My life has been changed since I spent 5 weeks in Ghana back in the summer. So much so that I am going back for Christmas and new year with my partner and seventeen year old daughter. I know both of them will be inspired by what they see there and the people they will meet. It will be a great time to be there helping VWA prepare for the festive season. There will be a christmas party to organise for the nursery children, presents to wrap as well as the usual business of the day to day work out there. It is something I am looking forward to, I am forsaking my birthday celebrations (it’s a big one too) and christmas treats so that the children out there in Ghana can have a lovely time, a small sacrifice for me but it will make a big difference to them.
In other (connected) news, I am embarking on a learning adventure. I miss studying and believe learning is a process that should continue throughout your life and isn’t just for the young. After completing my teaching qualification and maths specialism I wanted to something but was never sure what and didn’t want to do a degree for the sake of it, I need purpose, a reason to study. I now have found that purpose, Africa and more specifically Ghana. It is where I see myself in the years to come and in order to do that I really need international development learning as well as the practical experience I will gain on every trip I make there.
So in August I decided to transfer the credits from my teaching qualifications and put them towards a degree, it is an open degree but I will put a heavy emphasis on international studies. One the degree I will be better placed to work out in Africa and whilst I am studying I plan to visit Ghana as often as possible to gain on the ground experience of international development work with an NGO.
It is a slightly daunting prospect but also very exciting at the same time. I have Matt Craig, the CEO of Volunteer West Africa for the inspiration to do this. He is someone whom I admire very much and works tirelessly for what he believes in and who knows one day I might be there to help him on a more permanent basis. Meanwhile I will do what I can to raise money and raise awareness for this charity that is in my heart and work towards my end goal.