Checking My Assumptions at the Door

I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I made several assumptions about what I thought I would experience this weekend and the people I would meet at the Rotary Outbound Seminar in Tampa. I pictured a dry conference about paperwork and our responsibilities as Ambassadors of Goodwill. I envisaged scholars who, while intelligent and motivated, would be somewhat socially awkward. I was wrong on all accounts!

The conference, while obviously touching upon our many responsibilities as scholars, was actually unbelievably inspiring. Hearing one of the Rotarians talk about his experience witnessing shacks in the Bahamas converted into homes with running water and functioning septic tanks captivated me. I was thrilled to hear him express that our community service should always center around the receivers' needs, not that givers' desires. At another session I was reminded that each year Rotary Districts around the world choose to invest their precious resources into funding these scholarship - a trade-off from other similarly worthwhile initiatives such as additional polio vaccinations or new literacy programs. The Foundation pours millions of dollars into its local youth programs because it believes that the return on its investment will be worthwhile. I now recognize that I will never be able to re-pay the Foundation for the opportunity it afforded me and therefore the only means of showing my deep gratitude is by maximizing my time abroad and my relationships with Rotarians and fellow scholars.


At the same time, I also made assumptions about the people I would meet at the conference. I imagined them to be very "squarish," as we say in Hebrew, and socially awkward. Instead I was blown away by the calibre of these individuals and our collective group. Our scholars included a young woman who began college at 15, a guy working for a lobby group promoting reproductive right, a multi-linguist, a poet, and so much more. These people were dynamic, motivated, interesting and FUN. We actually went out until 3 a.m. on Saturday night and still managed to have smiles on our faces the next morning after only 3 hours of sleep. I pre-judged this group but thankfully I was totally off the mark. Undoubtedly they will be doing incredible work next year in places like Tanzania, Spain, Argentina, India and yes, England. This is my small way of apologizing to them for my assumptions.

Simultaneously, I should be thankful for this "mistake" of mine as it reminded me that when I head abroad - and represent the Rotary Foundation, my country, the chapter and myself - I need to leave my assumptions behind. I must embrace this experience with a clear head and an open heart so as to not miss any opportunities along the way. I am thankful for the reminder fellow scholars!

Say Bye-Bye

This past week has been a roller coaster as I prepare to leave Israel and say good-bye to friends and loved ones. My A-type personality created a to-do list a kilometer long with daily reminders built into my calendar. I ran around closing my bank account, selling furniture, shipping belongings to both London and Minneapolis and soaking in Israel as much as possible before I cease to call it home. I know in due time I will feel excitement about my next adventure in London, but right now all I feel is sadness for the chapter in my life that is coming to an end. I have been here to two years, built a life beyond what I ever imagined and was reminded on a daily basis why I love this country, which is so at the core of my being. And I recognize that by embarking on one path, I ostensibly miss out on another. I will miss my niece's second birthday this upcoming October. I will miss relaxing shabbat dinners with my family and hectic Friday morning trips to the shuk for the upcoming week's fruits and vegetables. I will miss humid Tel Aviv days spent at the beach and crisp nights in Jerusalem's hills. Hopefully within this disconsolateness, I will find comfort in knowing that Israel will be home once again... someday.

Rotary Scholarship

I have known for quite some time that I would want to pursue my graduate degree at an international institution. While I found my American education to be of high caliber and think that GW provided me with unique growth opportunities, my perspective would be very skewed if I continued in the field of international relations but limited myself to experiences and information filtered through the US, its media and institutions. Americans, while representing the gamete of beliefs and ideologies, are still deeply influenced by their "American-ness". That is preciously why I decided to study abroad in Cuba my junior year, which never fails to amaze/shock/horrify others when I tell them. It was one of the most interesting experiences of my life because for so long I had only learned about the American-Cuban conflict from one perspective. I left Havana with a deeper belief in the need for questioning ideas and events and not settling for information at face value.

I was attracted to the London School of Economics specifically because of its reputation as an international institution- resting in the heart of London and representing students from every corner of the earth; I knew my perspectives and belief system would be challenged there, potentially to the points of discomfort at times. I am eager to begin my graduate degree in Development Studies this upcoming fall and be back in an academic setting, studying, debating ideas and in my case, pulling all-nighters writing papers, which has been known to happen on several occasions at GW.

I feel equally as fortunate that I will be pursuing my degree with the support of the Rotary Foundation through its Ambassadorial Scholarship. Rotary International was founded in 1905 to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty. I love the organization's motto, "They profit most who serve best". The obvious takeaway from it is how much we ourselves benefit from serving others. However it is the second part that caught my attention- it isn't about serving "the most" or "the longest" but about serving "the best"- meaning serving effectively and in a manner that meets the recipient of this service at his/her needs. This lesson was one which I deeply learned this year while working in Israel and Australia to help entrepreneurs bring the Teach For America model to their country. I had to remind myself at various junctures that my role is about meeting them at their needs and helping them effectively adapt the program to the realities of the local context. The Rotary Foundation too enables its member to provide service in a strategic and streamlined way so that they can best meet the needs of the local communities they serve. I have been so impressed with the work of the Rotary Foundation and the commitment of its members thus far. I hope to spend quality time this summer getting to know the members of my sponsoring chapter, Hopkins District 5950. In the fall I will meet my fellow scholars at the Rotary LINK weekend in Leicester, England.

For more information on Rotary, please visit http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/TheRotaryFoundation/Pages/ridefault.aspx.