Why would a 61 year old married father of two want to be a Kiva Fellow?

By Ron Turley, KF11

I just read the first posts by the 11^th group of fellows and am itching to be moving into the field with them. Changes in my personal situation required me to postpone for a month or so, but I will be following the exploits of my mates as they jump into their tasks with both feet.

Few readers may know that Kiva Fellowships are volunteer positions and are entirely self funded. We do this without compensation or financial reimbursement.

The typical fellow is between the ages of 25 and 35, speaks another language, has travelled in the developed world, and is often between under-grad and grad school or has recently completed a Master’s and is looking for some experience.

So, at almost 61 years of age, what am I doing here?

Well, I am easing myself out of the work-for-pay world and contemplating life’s next great adventure without much idea of what that might be. A three month sabbatical from my real life appeals as a way of recalibrating, exploring, rethinking and discovering what it is I really want to do with the rest of my life. One’s life is often best observed from a distance. This adventure looks like just the ticket.

For more information on the fellowships and Kiva, check out the Kiva Fellows Page and the Kiva Home Page.