Joanna Goldberg sends weekly communiqués from Kenya, where she’s living with her kid
I have always wanted to volunteer abroad. But my experiences overseas have invariably ended up being hedonistic, selfish and, admittedly, carelessly fantastic. I partly believed that, as a writer, I wasn’t on equal terms with the pediatricians, engineers and microfinance managers criss-crossing the globe in efforts to alleviate sickness, homelessness and poverty. Furthermore, packing a bag, boarding a plane and alighting somewhere new was only worthwhile if synonymous with the unburdening of responsibility, deadlines and cellphones, right? And the final nail in the coffin: as a (typically harried) single mom, how could I possibly manage volunteering abroad and living abroad with my 5-year-old daughter Cameron, who is often compared to a ferret on speed (by me)?
It’s the latter that motivated me to turn the hammer around and start prying the nails out of my doubts and anxieties. Proving to myself that it could be done is what drove me to quit my well-paying cushy job, rent out my newly renovated house in Toronto, endure countless hours of pre-departure training, subject my daughter to a dozen vaccinations, give away my cat and devastate my parents. And here we are.
The beginning of July, Cameron and I packed a mere 23kg and moved to Nairobi, Kenya to volunteer in international development for one year. I was selected as a worthy volunteer by CUSO-VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas), one of North America’s largest international development organizations that works through volunteers. Its vision is to bring people together to share skills, creativity and learning to build a fairer world, fight poverty and disadvantage and promote international understanding. Lofty goals, but for all the effort it took to make it happen, I sure as hell wasn’t going to spend a year building fences or digging pit latrines.
Through CUSO-VSO I’ve been partnered with GROOTS Kenya (Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood), a network of grassroots individuals and organizations across the nation that works tirelessly to ensure that grassroots women are at the center of decision-making about development in their own communities. I am both amazed and thrilled that GROOTS Kenya believes I have skills and knowledge that might actually help. So far, it seems I can, despite absences due to Cameron’s bouts of diarrhea and meetings with her school headmaster about matters of God, discipline and ballet. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
And so here you will find updates of our adventures, learnings and random tales during our year in Kenya, from the perspective of a single mom and the heroic kid, on a journey that opens our eyes wider each day to both each other and all that’s around us.
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moving abroad to a developing country (India is the destination of choice for me) with 2 little kids is a secret dream that I keep close to my chest, thinking one day, maybe …
Soooo, looking forward to following your adventure!
where there is a will, you will always find a way to bring your dreams to fruition.
JG
I had my doubts before you left but now I’m proud that you are serving and tell everyone I can. I admire your expanding interests in Kenya and your endless enthusiasm. DAD
Great blog! Inspirational to all us armchair traveller/volunteers. Extra kudos for undertaking such a worthy project with a child in tow. What a kid! Looking forward to more updates.
wow. seriously awesome.can’t wait to read more.
Bravo Joanna, and Cameron…Bravo! Your stories have made me laugh out loud, cry out loud, made me sad and happy. I am so very proud of your visions and your undertakings. With love, Aunt Mo
How did you ever even imagine that this would be possible? Your story is exactly what I’ve been wanting to do for years. I think another great experience for your daughter is to remove her from the life of consumerism . She will be one of the few children from the western world who will be able to appreciate the important things is life. Love, friendship, honesty and hard work. Kudos sister!
Wow, Joanna. I’m so glad to have found your blog through a friend. I’ve been dreaming and scheming of something similar for my family, but it hasn’t quite happened yet. There are so many roadblocks and obstacles and challenges. The biggest so far is getting the idea accepted as a book. I hadn’t thought of volunteering for a year. I’d love to hear all the details of your journey so people like me may be more likely to make our own escape fantasies a reality. Way to go to you for making it happen. I can’t wait to read more.
wow joanna, this is so inspirational! i would love to move abroad one day with my family and reading your posts is so inspirational — makes me think it’s not such a crazy idea after all. look forward to future posts.