Interact:
My goal was to do service,
from the beginning I knew that I wouldn’t be very interested in proceeding
within Interacts board. I did all the service trips required for both semesters
and it feels like I learned a lot through Interact about Kenya.
I went to multiple Runda
feeding trips where we gave out food to children and elderly with the help of
the Rottery Club.
Something that I thought was
interesting and also a little sad is the reaction and the way the children
behave. Coming from a country where doing service like this isn’t common you
have an idea of the people you’re helping should be really thankful and
friendly. It really wasn’t like this, the children often wanted more, never
said thank you and when all the food was finished total chaos broke out…it was
quite shocking at first. The first time I went on the service trip I was sad
about it, but when thinking further who am I to expect these children to be
thankful? I realized that service isn’t for me to feel better about myself, and
I cant expect the children to make me feel good about myself, but that its
about helping others who aren’t as fortunate because it’s the right thing to
do. I’ve always respected people for there differences, but I feel that
interact has really taught me to be thankful for what I have, and to do things
for the greater good and not just myself.
Interact also gave me an opportunity
to be more creative, I was with in the painting of the Interact mural at the
beginning of the year. It was really fun, and I was really proud with the final
result. At other times I made posters too, unfortunately the posters I made for
the movie night weren’t put up because we ended up cancelling that event. I
thought it was really fun being creative and combining it with service because
that’s something I’ve never done before.
IC Trip, Masaai Mara:
I went on the Masaai Mara
trip, it was a really fun trip and we combined service, action, and creativity.
We carried water and built houses for locals, which was also very straining and
it was super hot out so it was really action…
We also got to do a beading
shop with a Masaai Mama. It was really fun and we all learned so much about
Masaai culture.
The IC trip was great fun, I
learned so much about Kenya, and the hardship so many people go through every
day. Like walking for miles and miles just to get water for the day. I really
appreciate my life more now than I did before.
Everyday since I came back from the trip I think about what we did and
everything the facilitators taught me. I really admired the facilitators for
dedicating their lives to doing service, and I think I’d like to do the same
when I get older. They were the most positive and open people I have ever met,
I think we all saw them as great role models.
The best part of the trip was a the children at the school where we were building, we were so warmly welcomed, and they were so interested in us! I wish we could have stayed longer to learn more about them and the way they live. I was worried in the beginning, before I met them that they wouldn't like us, and they would think we were snobby, but instead they really appreciated us helping them, and our presence. I think we all had a really great time at the IC trip, and next year I will definitely recommend this trip to others. It was hard work, and at times I just wanted to cry and sleep in my own bed, but on the bus back we were all talking about the amazing week we had had together!
JV Football:
At first when I was on
varsity football I really didn’t enjoy myself, I felt like I wasn’t up to the
standards and that the coach didn’t like me very much, so after a couple of
weeks on varsity football I talked to the JV coach, Coach Sags who said that I
was welcome to come to JV instead. So I did and I couldn’t have made a better
choice. I had so much fun playing football on the JV team, Coach Sags taught me
so much about football and having a good attitude to things. I feel that I have
improved so much in football, and endurance, and in cooperation and
perseverance. I feel that I have learned so much about cooperation because in a
team of many people you have to work together with people you don’t like, who
you normally don’t talk too, and to people who have different opinions and
ideals than you. It was really cool that some people who were fighting off the
field became really good team players and cooperated really well in a game and
on the field. Every practice I came too I had a great time, and since we were all
at such different skill levels I learnt a lot about perseverance and
acceptance. I learnt that its not all about winning, but that the most
important thing is that you have fun and play fair. We lost all games except
one but it was still one of the most fun things I’ve done this year at ISK. I
think I’ve improved so much that next year I will try out for the ISSEA team. I
made friends and had such a good time playing JV football!
Finally:
Moving to Kenya was hard, making new friends, and finding a new life, but I have learned so much since I came. I've become a completely new person, part of it thanks to the service, action, and creativity that I've done. In Sweden I would never have been given the opportunity to go out and make such a direct difference. I think the key factor to me realizing so much about myself and my surronding's have been thanks to Interact. Interact has taught me about the reality of life, that things are super duper unfair, but also that people appreciate you and that you want to help. The IC trip to Masaai Mara taught me how to build, bead, and be positive to all kinds of things even if they feel uncomfortable at first. Football has taught me to work together, and the key to becoming a good player is to have a positive attitude! Everything I'm saying sounds really corny, but this is really how I feel. In the end I need to thank ISK, Interact, and Kenya for giving me the chance to prove to myself and others that I can help others, that everything in the world isn't for free, and that little things make a really big difference, for yourself and for others. 2011 and 2012 was a really a life changing time in my life!
