Talk to you soon!:) Katie - I hope we can talk when you return to the states! What an amazing summer you have had...I am starting my last first day of school today!:) Take care, Jessica
What a journey for you! Hi Katie, again I loved reading your blog! I had to laugh about the whites with the pointy noses! The question that I was constantly asked by women was that they heard that doctors in the US can cut your stomach open and take the baby out if you are having trouble delivering. It is amazing how out of touch some of them are with reality.
Regarding being old, when I want to Ghana the life expectancy was 58, which was what I was. Everyone, and I mean everyone, called me mama as a sign of respect for my old age! Now I heard it has moved to 58 which is what I will be when I go next summer. I can hardly wait. I am going to have a graduation party for Issah and for his entire family and friends to come to, so I have to go a few days before it and purchase a cow and a sheep! hahaha! Only in Ghana!
Have a wonderful flight home!
Linda
Katie . . .we are so very proud of you!! Wow, the experiences that you've had! We will talk soon . . .see you in eight days!!!!!!!
Love always,
Mom and Dad
sweet pea Kates, i love the photos!!! i miss you a gazabillion and will be in Chicago on the 27th. Soak up your days there, my best to kojo, kwesi, twany, bowan, and all those kids! love, your sis, k
The pictures made me cry! Hi Katie, It seems like your experience in Ghana has been wonderful! The pictures made me cry when I looked at them because I miss my friends and "African Family" in Ghana, but also because I know what kind of a life the street children life, and I know how hard life is and what a stigma Aids is. That is the part of Ghana that breaks my heart!
You have done a great time of getting the Ghanaians to smile on pictures, I had that challenge also and I would resort to doing anything to make them laugh!
The pictures brought me back to my memories of Ghana and makes me even more excited to go back and visit next year! I am so happy you have interned in Ghana, you seem to have embraced everything there and learned so much! I am sure there are many there who will never forget you because you have such a warm and open personality!
Take care and enjoy your last days!
I hope when you get home and have time we can have a nice chat on the phone and compare experiences!
Be prepared to shed some tears when you go to Kotoka to leave, it was so hard for me to part with the wonderful Ghanians I know and had met there!
Have a good trip home!
Linda
Great sunset! Well, all the pitures are great eh. And I especially enjoyed the prostitute story. Please say "hello" to the hippos if you run into
any. And if they are upset with you (don't know why that would
ever happen) just tell them that Toby says to "cool it". Hope all
is well and that you have a safe return trip. Thanks for Sharing Katie Rose :)
beautiful Dearest Katie, it has been amazing to read your posts. You have such great reflections and I love the energy you have for experiencing everything there. You put into words a most important lesson to me---"I realize that no matter what i do, I can't change my background or the fact that I have had amazing opportunities... people do not ask for pity but rather acknowledgment and respect."
Thank you for sharing your gifts of wisdom with me, and the gifts of wisdom given you by the amazing people you've been meeting. I hope to catch up with you when you return. I'm moving to Chicago at the end of the month, a mere 5 hour drive from St. Louis so hopefully we can catch up soon! Its been too long. Love, Lauren Ivory
Integration Katie:
It sounds like you have had an amazing week or weeks. I read your journal and realize how much you are experiencing the reality of life as a social worker who is also a minister.
As social workers, we do come face to face with inequalities all the time.
As ministers, we are aware of our social justice values. This weekend, we at College Church will be hosting "Cool Stuff" I'm sure you recall how this event becomes a "light bulb moment" and you realize the reality of poverty in our world. To me, it is unconscienable that some call a shopping cart or an underpass their home.
We are "called and gifted" as the encyclical states and our call is to ask the right questions and raise awareness. It is the seed we plant that grows beyond our capacities because God is all in all.
I think your "call" to be part of the planning of how AIDS clinics will materialize in South Africa is a charism you must embrace for now. Your voice must be heard. Your gifts are yours and no one can be you. You are being called to have a seat at the planning table. That's huge for us as women, social workers, and ministers.
I hope I have not become too theoretical/philosophical/theological. I see your gifts and am thrilled to see you embrace them. Just remember, you don't have to be in South Africa to embrace your charism. Many celebrate you here in the good ol USA.
May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you. Know that we pray for you always and look forward to an AI Brown Bag Presentation (minimally) when you return.
Donna
juxtaposition I am enriched by your reflections on the rich-poor divide. The Dominicans call this "sharing the fruits of your contemplation." You bring me/us right into the experiences, discomforts, musings, hopes, and your personal-actions-for-uniting-humans. THANKS.
And I'm glad, though it's clearly a (fruitful) struggle, that you are "indulging" a bit with fun relationships, leisure time, and relative "luxuries" like a warm shower. :)
Wonderful experiences Katie Oh, Katie, again reading your blog brought me right back to Ghana! Your insights are so right on. These people, though they be very poor, are the salt of the earth. You can connect with them, even if you don't speak the language because they are kind and wonderful people and enjoy interacting with everyone. The divide between rich and poor is so huge in Ghana and felt so sharply by the poor.
I laughed so hard when you were talking about the trotro that goes to Mole, it must have been the same one I took! I also dubbed it the trotro from hell. The one I rode on broke down several times and required the men to get out and push it.
Mole was breathtakingly beautiful, the first morning I counted 22 elephants coming to the watering hole below the park. As a matter of fact one of my best photo's from mole was that one.
As your trip winds down, I know you are going to face some hard emtions at facing leaving people that you have grown to love so dearly. It was so difficult for me to say goodbye to those I grew to love, but I thought that I would return in two years, however, due to my husband's cancer and my auto accident I had to delay another year. I now am just waiting approval from work to take time off, and I am really wishing for a miracle when I put in my request because I am asking for a month off.
Enjoy the next days there and enjoy those wonderful Ghanaians you have met and enjoyed. I think with your kind heart and good old midwest upbringing, you touched a lot of hearts in Ghana!
Take care--I hope we can meet someday and share experiences!
hey traveller lady! The market pictures remind me so much of Kenya! Thank you for sharing all your pictures and stories! You are a strong woman doing wonderful work at WAAF. I am so sorry about the weird guy at the restaurant. You know if I was there he'd be in a lot of trouble!!! ha!
love ya, Shanna
Thank God You're Alright Katie:
I'm so glad to hear from you. I was beginning to worry. Father Biondi, SJ
was trapped in Lebanon and we've been praying for his safe return. (He returned safely last week) AI is gearing up for a great academic year. (It won't be the same without you.)
I love the notes and pictures of you and Kelly in Ghana. Save those dancing feet (Shakira, etc) for us when you return. I'll track down Gail and see if she'll still hang with us now that she's a big SLU executive.
Be good to yourself,
Donna
It sounds like you are having fun! Hi Katie, I was just thinking this morning that you had not posted to your blog n a while, and all of a sudden there was one! I had to laugh because I have the exact same picture of the goats!!!!! We must have been at the same place.
I'm so jealous, I wish I was there! I now am down to 10 months until I go again! I really miss the sights and sounds of Ghana, but most of all my friends. One of my dear friends just had a baby after 6 weeks of bein in the hospital for Toxemia. I was scared to death for her but she has a healthy little baby girl.
Wasn't Mole just awesome, but my question for you is how was the trotro that you rode in? I am hoping you didn't get the regular one, I am quite sure it has died by now! It was so horrible, there was only one seat that wasnt broken, and the driver made everyone give it to the Obruni!
When we would the driver stopped the bus so people could go to the bathroom, several people would have to push it to get it started again. It was so loud that I think it took me hours to hear again.
I loved Mole so much! I have the most awesome picture of the elephants in the watering hole just below the motel! It was quite an experience.
Have you seen any busses with Goats tied on top yet. I laughed so hard the first time I saw that! It was incredibly funny to me! I'm sure you are getting a little sad that your time is nearly up there, you will really miss the friends you have made there.
Take care and enjoy your last two weeks! I'm so proud of you because you seem to have adapted so well, done a lot of sightseeing, met a lot of people and had such a good experience there!
Hi Katie, it's SO wonderful to hear from you. I love reading about your adventures, especially the prostitute one! Gee, a church story and a prostitute story in one blog - good work. BTW, Jollof sounds wonderful. Hugs, Rose
I can relate Katie,
I can totally relate to your travel advice! I went to Kingston, Jamaica for 10 days in undergrad to assist in cleaning up an orphanage. I had such a wonderful time! Like you, I learned to just relax around the issue of time. My group referred to this as "island time". I stopped wearing a watch after that trip and have rarely worn one since. I also experienced being noticed for my skin color. I was shocked the firt time someone yelled "Hey whitey!" but, in Cuernevaca, Mexico, I felt much more comfortable being a racial minority and hearing gringa all the time from strangers. I absolutely loved the fresh food I had in both countries...wonderful fruit...especially the orange juice in Kingston. I have never tasted OJ as good before or since then. I still totally miss the jerked chicken and peas (beans) and rice. I haven't been able to find jerked chicken nearly as hot as that in Jamaica. When the roadside stands provide you with Dawn dishwashing soap to wash your hands...you know it's hot! Cold showers were common at the hostel we stayed at in Kingston, although we could occasionally get warm water if we got lucky! We did have running water and then end of our trip was spent at a small hotel in a town on southeast coast. What a beautiful way to end our beautiful trip and all the beautiful people we met in Jamaica. Thanks again for your travel advice in helping me to remember some GREAT memories! I don't know when you are coming back, but we all miss you here in the States!
Wonderful advice Katie,
Good reflections to share with future travelers.....it is hard not to be in our western culture,,,,,thanks for adding me to the blog! Pam
WOnderful comments and pictures Katie,
I am catching up on a few of your entries. It is so true that we focus on differences so much that we fail to see commonalities. Yes, I think feeling the "minority" experience is helpful for everyone, especially those of us who forget the ready made privilieges of being in the majority. Your pictures and experiences are so interesting..it is a place I would like to visit. Pam Huggins
Beautiful Lady Katie,
You look so beautiful and happy in your pictures! I love it that you are sharing your stories and experiences with us!
XO, Shanna
Ghana Girl Katie:
You continue to amaze me and inspire me. This week has been very hot in St.Louis-over 100 every day. Also, we have just been hit by two major storms with winds of over 90 miles per hour. Mayor Slay has called in the National Guard. Aquinas is okay and safe. Many-up to 50,000 persons are without power still today and showing no signs of getting help for 5-7 days.
My hospital is on a boil order which means bottled water for all pts and staff.
We are all managing okay, however, it is a little like domestic missionary work.
Keep in close communication.
Donna
Thanks! Katie, as always, thanks for keeping us informed about your doings. Even though I don't plan on going to Ghana (of course, who knows what will happen?) I loved reading your recommendations. So much of what you say is true, to a greater or less extent, of travel anywhere. There's nothing like meeting new people and learning about different cultures. All is well here, except for some super hot, humid days. Roxanne (our dog) wouldn't do at all well in Ghana, she is so spoiled, will go outside for a few minutes, then run right back in to lay by the air conditioner! Hugs, Rose
Excellent Advice Hi Katie, You did a nice job of explaining how people should prepare for a trip to Ghana. Your go with the flow attitude is exactly what a person needs. As I was visiting with friends in Kumais, one of the ladies drug me all around her neighbor hood saying I was her obruni visitor, as if it made her really important! That was so funny. The odd thing is that so many of her friends said they had children in the us, one lady even told me her son was in Minnesota, but that was all she knew.
I have friends from Ghana here where I work, so they really did an excellent job of preparing me, which was great. After a few days, I really got into the relaxed Ghanaian attitude and enjoyed it so much except for the day I went to the bus station in Accra to go to HO at 6 a.m. which they told us not to be late for, and three hours later the bus decided to leave!
It was an experience that I would not have missed for anything and right now to show you how excited I am about going back I have 316 Days, or 7584 Hours, or 455040 Minutes, or 27302400 Seconds until I leave for Ghana! hahahaha!
Take care and contue to have fun and write such blogs! I am really enjoying them
Take care
Linda
I will be going to Accra, Ghana from June until the end of August to volunteer at the West Africa AIDS Foundation and to complete a social work practicum. ... full info
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Hey I see your from Iowa I'm from Hawaii I hope your'e having fun..may God bless you guys. Aloha