on the context of working within an emerging market.  We learned a lot in the process about each other, the business and the historical context of where Mexico’s markets have come from and their future potential within specific industries.  I know most people would find this boring… but to me, it’s fascinating.  How to make every dollar count, where to create more efficiencies in the business, where to focus in order to minimize risk, which industry trends to seek out and hope to make a profit from…  I wish the participant in our project much success in the future.

COMM 6500: Communication and Technology

I took this course hoping to blend in with the undergraduates and fly through the course while getting back to the basics of communication theory. However, my professor Dr. Jeffrey Hancock had another idea for me.  The course is set up with a really interesting structure.  The professor has a small group of graduate students who “manage” a group of undergraduates in a research project.  The project topic is either identified by the graduate student or collaboratively as a group.  The benefit for graduate students is that they can utilize these students to complete a large chunk of research for their thesis.  I came in with an open slate and the group of undergraduates that I worked with became my research family for the semester.  After studying theory and reading a lot of journal articles and previous papers from the course my group began to brainstorm topics for our research.  Our final project was about Facebook and Digital Bereavement.  Let me explain further the reasoning behind this research topic.  Cornell University received a lot of publicity over the past year regarding student suicides.  Any life lost from any community (especially a tight knit college community) is a tragedy.  Cornell is actually below average in student suicides when compared on a national level.   The glorification of Cornell suicides is primarily due to the many gorges (which are beautiful, but also dangerous) on and around campus.  During the last academic year the number of student deaths (including suicides, accidents, chronic illnesses, etc.) was quite high.  The deaths of these members of the Cornell community left a deeply cut wound in our community. Both the undergraduate and the graduate communities were affected.  The university responded appropriately and immediately offering psychological services, memorial services, and community meals and opportunities for sharing.  Due to the impact on the community and the relevance of bereavement as a topic in class, my group decided that they wanted to pursue a linguistic study of the wall posts on deceased facebook profiles.  Our research findings unveiled some very interesting findings.  To read more about our research and our continued efforts please visit our blog: http://uncommonground4500.blogspot.com/

I also took on a couple courses as independent studies.  One involved an ongoing research project on the evolution of Mobile Technology use in Emerging Markets and another was a job with CALS Communications as a contributing writer, editor of the CALSconnect and website updates. 

I spent the rest of my semester preparing mentally and physically for Peace Corps.  I spent a lot of time thinking about purpose, life and buying goods online to be later packed and shipped.  :o)

 March came in like a lamb and as it started to go out like a lion, I took off for my last SPRING BREAK in ARUBA!!!  I am very blessed to have a wonderful and giving family that has an amazing timeshare in beautiful, breezy Aruba.  I spent a week with my mother, cousins, aunts, and grandmother… soaking up the sun, reading amazing books, riding horses on the beach, driving a jeep through the national park, swimming in pools, running on the beach and doing everything that Americans at resorts do.  It was a much-needed trip full of fun, love and some R&R.

My last few months at Big Red were full of excitement, nature and the stress of final projects and exams.  The course from the fall semester in which we worked on a project for Southern Sudan, we were able to have a follow-up visit with our client and offer our advice and inputs for the up and running project (exciting!).  Another final fun part of the spring semester is SLOPE DAY. “Getting slopey” as we call it is a Cornell tradition and a day full of no classes, debauchery and socializing with friends, students and returned alumni!  I had a blast volunteering as a staff member and seeing everyone at the concert on the slope (Drake was our main act) and met up with all of my friends afterwards.  We drank sangria at CTB and danced the night away in collegetown.  This was an amazing end to my time in Ithaca… and slowly but surely I moved out of my apartment and made my way back home to Kingsbury.  For the remainder of the month of May and beginning of June I will be able to spend time with family, take a few trips to NYC, and to see friends, but mostly mentally prepare for Peace Corps and the fact that I will be missing my brother’s wedding in September.  More to come soon…

A Year in Review: Part 1 August – December 2009

My adventure begins restless, anxious and apprehensive that my ambition may eventually get the best of me.  Regardless, I push forward: through piles of paperwork, medical testing, physicals, x-rays, inoculations, more paperwork, and finally hit the road with a truck full of my material life, a few dollars and a great credit score.  In one weekend I move most of my belongings into 108 ‘the crack den’ Parker Street*.  I also help move my brother out of eclectic Ithaca and back home to good old Kingsbury.  A fresh new chapter begins in my life.  The pages unwritten, lay before me with the ink fresh and new I begin to write a new adventure in my preposterous pursuit of place. 

*The reason my roomies and I nicknamed our apartment the crack den was because it was very dilapidated on the outside (we determined this to be an excellent security system), but beautifully refinished on the inside.  Among the other houses of our neighborhood, it really did illustrate the stereotypical picture of a crack den in the ghetto. 

I arrive a week early to Cornell because I am obligated to spend the time training for a great fellowship/job that I acquired with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs in the Dean of Students Office for the university.  The week of training comes and goes.  As a Greek Community Council Fellow for the Sororities on campus will certainly keep me working the 20 hours per week for which I will be paid.  I am excited to start planning some great programs with both the Panhellenic and Multicultural Greek Letter Councils.  And since my little little little Alison is the Panhel President… there should be at least 1 part fun mixed with 2 parts work.

I am able to fully clean my apartment and nestle into my apartment/room and help my AMAZING roommates move in as well (Bethany and Cheni).  This year looks to be one full of adventure and underlying responsibility as well as some spontaneous debauchery!

Course enroll.  If you go to Cornell, you know what a PROCESS this is and as a graduate student it doesn’t get any better, sadly.  :o(

What to take… what to take…. So many classes, so little time!!! 

So after some serious course shopping (and a trip to the mall to “treat myself” for such excellent work) I found some solid courses to take for the semester:

CRP 5076: Planning and Development Workshop

A course in city and regional planning that in actuality is filled with CIPA students (Cornell Institute for Public Affairs).  The course involves a group of students who act as a consulting firm (CGS – Cornell Global Solutions www.cornellglobalsolutions.com) and are hired by a client (Catholic University of Sudan, Africa) to work on a real project.  The project assigned to our team of experts in all areas of development was to create a comprehensive Agriculture Research and Extension Programme for the new faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Wau, Sudan.  Well, I could go on and on about this phenomenal project, but I will let you peruse our website (see above link) instead.  This course was taught by Dr. David Lewis, the founder and director of Cornell’s Institute of Public Affairs, learning under Dr. Lewis was probably one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my Cornell career.

AEM 4420: Emerging Markets

This course can be found within the undergraduate business program at Cornell, Applied Economics and Management.  On Wednesday evenings from 19:00 – 23:00 my time was spent first in lecture (filled with both graduate and undergraduate students from across the university) learning the concepts of emerging markets and the economics of developing nations on a theoretical and holistic basis.  A graduate student discussion section in which we reviewed one case study per week, which illustrated the larger concepts using very specific examples and details, subsequently followed this.  Our weekly assignments included essays analyzing the problem of the company trying to function in an emerging market, followed by a PEST or SWOT analysis (or some hybrid thereof), as well as a list of three potential solution, and concluding with our suggested answer.  Our provided solutions needed to be effective within the market and we had to provide the efficiencies of our proposed solutions.  Dr. Ralph Christy along with his excellent teaching assistants and guest lecturers provided our expanding minds with an interesting approach to the markets in the world that surrounds us.  Several of the students were also able to participate in the SMART Program trips affiliated with the course (the reason I did not participate will be explained below). 

IARD 4010/6010: Rural and Urban Realities – Chiapas, Mexico Edition!

So, as a student at Cornell it is close to impossible NOT to find a course that travels over winter break.  I don’t think that I have ever spent a winter on campus or at home, due to trips through clubs and/or courses at school.  How many students at other universities can say that?  Anyway, IARD (International Agriculture and Rural Development) is one the coolest majors at Cornell and in CALS (College of Agriculture and Life Science).  During the fall semester the class of both undergraduates and graduates listened to guest lecturers from across the university including topics in: anthropology, theatre and dance, agricultural extension, information communication technology, nutritional sciences and environmental sciences.  After listening, learning and writing a hefty paper, our group prepares for an exciting trip over winter break to the state of Chiapas, Mexico (more to come on this later).  This course was also taught via videoconference with students and professors from Michigan State University who also joined us south of the border. If you Google: “IARD 4010 Cornell” you will find the course website.  Enjoy your browsing!!!

IARD 7830: Farmer-to-Farmer Participatory Extension and Research

This course taught by Terry Tucker and Lucy Fisher is an excellent discussion session for graduate students interested in the study of local vs. scientific knowledge in development.  The readings provided insight into the innovative projects in development and the guest lectures both in the classroom and over video provided major food for thought especially for those of us in the Master’s International Program (1 year of school + 2 years of Peace Corps service/research).  The different viewpoints and experiences of the students in the class were insightful (we had students from Japan, Brazil, United States of America, India, etc. and several returned Peace Corps Volunteers or with other experience abroad).  Their experiences brought depth to our discussions and helped to shape my understanding of the capacity for projects in development today.  I know that this course will aid in my ability to teach in development and to think outside the box. 

I also had a seminar and took a few other independent studies this semester… but for the most part my time was spent in the courses above as they had the largest workload and the most thought provoking topics for debate/discussion.

Once the semester had blossomed, Ithaca began to fill with students from both Cornell and Ithaca College.  Annually the city puts on its BEERFEST to celebrate many of the microbreweries in the Finger Lakes and larger northeast area.  My friend Torrey came up to enjoy the tasting the beers with me and to jam to the local bands.  It was a wonderful summer day and surprisingly it did not rain (as it usually does in Ithaca).  I took Torrey on a short tour of the Ithaca area including the falls and Cayuga Lake and ate fun food from the worldly cuisine of this small city in upstate New York.  

October came and the countdown to FALL BREAK began with enthusiasm. Why? Well, because I planned a spontaneous trip to visit a really good friend from Germany who lives and works for Google in DUBLIN!!!  If you have never been to Ireland, you need to go.  It is beautiful!  Similar to Washington County, New York… rolling hills, stone walls separating fields, cows, horses and green pastures.  There is no color green, like the green of Ireland.  I arrive and my bag doesn’t (story of my life).  No worries, I am flexible… I meet Nicolas at work and we walk to his apartment where I sleep all day (stupid, I know but I was deliriously tired).  I wash my clothes, hang them to dry outside and fall asleep, only to wake up and go to an Oktoberfest sponsored by Paulener (a delicious German beer) in Dublin!  Nicolas and all of his colleagues meet us and we walk over to the beer tent and drinking out of the largest glass I have ever held, I drink more beer than I have ever drank.  I meet people from all over the world, chat about life, love and the troubles of the world and continue to drink and dance long into the evening.  The next day I sleep off my hangover and go to meet a few friends including Claudia (who I met in the states) to take a tour of Dublin on a double-decker bus.  Nicolas and I then took a short weekend trip to Galway and spent some time touring the town, walking, talking and seeing the sites.  Ireland is beautiful and Galway is gorgeous.  I really enjoyed what little time I spent in the land of leprechauns.  Much to my dismay, after visiting this island my relationships with those living there have deteriorated.  I hope to return and see more of what this beautiful country full of hospitable and warm people has to offer.

The end of October/beginning of November was a very sad time for my close group of friends and I.  A dear friend and fellow graduate student committed suicide in the early hours of November 1.  Lucas was an amazing friend, comrade and witty jokester.  The entire graduate student community felt his death; especially those involved in GRASHPR the graduate student community outreach program for teaching youth in the Ithaca community.  His passing brought my small group of friends a lot closer and we continued to have weekly bbqs and dinners throughout the rest of the academic year.  His mischievous smile and quick humor will surely be missed but most of all his good heart and love for academia and active work in in the Ithaca community.  We love you and miss you Lucas.

Thanksgiving was spent in good fellowship with family and friends.  I was especially thankful this year to be surrounded with such love and support.  As always, my family had an incredible spread of food and an even more delectable table FULL of desserts.  If there is one thing that my family does well, it is: eat, drink and be merry.  With laughter and love spilling over the seams of my family’s farmhouse, I was able to announce my Peace Corps Placement from June 2010 – August 2012 in the Republic of Moldova.   Once we finally located it on Google maps, they began to discuss vacation options in Eastern Europe.  And, this is why I love my family… they are always ready to support me in my endeavors and to jump on any adventure that crosses their paths.  Carpe diem!

The semester rounded out with a high GPA and a plethora of final projects completed.  Christmas came a little early in my house as I was leaving for Chiapas, Mexico shortly after the 25th.  We exchanged gifts and had a big party with my father’s extended family.  Big families have their problems and annoyances but I wouldn’t want it any other way.  Boisterous holidays are full of happiness; stories and great discussions/debates, with people that I don’t get to see everyday… not to forget the amazing food and German Christmas breads that my family makes so well (even though we are Scottish, Irish and English). 

I then spent Christmas eve and day with my adopted “Ithaca Family” the Farkles… no just kidding, the Filios’.  Greek Orthodox Christmas Eve was interesting (and long) but it was a new experience and therefore worth every minute of chanting and incense.  I then went with Cheni (my roommate at 108) and her family to a wonderful Italian Restaurant and ate a ridiculous amount of food and drank too much wine and sang Christmas songs the whole way back to their house. 

The next day I packed and prepared for my trip to Mexico.   The night before we were to leave (at 2:00 in the morning) my friends Jessica and John came over.  We made guacamole, watched weird youtube videos, talked, laughed and finished the wine/beer in my apartment.  We arrived a little tipsy to the chartered bus to NYC but I’m quite sure we provided much needed entertainment the whole 4-hour trip there. 

We arrived in the Mexico airport and were immediately hit with hot, humid air.  Ohhhh…. Mexico!!!  I had arrived home again.  Ever since my semester abroad in Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico at the university, there is no other place that I feel as comfortable in my skin as I do in Mexico.  I’m not quite sure I ever fully readjusted to life in the states after my semester in Monterey or maybe my heart just thumps to a Latin beat… I’m not quite sure.  Anyway, we arrive and head directly to the hotel… and guess what?  The airline lost my bag … again.  This time I was not as prepared as before.   We were headed to the beach and I had no bathing suit, no shorts, only the jeans, work boots and t-shirt I was wearing and the sweatpants I brought to wear on the airplane.  Our group began touring the mangroves and fishing villages of southern Chiapas and visited environmental institutions as well as academic and research institutions.   The beer was cold, the sun and sand were hot and the seafood was some of the spiciest and freshest I have ever had!!!  MMMexico you taste and smell so good!  We had a beautiful bonfire on the beach complete with local guitarists and even John played and sang.  We then left the water highways of southern Chiapas and drove north to the high coffee terrain of the northern region and towards the dawn of a new year.

Take one part sand, and one part sea...

I apologize for my neglect to the blogging world.  My last few weeks have been a complete whirlwind: moving to Ithaca, cleaning my apartment/house, fellowship training, weddings in Newport, RI and figuring out classes!  

The move to Ithaca went quite well and the apartment is spotless.  My training flew by and I am just now starting to get back in the groove of classes.  Kerianne and Vinnie's wedding in Newport was beautiful and the road trip was a blast.  It is so nice sometimes to reconnect with your friends and discover a new city laughing all the way.  It was a gorgeous wedding and a wonderful day!  It also makes me a bit nervous for all my single girlfriends to begin the next chapter of their lives committed to their husbands, careers and looking forward to the prospect of family.  I however am working towards a different kind of new chapter.  A commitment to service, education, research and extension.  I am very anxious to find out where the Peace Corps is sending me!

Peace and love,

Emily

Standing up to live

It was a crisp, cold morning. My mother as always, was making something delicious for breakfast and as I arose I saw the fluffy, white snowflakes softly floating to the rough brown branches of the bare oak tree outside my window. It was then that I flung off my bed covers, dashed for my warm clothes, threw on my snowsuit and off to the garage I went. It was 6:30 in the morning and IT WAS SNOWING. I knew I had to be the first to get to the sleds, because I’d be fighting the rest of the day with my brothers over the three new sleds we had received for Christmas. I wanted to be the first. So, I set myself on the shiny red sled, grabbed the "reins" as I called them and WHOOSHED down the driveway and suddenly stopped. What’s this? Black top? Salt? And suddenly, headlights… I’m three years old and in the middle of U.S. Route 4.

Let’s just say adventure has always been a rush for me, and so far I’ve been lucky on the surviving part. I have never been one to follow close behind my friends, family and colleagues. I boldly stride ahead in the direction I finally set my mind and heart upon. Although at times I’ll admit I am a bit lost, I have always found a way to blaze my own trail. So, I am sorry Robert Frost but if I had seen those same “Two roads diverged in a wood” I probably would not have taken either path, but rather just simply made my own. And that is what I am doing now.

After graduating from Cornell University in 2008, I began working for GE Energy (which I have thoroughly enjoyed), but after a few months of work, I began to ask myself the same questions that everyone was asking me:

Emily, what do you want to do? Where do you see yourself in 2 years, 5 years or 10 years? Who do you want to be? How do you want to live? Where do you want to live? Are you planning to settle down soon?

The only questions that I paid attention to were… Am I happy? Am I truly happy? Does my life have purpose? I found more and more that my answers to these questions were not what I had hoped. I needed a new adventure. So, I looked into different government service/volunteer opportunities and I found the perfect fit – the Peace Corps.

So, after a lot of paperwork, I am now embarking upon my new adventure in altruism and academia. This month I will be starting a M.P.S./Peace Corps program in the field of International Agriculture and Rural Development at Cornell University. August 2009 - May 2010 I will spend studying at Cornell. Researching different micro-financial solution models for developing nations and analyzing their effectiveness through both geographic and socioeconomic perspectives. I am also going to look at micro-financial solutions from a communication campaign perspective and how the options available to the population are communicated most effectively and efficiently. June 2010 - August 2012 I will spend serving in the Peace Corps as a volunteer in the Applied Agricultural Science program. Destination not yet known.

As I sit here and write, it brings to mind a quote by Henry David Thoreau “How vain it is to sit down and write when you have not stood up to live.” Well here I am Henry… standing up to live!

For all of you readers out there this blog will be my communication medium to the masses during school and service. Enjoy!

Testing... testing...

My first post. Just testing the blogging waters at this point however, I am really excited to get this bloggin' movin'. Thank you so much syd!