Finding my Home Away From Home
With my upcoming stay in Ghana just around the corner I feel like I should be more freaked out about moving half way around the world to an environment that couldn’t be more different to what has become my ‘normal’. As one of the few born-and-raised Calgarians, I have only ever called one city home…and even within that city I have only lived in three different houses. Typically for me, diving into uncharted territory is cause for great anxiety and overthinking every detail prior to the event unfolding. I have to say, in this case however, I am feeling surprising calm! I do realize this could change at any moment and won’t be at all surprised if I wake up one morning consumed by a massive panic attack. But for now, I will happily keep move along with the good feelings.
The 2 biggest questions on my mind these days are; where will I live and what will I be doing when I am there?
One of the first big steps for me in planning my 4 month sabbatical was booking a short, 2 week trip to Ghana in the fall to start looking for accommodations and investigating volunteer opportunities.
For my future accommodations I already have a few places lined up to see when I go in October. I also have some kind folks in Ghana looking at other possible options for me so I am pretty confident I won’t have any trouble finding my home (or homes, depending how much I move around) away from home.
I’ve also started reconnected with contacts I have had the privilege of meeting and working with over the years, and through networking, have also been introduced to a few new people. With several meetings already in the works, plans to visit 2 hospitals, a couple of clinics and an offer to visit communities around the Volta River with a health care team, I couldn’t be happier with the initial local response to my sabbatical. Even at this early stage my volunteering options are looking very promising.
More big steps to come … stay tuned!
