Preparing to go to Africa
Why?
I am very excited about the challenge that awaits in Kenya but why am I going? Firstly, after many years of working ridiculous hours at a job I loved, it was time for a break. I ate, slept and breathed Read more…
Uganda
A Positive Attitude (even if your knees are shaking)
I want to tell you a story.
In Uganda, I was living in a rural village, on my own, with a local family. It was my third day and I was still terrified. I didn’t understand the culture, there was limited communication because of the language barrier and my living circumstances were more challenging than expected. It was Sunday and volunteer teachers had been advised to attend church with their hosts. It turned out that my family weren’t going but I was to be accompanied by 2 children (neither of whom spoke English) for the 3 mile walk to church. This included walking through the dense bush before joining the red murram road. I didn’t want to do it but I couldn’t figure out how to get out of it.
So off we set. There were many people on the road, travelling in both directions. I was nervous and feeling very intimidated. I was in deepest, darkest Africa, on my own with two children, with no idea of where I was going. Every time we met someone, they would stop and stare at me, the muzungu (white person.) It was not a friendly stare and so I tried to avoid eye contact and increase my pace.
Preparing to go to Africa
Obsession With Time
Firstly, I didn’t know I was obsessed until I visited Namibia. But it’s a very Western trait. We only ever have one foot in the present and the other in the future. The scary thing is that we don’t Read more…
Preparing to go to Africa
Getting to Grips with Culture
It’s always useful to read up on where you’re going. Personally, I always try to have mastered at least a few words of greeting, as well as please, yes, no and thank you. If you’re going to be living Read more…
Preparing to go to Africa
An Open Mind – a willingness to challenge your thinking and learn
In Africa, many problems, and their impact, are visible – poverty, unemployment, traditional gender roles, drought, waste, famine, war etc. In Scotland, and many other European countries, problems are not so easily seen unless you know where to look. Substance Read more…
Preparing to go to Africa
Packing for An African Adventure
You might read this because you want the perfect packing list for your own adventure. Compact, clever, relevant and lightweight. Yeah,,,,me too. This is not really that kind of list. I can include some tips of course. An umbrella beats Read more…
Namibia
First Time In Africa
I was really not very adventurous. Trips abroad had usually been package holidays or visits to friends and relatives in far flung places. I was quite content balancing family (husband and four kids) and work (Primary School teacher) in a small town in the North East of Scotland. I wanted to be more intrepid but not nearly enough to do anything about it.
Then an opportunity arose to participate in a Connecting Classrooms project, run by the British Council. A link was established between 3 Ethiopian Schools, 3 Namibian Schools and 3 Scottish schools. Teachers would travel for 10 days, to live and learn with colleagues in partner countries.
I persuaded my family they would manage perfectly well without me, applied and was accepted for the project. It was February 2009. Namibia awaited! (more…)