Being Scott Zielke

Introducing one of two main characters, your humble narrator: Scott Zielke! Pleased to meet you world! I have to say it is a bit awkward holding one’s self to the character trait of humble when you create a blog that is seemingly to be written about one’s self and my effort to help Action Against Hunger. That said I suppose that’s just the way things are and I shall have to deal with it. After all, these few opening blogs have been made to set the stage. I want those who are reading to have an idea of how this whole mess is coming together. It really is quite a project planning for 4 months on foot, and promoting Action Against Hunger, and trying to find money for the trip to take place. But I guess that today we are here to hear about me for the simple fact that I want you to know who is putting this thing on…who did you help sponsor?

Scott Zielke in GSMNP, TN

Scott Zielke, age 26, graduated from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, TN with a degree in Education. My life really took a huge turn in 2003 on my way to spring break in Savanna, GA. I stopped by the Great Smokey Mountains National Park for a solo camping trip (my first actually) and fell in love with the beauty that surrounded me! 4 weeks later I packed all my stuff and moved to Sevierville, TN into my first apartment living right next to a national park (a dream of mine). I planned on staying for the summer (3 months) and then returning to Eastern Illinois University to finish out my last year of college. Instead I stayed in Tennessee for two and a half years. In that time, I lived a total of six places, all unique and very dear. I started out in my apartment, and then moved into a country house with three roommates from the Czech Republic. When they left, I couldn’t afford the rent and moved into my truck. I found the worst part of living in your vehicle was having now where to go. I got out of work late walked to the parking lot and there I was. I woke up and drove to school, finished class and sat in my truck until work started. It really wasn’t as much fun as I thought it would be. I co worker of mine (now a very great friend) found me one day and his family (John and Patricia Thomas) invited me into their home for the next 8 months! When he (Christopher Todd) moved away to school I left too. I moved into his father’s trailer he was attempting to sell. When that ended I moved in with his father (Alvin Todd) until I graduated and came back to Chicago. You might ask yourself how all of that applies in any direction, but it does and deeply. You see their kindness to a stranger, their willingness to give without receiving, really opened me up to a new kind of living. It helped to solidify what was important in my life. But that wasn’t the end of it.

When I moved back to Illinois I was fortunate to get a job at Country Wide Home Loans. The job was good to me, but I didn’t feel like I was doing any good for anyone else. More than that though, I missed that feeling of adventure I had when I lived in TN. So I applied to the Peace Corps, the Americorps and NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). I prayed day after day, week after week month after month to hear something! Then it all came flooding in; Peace Corps, Americorps, and NOLS were all possible and within my reach! I moved forward with the Peace Corps and NOLS. As time moved forward it was determined that I would spend a semester in Patagonia, Chile with NOLS and then come back to the USA for a few months and move to the Ukraine to work with the Peace Corps as a Youth Developer.

The very beautiful Coyhaique, Chile

Before I knew it I was flying to Chile! My first out of country solo experience! Day one: I got robbed! All my money save $50 gone! I spent a week in Santiago and met some wonderful people and tried to look towards the world with trust and openness. I then made my way down to Coyhaique, Chile. The world was different there on the NOLS farm. I was preparing for a three month expedition in to the sharp and rugged Andes Mountains! We set out on our voyage, hiking up, crossing rivers, pushing through brush so thick you had to fight to stand up, and every once and a while we would come across the pobladore: Chilean cowboys. They lived a life I couldn’t imagine! No one for around for miles on end. No connection to the outside world. Living off what they had on their land.

Pobladore and his welcoming home

They had no roads, no radio, no tv, no electricity, and so on. I was shocked! It was one thing to have heard of people living in poverty, it was something else entirely to witness it, to (in the sense that we were living off the land) live it. What’s more, is that these fine people would give us shelter, and offer us there prize tea. It might not sound like a lot to everyone out there. But to a scared, tired, cold and wet young man who grew up in the luxury of suburban Chicago; this was akin to the beggars of the street putting money in MY cup.

I left my group early. I was scared, shocked, and longing for the comfortable sights of home where I had a warm bed, an abundance of food, a wonderful girlfriend. It was a place where the world seemed to be doing just wonderful! It was my greatest and most prized failure. It took a wile for the wounds to heal, but like a broken bone I grew back stronger, and was determined to make a change.

And that was the beginning of this. I came home in the fall of 2006. I withdrew from the Peace Corps, not yet healed, not yet ready to help those people of the Ukraine. I moved back to Tennessee. Ashley and I grew closer and after 8 or 9 months moved to Chicago together. I became a teacher. I completed my first year this past August. This year will be different though. I’ve had the world given to me by the kindness of strangers. And with your help I aim to give some back. So this year I am bartending and serving and spending my time preparing for the journey of my life. I would have to say that I am incredibly excited for what the future holds.