My Action Plan: 

Since coming back to Loyola, I've put a lot of thought into how I can now take what I learned in Peru, and apply it to my situation in Chicago. Before the trip my mindset was definitely that I was too busy as a student and an athlete to have enough time to volunteer and make an impact in my community. I would hear about things that were happening with groups volunteering and just tell myself I could find a better time to help out. Since returning from spring break, my thought process is complete different. Here is my 4 step plan on how I will translate Peru, to Chicago. 

1. It all starts with a an attitude. I will change the way I think about volunteering my time, and instead of viewing it as a hassle or a job, view it as a growing experience and a way I can help make a difference in my small world. If I can change my mindset, then that's the first big step to making an impact. 

2. Research. Next up is figure out opportunities or ways that I can get involved. I want to do research on the different organizations that came and visited us, and figure out which one I am most intrigued by, in order to find a place that feels right to volunteer in. I want to make sure I find a place that I not only can give my time to, but a place that I enjoy working for. It also needs to be a place that uses sport as the catalyst for good. This way I can use my passion to help others.

3. The next step is setting up times to volunteer. I already emailed one organization and have set up a time to go and ref their soccer games for little kids. This the action step that has been missing previously, and once I volunteer once, it will become a habit that I hopefully don't get rid of. I need to get out of my head the idea that I don't have time. 

4. The final step in this action plan process, is making this type of stuff a way of life for me. I need to embed the idea of global citizenship into my life, and figure out how to incooperate the things I've learned into the way I live. Once I do this my action plan will be complete, but until then its a fun work in progress.