Belated Blog

Wow, it really has been a long time since i've written a blog. I hope I won't miss anything. Right now i'm the only volunteer at my host-family's home. It's nice so far, different to being in group because the family have really accepted me as part of it. For example I eat with my (right) hand,
eat at the same time and place as the family, and watch the TV show tro-tro (or 'sweaar gaww' as Abby says) on tuesday 8.30pm.

The summer school went for 4 weeks and was really successful. I taught stage 2 with a fellow
teacher from a near-by school, Michael. It was so amazing with the kids. Without him I would have had no authority with them. He naturally took over the Maths and Science lessons and I did Creative Art and English (which often Michael would need to help me with since they are too young to understand my accent sometimes). I learnt some really nice local games (which I won't attemp to spell) involving hiding sticks, running around in circles, shaking your hips, and clapping, singing and dancing.

We visited the Projects Abroad farm, which (for me) was rather disappointingly small and
not progressive, but for the children they were amazed at the caged rabbits in a shed and
watching the farm manager hack corn off for them! The next day we planted our own onion seeds. Some of the kids drowned theirs, before they ever had a chance but by the end of the
program, I was so delighted to see that about 6 of the student's plants had sprouted!
The last the of summer school was so beautiful. We had an essembly and volunteers from other
projects came to watch. We danced (much less cooler than the students danced), had presentations of the students who performed and behaved the best, and then had a lunch afterwards with the music still going.

This week, I've been doing the building project before school starts back (next week).
Even after 2 days I'm arching so much! I think i'm getting pretty good at the chalking though!
That's where you fill in the gaps in the bricks with morter. Carrying bricks, however, I leave up to the guys. The volunteers have decreased drastically since school starts back in Europe & America. The people here now are mostly here for a long period.

I'm sure there is a ton of things that i've forgot to tell you about but, they can be saved
for when I sporadically bring them up in conversation when I return. but what I should
inform you of, is that i've extended my stay in Ghana but 2 months. I now leave Ghana on the 24th of November and go to the UK for 3 weeks, leaving there on the 15th of December.

take care,
love

Summer school

Last week was the last week of school before summer vacation (5 weeks long). I went to two meetings; a staff meeting and an Akropong Circuit Heads Association meeting (where the headmasters of schools in the area meet and discuss issues). I found it very hard to sit through these meetings. They were so drawn out and tedious! That week I also inspected the school's I.C.T. room, with all computers not functioning properly-we think due to theft! I have chosen to donate a portion of the funds raised to repairing the computers but also, improving the security of the room, so theft is not able to occur.

This weekend, a few volunteers and I went down to the beach west of Tadi. It was a LONG journey but worth it for the tranquility of the environment. The place we stayed was really nice, eco-friendly and very sustainable. Green Turtle Lodge. It was just strange because there were no Ghanaians lodging there, which makes sense since they're all working but just made me feel strange. On the tro ride back, I met an Israelian guy that spoke really good Twi. This made made me want to learn more. I was jealous that he was joking with the other passengers and I couldn't understand!

Today was the first of summer school. I'm teaching class 2 (from 6 to 8 year olds). They are really great but there is a vast diversity in ability in the class which is a challenge. And two students who speak no english. Today we did maths and drawing. The summer school goes from 8 to 12 noon, so i had a lot of free time! I pray everyone is well and happy

love.

Summer holidays

Last week was the last week of school before summer vacation (5 weeks long). I went to two meetings; a staff meeting and an Akropong Circuit Heads Association meeting (where the headmasters of schools in the area meet and discuss issues). I found it very hard to sit through these meetings. They were so drawn out and tedious!

The trotro buffet!

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.

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!

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

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.