AFRICA

On Sunday I was reintroduced to the idea of visiting a foreign country to volunteer. As a volunteer I would have the opportunity to work in an orphanage for disadvantaged children, and be a role model for them. I would get to see a different world than I am used to, culture, habitat, people, food, education, and so forth.

Since beginning work at the daycare over six months ago, I have gained a great insight into the lives of parents, teachers, and the relationship they have with children. I've gained a great respect and patience for children that I wasn't quite sure was possible. And its exciting!

When my friend mentioned that she's been trying to go to Africa and work at an orphanage, it sparked within me the desire to go with her! As soon as she mentioned it out of my mouth popped the words, "I want to go". There was no hesitation. It sounded like such a meaningful and potentially incredible experience. I want to go, I want to go, I want to go!

HOW COOL AND REWARDING WOULD THIS BE?! Its a priceless opportunity!

I would help teach them their ABC's and numbers, play games with them, clean their laundry, and provide much needed TLC. So much more too! I've been researching different organizations and have been fairly impressed with AllOutAfrica. They have an orphanage in Swaziland - a part of Africa that has many English-speaking natives. Yay! My friend wants to visit Uganda with a group called Family Rescue Foundation. I still have a lot of research to do on both. And I am still searching for safe, cheap, rewarding. I'm hoping another friend emails me back about her trip to Africa because I know she could provide an organization name, experience, and more information that I could other places!

I printed out a couple pages on a few different African countries last night. Tonight I found the US Department of State International Travel website and was impressed by the information they provided about Embassy Alerts, Crime, Safety and Security. So I printed those out for Uganda and Swaziland and may go back for a few others.


PLANE TICKET: ~ $1,858
VACCINATIONS/PASSPORT/VISA: ~ $700?
UGANDA ACCOMMODATIONS FOR A MONTH: ~$500
HELPING ORPHANED CHILDREN: priceless.

I know a trip will be expensive. Looks like at least $3,500 for a round-trip airplane ticket and accommodations/food for a month (to Swaziland. Uganda is significantly cheaper: $200 less for plane ticket, about $700 less for accommodations). Then there's vaccinations (a butt-load so I'm guessing it will get spendy), passport ($120), visa ($50 in Uganda. Don't need one for Swaziland), more vaccinations, self-defense classes, possible learning tools to leave at the orphanage and other things like that.
BUT it would totally be worth it. So I'm learning more about it, and am excited about possibly doing it! As well as talking my roommate into it...and my parents into letting me...

http://www.familyrescuefoundation.org/index.html

http://www.alloutafrica.com/volunteers/project.php?id=7&type=child_care


SOOOO.... WHAT DO YOU THINK?! Any ideas/ suggestions?

:)