Creating possibilities

"Will you be job seekers or will you be job creators?" University of Delhi Sri Ram College of Commerce President P.C. Jain asked us today.

As leader of a college of economics in a bustling Indian city, he strives to push his hard-working students to become job creators. He even proposed in his introduction speech that when students enter the university they remain throughout their college career as those who will be job creators, not take direction from others but rather finding their own route. Possibly, he said, these students would not be allowed to graduate without creating their own business.

In a country of 1.2 billion, with 35% of Indians surviving on extreme poverty (less than $1 a day), more job creation can be a solution to alleviate hardship. Both Supriya, of Free the Slaves, and the group of students we met with today take a more empowering long-term approach to aiding those in need.

Today we met the College of Commerce's SIFE team. SIFE, Students In Free Enterprise, is an international non-profit that prompts students to get creative in helping their own communities. The team just placed second at India's national SIFE competition for their project in helping local rickshaw drivers get loans to buy their own vehicle. Rickshaws act like taxis but the drivers peddle passengers around all day for a low cost. (And, yes! I mean peddle like a bike in extreme Delhi heat!)

Before the rickshaw drivers had to rent the vehicle from contractors who were often exploitative. Now, their day to day costs are minimized and they have a constant promise of income. A long-term improvement.

The right of possibilities

I began this blog based on the premise that I was continuously contending with possibilities. Today, the debate that plagued my mind last summer appears slightly selfish. Let me explain...

Tonight, I write to you from New Delhi, India - a place of depth, where luxuries and poverty co-exist. An international service trip with Penn State's Schreyer Honors College is what brings me here and I am delighted at what I found.

Today, Supriya Awasthi the South Asia Director of Free the Slaves spoke to our group of 10 Penn State students with the world at their fingertips. Free the Slaves is an international NGO that works to combat slavery in every form. The group defines slavery as "any person physically confined, unpaid or paid below minimum wage, or who lives under the threat of violence."

Supriya spoke directly about her organization's work in freeing child slaves here in India. We watched a video of events that Supriya witnessed. After slaves are freed, boys and girls are taken to separate Ashrams where they are well taken care of and taught that they to have rights. A right to education, bread and love.

What struck me the most was the psyche of a freed slave. They are often asked upon gaining freedom, "What do you dream? What do you wish?" And, Supriya said they simply have no concept of dreaming and ask, "What is a wish?"

In contrast to my first post, where I admitted my fear of losing grip on my dreams - to imagine a life without a promise of freedom and choice seems a dimly lit existence. So sing it loud and sing it proud, a message spread in the work of Free the Slaves, we all have a right to possibilities!

Scheduling for the Last Semester

So I made it...I am currently scheduling for the last semester of my college career. It feels weird. I've gotten all of the hardest classes out of the way and only need one professional journalism class to graduate. Should I feel accomplished? Maybe I will when i get to May.

Its so odd how forward thinking our society is! Its September 10th and I'm picking classes that don't start until January 10th! Needless to say, I'm also already getting asked the question: What are you going to do when you graduate?

Savor it, I say! And I need to accept that, because before I decided against graduating early so I could have one more savoring semester up in State College. So Yoga, photo journalism, advanced multimedia production, thesis completion work and hopefully international reporting, HERE I COME! See, now that I spell it out, it sounds sufficient enough to fill my full schedule.

I'll be busy no matter what ...its the story of my life.

Heat

Oh, how I love when its damn hot! I hear everyone around me complaining about how hot it is and how sweaty it makes them. But today I just strolled around campus, soaking up the rays and feeling like I was on top of the world.

Granted, I was wearing the great dress my momma bought me (only $19.99 at JcPenney). You'd have to see it to believe how awesome it is. :-) But anyway, does anyone share with me a love for HEAT?!

For example, it's 91 degrees right now at 5:29 p.m. and I suppose that's hot for Happy Valley! On days like today, I just think how great it would be if I lived somewhere tropical (of course, if I could transplant those I love). Africa, California, Greece, Egypt, South America...the list just goes on and on! This is why I want to be a traveling, story-telling journalist - so I can soak up the vibrant cultures and lifestyles that inhabit these hotttt places.

Penn State Students

There's something beautiful about Penn State students, granted I do have a bit of a bias as one myself, but there really is!

This semester I am taking COMM 410: International Communications, with Professor Elavsky. I had heard nothing but great things about this professor before I took him (including how good looking he was...), but from personal experience I can attest to his abilities as a professor and a critical thinking stimulator.

This is a class of 54 and normally there are a few "big talkers" with over-the-top opinions, but in just the three short classes we've had more than half the class has spoken up. And they have some great, informative things to say! Now, you can generalize about us Penn State students, as partiers (apparently that's not a word!), a cult, or a College Disney World (a great positive comment from some good friends of mine!), but we've got some very aware, knowledgeable and passionate communications students who will be graduating in the fall.

That makes me proud to be one of them.

oh August...

I know, I stink (to say the least) because I haven't written all month. I could give you a line of excuses - and trust me they are valid ones! - or I could just write about the most beautiful part of my August.

A day with family stands out in my mind. My parents and Grammy came to pick me up in Washington, D.C. on August 7th. I missed them all summer so it was such a relief to see them and be heading home with them.

We all went to Open City, a great diner suggested to me by the one and only Caitlin Dewey (fellow Kiplinger's intern), and met Rita Golden Gelman for "brunch." Delish. Took a quick trip to Trader Joe's with Rita, then trekked down to Mount Vernon.

Before I went to D.C. my Grammy would tell me stories of Mount Vernon - it really is beautiful. Grammy believes it is the most beautiful place in the whole world, and it made me happy to share it with her.

It feels as though it is frozen in time, maintaining its natural beauty and reminding us of our strong founding father and first president.

Lunch

"The only danger you ever need to worry about is not having any fun."
- From Andy Hughes' Facebook album.

Today I got to get lunch with Professor John Curley. Among many other accomplishments, Prof. Curley was the first editor of USA Today. Imagine my excitement when I found this out. I actually didn't know this until a few weeks into my intro to reporting class, and we had already developed a habit of talking after class every day. He's a great mentor and very down to earth.

The beauty of today: When I told Prof. Curley how I used to worry about what was going to happen after college, he said there's no need to. I'm thankful for my new-found contentment and I'm just going to concentrate on having fun, as I work my way to where I'm meant to be. I'm ready to soak up senior year at Penn State!!