Alysa Meisterling

Alysa Meisterling

2012 - 2013

Shama Junction, Ghana

Teaching in Ghana
  • Alysa Michelle Meisterling
  • 22 years old
  • Bachelor of Arts in Journalism
  • Born in Livonia, Michigan
  • Raised in Murrieta, California
  • Attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee

I’m a girl of simple character. I enjoy the simple things in life. I have a fascination with music, coffee, candles, black and white photographs, birdhouses, journals, people and the World. A World map hangs above my bed to remind me of all the places I have been and all the places I have yet to visit. It is what reminds me that home is wherever I choose to make it, and that has yet to be discovered.

 

My past has molded and shaped me into the woman I am. My father died of a heart condition called an Aortic Stenosis when I was two years old, and my mom was eight months pregnant with my brother. At a young age, I learned that life never goes the way you plan. I learned independence, strength and courage from the beautiful woman who raised me and without her, I do not know where I would be today. Growing up, I invested my time in my family, friends and music. Between the voice recitals, competitions, plays and events, there was never a dull moment.

In middle school, I became super involved in my youth group’s worship team and volunteer programs, and the summer after my freshman year in high school, I went to Tijuana, Mexico with my church for a week and built houses for families in need. In high school, I was involved in the school’s Associated Student Government, choir, and swim team. The summer before my senior year in high school, I went on a two and a half week vacation to Europe with my grandparents. We visited Rome, Italy, Croatia, France, and Spain.

While applying to colleges, I found Belmont University because of their location in Nashville, Tennessee and their outstanding music school. Not long after I got to Nashville, I took a different direction in my career path and switched my major to Journalism. While at Belmont, I joined Alpha Sigma Tau sorority, maintained a retail job for three of my years there, immersed myself in the community and volunteer opportunities and spent a semester abroad in Queensland, Australia. I have no regrets in everything I have done and was blessed to be a part of. My past is me, and for that I am forever grateful. This journey I am about to partake on is the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Having just graduated from Belmont University, I want to utilize all I have learned and all I have become and share that with the World. Ghana is my Chapter One. Ghana is my beginning.

More about me....

Major(s): Journalism

My Stories

  • Now that I’m home

    Now that I’m home

    I’m a dreamer. I’m an optimist. I’m an absolute failure and a complete success. I cry. I smile. I laugh. I scream. I

  • Weeks 14, 15 and 16

    Weeks 14, 15 and 16

    And so the New Year has begun. Christmas and the holidays have come to an end, and I’ve had some time to reflect

  • Weeks 12 and 13

    Weeks 12 and 13

    I only have six weeks left. How is that even possible? It seems like just yesterday I was jumping up and down with

  • Weeks 9, 10 and 11

    Weeks 9, 10 and 11

    I’ve fallen in love with Ghana. I don’t know how or why or exactly when it happened. These kind of things just can’t

  • Weeks 7 and 8

    Weeks 7 and 8

    They keep changing their mind about the weather. It’s been cloudy a lot so far, with quite a bit of rain. Some Ghanaians

  • Weeks 5 and 6

    Weeks 5 and 6

    Malaria. Western countries hear this term and they flip. We put people with Malaria  in isolation for an indefinite amount of time until

  • Weeks 3 and 4

    Weeks 3 and 4

    I have never felt so deprived of food in my entire life. I miss variety. My diet consists of nothing more than rice

  • Week 1 and 2

    Week 1 and 2

    In Ghana, everything is different. The places, the people, the culture, the food…everything. I’ve never felt such a rollercoaster of emotions in my

  • It almost doesn’t seem real

    It almost doesn’t seem real

    4 1/2 weeks left. It almost doesn’t seem real. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m leaving. This time last year I

  • 7 weeks until my new beginning

    7 weeks until my new beginning

    It’s hard to believe Ghana is so close. In just 7 weeks, I’ll be packing up and flying to the other side of