Wednesday, 3 July 2013

What am I doing next year?

Welcome to my blog! If you want to find out about what my plans are for the coming year, read on...

What? Teaching
Where? Ghana, west Africa
When? September – for 4 ½ months
With who? http://www.lattitude.org.uk/ , a charity organising volunteer placements and working with communities across the world.

Why volunteer for free in a foreign country when you can get an NQT job in the UK?
Good question. I’ve wanted to take a year out and do something different for a while, but never had the money/opportunity. And why not? I've come to the natural end of a chapter in my life, and I really want to experience how different cultures work (especially African ones).
The last thing I wanted to do was “gap yah” style volunteering. The main reason for me going is to use a skill I am trained in (teaching) in a place where they really need it.

I’m looking forward to a whole new experience of education. Children in Africa are desperate to learn - it seems obvious but it is hugely important. Education for them is the key to a better life… an opportunity to dream to be lawyers, doctors, scientists, engineers, and to help their family and community.

The only ‘facilities’ available are a blackboard and chalk (if I’m lucky), which will be challenging to say the least! On the plus side, children will actually listen to me…that will be a new experience. 

I’ll be staying with a host family in the coastal town of Effiakuma, and hopefully integrating in the community as much as possible. Apparently the locals are football crazy, which sounds awesome! Maybe I'll bump into Michael Essien at some point.
The rough plan is to do some more travelling, before coming back to the UK for a job starting next September.

I find it hard not to sound pretentious when writing a blog, but this will be the best way to inform people who care of what I am getting up to. I hope to update this throughout the next year or so with amazing posts such as teaching calamities, sunburn stories, and the inevitable "cute African children" photos...


So there you have it, not sure what else to include…Thanks for reading! I’m really excited about the next stage for me. 
You may be hearing from me soon re fundraising for equipment and other things. Donations of factor 50 much appreciated.