Angela Simmons
SojournInGhana
Angela Simmons
Because I'm so grateful for the opportunity to visit Ghana, I've decided to keep a travel journal to share with my friends. Those who know me really well understand my complete hesitation to and dislike of sharing my thoughts in written form. Imagine my horror should someone see a misspelled word or notice a sentence fragment. I’ve been hesitant to keep a personal journal for fear that someone will find it in the year 2097 and be completely appalled by my inability to string together a coherent thought. I imagine hoards of people discussing, not only the content, but the structure of my private writings. So yeah, I know...that’s a bit narcissistic! My trip to Ghana is incredibly important to me and I can’t imagine not sharing it with the people I love. Because I can’t put you in my pocket or pack you in what I already imagine to be very full luggage, I’ve decided to set aside my fear of journal writing and take the plunge into unknown blog territory. As you read, please remember how much you love me and what an awesome and amazing friend I am...don’t spell check!
I am visiting Ghana as part of the ACPA Cultural Study Tour. From my understanding there are 15 Student Affairs and Higher Education Administrators taking part in the program. I know one participant...ME, and sometimes that's questionable. This should be not only a professional learning experience, but a personal one. We leave for Ghana on June 5th and return on the 19th. In between the two very lengthy flights, I will: consume snacks provided by Carley, visit three universities in Ghana, learn about the Ghanaian higher education system, visit historical sites (including the Cape Coast Castle, which was a holding facility for Africans about to begin the treacherous journey into slavery), and ask lots of questions. I will not: drink the water!
For more information about Ghana, please visit http://www.africa.com/dmap/Ghana/Overview. For more information about the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Cultural Study Tour, please visit http://www.myacpa.org/pd/cultural%2Dtour/Ghana/
Me ho wo ekyene (Goodbye)!
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” Maya Angelou