this song....

is ROCKING my world today!!

ENJOY!

Happy Thursday : )

Summer 2011: BELIZE!!!

So all of my life I've wanted to travel. Ever since I started learning about different countries, places, and people I've wanted to actually experience them. I would literally go ANYWHERE in the world. But everyone needs a place to start right? So I've been going back and forth as to what I want to do. I've thought about study abroads through BYU to London, Italy, Paris, or Jerusalem. I've looked at Field Study groups going to Mexico, Africa, India, and Thailand. I've searched almost every humanitarian trip on the planet to try and decide WHAT I want to do.

Mind you, this has been going on ever since I started high school. I've had the travel bug for quite some time but for some reason never had the actual money or motivation to make it HAPPEN. One day this past summer I was having a really deep moment of thinking (this happens a lot) and realized I was 21 and still haven't traveled ANYWHERE. It was not a good moment to say the least. This quote kept popping up in my mind that was from the movie Love Happens where she says something like, "People know exactly what they want, they just let too many obstacles and excuses get in the way of it." And I'm sitting there thinking THAT IS ME! I sit and think of all these things I want to do but never follow through.

So I promised myself no more of this and I decided I was going to make my dream happen this summer! So...after applying and figuring out exactly what I wanted to do this summer I decided...

 I'm going to.....BELIZE!!!

It's through a program called Help International and I am seriously ecstatic. It's exactly the kind of experience I was looking for. It's going somewhere out of the country, but is more then just traveling and having fun...it's helping people too. Teaching classes, helping them build homes, whatever I'm looking to help with I can do! It is wonderful. I completed my application and got accepted last week and seriously can hardly wait. I have a few more things I need to do to raise money for the trip but it feels so wonderful to actually have something planned! Its going to change my life...I feel it : )

a class that already has changed my life...

So more so than ever....my classes this semester are RANDOM!! It seems like every semester I have one class that isn't within my major, but I'm pretty sure this semester wins the prize. As I was picking out which classes I wanted to take, I for sure signed up for songwriting and then my friend soon told me about a photography class that was hidden in the RMYL program. BYU unfortunately doesn't offer any photography classes unless you're majoring in photography (so I thought) but my friend Courtney found a hidden gem! So naturally I signed up thinking WHY NOT right?!? Little did I know that these two classes were exactly what I was looking for this semester! So i'm going about my first week thinking I have my schedule all figured out and then my other friend texted me to IMMEDIATELY switch out of social marketing into the immigrant/refugee class. I was planning on taking this class sometime but decided to just switch it anyway. So last night, my first time attending this class, I was just expecting a class informing some issues going on around the world. I soon found out that one of the videos they showed and topics discussed literally changed my life!

Now all my life I haven't really been a huge fan of Angelina Jolie. She stole Brad away from Jennifer, in all of her movies she's quite frankly annoying as crap, and I really don't think she is as beautiful as all the boys say. BUT I was very humbled today and even could say I respect her more as I watched her documentary on the Lugufu camp she visited with the United Nations in Tanzania. This video was so moving to me...

This is the Lugufu camp in Tanzania. Almost all the people here are orphans because of a war in the Congo. Villages were being invaded and many loved ones were killed. Many come in hopes of finding parents and friends that went missing after their cities were destroyed. Most look in vain, and usually do not reunite with anyone.

These are typical children you would see in a camp like Lugufu. Watching how they respond to their new life is heart wrenching. Most of these children were able to play with their friends, came home to meals their mothers made them every night, could wash their clothes and bathe whenever they wanted but now have to live in different circumstances. Food rations are very small, children and teenagers have to build their own shelter and ultimately fend for themselves.

It truly broke my heart while I'm sitting their watching how these people live. Seeing everything they once had stripped from their lives. They have almost nothing and yet have to keep pushing through and making the best of their circumstances. As the children and other refugees came into the camp they were first checked to make sure they weren't bringing anything harmful, then they had to check in, in case other family members at that specific camp or a neighboring one are looking for them, and then they are given a speech by the camp director. I would have never guessed how emotional a "welcoming" speech could be. He was very compassionate toward them but also told them to get used to their life here. This is where they will be for who knows how long and they must make the best of it.

Can you imagine, being forced to leave your home because your town is being destroyed, your parents are missing and are most likely killed, you now are responsible for your siblings, you have to take care of yourself, eat whatever is given to you which is close to nothing, and on top of that you will most likely live there for at least ten years. It is amazing to me how caught up we get in our lives and yet half a world away there are people who are going through so much that we hardly even think about. After watching this it made me realize just how much we have to offer and what truly matters in life. We focus so much on material things when really all that really matters is being with the people we love. We are so blessed and have so much to constantly be grateful for.

I have to go on a Humanitarian trip. I want to feel like I have done something that will help people have hope for the future. That they can see that they can be taught how to improve their lives and be more successful. It is something so easy for us who have so much but will truly make a huge difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate. I'm really excited about this semester and to learn of ways I can better be involved in making a difference. Someday I will get over to Africa. I have to : )

2010 at a GLANCE...

So I realize I haven't been the greatest at blogging this year and that there is probably only 2 people that actually read this but its for the posterity right?? ha. New Year's res...I need to take more pictures and blog about my life more. But here's this last year at a glance, I have to admit it was a pretty good one, but I am feeling even better about this next year. I have some big plans that I am excited to embark upon! So here goes:

JANUARY
YSA new years eve party with the sistas. enjoying a new semester with my cute roommates.

FEBRUARY
portland adventures while home for valentines day. showing dee and c around portland and multnomah falls. making the best out of winters in Utah (aka snowboarding). 

 

MARCH
went to the olympic tryouts for snowboarding, lesson learned that night...ALWAYS dress warm. celebrated dee's birthday in slc at trio. always enjoyed caleb and evan parties. the most AMAZING and best bonfires with the group. watching TRUMAN at sammy's. enjoyed the fam visiting for spring break...did lots of snowboarding. FESTIVAL OF COLORS. 

 

 

APRIL
went home for easter and conference. brought home liz! she got to see oregon for the first time and finally meet the grandparents, we had lots of tender car rides. saw MICHAEL BUBLE! the lincoln escape died because of a freak random snow storm in ogden, NOT fun. was car-less for the remainder of my provo time. FLEW home for the in between time of winter and spring and got to see the bros play Beauty and the Beast...it was AMAZING. saw tyler hilton and spill canvas SO good! visited the "haunted" pizza place.

 

 MAY

celebrated my birthday at melting pot. had an ultimate car dancing party...even stopped in a parking lot to let it all out. went to the best concert ever, NEEDTOBREATHE...changed my life. had Kam's bridal shower. went to las vegas and michael hated us. 

 JUNE

made the boys do turbo. tubed down the provo river. dressed up as romans for a school video project. rode tandem bikes to utah lake...was sore for a while. caused a lot of mischief with tayler. went to a couple baseball games...LOVE them. 

 

 

JULY
started working in tacoma for EFY, did 2 weeks. loved my 14-15 and 16-18 yr olds, it truly changes my life every week. went to my heaven on earth SHASTA, i love it more and more each time. our family loves it.  

 

  

 

AUGUST
mother-daughter beach trip. miller-andes beach trip. saturday market adventures. seattle with the group. bike rides with bean. lake powell with the westies.

SEPTEMBER
started school. moved to a new place. went to john mayer with some friends : ) visited arizona for the first time and surprisingly loved it. went to the state fair, a fall tradition.

 

 

OCTOBER
 went home to visit the fam. took tender family pictures. went to one of clarke's football games. went to the alpine halloween party. saw tyler hilton for the 2nd time! went to conference. hung with the sistas when ellen visited. went to some bonfires with tay.

 

 

 NOVEMBER
FOOTBALL GAMES (even tho this was not BYU's best year). went on some hawthorne adventures with the fam. celebrated thanksgiving at home. became so ready for the year to end! GOT A JOB!

DECEMBER
finished finals. came HOME for christmas. was able to see Trevor and his new cute wife. chatted with old friends from high school. saw kourtney and her cute baby. had our usual musical christmas FHE with family friends. wen to the portland christmas tree. hung out with family. ended 2010 with a bang! Such a GREAT year. Can't wait for the next one!