Not so great.....

Woke up feeling ill today.... maybe something is "going around" as they say....maybe i'm really not made for this weather as I say....or maybe this is my body's way of boycotting the concept of work during winter. Whatever the reason, I'm not 100% today :(

The good news is, that yesterday I got my volunteer package from Cross Cultural Solutions c/o FedEx! It came with info about the program in general, info on Ghana, a checklist of what I need to do before I go - and a snazzy t-shirt that says: International Volunteer. So if I didn't take the t-shirt does that mean I have to raise less cash?? just kidding - kinda.

anyway the package was pretty comprehensive and very "feel good". what do i mean by feel good? they talked about how 'happy' the Ghanaian people are...that they may even be the happiest people on earth! uh huh. ok..... i have never been to Ghana - but i'm pretty sure Hugh Hefner is pretty happy and could give them a run for their money :D


Jokes aside it did provide quite a bit of information that will help me immensely in planning my trip! For instance clothing: no tight or low cut clothing is acceptable (I guess Hugh would have to leave his ladies at the mansion), women can wear pants - like Capri still but everything must cover the calves. I have to bring a pair of shoes that cover the toes, and since I'll be doing quite a bit of walking it's probably best to leave the red suede stilettos at home.

They also suggest not to get involved in "sexual activities" while there as HIV/AIDS is a very real and very rampant there. It's a very good point, and very responsible of them to mention - it's just weird getting a document about what they suggest your sexual relations should or should not be you know?

They also talk about the possibilities of getting sick - and since anyone who knows me, knows I get sick at the mere suggestion of a sneeze, knows that this is the thing that terrifies me the most. I have to get immunized for Yellow Fever before I will be allowed into Ghana - and they also suggest Malaria pills, as well as whole host of other "suggested" immunizations, which all vary in how long before you travel that you must get them done. So I guess my next step is to make a consultation appointment with a travel clinic and see how many holes I'll get poked in me.

have a good day!

xo
ar

Good Times ahead?

Have you ever had the feeling that something great is about to happen just around the corner?
It's a great, but also kind of nerve wracking feeling. The past couple of days I've been quite antsy but I'm not really sure why.

Due to the web and how quickly information disseminates, I've been answering many questions about my trip - and I got some more donations! Including an AMAZING gift from my Aunt & Uncle as well as some lovely donations from friends. The thing is the more I talk about it, the more I realize there's a lot I want to learn about where I'm going.

Some relatives of mine just got back from Egypt and my mother just back from a cruise to South America (wow we sound like a jet setting family don't we??), and what I was most struck by in their tales upon their return is how much they felt the history of where they were visiting. It made me wish I had paid more attention in history class - actually scratch that, I'm not sure I would have learnt about this anyway - but i want to have more than a cursory understanding of what transpired to make Ghana.....well Ghana.....so I have a better understanding of what I'm seeing, does that make any sense?

So I've been cracking open some books, yes books, you know those things that have bindings and don't have the title Wikipedia....to find out more juice. I'll outline the highlights/lowlights in another post. Right now I've got to do the 9-5 thang.

Have a good one.

xo

ar

Saving Money

So much of last night and today I've been thinking of ways to try and save money here and there. I don't want to do anything TOO drastic right now...let's face it, it's the holiday season and I want to have fun with friends and family. But silly expenses must be obliterated and I must must must save every dollar that I don't have a conscious use for.

I went to lunch with a friend today ( i know unnecessary spending - but hey, it's Friday) and we talked money - among other things. He let me vent about bills, savings and credit cards. He has pushed me to make some of my payments automatic, so the moment I get paid - so does Fido....and Hydro....and Rogers....and....well you get the picture. After looking at my budget with a fresh pair of eyes, and not quite SO much panic I realized that I will be able to save a significant amount each month for this venture, and not get those threatening letters in the mail.

Sidebar - I wonder who has the responsibility of crafting these incredibly nasty yet tactful letters. I mean, I know they always end it with "if you've already submitted a payment, please disregard and Thank You!!!" - meh, you know i didn't. I know i didn't. And that chipper sarcasm at the end isn't making either one of us feel better.


Back to the story at hand. I'm going into this weekend feeling just a tad better about my financial situation and think I might actually get to go to Ghana. I got one more donation today from someone I used to work with. So sweet. I have to say my fav part of the donations is the messages that come with them. It's amazing to feel support from every direction.

have a lovely weekend!

xo

ar

anyone want a piano?

ok -- i know this has NOTHING to do with getting to Ghana, but I have to share - I spent last night helping my friend try and get rid of her piano. Can I tell the story? sure, this is my blog. Ok here goes.

So a good friend of mine is moving and has recently sold her home, in the basement of said home is a beautiful piano - vintage - made in 1911 etc. Now the new homeowners have their own piano and wanted this baby outta there. Couple of problems: my friend doesn't have a new home yet, and even if she did, not sure she wants it anyway. So she thinks "I know, I'll give it away for free!"

Easy right??

Wrong!! Her attempts to give it away to charities were rebuffed "We already have 3 pianos", tried donating to art organizations "well, where would we store it?" and tried to give it to friends (of friends) "hmmm I want it, but not sure how to move it"

So finally she tried to give it away on Craigslist! Free Piano - as long as you can get piano movers to get it out of the basement it's yours! hmph. we underestimated the intelligence of the general public. People called her asking if they could pick it up in their cars. CARS?!? This is a FULL size piano! Finally through much weeding out she finally spoke to someone who "knew" what they were talking about. They were coming to get it, piano movers in tow! Her worries were over. Or were they??......dum dum DUM......

She doesn't want to meet these strangers alone and I get that - so I accompany her out to her home (about 40 mins away) to meet these people for 8pm.

8:15

8:30 - she calls. They are still 20 mins away

8:45 - they call. They can't find the street

9pm - THEY SHOW UP!!! YESSSS, but wait - the truck is still on the way

- now let me pause by saying, that these were some very nice people! They even had a lil' baby with them - very sweet

9:15pm - Truck shows up - it's huge - GREAT! but wait, there's only one guy getting out of the truck - er - he's not a piano mover. oh crap.

Turns out that the buyer is friends with a friend who knows a piano mover, that couldn't show up, so they decided to go ahead anyway. The manage to get the piano out of the room, turn the corner and now the challenge of getting it up the 8 steps to the landing. The first four steps were a breeze, relatively speaking, then it all went down hill.

between yells of: OW MY HAND!, PUT A DOLLY UNDER IT!, PUUUUSH, LIIIIIFT and JUST A LIL' MORE....the piano ended up falling back down the stairs and putting a hole in her wall!!! ARGGGHHHHH! By this time it's 11:30pm and we officially told them to give up. They say they're coming back today with reinforcements and going to patch the wall. We'll see.

Anyhoo - yesterday was a great day - got 2 donations, one from a co-worker and one from my cousin! Everytime i get an email saying "Someone has donated on your behalf" I get so excited! I'm looking into a fundraising party for the new year. Keep you posted

xo

ar

Hey now, what's this all about?

ok, so lemme break it down.

I am 28 year old Canadian, Black women who is finally getting her act together to head to the Motherland. I say finally not because it's some sort of rite of passage - I say finally because I think ever since I could consciously think of the idea of travel i've wanted to go to Africa.  

The question was how to do it? I mean:

a) it's really not cheap, and though I'm comfortable I don't have an extra coupla grand hanging around looking for a home

b) There were no friends that I really wanted to go with, it's something I wanted to do on my own - but of course there's the safety issue

c) lastly I wasn't looking for an African Lion Safari tour. I actually wanted the chance to meet people and go places that may be off the beaten path so to speak.

After much research, and many years of wasting hard earned money on partying, club gear and drinks, I decided on the idea of going on a volunteer vacation.  

Ok now that that's decided, on to the next decision - whom to travel with.  There are plenty 'o people ready to take your money in the name of "volunteerism", so for me it was all about weeding out the crap ones from the valid ones through talking to people and looking into their rep.  

I finally decided on an org. called Cross Cultural Solutions, which to be honest might be more expensive than some, but here's why I decided to go with them:

Your program fee gives you a safe place to stay for your duration

3 meals a day - (can't wait to try the food btw)

setting you up with your placement

travel to and from the airport

all the bottled water you can drink (whew)

"cultural" activities - i.e. language, dance etc.

and free time to travel.

The thing that I liked best about it is that it's a self sustained compound where they don't draw on the resources of the neighbouring communities - therefore more $$$, but more :D :D :D

So I have officially enrolled to go to Ghana for 3 weeks in April - staying in the Volta Region. But this is just the start of the process. I've got to fundraise to pay for this program!  

The program itself is almost 3k +I gotta pay for my flight. Cross Cultural Solutions, helps you with this with a convenient website to send ppl so they can donate...  So yesterday I started the typical thing and asking people for money like I was doing a run for Breast Cancer and everyone said, will you do a blog when you get there???

well of course - but why wait til i'm there? why not bring you guys along for the prep? for the money, the needles (immunizations yikes), the visa, etc. 

So here begins a journey.....

xo

ar