Who am I?
My name is Deztinee Geiger; I am 16 years old and have recently been accepted to travel with CIEE Study Abroad to Legon, Ghana. CIEE’s main objective is to motivate children to join the educational system by allowing participants such as myself to engage in play, lessons, and build one on one relationships.
What is my objective in Ghana?
My objective is far beyond that. I hope to view what the US would call a “third world country,” as a luxurious place of beauty with an enriching perspective of life. I am not just going to tell children to go to school, I am going to Ghana to hear their stories. The stories of struggles and blessings that only children of Ghana, of Africa can experience. I hope to trade inspiration, trade love, and trade wisdom.
How will funds help me reach Ghana?
Fortunately, I was granted the Global Navigator Scholarship, which covers all costs except airfare, vaccines, immunizations, and visas. This is where I need help, prices soar to $2000 per round trip flight, vaccines and immunizations such as Malaria treatment and Yellow Fever are on average $150 each. These costs exclude the other 10 up to date vaccines I will still need to stay safe. Visas cost $117 since I do not live near the Ghana consulate and have to create my visa through Travisa. As prices for each of these four requirements soar the closer I get to my departure date, I need to raise these funds by June 20, 2016.
Why is this important to me?
Studying abroad, and specifically studying in Africa, is important to me because I believe in appreciating another culture. I believe that the differences will allow me to question my own values, question myself, and allow me to grow as a person. Furthermore, here in the US, and in “first world countries,” we are taught to pity and feel bad for places like Africa because they don’t have the resources we do. We choose to pity and not value, meaning we choose to sympathize and not empathize. We choose to see but not act. My mom always told me, "When you feel bad for something or someone, you don’t value them or their potential. You don’t have faith that they can be any better than they are." I refuse to believe that. There is untaught history of the greatness of Africa that is hidden under the serrated lessons we blindly receive. It is my personal obligation to expose myself to all of that. Only then can I become part of the movement for all underappreciated and exploited countries around the world. To take back control over resources, end famine, end deaths due to infectious diseases that are curable but unaffordable, end thirst for clean water. To end the exploitation of Africa that still exists.
My name is Deztinee Geiger; I am 16 years old and have recently been accepted to travel with CIEE Study Abroad to Legon, Ghana. CIEE’s main objective is to motivate children to join the educational system by allowing participants such as myself to engage in play, lessons, and build one on one relationships.
What is my objective in Ghana?
My objective is far beyond that. I hope to view what the US would call a “third world country,” as a luxurious place of beauty with an enriching perspective of life. I am not just going to tell children to go to school, I am going to Ghana to hear their stories. The stories of struggles and blessings that only children of Ghana, of Africa can experience. I hope to trade inspiration, trade love, and trade wisdom.
How will funds help me reach Ghana?
Fortunately, I was granted the Global Navigator Scholarship, which covers all costs except airfare, vaccines, immunizations, and visas. This is where I need help, prices soar to $2000 per round trip flight, vaccines and immunizations such as Malaria treatment and Yellow Fever are on average $150 each. These costs exclude the other 10 up to date vaccines I will still need to stay safe. Visas cost $117 since I do not live near the Ghana consulate and have to create my visa through Travisa. As prices for each of these four requirements soar the closer I get to my departure date, I need to raise these funds by June 20, 2016.
Why is this important to me?
Studying abroad, and specifically studying in Africa, is important to me because I believe in appreciating another culture. I believe that the differences will allow me to question my own values, question myself, and allow me to grow as a person. Furthermore, here in the US, and in “first world countries,” we are taught to pity and feel bad for places like Africa because they don’t have the resources we do. We choose to pity and not value, meaning we choose to sympathize and not empathize. We choose to see but not act. My mom always told me, "When you feel bad for something or someone, you don’t value them or their potential. You don’t have faith that they can be any better than they are." I refuse to believe that. There is untaught history of the greatness of Africa that is hidden under the serrated lessons we blindly receive. It is my personal obligation to expose myself to all of that. Only then can I become part of the movement for all underappreciated and exploited countries around the world. To take back control over resources, end famine, end deaths due to infectious diseases that are curable but unaffordable, end thirst for clean water. To end the exploitation of Africa that still exists.
Organizer and beneficiary
Aida Flores
Beneficiary