This Summer

What a debacle. What a roller-coaster ride...my spring semester 2010. As many of you know (I figured all my readers right now are friends!), I was accepted into the Penn State College of Communications Washington Program back in October 2009. I had an interview about where I wanted to be placed and talked about how I wanted to be a journalist, but I also would love to work for a passionate, world-changing non-profit or organization.

I have a bug for both of these possible professions. I remember getting calls from our coordinator asking whether or not he should send my resume and clippings to a non-profit fighting aids in Africa. I felt that it was necessary I decline to get that "vital" journalistic experience. So that's what I did.

When the new year rolled around, I found out I had been accepted into the Schreyer International Service Project heading to India this summer...Oh, how I wanted to go. I joined the class thinking I could go both to DC and then head to India at the end of the summer. I thought wrong. I had to choose. It was devastating and I didn't know if I was truly doing what I wanted to.

It turns out I can go to India with next year's group, post-graduation. But, here I am in DC for a reason, right?

I was asking myself that a lot, but the other morning as I was on the Megabus! home to Philadelphia, a lady named Cathy made me a twitter account. I looked up a favorite author of mine named Rita Golden Gelman and there she was! A writer embodying in her projects similar passions as mine - for humanity - and her current location is Washington, D.C.

I googled her, I found her on facebook and I just e-mailed her...asking if I could help with her current project called Let's Get Global and the recent release of her newest book, Female Nomad and Friends - all profits are going to help get children living in slums in India into vocational schools (via a Rotary program!).

Perhaps by fate, I was brought to DC. And that possibility that I will be the writer, traveler and lover I imagine will come true. Rita Golden Gelman - please let me help!

I'll keep you all posted on our correspondence and in the meantime check out her new book, I'm going to get my hands on a copy ASAP.