Question: Who are you?

Oh, how I struggle to answer this short, but very challenging question. My name is Julia. To say I wear my heart on my sleeve would be an understatement. You already have it. I love love, life, children, reading, art, photography, music, playing, good food, learning, singing, dancing, exploring, making new friends and keeping the old, my family, and the constant joys and challenges of trying to live a peaceful and God-glorifying life. I’m really sensitive and emotional and paranoid, but people usually still manage to like me anyway.

Question: What are you doing now?

I am back at school and spending the rest of my time working on a few projects. I just finished a book, Under the African Sky. Ten years ago I picked up a fiction novel about a girl who traveled to Africa (Journey of Hope), and the book changed my life. I started going on various missions trips that same summer, and found myself traveling to Central and Latin America and Africa. When I returned home from Kenya in 2008, I went looking for non-fiction books about young women following their dreams and getting involved in the world and I couldn’t find any!  So, with encouragement from friends, I decided to share my own journal. The saying goes that a picture says a thousand words, and I’m not really a writer, so the book has a lot of pictures. You can order a copy here, read more about it here, or download a copy for free here! Although I was a student a NYU designing my own major focusing on poverty, community health, and social change through media and the arts, I recently transferred to College of the Atlantic where I am studying Human Ecology.

Question: When are you going back to Africa?

As soon as I can. In the meantime, I’m trying to learn as much as I can about photography, writing, public health, social change through storytelling, art, media, and technology, maternal child health and nutrition, sustainable development and creative art therapy. I may do an internship there this summer.

Question: Why help Africa (or anyone else) when there are so many who need help in our own country? America first.

Quite a few people have asked me this. So many people in America need help. I’m not going into the statistics of how many people live below the poverty line, do not graduate high school, and cannot afford health care, but too many people are not getting the help they need in the US. In some community’s (like the South Bronx), the situation is a crisis. But,

1. Situations abroad are so dire that I can’t compare Africa with the US. In sub-Saharan Africa, one in five children die before reaching the age of five (it might be one in six now). People are suffering and dying from preventable, treatable, and curable diseases. People are suffering and dying from not having access to something as basic as clean water! Yes, there are many problems, but there is so much we can do, in America and abroad. Helping internationally does not necessarily mean focusing less on the United States.
2. Many of Africa’s problems can be traced back to the West’s historic and continued exploitation. The West divided Africa like a piece of cake ignoring systems that were already in place. When designating land into separate territory’s, the West did not take into account anything of importance to the people-  access to water, food, or where tribes had lived for hundreds of years (if not more). I can’t even begin to trace conflicts back to their routes to find the West’s role, but it’s usually there. To be fair, MANY of the problems existed BEFORE the West arrived. In no way am I blaming everything on the West.
3. Globalization has made all of us neighbors. Our sugar might come from slaves working in the Dominican Republic, our paperclips from prisoners in China, our chocolate from Cote d’Ivoire, or our clothes from children working in India. The luxuries we live with often (unknowingly to us) come at others expense.
4. It’s in everyone’s best interest to build up people around the world. Peace can never last in a world where human rights are violated. By ending extreme poverty, we strengthen the entire world.
5. But it really comes down to this: I don’t think of the world in terms of “us” and “them”. By helping them, I’m not ignoring us. Those associations do not have any meaning. We are all brothers and sisters in this world and everyone is equal.

Question: Africa’s problems are unsolvable. Don’t forget that before AIDS there was famine, malaria, and TB. The countries are unstable, ruled by corrupt leaders, and there are always tribal wars going on. The place is a mess. Why do you think this will change now? Why bother?

Do I think we can solve all the worlds problems? Not a chance. Do I think we can make one person’s life better? Sure. Many? Yes. And I think that’s enough.

Question: What kind of career are you thinking about?

While I have no plans, I have so many dreams and ideas including (but not limited to): Working in the Peace Corps or with Doctors without Borders. Teaching in either America or abroad. Doing something with photography/video/journalism/activism. I think it would be awesome to photograph for National Geographic, but I am open to anything. Because my interests are so varied I will probably create something. I would love, love, love to be a doctor/art and music therapist working in refugee camps or a Mama at an orphanage. I also really love getting others involved- so whatever and wherever I end up, I will keep you in the loop and provide a way for everyone to participate. I am currently working towards creating or joining an eco-village devoted to raising orphans. Right now, I am learning about community health and sustainability. I’ll keep you updated .

Question: What does your family think? Aren’t they worried sick? How could they let you go to Africa by yourself?

I’ve been preparing them for a long time, so I don’t think it ever comes as a surprise anymore when I mention a new idea. I was eleven when I first read Journey of Hope and told them I wanted to go work in Africa. Over the years I built up their trust with trips closer to home. Every summer I went a little further away from home. I guess when it comes down to it, they trust and support me. I know everyone misses me when I’m away.

Question: Why did you start a blog?

I made this blog to share stories of my experience in Kenya with family and friends. Summer of 2008, I worked as a visiting staff member for Tenwek Hospital’s Community Health and Development department. Here’s what I did/attempted to do:

1. Recorded footage to make a movie describing TCHD’s work. This movie will be used for raising funds. Funding has all but run out, and TCHD desperately needs support. They reach hundreds of thousands of people every year. (I ended up making a short movie 10 minutes, but nothing worth sending out).
2. Recording music in the local languages (Kipsigis and Swahili). (Let me know if you want a copy!)
3. Working with others to make a new website for the hospital- John Wright, the Fitzwaters and the Gainey’s. This is very important because Tenwek is a leading hospital in Africa but you definitely wouldn’t know it from the current site! (We couldn’t get my website up, but there is a new one that is still being updated, however, they do not have the community health and development information up yet).
4. Visiting with patients, learning Swahili and teaching the staff of TCHD to use computers (they already know how to use them- but more specifically, how to create media stuff).
5. I am paying for the trip with the Feffi Stiassni scholarship, with money I make working and donations from people who want to get involved. (By the time I returned home, the trip had been paid for!)
6. LEARNING A WHOLE LOT!!!! (Yep, I did.)

This picture was taken on the top of Mount Montigo- an hour and half’s walk from Tenwek hospital. One day Megan, Petra, and I climbed to the top. Some kids followed us and were very fascinated with the camera!