Welcome

Hi folks,
So here it is..... the great adventure blog. T-37 days and counting. The journey really started quite a long time ago though, probably at some point around 1992 when my 12th birthday present was to "travel" by myself (ie with my friend Cat, but no grown ups) on the bus to visit my grandparents in Blackpool for the weekend. I can't really explain where the urge to travel  and experience different cultures comes from but it has definately been there for a long time. Since that bus trip to Blackpool I've managed various trips through Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia all of which have been brilliant, but the itchy feet are never still for long, and I now have just about enough skills as a paediatrician to really make a difference somewhere the time has come for another little adventure.

Calum (my lovely fiance), and I started talking about VSO over a year ago and it's a long application process. After completing the initial applications we attended an interview in London and were deemed suitable to be volunteers. We initially applied as a couple but VSO warned us from the start that our skill mix (Calum is an engineer specialising in renewables) would make us difficult to place together. We were offered placements 5 hours apart in Sierra Leone but after much ummming and ahhing decided it wasn't for us. We decided that I would go as lead volunteer and Calum would come for as much time as his work would allow which it turns out will be about 4 months from December to April, not bad! Along with all the placement discussions comes the VSO training - a combination of online and residential courses - not to mention all the paper work to get degree certificates notarised, legalised etc, work permits, visas.......

The placement I finally accepted is in Harar in eastern Ethiopia. It will (supposedly) involve teaching medical undergraduates and local staff, and clinical experience in the local paediatric ward, helping them develop their services. I say supposedly as one of the things that VSO teaches you to expect is the unexpected, so who knows what I will actually end up doing. Harar is is the area of east Africa affected by drought, but my role is meant to be about sustainable development rather than disaster relief, so I'm going with an open mind and not too many expectations. I hope...

Jo x