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In this
section:
<< Back to Career Gappers

 Career gappers taking over the world
 Working with animals
 Care work in South Africa
 Career break as a football coach
 Water relief project in Kenya
 I became a tribal chief...
 Friends for life
 Fulfilling a dream
 Forty and fed up
 Careergap opportunities with PGL
 Working in a safari lodge
 Working in a safari camp
 My careergap journey
 Teaching in Ghana
 Career gapping round the world: Viv McLaughlin
 Never too old to backpack: Karen Batchelor
 Interview with... Richard Bradley, Ghana volunteer
 Back to reality: James Prince
 A family gap in France
 Climbing Mount Aconcagua
 Author interview: The Career Break Book
 Author interview: Gap Years for Grown Ups
 A musical careergap
 Volunteering overseas
 Why I don't keep cats...
 A careergap Downunder
 A biker on the road
 Around the World with the missus
 Careergap in Patagonia
 Emigrating to Australia
 Cycling Chile
 Around the world at 48



Ali Zachar - The Mad Venturer!
Name: Ali Zachar
Age: 26
Occupation: Careergapper

Project and Destination
: Ghana with Madventurer

Motivation for the trip: To give something back and do something completely and utterly different!

Hi Ali! So, when did you get back from your teaching project in Ghana?
I've been back a week and I'm still struggling to get back to reality!

What was the first thing that struck you about England when you got back?
How cold, grey and dreary it felt! So much for arriving back when spring had sprung - it's freezing!

Missing Ghana?
Yep - I'd go back tomorrow if I could!

With the classRemind us again what you did and for how long?
I spent five weeks with Madventurer in Liati Wote, teaching in the JSS and Vocational College, and helping to complete the clinic in the village. We built the kitchen and storeroom and plastered and painted the inside and outside of the main building and newly constructed store-room. I finished my sabbatical with an amazing three-week road trip to Timbuktu and back! It was such a cool adventure!

So, if you had to pick one word to describe your time away?
Awesome!

Looking back, what was the most valuable part of your time away?
Living in an African village was pretty special. I felt really at home, and it was such a joy to spend time with people where materialism just doesn't matter. Their enthusiasm and love of life is really contagious, and you can't help but get caught up in the relaxed and happy Ghanaian way of life.

Do you feel that your trip changed you at all?
No question at all. It really helped to put things into perspective and helped me re-evaluate the next stage of my life.

Nice view...What was the most positive thing about the whole experience?
Spending time with a really great group of people - both the project group and Madventurer crew leaders, and the locals. I've definitely made some new friends for life - friends with whom I've got something really special in common now and some great memories too.

What was the most unexpected part of your trip away?
Learning what really is important. I never doubted that I would have an amazing trip, but I never imagined it would affect me as much as it did.

How did it feel finally unpacking your rucksack?
I've still not completely unpacked! I know that when I do, it'll be final that I'm really back to reality, so subconsciously, if I don't fully unpack, then I'm not properly back for good!

Been bitten by the travel bug?
Absolutely, definitely, 100 per cent, no question at all!

further info

Click here >> to find out how you could do a Madventurer project like Ali's




 
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