The Transforming Dream

Well. Here it is. Africa dans l'avenir.

I suppose the beginning is a good place to start;

The Start
So about a year and a half ago I was told to watch this movie. Now normally I'm not one to be so influenced or inspired by Hollywood. Not that Hollywood can't inspire, because it does, just not me. I watched Hotel Rwanda. If you haven’t watched it, go rent it after this. Hotel Rwanda is a movie portraying the murderous genocide of Rwanda in April 1994. This genocide killed around 800,000 in only 100 days. An unforgivable failure by the United Nations. One of the most powerful scenes of Hotel Rwanda is when all the white people leave. After watching that movie over 75 times I still ball until it hurts at that scene.
Since watching Hotel Rwanda I have read countless books and expanded my knowledge. Never have I been so inspired but also disgusted by the failure of humanity. This failure has sparked a divine passion inside of me. Constantly I am imagining, dreaming, learning, questioning, and indulging in Africa. Now, I am going.

Why? What? Where? When?
Although I do my best to be patient and understanding, I am currently very impatient. Impatient and frustrated. Maybe the better word is bored. I'm really really bored. I graded early (that in itself was an adventure and a half) and am now free from High School. I searched feverishly for a program to volunteer with. Not an easy task my friend. BUT this Vancouver Sun article came up and was brought to my attention TWICE (thank you Penny and Ms. Bowater). The program is called "Global Volunteer Network" (website: http://www.volunteer.org.nz/). This brought me to apply (after a slight breakdown). Now I am going to Uganda to work in a program called The Real Uganda (website: http://www.therealuganda.com/). This program is run by a woman (who sounds super fantastic) who went to Uganda and found a bunch of Non-Government Organizations (NGO's) in Uganda and united them. She gets volunteers and money then distributes them amongst the different NGO's. I'll be working for one such NGO called MUMYO (website: http://www.mumyo.org/). Although I don't really understand what I'll be doing I think the idea is that I'll be working in a very grassroots town called Naggalama in Mukono district (close to Kampala, Uganda's capital). My volunteer tasks will include teaching and helping to run a youth program with a bit of community teaching about HIV/AIDS and women empowerment and so such. It is very exciting. In fact I'm pretty sure I have cried multiple times with divine excitement for the three months I'll be spending under the African sun. This has all brought me to where I am now; Ticket bought, arms poked (along with my unforgettably supportive papa), travel supplies mounted together, books read, dreams dreamt. All that is left are a few proper goodbyes.
*on a side note: this week is going to be epic. Not only because of all my disgusting amounts of work for universities and scholarships (which of course must be done early) but also because I only really live at home for one more week. When I get back its grad and then I’m off to the island for work. Then university. These goodbyes’s feel like they are goodbye's forever. Friendships, although they are not coming to an end, feel as though they are taking a drastic turn. Memories of unimaginable proportion will be formed in my absence, and that is hard.*

The Idea
Perhaps this whole thing hasn't completely hit me. In truth, I’m not sad to leave home; I'm excited, and scared and completely prepared to be completely unprepared. It is an exhilarating feeling. It has made me lock my keys in my car two times in the past week.

Basically this blog is to tell my stories and share the good news (or bad news). I'm also treating it as a bit of a Journal so bear with me as I indulge in pouring out my soul. I plan on updating it about once a week. To get to a computer I have to go to the main volunteer house in Mukono and that might not always happen. Please feel free to e-mail me your thoughts, worries or anecdotes at any time! I'll share my life you share yours. I'll try and respond as quickly as possible. As per sending things; not suggested. It takes about 4-6 weeks to get to me. But if you want a postcard give me your address and I’ll do my best.

I suppose the "outer goal" of this blog is to share with my friends and family all the stories about my adventures in Uganda. Perhaps it is to give a common outlet for people to be assured I am in good health and happy. However, I really hope that in reading this blog you will learn a thing or two. I mean Knowlege equals Power, doesn't it? Here and there I'm sure I will go into long rants with information irrelevant to my day to day experiences. But, there are so many lessons to be learned and I really hope that you too will learn something by living vicariously through me. No. I hope that you will be inspired to change the world! I hope that you will take this knowledge and get the ball rolling on big changes! But, perhaps that will be too much to ask. Or maybe it will take a University level English class or two before my words are that powerful!

The "Could Not Do Withouts"
Finally, a great teacher of mine has taught me to never do anything without saying thank you. I think she over thanks people, but then again, does over thanking truly exist? Thank you everyone. If you are reading this you are an inspiration to me and also a support I could not do without. This adventure never would have happened without people telling me to go for it and my parents supporting me every step of the way (although on the inside I know they are wishing they could electric fence me to the house). Thank you to teachers who have taught and inspired in me the knowledge I have. Those who have dropped off donations and wishes of good luck. Friends who have listened to countless stories without complaint, sometimes not even interrupting for a cute boy walking in the foreground. Thank you so much for pretending to care as much as I do. I feel like this is an Oscar speech and the music is playing; but again thank you to you all.

The End
That's it for now folks. Stay posted for more stories and adventures; you will be apart of the adventure also!

"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all" --- Alex Lowe