In Africa!

My parents just informed me that my cousin, Rachel Steinfeld, has a blog. She is living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and is "helping to coordinate an HIV clinical trial through Harvard School of Public Health and Muhimbili Hospital." How incredible is that? She makes me look like I am a selfish, hypocritical do-nothing that is too busy trying to better myself to notice the world around me. At least her blog makes me feel that way, which is a very good thing. I need more inspiration in that direction. She is doing an amazing service to humanity in one of the places we need it the most and she gets to learn Kiswahili (Swahili) to boot.

Unfortunately, Rachel and I never really got to know each other very well. Actually her whole family and mine only interacted every now and then and they lived in a different universe from mine growing up. And they only lived in the next town over. I guess I just didn't care enough as a kid and teenager to get to know my extended family more. I was busy enough with my friends, most of which have totally drifted away into strangers by now. Anyway, Rachel and her older sister Amy have completely impressed me as we have grown up. I think that we have much more in common than teenager-me would have admitted. In fact, if we were to become better acquaintances I would be the lesser in the relationship. Sometimes, when I hear news of their adventures (The Steinfelds like to travel a lot) I kick myself for not being as motivated as they are in life. Rachel and Amy travel all over the world, run marathons, snowboard, learn languages, help people, etc. etc.

I am glad that I have people like Rachel as a family member. If she weren't family I couldn't so easily sneak back into the picture without being a creep. For me, she can never disappear completely as a source of inspiration.