Thoughts Toward a Blog

Hello all, my name is Christina Lejman and I presume most people reading this blog are going to be my friends and family, in which case this first blog is probably going to be a bore. For all those who happen upon this and do not know the background to my story, here it is.

I am 24 years old and was born on the mediterranean island of Malta. My father is from Aberdeen and my mother is Maltese, although she was brought up in London. I lived and completed my schooling in Malta until I graduated senior school at 16, at which time I did my A-Levels in London. Since then I have become interested in the field of International Development and in pursuit of this I have worked in South East Asia, Cambodia to be precise, in an HIV orphanage and witht he associated medical ward as well as in Malta with refugees, including a 6 month internship with the UNHCR. In September I graduated from my MSc in International Development from the University of Bath in England and since then I have been preparing for this next great adventure... I will be moving to Madagascar to begin my first post-graduation job as the director of a new orphanage being set up by an NGO Foundation associated with my family. But this blog is not technically going to be about the orphanage, although I am sure it will work it's way in there, but about my transition to Madagascar and my own daily life, in order to respect the organisation with which I am working.

So to that end it is Sunday 21st October and I am sitting in my father's house in Malta, preparing to return to London on Tuesday to pack up my life, kiss my boyfriend and the rest of my family and friends goodbye and next Tuesday, the 30th October, I will officially become a resident of the 4th largest island in the world, off the South East coast of Africa. 587,041 square kilometers, population over 17 million, GDP per capita $800 (as opposed to $25,500 for the UK and $36,300 for the U.S.) and now the proud host to one over excited, terribly nervous and decidedly eccentric young woman with an obsession with wildlife and a passion for new experiences.

Here is to hoping some of you will join me on my journey of exploration through all the new sights, sounds, tastes and experiences of an fresh ex-pat in one of the best loved but least known countries on the planet!

Welcome to my blog, long may it survive (largely of course dependent on my motivation and the state of Malagasy internet).

PS here is a photo of me before I leave, it is one that was taken in Malta this trip out and so is very recent. That way you don't get a shock when you see me crop up in any photos or videos I expose you to from now on.