12 Weeks...

Over the past few months the plans for my trip have started to come together.

On March 1st I signed my life away (submitting all the official paperwork) and made my first payment toward the total fee. I will make another payment on April 1st and my final payment on May 1st.

I have also been supplementing my usual fiction reading with meatier texts. Invisible Children provided the volunteers with a recommended reading list to ensure that when we come together in the summer everyone has a foundational knowledge of the issues surrounding developing countries. I am halfway through reading, Confessions of an Economic Hit man, a very interesting read about the corrupt ways in which the United States has intentionally destroyed the economies of developing countries. When I finish, I will crack open The Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Pedagogy focuses on issues surrounding education.

Other than reading, I have been slowly starting to buy/collect items from the "what to bring" and "what to wear" lists. I was informed that I should bring massive amounts of Wet Ones; I am guessing that showers are few and far between. My hippie phase from high school will finally pay off- I had lots of practice not showering or washing my hair.
The clothing requirements have been causing me far more mental anguish then I think it should. It is not culturally acceptable for anyone to expose skin above the knee so I have been on an endless search for longish (just past the knee) skirts. I have had little success, finding only micro-mini and ankle length hideous skirts!!

Other than hitting my friends and family up for money, reading, and shopping I am just counting down the days.

Thanks again for all your support!

Blogtastic!

I have officially become blogtastic (aka- an expert blogger) by adding an option to my blog that allows you to subscribe through email. Why would you care? Well, now you have the option to have an email sent to you every time I update my blog. I know each and every one of you can't wait to read my updates (did you catch the sarcasm?) and now you won't need to constantly check my blog. In all seriousness I am really excited to participate in something so exciting and genuinely want to share the experience with my wonderful friends and family. The subscribe by email option is located at the bottom of the blog page.


With love,

Michelle

Wow, what a quick response.

I’m truly blessed to have so many wonderful generous people in my life. I received donations even though I forgot to mention all the wonderful gifts that you will receive for your sponsorship.

What you can expect for you generosity:
1) Exciting blogs!!! A handful here and there during the spring and many during the duration of my trip. I won’t always have electricity, let alone internet, but there is an internet café in town.

2)Real pictures, not the stock photos seen on TV, of the teachers and students who are directly benefiting from your donation.

3)Stories, stories, and more stories that always end with me thanking you for giving me the chance to have the experience of a lifetime.

4)Small gifts and trinkets from Uganda that I think you may enjoy. Keep your fingers crossed and hope for a good exchange rate.

5)Finally, my eternal love and gratitude!

Thank you, Thank you!

With love,

Michelle

Teacher Exchange

I recently accepted a volunteer summer teaching position with the charity Invisible Children through their Teachers to Teachers initiative. I will travel to Gulu, Uganda for six weeks from late June to mid-August to team teach with a local educator. I will also present at in-services, attend workshops, and attend the annual International Teaching and Learning Conference in Gulu.

The Teacher Exchange program allows educators to volunteer in northern Uganda through a six-week summer program. Created to enhance present educational models and to establish long-term learning opportunities for both western and Ugandan teachers, educators engage in team teaching, information sharing, and skill building conferences - all with the purpose of generating collaboration among teachers from around the world.

Invisible Children developed Teacher Exchange to bring Ugandan classrooms to a competitive standard from the inside out. Teachers in Uganda often receive limited training and there are very few opportunities for personal and professional development. Ugandan classrooms are characterized by huge student numbers and complicated by a lack of space, a lack of furniture, a lack of textbooks and resources. Teacher Exchange provides a dynamic opportunity to boost the morale and build the capacity of Ugandan teachers.

I have linked videos below that can provide you more information on Invisible Children .

Invisible Children