We Are The Future

Thunder Bay, ON -- When I drive through Thunder Bay, not much has happened in the last seven months. There is the new Brick store, the new bank, Green Earth in the mall and the Metro on Arthur, but it’s all the same. It feels the same as it did when I left in September, the only difference is, I am a completely different person. I have been in Africa for seven months. Six of those months I spent in Kenya and my last month I traveled to Uganda, Rwanda and Zanzibar. I can’t believe it has been seven months. I was basically away for a whole university year and I feel like I learned so much more than an average university student. I spent the same amount of money and got to travel a completely different world. Before I left, I could never understand how people could call “Africa” a different world, but after being there, I completely understand why. I learned so much about the culture and the people in Kenya, which helped me while I was travelling alone. I learned the language which was surprising to many of the local people. The children were the most surprised because I could understand them in the classroom. I could also use this in Uganda and Rwanda because usually I would meet the people who spoke both Swahili and the other local languages. My favourite thing I learned while being away, was: ‘Everything happens for a reason’. I learned this while backpacking through east Africa, not having any plans except to see the gorillas in Rwanda. I would talk to the local people and ask them which bus to take, where to stay and where is good local food. Everything that I did worked out, and if it didn’t I would keep a positive attitude and do something else. My plans changed according to the environment I was in. Yes it was scary being 18 and traveling in the developing world, and I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but I had an awesome time. I have been asked many questions about my time in Africa, but my favourite one is; ‘What did you miss the most?’ I missed little things like real food, tap water, and the security you get living in the developed world, but really I missed my family the most. I have a completely different attitude towards them. I cannot listen to the fighting and complaining my siblings do, I simply can’t handle it because I have seen much worse. I also show my parents how much I love them and how thankful I am of the support they have given me. Working with orphaned children made me realize how lucky I am to have both my parents. The way they all stick together and form one big family is amazing and I am so thankful they let me be a part of their family. I will always have a family in Kenya now with 200 siblings and 8 new mothers. I can never forget my past experience and hopefully it will help me in the future. As for my future, I have many plans and ideas. I am currently trying to arrange presentations in the Thunder Bay high schools, because there are people out there like me who want to do what I did but do not know how to do it or where to start. My goal is to motivate as many people as possible because people need to get up off the couch and do something, it is completely worth it. I did and it has shown me a new path to follow. I also plan to write a book about how I did everything to reach out to more youth around the world, and help them achieve their dreams, because we are the future. Kaitlyn Hynd Founder of Kaitlyn’s Crayons Special to NetNewsledger.com courtesy of Kaitlyn Hynd Here are links to previous reports from Kaitlyn and her adventures: Its Only the Beginning (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=1717 Itemid=26) “Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do Something” (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=1452 Itemid=26) Kaitlyn’s Crayons One Girl With One Big Dream (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=1392 Itemid=26) Visit Kaitlyn's Crayons on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38255846592 ref=ts)