Blog

So this is happening

by Tracy, posted in Zimbabwe

Ark Zimbabwe:  For the next nine weeks I will be working is a pro-bono accountant with this NGO in Harare.  They are starting a new maternal and neo-natal mortality reduction programme, involving clinical training programmes to improve local skills, and an education programme.  I was recruited via their UK parent organization Ark (Absolute Return for Kids) to help out for approximately three months.

The initial scope of work is generically defined as Capacity building in Finance team.  The original Ark Zimbabwe programme that ran from 2012 was coming to an end so the team was reduced to a skeleton staff.  A bid for funding for a 5-year programme was successful and now they are now re-building.

A new Finance & Operations Manager and Finance Assistant both started very recently and have done a great job getting the reporting up to speed, but there is work to be done to establish robust grant recovery procedures and financial policies and procedures as quickly as possible.  There is also a one-off task to finalize the work to establish the organisation as a local organisation, independent of Ark UK.

I am thrilled to be a small, short term member of this dynamic and dedicated team!

The Journey Continues

by Tracy, posted in Cambodia

Thanks for joining me!  I started to chronicle my experience volunteering as an accountant in Phom Penh, Cambodia in May and June 2017 on Tumblr (now imported here).  My latest volunteer accounting experience in Harare, Zimbabwe is just beginning and I hope to continue ‘accounting around the world’ for years to come.

Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world ~ Gustav Flaubert

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First full day in Zimbabwe

by Tracy, posted in Zimbabwe

I hope to have better luck with jetlag this time and I am off to a good start. I actually slept through the night! After breakfast I strolled around the grounds here at Cresta Lodge. I have a thing for trees, so here are some of my favourites. I will have information on the nature of my volunteer work in a week or so.

Sylvan Lake Alberta

by Tracy, posted in Canada

This is a late post of a lovely mini vacation with my daughter. We headed 1.5 hours south to Alberta’s little lake resort town. We had such a good time! The ethnic diversity of Canada was on display in the most peaceful fun loving way!

Visit Sylvan Lake

Clearwater Lake – my happy place

by Tracy, posted in Canada

I created this blog for sharing my travels, especially those related to my volunteering and work travel, but I want to introduce the lake I grew up on.  Clearwater Lake (Atikameg Lake in Cree) is stunningly beautiful, a jewel in northern Manitoba that is prized by the local population.  The water is so clear that the bottom is visible at 11 m/35 ft. It’s a prime habitat for trophy-size lake trout, northern pike and whitefish, so this travelling accountant has done quite a bit of fishing in her day.

Because it is clear, huge, northern and has rock bottom, it is also very cold by normal swimming standards.  In a hot summer the beaches will warm up to the definition of ‘cool’ at many other places I have been swimming.  We are all happy to endure the cold because of the clean clear water.  As kids we used to brace ourselves and dive in to speed up the process of becoming “numb”, and we would swim until our lips were blue.

I took an impromptu drive out to my favourite swimming spot for a sunset this past June.  Once again, my Nirvana did not disappoint.  I sought out the fossil I found as a girl and took this photo of it.  I always go looking for it when I am there, relatively confident the large rock will be in the same place so long as my memory can find it.

Clearwater Lake Provincial Park

Home

by Tracy, posted in Canada

The Pas, MB – a short trip home

Always beautiful and relaxing at my parent’s

Sidney, BC – back on the island

by Tracy, posted in Canada

I’m traveling, within the country, but traveling nonetheless (my phone says that’s one word). I am visiting my bestie and my first full day was very full. We went out to Sidney Island and walked Sidney Spit. We also toured the ocean walk in town and took in some festivities for World Oceans Day. I wonder what adventures the week will bring 😊

Posing with Canadian Icons!

by Tracy, posted in Career and work

So this just happened! #cpafit #starstruck #bodybreak #ohcanada

Featuring – Me!

by Tracy, posted in Career and work

Hey Y’all, I am a feature today! Pop on over to Courtney’s Insta or blog and read all about me 😀😀 And then follow her because she is awesome and has impeccable taste in friends and style ❤

#instafamous #friendship #yegblogger #yeg #Repost @courtneycollectionblog (@get_repost)

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On the blog today – my first in the Courtney’s Career Conversations series. Please head over to the post today to read about the very special @tracytcma.

Follow the link in my bio @courtneycollectionblog or head directly to thecourtneycollection.ca (at Sherwood Park, Alberta)

Courtney’s blog

Missing my summer trip home

by Tracy, posted in Canada

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I am usually home in The Pas Manitoba for August long weekend.  These pictures are from last year.  Clearwater Lake and another smaller lake where I caught the trout.  If you enjoy wilderness and good fishing for trout, walleye and pike, The Pas and area is for you.  If you don’t like fishing, well somewhere else might be more suitable 🙂