Claire Amsden

Claire is an avid runner, singer, and student, however her true passion lies in helping others. As a result of this passion she has gone on many mission trips to provide shelter to those in need. Claire first traveled to Mexio to help build a house when she was in seventh grade. Since then she has returned to Mexico once, helped build two homes in Mississippi, one on an Indian reservation in Arizona, and she has helped construct a church in Haiti.

Souvenirs

Claire Amsden

2013-05-02

In Senegal, taking photos is called taking souvenirs. I can’t tell you how many times I asked my Senegalese friends and family to let me take a souvenir of them during my last two weeks there. (My photo count is telling: I had 400-something photos at the beginning of March, and had more than doubled that...

Precious Moments

Claire Amsden

2013-03-07

This is a journal entry that morphed into a blog with some additions and editing. I like it because it shows how important the family integration part of this experience is to me. Because I didn’t decide to do this to “save the world” or even to make a difference in a village. Don’t get...

An Ugly Perspective on Beauty

Claire Amsden

2013-02-27

I walk into the small beauty boutique with my sister and as she starts to bargain with the storekeeper for better prices my mind begins to wander. I look around, and I start comparing this store to beauty shops back home. I’m not talking about the differences like concrete floor to impressive sparkling tiles or...

Threads

Claire Amsden

2013-01-03

My soul is a tapestry – the threads are all of my experiences and memories. As the pattern takes shape my personality is shown. I’ve been using a lot more Senegalese threads recently; their textures and colors are different and it’s changing the way I’m weaving myself – because aren’t we all in the process...

A day in the life of Astou Ndao

Claire Amsden

2012-12-05

As I gradually make my way from my dreams to consciousness I become aware of a noise. I realize it’s my phone telling me it’s 6 AM. Ugh. Time to get the day started. I stay in bed a little longer, listening to the sounds of the village waking itself up. The sound of women pounding grain...

Claire Amsden

2012-11-27

Sometimes you have to get rid of your inhibitions and dance like no one is watching. That’s not just a corny saying, I mean that literally. Sometimes, when the TV show Dakar Ne Dort Pas (Dakar Doesn’t Sleep) is filming on the street in front of your homestay family’s house, you have to get up...

Misconceptions

Claire Amsden

2012-09-24

I believe that there are many worlds in this universe. Each person’s experiences and perspective create a personal world that only they can fully understand. Today there are over 7 billion of these personal worlds. And of course, there is the world in full, the world as it really is. The full world will never...

Light

Claire Amsden

2012-07-10

Privilege, happenstance, good parenting, and community have all led me to Global Citizen Year. First, I have had the privilege to live in the United States, giving me access to resources and benefits that many people in our world will never experience. Without this, Global Citizen Year would not be an option I could consider....