The First of Many Posts to Come (hopefully...!)

To kick off my blog for the year I serve as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar (and my first blog ever!), I want to introduce myself to those I don't already know personally! 


(Friends and family... you can just skip over this one. But thanks for checking this out!)

My name is Kelli Calloway and I have been selected to serve as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to Brisbane, Australia for 2011. My host club is Visalia Sunset Rotary in Visalia, California in the United States, District 5230. I was born and raised in Visalia, CA, so I am excited to represent the place that has always been my home. I graduated from The University of California, Los Angeles (aka UCLA) in June 2010 with a Bachelor's Degree in International Development Studies, with a minor in Spanish. I will be obtaining a Master's Degree in International Public Health from The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia next year. Along with my academic endeavors, I will be representing the U.S. as a Rotary Ambassador of Goodwill to Australia and will be active in Rotary District 9600's service projects, as well as hopefully conducting my own. 


I love to travel. The countries I have visited already are:
Mexico
Canada
Italy
Fiji
Spain
France
Germany
Morocco
The Dominican Republic
(Note: NOT AUSTRALIA!!)


So needless to say, I am beyond excited for the year that lies ahead for me in Oz. The process for me to become a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar began in March 2009, and I will not leave for Australia until February 2011. I have no doubt in my mind that my nearly two full years of anticipation will be completely worth it.


Please do not hesitate to comment on here or to e-mail me (kelli.calloway@gmail.com) at any time! I would love to hear from the friends and family I'll miss greatly, as well as from Rotarians with any connections in Australia, advice for service projects, suggestions for traveling around Australia and New Zealand, etc.!!!