It's a cold evening in April. I am sitting in my bedroom in Ottawa. Beneath my window, which looks over a busy intersection and a legal graffiti wall, buses thunder by.
I was told earlier today that I should start this blog. During the Ontario Global Edge Program's pre-departure orientation, the program's health adviser said it would be a good way to deal with travel stress and culture shock.
"If you're able to compartmentalize things, It's easier to manage," she told me.
It wasn't a tough sell really. Especially after the OGE administrator said blogging would satisfy part of the public engagement requirement attached to my travel grant. I also have to do some reports or something but I'm not worrying about that now.
I'm in the paperwork/preparation phase of the trip. These are both important steps, especially for the people sending me to Kigali, Rwanda.
Aside from administrative necessity, there are humanitarian reasons for this blog. My parents are both anxious about the trip and my friend Ron keeps making uncomfortable references to that movie, The Last King of Scotland; the one where James McAvoy gets his ass kicked by Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker.)
It's good movie and a fair comparison. Everyone but my parents should check it out. Here's the link to the trailer: http://youtu.be/iV_QgKJFZP0
Anyway, I hope this blog will reassure, or at least inform my loved ones about what's going on while I'm away. Never fear mom and dad, If I get into trouble this blog will use its Internet to sort it out.
In all seriousness, I have to say I'm more worried about getting tickets, travel insurance, vaccinations, official documents, visas, proper clothes, medications, memory cards and money to pay for everything than I am about my safety.
Rwanda is one of the most stable and safe countries in Central Africa. It has its share of crime, like any impoverished and densely populated area, but so does New York City.
It's also a hell of a lot safer than the Democratic Republic of the Congo, its neighbour to the West. Or Uganda, it's neighbour to the North. I won't exacerbate my parents worries by going to either of those places... this time.
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