It's been a little while, things have been crazy the last month since I got back from spring break road trip, SF visit, and time with grandma in Kansas. I got back and had 3 weeks of finals immediately. I don't know what I was thinking, but I took six classes this module (7 week period)- International and National Youth Perspectives on Policy and Programs, Monitoring and Evaluation, Fundraising and Development, a class at Boston University Analysis of International Education Policy and Programs, Integrated Conservation and Development, and Rights of the Child. I really enjoyed taking youth and education courses this semester as this is my focus in development.
So the first week of finals, it was pretty much all class presentations and classes and then the second week we were working on finals and meeting with all our groups for final class projects and the third week I finished up my two research finals and turned everything in. The last week of finals, on Friday the 13th we had a Luau at my friend Julie's house and everyone from our school Heller came and it was a great final goodbye. Then that weekend I went to Falmouth with my coworkers at the Office of Experiential Learning at Brandeis. Then the last two weeks I have been catching up on life- ordering contacts, fixing my watch, actually going to the grocery store and cooking, and organizing my life!! Things I haven't really been able to do in the last nine months!
I have been biking around with Kristina my roommate and best friend here, and we have been exploring out neighborhood- the South End, and gone to markets, visited Jamaica Plain, walked all around and been to the harpoon fest, sam adams brewery and just enjoyed time off while looking for a summer job. So instead of being an intern for a development organization this summer and not getting paid, I am taking a little break and will be nannying part time for a one year old boy in Cambridge for 2 Harvard professors. The baby's name is Rafa and he is pretty adorable- not walking yet and still on baby food, so hopefully it wont be too hot this summer with him on my hip.
I still have work to do this summer for school. I have to write a 6 page comprhensive practicum plan detailing what I am going to write for my masters thesis next year. This means I have to choose what I will actually be doing. It is between working with an organization called CODENI in Gudalajara, Mexico with evaluating education programs for children in street situations for six months, or taking a Global Gap Year Trip Leader Position with Thinking Beyond Borders and traveling to 7 different countries for 9 months with 16 17-20 year olds to study developing issues. Hard choice....I will keep you posted!!