Nice inspirational story for a beginner like me. Thank you for sharing it.
Welcome to AH and welcome to the hunting fraternity. You are headed down a path that many of us took decades ago with the help of friends and family. Seems you don't have that option but @Shootist43 and @mark-hunter have given you some very good advise. I am lucky enough to manage a hunting mentorship program here at home and there is nothing better than taking a new hunter on their first hunt, showing them the ropes and turning them into life long hunters that promote our great sport. On a personal note on my first safari to Africa I had filled my wish list and had a couple days left so my wife who has never shot a firearm over .22 caliber or hunted any game at all was talked into giving it a go. I told the PH that it was up to him to teach her as she probably wouldn't listen to me anyway. The next day the PH took my wife to the range and spent the better part of the morning teaching my wife to shoot my 7mm rem mag. After a box of ammo they both felt confident that she was good to go. That same afternoon she killed her first big game animal, one shot from the sticks at just under 200yds. That blesbok holds a special place in my trophy room. Good luck on your journey.