Have you ever been attacked by a zombie?

Hello All! Greetings from me, a zombie. I have been sitting in my room for entirely too long trying to construct this massive research proposal for one of my classes. I never understood the concept of finals. Why is it we work so hard reading, writing, and learning all semester and just when were ALMOST done our professors throw finals on us. Anyways, my proposal is pretty cool.

I'm focusing the 'research' on Khayelitsha, the township I lived in while in South Africa. It's been a good experience looking back through my pictures and remembering the social and physical construction of that kick ass place. I knew living in poverty would impact me up to a few months after I got home, but I didn't know it would forever change my life. I left naive, little Kaitlin at the airport in Phoenix back in 2009, never to be seen again.

So, knowing I have this interview in two weeks, I have been conducting small interviews with myself in the shower. I know, I know, it sounds absolutely nuts. But I enjoy talking to myself anyways, I figure I might as well put my oddness to use. So, while exploring my memories of Khayelitsha and trying to interview myself, I discovered the inspiration for the reason I want to join Peace Corps.

As I stated earlier, Khayelitsha changed my life. It changed the way I view people, it taught me to be grateful for air conditioning, heat, even running water. Now, I was lucky in Khayelitsha to have access to water. But at my educare, Imizamo Yethu, running water was completely absent. In order to get water you would have to walk down the street to a well. Bathrooms were all public. Wow sorry I am totally ranting.

Anyways, Khayelitsha made an impact on me, but I had no impact on it. Yeah, I helped care for kids, developed relationships, danced, laughed, ate, and was considered a family member which are all impermanent. But I feel like when I left Khayelitsha, ultimately, it was same as when I entered. With the Peace Corps, I will be able to make an impact, a permanent impact. So I know when I leave, the place where I was will be forever changed. What an opportunity huh?