"Adventures don't begin until you get into the forest.
The first step is an act of faith."
~Mickey Hart, Grateful Dead
Before I set out on my first international adventure, I am incredibly excited to share what I learn about Ghana, its culture, and people through this blog!
I'm Caitlin, a native-New Jerseyan, who recently moved to Austin to pursue a Master of Science in Social Work through UT's School of Social Work. I currently intern at a non-profit agency that serves those who have experienced or been affected by family violence and/or sexual assault. I feel honored to work with women, children, and families in their journeys toward empowerment and leading happy and healthy lives.
My goal is to broaden my knowledge of how to empower people, communities, and organizations to improve the well-being of women and families in the US and Ghana. I also want to learn about social justice issues in Ghana and their implications on its development as a nation.
As a social work student, self-care has become an important part of my life. In order to revitalize myself after work and classes, I like to sing, play percussion, paint with watercolors, dance, explore the outdoors, and correspond with my sisters.
If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask! I look forward to a challenging, yet rewarding learning experience through the 2012 Ghana Maymester program.
Talk soon,
Caitlin
Caitlin
Hey! For me the quote is about actually getting out there and experiencing Ghana. We can study social problems and impacts on health and well-being from afar, but you really have to go to the place and be with the people to understand where they are coming from and the social constructs they deal with. Going to Ghana is very far out of my comfort-zone and all that is familiar. It requires faith in oneself to be open enough to do some deep learning which will challenge exisiting ideas and preconceived notions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking! Can you share any meaning or inspiration prompted by the quote?
Your reasons for going to Ghanna are similar to mines actually. My reasons for going are to experiece the culture from a first hand experience, while being there learing as much as possible. I think this trip will help me understand my history and help me grow as a person
ReplyDelete-De'Aires Cotton