So…Where Are We Headed Captain?

This entry has a lot to do with Guatemala and a lot to do with graduating college. 12 days. We leave in a meager 12 days. After spending about 115 days abroad, 12 days seems like no time at all. 14 days. We graduate in 14 days. Yikes!

I decided I would blog about what has been plaguing my mind as of late: the future. Ah yes. I mentioned how daunting the future can be in a previous blog post in January. However, on the brink of the unknown future it can be a tad bit scary and intimidating. Be forewarned that I am indeed a tedious planner and I do have some plans like living with my parents, graduate school in fall 2013, and working on fixing my parents’ house and minimizing their vast collection of stuff. However, I don’t have a source of income and have had trouble getting a job being 2,098 miles away from home.

I go through bouts of bitterness where I think “I paid for and have earned a 4 year degree and Olive Garden won’t even call me back?! What was I thinking choosing social work? How will I ever pay off these student loans?” But then my husband keeps me grounded. He reminds me of the cost of ignorance vs. the cost of education. He reminds me that our time abroad in Colombia, Cambodia, and Guatemala has taught us that education is invaluable. And of course we have some social welfare services in place should we meet financial hardship. He reminds me of the true joys in family, love, and community.

In retrospect I am SO very blessed and privileged to have a safety net and support system in my family. If there is anything I learned from my internship at Nuestros Ahijados, it is that the future is a luxury. Many of the clients I encountered practicing social work here have little idea of where they will sleep, what they will eat, how they will cope with the hardships of today, and how they will survive today.

My prayer is that I can put aside worry, focus on the present, and not be too busy worrying about life to actually live it.

Just some thoughts from a semester abroad soon-to-be graduate to you.

Once again, as I near the end of my journey in Guatemala, I would like to thank the Gilman Scholarship for funding my studies abroad. :)

Check out their website at http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program.

Here is a fun photo to hold you over until next time! Volcan Agua.

Adios Amigos!

Explaining the Title & Subtitle

So what’s up with this blog title and subtitle?

Blog Title: Katie & the Land of Eternal Spring 

Well, since I am so fond of fiction novels, like the Percy Jackson series, I wanted to give my blog a creative title that was intriguing and somewhat clandestine. Like many fiction books that have an edge of mystery, you often have to read the book in order to understand what the title means. Likewise, you will have to read my blog in order to understand what living in the Land of Eternal Spring is truly like. In short, I am attempting to grab your (the reader’s) attention.

Blog Subtitle: Adventure 3 of the Global Sojourner Series

The word “adventure” has always been essential in my vocabulary. I often use this particular word to describe my experiences outside of the United States. Also, a global sojourner is temporary resident in foreign culture or country. So…

2010 Colombia – Adventure 1 of the Global Sojourner Series

2012 Cambodia – Adventure 2 of the Global Sojourner Series

2013 Guatemala – Adventure 3 of the Global Sojourner Series

Me (in blue plaid) building relationship with these beautiful teenagers

in Bogotá, Colombia, July 2010.

Saying goodbye to orphans in Battambang, Cambodia,

January 2012. Her precious smile is unforgettable.

Have a question? Please ask me in the comment section of this blog post. Thanks for reading! :)