So while I've been busy getting all deep on you guys with my blog posts these last few weeks I've neglected to resurface and just keep you all posted on daily happenings and trip-planning updates. So... here goes...
Internship placement in India: I'm pretty sure I couldn't be more pumped about this job. It was not at all what I expected but it seems like it could be a really great fit for me! I'll be working at a non-profit human rights organization that primarily focuses on issues surrounding child labor. I'll be conducting a program evaluation on a bridge program that they have where they take children out of labor environments and place them in schools where they receive formal education and counseling services. My job is ultimately to do consulting work... I'll be conducting needs assessments for the teachers/counselors while analyzing and evaluating the program, structure of the organization, and community resources. Finally I'll be able to make recommendations for ways to improve the working conditions for the teachers/counselors and thus better deliver services to these children. Child labor is not an issue I know much about so I'm anticipating an eye opening, emotional, and thought-provoking experience with this job. I feel very well qualified to do this with my experience and degrees. Plus, I pretty much taught undergrads how to do this for the last 2 years so this job placement is really opening the door for me to apply my academic skill sets. Pretty sweeeeeeet... :D
Week in Nashville: I just spent these past 5 days in Nashville and had such an AMAZING time!! I really truly love my life there so much! It's so well-balanced: I've got hilarious, fabulous, and dedicated friends, I've got mentors who feel like family to me, I've got my favorite yoga studios, running routes, dance classes and restaurants, I've got my professional and academic connections at Vanderbilt and in the community, I've got the beautiful weather, I had an amazing apartment and living situation there... I mean... I could definitely see myself moving back there at some point. Ahhhh :) Anyway, a few highlights from the visit:
- Stopping by VIBE practice. My little baby (VIBE) is all grown up :) It was so much fun to be able to walk into the practice and see that all the visions I had for the organization have upheld (i.e. maintaining it's appreciation for cultural diversity, being highly selective of its members based on character and talent, etc.). That was just so incredibly rewarding :D
- Spending Saturday with a stomach ache from laughing so hard the entire day... Monday night dinner with other friends and highly inappropriate conversation topped it off.
- Visiting NDC and getting such a warm welcome from friends and instructors. So nice to be back :)
- Yoga with 2 of my favorite instructors in the world. What a gift...
- Dinner with my adoptive Nashville families. Even bigger gifts...
Aaaaannnndddd that's about all. Overall it was just such a phenomenal 5 days, far too much fun, and I look forward to getting back there at some point next year. Big thanks to friends reading this post who shared this vacation with me!!
All my love,
Abby
P.S. As you'll see by the title of this post, after 7 years I've finally caved and decided to invite "ya'll" into my official vocabulary. I held out long enough but the word is just too useful to keep avoiding... it's the end of an era :)
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