Less than 2 weeks until I leave for Africa and my adventure begins - wow! I am very excited, although a small amount of apprehension at the enormity of the task I am about to undertake is starting to sink in. I cannot wait to meet the maasi people; everything I have heard and read about them says they are very welcoming and I am looking forward to learning about their fascinating culture.

I spent last weekend in Oxford on a TEFL training course, where I met some great like-minded people who are all undertaking similar life-changing experiences with Mondo Challenge. I learned a lot of fun ways to teach English to the children (and adults) in Tanzania and am itching to get in the classroom! I am under no illusions, it will be hard work – teaching children in the primary school all day (with classes from 70 – 140 kids) and adults in the afternoons in the boma school (see pic on right) I will be knackered, but hopefully happy and fulfilled too.

I am slightly worried about the food situation though… I have heard that the staple diet consists of rice and ugali (a starchy cornmeal substance which is apparently disgusting) – might have to take some cereal bars with me just in case! I have also been advised to take multivitamins as the diet will be a shock to the system. Everyone keeps saying I will lose weight while I’m away, but in the Maasi culture it is attractive to be bigger so I think mama Judith might try and feed me up – uh oh!