Hello! For those of you who are unaware, I will be working
for an NGO, Community Enterprise Solutions, in Latin America this year. I
wanted to welcome followers to the blog by giving a glimpse into my inspiration
for conducting this work in Nicaragua. There is no better way to do this than
to thank the people who made it all possible and who provide endless inspiration, my parents.
On a recent trip to Peru, my friends, “Team Picchu,” and I
learned that the Incan people did not possess a word for thank you; thanking
someone is an action for the Incas. I can only hope that my work and my actions
are a testament to the wonderful gifts you have provided me thus far and will continue to thank you for years to come!
I’d first, however, like to begin with a quick apology. As
graduation rolled around many people were curious about what I would be doing
this year. When I told them, the litany of responses included: “That’s such a great thing you’re doing for
others.” or “Good for you!” or “How honorable to make a sacrifice.” I was so
glad my parents could attend the Service Send Off Ceremony at Notre Dame because
they framed it in a different manner.
The speakers at the Service Send Off centered some of their remarks
on a quote by an Aboriginal Activist, Lila Watson. She said: “If you have come
here to help me, you are wasting your time. But, if you have come because your
liberation is bound up in mine, then let us work together.”
That quote says it all: it’s not about me. It is however up
to me to be accepted in a new nation, new communities, and a new household. This
acceptance will enable me to hone skills, learn a new language, create lasting
memories, and become a better person for those I care about most. This
experience will be transformative, and that will be more a function of the
people I work with, than me.
There will be some sacrifices, I will miss my friends and
all the fun they are having this year, but you have made the ultimate sacrifice
by letting me come here. You raised me to be infinitely curious, and I repaid
you by making you worry. I cannot wait to share all that I learn with you, and
I apologize for making your head spin in the meantime.
With that said, thank you for pushing me to pursue my goals
and to find value in the pursuit. I want to be a part of an innovative
organization that helps the most vulnerable amongst us; without your faith and confidence,
I wouldn’t have been bold enough to try.
Thank you for holding up a mirror for me when my actions
seemed inconsistent with my values. You’ve helped me to see the way my actions
affect others and that will be invaluable in a new country; this will help to be
conscious of the people I am working with, and in order to maintain
the bountiful relationships I have created at Notre Dame and home.
Thank you for never letting me feel sorry for myself. My
time down here will be full of every emotion. There will be days of progress
and triumphant joy, and there were also be days of stagnation, frustration,
failure, and want for home. You’ve taught me to turn these moments into
actionable scenarios where I can control my own happiness. This will be
essential!
Thank you for making me a good listener. When you’re
struggling to learn a new language, sometimes the best thing to do is to just sit down and attempt to comprehend the conversations around you. Though I hope to improve rapidly, this would
be far too humbling if I did not already enjoy getting to know others!
Thank you for instilling within a sense of what’s right. I
now want to explore a field that captivates and fulfills me. This field is also
one that attempts to examine and restore human justice and dignity. I am
excited to get started.
George Bernard Shaw said: “The most tragic thing in the
world is a man of genius, who is not a man of honor.” Though I would never
claim to be a genius, I do hope to one day become a man of honor. Thank you mom
and dad for pushing me to be a better version of myself. With your support, and
our work here in Nicaragua, I hope to continue to become a better son, brother,
friend, boyfriend and man. Thank you.
I will see you soon!
