The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
- St. Augustine.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Involvement, and why I write this blog at all

I was reminded of the purpose of this blog when I read this quote from Confucius, "Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand." These words are really applicable to everything in life. Love, education, literature, film, all the ways that humans try to communicate with each other. For me, I immediately thought of my efforts through maintaining and writing this blog. It is my sincerest desire that I will involve readers in my personal journey. I don't just want to tell stories through words and show experiences through photos. I want to involve all my readers through the common thread that I believe connects us all - humanity and a desire to lessen the sufferings of others. I want my readers to imagine themselves in other people's lives, to ask themselves difficult questions, to take the risk of traveling somewhere they have never known and to want to help people that they have never met.

That is really my motivation behind the promotional video that I am working on for Colobri. Progress is achingly slow, especially because I do not have the right software and am currently agonizing over financing for my gap year, but I hope that the finished film will involve viewers through its narrative portrayal of policemen and volunteers from all over the world. These strangers come together to support children for no other fact than that they are children, they are disadvantaged, and they, like everybody else in the world, deserve opportunities and love.

Alas, it is not yet finished. I hope that I can finish it once I am back in New York and definitely before the New Year. Thus, I must leave you all with photos of my time in Colobri and hope that that will still involve you all :) As they say in France, a bientot!

Family portrait
Maté y queque
Estaba leyendo el texto mientras ella lo copía
Lindita
Vamos a la parque! 
Mi ultimo dia... vean uds la locura? 
















I love them. I left a piece of my heart in Colobri.

4 comments:

  1. I am so happy to have found your blog! I am a nurse working in NYC also aching to travel the world but bound by finances (particularly student loans). I decided I've had enough and am planning to travel abroad to volunteer in Latin America before (hopefully) starting grad school for Public Health next year. I found your blog on the website for Colobri. Any additional insights about volunteering there would be greatly appreciated if you have the time! My email is Glassteapot1@gmail.com
    I am inspired by your ambition and motivated now that I know I am not the only broke person desperately trying to see the world and its endless possibilities.

    Kind Regards,
    Naia

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  2. Ani, I saw a commercial of the remastered Beauty And The Beast in Blu-Ray and immediately thought of you! I was going to leave a comment on your Facebook but I saw this link. After reading this blog... I have to say I truly truly truly admire you. You are so amazing for helping people from all over the world, and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You are so brave for traveling so far from home and changing your lifestyle so often, and sacrificing money but in the end gaining so much more. I think over 95% of our generation has to read this blog to get a wake-up call to get out and you know, just do it. There are so many goals I want to achieve and I would always get started but I'd never follow through with them, but this is definitely inspiring me to keep moving forward - and "Keep moving forward" is the main character's motto from Meet The Robinsons! Funny, huh?? You might just have been the necessary push, so thank you. And again, you are just too amazing.

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  3. Hello, my name is Rafael and i'm aplying to Programa Colibri. Do you have any email for me to contact you and ask some questions about how it works?
    Thanks!
    Rafa

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  4. Naia - I sent an email to you so we'll be in touch!

    Robinson - it's been too long!! Thank you for your kind words and yes, keep moving forwards. Let me know what you're up to one of these days.

    Rafa, my email is annhao08@gmail.com. To apply, you should email either Alcides, the director, at ajccolibri@hotmail.com or the volunteer coordinator Krishna at programacolibriperu@gmail.com. Sorry if this is late but hopefully I am still of some help :)

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