Feeling incredibly lucky...

The more conversations I have with my girls, the more I realize how fortunate I am. If the grapes burn or if there is a bad year in the wine industry, my family will still be fine. Right now there is a drought in the countryside in Cambodia and the rice plants are dying. Many of the Harpswell girls are worried about whether their families will be okay for the next year. We don't have to worry about where our next meal is coming from or whether we will even have our next meal. It was assumed that I would attend primary and secondary school because it's compulsory and free in the United States. I was not only prepared for university but I could also afford to attend because my parents gave me the incredible gift of paying for it. I was also able to secure an internship which paid for my fourth year of college. I knew I could get a job with the degree I have and that I could both pay all of my expenses and save enough for this trip with that job. I may not have liked certain aspects of it, but it was incredibly easy compared to 95% of the jobs in Cambodia.

I can choose whether to marry, who to marry and, if I am truly unhappy, I can divorce without being despised by my family and friends. If I divorce and have children, the judge will will likely give joint custody instead of awarding the children just to the father. If I am married to someone who abuses me, I can get out of the marriage and seek help from the police, who will protect me.

I don't have to worry about corruption affecting my every day life. I know it happens at the highest levels of government in the US, as it does in every country, but I don't have to worry about paying off my teachers, the police, to secure a good job or for protection for my family. I have a say in what happens in the government and I know that if I wanted to be president, that could eventually be a possibility.

None of my family members have ever been brutally murdered. Yes, some of them have died too soon because of cancer, but I've never lost someone to a genocide or murder. I don't know real fear because I've never experienced it (knock on wood) and it is unlikely that I will.

I have every opportunity to be what I want to be, to have the career I choose, and a family, if I choose to take that path. I know I will never be discriminated against for the color of my skin or the gender I was assigned in utero. No one is going to tell me that I am not as good as a boy or a man and I won't be looked down upon just because I am a woman. My biggest worry is how to transport my cats to the location where I will next live after this trip.

One of the biggest reasons why I decided to undertake the volunteer aspects of my trip is because I've always felt that I was born a very lucky person. I don't know why some people are born into situations like mine and others are born into abject poverty. I've had almost 28 years of being incredibly lucky, now it's my time to give some of my luck to other people so they can have some incredible years too.