2 days till take off!!!! (Chera)

I found out I was going to Uganda last July of 2010. Since then, the incredible vision of spending two and a half months in Masaka, Uganda has occupied my mind and has been the main topic of daily conversations. But all the while I felt like it was a distant dream, something I would one day do but had plenty of time to prepare. Now here I am two days before take off and I still feel like it's a dream! I think it still feels like a dream because it truly has been a dream of mine for many years. It has been difficult to comprehend that my dream has actually come true. I feel so blessed to have been given such an amazing opportunity, an opportunity of a lifetime really. My life will be enhanced in so many ways which is incredibly exciting (and perhaps a little scary too?).

Unfortunately, I can not say that I feel totally prepared. I have been trying to prepare by creating countless lists of things to do and things I need for the trip, but each day I add more to these lists and wonder if it will ever end? As the days count down, I have started to shift my view to accepting I have all that I need. Perhaps the lists were just a distraction anyway. So here we go...my next blog entry will be from Masaka, Uganda! It's not a dream!

I'd also like to send out a heart felt THANK YOU to all who have made this dream of mine a reality:
Douglas College, Bob S., Janice S., Julie R, John F., Diana S.my family/friends, and the Therapeutic Recreation department including all of my amazing classmates who have been my main supporters throughout the year. I'd also like to thank Sheila, Cheri, and Teresa from Sunnyhill, Dorothy from ARCUS, and Dianne from the Dr.Peter Centre for sharing their knowledge and allowing me to observe/volunteer at their sites during the past three weeks.