Vaccinations against every bug real or imagined roaming the earth: $250.
Visas to enter 3 countries no one has ever heard of: $300.
Plane ticket to the other side of the world for a wikkidly fun trip: $1,400.
That knot in your stomach in the days leading up to your departure for fear of forgetting something: priceless.
One week from today (Feb. 18) I will be on my way to West Africa for my 5th Habitat for Humanity build. I thought for this trip I’d try to use a blog to communicate my experiences to family and friends back home. I’m still not much of a fan of Arsebook and email feels like mailing a letter. At this point, I’m not sure how much access I will have to internet during the build. While internet access is pretty ubiquitous these days anywhere you go, I’m told that we will be in a remote part of Ghana. The village is Humjibre, in the southwestern part of the country. Click here to see the Map.
The build will last 10 days after which the team will spend a couple of days on the coast for a little R&R. After that is when my trek begins. I’ll be heading off north on my own to do some exploring into Burkina Faso and Mali for 3 weeks.
It’s an exciting time to be in Africa. Apart from the obvious news maker countries of Côte d’Ivoire, Tunisia and Egypt, other African countries are on the move too. Many of them have resources to sell to the hungry factories in China. Ghana recently discovered oil. But poverty is a persistent adversary in this part of the world, though not insurmountable. I’m really excited to have the chance to do this trip and to be able to work alongside local people who, when given the opportunity, are intent to change their lives for the better. Wish me luck!
sedativegunk 