Hi everyone! My name is Lu and I hail from the Shenandoah Valley of Western VA. I’ve lived in rural Virginia for the past decade, and I am incredibly excited to experience a different way of life in Senegal.

A few things that I’m most looking forward to over the next 9 months:

• Learning Wolof
• Senegalese music
• Meeting our host families!
• Living near the beach
• Developing personal and community relationships
• Finding a service placement
• Seeing my own culture from a different perspective

My greatest fear related to the program:

• Getting lost in Dakar

(Navigating maps has historically been my downfall.)

I have never been outside the United States, but I have traveled extensively within the country. I love being outdoors—the cover picture is the view from one of my favorite local hikes.

I can’t wait to meet you all in person! Shout-out to the GroupMe chat

Lu