The beginning

I consider myself well educated about the World. I have traveled to most of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and Central America. I always excelled in history and World Culture classes. I even have several Putamayo cds on my ipod. With all this cultural awareness it got me thinking, how could I supposedly know so much about the World, but so little about Africa, the original home of humanity.
My education about Africa was limited to the pyramids in Egypt, and the Apartheid in South Africa. The history that happened in between those events and those countries was a complete mystery to me. Was I somehow absent when the teacher was going over the rest of Africa?
I could barely list more than 10 of the countries in Africa, let alone the Capitals. Besides for Nelson Mandela, I didn’t know a single political leader in Africa. Even though I constantly heard about fighting in Africa, I didn’t know the name of any war in it's history.
From glancing over headlines in the news I gathered that Africa was filled with land mines, blood diamonds, AIDS, and child soldiers. I rarely heard anything positive about the continent. I was starting to get tired of not knowing enough.
My drive to go there was mainly to stop being so goddamn ignorant. Books and pictures weren’t going to cut it this time. I needed to go strait to the source.
Once I knew that I wanted to go to Africa, it was just a matter or finding the right organization to go with. Being a tourist was not satisfying enough. I wanted to live there, and lend a helping hand.
I didn’t want to be a part of an organization that unintentional supported the belief that since I am American I am automatically qualified to lift up the down-trodden third-world. I looked for an organization that had an in-depth training period that stressed education about Africa, and recognized that volunteers stand to gain more from these experience than they can give.
When I found the Institute for International Cooperation and Development, IICD, I knew I had found the right organization for me. Even there slogan, “Develop the World develop yourself,” resonated with me. I knew that a large part of this kind of work is in a way selfish. It is a time to absorb an entirely different culture, learn a beautiful language, grow as a person, and meet incredible people. This organization seemed to recognize the symbiotic relationship between volunteers and their host countries. It wasn’t a one way street of charity. Africa has a wealth of history, culture, art, and knowledge to soak up. Even though I am going there as a volunteer, I intend to enjoy myself thoroughly.

So now I am here, half way done with my training at IICD. I am leaving in November for Inhambane, Mozambique. I will be a teacher in The Escola Para Professores de Futura (The School for Teachers of the Future). My training so far has been intense, but so much fun. I am filled with anticipation, and, I’m embarrassed to admit, but fear about what is to come.