The main inspiration behind the theme of this blog (Life:Undecided) is that, as a sophomore with all course work complete, I still have yet to decide on a major or career path.

Up to this point, my progression of major changes have almost brought me full circle.

Biology (Nurse) —> Journalism (writer) —> Undeclared—> Social Work (social worker) —> Health Promotion (whatever a health promoter might do) —> Psychology (Just to get into a health promo class) —> Psychology (Counselor?)—> Undeclared.

My newest interest was sparked a few weeks ago when I was reporting on an event put on by Invisible Children. I was searching through their website to check facts for my Journalism story and found myself wandering through the Volunteer/Job Opportunity pages..for my story of course..

There was an opening for a 6 month internship in Uganda as a Communications Assistant.

The job duties include:

• Assist with the writing and editing of monthly and quarterly newsletters.
• Design, using Photoshop or InDesign, the layout of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Edit out-going writing from IC’s Communications Office.
• Help compile IC press releases and information packets.
• Photograph programs and events.
• Interview IC program beneficiaries in the field and gather stories for in-office writing.
• Create daily and weekly content for IC’s blog.
• Help lead office tours for visitors.
• Assist in planning local IC events.
• Monitor Invisible Children’s media coverage by saving local newspaper articles that relate to IC’s work in Uganda.

I was halfway through filling out the application before realizing that I don’t nearly meet the experience or education qualifications for the job. Not to mention that I’m enrolled in school for the next 6 months.

Regardless, the job followed my thoughts around for days even after I had turned in my story.

I once said that my dream job was to find areas of the world that don’t get help because nobody knows about the need and tell people about them. Areas of the world like Kenya receive groups upon groups of missionaries because they become trends. It becomes the “thing” to go help out there. Haiti. Japan. Those that become a major focus of the news tend to get the aid they need. But other countries need that aid too, even if they didn’t get hit by an earthquake or tsunami.

My first published article was a surprise even to me. Much to my horror, my dad took the liberty of including one of my blog posts about my experience Kenya in his weekly column. I received many comments that the post was enlightening and inspiring. While they made me feel slightly less embarassed by what I considered a poorly written post, I discovered a new dream that day that I never realized before: inspiring others. So much good is happening in this world, both across the globe and in our own backyards, that we never hear about. We only hear about the war and the murders and the politics. Miracles like the one I reported in Kenya that day happen every day and no one ever knows about it.

So I started looking into the major that would put me in position to do the duties that this Invisible Children internship would have required of me and that would enable me to inspire others.

And here you have it.  I am interested in design and photography and writing and events. My major of the week is Public Relations.