Now this is an interesting buffet. The process is, you hop into a trotro and while you are waiting for it to fill up before you depart, in the non-air-conditioned van, girls and women, and sometimes men, with baskets with anything from sandels, plantane chips, tooth paste, loaves of bread or chewing gum sell to you, especially when you make eye contact or if you are foreign. I love this idea, but its definitely not a peaceful experience.
Last thursday, the Kindergarten children played our rival school in football. And won, one-nil! The atmosphere somewhat resembled the world cup with the teachers and students united to support our little black stars in the match our a life time-or the term.
Thats all for now. Stay well
love.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Please, call me Akua
Yes thats my Ghanaian name -Wednesday born!
To update you, i've been fairly sick this week, since Thursday. But i'm pulling it together today and going to work -even if i am skipping the Wednesday morning worship session to sit in an internet cafe! Five german girls have arrived at our house for a 2-week-special program. They seem very nice but they speak German most of the time so its hard to know!
Linda, Josephine, Matilda and I went to the Aburi gardens on Saturday (Aburi and Abiriw-where i live, are too different towns) Aburi is a good 20 minute tro ride away. To our dismay, or amusement perhaps it started rainng while we were on the tro (a tro on which i met the Prince of the region-he paid our fare! But i suppose thats what Princes do..).
We alighted (look it up) about a 10 minute walk from the gardens but it was pouring by this stage was we ran for cover under a small tools shops. There, we hailed a taxi to take us the rest of the way, still stumborn that we were going to the gardens and going to enjoy it. Worse, when we got to the gardens they was not cover! We had to shelter in the restaurant. There we had a soft drink each. Unfortunately, it didn't stop raining for 20 minutes, after which it was still raining, but less. So we gave in and made our way back home. An interesting day's activity. A tad pointless, but fun nonetheless!
To update you, i've been fairly sick this week, since Thursday. But i'm pulling it together today and going to work -even if i am skipping the Wednesday morning worship session to sit in an internet cafe! Five german girls have arrived at our house for a 2-week-special program. They seem very nice but they speak German most of the time so its hard to know!
Linda, Josephine, Matilda and I went to the Aburi gardens on Saturday (Aburi and Abiriw-where i live, are too different towns) Aburi is a good 20 minute tro ride away. To our dismay, or amusement perhaps it started rainng while we were on the tro (a tro on which i met the Prince of the region-he paid our fare! But i suppose thats what Princes do..).
We alighted (look it up) about a 10 minute walk from the gardens but it was pouring by this stage was we ran for cover under a small tools shops. There, we hailed a taxi to take us the rest of the way, still stumborn that we were going to the gardens and going to enjoy it. Worse, when we got to the gardens they was not cover! We had to shelter in the restaurant. There we had a soft drink each. Unfortunately, it didn't stop raining for 20 minutes, after which it was still raining, but less. So we gave in and made our way back home. An interesting day's activity. A tad pointless, but fun nonetheless!
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
My 2nd day of the placement
hi everyone, I hope you are all safe and well.
Sunday
I decided to go to the family's church on Sunday, but since Linda and Matilda still had chores to do during the English service I went by myself. It was a little bit nerve-racking but very interesting. It is very much a Gospel church with loud music and very loud speakers. It was a communion service as well! I sat with Laurencia, the main woman singer. She's very nice and welcoming, and an amazing singer. There are two volunteers at the house. Katrina (from UK) and Ari (from California). Ari arrived back from travelling later on Sunday.
Monday
I was very excited to go to the placement. Ransford, who lives at my house is a Junior High (15-18 yr olds) teacher. We walk together to school, which is a 2 minute walk (very handy for lunch and breaks). Just quickly, I feel very awkward writing because all the keys are miss-matched on this keyboard!! On monday, I observed the nursery and Kinder Garden 1 & 2. They are either very very excited to see you or crying because of my whiteness. One thing that really disturbed me was that they still use a cane. Its something that really upsets me. After school i was so exhausted that i slept for a few hours. I woke up just in time to watch the family make Fufu, but strangely they did not make any for us. We had spaghetti (a version of) instead.
Tuesday
Today i taught Stage 1 (ranging between 6 and 9, but mostly 7 & 8) all by myself. In the morning we had Natural Science, where i taught them about personal hygiene, then there was English where they learnt about strangers and "stranger danger". After this, the rest of the day was filled with art and games.
I have to cut this short as the internet cafe is closing!
I'll take soon :)
peace & love
Sunday
I decided to go to the family's church on Sunday, but since Linda and Matilda still had chores to do during the English service I went by myself. It was a little bit nerve-racking but very interesting. It is very much a Gospel church with loud music and very loud speakers. It was a communion service as well! I sat with Laurencia, the main woman singer. She's very nice and welcoming, and an amazing singer. There are two volunteers at the house. Katrina (from UK) and Ari (from California). Ari arrived back from travelling later on Sunday.
Monday
I was very excited to go to the placement. Ransford, who lives at my house is a Junior High (15-18 yr olds) teacher. We walk together to school, which is a 2 minute walk (very handy for lunch and breaks). Just quickly, I feel very awkward writing because all the keys are miss-matched on this keyboard!! On monday, I observed the nursery and Kinder Garden 1 & 2. They are either very very excited to see you or crying because of my whiteness. One thing that really disturbed me was that they still use a cane. Its something that really upsets me. After school i was so exhausted that i slept for a few hours. I woke up just in time to watch the family make Fufu, but strangely they did not make any for us. We had spaghetti (a version of) instead.
Tuesday
Today i taught Stage 1 (ranging between 6 and 9, but mostly 7 & 8) all by myself. In the morning we had Natural Science, where i taught them about personal hygiene, then there was English where they learnt about strangers and "stranger danger". After this, the rest of the day was filled with art and games.
I have to cut this short as the internet cafe is closing!
I'll take soon :)
peace & love
Saturday, 3 July 2010
arrived
hey everyone :)
i'm in akwapim now and fairly settled in after an exhausting day yesterday!
after my 28 hours of flying and transitting, i met Yemi who works for projects abroad, at the airport. He was very friendly. We had to wait awhile for the driver as he was still at the office when Yemi rang him. luckily the office was only 5 minutes away! I went straight from that car to another at the office with 3 other volunteers. They were doing various projects in the area but none were staying with my host family.
It is an amazing and eye-opening drive to the Akuapem Hills. The first thing that I did not expect was the density in Accra and Akuapem. There are a lot of sellers on the street selling everything from world cup merch to plantan crisps and toothpaste. We drove for a little over 2 hours, going from the office to each volunteer's house to drop their bags off, and from there we then went to Koforidua with Gifty, another PA employee to exchange money and see where we can use credit and debit cards. During our tro journey to Koff, it started raining and didn't stop until we were in a tro returning. It takes about 40 minuts to travel to Koff but in a tro, a little over an hour because of stopping for people and there don't go very fast. At Koff, Gifty let us try a dish called wachi. It was delicious! Its rice and beans with a spicy pepper sauce.
So after all that and Matisse (a volunteer) and i about to fall asleep standing, we finally returned home. To my exhausted amazement, most of the neighbourhood was in our lounge room watching the football (Ghana v Uraguay. I managed to stay awake for that. It was an intense game, with so much passion in the room.
This morning I woke up to a bell at 4.30 am, followed by several roosters. and then after a few minutes children shouting and playing. I slept in until 9 am and had a shower (this involves filling up a bucket and taking it to the shower room to bath). I havent quite mastered it. Then a have breakfast which was pineapple and jam on bread (very tasty bread). I met Comfort (host mother), and Linda (18), Matilda (12) and Josephine (7) who all live there, i think. I've been learning the basics of twi like greetings etc. Linda is a very good teacher. She showed me around the neighbourhood, to the school ill be working at and the junction where you catch tros.
We taken some photos, Matilda is an amazing photographer :P but i will upload them later! Hope you all are well and safe
peace and love.
i'm in akwapim now and fairly settled in after an exhausting day yesterday!
after my 28 hours of flying and transitting, i met Yemi who works for projects abroad, at the airport. He was very friendly. We had to wait awhile for the driver as he was still at the office when Yemi rang him. luckily the office was only 5 minutes away! I went straight from that car to another at the office with 3 other volunteers. They were doing various projects in the area but none were staying with my host family.
It is an amazing and eye-opening drive to the Akuapem Hills. The first thing that I did not expect was the density in Accra and Akuapem. There are a lot of sellers on the street selling everything from world cup merch to plantan crisps and toothpaste. We drove for a little over 2 hours, going from the office to each volunteer's house to drop their bags off, and from there we then went to Koforidua with Gifty, another PA employee to exchange money and see where we can use credit and debit cards. During our tro journey to Koff, it started raining and didn't stop until we were in a tro returning. It takes about 40 minuts to travel to Koff but in a tro, a little over an hour because of stopping for people and there don't go very fast. At Koff, Gifty let us try a dish called wachi. It was delicious! Its rice and beans with a spicy pepper sauce.
So after all that and Matisse (a volunteer) and i about to fall asleep standing, we finally returned home. To my exhausted amazement, most of the neighbourhood was in our lounge room watching the football (Ghana v Uraguay. I managed to stay awake for that. It was an intense game, with so much passion in the room.
This morning I woke up to a bell at 4.30 am, followed by several roosters. and then after a few minutes children shouting and playing. I slept in until 9 am and had a shower (this involves filling up a bucket and taking it to the shower room to bath). I havent quite mastered it. Then a have breakfast which was pineapple and jam on bread (very tasty bread). I met Comfort (host mother), and Linda (18), Matilda (12) and Josephine (7) who all live there, i think. I've been learning the basics of twi like greetings etc. Linda is a very good teacher. She showed me around the neighbourhood, to the school ill be working at and the junction where you catch tros.
We taken some photos, Matilda is an amazing photographer :P but i will upload them later! Hope you all are well and safe
peace and love.
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