Afterwards
on Caroline in Nigeria (Nigeria), 03/Jan/2012 17:15, 34 days ago
I have been back four weeks now. I am glad to be with my family and it is good to have hot showers, constant electricity and running water. It is also good to be able to sleep without having to worry about rats or insects crawling on my face. However I really miss Nigeria. Life was so much simpler there. Here I am faced with materialism on a massive scale and pressure to conform is strong. For the first time in ages I put on make-up. Going to the shops was a big shock as prices seemed to have shot up. Worst was going out for a meal and discovering the cost was the same as a month's wages for a teacher in Nigeria. Being told I'll soon get used to it again is small comfort.It was not easy being a volunteer and I did struggle a lot at times but it was an amazing experience and I am so glad I did it. It is one of the major achievements of my life. Just before I left the tables I helped to design were being put into schools. It is also amazing to think that my training is now being used in other states. Even more mind blowing is thinking of all the teachers who are now teaching reading using a group method. I was so lucky to have been given the freedom to do these things and really appreciate the SSIT who willingly put my ideas into practice. The appreciation I received from the teachers will stay with me for the rest of my life.I hope to go back to Nigeria and continue my work with story books so I may post every now and then but for now it is goodbye. Thank you to everyone who has read this. If you are thinking of volunteering then I would advise you to go for it! It may not be easy and you may have to face fears and obstacles but you won't regret it! If I can do it then anyone can!