HOW TO PREPARE FOR RELOCATION, EMPLOYMENT OR STUDIES ABROAD

Traveling or relocating abroad (new country) for studies, employment purposes, etc, can be a very difficult process. But here are a few tips to make your transition easier abroad.

Don’t go alone, consider going with a companion or plan for them to join you later on, it’s lonely and depressing over there.

Do thorough research into the culture, laws, and the country in general to prevent landing on the wrong side of the law and other things.

Carry your small native foods for an easy transition into the new food culture.

Save and carry with you money that can last you at least 6 months as you figure out how to get familiar with the service systems of the new country. If you are relocating for employment purposes it could take a while before you get a bank account in that country where your salary can be directly deposited.

Arrange for transport or pick up from the airport to make it easier for you to locate your destination and not get lost and find yourself in another city. This also involves researching the various transportation means you will use in between your first flight or journey into the new country to avoid missing out on your flight or getting scammed by people along the way.

Don’t be shy to ask for directions, especially from trusted people such as security guards, or professionals in uniform with name tags that you can identify.

Arrange for accommodation before you travel to avoid the last-minute stress of looking for accommodations that may lead to overspending or risk being robbed if you do not know where to go or have nowhere to sleep.

Make an effort to learn the basic phrases of the official language of the country you intend to travel to. This can be of help for easy communication like asking for directions etc. It is also an added advantage if you can speak the official language of the country you are traveling or relocating to, especially for future job opportunities

I hope these few suggestions can be of help.

Safe travels.

Author: Ajal Mary Theodorah

YOU’RE AS CAPABLE AS YOU PERCEIVE!!!

Let your inward positive forces & strength influence your outlook of Life!
You are as capable as you perceive & push yourself forward towards it.

Author: Ajal Mary Theodorah

EPISODE TWO: COMMUNAL STEWARDSHIP OF RESOURCES – FOOD WASTE AND WATER MANAGEMENT

THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS FOODS AND PRACTICES FOR FOOD SECURITY -SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Today food waste is a big problem contributing up to 10% of Greenhouse gas emissions globally (1.3billion tons of food is lost or wasted) according to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021. Despite this big waste of food, there are populations around the world that are starving and something must be done.

Let me take you back in time, about 22 years ago, in a small village called Amagoro in Eastern Uganda where I am honored to have been born and raised there. From an early age, I was an apprentice to my grandparents in many ways. In my grandparent’s household then, all food prepared was consumed or repurposed.

During mealtimes, which were sometime between 1 pm to 3 pm, food was served under a big tree a few meters from the roadside and everyone who passed by the roadside was called to come and share in the meal. I don’t know how they managed but the food was always enough even for strangers and neighbors who visited around lunchtime or even after lunchtime and sometimes we would be sent to take food to a few sick or elderly people in the neighborhood.

If there were leftovers, for instance, the leftover sweet potatoes the next morning were roasted over the fireplace and used for breakfast, or other foods would be made into new recipes.

In the late 90s, tap or piped water was not so common, household water requirements were met by natural wells, streams, or a few boreholes. Communally the water sources were cleaned and protected, each family sent a representative, and it was cleaned by both the young and old. This was done monthly, and early in the morning on the day of cleaning the water sources, someone with a drum would drum around the village to inform people to start walking towards the well and nearby water sources for cleaning.

This culture is no longer in my small village, our once great swamps that we fished from and the wells and streams that flowed through our gardens are no more.

Our small village attracted investors due to its proximity to mineral-rich areas and many sold their land, the once famous stream Juwum Pa Tom, a once all-year-round water stream is now a seasonal stream due to the eucalyptus that was planted around it.

The village has transformed into beautiful buildings and other infrastructure but the sense of community stewardship of natural resources and other resources like water has greatly reduced.

Author: Ajal Mary Theodorah

Photo Credit: Alejandro Guarin/IIED, Water journalist Africa, Jakony, MDK-MUSO

HOW TO WRITE A WINNING LETTER OF MOTIVATION,INTENT OR INTEREST(For a job , scholarship or volunteer position)

A letter of intent or interest is a document that explains why you are the best candidate for the position, why you need it, what makes you unique, what are you going to contribute to the company, university, volunteer position or study program and what impact do you foresee if you attain this position. it’s a letter about you let it tell your story well.

This letter should not be more than one page unless stated and must be brief yet concise.

First paragraph: Give a brief introduction about what job or study program you are interested in, motivate your reasons why, and briefly talk about who you are or your journey in relation to the position of interest. Don’t forget to address the recipient by name or company.

Second paragraph: Talk about your contributions or achievements in line with the position of interest. For instance, while applying for the sustainable food systems program, I talked about research I had done. I investigated the effect of different poultry manure rates on the productivity of Solanum aethiopicum, Ethiopian eggplant (Nakati). The findings suggested that the use of 20t/ha of poultry manure increased the productivity of Nakati as compared to the control or when inorganic fertilizers were applied. My research gave confidence to Solanum aethiopicum farmers to produce more while conserving the soil. Therefore, from the program, I hope to gain skills and knowledge to contribute towards the sustainable transformation of the farming communities in Uganda that will strike a balance between the farmers’ needs and the environment.

Third paragraph: Talk about your work experience, skills, and qualities relevant to the position of interest, which sustainable development goals it contributes towards, how and what will you contribute towards the position or program.

Paragraph four: Give a cheerful conclusion, thank the recipient of your letter, and encourage them to contact you if they have any questions.


Lastly, proofread your letter and share it with a peer before you submit or send it.

Good luck

Author: Ajal Mary Theodorah
photo Credit: Ximena Aguilar : Bridging families :MOORE Educational Services

Who are you focusing on?

Be motivated to improve yourself & not to try to outcompete someone else or try to prove someone else right or wrong, focus on you !

Author: Ajal Mary Theodorah