Working at the orphanage and feeling home sick


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Africa » Ghana
August 10th 2009
Published: August 10th 2009
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On Friday I went to my placement, wasn't what I expected at all. I was in a class all by myself, teaching a class of around 17 6-11 year olds. This was awful, I had no idea how to teach them, I had brought nothing with me to do with them as I thought I would be doing care, not sure how packs of bubbles and books aimed at small children can help! My craft stuff I had left at the house until Monday but even they wouldn't have helped me the whole day.
I began by discussing shapes with them, they drew them and named some more for me.. then we read a story, (goldilocks and the three bears) and discussed it for a while, and I then had them drawing pictures out of the book. Umm we then looked at the world map together, pointing out Ghana, and countries where the volunteers at the moment come from, they then drew the flags and wrote the country names... and finally I had them write a few sentences about themselves. Such a hard day!!
When I signed up to do this, I choose care!! This to me means playing with them, helping clothe them, helping to feed them, being someone to care for them and be loving to them as they don't have that.. however I did none of this. A lot of the children in the orphanage are not orphans either (not saying they don't need the attention), but it's really not what I expected.
On Saturday, Me Jodie Jenny and Britney climbed the highest mountain in Ghana (I forget what it's called) that was tough!! haha, I struggled a lot.. then we got to the top and came straight back down, ha. It was fun though.
Sunday we got up at 6am! AHHH. Breakfast was at 6.30 and we went to church then. That was good to see. Lots of singing and dancing. They had us all dancing around the chairs at one point lol. I didn't like however that it was very pressurising to give yourself to god! The man kept shouting at people that they will go to hell if they don't do this, or that!
Then after the service, they called us aside to welcome us to the church, they then gave us a little talk about how people are sinners the moment they are born! And began to talk about other religions and how they will not be saved! I was enjoying the service until they began to be pressurising and judgemental over other religions. Oh well, it's what they believe.
Sunday afternoon we went to Wli waterfall. That was really pretty. We walked about 40 minutes to it (didn't realise it was so long so I wore flipflops to paddle in the water) I was knackered again lol! I hope I loose some weight on this trip!!
Monday (today) . I went to placement this morning, again they put me in a classroom to assist teach this time (even though I had been to see the women in charge first thing to make sure I wouldn't be doing this). At lunch, I went to see her again. She then said that she told projects abroad that the role ill be doing is assisting with teaching!!! WHAT.. don't understand how she says that but earlier said she knows I'm not there to teach?? Anyway, she said to go home for the afternoon, come back tomorrow (as Kirsty and Kwasi from Projects Abroad are coming to see them) and we will discuss it then. She said that in the town there is another school with younger children that I could go to.. we will see! Kirsty rang me to say she has no say in whether I move placements, but Kwasi might be able to! It's so hard here to get your point across! Maybe tomorrow will help... I really want to stay here until 4th September but if they don't get me out of this placement, I'm unsure I will!!! Being homesick really badly doesn't help either !!
(I got the dates wrong by the way.. I get back into England Friday 4th, not Sat 5th!!!)



















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