Wingapo friends!
Today, I finished the medical side of preparation. I am officially the most expensive thing I own and come with a vaccination record better than my college GPA (not sure how I feel about that). The medical side alone has been an adventure. Having a mother who is a nurse, and having spent a brief amount of time in a hospital in another country, I strongly believe in covering the health side of travel. Still cheaper than paying a hospital bill.
I think that I must have talked to every medical professional in Cobb County about what and why I am doing this. Throughout these conversations, there was one salient theme: I can’t believe you care. At my physical, the doctor was so overwhelmed that she hugged me (which I assure was a shocking break from her very professional persona) and informed me that she didn’t think people like me existed anymore.
While I am flattered, I am distressed. I am not an endangered species; I’m not a special little flower, and I am most certainly not the last of “my kind.” I’ve never heard anything so absurd. I can point you to 37 other people who care enough to go on this trip with me. Three of these teams depart a month, with about the same number of participants. This is just one mission opportunity of one organization in one country. I could direct you to countless cast members at Disney who woke up for the sole purpose of creating magic for people. Or over 50 people who care enough to send missionaries. Or my professors, all of whom spent not just a little extra time inspiring students to learn and to make use of what they learn. Then there are those who have gone overseas to provide medical relief, legal aid, educational opportunities, etc. The world is full of people who want and do help.
I am upset to think that so many people believe that we as a collective are apathetic. It can be discouraging, but I am learning that the more I care about others, the more others care for each other. Positive peer pressure and all that jazz.
