| In the Beginning |

When I first started YMAD it was a last minute thing. Tim came over and said he was going on this humanitarian mission and they were short on boys and I should consider looking into it. When I first had my interview I found out that I was going to have to miss an important camp and potentially change my senior year of football. Well football came and went and I was still apart of YMAD. As I went through the year I didn’t really hang out with other kids in my expedition because I felt like I couldn’t relate to them. I was apart of YMAD just enough to be apart of it, no more. As I’ve been here I realize that I like the kids in my expedition and the kids I have the pleasure of teaching way more than I could have ever expected. The kids here are amazing and it’s gonna be pretty hard for me on Tuesday when I have to say goodbye for possibly forever. However, when I leave, I’ll leave knowing that I have put everything I can into these lessons. I can’t be sad that I haven’t done enough for them, because I haven’t left anything out. On a lighter note, I’m having a ton of fun at and away from the school, rooming with Chandler and Dan is always a treat and india is so beautiful, I think I’ll be more upset that I’m leaving the the mountainous area than excited that I’m going to the Taj. But having fun all the same. I know Im sort of jumping around, but I just wanna share the story of my home boy Dimple. So the first day at our school, we see this shy little boy in striped pants instead of his normal school uniform, has the funniest little smile and just stood out to everyone. Later on in the day Kayley happens to notice (to her surprise) Dimple has a hole in his pants, right in his crotch area. That became the joke of the night and Tuesday comes and goes and wednesday morning Dimple is no where to be seen, so we continue our lessons and after lunch while we are playing with the kids I see dimple just chillin on the hill. Except instead of his usual attire, he’s dressed to the nines in a sweater, slacks, and polo. I was so happy to see him I didn’t notice his clothes at first, after playing I carry him back to the school where our amazing translator tells me that he actually doesn’t go to our school, but the private school toward the main area of the village and he gets out of school around our lunch time. The only reason he was at our school on monday and tuesday was because of the holiday and he didn’t have school. I was excited to see him either way and have spent all the time I can with his cute little 2 foot self. Anyway I should probably stop now, but I just love the shiz out of him and cant’t wait til Monday to see him again.

with love,

Jordan

p.s.  I STILL NEED TO ADD PICTURES