The day of my departure to Accra, Ghana where I will volunteer with Journalists for Human Rights (http://www.jhr.ca/) as a journalist trainer has finally arrived.
In less than 24 Hours, I will hit new turf ... a city I will call home for the next eight months.
Life has been a whirlwind since I left my post as a general assignment reporter at 24 Hours on August 16.
Many moments and memories in my life have reappeared as I visited my hometown, Pickering, cycled around Toronto where I have lived the last decade running errand after errand, said a temporary goodbye to old, new and dear friends, and spend quality time with loved ones. I kicked off this time with an unbelievably successful fundraiser and ended it with a free trip to Austin, Texas - one of my favourite cities in the world ... so far. How blessed am I?
Emotions have run rampant from sheer excitement, solemn sadness to trepidation and terror as I contemplate what this next venture in my life will bring, whether I will be able to achieve what is expected of me and how much I will miss the comforts of home and the closeness of so many dear people in my life.
Though my nerves are fried, my head spinning and my stomach churning as I rapidly type this last minute blog, I realize how very lucky I am to have this opportunity ... to be able to cut loose and take off from the regular day-to-day life I've lived the last two years ... to experience what I believe to be real life ... when you push your boundaries and dare to experience another culture and way of life. Ha! Lets hope I can keep that in mind as I experience rolling blackouts every three days, a technically-challenged newsroom (The Daily Guide newspaper is where I'll be working) where there is likely one computer for a team of journalists and who knows what kind of illness (travelers' diarrhea, malaria - apparently 50 per cent of the JHR trainers will get it as the medication is only 65 per cent effective - dengue fever or typhoid are all possibilities).
With just an hour and a half before I leave for the airport I must cut this blog short.
Embrace the challenges, experience both the highs and the lows because both will take turns and remember why I decided to take on this adventure is what has been said to me over and over again.
I keep these words and the thoughts and prayers of my family and friends close to my heart.
As my dear 2-year-old niece, Emily, said to me ... see you next time!
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