There's no denying it, these bloggers are bound to make you jealous. Whether it's their guts, their energy or their tan you admire, overseas volunteers have got plenty to share with you about their remarkable work in fascinating countries. Read on to find out what you could be missing.

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Tuesday Jun 23, 2009

Will I miss tomato ketchup?

I am Lucille, a politics student at Manchester University. I am volunteering in Ghana for two months with Tzedek - a Jewish charity which works abroad, regardless of race or religion, providing direct support to help local people, so that they can help themselves.

I'm going in under two weeks and currently I'm preparing for my trip. I got this email from my friend Josh and thought it was worth sharing. I don't think they included this advice in the Brandt guide to Ghana I was reading on the train to Leicester today:

Dear Lucy

By now you will have been blasted with ideas, suggestions, rules, regulations and requests.  Much of it is very important and valuable; a whole load of it is just crap. Based on my trip to Vanuatu I offer you the following...

1. People will make judgments about you based on the colour of your skin - never take it personally.

2.Learn the local language early or at least key words

3. Get 'British presents' to give to people at the end of your stay

4.Use silver foil to cover your dishes when you cannot be bothered to wash up

5. Write a diary – even if it just activities with no thoughts or feelings. Do catch up if you get a week behind it will be worth it

6.Write a full A4 list of reasons you are volunteering in Ghana this summer– keep it secret

7.  Before you go write down a list of what you expect to miss and then during your time away what you actually miss. (interesting afterwards)

8. Don't get too upset if you can't read all the books you planned on reading

9.  Keep a recipe book of all the weird foods you make and Keep a quotes page

10.50 amazing photos that are well thought out are better than 500. No one wants to sit through 500

11. Have loads of plasters – they are amazing for fixing holes in mosquito nets

12. Try local food even if it looks nasty

13. Enjoy every day and don't feel pity for local people.

14. Do sketching!

15. Use the postal service rather than pay excess luggage when you want to bring loads of cool stuff home. Pay it even if it is loads it will be worth it in the end. Surface mail doesn't actually take 2 months.

16. Mantra: It could be worse

17. You can't save the world and you are not a selfish colonialist for going to Africa to try

I have been asking lots of friends post- gap years in Africa for advice on what it like to live in Africa.  Their responses were surprising and always interestingly detailed. Apparently in Africa, I'm going to look forward to having clean feet, something I have previously thought very little about. (As however much I shower my feet, I will still feel dirty) Apparently, I will be missing tomato ketchup and other random food items. They all say Volunteering in Africa was the most difficult and rewarding they have ever done. It feels strange for me, sitting in my PJ's on my comfy sofa in suburban Leicester, with my mug of tea, in a week I will be far from my world. These descriptions will be my real experiences and no longer just 'apparently'.  (But apparently it's normal to be a bit nervous too!)

 

Posted by Lucille ( 11:13 AM )
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