Good Day Loves!

It is a new day to start fresh and continue to DREAM BIG!

I was always a big dreamer and I do mean BIG!

I wanted to save the people of the world from all the evil-doers on EACH and EVERY CONTINENT while never missing a day of Saturday Morning Cartoons all before the age of 10!

Crazy right?!

Even though it was far-fetched, I still hold that dream…

Well, let me introduce my crazy myself!

My name is Krystal Hill and I am my community.

I love, love, looove learning from people and experiencing different cultures in order to care for our people, our communities.

I completed my BA in Anthropology with a minor in Public Health at the University of South Florida. I am still here pursuing my Masters in Public Health with a focus in Global Health Practice and Maternal & Child Health. (Maybe even Statistics as well, we will see after the 2012 fall semester). I should be graduating Summer 2013 with my MPH and hopefully beginning a PhD program in Health Policy and International Maternal and Child Health with a focus on ethics and reproductive health Fall 2013.

As I mentioned before, my BIG DREAM growing up was to save our people from all evil-doers. I had no idea how I would accomplish that goal, and I am still trying to figure out how to reach it. But one thing I observed within my communities growing up was the importance of education, reproductive health,  and community mobilization.

All three of these components determine the health of our communities. The more education people receive, the more equip they are to care for themselves and their communities. As they become better equipped with the skills they need to make better decisions, the more control people have over their reproductive health. That includes decisions such as family planning, WHEN and HOW they wish to have sexual experience(s), and the knowledge to protect themselves and/or routinely get tested or seek treatment. The more people feel in control of their lives, the more they begin to care of their surroundings, neighbors, and communities. As communities begin to feel solidarity for one another, the more they rally as one unit to seek justice for their people.

If I had to describe my Big Dream in one word, it would be Ubuntu.

Ubuntu |oo-buun-tu|

An African word/saying/philosophy that means “humanity to others.”

It also means “I am what I am because of who we all are.”

Hence the name of my blog.

My favorite explanation of Ubuntu is by Nelson Mandela:

“A traveller through a country would stop at a village and he didn’t have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu, but it will have various aspects.

Ubuntu does not mean that people should not enrich themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?”

See his video (>2 mins)  here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HED4h00xPPA

With that being said, I chose to participate in USF’s Education Abroad’s:

 Health, Sustainability, Culture and Exceptionality in Malaysia

[http://educationabroad.global.usf.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=22524 ].

 I have a career focus in sexual health, reproductive health, and international maternal & child health. I wish to gain international experience of a young conservative country’s policy development related to reproductive health. Reproductive health issues are sensitive topics within Asia. Yet, Asian culture has been able to formulate reproductive health policies without addressing the need for sex education directly.  I am not saying that those policies are successful or unsuccessful, I just want to observe it them.

Well, that is my Big Dream Wishful Thinking anyhow.

{ Did I mention I still watch cartoons \( ^_^)/  }

If you wish to see more of my crazy big dreams you can take a peek at my Vision Blog

http://krystalsunconditionallove.blogspot.com/