My name is Sharif, I rode NC2SD09, and this time I will not write my bio in the third person.
This spring, I’ll be finishing up my degree in electrical engineering at the University of Virginia, where I’ve finally made the transition from solving problem sets all day to more interesting endeavors like building solar energy devices. I am not afraid to say I signed up for NC2SD last summer on impulse. I had a handful of pre-trip expectations, probably similar to anyone who signs up for B&B. But once the summer was over, I was completely blown away and there is no way I could have anticipated how the trip would affect me. The constant camaraderie, the biking, the service, and the travel blitzed me from all directions and left me restless. Waking up every morning was just as exciting as the first, and each day richer than the last. This is much more than a cross-country cycling trip – it is one of the most purposeful and meaningful experiences anyone can have. B&B captures what it means to live and be young. It’s why I signed up to lead a trip without an ounce of hesitation. It is truly amazing what a group of dedicated and spirited young adults can do.
Since my trip, besides school, finding every B&B alumni in area, and talking B&B philosophy to everyone who will put up with it, I took up pedicab driving in Charlottesville for a company called Happy Rickshaw and have been building with the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. I think it’s pretty clear where my head’s been.
To have the opportunity to serve others - it is a privilege and a gift. I’ve done builds with Habitat since high school, and the weight of what I was doing never really hit me until sometime this summer. It wasn’t really a definitive date, but once you’ve heard enough real stories and meet the people who will live in these homes, it starts to click. For those in need, wanting a home isn’t enough - there needs to be a means. Every person on these trips is that – the means…the enablers. Whatever you want to call it – through advocacy, donations, and physical labor, it is possible to enrich lives. Goethe said it best: “If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.” By volunteering for affordable housing organizations, it allows small contributions to a significant change in someone’s life. And personally, on top of cross country cycling trip, I think that’s a pretty cool thing.
Can't wait to meet you all in May. CUS'10!
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