Human Pin Cushion...

Today I went to get my vaccines...hurray. My one arm is fine, but the arm that got two shots hurts every time I move it. The joys.

I got three shots in total: Vivaxim which is a combo Hepatitis A & Typhoid Vaccine, Yellow Fever vaccine, which protects against yellow fever commonly carried by mosquitos in most of Africa, and Menactra which protects against meningitis. I was supposed to get a fourth, Dukoral which protects against cholera & echoli, but I realized after I left that they did not give it to me. I will have to call & follow up on that tomorrow! Especially since I paid for it!

Grand total damage: $389.99

And that is before the antibiotics for Traveller's Diarrhea (under $20) and the pills for Malaria (they range depending on what pills you choose $1 a pill to $4-5 a pill). For the malaria pills, you have to take 1 pill the day before you leave and then a pill every day once you are in the at-risk area. Then when you get home, it's another 7 pills. Cost adds up when you are leaving for at least 6 months!


I also went to the Library today and got travel books and history books on Ghana and West Africa. While I was waiting for my appointment this afternoon, I started reading the Lonely Planet on West Africa. I am now looking forward to my internship even more now that I am learning about the Country. I can't wait to visit some of the sights I am reading about!

Met my soon-to-be roommate via email! Maya and I have been emailing back & forth the past couple of days. The sense that I get from her emails is that she is a lot of fun. I think the two of us are going to get along fantastically. Many adventures to come! And I talked to Tiff today and she told me that she plans on spending her entire Winter Break with me. So fun!

So, I am thinking, looking at how long this post is, that in a sense this blog will become a sort of diary. But one that I don't scrawl "Keep Out" all over. Haha. Okay, that's enough for tonight!

Signed my Contract!!!

Today I signed my contract and sent it off to CCA. It's really happening! I also emailed my supervisors at CUA and the intern who holds my position right now, Adwoa, to ask a million questions. Our internships will overlap by a week, so hopefully she'll be able to show me around a bit when I first get there and get me orientated.

I started a list of things that I need to get before I go (hint hint family - what to get Sonja for her bday?!)

Here's what I have so far (thanks to the list from CCA!):
- Laptop (getting there...)
- Digital Camera (hopefully nothing bad will happen to this one!)
- Flash disk
- Mosquito Net (will get this there)
- Currency adapters
- Comfort food
- Travelers' cheques
- Books
- PHOTOCOPY ALL IMPT DOC'S
- Comfy Backpack
- Head Lamp (for reading in case of power shortage)
- Pictures of home & family
- Travel Alarm Clock

I went shopping with Dalia last week for some new, light clothes (travelling always seems like the perfect excuse to shop!). Turns out, I should stop doing that. From what I have been told by my Executive Director & CCA, the clothes in Ghana are SUPER Cheap. I have been advised not to bring a lot of clothes. Packing is going to be difficult! Mom - I am going to need you to help me & be the voice of reason!

Anyways, big shout out & good luck to Dalia who should be arriving in Seoul, Korea as I type this. I hope you get all settled in quickly and I cannot wait to hear about all of your adventures, Nugs! MOUAH!

One Step Closer!

On Friday, I visited CCA to drop off some of the required paperwork and a blank cheque so that I get some money while I am in Ghana! It was very exciting. I went out to lunch with Lesley Voellmecke, one of the past CCA Interns, and we talked about the experience.

There are moments when I think I cannot get anymore excited, but then I start talking about it and the excitement grows! I found out that the other girl working at CUA in Accra with me is from Vancouver and her name is Maya. From what Lesley tells me, the two of us are going to get along fantastically! We will in all likelihood be roommates, so that is great news. I am really excited for training in Saskatoon as well. It will be a chance to see another part of Canada.

Next big step is purolating my passport to CCA so that the visa process can get underway and then the shots :S. A good number of them. Once I know what they all are, I will post it. I told Tiff that she'll have to get them too. She's a peach for deciding to come visit me over Christmas. Watch out Ghana the Step Siztahs are on the loose! lol. I am still pinching myself every day that I am actually getting the opportunity to go. It's an amazing feeling!

More to come over the next few months. Slowly...but then the fun stuff will begin!

Moving to Accra, Ghana!

Since I have officially finished my formalized education, I thought it would be fitting to learn a little bit more about the world. I have applied for and been offered an internship in Accra, Ghana and thus my escapades begin at the end of August!

I will be travelling to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Friday, August 24th for a week of training. From there, I fly back to Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Thursday, August 30th and then straight on to Ghana from there!

The internship is at The Ghana Cooperative Credit Unions Association Limited (CUA) in Accra, Ghana. I will be the Youth Savings Officer. It is through the Youth Experience International Program (YEI) which is managed by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA). The duration is 6 months, but there is the option to extend the internship for an additional 3 or 6 months if I wish.

I will try my best to keep my blog updated with the process that I have to go through to get to Ghana (i.e. shots, visas, etc.). I cannot believe it is actually happening and am so excited! For more information on what exactly I will be doing, check out my Co-op Links.