Summer Bucket List

During the school year so many times I catch myself saying "Man, I just do not have time for that right now. I will do it during the summer whenever I am not as busy." Summer time is setting in and I begin my Maymester class tomorrow and June class in just a few weeks. Class is class but I have a good feeling it will not be as time consuming as my schedule during the school year. With this being said and some extra time on my hands, I plan on pursuing and completing a "Summer Bucket List". Here goes nothing, folks:

• Make a rap music video with my closest friends






• Visit the Iron Horse






• Read a book under the Tree that Owns Itself






• Become a "Master Interviewer"






• Work on my grammar...AKA a 2nd grade language arts lesson is what I really need






• LEARN A WORD A DAY and incorporate it in a conversation during the day






• Get a solid start on learning the Piano






• Read Leadership books I have been wanting too for awhile AKA Kevin Paul Scott's booklist..http://kevinpaulscott.com/kevin-paul-scott-blog/page/2/






• Have the best birthday in the entire world!!!






• A trip to New York City






• Raise $500 for UGA HEROs






• Volunteer at at least 10 different places this summer in the Athens Clarke County Area... So far I have felt lead to: Boys and Girls Club at Garnet Ridge, Project Safe Thrift Store, Athens Clarke County Humane Society, AthFest at the childrens face painting booth, and the rest are soon to follow






• Be the best counselor I can be for my Dawg Campers, Co Counselor, and fellow Staff. This includes attending Orientation sessions and brag all about DAWG CAMP 2011!






• Hit the maximum numbers of campers for DC11






• Try Yoga, Kick Boxing, and Rock Climbing at Ramsey






• Start Fundraising for my month long trip in Decemeber to Cape Town!!!






• Eat at White Tiger in Athens






• Attend some cool bands at AthFest






• BUDGET BUDGET BUDGET






• Complete 2/5ths of my Pauleys Beer Card




• Get a Tattoo


• Ride a Motorcycle

Figure out what I am doing for the rest of my life...

There it is. Let the journey begin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQtGqmi2O2U

To the Crazy Ones

Here's to the crazy ones.
The Misfits.
The Rebels.
The Troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes-
The ones who see things differently.
They're not fond of the rules
And they have no respect for the
Status Quo.
You can praise them,
Disagree with them,
Quote them,
Disbelieve them,
Glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you
Can't
Do
Is
Ignore
them.
Because they change things.
-Steve Jobs






The pool of complacency is easy to dive into. It is simple, it is familar, and it is safe. The human race clings to familarity and similarity. Nine times out of ten the people we hang out with and the people we date/marry all have values and interests that are congruent to our own. We stick to the same hang outs, the same type of careers, the same material interests, and the list goes on.

So...is that it?...

My favorite movie is Pirates of the Carribean(yes, that is a fact) and at the ripe age of 12 I learned a valueable lesson from that movie. One of the evil pirates looked the beautiful Princess in the eye and snickered as he said he sees the rules more as "guidelines" than actual rules to follow.

Do not get me wrong: I follow the rules. But what fun and spontaneity is there in life if we follow the rules every second of every minute of the day? I'm not saying text while driving, cheat on that test you did not study for until the night before, or feed your dog human food under the table while your parents are not looking. What I am saying is challenge the status quo in a non-violent manner that will present a learning lesson and room to grow as a person.

Complacency is selling ourselves short. Think about the leaders who ushered massive social and spiritual change, from MLK to Ghandi, from Jesus to James Dean. Did they settle for the status quo?

No, they are the "crazy ones". Granted not all of us are going to start a social movement of some sort but their are lessons from these people and the change they ushered that we can use in our everyday life:

• Be firm in your Beliefs and Values


• Seek


• Do not stand down


• Hold a space of LOVE


• Hold a space of PROGRESS


• Hold a space of UNWAVERING CONVICTIONS TO THE TRUTH OF YOUR HEART

It is fitting i am writing a blog about being a "crazy one" at 4 am. I am pretty sure I am delerious right now and going to laugh at the blog tomorrow afternoon.

Goodnight from the crazy one...the status quo is boring.

Am I weird because...

I decided to start the blog back again. Many of my friends really enjoyed my posts, or they said that to make me feel better about laying my heart on the table. Touche. Either way: the blog is back and ready for some TLC. Instead of beginning with one of my sappy Africa stories, inspirational video, etc, etc. I want to take the time to reflect on all the reasons why I think I am a WEIRD individual. In doing this I believe I break the stereotypes that are cast on me everytime I step out of my front door. Dumb blonde,living off of Daddy's plastic,or stuck up...just to name a few. These stereotypes are far from the person I am and have built myself to be. The most pleasurable thing coming out of that situation: I have reflected on,embraced, and love all my imperfections and WEIRDNESS(for the lack of the better word). Ladies and gentlemen, I am about to lay before you all the things that make me weird. You should try it too.


“Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self.”-Charles Spurgeon





My favorite scent: Gasoline
I eat the WHOLE apple and the WHOLE boiled shrimp
my jokes are cornier than corn will ever be...<----case in point
I believe my bargain shopping is a mastered art, not a hobby
I collect koozies and literally have 50 in my drawer
Part of my morning routine: Dancing around my room to an absurd, annoying song.
My ipod goes from U2 to Ciara to CCR to Bob Marley to N*Sync to Weezy to Trisha Yearwood to John Mayer to the Beegees
I always make cheesy gifts for people instead of writing Thank You(which are definately more socially appropriate)
I believe World Peace is possible
I do not believe there is "one person" out there for everyone. I believe there is more than one. Timing between the two people falling in love and what place that are in life is the most significant element.
LOVEATFIRSTSIGHTDOESNOTEXIST...in my opinion
I LuVvV TyPiNgZzZ and TeXXXXTiNgZZ LikKKeZZ ThYs!*!*!*
One of the things on my bucket list: Be the token white girl dancing in a rap video.
whenever I run I will jump and hit street signs or hop up on brick walls just because i can
i wear red lipstick. not sorry about it.
i have a goldfish named Stellie that I legit talk to like He is a puppy.
i literally love everyone and can wholeheartedly say there is not one person in this world i hate.


Did i mention i believe world peace is possible? because i do. let go and let love. let go and let God.


Embrace your weirdness. It makes you the beautiful person you are.


ToOoOtLEzZZ***~!

The Art of Rejection

Rejection. Even typing the word sends chills up my spin. Rejection is one of those things that “happens to everyone” but, right me if I’m wrong, after we get rejected we only think it happens to us. Well let me the first to tell you: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
It is rather daunting and surprising how many people come up to me and say, “Kylie, you are like involved in like so much at UGA. How do you like do it? You get everything you want.”(as a side note, people really do use the word like so much. Try yourself one day and see how many times you say it).


The truth is you are not going to get everything you want and this has been a hard concept for me to grasp. I consider myself to be a pretty good human being who is doing some great things here at UGA and have BIG dreams and aspirations that I plan on fulfilling. If I cannot accept rejection now, then there is no possible way I will be able to accept the amount of rejection I forsee I will receive because of how huge and large my dreams are.
Over Thanksgiving Break, I went back to my growing small town but it is still fairly small. Someone asked me, “Now, What do you want to do with your life?”. I looked to them and said, “I am going to change the world. My journey begins in Cape Town, South Africa and I want to the mend the post Apartheid Education System. ” They said, “Now, Kylie, let’s be realistic. You think, you…you small town girl with blonde hair from Douglasville GA can fix something for those “tribal” people in Africa? Honey, I believe in you but that might be impossible.”

It was then I realized that rejection can come in many forms, one of them being from the people who think your dreams are too big. I do believe that some dreams can be too big but if they are realistic then they can never be too big. It all depends on your perspective and experience. Seeing as how I have been to South Africa, worked with the very children I want to change the system for, and made many connections for when I go back, I see my dreams as reasonable. She, however, has never been out of the state of Georgia and thinks Africa is a bunch of naked people running around in war paint.
In situations like that, you have to take the rejection and be humble. As leaders evolve in their leadership capabilities, they start to develop a conscious of when it is a good point to defend their cause and personal stance. Luckily, I remained calm and humble when I really just wanted to tear into her … well, read between the lines.


Continuing on…

UGA is a very competitive campus and contrary to what most believe, I have gotten rejected from positions I thought I was very qualified for and passionate about. But, hey, what can ya do? Keep moving and Finish the Drill. At certain points in a college students career, I believe it is imperative to take a step back away from academics, involvement, and real world “adult” things and reflect on who exactly they are as human beings in this crazy changing society. Wake up world and more specifically my generation. We are in a generation shift and heading into a black hole if we do not start reexamining and getting to know our trueselves . Think about how much you are on either your cell phone, Facebook, your iPOD(I am very guilty. Sorry. I would rather lose my cell phone over my ipod…anyday), and computer. Literally, no exaggeration, probably ¾ of the day. All of this technology has become a normality in our lives and it is taking away from the personal interactions between human beings that really brings true happiness and beauty to our lives. Technology needs to be there to facilitate, not prohibit.

Words of advice for my generation based on my experiences of Rejection and my epiphany of how much technology runs our lives:

· Clean up your facebook. “Drunk pictures” are not going to land you that job. Facebook is your own personal PR page.
· Think not only short term but LONG TERM too. I think many people missed that 10 missed quizzes and two failed relationships ago.
· If you want to express your feelings, talk to someone. If you are bad with verbalizing them, write a letter. Do not send a 5 page text that goes in increments and half the time people do not understand it. Loses so much of its personal intentions.
· UGA is hard. Get a helmet.
· Make sure the helmet is made of steel.
· Rejection is not a onetime thing, it is definitely a lifetime occurrence we will all continue to build and learn from.
· Cliché but so true: EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. Keep telling yourself that everyday.

Signing off, do not reject studying for finals...

Kylie Dee

Just Keep Swimming

In my last blog I self-disclosed my new viewpoint on sacrifice and commitment and how I was going to start committing myself to others. Last Monday, I trekked over to Wally World and bought two Goldfish for .38 cents each. Ill say that is a bargain. It is kind of ironic that the bowl, food, decorations, and non-Chloride water together costed 40 times as much as the actual fish. Oh America, they have to get you somewhere. Anyways, one is all orange and the other is orange with white stripes at the bottom. I named the orange one Charly after Charly’s Bakery in South Africa. It was this adorable, spunky bakery with the most delicious deserts and quiche. I named the other Stellie which is short for Stellenbosch. Stellenbosch is a wineland about 30 minutes from Capetown where 60 of us took a huge bus to for the night and had the time of our lives. Stellenbosch University is there(a place I would love to study) so there were quite a bit of college students.
A week into it and the fish are still alive! Their personalities are finally starting to show. Charly tends to be more reserved, quieter, and hangs out at the bottom near the rocks. Stellie is wild. Just plain wild. I put my finger up to the glass and she/he? Follows my finger every step of the way. I never know what sex fish are…..
Anyways, I am heading to Destin on Thursday morning to spend the fourth of July with my stepmom, Laura, and my dad, Galen. Is it sad that I am old enough now where I really don’t mind spending fourth of July with the ‘rents? I am actually really really looking forward to it. I absolutely adore my stepmom and of course, Galen Droke is just a HOOT! The point of the story is: the fish are going on their first beach trip. And THEY WILL NOT BE PLAYING IN THE OCEAN! Haha. I am going back to Wally World today and getting them a cool little travel kit. I wish I could have gone to the beach at 3 months old….jeez
The fish are a great commitment and I actually enjoy their company. The sunflower seeds and pot have been purchased but I am waiting until after the fourth of July vacation to start my plant.

Life Lesson: Do not compare yourself to others

I was thinking about how I just compared my two fishes and realized they both have dissimilar personalities. It is not a good thing or bad thing that is one is quiet and the other is spunky. It is just the way they are and there is nothing they can do about it.
How many times do we catch ourselves comparing ourselves with others? I know I do it all the time. I think, “If only I had an hilarious sense of humor like that…” because any one that knows me knows that my jokes are either really witty that no one gets them or they are just flat out corny and people laugh because they feel bad. The witty jokes sometimes go over well when really intelligent people get them. Other times, after you explain the joke then people have the AH HA! Moment and the joke has lost all of its substance.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” If we waste all of our time comparing ourselves with others we miss out on the wonderful treasures and beauty God has blessed our world and us with. It is a recipe for tearing down your confidence and for unhappiness. Just because you don’t measure up to someone else’s strengths does not mean that you should get depressed or jealous or resentful. Instead, looked at your strengths and you will see that you have a lot to offer, a lot to be happy about.
And that’s so important — being able to look at your own strengths, and see your true value. It’s actually one of the keys to success, because without this ability, you will be unmotivated, and won’t believe in yourself.
At the same time that you are comparing yourself to others, there is probably someone who is looking at you and wishing they something you have. Just a little food for thought.

Love yourself, love your body. It is the one thing that God gave you that you can completely call yours. Take care of it. Appreciate it. Challenge it. Do not compare it for it is uniquely and fearfully made.

"Fish are Friends, Not Food." -Finding Nemo

It has been two weeks since arriving back in the states. I have naturally experienced some mixed emotions. I am enjoying my freedom back by being able to drive, not having a set “plan” for everyday, and of course the Georgia summer sun. However, none of these freedoms can compare to how much my heart is longing to be back in SA. I have been watching the World Cup on TV and seeing the commercials with the SA flag wrapping around Table Mountain makes me so happy. Hearing the vuvuzelas, seeing the camaraderie of the locals and tourists, and knowing I was just there in that direct spot all these people are standing is unbelievable. I have not grasped how much I loved SA until I have spent time over here in the states. God has been working on my heart and how ironic to find out one of my friends from the trip is looking to go back next semester. We have found some cheap flights, places to stay, and if all goes as planned: I will be spending Christmas with the women who changed my life in the township in the warm SA weather. I would love to hike Table Mountain or go surfing that morning…HoW KeWl DuDEEE haha I am starting to save as of today.

I will now share two other lessons from I learned from SA about SACRIFICE and COMMITMENT

For so long I complained I had a job. I always thought “All my friends do not have jobs in college..so why do I have to sacrifice my time working as a waitress at Longhorn?” I missed out on many Friday and Saturday night memories, July 4th, Valentines Day, 2 home UGA football games, Christmas Eve with my family, Fathers Days, or time when I could have been doing other things I enjoyed. After being in Africa and seeing how different their definition is of sacrifice is compared to mine has made me humble. I now appreciate everything I have built for myself at Longhorn and actually take pride in my work. In reality, I am sacrificing my time but gaining a work ethic and appreciation for what I have that no one will ever be able to take away from me. I have worked my butt off for everything I have and this will take me so far in life.

On a little bit of a lighter note…I have recharged my commitment to others that has been lacking for the past few months. I sort of got sucked into this “college social group hole”. I was so concerned about what others thought of me, who I was hanging out with, and being accepted in the social scene. I am seriously laughing typing this because that I see the lifestyle I was living was so unbelievably fake and unfulfilling. A fulfilling lifestyle comes from investing time and committing yourself to others.

So now I am all about challenging myself right…I decided to challenge myself this summer and beyond by being committed to something other than human beings and pets

I bet you are thinking….What the heck could she honestly commit herself to then?


dun dun dun.....The answer:



-Sunflower plant (my favorite flower): I am going tomorrow morning to Lowes and buying a sunflower seed packet and painting a pretty pot. I am going to water the plant every morning and it is going to be b-e-a-utiful

-Fish. Goldfish to be exact. I was never a huge Goldfish person whenever I was younger. I always had a Betta fish..or two…or three..maybe even four. I did not mean for them to die, okay? Gosh…I know what you are thinking. Haha. This time is different though. I am getting two Goldfish tomorrow in honor of my favorite South African band, ironically named Goldfish. These are going to be the fattest and happiest Goldfish anyone will ever meet.



Love life people. We only get one shot at it. Sacrifice. Commit.

For the girls waiting for a Prince to bring the glass slipper...

I keep catching myself lately saying..."Lord, I know I am getting old because now I can do this...and that...." Unfortunately, I made the mistake of saying this in front of my father yesterday after he picked me up at the airport. He stopped me, looked me in the eye, and said "honey, if you think you are so old, then what does that make me?" In the past, he has always told me to cherish my youth. Embrace it and remember it because it made you who you are and no one can ever take the happy memories you ahve experienced. He said he has held onto his youthful outlook on life and at the fifty-something age he is( i know his real age,doing him a favor) he still feels like there is so much more life out there for him to live. He has never been happier...and more youthful.

Lesson of life from Galen Droke: enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.

Remember back in elementary school when our only concerns were anxiously awaiting the "recess" dismissal, collecting beanie babies, or trading pokeman cards. Lunch was made for us with love by our mothers...I enjoyed my Lisa Frank adorned with lions and zebras with rainbow stripes, thank you very much. I used to come home after my softball and basketball practices and sit in front of our 1982 tape player that had a paperclip jammed into the rewind button to make it work. I am not lying when I say I listened to the Spice Girls tape atleast 150 times over the course of a year.

Remember being little girls dressed up as princesses. We felt beautiful as we spun around in the room in our "Pretty Little Princess" jewelry and play make up. We would read fairytale stories and watch movies like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. We all anxiously awaited our prince to make our imagined fairytale come alive. Deep down, even now at the "ripe age of 19", I believe all girls still hold on to parts of this fairytale. I know I do. I believe it is because of the nature of womans heart. Women love to love and loved to be loved in return. When our hearts desires are not fufilled, it is easy to lose sight of our youthful fairytale and believe true love is "just not for me".

Oh, but true love is for you. Nothing is more beautiful than a woman in love. Hold on to that youthful glow, your prince is on his way. the whole package: white stallion and hair flapping in the wind. (pause: do not let a cheesy braveheart scene come to mind)

But until that day, I shall be thankful for the prince that has always been there for me for the past 19 years and has persuaded me to hold onto my youth...

I woke up in the middle of the night and my mind could only do one thing: daydream and reminisce about the past month of my life. Whenever you are not on vacation, per say, a month of your life seems like such a long time. However, whenever you spend a whole month with what would become 100 of your best friends half way across the world in the second best tourist destination, time seems to fly by pretty quickly. I cannot believe it is over…

My trip changed my life…for the better. The biggest thing I took away was the value of self-sacrifice to help the lives of others. I walked into a township and sat down with a family for awhile…immediately my host mother offered her twin bed that she shared with two other people to sleep. I was short R21 in the grocery line at the Pick & Pay and the clerk let me go. Our taxi driver, Shaveek(who I could seriously see being my best friend) told me the story of him sacrificing what he once thought was his dream of college and becoming an engineer. He realized that being cooped up in an office working a 9-5 would have made him miserable. Now, he is happily married with 7 children and works countless hours a week as our taxi driver …and loves every minute of it. He frees free, enjoys whipping around the turns in his van, and most important, talking and developing friendships with others. How many of us would sacrifice the money, glitz and glamour of a successful job to invest 60% of our lives (avg. time spent doing work related things) doing something that makes us happy?
Sacrificing the self for either yourself, friends, or family is not an easy task . In Africa, it is a part of the culture. In America, it is a conscious choice. I heard one of my new favorite quotes this past week-"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill. When is the last time we all gave something of ourselves that was not a monetary exchange that truly made someone else happy? Maybe it was a little smile at the man on the street who had a bad day, maybe it was hugging and thanking your parents for all the times they grounded you because you have now realized the lessons they were trying to teach. Maybe it is giving up facebook or your iPhone apps for a week and seeing how much time you could devote to other things. Maybe it was calling up an old teacher and thanking them for believing in you. People would be surprised how fulfilling self-sacrifice really is. “When filling other peoples buckets, you start to fill up your own.” Happiness is a two way street. Love others. This is just one of the lessons I learned from Africa. Do not fear my friends: there are over 100 lessons and obnoxiously long blogs to follow(…though I hope you genuinely enjoy them)

So, where am I to go from here? How can I possibly take the life change I just had and do something about it back in that states?

Sorry for the suspense and the let down: I have no clue just yet. The only remedy to answer this question is commitment, praise and worship, and patience. I know the plan I would like to start taking shape but it is not in control. God is the captain of my vessel that lead me out to the horizon of discovery and safely brought me back to shore to share of his miracles, teachings, and blessings. Whenever I grow weary and anxious of the future, I have to take a step by and live in the now. God will make all things work together for all of our goods.

A great, soothing, jazzy song: if I ruled the world by Jamie Cullum
If I ruled the world,Every day would be the first day of spring.

Every heart would have a new song to sing,

and we'd sing of the joy every morning would bring.

If I ruled the world, Every man would be as free as a bird.

Every voice would be a voice to be heard,

take my word we would treasure each day that occurred.

My world would be a beautiful place

Where we would weave such wonderful dreams.

My world would wear a smile on its face,

like the man and the moon has, when the moon beams.

If i ruled the world,Every man would see the world was his friend.

There'd be happiness that no man could end.

TIA, Kylie

Everybody Wear Sunscreen...

“If you live your life positively, your dreams will come true…”

I am sorry it has taken me so long to let you know about my life in South Africa. I will start off by saying I never want to leave this place…It has everything I have ever wanted: the beautiful beaches, the fast city pace, the mountain landscape at sunset, rich history of District 6 and apartheid, the best wine anyone could ask for, outrageous downtown scenes, and people who actually love each other and even Americans…
The second day I was here I received some bad news… I did not get accepted into my major. For so long, I have had my college and my life beyond college planned out. I was going to get my degree in Social Studies Education and teach US history at some great school and hopefully settle down with a guy who is willing to actually put up with me J For the past month, I have been questioning all these concrete plans…for no reason at all. This trip has opened me up to all my potential and I could possibly be called down a different path…the path less traveled by…
In the past week:
-I rode on a plane for 22 hours. Got an adrenaline high from taking off, played a good game of guessing what clouds look like what animals, woke up from a nap and literally felt like I could touch the stars
-Stared a great white shark right in the eyes with the only thing between us being a metal rod
-rode a boat across the Indian ocean
-stayed in three different hostels with people from Ireland, Holland, and Germany
-went four wheeling through an African jungle
-Walked, fed, and rode an elephant named Jubia…which means extremely happy in Africaans
-woke up at 530 to run by the Indian Ocean and rammed by toe right into a ledge and died laughing…then woke up 20 other college kids who were all looking forward to that extra 30 minutes of sleep
-peed in the wilderness with 8 other girls…sorry if that was too much information J
-drove through an African range and saw the big 5 where our car got surrounded by 15 elephants…then one preceded to pee and poop RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR CAR
-ziplined through African waterfalls
-laughed until I cried…and laughed at least once a minute
-GOT CALLED FIRST TO BUNGEE JUMP FROM THE HIGHEST PLACE IN THE WORLD…and did it with a smile on my face
-
-WAS SECOND/THE FIRST GIRL UP THE SUNRISE HIKE FOR GLOBAL LEAD ON TABLE MOUNTAIN
-got declined from my major
-slept in an African village called Sir Lowery’s Pass where I fell in love with a young girl named Rotonelle, listened to Justin Bieber “baby, baby, baby” on repeat, danced in the streets, listened to my hosts Annas testimony and saw how assured she was in her faith…even though she works as a maid for a rich white man 3 days a week, has no running in her house, shares her bed with 2 grandchildren, considers eating steak one of the most cherished delicacies she could ever partake in, and loves every minute of her life
-realized that I want to live in South Africa after school and teach English/Africaans to children in impoverished villages living off a dollar a day
-bargained in the Green Market district and got some good deals
-toured District 6 museum and Castle of Good Hope and City Hall
-Last but not least…I have found parts of myself that I did not know existed…and I am so thankful they do exist



The true happiness in life does not come from the latest iPhone, Steve Maddens, dating an unbelievably good looking guy, having 5000 friends on facebook…because you probably do not know 9/10ths of them. Since I have been in Africa, I have realized our Western style of life is so unfulfilling. The difference is that I now know the difference because I have experienced it. I have had the opportunity to live off a dollar a day. At the same time, I have a new sense of responsibility because I have been exposed to this broader world view. What can I do with it? This is why I feel God is calling me to come back to South Africa after college. There are people do not need my help, they just want my company. They are the type of people I want to invest my time and my life in.
True happiness comes from challenging yourself in testing situation and utilizing these opportunities to find qualities about you that actually exist. True happiness comes from trusting, dependable, and passionate relationships. True happiness comes from spirituality and believing in things bigger out there than YOURSELF. True happiness comes from dancing, dancing around naked in your living room(alanis morrisette lyrics), and dancing when no one is watching. True happiness comes from not envying others and being jealous but appreciating what you have been given. True happiness is valuing your beautiful body… it is the one thing you have been given, take good care of it.

Garrett Gravesen brought up a great metaphor in our lecture yesterday. In game of life, we have all played the game of “lucky lotto”. There were 6 billion balls placed in a huge container and by chance you ended up where you are now. Imagine, by a flip of a coin, it was your ball that landed in the slums of Africa…Living off a dollar a day could have easily been you or me…

My last suggestion to anyone who reads this blog: Youtube Randy Paush “The Last Lecture” and “Everybody should wear Sunscreen”


Love the caterpillar who is in the transformation of becoming a colorful butterfly…
Kylie

Everybody Wear Sunscreen...

“If you live your life positively, your dreams will come true…”

I am sorry it has taken me so long to let you know about my life in South Africa. I will start off by saying I never want to leave this place…It has everything I have ever wanted: the beautiful beaches, the fast city pace, the mountain landscape at sunset, rich history of District 6 and apartheid, the best wine anyone could ask for, outrageous downtown scenes, and people who actually love each other and even Americans…
The second day I was here I received some bad news… I did not get accepted into my major. For so long, I have had my college and my life beyond college planned out. I was going to get my degree in Social Studies Education and teach US history at some great school and hopefully settle down with a guy who is willing to actually put up with me J For the past month, I have been questioning all these concrete plans…for no reason at all. This trip has opened me up to all my potential and I could possibly be called down a different path…the path less traveled by…
In the past week:
-I rode on a plane for 22 hours. Got an adrenaline high from taking off, played a good game of guessing what clouds look like what animals, woke up from a nap and literally felt like I could touch the stars
-Stared a great white shark right in the eyes with the only thing between us being a metal rod
-rode a boat across the Indian ocean
-stayed in three different hostels with people from Ireland, Holland, and Germany
-went four wheeling through an African jungle
-Walked, fed, and rode an elephant named Jubia…which means extremely happy in Africaans
-woke up at 530 to run by the Indian Ocean and rammed by toe right into a ledge and died laughing…then woke up 20 other college kids who were all looking forward to that extra 30 minutes of sleep
-peed in the wilderness with 8 other girls…sorry if that was too much information J
-drove through an African range and saw the big 5 where our car got surrounded by 15 elephants…then one preceded to pee and poop RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR CAR
-ziplined through African waterfalls
-laughed until I cried…and laughed at least once a minute
-GOT CALLED FIRST TO BUNGEE JUMP FROM THE HIGHEST PLACE IN THE WORLD…and did it with a smile on my face
-
-WAS SECOND/THE FIRST GIRL UP THE SUNRISE HIKE FOR GLOBAL LEAD ON TABLE MOUNTAIN
-got declined from my major
-slept in an African village called Sir Lowery’s Pass where I fell in love with a young girl named Rotonelle, listened to Justin Bieber “baby, baby, baby” on repeat, danced in the streets, listened to my hosts Annas testimony and saw how assured she was in her faith…even though she works as a maid for a rich white man 3 days a week, has no running in her house, shares her bed with 2 grandchildren, considers eating steak one of the most cherished delicacies she could ever partake in, and loves every minute of her life
-realized that I want to live in South Africa after school and teach English/Africaans to children in impoverished villages living off a dollar a day
-bargained in the Green Market district and got some good deals
-toured District 6 museum and Castle of Good Hope and City Hall
-Last but not least…I have found parts of myself that I did not know existed…and I am so thankful they do exist



The true happiness in life does not come from the latest iPhone, Steve Maddens, dating an unbelievably good looking guy, having 5000 friends on facebook…because you probably do not know 9/10ths of them. Since I have been in Africa, I have realized our Western style of life is so unfulfilling. The difference is that I now know the difference because I have experienced it. I have had the opportunity to live off a dollar a day. At the same time, I have a new sense of responsibility because I have been exposed to this broader world view. What can I do with it? This is why I feel God is calling me to come back to South Africa after college. There are people do not need my help, they just want my company. They are the type of people I want to invest my time and my life in.
True happiness comes from challenging yourself in testing situation and utilizing these opportunities to find qualities about you that actually exist. True happiness comes from trusting, dependable, and passionate relationships. True happiness comes from spirituality and believing in things bigger out there than YOURSELF. True happiness comes from dancing, dancing around naked in your living room(alanis morrisette lyrics), and dancing when no one is watching. True happiness comes from not envying others and being jealous but appreciating what you have been given. True happiness is valuing your beautiful body… it is the one thing you have been given, take good care of it.

Garrett Gravesen brought up a great metaphor in our lecture yesterday. In game of life, we have all played the game of “lucky lotto”. There were 6 billion balls placed in a huge container and by chance you ended up where you are now. Imagine, by a flip of a coin, it was your ball that landed in the slums of Africa…Living off a dollar a day could have easily been you or me…

My last suggestion to anyone who reads this blog: Youtube Randy Paush “The Last Lecture” and “Everybody should wear Sunscreen”


Love the caterpillar who is in the transformation of becoming a colorful butterfly…
Kylie

imperfect perfection

Is tomorrow really the day?

I cannot believe it is. I am just going to apologize before I say what I am about to say: I have always thought I was such a badass. Excuse my french, but there is no other way to put it. I have always been so confident in my capabilites and never once doubted myself. Fear was always an anxiously awaited challenge; never a reason to turn my back. I sit here in my kitchen tonight after having a great last homecooked meal of Spaqetti made by the infamous Coach Galen Droke...and I am consumed with fear. I do not know if I am confusing my fear with nerves or uneasiness about not knowing what I am getting myself into. I have never been on a plane before and I am going on a 22 hour plane ride clear across the world. My group is the "Adventure Week" group first. By this time next week, I will have already Cagedived with Great White sharks, gone on a safari to see the Big 5, and bungee jumped from the highest place in the world. Maybe that is why my body is shaking and I am having to keep moving my index finger to the "backspace" key because my fingers cannot control themselves. No matter how "badass" you are, anyone has an excuse to feel uneasy about what i just named.

This is what life is about though. It is about discovering your weaknesses and faults and deciphering ways to use those to improve. There is always room for improvement, no matter how perfect any one human being thinks they are. One of my favorite things about life are imperfections. Case in point:

I love when my little crafts break and I have to fix them. I love when i see children with chocolate on their faces and dirt on their clothes. I love bargain shopping and wearing things that most people would not be caught dead in. I love when my customers laugh after I spill a huge maragarita all over a new dress(...not like this has happened before...okay, well maybe it has :) ) I love seeing a wilted flower and wondering how beautiful it once was. I love old elderly couples that wear their pants up to their chests and hold hands...having shared a wonderful life together. i love loud, obnoxious laughs, even if they are annoying. it is what makes us unique. As much as I hate the injustices in the world, at the same time, it has created a fire inside of me that cannot be put out. I want to talk about this in a later blog but for right now I will just say this: God has created every single one of us for a purpose. He has assembled our backbag and put inside of it the materials we need to be successful. FIND them and USE them. By using them, we glorify his name. I am discovering the materials he has cleverly and individually placed inside my backpack. the imperfect thing about this situation is I do not know what all he has granted me just yet....the perfect thing is...this trip is only going to help me in discovering these things...


Don't Just Go...LEAD!


Joshua 1:9