Bravo, Alexandra! You achieved a lot in Africa and helped a lot of people there. I am sure you will continue to excel in all you strive for. Best of everything at law school in NYC.

Whoa, check out that stone cold fox! I wanna live among her people, if you know what I mean.

Africa?? When obama gets done with us Eastern maine will be a third world country..so little miss do gooder wont have to go very far

Alexandra, Congratulations on commiting a selfless act of giving of yourself for others. The world will only be better for your actions. Thank you for representing our great state so wonderfully.

I wish good folks like her kept her skills here in this country, preferably in Maine instead of shipping her skills to a place like Africa. Help is needed right here in this country yet we give it to people who most of us will likely never see. Poor quality of priortizing. Lets straighten up shop here first then help others.

Hooray for Alexandra! And, not only did she surely do great good for people with needs win the in USA can't even imagine, but her experiences there will give her perspective that will indeed be very useful down the road in our country as well.

I should say "we in the USA can't even imagine". I looked it up: per capita income in Mauritania is under $400 a year.

But Im sure that the most of the people in Mauritania get a lot of help from this Liberal country that we live in to help them and not help the people who live in Maine and the rest of the USA. I think that if we stay out of all the rest of the countriest and just try to help the people in Maine and the other 49 states

we would not be in the mess that we are in now,, keep the dollar in the USA.

As much as I agree that we need to help those in need right here in the US, I agree that this is NOT the venue to discuss it. This young girl did something exraordinary and should not be downed for it. She did a great job and should be praised not belittled.

Good show, Alexandra!

great...another lawyer who will use experience in a third world country, to make decisions of law in America....Our judicial system is not based on feelings, emotion or life experience. These are good to have for a well rounded human being but not to use that as a tenet of deciding law...

by the way, that part of Africa is a better place for her time there....

So many keyboards, so many little minds.

I have know "Alex" for many years and she is an outstanding young woman. She is community minded and wherever and whatever she ends up doing the world will be a better place. Congratulations on a job well done, and enjoy the time with your family. You deserve it.

A complete waste of time.

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Stay home and help Americans.

Is she likes Africa so much, she should go live there and become a citizen of some African country instead.

You guys are horrible! She is doing something im sure none of you bigmouths ever would. She is reaching out and helping other people who need it. Yes, america has it's own problems, but nothing compared to theirs. We created our own problems. they didn't. She seems like a WONDERFUL woman, someone we need in Maine office maybe. Get over yourselves, if you are so concerned about her helping americans, why are you out there doing it?

**why aren't you out there doing it- oops.

It's obvious some posters here have drank too much pickle juice. Well done Alexandra.

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vchapes wrote: "We created our own problems. they didn't."

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After all this time, Africa is still a mess. And I doubt that will ever change no matter how much more money and time is wasted on that place.

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Look at Japan: in no time they adapted to the industrial revolution, and went from a medieval society to defeating Russia, all in a matter of a few decades.

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The Chinese and Indians have also quickly adapted to Western ways of business and technology, and are already starting to out do us at our own game.

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The problem with Africa is its own doing.

If that's how you look at it fine. Either way she's doing something other than thinking of herself. America DID create it's own problems and nobody can really argue otherwise. I dont follow Africa (at all) so i can't say i know anything about it, because, well, i don't. Just because it's not a BIG fabolous difference doesn't mean it is worthless to them. She made a difference in these peoples lives, plain and simple, and should be recognized for it, not picked apart.

Noblamegaming: Let me reiterate what you so correctly said....."So many keyboards, so many little minds."

Some very insecure people here.....who cannot imagine what this young woman did as they could never be so selfless most likely.....give up so many comforts ,etc., to help others. She will only have gained from her experiences there which she can apply anywhere she goes in this country and elsewhere. She will benefit mankind unlike a few on this post (from the sounds of them anyway.)

Once again.....You are an inspiration, Alexandra! Best in the future too.

ParkAveJoe never has anything good to say about much of anything....all negativity!

vchapes: Great comments!

Good for you Ms Winter that you and some other folks still have a conscience about those who are in need,where every they may be in this World and are not afraid to volunteer.

You and others', have the self-confidence as a US citizen, that your country will always take care of it's own, here the US, and that there are many, many places where, if the US does not participate in helping these places, then they would never ever have some type of hope to imporve thier lives and future.

Thanks. When asked, by your Country, you stepped up, and lent a hand.

See, only self-confident, US citizens, who have the insight, compassion, empathy, and fearlessness, from what is true patriotism, developed from their confidence as a US citizen, should and do to venture off to those who need help where ever it is needed in, whether in the form of of public services or military service.

Only the frightened will be critical.

Your family too I am sure is beaming of your accomplishments.

Wanna help Africans?..Move to Lewiston

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vchapes wrote: "If that's how you look at it fine."

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I take my clues from facts, not from some theoretical dreamworld.

I find it very interesting, by the way, that I never click thumbs down on posts with which I disagree.

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Yet often my posts and others like mine, are often censored by readers here.

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Must be because some people are threatened by the truth, and hope to suppress it, lest it shake them and others from their feel-good fantasies.

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fredrogers wrote: "if the US does not participate in helping these places, then they would never ever have some type of hope to imporve thier lives and future."

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They were doing fine hunting and gathering, until contact with more "advanced" societies screwed up their time-tested ways.

fredrogers: Could not agree more. Hope Alexandra Winter knows that many admire her!

Alexandra, I used to work out of Nouakchott, Mauritania, so can envision the territory. Good on ya for sticking it out and raising the funds in a tough part of the world. Pay no attention to the nay-sayers who don't understand that it isn't an us-vs-them world, despite the fact that it makes life seem safer and simpler to just write off entire foreign cultures. Welcome home!