Structure makes me happy

On Friday I found out lots of information.
I got both my host family allocation and my placement details. WOW I imagine you are thinking in response to this, my head started to spin a little as I began to process this news.

First my host family allocation -
I will be living with Brenda Moses and her granddaughter in the suburbs of Cape Town with up to 5 other volunteers. There are 3 volunteer rooms with bunk beds, a shared bathroom for all of us, kitchen and lounge. It is amazing to see photos of all these spaces that will become so familiar to me a couple of months from now.
At the moment I can see that when I arrive there will be one other volunteer who has been there since the 2nd January, they will be there the whole time I am, additionally there is a volunteer who will arrive a week before me and stay till March.
There is a Facebook group for all of the volunteers in Cape Town, which I have just introduced myself on. It is amazing how many projects are taking place there!

I also got my weekly timetable for my placement -
Monday - Wednesday I will be doing workshops on life skills, human rights awareness and drugs and alcohol rehabilitation in the community.
Wednesday morning - I will be visiting shelters for abused and destitute woman.
Thursday - This is debriefing day, I will be working in the office (image below), researching and planning the next weeks workshops, as well as reflecting on the week.
Friday - The law firm is closed to clients due to weekly meetings.

Monday - Thursday: 8:30-4:30pm
Friday: 8:30-1pm
Weekends - free

Now my visa is sorted (being collected on the 8th Feb) and I have structure to my trip I can begin to get very excited!

It was so lovely to have so many brilliant people come over on Saturday afternoon for cake and be able to share all this information with them. I am very grateful for everyone who has supported me over the last few months through financial support, prayer and encouragement. Look forward to writing weekly blogs when I am in South Africa to update you all on what I am doing!
It is now 33 days to go!

Prayer requests:

- I have a few weeks left in the UK so am meeting up with lots of people for the last time in a while, please be praying for those times full of excitement.
- I have mentioned energy before, but reading through my weekly timetable I am reminded just how much of a challenge this is going to be.
- Hopefully I will be able to get in touch with some of the people I will be living and working with before I go, please be praying for good relationships.
- I will not have any internet where I am living, I hope this will be more of a blessing than a annoyance, but it will defiantly be an adjustment! Please pray that I get the balance right between keeping in touch with people at home and embracing a new culture fully.

Thank you for making it to the end of my fourth blog post! Have a great week.