Alex Katsaros
Political Science Major, Class of 2009
« Previous Excerpt | Next Excerpt »
The time spent in Niger has been the most rewarding of my life so far. The people I met there I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
During our first drive through the streets of Niamey when we left the airport, I just knew that I made the right choice in skipping the holidays at home. The emotions then summed up most of the trip: excitement, a sense of adventure, and discovery.
Niger has shown me a world outside the one I have known my entire life. It has made me reevaluate some of my plans that I have had. I now feel I have the strength to conquer anything put ahead of me. Although ‘roughing it’ in Niger wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, it still made me stronger.
I now feel I need to do something to further development. From seeing the failures of development agencies and seeing the successes, I now feel I need to do my part.
Overall, the most rewarding experience I have taken home with me is making friends with Moussa, Rhisa, Adam, Osmon, Alhassan, Bahi and Matty [the drivers and cooks]. Their friendship is more rewarding than any physical thing I could take home from Niger. The two weeks spent there is the single most amazing experience of my life.