Temporary Break

I am writing this post in the Toronto airport, poised to leave for Ghana. I leave 5 weeks later than planned. At the end of June I fractured my collarbone. Don’t worry though, no surgery was required and I travel to Ghana with the blessing of a legitimate Toronto medical doctor. Below is a picture of my x-ray, if you squint you can see a small fracture just at the outside tip of the collarbone.

As I leave for a one-year placement in Ghana where my parent’s biggest fear is that I’ll return in one piece, I am leaving with a healed collarbone and the proof that it’s possible to hurt yourself even in the wonderful city of Saskatoon. The decision to play rugby – as a much need spare with team Saskatchewan – has reinforces that rugby’s reputation as being a dangerous sport isn’t true, except when you haven’t played for 3 years and go up against a 180 lb 18-year-old – man was I out of my league!

Sometimes I feel like I’m out of my league when I think about the upcoming journey. For the next 12 months I’ve committed to a placement with Engineers Without Borders. I’ll be travelling for the second time outsides of Canada to a place where I’m not quite sure what to expect – will I like it in my new home? Have I brought the right things? Will I make friends? How easily will I learn a new language? How will I deal with the frustration of working in a climate that is limited in resources but where foreigners are expected to provide?

Already I can feel my whole body opening up in anticipation of this experience. My eyes are eager to observe new and fascinating sights. My stomach gurgles to try some new grub and my mind is teaming with thoughts and worries.

Today I learned that you can’t break your bone in the same place twice because your body repairs the bone to be even stronger. I look forward to stepping off the plane for the first time, probably tripping and falling a few times along the way but knowing that I am stronger for it.

A shot of the nine of us looking strong. We shared a month-long session of learning and preparation for our overseas placements in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Zambia.