I arrived home yesterday and let me just say, it is COLD here. Coming from at least 30C sun, this rainy/cold BC weather is not enjoyable. I want to go back to Ghana for more reasons than just the weather. It is a huge adjustment to be back in North America. I cried on the bus ride because there were only 6 people on the bus, everyone was Obruni, and there was so much English. Anyways, I'm sure I will re-adjust in time. To view some of my pictures: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114888&l=32c66&id=902285293 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=114893&l=52843&id=902285293 [View Full Entry]

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Maadwo madanfo(s)! --> good evening friend(s)! I've been in Accra since Monday and I've been having a really awesome time. I came to visit a friend and to settle the details of my flight. I'll give you the day by day, play by play: Monday: Carly was really sick so she decided to come to Accra with me, rather than going back to Kumasi. We left Takoradi by tro tro because the STC bus staff were being very difficult. Long story short, there are occasions where being white in Africa is really NOT fun! When we got to the Volunteer Abroad [View Full Entry]

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Hello everyone!!! As always, I'm sending you the fondest greetings from Ghana!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm now in Takoradi for the night because tomorrow I'm going to Accra. I've changed my plans a bit so I will not be going back to Banko until Wednesday. I'll be in Accra for a few days to clear up some business with flights and to visit a friend. This weekend we added another girl, Carly from Toronto, to our travelling group. Jessi, Sophie, Carly and I all went to Green Turltle Lodge on the coast. We met our friends Joel and Brittany, who are from Coquitlam, and [View Full Entry]

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Maaha! Good afternoon, for those of you who don't speak the Twi. Becaue my last few weeks in Ghana are going to be jam packed with travelling and visiting, I decided that today, my 'down' day, would be a good time to fill everyone in on some info. Last weekend I was in Kokrobite. It was definately my least favourite weekend in Ghana, but it was still okay. It started off with too much Paul and ended with a stint in the hospital. Paul, my 'friend' from Ada Foah who came to visit is most definately a nice guy. Unfortunately his [View Full Entry]

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Sorry everyone that I've been slacking off on the blog update... things have been busy and I haven't been at the internet cafe for a while. Things are really good and I may have to be forced to come home!!! I love Ghana more than I thought I would. Anyways, what have I been up to... Last weekend we went to Tamale, Mole National Park, Paga and Bolgatanga. I have now covered 8 out of 10 regions in Ghana. Our weekend was awesome despite the 22 hours of bus riding. When we got to Mole we had just missed the morning [View Full Entry]

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Our weekend in Cape Coast got off to a rocky start. When we finally arrived in Kumasi, we went to the OA Station (buses very similar to the Greyhound) only to find out that they were not running to Cape Coast that night- very unusual. We then called the STC (another bus company) to see if they were making the trip, which the usually do, but they weren't until the following morning. Our only options were a tro tro or spend the night in Kumasi. Because of our feelings for Kumasi, and the knowledge that most of the hostels/hotels have bed [View Full Entry]

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Finally I'm sitting down to update you all on my African lifestyle. The long weekend is now over and I'm back to school, teaching and Twi. I am no longer the only Obruni in Banko because another volunteer from a different organization has joined me at the school and the orphanage. Her name is Sophie and she is from Germany. Finally, someone to eat my meals with (the children are all shooed away from me while I eat and I admit, its a bit lonely) and converse with in English. I'm in a neighbouring town to use the internet. The drive [View Full Entry]

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Hello everyone, I have now successfully completed my first week at the orphanage and in Banko, the town where I live. I am working at Anja's Childrens home, an orphanage set up about 12 years ago by this lady in Holland. I'm also working at Banko JSS school which is about 40 seconds away from my house. My host parents are sooo nice to me but they feed me waaaaaaaaaay too much and I always feel bad about not eating all the food they bring me. The dinner they give me would honestly last me about 4 days at home - [View Full Entry]

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I am wearing jeans- yes, its true. It was raining earlier and the jeans just worked. Today we visited the Botanical Gardens about an hour out of Accra. The gardens are at the far end of a village that I do not know how to spell, nor can I even speculate. As you enter the gardens, you pass through a gate and walk down a street lined with the hugest plam trees I have ever seen! Within the gardens is a village. There are a bunch of little huts, and a school. Shortly after we arrived, the school children were being [View Full Entry]

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Please note from the title, I am learning TWI!! We had day 1 of our language lesson. Also, day 1 of our drumming and dancing lesson. I forget what the name of the dance is, but it is a traditional dance and let me tell you, it is CRAZY HOT trying to dance in the African heat!!! Basically, what I learnt today in Twi was very basic. Twi pronunciation meaning 1. Maakye Mah-chay good morning 2. Maadwo may-jo good evening The response to all these is yaa anua, pronounced yah-enya. I le [View Full Entry]

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