Trip Information

(For basic information and a map of Uganda, click here)

The information packet for my Ugandan adventure has arrived! Here is the information for all who are inquiring:

Itinerary

June 21: Depart from JFK Airport, New York
June 23: Arrive in Entebbe, Uganda
(yep, two days of flying!)
June 25: Arrive in Gulu Uganda
(yep, two days of travel!)
June 25-29: Orientation, Workshops...
(or, how to not say something stupid when in a new culture--ask me about "aanaq")
June 30-July 25: Team Teaching, Classroom Interactions
July 26: Murchison Falls
July 27: Safari outside Kampala
July 28: Rafting on the Nile
(And you though Uganda would be all work and no play...)
July 29: Return to Kampala
July 30: Depart Entebbe
July 31: Return to JFK Airport, New York
(smelly clothes and all)

(Anyone want to join me in NY for a few days on either end of the trip?)

Details

I will be staying in the Invisible Children Volunteer house (or down the road at another dorm) for the duration of my time in Gulu. The house (and dorm) are guarded (no worries mom), and are within walking distance of the schools and the market/town center. Yes, I do need Yellow Fever shots, and yes, I will be taking anti-malarials (yuck). It is confirmed that I will be teaching English/Language Arts, but the school placements are uncertain (and could change up until our arrival). There will be 25 teachers traveling to Uganda in 2 groups for the teacher exchange.

For information on the current state of the peace talks in Uganda, please visit Invisible Children's website and view their "Peace and Conflict Update" section.

I will keep you posted as I begin making arrangements and receive more information from Invisible Children.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome To My Blog!

Thanks for taking the time to catch up on my "going-ons." I have recently accepted a six week teaching position during this upcomming summer with the charity Invisible Children. I will be traveling to Uganda in June and will be spending six weeks living in the village of Gulu and teaching English alongside a Ugandan counterpart.

Here is the information that appeared in our school newsletter announcing my invitation to participate (much of the information comes from the Invisible Children website...please visit the site and check out all of their groovy projects):

Matt Michelin has recently accepted a volunteer summer teaching position with the charity Invisible Children through their Teachers to Teachers initiative. He will travel to Gulu, Uganda for six weeks in June and July to team teach with a local educator. He will also present at in-services, attend workshops, and attend the second annual International Teaching and Learning Conference in Gulu.

The Teacher Exchange program allows educators to volunteer in northern Uganda through a six-week summer program. Created to enhance present educational models and to establish long-term learning opportunities for both western and Ugandan teachers, educators engage in team teaching, information sharing, and skill building conferences - all with the purpose of generating collaboration among teachers from around the world.

Invisible Children developed Teacher Exchange to bring Ugandan classrooms to a competitive standard from the inside out. Teachers in Uganda often receive limited training and there are very few opportunities for personal and professional development. Ugandan classrooms are characterized by huge student numbers and complicated by a lack of space, a lack of furniture, a lack of textbooks and resources. Teacher Exchange provides a dynamic opportunity to boost the morale and build the capacity of Ugandan teachers.

As I gather more information about the program and my specific responsibilities, I will add updates to this page. I will also keep you informed of how I am preparing for my adventure, and how my fundraising efforts are going (more on that in a later post). In the meantime, please check out the links I have posted on the left. These are worthwhile causes that deserve your attention. Please also browse Invisible Children for the latest information on the peace talks in Uganda.

Thanks for reading!