Seriously?! That's only 9kg?

Well only 4 days to go. I'm freaking out. A lot.

It's been quite a busy week; getting everything done that up until this point I have kept in the 'I'll do that later' box in my head. My family has made a couple of visits to say cheerio and I'm having continuous realisations that all the things I do will be that last time for a year. I had my hair cut the other day and that even turned out to be a momentous moment in my head. The last time I will see a friend. The last time I will go to a certain place. It sounds like I'm never going to come back with all these miserable thoughts but I realised the other day that the fact is I'm going to be away for a year and even when I come back it will be straight to university and I still won't be able to pick up from where I left off.

It's terribly exciting but also equally as terrifing.

Anyway, yesterday I managed to practice packing all my things and thankfully it all fits! There was a moment when I genuinely thought I was doomed. However, it is so freaking heavy! The airline says we can have two bags of 23kg each...they have got to be kidding. I really don't think my body could take that strain for a journey that long. I may turn up to Kiwangala needing a chiropractor.


All this...

 

ß This suitcase was stuffed full of ALL my clothes

 Into these...









1 Rucksack
1 Holdall
1 Hand luggage

Only 4 weeks of Scotland to go...

It has been a while since I updated you on the progresses made for my year in the beautiful land of Uganda. However, now seems to be the perfect time to explain what has been going on so far this year. If you have read my previous posts (if you haven't, i forgive you) you will have seen that I mention the country 'Swaziland' quite a few times. Well it turns out that unfortunately problems led to my project in Swaziland being dropped. You can imagine my concern when it was only about 4 months until I was flying out to Africa and I didn't know exactly where I was going to be living. Over the next three or four weeks I had many conversations with Project Trust trying to sort out my problem. At one point it looked like I wasn't going to be going anywhere. I was told it could be Malawi, then South Africa and at one point they suggested India. But I have always been quite specific with what I wanted out of my year abroad. I wanted to go to Africa. I wanted to teach. Not so difficult I thought, but it turns out that Project Trust have had the biggest group of volunteers ever and spaces were going quickly. However, just as I was starting to think that it was not going to happen, I was given some very good news: I was going to Uganda (this may not be a complete surprise to those who have noticed just how many times it says 'Uganda' at the top of this blog)

My project: secondary teacher at Children's Sure House in the village of Kiwangala. The Headteacher apparently would like an emphasis on maths and science. Although people who know me would think "Josie doing maths and science?!" I'm hoping that I won't be too terrible. My students will be between the ages of 13-17 learning material equivalent to Standard Grade/Higher. I also get the opportunity to set up extra community projects. So far I have thought of setting up a music group and I'm pretty sure they are going to be absolutely amazing with their African singing and drum playing. Volunteers from last year and the year before have told me how lovely all the children are.

Some of the children at Children's Sure House

As well as finding out what project I was going to, I also found out my partner(s). The three of us all finally met up on the ferry on the way to Coll. Jenny and I had already met before: we stayed in the same house on Selection back in June last year (you can see her in a picture in my first post). We had kept in touch during our fundraising throughout the year and then to find out that we would actually be going to the same project was really strange! There was definitely lots of screaming down the phone when we found out. Holly is our near-newcastle third who is hilarious and a real smart cookie. During our brief time getting to know each other we had the cliché feeling of being best friends that had known each other for years. We ended up failing to socialise a lot with the others going to Uganda and instead spent time just talking. 

On the 22nd of July I traveled up to Oban, staying in the lovely backpackers and then travelling to the Isle of Coll early the next morning. Despite the early start and and the reasonably rough sea, training started as soon as we arrived on the island. The week was chock-a-block with talk after talk about teaching, classroom management, culture shock, health, travel and many many more things that I hadn't even considered when planning for my year away. There was time though for everyone to play a game of rounders on the beach on the first night and for the infamous ceilidh on the last night of Training. I also learned the date that I will be leaving Scotland for Uganda and I can now tell you that I will be saying my goodbyes on the 2nd of September. So that means...only 4 more weeks of Scotland to go. My bed in now completely obscured by the mounds of stuff in my 'to take to Uganda' pile. I already know that I will not be able to fit everything into my ruckasack and am prepared to have to sacrifice most of my clothing to make way for all the mosquito nets ect.

With only a month to go I am getting more and more excited but also equally as nervous. The next post may well be coming to you from a small internet café in Masaka, Uganda.

 Uganda group 2012/13

Overlooking the beach on the Isle of Coll...always a beautiful sunset

           My things...yes, I know, I'm screwed.                     CSH 'triplets' (Jenny, Holly, me)



The Progress So Far.

As the New Year has come and gone, I now find myself counting down the months until I travel to Swaziland. It won't be too long, I expect, until the count down will be by weeks. As it stands there are only about 5 months standing between me and wonderful Africa. It's going so slowly and so quickly at the same time.

Fundraising

The time from Selection in June to now has been taken up by fundraising. My aim of the £5,100 is not far off now but there's still several hundred pounds to go. Finding the ways in which to get this is proving to be more difficult than I thought, what with exams fast approaching and the time for organising large scal events being seriously depleted. Other volunteers have mentioned how much money was raised from Bag Packs at local supermarkets but I guess the places around me are a bit relutant. A series of emails, letters and personal visits are still not enough to secure a date any time soon. However, keep your fingers crossed for a reply with a big "Yes" on it!

People ask me about all the different events that I planned to get the money raised so far. But when I think about it, there have not been many large scale fundraisers for me. A large amount of money has been from generous Charitable Trusts and local businesses. Family and friends have been very kind enough to donate money through my VirginMoneyGiving, through cheques, or even just loose change!
Last summer I sold plants from my garden, managing to collect a respectable £200 or so. The plan is to do the same this year, with the help of my mum and dad, and collect a similar amount. An article was put in The Berwickshire News about my year volunteering, and I'm sure the mention of my plant sales made a considerable difference for its success!
My wonderful family have also been helpful in my fundraising. My Auntie, Grandma and Cousins were able to organise a Pamper Day for their friends in Stirling. It was a great success with treatments such as head massage, back massage, hand and arms as well as sessions with a fortune teller who was very good! Entrance fees and a raffle all accumulated to a successful £900 or so raised. What a fabulous family effort! :)



Me beside the plant sales from The Berwickshire News

  My leaflets and the sign up sheets for the fortune teller

One of the treatments at the Pamper Day



                           

I found that money can come from a variety of small ways rather than spending a huge amount of time and possible money on large scale events that may not guarantee a great profit. Carol singing a couple of times at Christmas time was a simple way to raise some money from festive strangers. Myself and others from school were able to put on a small performace that gathered a lovely crowd of listeners at a Christmas fair. Helping out at a coffee morning with my leaflets and donations bucket sitting promptly on the table was also a subtle way of gaining donations. Much of my fundraising money has been from these small scale methods including raffle tickets for a Hamper and a Car Boot Sale.

Preparation

It feels as though I am in a sort of limbo at the moment. It seems too close to not start thinking about preparation for Swaziland, but it's is also a tad too early. I want to be buying all the things that I will need and reading up on everything that I can do while I'm out there. None of this can be done quite yet though: I still need to recieve the letter from PT that secures what country and project I will be going to. It's pretty certain that Swaziland is going to be my host country although there is always a small chance that it could change. To be honest, I think I would be happy with any country that I was sent to (although as I find out more and more about Swaziland, the more I love it). Also on the horizon is my return trip to the beautiful Isle of Coll for Training. The four days back at PT HQ is said to be quite difficult, with all the talks on safety, culture shock, culture and of course the teacher training.

There are so many questions that are most likely to be answered on Training but luckely I have the guidence of an Returned Volunteer from Swaziland who also happens to be from my area. The Scottish Borders have kindly managed to send (or soon send) three PT volunteers to Swaziland - an odd coincidence but true all the same! I guess Eilidh, Bekah and myself are all just sub-consciously drawn to Southern Africa. My endless questions have all been answered and also a few personal tips have been shared which will hopefully help me when getting ready to go. At the moment, I seem to be forgetting about the really important things that need to go with me such as first aid kit and of course, first of all, a rucksack! Instead mental notes to remember photos of friends and family, camera and memory cards, teaching ideas...the list of things is endless. But it's too early for all that.

My innoculations list has been sent by PT....something that I'm not quite looking forward to. The list is not small - an indication of the horrible things that can be caught in Africa - but it won't be too bad...i hope. These will be done nearer to the time so there is no imminent discomfort coming my way. Huzzah!

Here is a look at the Project Trust Hoody that I designed for the competition. All the ideas from volunteers of '12/'13 are looking awesome and the leading design at the moment is no exception.



And so it begins...

Here we go. I have now officially started my fundraising for my year in Swaziland. I must admit that it is more daunting than i first expected, although I am being helped by my wonderful mother (cheers mum!).
Now the letters have been printed, breaking my printer in the process, and sent out to many, many people who I hope will be generous enough to give me a wee donation. :)

Throughout this year I will be organising many fundraising events: bag packing, car boot sales and a ceilidh to name a few. I will try to update this blog as much as possible to show my progress in reaching that far off total of £5,100.


Selection

Now a few words must be said about Selection. First off, I'm pretty miffed that I am going to have to wait an entire year to go back to Coll for Training! I didn't know I would like a place so much from just being there 5 days. There were so many people to meet and so much to talk about from every single project to general chit chat.

My host family were unbelievably lovely and Jenny, Sally and I felt like a part of the family.

Selection 20-24 June 2011

After several discussions and forms about the countries that were available I made my choices. After only a week I was told that I would travelling to Swaziland to teach school children!

It's such a big decision - to move to Africa for a year - but now that the planning and fundraising is in full swing, I'm becoming more and more excited about my adventures.

Bring it on!