If I was looking for details, I think that may be the first place I'd look?
Anyway, it inspired me, so I've created some signs of my own, have a look:
So anyway, some BIG news. Some of you may have read my facebook status update about volunteering. Very, very exciting times. I came across a charity a couple of months ago which provides help for people in Africa, in places like Uganda, Chad, and Rwanda. I was looking through their website when I found out that they recently opened a music school in Rwanda.
However, it didn't mention anything about volunteering at the music school. Drat. But I decided to email them anyway to ask about it, so I emailed the project coordinator, Sophie to ask about it, half expecting no reply. I got a reply the next day! And it was so exciting, she said that they were indeed looking for volunteers at the music school, and that I should contact the director of the school David, and so I did.
So after a few emails and stuff I eventually found myself where I am now, which is that it looks like I'm probably going to Rwanda next year. Wow.
I don't really know what to think, I mean, when I first found out about the school and stuff it was like "yeah, that would be pretty good, but it probably won't happen." And now it most likely is happeneing.
I'm talking with David just now about exactly when I could volunteer, but it won't be till next year I think. I can pretty much choose exactly when I want to go from now to whenever, which is awesome, and I was thinking "Hell yeah, lets do it this summer!", but then I talked with Heather about it and decided that it's best to go next year instead so I can save up and prepare myself. I mean, I'm already going to China this year! Holy crap that's going to be excitng enough, and I've already saved the money for that, so it won't take that long to save for Rwanda.
But yeah, I need to prepare myself in a lot of ways. Firstly, I don't know how familiar you all are about the genocide that happened in Rwanda in 1994, but basically, I will be teaching the orphans of that genocide. Oh my God I'm actually getting chills just typing that. I feel it's a huge responsibilty, because I could really have an impact on their lives.
I also have to prepare by reading a book about the genocide and writing an essay about it, which I'm actually really excited about. After five years of writing about music, it'll be great to actually have to study something completely different. But it's also going to be a pretty emotional journey. Rwandans find it insulting if we go over there with no knowledge of their history, and rightly so.
Another way in which I'll have to prepare is to prepare some really good lessons. I feel really passionate about this already, I want to prepare some of the best lessons I've ever taught, and David mentioned something about doing percussion workshops which I'm both ecstatic about and terrified.
I can't believe I'm actually going to do this. A couple of months ago it was just a nice thought, but it really looks like it's going to happen.
I didn't expect I would write so much about this! Sorry if I bored you...
Anyway, in other news, the black hole that is the end of college is ahead and it looks like I might be able to scrape an honors degree. It's the final push now and I've literally been staying up all night on several different nights, and the whole college experience is just mental just now. So, so much has already been done and dusted (Including my dissertation), but there is still tonnes to do.
I really just cannot wait until its over.
Okay, let's finish off this blog with a funny story about one thing I did today. Here's a fact about both me and Heather. I hate cats. Heather also hates cats (Not as much as me though). So what did we do whilst in town today? Go to the cat show.
Heather wanted to go for some reason, and so I went with her, and we looked about.
So crap.
There were just loads of cats in cages, sitting there thinking they are better than you. That's what I hate about cats! They are the most pretentious animals in the world.
And you can't trust them either. On many an occasion when I was younger, I'd be stroking a "nice" cat, and it will be purring and rubbing itself aginst you when all of a sudden BOOM!! It flips out and sctatches of bites you.
Horrible, nasty little creatures. I hate them.
And I hate pretentious cat owners! I know there are some cat owners who are genuiniely nice and fantastic people (Heather's gran owns a cat and she's one of the funniest people in the world, ask Heather!), but you get some people who seem like they've taken their personalies from their damn cats!
And the cat show as full of those people! Talking about crap like "See that cat there to the untrained eye is a blah blah blah blah blah!!
And so:
THINGS THAT ARE WRONG WITH THE WORLD #3 - CATS!!
Just get a bunny instead, they are absolutely awesome! Here's a picture of Niles to end the blog:
