Hi I’m Annie Phelan! I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of the Periclean Class of 2017! A few close friends who have had wonderful experiences as part of Project Pericles drew me to apply for the program. Before applying, I did not know much about Namibia or the program itself. Nonetheless, I was also intrigued by the opportunity to be part of a sustainable change in a country I knew little about. In my Global Experience course freshman year, I wrote a lengthy final paper on how important it is to be a global citizen. In writing this, the idea struck a chord with me. Being a global citizen is everyone’s responsibility, and includes not only being aware of global issues but also always looking out for ways to help others in less fortunate circumstances, both locally and globally. In high school I was very involved in the local level, with service projects such as our local food pantry and Habitat for Humanity. Now I am excited to expand my service and learning to a much broader, global level.
Getting to know other cultures is also something that has always intrigued me, and I am looking forward to learning about Namibia. Making connections and forming relationships with people from other cultures and diverse backgrounds is one of the most beautiful things about humanity, in my opinion. We can learn so much about not only Namibia but also about ourselves and our own abilities as global citizens. As Elon students, we have so many opportunities and resources at our fingertips. Using these to make a sustainable change in even just a small part of the world is an incredible opportunity that we need to take advantage of.
I am beyond excited to work with such an amazing group of people. I know that if we work together on listening to each other and taking all opinions into consideration, we will have a strong project that everyone can get excited about. But before we even dive into that, learning about Namibia itself is our first step and I couldn’t be more excited. I can’t wait to see what we are capable of.
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