I was hoping it was just a case of turning up at the health centre and having a jab and that was it given my dislike of needles. Not quite the case.
The list of jabs I need to have was more like a shopping list. First of all there was Hepatitis B, then Hepatitis & Typhoid. Next week I have to go back for Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio followed by a booster for Hepatitis B. Luckily I am out of the malaria belt and as long as I don't go near the Limpopo River I will not need the rabies jab. Apparantly 20 people had died from rabies in this area since 2006.
So with sore arms I left the health centre with my little book entitled "Certificate of Jabs" to read up about about what other precautions I should take with regards to Food and Water, Sun and Insects.
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Preparations
I have booked my flight and made an appointment with the nurse to have my jabs. You can guess which one I am looking forward to the most.
So it's green for go on Jan 3rd 2008. In January I will be a volunteer on the Sicambeni Village - Sustainable Development Project near Port St John in rural South Africa.
Let me tell you how I ended up here.
I have had some time to spare over the last few months thanks to Nationwide. This gave me an opportunity to revisit my list of things I've always wanted to do. Lurking in amongst my long term goals was one: "Help others in a third world country." I remember at school reading about VSO and ever since I have wanted to do something of this nature.
Once I mentioned my plans to a few people my research took me to several organisations via the internet. I was amazed by the information and opportunities out there. The difficulty was making a decision of who to register with and the cost involved. Some volunteering projects were more like tourist expeditions while others were for projects that I did not have an affinity with. In the end I found an organisation called Aviva based in South Africa who set up placements. A few e-mails later and my place was reserved on the Amapondo Peoples's Project. The project helps people take ownership of their own lives and situations and become accountable for thier futures.
The placement also allows me to spend some time in Cape Town so I'll be able to visit some of the places I last visited some 40 years ago.
So it's green for go on Jan 3rd 2008. In January I will be a volunteer on the Sicambeni Village - Sustainable Development Project near Port St John in rural South Africa.
Let me tell you how I ended up here.
I have had some time to spare over the last few months thanks to Nationwide. This gave me an opportunity to revisit my list of things I've always wanted to do. Lurking in amongst my long term goals was one: "Help others in a third world country." I remember at school reading about VSO and ever since I have wanted to do something of this nature.
Once I mentioned my plans to a few people my research took me to several organisations via the internet. I was amazed by the information and opportunities out there. The difficulty was making a decision of who to register with and the cost involved. Some volunteering projects were more like tourist expeditions while others were for projects that I did not have an affinity with. In the end I found an organisation called Aviva based in South Africa who set up placements. A few e-mails later and my place was reserved on the Amapondo Peoples's Project. The project helps people take ownership of their own lives and situations and become accountable for thier futures.
The placement also allows me to spend some time in Cape Town so I'll be able to visit some of the places I last visited some 40 years ago.
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