Michell - CSSW

My name is Michell, and I'm a Community Social Service Worker student at Douglas College. I'm almost finished all of my courses and will soon have my diploma. The only thing left to do is my practicum... in Uganda. If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be flying off to Uganda for 3 months to do practicum I probably would have told you you were nuts. I definitely did not imagine that this is where I would be at this point in my life, but I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and I know it will be an amazing learning experience for me. As much as people may not understand it, or may assume that I am going for various reasons, I am mainly going there to learn about myself, and to learn from the people of Uganda. Without this trip, I would probably go my whole life without any of the kind of knowledge I will gain from Africa. Everything happens for a reason, and there is a reason why this is the path I am on.

I'll be leaving on April 18th, just under a month from now. At this point, Uganda is one of the only things I can think about as it is going to be a major life change for me. I got the chance today to talk to a student who went last year and stayed where I will be staying in Kampala. Talking to her made me all the more excited for my trip, and it's also great to get some tips and advice from someone who has been before. During my 10 week stay in Uganda, I will be doing a practicum at the Katalemwa Cheshire Home which provides rehabilitation services to children with disabilities, with consideration of HIV/AIDS. I anticipate being in some challenging situations, but my hope is that with an open mind I will be able to grow from these experiences. As crazy as it may sound, I'm looking forward to being uncomfortable. It is the moments when you are outside of your comfort zone and faced with the greatest challenges that you are able to learn the most about yourself and what you are capable of.

That's all I will say for now, stay tuned for future posts!

Michell