Welcome!!!!

Hey Everyone!!!! Thanks for checking out my new South African Adventure Blog!!!!

I'm so unbelievably excited to say that I have been recommended the internship that I was dying to get! I am working with a company called VA Corps (www.vacorps.com) who provides internships to undergrads and recent grads in Cape Town, South Africa. My internship will be at the Imizamo Yethu Community Medical Clinic, located in (well, just outside) Cape Town, South Africa!!!!!!!!!!!

I will be working with an underprivileged community and according to the website, my "major responsibilities for this internship include processing patients, family planning and administering injections. Interns will also work in an observation role with the HIV nurse and will assist the other staff nurses with a variety of tasks. Once a week interns will have the opportunity to assist the pre-natal nurses who visit the clinic."

This is going to be a great opportunity to get some medical and nursing experience before I go to school for it. It is experience that I would NEVER be able to get in the United States because I am not yet trained for some of it. I also can't wait to visit another country as much more than a tourist. At this point in my life I feel that I can do anything! I have nothing holding me back or tying me down. This is the time for an experience like South Africa... Im in a transition period and before I settle down, I want to make sure nursing is truly what I want to do!

Departure time is set for late August and I plan on returning mid December. Hopefully my friend Braie will be coming with me! She is still trying to get a site for her internship!!!! Yay!

My first step is to pay my deposit.... That will be done within the next couple of days (Ugh Paypal!). After that, the wonderful program directors will send someone to the site to confirm the internship. Next comes the super fun part! Raising $money$

This is such an amazing opportunity. I feel so privileged and humbled to be able to do this. I only have one thing standing in my way... of course the bane of my existence-- money. I am starting this blog to first of all, raise some money and second, to tell you all about my experience while I am there! If you would like to make a donation, I will be setting up a site soon--probably using Paypal. I also have a jar at Park East, or you can always mail it to me!!!! Working for free and working in a 3rd world country has always been a dream... and now it is a reality! Thank you for your help!

"$5 from 2000 people is all I need!"

12 Malibu Ct.
Pueblo, CO 81005

Thank you all for your support!

Love,

Lindsay Riggio

PS Thanks again Myra for my first $5 donation!!!!! Yay!!!!