Sorry I've been neglecting my duties here at Audeamus. I was off in the wilderness, literally and figuratively, of Big Sur for the past several days. But that doesn't mean no work was going on.

For those of you who regularly visit this blog you know that we try to keep an eye out on what Clare Mulvany is doing traveling the world for her blog on social entrepreneurs 'Exceptional Lives' ... Clare has recently completed the first leg of her trip to Africa and is now in India. We caught up with Clare in her travels and dropped her a few questions which she was very kind to answer. We were curious about how and why she was doing what she is doing ... so hopefully you'll learn a bit about Clare's journey and become a frequent visitor of her blog.

To the questions ...

Q. When did you come up with the idea of traveling the world for ten months to interview 'social entrepreneurs' and why do you think this is an important undertaking?

Mulvany: The idea for the journey was rumbling for about a year, during which time I was looking into various options and thinking about the best approach to take. I had been reading a good bit about social entrepreneurship, social change and leadership development up that point, and at that time running a volunteer programme for young people in Ireland. Through my reading and work I was seeing that there is a growing interest in 'development work' , but many young people have misconceptions about what that means, or do not see the full scope of possibilities, and need, that is out there. Many see the UN, World Bank, or a large NGO as their only options, but really this is only a very small part of the picture. So my idea was to interview people involved in 'social change work' and show the pathways which people have taken to get involved. I wanted to show that you can be an engineer, a mathematician, a teacher, or a filmmaker, and use your skills to make a positive contribution to society.

Q. What is your background interest in social entrepreneurship, and for that matter, your general background?

Mulvany: I've been involved in youth work and volunteering since my early teens, and I was fortunate to have opportunities to travel a lot because of it. I volunteered as a teaching assistant in Tonga and Samoa for a year after secondary school. During university, I spend my summers in Africa, and following university, I taught English for a year in China. My 'formal' education background includes a BA in English and Psychology from Queen's University in Belfast, and a Masters in Education from Oxford University.

Returning to Ireland after China, I got involved with a start up youth organisation called Suas (the Irish word for 'up'), which brought me in contact with incredible, entrepreneurial individuals. It was really through my work there, and meeting people of such people of commitment and dedication, that the idea for this trip emerged.

Q. What have you found out about the people you've been profiling and what common bond do they have that you think makes them social entrepreneurs? What are their biggest inspirations, their biggest challenges? Maybe you have an anecdote or two that could sum up the people you've met on the first leg of your journey to Africa?

Mulvany: Well one thing is that wherever one travels, there are amazing people working for social change; people who care about the bigger picture, and who are committed to making visions happen. They are open, optimistic, and very very persistent. Many are stubborn and will tackle obstacles knowing there will always be a way around them. Most are driven by values; values of justice, integrity, honesty, trust. Their leadership skills are tuned over time, but empathy is generally a given. Interestingly, many have had a serious incident or trauma in their early lives which has driven them to live life more fully- an illness, a death in the family, or even the experience of being an 'outsider' in their own or another community, an experience which has lent momentum to their missions. And all have been remarkably welcoming.

Q. What have you learned during these first few months of your journey that you didn't expect or imagine?

Mulvany: Anyone travelling alone has to rely on their own resources, which often are deeper and richer than expected. I have surprised myself at times with how I have had to delve into those resources, and accept and respond to challenges. I've been learning to trust more and more; in gut instinct, in connections, in networks, in contacts- and to be open to opportunities. When doing a journey like this, you have to be proactive, seeking out new people, experiences, stories. Thinking ahead.. but you also have to learn to go with the flow, live the moment, then to pause, and take in what is happening around you. I've been learning how to manage all this; keeping the right pace, and listening to myself when I need to be on the move again, or equally just when I need to stop and reflect.

Q. How have you funded your journey?

Mulvany: Like so many people starting out on ventures, funding has been a challenge. But through the support of a philanthropist in Dublin, personal savings and a loan, I have pulled the trip together. The fact that I often get to stay with people along the way really helps also; people have been very supportive, by opening their doors and fridges to me!

Q. What problems or challenges have you had traveling around the African continent?

Mulvany: Not that many! There have been the inevitable travel hassles- buses breaking down, bags lost, travel delays. But you can't expect to travel without some of those things happening. It is part of the package. Sometimes arriving in a new place alone can be a bit daunting, but what is new soon becomes familiar. Being on the move a lot can be tiring, but again, I learn to manage that by taking some time out, and reflecting.

There were challenges before I headed off; trying to rally support and finance. I think often people only want to support successful projects- so the early stages can be tough, convincing people that you are doing it for the right reason, and committed to the results. This is common to a lot of the people I have interviewed! There will always be people who doubt, but you can not let that stop you.

Q. You're now in India. Have your changed perceptions about Africa led you to rethink any of your preconceptions about India? What are your goals for the India segment of your trip?

Mulvany: The transition from Africa to India was a strange one. I had been to India before, so coming here I thought would be like stepping into something familiar. But I had forgotten about the heat, the colour, the smells, the sheer intensity of it all. My goals for this section are really to remain open, to continue meeting such great people- and to continue to learn from them... and to keep hydrated!

*Endnote: For a full view of Clare's thoughts on how her the first part of her journey in Africa went, see her posting from August 30th.