I have had the honor of being selected as a 2009 Peace Fellow for The Advocacy Project (AP).  Through this fellowship I will have the opportunity to intern with an anti-violence woman’s organization called Women in Black, located in Belgrade, Serbia.  This fellowship will allow me to have many experiences that I have wanted.  First, it will give me the opportunity to work for an organization dedicated to both the empowerment of women and to the enhancement of their role in peace processes.  Second, it will provide me with international experience in a country that has suffered from tumultuous times and that is still recovering from bad leadership and genocide.  Finally, it will provide me with my first practical experience in the non-profit and human rights sectors.

I’m currently in Washington DC for AP training and I’m really excited to start working for Women in Black next week.  I leave on Monday, June 1st for my flight to Belgrade.  I won’t deny that I’m starting to get some jitters about being away from home for two and a half months.  But at the same time, I’m sure this trip will be a wonderful experience and a great chance to learn remarkable things about the human rights field.  It will also be an enhancement to the Masters in Global Affairs that I’m currently attaining at New York University.

I hope you will follow me and my experiences in Belgrade through this blog.  A major objective of mine is to spread awareness about the women of Serbia and the ambitions they have for their country.  By taking the time out to read this blog, you will be helping me realize my goal.  I arrive in Belgrade on June 2nd and plan on blogging soon upon arrival.  Stay tuned!

Belgrade, Serbia