Hello everyone, I am new to the world of blogging, but am excited to participate in this web site. I am originally from Waseca, MN (a small town in Southern MN), and graduated from the University of MN. After graduation I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa, where I provided HIV/AIDS counseling and testing in a small village fours hours outside of Pretoria. My primary focus was the interrelationship of Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS. After South Africa, I returned to Asuncion, Paraguay, where I worked with Amnesty International on the Stop Violence against Women and Keep Arms Under Control campaigns. While working at the Monterey Rape Crisis Center in Monterey, CA, I received a Masters in International Policy: Human Rights, Justice and Norms from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. I have now made it full circle and am back in MN. I currently work on the Federal Policy at HOME Line, a tenant's advocacy organization that focuses on affordable housing and homelessness issues. I am excited to get back into the international field again and meet all the wonderful people active in the community.