Anna's Suitcase Goes to Ottawa

A week from tomorrow I'll be on the plane (very early...at 6:30am!) to Ottawa for my first round of training called "Preparing for Change." I'll meet with my advisor, the VSO doctor and other volunteers. I've started getting things done. I had medical and dental clearances done last week and bought a year's worth of contact lenses. (Pssst...don't tell my optometrist that I don't change my lenses when I should and one year will last me two!) This week I got my Tetanus shot, which I know I should have had years ago but don't really get vaccinations. In fact, I'm only getting the ones I have to get in order to go (Hep, Yellow Fever...and I even read rabies somewhere!)

I'm also excited about getting to Ottawa to see my cousins. I'll be staying with my cousin D'Arcy and Blanca and get to meet little Mary MacEachern! I'm hoping for a mini-reunion of other MacEachern cousins too. Maybe take a few pictures of Parliament Hill. I've never been to Ottawa which is a sad commentary considering I teach social studies and have a political science degree. Yikes. I also failed Econ 101 at Mount Royal College and now teach grade 9s about market economic principles. But I digress.....

Peru plans are more or less coming too. Our wonderful caretaker has already taught me how to say "How much does it cost?" and "I love you." I've told him to be ready for my list of sentences that are coming. It sounds silly but I'm worried about learning too much Spanish because when I get back I'll be knee keep in French and Kinyrwanda. 

So that's about it but thought I'd leave you with a map of Rwanda. The town I'll likely be in is Gitarama which is south west of the capital. Of course, nothing is official yet. My application has been forwarded to the education district for formal approval. Click on the map to see a larger copy.

Big Plans!

I was going to call this blog "Holy Crap! I'm selling my couch" because when I made the decision to volunteer abroad, I thought of all the things I would no longer need.

This is my first ever blog but have been reading many in the last few weeks as I am preparing my suitcase for a few big adventures. After much time, research and what seems like forever envying people who pack up and make a difference in another part of the world, I am going on my own adventure. I love teaching. I love my job right now but need a bit of a change of scenery. So....

I applied to CUSO-VSO to become a volunteer. I dove into the the VSO pool head first and had visions of moving to Africa and becoming a teacher trainer. VSO works all over the developing world and does all sorts of things. It merged with CUSO last year (the same organization that sent my dad to Zambia in the 60s) and sends volunteers for 3 months to 2 year placements. After a trip to Vancouver for Assessment Day (and to visit with Em!), I was accepted. Yay!!! So I sat and waited and wondered what I would really do as a teacher in Mongolia....(a possibility...) until I go the placement over email. After an offer for Ghana, the placement that I accepted is to Rwanda.

Originally, it was in northern Rwanda but I just found out today that it will likely be in Gitarama, Muhanga District in Southern Rwanda. My role will be as a basic Education Methodology Trainer. (Yikes! I guess I should look up what that big word "methodology" means.....ha ha! Just a fancy word for proper teaching practices). I will start at the end of August and can't really believe it's all happening.

As if that wasn't enough...In addition to two training trips to Ottawa for VSO in May and June, my suitcase will be heading to Newfoundland for my cousin, Joey's, wedding and then a major trip to Peru with my friend Aimey to hike the Inca Trail and chill out in the rainforest. 

So....here is my blog. Right now I'll tell you that my spelling and grammar are horrible (so you can point it out but I won't listen!).  The purpose of this blog is to help me remember this time and also to keep my friends and family posted and up to date on what my suitcase is up to and the adventures that it finds! (PS - the picture on the side under my profile shows my suitcase's last big adventure...it was taken in southern Iceland).

ENJOY!

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