Home time! Well Ricki my bed time stories are coming to an end now. Cant wait to catch up with u to hear all about it. you've done so well and so much and had the most amazing experiences that we only ever read about!! Safe journey home and i'll see you saturday. xx
Bless You Ricki, forgot to add in my last comment, I was going to say "Bless You" for all that you've done, since everyone else in Ghana has also Blessed You!! No harm in saying it again eh. ha ha !! Elizx
Well Done Ricki Ricki, we just wanted to say well done. You should be soooo proud of yourself and in all that you've achieved. Many of us watch programmes about poor countries, and wish we could do something but few of us get round to actually doing anything about it. I think its great that you have done so much while you were there, and I think the kids have apreciated all that you've done too, (obviously cos they all want to come home with you - you will be like the pied piper Ricki, they will all be following you!!)
Anyway as I said well done, and we're looking forward to hearing all about your adventures when you come home. Safe Journey, see ya, Eliz. Darren, Mat and Lewx
WELL DONE RICKI U R doing so well Ricki. Everyone here in housing is enjoying your blog. Looking forward to seeing u again soon. Have a dram ready 4 u. Take Care and safe journey home.
Your final week Hi Rikki,
I just read your blog for today and have tears in my eyes. I know exactly how you feel when your time is coming to an end. This has been an experience that will be with you forever, and it sounds like your kind heart and compassion have greatly impacted the lives of all the kids you have come in contact with. Job well done Ricci!
The one thing about giving out your addresses is that these despirate people many times see you as being very rich so they will write you heart wrenching stores of how they need help, and most really do, but it will tear your heart apart to get them. I caution you to be very carefull in this area.
I have to say I'm really proud of you--I know you really journed into unknown teritory with this visit to Ghana, and at first I was a little unsure of how it was going to go for you because I realized it was a real culture shock (I felt the same way), but you have really embraced this opportunity and I know it will be with you for the rest of your life!
If you can take some pictures of these kids and send them back to CCS after you get them developed to give to the kids. They did this for me and I guess that the kids were very excited. Or better yet have someone take pictures of the kids with you and then send them back.
Take care and enjoy these next few days!
Linda
Well now that you have been and seen the light as it were.,........you are the most suitable person to come along to our ladies guild night at my church and do a little slide show.....you can take along your fabrics that you printed, and have a little show and tell exercise......you will get a nice cup of tea, a sandwich and a fancy piece.....and the auld wifies will coo and aaaa over you(obviously I am not an old wifie before you start) or the pile at the side your desk will bet bigger and bigger!!!!!!!
To tell you the truth Ricki joking aside this is a good way of doing a bit of extra fund raising and you may get the opportunity to do such things locally......I think that folk would be very interested in this. Through the church also there is a charity that deals with sending books abroad aswell.
Cannot believe that you will soon be back in your chair at Banff..........what a relief.....you have no idea what its been like.....you just can't get the staff these days....the insubordination......well you know what they are like!!!!!!(ha ha)
Well.....safe journey home....and give yourself a big pat on the back...you have done so well, and done such alot in your time their.
Nearly time to come home. I don't know what we are going to do without your blog entries to look forward to ( not that we don't want you home again though). It's been so exciting checking every day to see what you have been doing, and by all accounts you've done so much, in quite a short time really. We are all very proud of you back home, for everything you have acheived, probably more than you thought you would. I'sm sure it's been the experience of a lifetime, and one you will never forget. Good job you are due home though, because if you were there any longer you would be bankrupt by the time you tried to help everyone.We are all very well off in this country and don't even realise it. Some of your entries have had me in tears, and I just hope that even after you are home we can continue to do something to help some of these poor unfortunate people.I hope you sang well in church today and managed to keep in tune (that'd be a first ha!ha!) Anyway just enjoy your last week in Ghana and don't get too upset saying goodbye to all your new friends. We'll see you soon. Bye.
Hot showers in sight! It's funny, when my plane landed I went straight to the nearest restaurant for a good solid meal with meat then stright home for a long long hot shower, then slept for two days from jet lag!
You have done such a good job and I am so proud of you. I think your heart got very involved with your volunteering, it shows that you are a very kind and caring person.
Enjoy your last week, savour everything because you will really miss it more than you realize! I still do, but I am now 98 days away from Kotoka airport! haha! I can hardly wait until I retire so I can go back and do some volunteering, but I may be too old and feeble in three years! hahaha!
I hope that sometime when you are home and have some time you will drop me an e-mail and tell me more about your experiences and my friends at CCS! I'm hoping to get to see some of them in June!
Have a great week!
Hi Ricki HI there ricki long time no spk
after reading your latest blog i just wanted to say well done for all the things u have done out there !!!!
in your latest blog you said that you were coming home i was in total shock and could not belive you have been away for two whole months i hope you have had a nice time there and i am sure when u come back you will be telling me all about it,
well i am off - see you soon
=] Matthew
Nearly time for home! Hey Ricki, I've sat tonight and read around 6 blogs to catch up with what uv bin up 2!! It must just be so upsetting to see the children and the poverty they hav to live in, its upsetting to read so I can only try t imagine how it must be to see it. U really are doing a brilliant job and from ur blogs its easy t understand that the children clearly respect and think so much of the work u r doin for them. U hav most definitely helped and improved the lives of so many children during ur time in Africa. Cant wait t c u when u get home and hear all ur stories! Take care and see u soon!! Emma xx
Great job I love reading your blogs and all the wonderful things that you are doing in Ghana. You are truly a wonderful person and hopefully, these kids can repay you by making something out of themselves.
Poverty is so real Hello Ricki,
I enjoyed this post so much, but it really brought back the reality of just how despirate things are in Ghana for many people. A friend recently called me to say that one of his fathers wives (2 wives) young daughter of three years old is not walking yet and he thinks it is because of bad nutrition. It is so sad. The need is so great there that it boggles the mind.
Have you ever looked at the ONE.org website-the one that Bono works with. If not when you get home check it out. This organization is working really hard to provide aids medication and food and they are an organization that carries a lot of weight because of their enormous membership.
I heard last week that the young man that I am educating at one of the Universities in Kumasi has been chosen as 1 out of 18 from a group of 750 students to attend the London Book Fair in April. He was so excited until I explained that I can't afford to spend $2,000 for a two week trip to the UK for him at this point and he was just heartbroke. He never asks for anything but he wants to have a chance to make his way out of Ghana so he can support his family and as the visa for this trip is guranteed this would be good for him. It broke my heart to tell him that I can't pay that much money for him to go, and he has accepted it gracefully, but to be chosen and not be able to go was a crushing blow to him. Usually the school finds sponsors to pay for most of it but have not found any this year.
I know your days are growing short but you will forever have Ghana in your heart! I'm so happy that you have had this opportunity and that you have really done so much for those kids that you have taught and whose lives you have touched. They will talk about Ricki forever! Good Job!
Welldone!! Ricki, I have been reading your blogs every week and I am really impressed!! You have done so well, I really don't think I could do what you've done! It sounds like you've made a real difference to the kids lives and I bet they will really miss you when you come home and I've no doubt you will miss them too!! It doesn't seem like you've been away for long, I can't believe you'll be back home soon. Anyway good on you, you've done really good!! See you soon!! xx (I'll have a big vodka waiting for you!!)
Your stories become more and more amazing each time you read them. What an amazing experience this has been for you between one thing or another. As the time for home approaches you must be dreading the goodbye's already, but what memories you will have. Take care of yourself
Kristen
Ricki, your latest blogs have been great, but sad, with the story of Charles. Its brilliant that you took him to hospital and got him some treatment. It makes you realise how lucky we are here. I know with past experience how good our hospitals are here especially with kids, it is soooo distressing to know that he has just been left in that state with no one really looking after him or caring about the wounds that he has.. I cannot believe that his father went fishing while you took him to hospital, but as you say, it is such a different culture that we could probably never understand it. At least your move to that place enabled you to help him, it sounds like if you hadn't appeared no one would have done anything. Glad you have gotten back to your original base for a while and can see the orphanage and their new beds. I bet the kids were soooo chuffed when they got them. Am loving the idea that you are going to join a dancing group and tour Africa that would be a sight to see!!!! You will have to show us all your moves when you get home - standby Macduff eh!!!
Will be sorry to see you go but I am sure you will be successful in your new career!! I have really enjoyed keeping up with your expoits and I am sure it has been a sobering experience seeing the hardship of the kids and they still seem so happy. I hope that the little boy gets some help when you take him to hospital. All your family and friends must be very proud of you. See you when you come back to work.
Dancing round Africa Well Ricki, the mind boggles! I can just imagine you bopping away to the drums, as long as you don,t start singing, that might be a bit scary. We know you are disappointed to be moved from Ho, but as you say maybe it was for a reason. Hope the little boy receives the treatment he needs , and that his injuries get better, it,s so sad to think that he has just been left to suffer. You will all be well and truly BLESSED for helping this poor little boy.Hope you enjoy your time in Woe, even though you didn,t really want to go .At least you are seeing a bit more of the country before you come home. Speak to you soon.x
You are so sensible Hi Ricki:
I've enjoyed reading your recent accounts of teaching the kids. You seem very level-headed and have a good perspective on things. I can see you have a hankering to improve the lots of individuals, even over giving communally (giving communally would, it seems, be a waste, since the one actually receiving the gift, intended for many, might keep much of it to his/her self). I agree with your concept of the beds--it's an example of how individuals can benefit directly.
Also: I can how difficult it is to convey a sense of "Western" discipline in a culture which, in some ways, runs counter to that philosophy. The kids are avid to learn--but they must, it seems to me, adopt some of that "Western" discipline in order to reach their potential, and to go to university in Ghana (really a tall order!)
Love readin your blogs Hi Ricki, Love reading your blogs. Can't imagine you going about dirty and unshowered but life is very different where you are. What a great job you are doing out there. You should be very proud of yourself. I bet you have done things you never thought possible 5-6 weeks ago but it appears all you are doing is giving you so much pleasure, not to mention what the children are gaining. I always seem to end up with tears in my eyes after reading your blogs. The people there have very little and life is so hard for them. Couldn't believe you had to pay £10 for the parcels, disgusting. Well Ricki not long to go now. Keep up the good work and hope to see you when you come home.
Fit Like Hiya Ricki, Ur stories are comical and very interesting. hidna been on for a while but what alot u seem to have achieved. I canna believe ur thrown in at the deep end teaching but by the sounds o things ur dein jist fine. It's a real eye openin experience and it will be ace to have this blog to look back on when u get home. The question is will it be home to plan ur next trip back???? Take care o ursel and we'll hear fae u soon. Kristen x
Foo Ya Deing thought it was about time that I added to your blob... We have all been following your stories these past few weeks, and it does not matter who I have been talking to across the service they have been tuning in and reading your updates.
You must be chuffed to bits with all the comments you have received and all that you have achieved in these past few weeks.
Maureen and I were sorely tempted to get in touch with you this last week, cause we felt you were the only one that could deal with a BAC's issue....however we managed to resolve it lucky you eh!!!
Well there is a huge pile of lovely things waiting for you when you get back.......
Didna think your were a footy person......Well I bet you have learned alot about yourself in the past few weeks...there'll be no mountain that you can't clime now!!!
speak to you soon.....look after yourself
June
Travelling to Ghana Hello,
I will arrive in Ghana March 02, 2007. Are there any particular items that I can bring to Ghana for gifts or barter?
Josephine samryce@yahoo.com
Hey Ricki, can't belive your onto week five, in no time you'll be home!! You seem to have achieved sooooo much in your time there and the kids all sound like they are very fond of you.
Think you were rather brave (or mad) going for that haircut considering the hairdresser was waving a razor blade around!!! you are definately "living on the edge" ha ha!!
The treasure hunt sounds great, I bet they have never done that before, and it had added to the excitement when they found the football.
That lizard sure gets around Ricki it clearly likes you.
It is freeeeeeezing here we could do with some African heat!! Ok see ya later take care liz, daz mat and lewiex
Ricki I need some advice Hi Rikki,
I see that you have really settled in and are really enjoying Ghana. That is great.
Now that you have been there for a month and have worked in a school I wonder if you could give me some advice. When I come to Ghana in June I would like to bring some school supplies and I am wondering what you would suggest. When I was there last time a teacher made the comment to me that many times kids will cut their hands when sharpening their pencil with a knife. Do you think that manually operated pencil sharpners that mount on the wall would be something that would be needed? I plan to bring pencils, individual pencil sharpners and things like that.
Also do you think that erasers for the black board would be a help? Do they have them? Chalk???
I would really appreciate any suggestions you could give me since you have been in the schools.
My e-mail is lschindler79@yahoo.com and I would really appreciate some input if you would be inclined to do that and have time to e-mail me.
Here is my Ghana travel blog. I first travelled to Ghana in January 2007 with a charity called Cross-Cultural Solutions and lived there for 2 months. I also returned in May 2008 for 2 weeks. I met some of the most amazing people and I definitely plan to return.....look out for my next instalment!
... full info
Lyndsey
non-member comment
Home time!
Well Ricki my bed time stories are coming to an end now. Cant wait to catch up with u to hear all about it. you've done so well and so much and had the most amazing experiences that we only ever read about!! Safe journey home and i'll see you saturday. xx