DECISIONS.
I'm going to give a little background to why I'm starting trailing alex.
My whole life I've wanted to volunteer abroad (maybe not my whole life.. but pretty close). I want to help. I want to travel. And as cheesy as it sounds I want to be out of my comfort zone.
About 3 years ago I started an adventure that has and will forever change my life. I was able to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Canada Calgary Mission. While I could write and write and write about all the amazing experiences and people I was able to come in contact over the 18 month service, I will explain why that experience has brought me to this decision.
As a missionary, I was assigned an area to serve, I was asked to be in a certain area for a certain amount of time and stay in that area until I was transferred. While I can't explain how grateful I am for the areas I served in, at the same time it terrified me being in an area that I was asked not to leave.
I remember thinking that I didn't want to get used to staying in one spot. I didn't want to feel like I couldn't leave. When I came home all I wanted to do was travel, I enjoyed seeing all that I could in Canada and had a desire to see what else was out there. In the last year I started attending school full time (again) and working part time. Taking little trips around Utah as often as time and money would permit.
So fast forward a little and we land a couple weeks ago where I was told my position at work needed to be full time. While to others it might not seem like it is that great of a deal. I still had a job, I still made the same amount of money, I still worked my same hours. It shook me.. massively. I started thinking about what I wanted to do and all the things I wanted to accomplish and all of the sudden I realized that I was feeling stuck.
I recognized that this was the perfect timing for me to be able to do something different. This May I will be completing my Associate's Degree (I wouldn't mention this at all if it hadn't taken me 27 years to accomplish this) and will have the Summer semester off of school. Perfect timing.
[Insert google here] so I got on my laptop and googled. and googled. and googled Volunteering abroad. I wanted to be back in time for school to start which meant I was only going to be able to go for the most 4 months, I wanted to go with a program that was based out of Utah (maybe some future career opportunities?!), a program that I could get school credit for, and ideally wanted to go with a program that I didn't cost an arm and a leg.
I found two different companies that fit pretty close and applied. I was accepted for the two separate programs one of which was 3 months in Thailand and the other 4 months in the Dominican Republic.
When this whole thing started all I wanted to do was go to Thailand but after doing a lot of research, asking around and talking with my parents (what would I do without them) I decided that going to the Dominican Republic was the best decision.
so this is my decision. I'm going to the Dominican Republic for 4 months. I leave on May 9th and I can't hardly wait. I'm beyond excited and nervous and terrified and worried and happy.. obviously there is a whole lot of emotion going on. but It's happening. and I couldn't be more ready.
I'm starting trailing alex so that I can remember this Summer. I kept thinking about what I wanted to name this blog and I thought that trailing alex a mix of adventure was perfect. I don't know what I'm going to get this Summer but I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to leave my comfort zone.
I can't wait to see what the Dominican Republic has in store.