Why I blog.

For those of you who don't know me, perhaps you are wondering what you are getting yourself into by reading my blog, so in this, my very first post on my very first blog, allow me to lay it out for you. I am 21 years old, I just graduated from college, and I am still in this wonderfully idealistic phase where I believe that one person, if they really try, can change the world. I am hoping to start with Africa. I am either extremely optimistic, or extremely dumb.

Four years ago, I lived in a state of blissful ignorance regarding global affairs: didn't know, didn't care. I am a little embarassed to admit that I stumbled into my first international relations class almost solely because it fit nicely into my schedule. Call it divine intervention, alignment of the planets, cosmic forces, whatever...I found my niche. I had finally discovered that there was a world beyond my front door, a world full of amazing sights that I had not yet seen, a world of emerging markets and technologies, a world with more than six and a half billion people, and a world full of opportunities.

This wonderful new world that I discovered also had a dark side. This was a world, sadly, in which almost half of its six billion people live on less than two dollars a day, a world with more than one billion people who don't have access to clean water, a world that loses 16,000 children per day due to hunger, and a world that, even more sadly, contains precious few people willing to do anything about it.

With each depressing new fact I learned, I became more indignant. Why are people living in such abject conditions? Why haven't I seen or heard about this suffering before? More importantly, why aren't people helping them? As I struggled with these questions, my search for answers repeatedly led me to Africa. While I realize that extreme poverty exists worldwide, it was striking to me just how many of the countries whose citizens are in the throes of poverty reside in this one continent.

My newfound awareness of the plight of Africa has been both a blessing and a burden. I have never before felt such passion for something, but I have also never felt this overwhelming sense of helplessness. It would be impossible for me to just sit back and do nothing - with my awareness comes an obligation to act.

How, you ask?

Well, step one has been to apply to join the Peace Corps. So excited. More about this later.
Step two is what you are reading right now. Okay, okay, so blogging does not exactly put me in the ranks of Mother Theresa as far as helping the world's downtrodden, but it is a step, however small it may be. I need a place to be able to share my thoughts on Africa, a place where I can talk about the things I read or hear or see about Africa that weigh on my heart and mind. Unfortunately, my friends and family are sick of my diatribe, so this blog is also a way for me to vent and rant and rave about injustice, without alienating the people who I am close to.
So there you have it. Happy Reading.


Because of the significant effort that was put into creating my "Citizen of the Planet" sobriquet (many thanks to my sister, especially), I think it deserves a mention. All of you Simon and Garfunkel fans will hopefully know what I am talking about. When I ask why people don't seem to care about Africa, a common excuse is "because I live in [insert your country here] and it doesn't directly affect me." In a world where we are becoming increasingly interconnected, my hope is that people can begin to ignore cultural boundaries and identify with the shared human experience. If we recognize our role as citizens of the planet, we can no longer use nationality as an excuse to not help people.
I also bring up my blog name because I am unsure of copyright laws in blogging and I must give credit where credit is due. Here's hoping I don't get sued.