Itinerary...

With my first payment due date approaching, I figured that it was about time to share some more trip details...and then ask for your money.

My Itinerary for the Exchange
June 12--Last day of school--Woo Hoo!
June 13--Depart Chicago for NY, switch planes, Depart NY for Uganda
June 15--Arrive in Entebbe UG (after a layover at Heathrow in London)
June 16--Drive many hours on dusty and VERY bumpy roads to Gulu Uganda and rub my buns to try to regain some circulation
June 17-19--Orientation and Workshops
June 20-July 24--Observing, Planning, and Teaching at School sites.
July 25--Begin making our way back to Entebbe with a stop in Jinja to tempt fate on the Nile, and a stop in Kampala for one final celebration dinner--shisha anyone?

We have not received our official placements yet, though I do anticipate working more closely with Amy Cordileone on research projects this year. My guess is that this will keep me nearer to Gulu. I do, however, plan on making a trip out to Pabo to visit with old friends from last summer's trip.

Now comes the beg for money part...

On March 1st, I will be making a payment of $2000 dollars to Invisible Children. If you are able to help support my service in Uganda, you can make a donation by doing the following:

1. Use a credit card by clicking on the link to the left titled "Chip-in." You won't be able to make a tax deduction, but you do get the distinct pleasure of seeing the little thermometer go up a bit ("It's getting hot in here"...but only if you help).

2. Send me a check made out to "Invisible Children." I will send this check in with a future payment and you will receive a receipt from IC for next year's taxes. My address is

Matt Michelin
104 Burr Oak Ln Unit B1
Schaumburg, IL 60193

3. Send a check directly to Invisible Children. Make sure that on the memo line you write "T/EX-Matt Michelin" Send the check directly to Invisible Children. You will also receive a tax receipt if you use this method.

Invisible Children
Mission: Teacher Exchange
1620 5th Ave, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101

4. If you are not a check writing person (but still want a tax receipt), then try donating with your credit card! Donations may be made by calling Invisible Children directly at 1-619-562-2799 or faxing your CC information to 619-660-0576. If you use this method, please ask for Cara Pryor and mention my name and that I am a part of the teacher exchange. Cara will be making sure that all funds are documented and managed appropriately.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated! I have collected just over $1000 towards the trip so far because of your generosity!

Stay tuned for more fund raiser maddness...St. Judes Dolls, dinner party, summer celebration, auctions and raffles... If you have any other fund raiser ideas, or would be willing to make a donation of an item to be included in a raffle at a later date, please contact me through the e-mail or comment link below.

Thanks,
Matt!

It's that time again...SHAMELESS SOLICITATION!!!

If you haven't already guessed it, I'm going Back to Africa! Uganda (and the fantastic people I met there) treated me so well the first time that there is no way I couldn't return (though the pleading of my parents and girlfriend weren't easy to ignore)! My trip last year (please browse through my archived blog posts for all the dirty details...) provided me with the opportunity to work with teachers in the northern part of Uganda on exchanging and developing curriculum, strategies, and practices that addressed the unique needs of schools in the north. I spent most of my time in Pabo, the largest Internally Displaced Persons camp in Uganda, and returned to Gulu on the weekends for training and workshops (and the ocassional game of volleyball) led by the awesome charity Invisible Children. I am not sure where I will be stationed this year, but will fill you in on all the details as I receive them.

Now for the real purpose of this post...MONEY. My trip last year wound up costing a little over $6000. Through your generosity, I was able to raise a little over $2000 towards the expenses, spending about $4000 on travel, program fees, and other expenses. This year, I have set the goal a bit higher--I would like to try to defray as much as $4000 dollars of the trip--but I can only do that with your help.

I know, I know. You must be asking yourself, "Gee, How can I help such a decent (and modest) guy get halfway around the world to work with teachers and admistrators on developing practices to elevate the quality of education in northern Uganda?" Well, don't fret. The answer is simple. Show me the MONEY!!

There are several ways to donate this year. First, I am running a ChipIn donation event. Any time you donate through the link below (or on the upper left hand side of the blog) you will have the distinct pleasure of watching the temperature rise on the donation thermometer. Whoopee! How fun! You can make donations with a checking account or credit card. If you donate this way, it is not tax deductible.



If you want to be able to take a deduction on your 2009 taxes (sorry, too late for this year), then try one of these super easy methods!

1. Write out a personal check to Invisible Children with my name in the memo. Give it (or send it) to me. I will submit this check with my portion of the payments, and you will receive a receipt from Invisible Children

2. Mail a check directly to Invisible Children. It MUST be addressed as follows (or your donation will go directly to IC, which wouldn't be a bad thing):

To: Invisible Children
Mission: Teacher Exchange
1620 5th Ave, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92101

In the memo line of the check, you must write T/EX-Matt Michelin
or the donation will not be credited towards my account.

3. If writing a check is too much of a hassle, then try donating with your credit card! Donations may be made by calling Invisible Children directly at 1-619-562-2799 or faxing your CC information to 619-660-0576. If you use this method, please ask for Cara Pryor and mention my name and that I am a part of the teacher exchange. Cara will be making sure that all funds are documented and managed appropriately.

Fianlly, if you haven't yet subscribed to my blog yet, then please do so. I'll be updating about the situation in Uganda, my fund raising efforts, and eventually, my experiences in Uganda. The best part of it all is that it's FREE! My blog posts will be delivered to your e-mail box any time I add an update! You can enter your e-mail address in the box to the left, or subscribe below. And for Pete's sake, tell all of your friends about this fantastic opportunity!

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Again, thank you for all of the support as I prepare to return to Uganda. Your help makes all of the difference in the world to me (and hopefully a bit of difference for the people of northern Uganda too).

Best wishes to all!
Apwoyo Matek!
Matt Michelin

Installment #5--Children Children Everywhere

Saint Jude’s was fun an experience. It is a children’s home that fosters children whose parents are unable to care for them. Some of the children have lost their parents to the war or to Aids, and many have parents who are unable to financially support their children, but hope to one day come and collect them. We went to play with the children, and they presented a couple of song and dance numbers for us. We threw footballs, Frisbees, the some kids played football, some had races, and many of the small children just wanted to be held. Many of the small children who were held fell right to sleep in the arms of the volunteers as soon as they were picked up. After a few workshops and classes in the morning, and then St. Jude’s, we decided that it was time to unwind a little bit. We went over to the Kope Café and had a movie night. Amy went out and bought a couple of crates of beer, made some popcorn, and bought a bunch of g-nuts (just like peanuts in the states). The Kope Café (Jamie, the Invisible Children’s Intern Coordinator and House Manager started the Café to benefit HEALS-an Acholi community and dance center-so he has a bit of pull) has a projector and a big white patch on its wall, and one of the volunteers supplied the computer and the movie (Charlie Wilson’s War—pretty good). After the movie, it was back to IC house to pack and get ready for the big adventure out in Pabo!

It's official...

(Image borrowed from Andrewsteven's flickr album under creative commons license)
Photo of Gulu from the air

I sent my first check to Invisible Children today. The travel agent finally came through with our booking. We will be flying out of JFK on Emirates air on the evening of June 21. Now that we have our tickets, the reality of this trip to Gulu is setting in. I have yet to make all of my medical arrangements, but will be jumping on that horse soon. I will also be submitting program fees by the end of the month. Speaking of which... Invisible Children has sent me the list of people who have donated to my cause, and I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you. If you are still considering sponsoring my trip to Gulu, you can make a donation through the link to the left; or, you can still send your donation directly to the program. Here is how to do that:

Checks should be written in the following manner:

Pay to the Order of: Invisible Children
Amount: (big money, big money, no whammies!)
Memo: T/EX- Matt Michelin

The "T/EX-Matt Michelin" is very important. If it is omitted, the donation goes to the general charity (which would not be a bad thing either). Checks should be mailed to:

Invisible Children Inc.
Mission/Teacher Exchange
2705 Via Orange Way Ste B
Spring Valley CA 91978

(Image borrowed from Mike Todd's flickr album under creative commons license)
Photo of Gulu High School and Invisible Children Project box

I also have some good news about the school supplies drive that I will am running. I have received a donation or two from some awesome individuals at my other blog (Supply Uganda). The Amnesty International club at Rolling Meadows High School has pledged a donation to the Supply Uganda Fund, and I will be working with our Amnesty International club here at Hersey to raise awareness and possibly raise some funds as well. You too can be a part of this awesome effort to improve the quality of education for some fantastic (I'll tell you if I find out otherwise) children in Uganda. You can find instructions on making donations to this cause on the Supply Uganda Blog. (http://supplyuganda.blogspot.com)

Quick Update

The peace process is looking better in Uganda. There has been a tremendous amount of back and forth between President Musevini and Joseph Kony's negotiating team since the deadline was again extended (this time until March 28). Kony has verbally agreed to sign the final peace agreement in person. Hopefully we will see that come to fruition. Musevini has been in the UK talking with delegates from the International Criminal Court (ICC) pleading with them to drop the International charges against Kony and his top advisers. Kony has said that he will only sign the agreement if the international charges are dropped. He has, however, agreed to being tried in a special court in Uganda that follows traditional means of allowing victims to seek justice. Also, it has been decided that the attacks that occurred in the Sudan several weeks ago that had been attributed to the LRA were actually committed by another group. Though the LRA has been accused of several attacks since (including recently abducting 80 people in the Central African Republic), this sheds doubt on many of those claims. With all of the progress in Uganda, I am trying to stay optimistic. Here are a few articles detailing the advancements in the peace process:

Museveni remarks excite LRA rebels (New Vision)
Uganda offers "blood settlement" to LRA rebels (Reuters)
Museveni rejects Hague LRA trial (BBC News)
Uganda's LRA Rebels Welcome President Museveni's ICC Comments (Voice of America News)
Uganda’s LRA rebels abduct 100 children in CAR-report (SomaliNet)
Uganda: Sudan Reluctant to Hunt for LRA Rebels (AllAfrica.com)

Best,
Matt

Oh Boy...

Well, the LRA is at it again. Less than 24 hours after signing the fourth of the five agreements in the peace and reconciliation process (that will ultimately lead to the demobilisation and demilitarization of the LRA), LRA troops attacked a village in South Sudan (where the peace talks are being held) killing 11 villagers and abducting another 27. Unfortunately, with the February 28th deadline looming, this casts a large shadow over the hopes of completing the peace talks expediently. Please read New Vision's (National Uganda Newspaper) article on the attacks here.

Though peace talks have been going on for over two years, tension certainly seems to be running high. The deadline for the completion of the talks has been extended several times; however, it seems like the Ugandan Army is taking a hardline stance against any more extensions this time around. The threat of military intervention if the LRA fails to complete the peace process with the government of Uganda is a scary prospect.

I will keep you updated as I hear more from the program. February 28 will certainly be an interesting day.

Best,
Matt

Please check out "Supply Uganda"

Please cruise over to my blog "Supply Uganda." I have set up the site to collect donations that will go towards the purchase of school supplies in Uganda. Please consider making a donation. Your support will go a long way.

Plans for my travels are also beginning to fall into place. I will be flying out of JFK Airport in New York on Emirates air. I will have a layover in Dubai after 13 hours of flying, followed by another 9 hour flight to Entebbe, Uganda. With the improvements in the peace and reconciliation negotiations and the solidifying of travel arrangements, the reality of traveling to Uganda is setting in. You can find my itinerary in an earlier post.

If this is your first visit to my site, please feel free to browse my other posts. You will find information about the peace talks, links to photo albums from Gulu, information about my involvement, and information on how to make a donation (I am still gladly and eagerly accepting all donations you are willing to make--there are two options for donating detailed in earlier posts). Thank you to those who have donated already!

Best,
Matt

Yay Uganda!

As I was browsing the news in Uganda today, I came along an article from the African Free Press that made me smile. Here is an excerpt:

The Ugandan government said it had signed a permanent ceasefire accord with the Lord's Resistance Army rebel group on Saturday, a landmark step in efforts to end more than two decades of civil war.

Government delegation spokesman Captain Chris Magezi called the accord a "another major breakthrough" in effort to end conflict which has left tens of thousands dead and displace two million.

Just three days ago, the LRA walked out on the peace talks leaving large questions about the success of the peace talks in the face of a February 28th deadline. This is certainly good news for northern Uganda, and great news for the IC Teacher Exchange.

To read the entire article, click here.

For more information on the process of the peace talks, check out these links:

Kony Agrees to be Tried

Uganda Rebels Walk Out of Talks

New Breakthrough in Uganda Talks

Uganda and LRA Agree to Ceasefire

Best,
Matt

Other ways to pay...

Since sending out the invitations to view my blog, a few people have asked about ways other than paypal to make a donation . I also accept personal checks, ATM cards with pin numbers, credit cards with high credit limits (feel free to keep the bill though), or cash money. If those options are even less appealing, then try this:

If you would like to send your donation directly to the program, you can write a check out in the following format:

Pay to the Order of: Invisible Children
Amount: (it would be pretty pretentious if I put a number here)
Memo: T/EX- Matt Michelin

The "T/EX-Matt Michelin" is very important. If it is omitted, the donation goes to the general charity (which would not be a bad thing either). Checks should be mailed to:

Invisible Children Inc.
Mission/Teacher Exchange
2705 Via Orange Way Ste B
Spring Valley CA 91978

If you use this method, you will receive a receipt directly from the charity for tax purposes. (I will send out receipts for donations made via paypal--don't worry, they will be official)

Of course, I always accept payment in beers too...

Best,
Matt

Shamelessly Seeking Sponsorship: (or I'll wear your name on my butt if you give me money)

Hello again! This post (as you can tell from the picture) is a shameless request for sponsorship from family and friends (and anyone else who has money burning a hole in his or her pocket). As I have started making arrangements for the trip, I have realized that my initial estimate of the expenses involved was woefully low. I anticipate spending approximately $6000 for this six week exchange program, and I am recognizing that I am a bit short of that sum currently. If you feel so inclined, a donation to my cause would be greatly appreciated. I will also be setting up a school supplies drive and fund raiser prior to leaving for Uganda in hopes of donating some much needed supplies to the schools that I will be working with. I will add another post soon with a link to another blog giving details on how you can support this fund raiser. I have set up an account with paypal, and by clicking on the button below, you can make a donation to the "Uganda Travel Fund" (a.k.a. Matt's plane ticket fund) using a credit card or bank account number. If you would like a public "thank you" on this blog, please note that with your donation. Thank you for your generosity and support!

Just an FYI--all of your donations ARE tax-deductible!

(Just a quick update...The peace talks in Juba have been extended through the end of February, so there is no military action yet. for more information on the peace process, check out Invisible Children's Newest Peace and Conflict Update.)

Check this out!

Just a quick post this time. I found an online photo album from a researcher who was working in one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. There are some great photos of the IDP, as well as photos of a community in Gulu district. I imagine I will be staying in a similar location.

Mojotexas's Northern Uganda Gallery

Here is another gallery on flickr by semi-professional photographer Greg KendallBall.

Greg Kendallball's flickr site

Another great photo album. Megan Thompson is a missionary who visited Gulu town (where I will be staying) Uganda. There are many pictures of people along with a few shots of the market in Gulu where I will be shopping.

Megan Thompson's picassoweb site

I hope you enjoy the photos. I am definitely starting to get excited!

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!