Life Choices I Completely Regret - I Want To Drop My Life & Help In Sudan

[matcom]

i should have joined the Peace Corps or something at 18.

instead i am stuck in a cube, in debt, with a house and WAY too much responsibility.

just watched the BBC report on the crisis in the Sudan and it hit me: had i made other more important choices in my early days, i could be going to places like that helping people.

they need so much.

my college thesis was on Brazilian Rainforest Deforestation. could have helped there too.

i can send checks but will go to my grave wishing i could make more of a difference in this world. more of a personal difference.

*sigh*

[Blecht]

1. You would have had to wait a little longer ...

... than 18. Except in rare circumstances where the potential volunteer has extensive life experience in a needed area, you have to be a college grad.

I did the Peace Corps in the Philippines at 29, and there I met people of all ages. Never say never.

[Nay]

2. My sympathies. I'm stuck in a cube too, and have plenty of

regrets like that as well. I am convinced that one main reason we don't have universal health care is that corporations know a lot of us would quit tomorrow and go do something more rewarding than their shitwork, even if it paid a lot less. I know I would.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. There is still time. If you want to do it, you can find a way.

Maybe not this year, but sometime.

[jus_the_facts]

4. Hindsight is always 20/20......

....you've accomplished a LOT more that MOST!!! :loveya:

[redwitch]

5. some days it is really shitty to be a grownup.

I would do quite a few things differently if I could go back in time. Peace Corps. would not be a bad way to spend retirement time though, maybe you'll get a chance yet. In the meantime, cube and house not withstanding, there's lots you can do to support the folks that are on the front lines. Sending cash and encouragement is not bad- too many folks don't do it. Don't beat yourself up. You're one of the good guys! :hi:

[booksenkatz]

6. You and my 4-year-old

:)

My Brit hubby has to watch his BBC each night, and our 4-year-old just came running in to tell me that children in Sudan have NO FOOD and he wants to go help them. He said that some people have died. He's appalled. It's so nice to see a liberal in the making! (Sometimes I wonder what 4-year-olds with Repub parents care about most...?)

I know what you mean, though. I can think of 20+ years of my life that I would live differently, if I could have those years back.

[Cannikin]

7. I just quit my cube job, and I'm starting nursing school...at 31 yrs old

because I cant stand not making a difference either.

[Warpy]

8. If you're young enough and still in good health

then follow your heart. You don't have to travel to the Sudan. You can start close to home in the food banks, soup kitchens, help lines, even in the schools where poor kids are falling behind because they don't have parents at home to help them with their homework. You can be a big brother/sister. There is a huge amount of work out there that needs to be done, and it doesn't require selling your house, abandoning your family, and hopping on a plane to a foreign hellhole. We have plenty of hell right here, thanks to 34 years of GOP and conservative Dem rule.

You're right, checks don't do it. Too often they're used to finance mail solitictations to get more checks.

[GCP]

9. I know how you feel, Mat, I've often felt like that too

But don't forget Miss Lillian - she volunteered for the peace Corps at age 70.

It's never too late, and there'll always be the need. :hug:

[ulysses]

10. so come teach, Mat

:)

[matcom]

11. how? where?

what qualifications do i have? none.

i'm a f*cking WEBMASTER for Gawd Sakes!

that don't qualify me for SHIT! (English teacher maybe?) :D

x(

[ulysses]

15. check on alternative certification programs around there

Schools are big on the "mid-career professional" thing these days. Having a tech background certainly won't hurt, given the level of ed. technology and the necessity of finding resources online. They'll work with you to get the qualifications done. It's going to take me four semesters to get my "clear and renewable" certificate in LD ed (interrelated learning disorders) and I'm getting my master's after that. Starting pay in high-needs districts is getting better, too - Atlanta pays $38,500 with no experience or higher degree.

[matcom]

17. thank you

i'll do some Googleing

[Kanary]

12. Sudan is important, but so are people dying right here in the US of A

And there are many......dying for lack of survival necessities, and cut off from the "safety net".

We/they don't get the attention..... we die without TV coverage. Do you know how much it hurts to know your death is inevitable, but doesn't count? Only the dead in Iraq count, and the dead in Sudan, etc.

We/they are right here in front of you.

Kanary

[Bettie]

13. Its never too late...

A good friend of mine's mother joined the Peace Corps at age 76.

She went and taught school in Kazakhstan (and I KNOW that's spelled wrong). She was there two years. She had to come home because her brother was in poor health and needed her.

So, never say never!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

14. My nine year old daughter just came up to me and said

so what are we doing about Sudan?

I had no answer for her.

She asked me, "Why aren't we helping them? So many of them are going to die!"

She started to cry and I hugged her. Hard. And cried, too.

I looked at her and said, "I honestly don't know. I don't know why we aren't doing more, but I agree, more should be done. We can't just allow them to die in such huge numbers and turn a blind eye."

My answer didn't satisfy her. She sniffed and walked away, saying, "No one cares and it's not fair." She went to her room and cried into her pillow.

My heart broke.

[tom_paine]

16. You and me both, man. I wish I could go back in time to my 18 yr old self

But he would probably laugh at me.

"New Reichstag fire?"

"Planes not scrambled for how long?"

"Like Hitler's Enabling Acts?"

"Orwellianism unchallenged?

"Amerikans happily giving up freedoms they (we) never understood nor deserved?"

"Amerikans practicing Fuhrer-Worship (or King-Worship)?"

"Amerikan comforted by Tyranny?"

NO WAY. NOT POSSIBLE! I hear my 18 yr. old self saying comfortably from one 1984 to another...

[matcom]

18. man did THAT hit home!

we should have seen this coming.

it is OUR fault (not just the sheeple)

would we be so fortunate to ENGAGE our youth today to heed the warnings?

i wonder....

[Kanary]

19. You *can* "engage the youth today"

There *are* speaking opportunities.... there are ways to get gigs as a speaker......

There *are* ways to speak directly to kids...

I hope you do..... you have something very important to say....

[matcom]

20. can you or someone else find out HOW?

i have no credentials

nothing

but activism on a left-wing internet message board.

where does one start?

[mede8er]

21. I'm a college drop out......

who now has a very lucrative career making peace...ANYTHING is possible and community service is the highest calling.....get cracking.....;-)

[matcom]

22. care to PM me with info?

THANKS

[mede8er]

23. No prob.....

[Djinn]

24. HI matcom

There are organisations that provide opportunities for short term overseas aid and development work, often called volunteer vacations - they usually don't require specific skills/qualifications although you generally don't get sent to war zones for obvious reasons but there's still plenty of worthwhile and satisfying ways to help out those who need it. Well worth looking into - I know a few people who had career changes as result of their times with groups like this.

Try Global Volunteers - http://www.globalvolunteers.org/

[Kanary]

25. I would help if I could

I'm dealing with a very painful eye, and have no way to look up a bunch of stuff.

I know that there are programs in schools to have speakers and programs presented to kids. You'd have to organize your thoughts and all that, but it's certainly doable.

There are also ways to speak to Girls and Boys Clubs, etc.

There are more liberal churches, such as UU, etc who have Sunday School programs for their high schooler, who would wlecome someone wanting to speak.

That may not sound like much, but it not only reaches out to kids, but gives you a way to vent your thoughts and feelings. You might be surprised just how many kids would hear it, and welcome your message, especially if you're prepared for their questions.

I was homeless, and used that to approach the bishop of my church, who supported me in writing a book, which was published by the church, and used in congregations to discuss homelessness. I was invited to speak by so many churches that my calendar was filled! That had nothing to do with my "education", or my "credentials". (hehe... except credentials of having been homeless.... ^_^... which credentials, I may remind you, *you* possess....... regrets for what you could have done......kids need to hear that......)

It can be done.

Ponder it deeply, don't discount yourself, be creative in your approaches, and gather as much info as you can. You DO HAVE something of great value to offer kids, and I will hope that you go forth with it.

Good luck to you.......!!

Kanary

[tom_paine]

37. Though I would be working here at home

Too much going on here to go wandering off elsewhere, IMHO.

[laruemtt]

26. maybe we could start

a DU discussion forum about suggestions and ideas for volunteerism and stories about what DUers are doing above and beyond or outside of politics, per se. this is a great thread, matcom!

[matcom]

27. what a GREAT idea!!

thank you

[laruemtt]

28. you never know what may have been

born here tonite because of you, matcom!

[dave29]

29. The trick becomes not over-helping

Working in a cube myself, I'd hate to think I'd just be helping them get to the point where they are trapped in one too.

:(

The trick becomes how do we help those who need it far more than us, without dooming them to cube-farming??

[matcom]

30. GREAT point!

i don't know the answer

all i DO know is that i want to HELP people who need it

[Kanary]

32. As I said earlier, there are plenty of folks right here in the US

who need that help, and will NEVER be highlighted on CBS.

I hope you will consider that.......

Deaths here in the US are hidden as much as dead soldiers coming back from Iraq...... even more so.

Look at the thread on housing, and what is happening to Section 8 -- many, many deaths will happen from that.

Kanary

[dave29]

33. Agreed

and agreed :)

[oldlady]

31. Mat..

I don't really know you, but your skills could really matter to a lot of young people-- and I know some things are happening in the Boston area. Check out the hud.gov website & follow the Neighborhood Networks link. There are lots of community technology centers where you can teach others to do web design and other computer skills. I'm not in your part of the country, but that is part of what I do... it's a way out for many, to gain skills. Example-- no college funding for anyone with a felony on their record, but if they have really decided to work for their own future and can walk into a job interview showing they've gained needed skills & are commited to learning-- it matters. Help others be like you-- successfully uncredentialed! We started with tech. skills, ten years ago, but now-- I'm proud to say that we have 100% college placement for all graduating high school seniors (we've created scholarship money for those who don't qualify for FAFSA grants -- no loans for our kids!) and only one high school drop out since 2000. These are the poorest kids in our county & everyone has been the first in their family to attend college. Many are refugees from the countries you long to help-- my latest families came from Togo & Sudan.
peace.

[dave29]

34. ok

you just rock.

Congratulations!

Edit for spelling :)

[mede8er]

35. The key phrase here......

Is "I want to drop my life"...that does not suggest teaching others to be webmasters.....

The transition must be logical....work to support yourself by day while volunteering in your spare time at a position you can eventually 'shape-shift' into.......

[CaTeacher]

36. I was 25 when I went into the Peace Corps, it was a

wonderful experience.

for people who are tied down by student loans and stuff like that, the government forgave some of my debts for serving in the corps--although I wasn't in it for them money---I felt like I should pay them for the priviledge! It really really changes your life!