Ottawa Project Overseas Orientation

Team Leaders meeting in February.

All 53 participants going to 11 different countries in July.

Ghana New Entrants Project: Joe, Vanda, Pascale and Obed.

Ghana Nkabom Project: Brenda, Marie, Diane and Bonnie.

Thursday, July 2nd.

Today was a much sunnier, warmer day. After we got organized we went downtown to walk around checking out the sights. Then we headed back the residence to meet our teams. We had to take a cab to CTF for a team leader meeting. Then all the other participants arrived. Diane met her team which consisted of Brenda, from Nova Scotia, Bonnie from Saskatchewan and Marie from Ontario, and I met Marie-Pascale, from Nunavut and Vanda, from Alberta, who teaches in a Hutterite community. The other team member, Obed from the Northwest Territories went straight to the university because his plane was delayed and he was late. We started orientation which was mainly a meet and greet wine and cheese and a basic introduction to the program, before we had a dinner catered by our South African friend, Dennis. Then back to the residence where I promised to meet Vanda and Marie-Pascale in the lobby the next morning at 7:30 to show them where the breakfast restaurant was. When I got to the room I discovered Obed had arrived and gone to bed and I did the same.

Friday, July 3rd.

Woke up with a start at 7:50! I checked to see if Obed had left and found him sitting and watching TV. I told him we were to be at the restaurant by 7:30, so we got ready quick (no shower or shave for me) and went for Breakfast at the Father and Son restaurant. I only had time for toast and peanut butter. Then bus to CTF by 9:00. I had to do the first energizer and did Bum Spelling, which everyone seemed to like. It was a long day of meetings with Alex, Pauline and Brigitte. The team leaders had an hour long session with Samantha about finances. All of the new leaders, like me, are very stressed about the bookkeeping part of the job. After the meetings the two Ghana teams went out to dinner at a Byward Market pub where we got to know each other a little bit. Again an early bed.