Ambassadorial Scholar thankful for Rotary's ticket to the world

Click to go to the article with photo on Rotary's website.

From Rotary World, April 2006
By Abby Breitstein
Rotary International News

Ruby Powers laughingly calls herself a "Rotary lifer," even though she has yet to join a Rotary club.

"I got started with Interact in high school, and then I spent two summers doing RYLA," says Powers, who is from San Antonio, Texas, USA. In her senior year, she attended a presentation by returned Youth Exchange participants and was struck by one similarity. "Every single one of them said, 'It was the best year of my life.'" Soon, Powers was in her own predeparture orientation for her year in Verviers, Belgium.

After attending the University of Texas at Austin, where she became president of her Rotaract club, Powers was ready for her next Rotary adventure. In the summer of 2004, she left for Barcelona, Spain, as an Ambassadorial Scholar. She had no plans for a service project, but right after she arrived, one found her.

"I got an e-mail about a woman whose son had a rare metabolic disease that could only be successfully treated by a doctor in Barcelona," she says. The family needed a place to stay, and Powers knew just whom to ask: the Rotary Club of Barcelona Millennium, who hosted her. Soon, she was the contact person for families from around the world, each with a very sick child.

As she learned more about the disease and the Manuela Martinez Foundation, which supports work to treat it, Powers began talking to clubs and, last June, organized a fundraising dinner. She now says the foundation has become a personal project.

Back in the United States and in her first year of law school, Powers is grateful to Rotary for her Ambassadorial Scholarship. "[The message isn't] get a 4.0 and hole up in your room studying. It's go out there, build bridges, learn, and connect the world. I love that."

Learn about the Manuela Martinez Foundation at www.martinezfoundation.org.

This article originally appeared in the April 2006 issue of Rotary World.

My summer in two sentences...

It has been crazy - finished my first year of law school, a week with family in MO, drive/move to TX, start a 7-week internship in San Antonio, one week in Mexico, move to Dallas, and start my 4 -week internship here. Now, I have just 3 weeks before we return and I have so much to do to prep for my life back in NC.

I read an article in Prevention about Americans have so little non-stressful time bc we are always surrounded by cell phones, computer, telephones, internet, tv, blackberries, etc. I agree. I will find some good quotes from that article.

Just finished reading Barefoot Heart by Elva Hart Trevino

It is about a migrant Mexican American Texan family from the youngest daughter's point of view. It was good to read and compare notes on experiences in Mexico, Texas, and midwest as being a mix of Mexican and American.

It actually inspires me to write a book sooner than later......

I saw a guy I went to HS with at my grocery store in Dallas

We went to hs in the late 90's in San Antonio and saw each other after about 5 years since meeting up at UT, at the local downtown grocery store in Dallas.

I think I might just start making a list of occurences that help explain my blog's url.

re: Daniel Pearl's 'We are watching you....' posting on BBC

Daniel Pearl's post on BBC News

You are right; you have the right to read what is openly free to the public.

The last part mentioned about student interns writing about their experiences on the blog for their friends reminds me of a similar occurrence on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. in 2004. A Senate staffer maintained a blog where she wrote about her sexual escapades using code names for her lovers for her friends to follow the story. Soon it was discovered by people other than her friends and decoded. After being fired, she later wrote a book.

Thanks for showing me technorati site.

Price of virtual living: Patience, privacy

(CNN) -- The virtual worlds depicted in the movies "The Matrix" and "Minority Report" can often seem far too real in today's world of computers, e-mail, instant messaging, MP3 players, cell phones, laptops, Wi-Fi and RFID.

N.C. One Of Three States Considered For New Immigration Court

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina is on a short list to get an immigration court. The competition: Nebraska and Missouri. The goal is to process deportation claims more quickly.

Texting vs. Email

E-mail losing ground to IM, text messaging
Young people driving switch to instant gratification communication

Report: CIA unit that hunted bin Laden closed

N.Y Times says officials don't see al-Qaida as hierarchical as it once was

no comment.

Ode to Frequest Flier Miles...etc.

So I finally got around to reading this article about frequent flier miles and how to use them, etc.

I feel like there are a lot of people who dont know how to use them, get them, etc. and they are this scary topic of ' I know I could benefit from them but I dont know what to do.'

My grandmother has flown to more countries than I have and I just got her signed up for 2 airlines programs this last May. I feel bad I hadnt mentioned it to her before but I think I thought she already knew about it.

I got my first miles in 1999 when I flew to Belgium and back. Within a year and a half, I had a free flight from all my continental travels.

I also have received one free flight with United and one with Southwest. In total, I have racked up 3 free flights, each iwth a different airline. I should have a free one with United and SW soon.

My husband and I got the United Credit Card in 2004 probably and use it all the time. I just ordered the Southwest CC because I fly SW all the time and it looks like they have the best program out there.

Here are the links to some articles:
Mileage programs: Been great to know you

Airline Miles - Useless? Part Two