Dream Like New York

Introductions and new beginnings are always awkward. How does a person explain and describe themselves briefly? What are the most important parts of a person's life? What would a stranger find most interesting? I always find introductions especially excruciating because of the important details we try to hide from one another until a time when they are deemed more appropriate.

This blog is supposed to be about my experiences in Cape Town. I'm studying abroad there from the end of January until June. Most people who will read this know me well and are just looking for updates. But on the off chance that a stranger is reading this, I will attempt to explain who I am and why I'm doing this.

My name is Brittany Haga. I am the only child of a single mother and I (along with every member of my family) was born and raised in rural central Nebraska. Through a series of events and circumstances, I developed the desire to leave a town where everybody knows everyone and their cousin. I craved a world unlike the one I knew. And I got it. After graduating from high school, I went to Washington, DC to study international studies at American University.

Now all of my rambling about dreaming of the big city and a new kind of life doesn't mean that I left home without looking back. I look back rather frequently. My family (Mom, Nan and Papa, aunts, uncles, and cousins) has done a lot for me and I think they're happy that I was able to accomplish what I wanted. But living in DC makes me miss things- babies growing up, illnesses, and major life events. I do regret not being there or being too far away to do anything about what's going on. Each time I come home I generally spend a couple fast and furious weeks with roughly 5 friends from high school that are still a part of my daily life despite the distance. They are almost harder to leave than family. Relatives have no choice but to see each other, but so much can happen between friends.

Despite many confused looks from loved ones, this new adventure is really happening. Studying abroad is a very important experience at AU. Each member of my school "fam damily" (as Heather calls it) is also studying abroad. Auria is in Rome. Heather is in COpenhagen. Megan is in Dakar. and Monica is in Edinburgh. I"m going to Cape Town. FOr my degree, I will be focusing regionally on Africa (hence the studying abroad in Cape Town.) I find the region fascinating. Every person in the world is a descendant of an African, yet the region is considerably undeveloped. My interests in the area include the development of impoverished areas ( like Kibera- a huge slum outside of Nairobi), human rights abuses, and health concerns.

One of the other major reasons for this blog is that I hope to encourage other young people to reach for new experieences. It is impossible for me to count the number of kids from my neighborhood who have said that they couldn't do the same kind of things I'm doing. I'll admit it's rare- I know 2 or 3 other kids from my town who went to college out of state and have gone abraod. If you're scared- get over it. If you think you can't afford it- trust me, there are ways to make it happen.

I'm a pretty philosophical eprson so I imagine some of this blog will be about what I"m learning and how it is affecting me. But I also hope that this will be a fun place for me to share pictures and cute anecdotes.

In the end, I think life is all about if you did what you hoped to do in the right way. Dreams are so important. Just because yours aren't exactly like everyone else's doesn't make them wrong. Believe in them and accomplish them. Here I go. Onward to Cape Town for five months with 43 pounds of stuff.

So that was my awkward introduction.

I love you, Mommy.