Over the last few months, I have been trying to determine my next career step and I applied to many jobs in DC, Boston, and internationally, mostly focused in the political, research, and non-profit fields. In May, my parents sent me a link to an organization called Pencils of Promise because they were impressed by the founder’s tenacity and they knew I would love their mission, building schools in developing countries. Since I was already looking at jobs, I decided to see if they had anything available, and low and behold they did! I submitted my application, and it was the easiest application I submitted - not because of their requirements, but because it was easy to show my interest with my past experiences in international development and youth education. My enthusiasm must have shown, because I was asked for an interview.
After a few agonizing weeks through the application process and long discussions with my family, I was offered the position and I took it! It has been a dream of mine to work in a developing country, and I finally decided to take the plunge.
I am headed to the city of Luang Prabang on August 7th and will be there for the next 6 months as part of the Operations Team. Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage site with French influence, but still a hub of traditional Lao architecture and culture. Below is the wikitravel site for Luange Prabang that has breathtaking pictures and a good overview of the history and sites in the area.
Despite how excited I am for this new opportunity, it wasn’t an easy decision to leave the company that I’ve been at for three years, no longer work with some of my best friends and amazing mentors, and not see my family and friends for six months. My former co-workers, family, and friends have been so supportive, they have reinforced my decision and keep making me more and more excited about the future. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system.
As I will most likely not be using my phone in Laos, and I’m not sure how reliable wi-fi will be, I wanted to start a blog to keep all of my family and friends in the know of my adventures, both postive and challenging. My goal is to provide a weekly post once I am in Laos, but until then, wish me luck!
Pencils of Promise Background:
To provide more information about Pencils of Promise, PoP was founded just a few years ago by a young professional, Adam Braun, in NY. When travelling in Asia during college he had asked a young boy begging what he wanted, and he answered “a pencil”. That moment inspired Adam to begin an organization that would not only build schools in developing countries, but also to make sure that 1) all donations from individuals go right to the schools and education programs so individuals can have a direct impact, and 2) the schools are not only built, but are monitored and evaluated so that the students and teachers can succeed. The PoP team can tell the story a lot better than I can though, so here is the website to browse on your own time.
Hi Caroline,
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool. I am so impressed and this blog will be great to keep in touch with you and find out all about what you are doing. Love you.
Mary Ellen