I'm Back At It...

So many of you followed my Romania blog last summer, and I have already been asked to do the same for South Africa. This time I am including my Mental Health Program (MHP) colleagues so they can follow my "on the ground" activities. No worries, you will still get the passionate/personal Rebecca throughout. :)

I leave for South Africa on Sunday, October 7 and will return home on Wednesday, October 17. The trip is focused on launching a national dialogue around mental health issues by leveraging the opportunities that World Mental Health Day (October 10 and Thom's Birthday!) offer. The trip includes former Prime Minister of Norway Kjell Bondevik and his Special Advisor Geir Sjoberg. Bondevik created the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights after leaving office. http://www.oslocenter.no/ One of his significant areas of focus is mental health after experiencing a major depressive episode during his first term in office. He was hospitalized for 30 days and turned over the reins of the government during that time. After recovering, he returned to office and completed his term. As a true testament to the Norwegian people, he was re-elected for a second term. Clearly, this wouldn't happen in this U.S.! We have a lot to learn!

We have many on-the-ground partners that are coordinating every detail and I'm sure you will hear about them endlessly throughout this blog. They have been amazing as each phase of this trip has developed (now almost 12 months in the making). Zane Wilson and the South African Depression and Anxiety Group http://www.anxiety.org.za/- Marion Scher, journalist and 05/06 Rosalynn Carter Fellow http://www.mediamentors.co.za/web/index.asp- Anton Harber, our international advisor to the Fellowship Program and acclaimed journalist and producer in South Africa http://www.big.co.za/wordpress/category/1/. Roshni has been the wizard behind the curtain and I'm not certain any of this would be pulled off without her.

So, those are the players and the intros are done. I'll have camera in hand as I move through Johannesburg and Cape Town. I look forward to hearing from you!