Apparently I am a missionary!

Last week I received my passport back from VSO, complete with 3 month Uganda tourist visa.

Republic of Uganda visa

(This gets swapped for an extended one once I’m there). Also received CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) form so all the legal papers are in place. The CRB check is a standard request – every volunteer has to have this check done regardless of whether we’re working with children or not.

Asked Michael Keigwin (founder of UCF) if he’d mind asking his contact at British Airways whether we can increase my baggage allowance. I only have 23k and am flying on what they call a Missionary rate – the mind boggles!!

I told Michael that everyone in the UK seems a bit disappointed I won’t be living in a mud hut (!) Michael said this can be arranged – when we go on safari!

There are five new volunteers starting in Uganda next month. I’ve just met Olivia (doing a 5 month placement). The other three are all Dutch (VSO recruits from the UK, the Netherlands, Canada, India and the Philippines). Olivia and I will be on the same plane, not sure about the others but we will all spend our first week in Uganda together on our induction training (watch this space!)