Strangers: Friends & Family you haven't met yet

Hello all of you wonderful people!

Allow me to introduce myself and give you a few details (hopefully without the threat of sounding overly narcissistic).

Background: I grew up in the Willamette Valley, Oregon; and I will be a senior next year in a small, private, liberal arts university. I grew up in a tiny town of 700, where I lived in the mountains near lakes, rivers, hot springs, and all those other things that make this Earth so incredible. I began my studies as a biochemistry pre-med major (with the hopes of becoming a pediatrician). Last summer I took my first trip off of North America to Ecuador where I absolutely fell in love with the people, culture, and nature. The trip opened my eyes in a million ways, allowing me to reassess my life and put things into perspective. I can now say with certainty that the majority of us who think we are having a "bad time in life" or "problems" are living far better than at least 2 billion people in this world. The entire experience prompted me to completely change my majors to International Studies (with a focus in Latin American development) and Spanish, with a minor in Economics.

I'm currently on an incredible trip to Spain and have just finished up an internship in Solar Energy. Sustainable development/renewable energies are fascinating topics for me, and I think Latin America is going to do some big things in these areas in the near future. (I wish the US could get it's act together as well).

After reading way too many books and writing a mountain of papers, I suppose I would identify myself as a Marxist. I love the ideas of socialism in the sense that if we were to all help out a bit more on this earth then nobody would get stuck doing everything, although I'm aware that the free-rider problem will always make it an unrealistic dream. However, it's true that sharing is caring, and that many hands make light work. I find it important we begin to abandon those things that alienate and divide us, and instead begin focusing on the commonalities we share at a fundamental level.

Marijuana, Mushrooms, LSD, Salvia, MDMA, DMT: All wonderful things when done in the correct proportions with a proper and responsible perspective. I feel many of them provide an opportunity to explore your inner self, connect with this wonderful planet and the people that inhabit it, and investigate a level of spirituality that is either lacking or distorted in the majority of today's mainstream religious denominations. I also believe alcohol is a bigger threat to our society than any of the aforementioned substances.

The disregard for human welfare, and the abandonment of morality frequently found in today's politics and big business disgusts me, and I believe with complete certainty that mankind currently possesses the capacity to create a better life for the near 7 billion people on this planet. Indifference is the only thing that can destroy us.




So perhaps that was a bit too much ranting but it kills me to see some of the things that are happening in our modern and developed society.

I am filled with optimism though when I find forums like this and see that there really are a lot of people out there trying to make a difference, one person at a time. Thank goodness for technological advancements that let us connect to share our thoughts, ideas, and provide a level of solidarity and support for one another, despite the geographical barriers between us.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you, and joining an awesome community filled with knowledge and insights. Can't wait to get posting, and never hesitate to drop me a message. I'm always up for a good conversation on just about any topic!

sending my best

 

High