2012

The first half of my Princeton in Africa Fellowship simply flew by. I’d like to think I have made the most of my time here in Kampala, Uganda thus far. I made brilliant new friends, traveled throughout the country and worked on inspiring infrastructure projects. For the holidays, I spent around three weeks back in the States. This gave me the opportunity to reflect on the first half of my fellowship and set new goals for myself in 2012. I’d like to share three of these with you:

Write Consistently

I’ve always had a mixed relationship with blogging. I pick up steam for a few weeks and then feel life pulling me in a hundred different directions. I don’t always feel the incentive to write when I could put in an extra hour of work, read a book or relax with good friends. However, writing is important. Currently I’m reading Team of Rivals, a biography of Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet. One of the things I’ve found absolutely fascinating is the amount of primary resources Doris Kearns Goodwin had at her disposal to paint an accurate picture of President Lincoln for her readers. People wrote daily letters to loved ones. Politicians gave five hour speeches, arguing their positions on different issues.

In 2012, everyone, not just presidents, has the opportunity to share their thoughts with the world through the internet. In the future, I’d like to be able to click the Africa tag of my blog and be able to remember exactly how I was feeling at any given moment during my fellowship. I want to be able to share my life with my kids one day, or anyone else who cares enough to read. I’d be missing a huge opportunity if I didn’t write.  

Get Fit

The most stereotypical new year’s resolution of them all… However, it’s a perfect storm for me. They gym I go to in Kampala is relatively expensive by African standards, but luckily I’m able to afford it. I have plenty of time on my hands and a good group of friends that will join me whenever I want.

Most importantly, I have a goal. The first week of my March I’ll be trekking to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro with about ten other Princeton in Africa Fellows. I’m super excited, but pretty anxious as well. Getting in shape will help me maximize my chance of making it up to the top.

Be Present

My life is pretty extraordinary at the moment. I need to keep that in perspective. I’ve always been goal oriented, playing life as a game of chess: weighing out multiple alternatives and trying to think several moves in advance to achieve my goals. I’ve found myself already thinking about what I’m going to do once my fellowship ends in July. I scour the web for job postings and have done a lot of reflection about my career lately. It seems by July another life changing decision must be made. 

However, spending too much time thinking about the future will cause me to miss out on the present. Africa is too beautiful, has too much potential, to let it slip away. 

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