Blogs from Greater Accra, Ghana, Africa - page 4

June 17, 2014 Most of us just got back from a late night at the orphanage. We took dinner and brownies over to the children and stayed to watch the World Cup game between the US and Ghana. When Ghana scored the tying goal Jamal and the children went insane. I seriously wanted Ghana to win the game, and I’m not sure if Jamal believes me or not. However, for someone like me who is very proud to be an American and takes pride in my loyalty I knew that the US and I didn’t need that game. For that one moment of the game and seeing how that brought those children, who have so little, to life was truly a life changing moment. In one week these children and this country have stolen my heart. ... read more

June 11, 2014 I haven’t had my orientation yet, but I have been to some classes. Yesterday I went to one of the schools (Faith) and the fishing village project. Today I went to the new orphanage. The children are so warm and friendly. I have never had so many people fascinated with my hair and skin before. I haven’t taken pictures yet but I will. Faith is a very rustic school. The school is so basically built that the classrooms are almost like big barn stalls with benches and desks. The fishing village is really cool. It’s a school set up in an alley right by the ocean for any of the children who wants to go to class. It starts at 4:30 P.M. and goes till dark, which is just after 6 P.M. in ... read more

I'm getting ready to spend a year in Ghana. I'm getting packed for my adventures while simultaneously packing up and moving out of my apartment. The first leg of my trip is to Hanover, NH to visit with my Grandmother. Then on June 7 I will be flying across the Atlantic changing planes in Istanbul before making my way down to Accra, Ghana. So what am I doing in Ghana? I've signed up to be volunteer teacher with the Dream Africa Care Foundation. I will be lead teacher and because I have a degree in Early Childhood Education they told me I was guaranteed to have a preschool or early elementary class. In case you're wondering, English is the primary language spoken in Ghana. It's the only former British colony in Western Africa. However, there are ... read more

The goal of today was to finally accomplish Frank’s two goals for this trip: do paperwork for the kids and finalize the land purchase. You know what they say about the best laid plans. We called it our “Terrible, Horrible, Almost Very Bad Day.” We got out of the house later than planned, and the kids couldn’t come with us because they didn’t get their chores done. Frank, Rosemary, and I headed for the Ministry of Social Welfare. We waited for a while, then they told us to wait more. Then the man got mad at us for not coming earlier and told us to wait. All of the waiting took place in the hallway. There were a few mismatched (but all uncomfortable) chairs along the walls. I felt like we were in a hospital from ... read more

Friday was sleep-in day. After our adventures in Volta region yesterday, it was nice to relax a bit again. Frank and I purchased tickets to Kumasi for tomorrow and set out to run errands. Drives that would normally take 15 minutes at home take an hour or more. Nothing can be done quickly. The goal for the day was to finalize the land purchase. We had to get money, then go to the real estate office and sign paperwork. (He signed. I was just along for the ride.) It was pretty exciting though. On the way home, we were in the neighborhood where Frank lived while in junior high school, Dansoman. He showed me the house where he lived and the bakery his mother set up for his grandmother. It was called Check Check Bakery. His ... read more