About Our Trip

...I meant to get this in at the beginning of the blog, but not everything has gone completely as scheduled. Here are some of the details of our trip...

We'll try to update the blog as our family of four, ranging in age from 44 to 8 embarks on a 3-month adventure through Africa. We will be volunteering in Ghana (medical) and Tanzania (teaching). I think it will be roughly 60/40 volunteer/vacation time. We will safari in Kenya and Tanzania and vacation in Cape Town, South Africa.

Why are we going? We realize our time with our busy kids is short (even though it often can feel the opposite!) and we need to seize the opportunity to spend more time with them while they were still young and we aren’t too old. After some shortages at work resulting in long hours for me, I got this crazy idea about “bugging out” and getting some perspective on the world. I spent about six months researching and planning and decided to take the plunge in December 2008. Though our primary goal is building family relationships and discovering new places, we also hope to do some good along the way by volunteering and hopefully to teach the kids they have the power to make a difference in the world.

How are we doing it? I have been graciously granted a sabbatical from my group at the hospital. I will return to full time work in May. The recent addition of 9 new doctors to the group fortunately made room in the schedule for me to have a needed break. Chris' schedule is flexible, though he may not be, and mid-winter seemed like a fine time to be away from Oregon. Our kids are avid learners and despite the school they will miss their experiences alone will be great education for them. We are counting on their skill as students to learn in all kinds of settings; they will attend school in Tanzania while we are there and we will "home school” for the rest of the journey.

Many people have asked how much our adventure will cost. We focused more on creating a great experience than the expense. Our stints in Ghana and Tanzania are "voluntourism": we pay to work there. The bottom line is extended travel doesn’t cost nearly as much as people think it does. I have budgeted less than a tricked out Escalade. We pronounce that “Escalaaaaaade”.