Namaste

After four years of indescribable travels all around the world, my summer trips have unfortunately come to an end. Leaving Nepal was especially difficult because not only did it signify the end of an amazing trip but also parting with the organization that has had such a profound impact on my life. Children’s Global Alliance has been truly one of the most influential things in my life and something that I will always cherish and never forget.

My first trip with Children’s Global Alliance seems so long ago, seeing where I am now compared to where I was then. Going into that trip I wasn’t in the best place and lacked a lot of self-confidence, and struggled with all the other things most early teens do, but, going halfway around the world and seeing how other people lived changed everything. It opened my eyes to new experiences and challenged me in ways nothing else ever has. When you really lose yourself in the service of others, you end up also finding out more about yourself than you would ever imagine and it makes who you are and who you want to be become something clear and attainable. The impact Children’s Global Alliance has had on me can’t be put into words. The overwhelming sense of respect and admiration I have for Lisa Marie and all the other chaperones, goes far be on what I can articulate. I went on these trips to help other people and to teach but, I ended up coming back having learned more than I could have ever taught. Not only did I learn about myself, but also other cultures and how other people live. Seeing the poverty in the countries I went to really made me think about how fortunate I am and gave me a new perspective on my life. Suddenly things that seemed so problematic before seemed minuscule in the big picture and I learned what really truly matters anywhere you go, love. These trips gave me a huge sense of global awareness and ignited a passion within me to travel and truly lose myself in the service of others. After the first trip I was totally hooked and knew it was something I wanted to continue doing for the rest of my life. And I knew Children’s Global Alliance would have a huge part in continuing my service and travels.

Now looking back on all my trips I am filled with nothing but an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and happiness for what I have accomplished, personally and globally with Children’s Global Alliance. I have families in Cambodia, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and Nepal. Each one will always hold an extremely special place in my heart, for each one has had an intangible effect on my life.