...On the cusp of a new reality...
Welcome all!
If you're here, it's probably because you received an email from me informing you that I've got a site up and running to keep you up-to-date on the hustle and bustle of my year in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Let's begin with the basics. You can find most of the pertinent facts about Sierra Leone, by clicking here. Omigosh, my first real link!! (it's all thanks to my friend Michelle, who helpfully posted a 'how to do html.' on her own page!)
Ahem. I digress.
Pretty pictures, and not so pretty pictures from the war, as well as government documents, archives, news reports, and nifty cultural tidbits can be found here. (there you go, I did it again! Oh cut and paste...I love you...)
While in Freetown, I will be working at the American International School of Freetown. I will be teaching Social Studies (History/Geography) and Literature for grades 3-9. Yes, you read that correctly. First of all, I've convinced myself that I can handle it, and second of all...how hard can it be to learn everything about US history and geography in a week?? Not to mention English grammar...hmmm...well, there's always "US History for Dummies." I kid you not. I'm waiting for delivery from Chapters. Information and some pictures of the school I will be working at can be found...wait for it...wait for it...here. Click on DOAS, and then search for accredited or candidate schools outside of the US. My school is on page 2.
While I'm there, I will be living in a house 3 other women (ranging in age from 25-52 years) who work with various NGOs (non-governmental organizations, think Oxfam, Care International, UNICEF). The house belongs to an NGO called World Relief/Faith Consortium. Click onWorld Relief or Faith Consortium. The women who I will be living with all work for, or come from Christian backgrounds, so I'm hoping that will ease my transition a bit.
As for the moment, I'm still in Halifax, tying up lose ends here. I have put my MA on hold for the year I am away, but will be returning to Dalhousie to finish my thesis in September 2007. I will be doing some interviewing and research in Salone when my teaching contract ends in June. I will be leaving Halifax on August 7th, and will be back home in Toronto for a short time while I pack and prepare to leave the country. I wish that I could see you all before I go, but I cannot, as it is important for me to spend the days before I leave with my family (not to mention the running around like a chicken with my head cut off part..). I'm not sure of my exact date of departure from Toronto, but my flight from Gatwick airport, London, UK leaves mid-afternoon on August 18th. I will be in Freetown that evening!
Thanks for all of your support, your thoughts, your time, and your prayers. Bookmark this page and keep checking back often. I'm not sure how frequently I will be able to update you, but your comments will be encouraging for me. Please post them!!
Harrison...out.
posted by Emily @ 11:04 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
I am very excited to hear all about your new exciting upcoming adventures... but I am also very sad to be losing my rommie! Oh so sad!!!!!!!! :-( Kaia and I will miss you dearly as she will have no one to cuddle with during the day while I am out... and I will have no one to eat ice cream sandwiches with.... I will miss you lots :-)
My head she is a spinning (is it ok for a guy to call his head she even if he is doing a mock sailor accent)...so much stuff to see and look at and hyperlinks to follow.
Sounds like a whirlwind of excitment awaits you my friend (which is good becuase you're sort of like a whirlwind of excitment yourself).
If you get stuck on American History just throw in the Canadian equivilent...it'll benefit them some day!
Oh Emmy. It looks like I'll have to stop calling and start emailing. Actually, I don't think it will be that tough. Stay strong.
P.S. I'm only SLIGHTLY jealous of you right now.
Emily..
you are a one classy unique girl..
am looking forward to reading all about "salone" and the exciting journey that Father God has you on at the moment...
Am prayin for you for protection and love and most of all that you have the best time and continue to discover the awesomeness of Jesus!
Sending love from across the ocean
xxx
You teaching American history - I'd love to see that. To help balance your slant I say show them hollywood movies like Blackhawk down. :)
In all seriousness I haven't seen you in a long time and probably won't see you for an unknown amount of time, but will let you know you are in my prayers and wish you a safe and prosperous trip.
God Bless Doc Em,
JT
Hi Emily,
glad to see that all is well and the trip has come together. I'm looking forward to following your travels and learning a bit more about life in a part of the world I only know through the news media.
PS..when you do updates, the changes can be automatically picked up by people who subscribe to your blog. If you put a link for the Blog feed in your links section, that will make life easier for the followers. I think the feed might already be turned on as I can manually get it using the following URL http://www.emilyinsalone.blogspot.com/atom.xml Instructions are here.
Apologies for the geek-speak ... Have fun, chill in the sun, and post often :)
Geoff
Parting is such sweet sorrow... you left me this morning and now the house is quiet and lonely... not even the dog to keep me company. I hope you have an excellent trip home.
I will MISS YOU!!!!! It's been really fun, I wish we had gotten to do more, but we'll always have fond memories of So You Think You Can Dance... I will keep you posted on what goes down :-)
And I will give you as many other stories to entertain you and act as material for your book... or column... we really should figure that out, it would rock.
So Take Care!!!
Thanks so much for the comments, everyone! I have only another 9 days left on this continent and the world seems to be spinning faster now than it was before, but I'm nearing the end of hectic scrambling with last-minute details...on to new horizons.
Keep posting,
Emily
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