Hello and welcome to my pre-departure postcard (written 2 days before I leave!)! This is just to explain a little bit about my imminent trip to Ghana - my motivations and expectations for the trip - and a bit about how I've been getting ready for it over the past year.

Preparing for this trip has been somewhat of a life affirming experience for me, as I have been completely bowled over by the generosity of people, from all walks of my life who have freely given thier time, money, or other donations towards what I believe a very worthy project . A heartfelt thank you to all of those people - who know who you are! For ease of navigation, I have plotted the events of the last year as a time line and as with all of my blog entries, please do not feel compelled to read all (or indeed any!) of it. I won't be quizzing you on it when I return to the UK! As an introduction to a book given to me recently says 'If you relate to this book, wonderful; if not, wonderful!'.

James x

DIARY OF PREPARATIONS

October: On a rainy grey day in Liverpool, I discover (completely by accident) about the opportunity to work as a volunteer at the Mansek School of Music (Mansek), in the port of Takoradi, Ghana - a music school which offers lessons in Western Music to the local community. I get in touch with Emily Brown - a musician who has helped develop the school over the past five years - to find out more! Buy 'The Bradt Guide To Ghana' to read at leisure on a weeks backpacking holiday of South West Ireland, and become even more interested......

January: after much deliberation and after many conversations with close friends and family, make an affirmative decision to make the trip! You only live once!

February: Have a pint with conductor (and radio / TV presenter) Charles Hazelwood, who was full of enthusiasm and convinction in my trip. A few years ago, he set up an opera company in South Africa, and cited his experiences with African musicians as completely life changing!

March: take the plunge and book my flight with BA for an October departure- it's really happening now!

April: start the rehearsals (the easy part!) and general organisation (not so easy part!) for an upcoming fundraisning concert.

May: 'MUSIC FOR MANSEK' concert at Mossley Hill Church, Liverpool. This feautured various wind and brass ensembles from the locality, with many of my good friends either performing, conducting or sitting in the audience. A lovely evening was had by all, raising over £500. Almost all of this was spent on buying music and repertoire for Mansek, where my main project will be to set up and rehearse an orchestra for the school. Exciting stuff!

June: continue with preparations. Question my sanity at how many injections I have to get. Start getting into various types of contemporary African music, especially after seeing a spellbinding performance by Tounami Diabete - a Malian kora player - at The Philharmic Hall, Liverpool. Hear that Mansek have their own Highlife band (playing upbeat, good time Ghanaian music) who will hopefully be requiring my services on trombone! Fantastic!

July: conduct and perform some emotional 'farewell' concerts with my various groups and bands in Liverpool, and say very fond goodbyes (at least for now!) to my friends, colleagues and students. I am indundated with good wishes and donations for Mansek, including a brand new alto saxophone from my good friends at CPC Music; a box of brand new CDs from my big band 'Swingshift'; and a string composition by composer Ian Stephens. Enjoy a fabulous evening of food, drink and chat with a Ghanaian family who moved from Accra to Liverpool a number of years ago. If their warmth and hospitality (and fabulous cooking!) is anything to go by, then I am in for a real treat! Get my first taste of 'HipLife' music - a contemporary mixture of Ghanaian Highlife and American Hip Hop . Wow!

August: Whilst on my annual summer pilgrimage to the beautiful island of St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, organise 'GIG FOR GHANA' (see Photo Album), raising almost £400, which is split between Mansek and Cancer Research. Two performances on the same day are played to a packed Island Hall, full of islanders and holiday makers. The line up of guitar, vocals, djembe and flute plays a mixture of originals, covers and folk songs, culminating in a racous singalong of 'What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor?'. Perfect! Also this month, a small article about the trip is published in MUSO magazine (Issue #24), in a feature about musical gap years (although I hate the use of the word 'gap' in this context. 'Gap' infers that you are merely filling space, a void, usually between more so-called respectable pursuits, such as education or employment. Rubbish!)

September: meet with The Africa Link Team from The School Council at The Blue School, Wells, Somerset (see Photo Album). We have a sharing session, where I them about my project and they tell me about their partner school in Ghana (Nana Aframea Preparatory School), for whom they fundraise and help develop. Truly inspiring stuff from a lovely group of young people. I agree to visit their Ghanaian school as part of my trip - to do some teaching and to deliver small presents they give to me. I am presented with a donation of a cornet by Yr 11 student Jo Clisby.

October: finally get to meet Frances Fiffi Assan, the Director Of Mansek, and with whom I will be living for the duration of my trip. He is a lovely, inspiring, and deeply passionate individual, who really appreciates the donations made to his school (see Photo Album). We make various plans together for my trip, including a training weekend for his teachers in November and for me to join their Highlife Band! Also this month, I am presented with a cheque for Mansek for over £400 by Notre Dame Catholic College, Liverpool, where I have worked as a music instructor for the past two years. I make a flying last visit to St Agnes to say an emotinal goodbye to my girlfriend Kate, who I will hopefully next see in Ghana next year for 6 weeks of travelling together, but goodbyes are never easy. I make my final preparations, say more goodbyes to friends and family, pack my bag..... and head for the airport!

Ghana here I come!