Preparing for adventure!

Well... here it is - first post!

After waiting what felt like an eternity for confirmation, I heard last week that I will be going to Gambia on 13 September, for two years, to work as a Monitoring and Evaluation specialist. I am very excited!

I am now working through my HUGE list of things to do, which includes dental appointments, creating a fundraising webpage, handing my notice in at work, and having many many injections. The list feels endless as I prepare to depart, especially as I have the added - and rather amazing - dimension of being out of the country for three weeks before I start my placement! On the 18 August I travel to Uganda for two weeks, followed up by one week in Zanzibar, with my very best friend Alex, her fella Ed, and my great friend Kate. Whilst in Uganda, Alex and I will be bridesmaids for Kate - and in true Ugandan style the wedding is shaping up to be a very large and very special event!

But before that is the hen do, and SKWID of course, and more packing, and more preparing, and more injections.

Fundraising is also top of my list, and I am trying to think of ways to squeeze money making events into the next few weeks. My first plan is to do a bake sale at work... apologies for those of you who won't get a cake for your trouble, but if you have any spare coins that you could throw in my direction that would be amazing! The link to Just Giving is on the right hand side. VSO really are a great charity, and I am very proud to be working with them over the next two years.