Some things that Ghana taught me

1. I am excellent at bargaining
2. My first impressions of people can be way off
3. Spicy food isn't so bad
4. Eating fish or lamb or goat won't kill me
5. It takes me about 2 and a half weeks before people who aren't my cup of tea to truly drive me crazy.
6. Being friendly gets you far
7. Sometimes, hard work does get recognized
8. the term Obruni is endearing
9. God brings you where you are needed and introduces you to people that you need in your life
10. Faith and worship is universal. I love that so much
11. I, and almost everyone in the US as well, am spoiled beyond belief.
12. Running water is a blessing.
13. Hot running water is truly a great privilege
14. Nothing makes me happier than being able to help a child, see them smile, and hear them tell me they love me.
15. I took too many things to count for granted back home that I will never take for granted again
16. I could never ever drive in Ghana
17. Ghanaian drivers can turn a two lane dirt road into a 5 lane super highway
18. Americans are very far behind in fashion
19. You should add at the very least an hour onto any time estimation that a Ghanaian gives you because there's no rush in life
20. I am meant to teach, and teach internationally at that
21. Everyone deserves a second chance, whether it be in education or just when it comes to letting people into my life
22. Tro Tros are the most convenient, cheap, uncomfortable forms of transportation ever
23. Adrinkas are my new obsession.
24. My family and friends are here for me always, even if I'm half way around the world
25. Four weeks is all it took to change my life.

Quite obviously, I've learned so much more, but I think these 25 are good for now :)

Peace and love.

Cape Coast

Today is our last day after spending the weekend in cape coast, and I can honestly say if I could pick up my family and friends and bring them here with me, I would live out my life here. We have been staying at coconut grove beach resort and it is so gorgeous here. Nothing but palm trees and white sand beaches :)

On Friday, we went to two different slave castles, Elmina and Cape Coast, and it was truly one of the most sobering experiences of my life. I can't even describe it but if anyone ever comes to Ghana, you have to go to Elmina castle undoubtedly. It was life changing.

On Saturday, we did a tree top canopy tour through the rainforest and it was amazing!!!! We were literally suspended hundreds of feet above the rainforest on the long wooden planks held up by nets. It was so thrilling and so beautiful. I am so excited to post pictures.

It's hard to write this journal entry because I know that it is the last one that I will write about the weekend experiences I've had. But I am looking forward to writing a post about what I've learned about myself and life in general.

I am do happy knowing that I get to see my family on Tuesday and my friends soon after. I got everyone some great souvenirs ;)

Peace and love.

Kumasi part 2

So I figured that I had a lot more to say about our weekend in Kumasi so here it goes...

First of all, words cannot describe how beautiful Kumasi actually is. It is about a 4 hour drive from Accra through mountains and the most beautiful greenery, it's so hard to pay attention to anything but the amazing landscape.

First thing this morning, we went to the Okomfo Anokye sword site, which relates to the king's palace that we visited yesterday. Essentially, legend has it that the first Ashanti king buried the sword in the ground and it cannot be removed or the Ashanti dynasty will collapse and turmoil will ensue if someone is able to do so. It was cool to put a visual to something we learned about yesterday.

We went back to the cultural arts center today too and I finally finished gift shopping for everyone (including myself, although its going to be a challenge to not buy anything else. I love everything!). I liked this cultural arts center much better than the one we've gone to in Accra only because I felt like I wasn't being attacked by every shop owner. The people seemed much nicer to us "obrunis".

As for last night, it was a blast and break that we absolutely needed. The manager hooked us up and we essentially got to have our own private party by the pool. Everyone just got to let loose, and I think everyone needed that badly.

I am writing this on the bus back to Accra now, and I have my fingers crossed that we still will get to make it to the fantasy coffin workshop today because I've honestly been looking forward to it since my first night here. But if it doesn't happen today, I will make it happen before I leave in 9 days!

Ohhhh Obruni....random thoughts

There is something that I would love to explain, only because it was so new to me. For about my first week in Ghana, I often heard people calling Obruni out as we passed by and I was so confused. I has no idea what it meant or whether or not I should be offended. Turns out that I shouldn't be, because it really just means "white foreigner" or even just "foreigner" in general. At the same time, being an Obruni comes with its stereotypes, like that we're loaded, not the broke college or graduate students that most of us are. For example, we were in a cab the other day and this woman said something about Obrunis in Twi to our driver, and I asked him what she said and he told me she said that he was a rich man because he was driving us around. We've really just learned to go with it and we lovingly refer to ourselves as Obrunis.
I'm not going to lie, it is strange being a part of the vast minority. I know it may a bit hypocritical of me to say, as people watching is one of my favorite activities, but I don't think I will ever get used to the staring. Although at the same time, I do understand it. We dress differently, some of us are white, and I still don't think I've seen another blonde haha. I will say one thing though, I've only been treated with true kindness and have felt welcomed everywhere we have gone.
In fact, at the church we went to last week, and are going back to tomorrow, personally welcomed us and sang a song for us. It was so amazing!

I'm having a hard time coping with the fact that the trip is winding down. It seems like just yesterday that I applied and now I'm coming up on my last week. So unreal. This has been hands down the most incredible, life changing experience of my life, and I feel so lucky that I still have the time left here that I do. This really is just the most amazing place that I've ever been to.

Ps everyone here is WAY more fashionable here than in the states. I love it :)

Pps just bought some sugar kane. It is amazing!!!!! Everything is made with real sugar here, which is probably why I love fan ice so much!

Kumasi

Kumasi is amazing. And that is a complete understatement.

Today, we started our morning at the King's Palace where we were able to see all of the relics of the Ashanti kings (minus to golden stool of course). It was really fascinating I wish I was able to take pictures but it's not allowed :( after we went to another cultural arts center but only got to stay for a short t time but were going back in the morning :) we also went to a place where they make kente which was super cool so of course I had to buy a kente purse :)

Tomorrow after we go to the cultural arts center again, we're going to a place where they make "fantasy" coffins. It'll be so much easier to explain with pictures but I am soo stoked!!!

I love Kumasi and I love Ghana but I miss my amazing family and friends more and more each day (not to mention Starbucks, portillos, and Lou's ;))

Kill them with kindness
Peace and love

Catch up post

I've been super busy since we've returned from HoHoe, and have little to no access to Internet doesn't help.

Everything at BASICS has been great. I'm not going to lie, the language barrier between the transition students is frustrating, especially since the translator quit. Other than that, it has been amazing introducing the children to new methods of learning and helping to keep them in school and interested in learning.

Last weekend, we had our only free weekend in Accra, which was fun. We went to the cultural arts center last Monday and again on Sunday, which was fun. I have to say though, the men who run the shops automatically think "stupid Americans" when they see us and try to rip us off, but I drive a hard bargain (thanks mom. I learned from the best).

On Saturday, we went to medena market. I'm not even sure that's how it's spelled but that's besides the point. All I can say about that is that it was an experience. Not bad, but I'm not sure I would ever go again. It was fascinating though to see how people from this region shop in the markets.

Right now, I am in kumasi, and I feel like I'm living the life of luxury. We have running water, warm(ish) showers and Internet, which I feel so privileged to have.

I love this country so much, but I'm also starting to get ready to come home. I live with a few mean girls and it makes me miss the people who love me unconditionally. I'll post more pictures soon :)

Peace and love

Teaser Pictures :)

dancing at a music shop

the group in HoHoe

The group and some students

Top of Afadjato

Standing at the tallest point in Ghana

feeding monkeys at the monkey sanctuary

waterfall

learning to play the drums :)

More to come :D

HoHoe Volta region and our first week and BASICs

I wish I was able to update this as much as I'd like, but even "the fastest and most reliable Internet service" in Africa is not fast, and definitely not reliable.

I have to say that I have had probably some of the most amazing experiences of my life in the past week. Tuesday was our first official day working with the children at BASIC- it started off a little bit hectic and unorganized, but I adore the kids that I get to work with. They are attempting to teach me Ga, the native language of where they are from, and they think it's absolutely hysterical when I try to pronounce some of the words.

Chokor, where BASIC is located, is a fishing community, and on Wednesday, we took a group of students down to the beach to collect shells for musical instruments, and I have to say, it was the most humbling experience of my life. I wish I could put down on words what it was like, but until you've experienced it yourself, you will never be able to understand what it is like. All I can say is that I truly believe it changed my outlook on life, and made me so appreciative of things that most Americans take for granted every day.

Besides that, I am coleader for a group of students called the transition group, who are students who have never been to school, or have attended for a couple of years and then dropped out for various reasons. Most of these kids do not even know english, so it is very challenging, but I feel like weve already accomplished so much with them, and more importantly, we are educating the other workers at BASIC in order to bring new methods of teaching to Ghana that they can continue to use once we leave. I have already made such a connection with some of the kids, it already makes me sad to know that I'm going to have to leave them in three weeks.

This weekend, we traveled out of Accra to the HoHoe Volta region and it was incredible. To start, I got to take my first hot shower in a week. I swear a shower never felt so good. On Friday, we climbed 2,900 feet to the top of the mountain Afadjato. It was a really tough climb, especially since the the ground is so slippery due to it being the rainy season, but making it to the top was so rewarding and breathtaking. I cannot wait to post pictures (hopefully tomorrow? Fingers crossed).
On Saturday, we started our day early and went to the monkey sanctuary, which was so fun. I was able to hold and feed the monkeys that lived in the forest which was a really cool experience. Then, we went to a Christian sanctuary where they had these incredible statues of the story of Christ, and I honestly could have spent the entire day there. After that, we went to a waterfall where we got to go swimming and it was so amazing. At night, our group went out to a local bar and it was such a blast :) Everything about the Volta region was stunning. Today, we went to see how they make kente, which again was absolutely amazing.

Tomorrow is republic day in Ghana so we have a day off of work, so we are going to the cultural arts center and a local market. Hopefully I'll be able to post again soon!

Peace and love :)

Arrival Day

The internet at the house we're staying in is really lousy. Only one person can use it at a time, and even then, it still crashes sometimes. Hence the reason I'm writing this so late- everyone else is already asleep.


Today was a really bad day for flying apparently. I think that I may have been the only one in the group who made their original flight AND layover flight, even though they were delayed, which sucks, especially when it means you have to be one of those idiots at the airport who you see running to catch their plane. Like I said, almost every single person's flight got messed up, delayed, or cancelled, so for a good part of the day, it was only me and three other girls that had arrived. That ended up being awesome, though, because instead of staying at a hotel like we were supposed to, Dr. A, my professor, decided to rent us a HUGE house, and out of ten or so rooms, only two had separate, full size beds, and I got one of them :D The girls who showed up later and have to share a bed aren't very happy about it, and honestly, we all kind of wish we were staying at the hotel since it's so much closer to the center of town, but the house is super nice, has AC and a pool, so I have no complaints.


I know I haven't seen much of anything yet, but I love it here already. Even just driving around here is completely different from anything in the United States. I don't think the word "lane" exists here when it comes to driving, and people literally walk through the middle of the streets, inches from cars, trying to sell the most ridiculous junk. I think I literally might be the only blonde in Ghana, too, haha. I've never been called exotic-looking so many times in my life, or at all for that matter.


 I absolutely cannot wait to start exploring and even more so, to start working with the kids at BASIC on Monday. But it's time for me to go to bed, because I have no idea what time it is here, but I know that it's late.

24 hours left...

In less than 24 hours, I will be on a 14 hour plane ride to a country that is 5 time zones away, and it really hasn't set in at all. I can't even begin to explain how quickly time has passed since I applied and got accepted into the program. Getting ready this past week has been rough, too between work and my summer classes. Packing wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be though, and I didn't over pack, so I'm proud of myself :)

For the next month, I'll be in Ghana, Africa with 13 other MSU students. For the most part, we're going to be staying in the capital, Accra, but during the weekends, we get to travel to all different  areas, like Kumasi, the Hohoe-Volta region, and Cape Coast. It's strange, that of all of the places in the world to study abroad in, I chose a country that barely anyone knows about. Everyone always asks me why I chose to go to Ghana and not Europe or some place like that, but after hearing about what I get to do during the program, I was absolutely set on going. It's not like a typical study abroad- we have no classes. Everything that we do while we are there is pretty much self-directed. We are keeping an ethnographic journal while we are there, so I am really looking forward to interacting with the community and a culture that is totally different than my own. Also, my group gets the work with a group called BASIC, which is a program for children in Ghana who are at high risk for either dropping out or never attending school. I'm really excited/nervous because I'm co-head of the Education Development part of the program that the students in my group are creating for the kids in Ghana. I get to create lesson plans, work with students, and educate teachers while I'm there, which is crazy because there are teachers who have been teaching for decades that can't say they've done what I am about to do.

I'd like to think I know what to expect, but really, I have no clue. But I think that I can make a difference while I'm there, and that makes me happy :)