Coming Soon!

I can’t believe it, at the end of this week I’ll be leaving the United States and will be arriving in Accra, Ghana, to study social work with an emphasis in social justice and human rights.

When I found out about the program back in February, I had no idea that three months later I would be packing my bags and preparing to board a plane for the journey of a lifetime.

The past couple of weeks have been crazy- I made a trip to Houston to get my tourist VISA, ran around campus collecting proper documentation for my scholarship award, and went from clinic to clinic searching for an affordable yellow fever vaccination.

Along with everything I’ve mentioned above, I’ve been taking the time to visit family and friends before I leave.

Never did I think I would have this opportunity. I didn’t think I could afford a college education, much less a trip abroad. I decided very late in the game that I’d be participating in this program- at the time, there was only one scholarship application still open, so I applied. After being selected as an alternate, I didn’t think I had a chance of being selected, but one week later I was notified I’d be receiving a $3,000 scholarship.

The fact that this trip is happening is a true blessing and it would not be possible without the Gilman International Scholarship or the following people:

• Andrew Zamora
• Suzanne Zamora
• Fernando and Michelle Zamora and family
• Tracy Gonzales
• Gloria and Fernando Pequeno
• Emma Trinidad and Fernando Zamora
• Ofelia Vasquez Philo
• Frank and Cynthia Arredondo
• Shelby Scott and Ben Kvanli
• Melba Vasquez, Jesus Trinidad, Richard Anzaldua, Grace Mueller, Gloria Sasser, John Thomaides, Oscar Alvarez, Maggie Gillespie, and Elizabeth Castaneda
• Audrie Bermea, Brandi Ortiz, Irene Sauceda, Paloma Gonzalez, Steven Thornhill, Krystal Costilla, Marianna Perez, and Sabrina Deleon
• Brian Barger, Naveen Cypers, Frances Badgett, and Al Mendez
• And so many others!

There are not enough words or hugs to express my gratitude for each and every one of you. THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate everyone who offered assistance, monetary or in-kind, and provided me with emotional support and encouragement through this journey. Now it’s my turn to do my job- to learn as much as I can, make a positive impact in the lives of others, and learn valuable skills and grow so that when I return I can be the best individual, and future social worker, I can be!

It’s All About The Money

It has been a while since I’ve posted anything about my journey towards studying abroad this summer and a lot has happened since then.

Back in February I was officially accepted into the study abroad program to Ghana and since then I’ve had one large fundraiser, applied for summer financial aid, applied for the Gilman International Scholarship, applied for my passport, and attended two orientations with the seven other students I’ll be traveling with.

To say the least, it has been a very busy couple of months.

On February 20th, many of my friends and family members helped me put on a Hamburger Fundraiser at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, in which we sold almost 300 hamburgers, chips, and drinks. Through this fundraiser I was able to raise a little over $2,000 which has helped cover my first tuition payment, my passport, and a couple of other expenses in order to help me prepare for my trip. This fundraiser would not have been possible without help from my father, aunts and uncle, grandparents, and generous family friends and community members.

My nephew, Jayden, helping load supplies into my car the morning of the fundraiser.

In addition to this $2,000, I have also been awarded a $2,000 summer tuition grant from Texas State University- Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Unfortunately, I will not receive this money until after I’ve already left to Ghana.

Meanwhile, I’m still working to raise more money for my trip to help me afford my expenses. I know that I’ll go on this trip no matter what obstacles come my way. I’ve definitely set my goals on participating in this program and want this experience more than anything. I’ve sacrificed too much and have come too far to let anything set me back. Thank you so much to everyone who has invested in me and my trip to study abroad in Ghana so far.

Stay tuned to follow me on my journey to Ghana!

Starting Something New

My name is Mariana Zamora and I’m a senior at Texas State University pursuing my bachelors degree in social work. I’m set to graduate in December 2016 and plan to continue on to earn a masters degree in social work. My career goal is to work with children in educational programming and some day do advocacy work in Washington D.C. on behalf of a civil rights and social justice organization.

I’m raising money to participate in a Summer Study Abroad program in Accra, Ghana. This program will offer social work classes with an emphasis in human rights and social justice. While abroad we will participate in a group community service learning project that will enhance our learning experience. Our community projects will range from working with children to working with individuals living with disabilities. One of the many experiences I’m looking forward to is spending the night in an African village and spending the following day shadowing a woman from the village to catch a glimpse of her day-to-day life.

I would like to go to Ghana before I graduate and enter the working profession so that I can take the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture that is different from my own, experience something that is out of my norm, and make unforgettable memories. I graduated high school in three years at the age of 16 and will graduate from college shortly after my 21st birthday. In the past four years I’ve realized that life is too short and that I should take advantage of these opportunities while I’m young.

Anyone who knows me knows how quiet and shy I can be, but I would like to take myself out of my own comfort zone and push for personal growth. I believe that this trip will help provide me with the skills to work with diverse populations on a national and international scale. Not only will it do this, but it will give me the opportunity to do the only thing I’ve ever wanted in life- to make a positive impact in the world. This is what I was born to do.

 I am very passionate about encouraging youth to pursue higher education, feeding families in poverty, advocating for the undocumented community, empowering young women, funding youth scholarships, and helping a community in critical need of assistance.

During my trip I plan to blog my travels and share my story with everyone who has helped me along in this journey. Stay tuned to read about my fundraising efforts for my study abroad trip to Ghana.