Something That Changed Me

Something that changed me as a human services worker was the service learning trip to Jamaica I took last year with a few other people from the human services club. This changed me because it opened me up to a different world than I had ever known. I have never been in the conditions that those people live in and it really made me see things in a new light. That experience is what made me want to have more like it. So that's why I am going to Russia in a month and I have fully fundraised all that I need and more! I am very excited but I am also very nervous and wish I could get in contact with more people that are going to be there the same dates as I am. But I will survive and will probably be creating a blog while I am there to share my experience with people so look out for that in June!

WEEK 9!

Well it's week nine of the semester now and I feel like it's never going to end! It probably doesn't help that I have a lack of motivation to do anything except read my recreational books and play around on my computer. But I have still been trucking through my internship. I'm a little less than half-way with my hours but I'm trying to think of some good ideas that will help me catch up a little bit more. I have really enjoyed my second semester at LSS but some of the things I'm doing now are so repetitive that it's hard to stay completely focused. I've turned to reading books to gain more knowledge on subjects and delve deeper into my true passion of international adoption since the children in special needs adoption aren't that much different it correlates well. It also doesn't help I'm so distracted with raising money for my Russia trip which takes place in two months! I still have $1300 to raise but I truly believe I can do it. The human services club has offered to help sell bracelets for donations towards the trip which will help tremendously! I also have some very generous family members that have donated through the website which the organization goes through and that has helped enormously as well! Between the stress of school, my hours at my internship, and the Russia volunteer trip I think my head may just explode! There are a few good things though that are happening. As far as my internship I will be trying to write a homestudy soon which is what I wanted out of this internship the whole time. I also received a message from a lady who will be in Russia the same dates as me so I know I will not be alone there which relieves much of my anxiety!
So long story short...Is this semester over yet?

A New Semster

Well I am now in my 2cnd field experience at the tech and I am really liking it...again! I am placed at the same agency only this semester I will be able to do a little more hands on things. One thing I learned this week is how homestudies are rated and how families are recruited for children.The assignments aren't anything new so that's nice because I am comfortable doing them and I have a nice routine down from last semester. I also have been adamantly looking for new ways to fundraise money for Russia so that has taken a lot of energy out of me as well. I have less than 3 months to have $2000 paid into my program fee so it shall be an uphill battle. But I am going to be sending out letters within the next two weeks to people who can donate online or by mail and I am going to order some inspirational message bracelets to sell for an easy way for people to sponsor me. I have also been deciding where I will be attending school next year and have been looking at graduate programs that would be good for me since 2 years really isn't that long away! 'm hoping that Upper Iowa will provide me with the knowledge and credentials required to get into some of those programs. But I shouldn't be stressing so much or I will probably blow so now that I have that out in the open I hope the semester continues to go smoothly and I look forward to the experience!