This blog will chronicle my year** on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in Dupree, South Dakota where I will be volunteering longterm with the Sioux YMCA*. It's sure to be an adventure! Check back often for stories and pictures under each monthly tab. I should mention that the posts read from newest to oldest on a page. I don't like this, but I can't figure out how to change it. I may make a couple of posts at a time too, as I eternally have catching up to do. Lastly, "hoka" in the URL, "A hoka in South Dakota" means "badger" and hails my last four years in the Motherland. Enjoy!
Much love,
Amanda
*All ideas, opinions, and sentiments are my own and do not reflect the beliefs of the Sioux YMCA.
**two years!
Two years later as I read back over my writings, I must make a note and ask for forgiveness for anything I mention that might be offensive to the communities that welcomed me in as an outsider. My writings by no mean are meant to make a judgement on how those residing in rural South Dakota live. I meant only to convey the truest sense of my experience to the reader. If in my ignorance, I misrepresented or misunderstood, please call me out on it and understand that I try to examine these notions, biases, and prejudices in myself every day. Now I realize that words cannot the describe the trip down the rabbit hole it was to move from city to rural life and immerse myself into a completely different culture. To understand, you must visit. While I don't expect any of you to visit the CRST Reservation, I challenge you to risk adventures that take you out of your comfort zone in your life.
Much love,
Amanda
*All ideas, opinions, and sentiments are my own and do not reflect the beliefs of the Sioux YMCA.
**two years!
Two years later as I read back over my writings, I must make a note and ask for forgiveness for anything I mention that might be offensive to the communities that welcomed me in as an outsider. My writings by no mean are meant to make a judgement on how those residing in rural South Dakota live. I meant only to convey the truest sense of my experience to the reader. If in my ignorance, I misrepresented or misunderstood, please call me out on it and understand that I try to examine these notions, biases, and prejudices in myself every day. Now I realize that words cannot the describe the trip down the rabbit hole it was to move from city to rural life and immerse myself into a completely different culture. To understand, you must visit. While I don't expect any of you to visit the CRST Reservation, I challenge you to risk adventures that take you out of your comfort zone in your life.