Well, I've submitted the first $2000 USD to Invisible Children. My fundraising total to date is $2450 USD (that's more than $3000 CAD)! The next date for submission of funds is April 1st, for another $1000 USD. I've signed all the waivers, acknowledging that travel in East Africa is inherently dangerous due to factors such as bad roads, disease, and political instability. A little different from the waiver I signed last week to go downhill skiing with high school students.
I've got my new passport in hand, with requisite embarrassing photo. When they tell me that I am not allowed to smile, I can't seem to avoid opening my eyes really wide like I am really surprised.
I finished the first book on the required reading list. "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". What a crazy book about the exploitation of a country's resources through financial loans for infrastructure. I thought it was very interesting, but I would like to read another book on the topic now. It certainly gives me the feeling that I have a lot to learn.
I think I will watch the movie "Last King of Scotland" this week. It is the story of Idi Amin from 1971-1979 in Uganda as told through a fictional personal doctor and confidant, Garrigan. In "Confessions of an Economic Hitman", I learned that Amin lived out his life in extravagant comfort in Saudi Arabia, after being exiled from Uganda for all the atrocities he committed there.
I've started to make contact with other teachers participating in the exchange this year. There is a total of 37 teachers going in three different groups. I am in the third group with twelve other participants. We all leave New York City together on June 27th. That is two days after school ends, I guess I better finish the yearbook on the last day this year, instead of spending 10 days of the summer vacation doing it. Although the three groups leave at different times, we all overlap for the International Teaching and Learning Conference.
One of the participants started a "group" on Facebook for IC Teacher Exchange participants. I am amazed at how many people are returning for a second or third year with the project. It has been wonderful to read their blogs of past years. Here is a sample:
It is great to see photos of the schools and read about the relationships formed.
I spent this past weekend near Algonquin Park with a group of cross-country skiers. One of the men there has been to Uganda three times volunteering to help develop computer databases for the government. It was so nice to hear his impressions of the country. His wife mentioned a high school in my neighborhood which is interested in projects in Africa. She is hopefully going to connect me with the principal there.
These things just confirm my idea around taking advantage of all opportunities presented. I've always been amazed at the connections and common ground I've found with people either through my travels, or even just books I've read. I talked with another man on the ski trip. He is originally from Hungary and we talked about the Somogy region, where I travelled in 2006 and 2007 with students for an environmental service project. I spoke with another woman there about the service project in Costa Rica comparing my experience travelling there with students with those of her son who teaches at a private school in Quebec.
I am so looking forward to meeting all the participants in this year's exchange, as well as my teacher-partner and students! I wonder where this adventure will take me and how it will shape me.
Thanks again for all your support!
Melody
