Hilary's Practicum in Tanzania

Hi Pals, I made it to Rift Valley Children's Village! Last night I stayed at a lodge by the airport as it was too late to travel the 4 hours to the village. I had an amazing lamb curry for dinner and even tried a Kilimanjaro beer that was delicious. This morning I was picked up and we started our 4 hour journey to the village. Didas, the driver, was incredibly kind and taught me lots about the different areas that we drove through. We even saw zebra's and baboons! We finally made it to the village and I had all the emotions happening at once. The village is beautiful, surrounded by coffee plants and so close to the crater that sometimes elephants and rhinos will wander down. I met with the volunteer coordinator and got settled into my room. When I first got to my room, I have to admit, I cried a bit. Probably a mix of being exhausted and overwhelmed, while the reality of being away from home for two months set in. I had a quick 30 minute nap (didn't want to sleep too long),...

 Hi pals!  I'm currently sitting in the Amsterdam Airport waiting from my breakfast and my next flight to Tanzania. Most of you are probably sleeping as it's the middle of the night back home. But I figured I would take the time to share a little more about how my practicum came to be and share some of the realities of leaving for two months. My specialization is in Community and International Development (ICD), as such, an international practicum is an option, or so I thought when apply. Unfortunately, the global trauma of COVID hit, right as I was about to begin school. My dreams about an international practicum, went out the window. The world shut down and all my schooling and first practicum were online. So when Aamir (one of my favorite professors and the head of the ICD program) came to our class in early 2022 saying the school may have a partnership with the Tanzanian Children's Fund (TCF) I was instantly intrigued.  The process of confirming the practicum took tim...

 Hi Everyone, As many of you know I am completing my final year in the Master's of Social Work (MSW) Program at UCalgary with a specialization in International and Community Development (ICD). For my final practicum I will be spending two months at the Rift Valley Children's Village in Tanzania. I wanted to create a blog so that I could share my journey with all those who want to follow along! There being a 9 hour time difference and limited access to the internet I figured this was the best way to keep everyone updated. I will try to post weekly and include photos of my experiences. Feel free to ask questions and I will try to answer when I can. Thanks for joining me on this adventure! -H