A New Perspective of Life

Welp. Here's the blog post you've all been waiting for! Hahaha just kidding. But really. ;)

Coming to Africa has been the biggest learning experience I have ever had. It has changed my life, to put it simply. I've seen people going through garbages for food, grabbing something, and eating it..I've seen people without fingers, without a leg begging on the streets for money..I've seen people steal things, I've been stolen from..I've seen little children who were abandoned by their parents, or their parents died because of AIDS, and they didn't have a home..I've met two little boys who lived in a cave because their parents died. They would go into town and steal food because they had to eat somehow. and a lot of the time they would get beaten for stealing food..The village elders where these two boys were called Michael, who owns Osiligi Orphanage that we're working with, and told them about the boys. They were so afraid of humans that Michael literally had to trap them to catch them, and they were practically naked and severely malnourished. So he took them in. Today they're in his orphanage, healthy as can be, and I've hugged them, sang with them, played with them, danced with them, tickled them, and learned a lot from them.

It makes me think of how Heavenly Father created each of us individually, and had a perfect plan of each person when He was creating them. He gave us all different weaknesses, strengths, physical traits, personality traits, and families..and placed us in the world where He knew we needed to be, and where we would grow the most. And I just think of how strong these people where I am must be to have been placed here. I've only been here three months, and some of the things I have seen are heart breaking. Their lives are hard. but the people here are so grateful, helpful, giving, and happy. Even when they don't have much, they're willing to give what they have to make sure others are doing ok.

It's been cool seeing people who don't have all that I have, and helping them. But it's even cooler how I've helped the people here, but really..I'm being helped in return. Africans really appreciate the few things they have. And I'm making it my life goal to be more aware of what Heavenly Father has given me and cherishing it. I am learning so much from them! Their culture, their way of living, how they truly cherish what they have..It makes me a whole lot more grateful for the things I've been blessed with. For my family, my house, my job, my education, my car..I am one lucky person. And so are you! So next time you're feeling down or are in need of a pick-me-up, remember how blessed you really are! I know I will. :)

Thank you to everyone who has helped me come here, everyone that donated or even just supported my decision to come here..You guys are a big reason I am who I am! So thank you for bringing out the best in me :) I love you all! And I'll see you soon!

Project/Life update!

I can't believe how fast time is flying by here! I only have a little over a week left. And I have such mixed emotions about it. I'm excited to get home because I'm at a point in my life where I have a lot of decisions to make and it's really exciting to make them! I also decided I'm going to leave the airport during my 10.5 hour layover in London! I printed off some maps to follow for when I get there. I'm excited. :) Buuuut as for when I get home..I'm an alternate for the Physical Therapist Assisting program, and I still haven't found out if I got in or not. If I don't I could go on a mission, apply somewhere else, or finish the few classes I need to take to get my Associates, and/or work..It's awesome that Heavenly Father could have made a perfect plan for each person but instead He lets us have free agency to make our own decisions! It's really the only way we can learn from our mistakes, by making our own decisions. 

I've come to this conclusion because I had an amazing experience since I last wrote a blog post that changed my attitude. We were walking to Michael's orphanage and I was overly stressed with all of the decision making I had to do in my personal life. So I put my music in and tuned the world out. I started crying because I felt so overwhelmed..and then this adorable little African boy comes out of nowhere and looks at me and grabs my hand and started walking with me. He didn't say anything, he just grabbed my hand and smiled. So I took a deep breath, wiped my tears away, and smiled back. We didn't say anything to each other, we just walked. But every once in a while he would look up at me, smile, and squeeze my hand. And as soon as he grabbed my hand, I knew it was Heavenly Father holding my hand, comforting me, and telling me everything is going to work out, all without words. It's things like this that make me KNOW God lives. And loves me. And is helping me through my hard times. I'm never alone. :) I think this one experience alone will help me get through every hard time for the rest of my life.

Anyways! Africa! I'm in love with Africa. I've decided if I had a hot water heater, a washing machine, a drier, and my family and friends here I would stay forever! It's just such a good lifestyle. In America everybody is always on the go and in a hurry, but here it's like people take their time in life and enjoy it more. That's how I want my life to be! Everywhere we go people say "hakuna matata" because they know we know that phrase! And that's exactly how they live. With no worries. It's the coolest. So I bought a shirt that says hakuna matata so I can remember to keep my life that way! Also, the real Swahili version of Hakuna Matata is Hamna Shida! It means no problems. :) aaand I'll probably be saying it all the time when I get home. :)

Projects are going good! The video we're making for Your Sisters orphanage is coming along. We interviewed each of the staff members here and the girls in the orphanage. It was cute. We asked them what they wanted to be when they're older and a lot of them want to be pastors, a few want to be doctors, and one wants to be a pilot! They have really big dreams. :) We finished teaching them We Are the World by Michael Jackson, and we recorded it on Yesterday! And we also finished editing it yesterday as well! We'll post it to YouTube soon so you guys can see! The girls are so cute :) it's kind of hard teaching them the song because of their accents. But I think it's even cuter hearing their little mistakes and knowing they're trying! It gives it character. :) lately we've been really into playing games with them too. We've played duck duck goose, red rover, red light green light..They are SO CUTE! Myyy goodness. :)

Our English teaching went well. They've learned so much! I'm proud of them. And of me! It was a lot of work! haha we're done teaching though because we wanted to have time to create a six month English plan for the teacher to have so she can continue teaching the students when we're gone. We'll give it to her next week and say bye to the kids!

We also made a kitchen for a school in a town outside of ours called Namanga. It's the same school where I taught the water sanitation class to a lot of the adults in that community, and about hand washing to the kids. HELP actually built the school two years ago, and now they have a kitchen! They give their students lunch, just like we do in America. And before we built the kitchen, they were cooking outside in the dirt. We figured that wasn't very sanitary and we want these kids to be clean and healthy, so we began! It's a LOT of work. We took a lot of trips getting sand from a sand pit a ways away. It gets really tiring after a while. Then we sifted that sand and mixed it with cement and water, and that's what holds the bricks together! So we helped put the building together, plastered the walls, made a solid floor, bought some iron sheets for the roof, put in a door and window..and walah! A kitchen was built!

Funny story, we were sitting in a daladala waiting for it to fill up with people so we could leave to go home from Namanga, and the trunk door was open. So this random African guy named James comes up to us and says "I want to marry one of you!" and Ellen, our country director, was like "5,000 cows for each of us! That's 20,000 cows all together!" and he pointed to me and was like "Her! 20,000 cows for her! What's your name?" and Ellen told him! haha and he had overheard that we were coming back the next week, so he was like "I'll be waiting for you, Emilee! Just ask for James!" So yeah! 20,000 cows! That's a LOT of cows. haha It's cool seeing how different the culture is here.

The kids at Michael's orphanage get cuter every time we go there! They love singing, and we've recently found out they love dancing! So we have random little dance parties when we go over there now :) I've taught them a few dances! It's been really fun :) they are the cutest. If I were to ever come back to Tanzania, Africa..they would be the reason why!

Now we're working with a group of African albinos called The African Albino Peacemakers. We're setting up an eye camp for albinos in the area to get their eyes checked. :) we're thinking of doing that next week sometime! it's so cool working with them! They're inspiring. They also have a pig pen that needed roofing, so we bought some iron sheets for the roof and put a roof on the pig pen! Pretty sure that was the first time I had seen pigs in person, too! Their snouts are so cute. And their curly tails. I took lots of pictures. :)

In our free time, we like to go to Njiro, what we like to call "Mzungu (white person) Heaven". I like to think of it as an African "mall". haha it has a grocery store, free wifi, American food, a movie theatre, places to shop, ice cream..It's got it all! So we like to eat dinner there on the weekends, even if it's kind of expensive. It's worth it! We've also seen three movies! Man of Steel, Despicable Me 2, and Monsters University! Definitely something I didn't think I would be doing in Africa, but I love it! Oh, and we watched Lion King the other night with the kids in Michael's orphanage! In Africa! Checking that off my bucket list!

This blog post is long..haha I'm sorry! I just have so much to say! I'll write another one soon on what I've learned through coming here. It will probably be a long one too. haha I love you guys! And I'll see you in a little over a week!! Hakuna matata/hamna shida!

Finally Making a Difference!

Alright! It's time to talk about my projects here! Finally! haha we've had the privilege of meeting and working with some incredible people here so far. All of which I will tell you about, starting with Michael Medoth. Michael owns an orphanage called Osiligi Orphanage. "Osiligi" in Swahili means hope, which is exactly what he gives the kids! He has such a big heart, and a real desire to help kids in need. He is an amazing Christian man and believes that his children at the orphanage should believe in God as well, because God is the reason they all came together. You can tell the kids love each other and they are their own cute little family.

Hearing the backgrounds of these 11 kids really touched my heart. Some were abandoned, some lived with relatives because their parents either didn't want them, couldn't afford them, or didn't have time for them, some had parents who died from HIV/AIDS. We went to two different villages and saw three of the families that Michael got some of his kids at the orphanage from and learn their stories. It was really humbling even being in the areas because of the types of houses that they live in. Dirt floors, mud walls covered until magazines, no glass for their windows, a curtain for the door..It just makes me so grateful to have a good house and a good, whole family.

We're working on building him a new, bigger orphanage so he can take in more kids. We've been digging trenches for the foundation for it and boy, is it a LOT of work! We are so blessed in America to have machines that do everything for us. Really, digging trenches would have taken a few hours or so in America, but here..It's like three full days of making the dirt not so compact and shoveling it all out of the trenches. But we had quite a few locals helping, and they are really efficient and get things done fast. So they were a lot of help. We've also helped Michael plant a vegetable garden to help feed the kids. Again, a lot of work. But it definitely was worth it. :)

Another partner we've been working with is Goodluck William. He started a school for children called Utukufu Nursery School. "Utukufu" in Swahili means glory. They are really eager to learn and love singing songs. They know their ABCs, some of their numbers, shapes, and colors but that's pretty much it for English. So me, Alysha, and Bailey are teaching some English there for an hour and a half on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

When we first visited the school, only one out of the four rooms were being used to teach in. The others were being used for storage. So we took all of the storage and put it all in one room, and swept/cleaned out the other rooms so the rooms could be taught in. It was a really good idea because the students there were all being taught together, when they are really at different education levels. So since we've been teaching, we've been splitting them into different age groups and teaching them according to what that age group already knows.

Goodluck also has an HIV/AIDS group of Maasai women called the Utukufu Nursery School Support Group. They make beaded jewelry, coasters, cups, jewelry boxes, bags/purses, cool little trees made out of banana tree leaves..Pretty much everything! And they sell what they make to earn money for them. We're working on building them a chicken coop so they can sell the eggs for money for when they get sick and need medicine or to go to the hospital.

I've been working mainly with health problems here. Me and two other volunteers taught about hand washing and teeth brushing at Goodluck's school, Michael's orphanage, and another school in a Maasai village about an hour or so away called Nmanga, to adults and children. I also taught a class on water safety to the adults. The tap water here isn't completely filtered so it's not safe to drink, even though they drink it all the time. so I just talked about why the water wasn't safe to drink, how to filter the water, and boil it so all the bacteria is killed so it's safe to drink. The class went really well because we had a translator that told the students what we were saying. And I asked them a lot of questions so they would be really involved as well. We're also thinking about doing a project with water filtering.

Right now I'm working with an organization called Your Sisters. Your Sisters is a non-profit organization that empowers women of all ages here in Tanzania. They have an orphanage and a school for the younger girls, they give training and work opportunities through craft and design to adult women, and they also have a volunteering program where you come here and make a difference in country. It's a really inspiring organization that gives women a bigger opportunity to have education, work, and family. My goal with them is to help them touch and impact more lives by helping them become more well known. I'm going to go to their location weekly and gather pictures and inspiring stories/bios from the girls to share in the social media world and show why they are unique and why they matter. They already have a Facebook, website, Youtube account, a blog, and a twitter, but I feel like an Instagram would be a huge help and reach a lot of people around the world. So I'm making them an Instagram account and updating pictures and stories at least weekly, sometimes more! So if you guys want to be involved back home and help this amazing organization reach more people, you can like their Facebook page and like/share their posts or whatever I post about them and it would reach a lot more people. And you would be making a difference! That's all it takes. Two clicks to show some support. :)

These projects have helped out the people here, and it has helped me so much in return. It's helped me realize how grateful I am to have all of the things I have. It's helped me realize the importance of service. It's helped my testimony grow so much, and become more independent. I'm so grateful for having the healthy body I have, and for the opportunity to learn and grow each and every day here on Earth. I'm grateful for my family, for my friends, a shelter over my head, for loving and providing parents that both have solid jobs, for the gospel, for prayer, for my job to help me pay for this experience and for college, for the missionaries that brought me into this church, for the amazing home ward I had, for incredible leaders that have touched my life in so many ways, for music, for the people I've met here, for EVERYTHING. I am so blessed and haven't realized it until now. The life I live is a great one, and I am eternally thankful to be who I am today because of everything I have experienced and gone through.

I love you all! And I'll blog again soon!

Finally settled in!

Hi guys! This is about to be reeeeal long, so prepare yourself. Haha sorry I haven't blogged until now! I've just been getting used to things and settling in. Plus, we didn't have internet at our house for quite some time.. But now things are solid. and I promise I'll start blogging about my experience so far and from now on! :) life is really good here in Africa. Still, even though I've been here a month, every time I actually say or write that I'm in Africa, it blows my mind. Haha it's always been a life dream and now here I am, on the other side of the world, helping people in need! It's unreal. :) On that note, thanks to everyone who has donated! I am so blessed to have so much support in whatever I choose to do in my life. I have amazing friends and family. And the money is going to some incredible and inspiring people here to use for good!

So, when I thought of Africa, a jungle didn't pop into my head. I would picture desert and a bunch of nothingness, cool Lion King trees, mud huts, and people dressed up in Maasai clothes. But to my surprise, the area we're in is extremely tropical! Banana trees, sugar cane, sunflowers, and corn everywhere! The people here love to farm. So they have amazing greenery everywhere! A lot of people carry around machetes because they're working on keeping their plants/trees looking good. And they do a dang good job at it! It's beautiful!

And the people are just as beautiful as the scenery. It's like everyone is family and they all know each other. We'll be walking down the street and a lot of people we pass either welcome us to their country or ask how we're doing. I love it! I wish we did things like that in America. Normally when we pass other people we don't even say anything. The kids here are especially cute. When we walk to our bus stop (daladala stop) every day, there's this group of about 10 kids we pass that yell "how are you, how are you, how are you!" over and over, because I'm pretty sure that's all they know in English. And it's super adorable because they'll run up to us and either hug us or grab our hands and walk with us. Like..really?! Where did they learn that?! Cutest thing I've ever seen. It's definitely one of my favorite parts of the day.

They pretty much eat the same food all the time. Like me haha.. Rice, chicken, fish, beans oogali (like a mix between mashed potatoes and cornmael), or chipotte (like a tortilla, but heavier)..I'm kinda sketched out by the meat though since you don't really know whether or not they refrigerate it at all before they cook it, or where they bought it from..so I think I might be going vegetarian for three months! Haha and drivers here are crazy. People pass each other all the time when cars are coming down that same lane in the opposite direction! And they get really close to each other when they pass each other. And on top of that there are people walking in the roads and jaywalking constantly. And a lot of people ride bikes for transportation, and they ride them in the road. Haha so many different obstacles for these drivers! But even if it seems hectic, it seems to be somewhat organized chaotic-ness.

We've gone on some awesome trips so far! We did a beautiful waterfall hike, went to a snake park (I held a crocodile that snapped at me, and a snake! so cool), went to Zanzibar, and went on a safari!! My favorite so far would have to be the safari..go figure, right?! haha it's just always been a big dream of mine to go on a safari, and the day finally came! we went to the Serengeti, Ngorogoro, and Lake Mnyara. "Serengeti" in Maasai language actually means "endless plains", and that's exactly what it is. It's just a flat desert, no hills, with a bunch of cool animals like zebras, giraffes, lions, elephants, warthogs, buffalo, ostriches, rhinos, hippos..you name it! My favorite animal was definitely the zebras. They're just so pretty, and have the coolest stripes, and I love their mohawks. haha yeah, I was obsessed with taking pictures of them. Zanzibar was gorgeous as well. Lots of old buildings, super white sand, and bright blue water. Paradise.

It's really pretty here, but it's really sad at the same time. The people like to do random things to earn money. There's people selling things on the streets, like shoes, headphones, bananas..Just whatever they have. I've seen people going through garbages for food/drinks..Some people we pass will flat out ask us for money. The businesses aren't as organized as America. Either are the streets. There are a lot of homeless people sitting on the sidewalks with cups for people to put money in. There's only a few paved roads, most roads are dirt roads with rocks all over it. People throw garbage on the ground when they're done with it. There's flip flops, alcohol, wrappers, cloth, and food scattered in random places everywhere we go. When they have garbage at their houses, they just take it to the road and burn it, because they don't have a landfill system. A lot of people walk everywhere because they don't have money for transportation. They do their laundry by hand, and have cold water all the time. Even for showers. The power randomly goes out about once every day or two. The toilets in town are all squatty potties, which is a hole in the ground where they do their business. It's just sad that they've come to this point.

I'm glad I came to Africa. Even being here the first few days, I felt a lot more grateful for toilets, warm showers, washing machines, education, a family, money, food, transportation..a lot of things I had taken for granted. I'm so grateful for the time I get to spend with my family and friends back home. I'm SO grateful for the church, and how it's the same in different countries! The people may speak different languages, but the doctrines, the songs, their standards, and what they believe to be true are all the same. And it's so cool to see in person! It's definitely helped my testimony grow.

I'll write up another post of our projects so far! But now you know I'm alive and happy! Africa is the perfect place for me. :)

AFRICA!

Hey guys!

If you haven't heard already, I got accepted into HELP International's volunteering abroad program this summer! I'm going to be in Tanzania, Africa from May 15th - August 15th helping fight poverty. I'm definitely looking forward to helping the people of Africa, but I need some help to do so.

HELP International is a non-profit organization that works across the globe. Currently HELP is working with communities in seven locations around the world—Belize, Fiji, India, Thailand, Uganda, Tanzania, and Peru.

Tanzania is a country in Eastern Africa where over 75% of the population lives below the poverty line. HELP’s program allows volunteers to participate in substantive projects which (1) assess needs in country, (2) ascertain local buy-in, and (3) develop innovative poverty alleviating programs which allow for opportunities of growth and development. 

 As a volunteer I will have the opportunity to initiate life-changing, sustainable development programs. One area that I am personally interested in is working with the children in orphanages there. I am confident that I can make a difference in the lives of the people of Tanzania.

I have the opportunity to raise funds that will go directly to these great projects, changing the lives of potentially thousands of people for the better. My goal is to raise $5,000 by April 1^st.

The amount of good that can be done for the people in Tanzania increases significantly with even a small donation. We are inviting you to join us and HELP International in serving the people of Tanzania by donating $35, $50, $100, $250, $500 or whatever you can*. Checks should be made payable to HELP International with “Emilee Eddings” in the memo line. For online donations, go to www.help-international.org click on “Donate” at the top of the home page, and make sure you include “Emilee Eddings” in the dedication box. Or, if you find it easiest, you can just send or drop off the money to my house. My number is 435-632-4753, so if you don't have my address already, contact me and I can get it to you. If you’d like more information please visit the HELP International website www.help-international.org or email me at
danser_grl_123@hotmail.com or you can call/text me.

Thank you in advance for your support. You play a key role in the alleviation of poverty around the world. I would also like to keep you guys informed on the progress of the various projects. Here is a link to the team blog we will keep this summer: http://tanzania.help-international.org/ Also, here is the link to my personal blog I will be keeping about my experience in Tanzania:  http://emilee-jane.blogspot.com/

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I love you all endlessly, and I am super excited to get out there and make a difference in the world! :)

BUCKET LIST.

i have recently decided to start working on a bucket list.

check it out so far! :)

obviously it might take me a while..hahaha but yep, i'm really thinkin' it's ALL gonna happen :p especially the jb pic. it'll happen. i just need time :)
LIVE YOUR DREAMS, PEEPS. that's all!

a new year, a new outlook:)

haha it's been a while..woops. welp. a lot has happened i guess..in the same sense, nothing has really happened..hahaha:) thanksgiving happened, i finished my first semester of college without having to pay for any classes out of my pocket (yay for scholarships!), ALSO i don't have to retake any classes (yaaaay!), christmas happened, it's now 2012, we're all gonna die this year..yadda yadda..haha :)

since it is indeed the new year, i've decided on some new years resolutions. yes "some". usually i only come up with one so this is big for me. life has been really crazy lately and i haven't been the happiest person in the world. things are perfect when i'm with other people. i smile, laugh, and enjoy myself. but when i'm not, i think way too much. i get sad/depressed. but we've all been there, right? so i have decided that i want to change that. i want to be a happier person.

resolution #1. smile more. laugh more. enjoy life.

it seems lately that i don't have very many friends to talk to..i honestly feel alone. more alone than i have ever felt. BUT recently, i have come to the conclusion that it's for the better. that everything i go through WILL strengthen me. here are some reasons for it.

-reason #1. i have grown sooo much closer to my best friend, heavenly father. i've prayed more, my heart has grown just as much as it has hurt. i've read the scriptures more than i have in a long time. my testimony has grown. i've realized that the only friend i ever truly need is my heavenly father.

-reason #2. i've grown closer to my family. my mom has been my number one person to go to lately, which is great. so grateful that families can be together forever. even if they aren't on the right path now, they can later learn that true happiness is in the gospel of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints. they'll see the happiness that it can bring them, and return. even if it isn't in this life. i know it.

-reason #3. i've become more independent. i don't need people to make me happy. i can make decisions for myself. i can choose to be happy myself. it's been a true blessing.

-reason #4. i've learned that those who leave your life aren't supposed to be in it. heavenly father has a different plan for you. he loves you just as much, even if the world seems to be against you.

-reason #5. it has taught me to cherish the friendships i do have and to be more outgoing to make new friends. college has been kinda rough on me in the making friends part of it all. i can make acquaintances like no other, but moving on to actually being friends and actually doing things together outside of school has been kinda hard.

resolution #2. cherish the friendships i do have, and be more outgoing so i can make more TRUE friendships i can cherish. :)

last semester i was kind of focused on the social aspect of life. i now realize it wasn't for the best haha i passed with all A's and B's, but sadly one C. which is okaaaayy..but it could be better. and i'm going to change that. :) which leads tooooo:

resolution #3. focus on grades. it'll help me in the long run.

since i was so focused on other things, i wasn't really working out. i just got just dance 3 and i now realize just HOW out of shape i am hahahah yeahhh.. oh! and my mama wants to be more active too. so we're thinking about getting zumba for the wii and working out. i love my mama. :)

resolution #4. go running or do zumba or play just dance three. ONCE PER DAY.

lastly, i have a friend of mine, my best friend, who is going on a mission soon. march 14th, to be exact. for christmas, he gave me a book. but not just any book. THE book. haha the book of mormon. in a note he put inside the cover, he wrote:

"dear emilee, you may be wondering as to why you are getting a book of mormon from me. it's for sure not a very traditional christmas present from me, either! i just thought that since i've gotten my call to serve the lord, a spiritual gift is exactly what i want to give to you this year! and this isn't any ordinary book of mormon either. what i am asking for you to do is read it, if you would like. read it, find scriptures and highlight scriptures that are great for a missionary, or for an investigator. also, if you would like, you may read the book of mormon, then write your testimony in the front pages, and before i leave, you can give it back to me, and, if the situation presents itself, i can place your book of mormon over in the baltic mission. i just feel like this is a great way to spread the gospel! (i hope you are following me with this idea. it sounded better in my head.) the gospel is truly an everlasting gift, and i hope to be able to remind you of this wonderful gift that i will be able to share with the baltic people! i know that one of the best ways to share the gospel is to "not bind your tongue" and share your testimony! i hope this isn't weird for you to be giving back a gift that you have been given. you know what i mean? it's all for a good reason though! thank you for your friendship, your kindness, all of your support, and your testimony. i really do appreciate all that you have done for me. you are certainly a blessing in my life! merry christmas!! your wonderful friend, alex"

yeah. it really inspired me, to say the least. i have spent many nights home from hanging out or doing whatever, to read and mark up this book LOTS. haha i still have quite a bit to go, but hey, it'll happen. and hopefully it will bless someone's life. :) so my last resolution is as follows.

resolution #5. FINISH the book of mormon for the second time, before march 13th. :)

and that's basically it. hahah be happy, make friends, get good grades, be fit, and finish the book of mormon again. sounds like a good life to me. :)

i'm really glad this whole "new years resolutions" idea came about. it makes us think about our faults. it makes us want to do better. the jump is actually DOING better instead of WANTING to do better. and this year, i'm going to be a better person than i was last year. and i'm going to be a better person next year than i was this year. i'm going to strive for excellence and ACHIEVE it. i'm going to be great. :) and so are YOU. make new years resolutions and actually work on them. it'll bless your life. for sure.