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Ghana Blog Before I even arrived in Ghana, at the very beginning I was so excited about my coming, because it was going to be the best experience that I will properly ever have. Prince (the boss); made me feel so welcomed by texting me everything I needed to know and have in order to have the best experience, even if my questions were annoying he didn’t mind, which in my opinion is amazing.
So, when the day arrived for me to meet Prince for the very first time I was nervous, but very excited to get this trip under way; but when I met Prince he gave me a surprise of introducing me to two other people who run the programme with him which is great, because I love meeting new people the two people were Kwame who was the programme coordinator and Wisdom who was the driver. Straight away that day in meeting everyone I felt welcomed and felt like I was actually wanted, I got along with everyone. As the day went on after Prince showing me the pole bar, beach (which had so many
boats, it even had pigs on the beach!), but I even experience African drumming, which I loved so much; but that’s not all on the first day, once I got to the volunteer house I met Prince’s wife and the wife’s sister who was called Matilda (who is the volunteers cooker), which in a way made me feel as if I was part of the family, but the new addition is a lovely baby as well… Anyways you may think my day was over after I have done all of those amazing trips, but you would be wrong as I was offered to experience the beach and the sunset, which was so beautiful. Altogether the first day was the best welcome anyone could ask for!
On the Monday I was supposed to start my actual volunteer job, but to my surprise there was a bank holiday, which meant I had a free day, so on that day instead of going to school, I went to the food market with the cooker and to buy the week’s food, in which I was greeted politely to so many people, people I don’t even know which is different
as in the UK that never happens. The food shopping lasted all morning and some of the afternoon, but I didn’t mind as I was experiencing a new culture, of how people in Ghana buy their food, which really interested me in a way. When I got back to the volunteer house I was welcomed to amazing food, which tasted divine; for the rest of the day I was allowed to relax and do whatever I like to get me prepared for my first day at school tomorrow.
So when Tuesday finally arrived that morning I was very nervous, because it seemed like I am the new child at school, which is scary to me, but once I got to the school I was greeted proudly to the most smart looking man which was called Sir Collins (the headmaster), sir welcomed me to school introducing me to all the students one by one through the classrooms, till I got to the end of the blocks of classrooms to the headmasters office, in which in the UK if I ever went to that office I was in trouble, but that wasn’t the case, as that office was going
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My orientation day African drumming with my dad!to be one of my homes in Ghana, because I spent so much time at the school there. Sir Collins gave me the best advice anyone could ever give me in teaching a class, one of them being ‘you have to be strict, but firm on the children as your so young’, sir asked me which class I would like to experience first and I replied in saying one of the younger children’s classes, so there I was placed having to teach for the first time, I’ve got to admit I was nervous I didn’t know how to teach, but as the day went on and I started teaching the more older students I realised teaching is not as hard, because the older years understand English much better, therefor during the day my confidence grew so much that I was so ready to be teaching for Wednesdays lessons already. Once I closed from school, I was picked up by Prince who greeted me with a very welcoming smile and was so interested in how my day went. Prince took me to the cookers house in which the wife measured me to get my size for the African dress she was
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My orientation day meeting all my host family and seeing some of Accra. making for me, after getting my sizes, I once again was greeted to another amazing meal. Altogether that was properly my first proper day in Ghana as that was the day I started volunteering, altogether I couldn’t have been welcomed to the school or the volunteer hosts any better.
That week of teaching was so good, as I honestly don’t believe I have laughed or smiled so much, as the children were so loving, on that very Friday my Dad came with me to the school in which we kindly gave the school new footballs and football equipment, in which was hosted to the children as part of their morning assembly. I couldn’t believe how grateful the children really were, because as soon as the assembly was over the children straight away were playing football with smiles on each child’s face. I really like the education in Ghana, because on Fridays they have a day of just sports, which as a student having a break from school work it’s probably the most helpful day. After school, I took my dad to the airport and said goodbye, as I was staying in Ghana for four weeks with the
host family, which is a different experience as I have never been in a country without my family.
Moving onto my weekend trips the very first full weekend in Ghana on the Saturday I was taken to Aburi Garden, it was very beautiful. I honestly learnt a lot when I was there, I even saw the tree in which Queen Elizabeth had planted herself. I even got a tour around the place learning lots about different trees, as now I know there’s no such thing as a normal tree. After the tour of the trees, Kwame introduced me to his home town in which I met his uncle, cousins and even more children. Whilst my time here in Ghana it’s never rained, but here it rained and it was crazy as the rain poured it was nothing like I’ve seen before. Journey home from the place took forever, as we got stuck in every single piece of traffic, but once I got back I was so tired, I just feel asleep.
On the same weekend, I got to experience Ghanaian church, whilst wearing my very own African dress in which Prince’s wife had kindly
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On the Friday giving the children footballs for their assembly. made for me, the dress was magnificent. Sometimes I go to church in the UK, but church in Ghana is a whole new level in a good way, because it’s fun and everyone there is very religious, in which makes the whole church experience so much more better and enjoyable. But on the Monday, was another bank holiday in which meant another trip, so Kwame took me to the Labadi beach in which there I went horse riding and met one of Kwame’s friends. Going to the Labadi beach when there’s a festival going on is an amazing experience, because there’s so many people like I can’t even explain to you what I mean by a lot of people. But as I’m quite a competitive person Kwame suggested for us to have a race to see who was the fastest and lucky for me I was the winner, I was indeed the fastest. But once we got back from the Labadi beach Kwame took me to another beach, the beach he took me on my very first day here in Ghana, in which in a way was amazing, because it helped me to realise how much I have changed and
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Me, Prince and my dad at the airport dropping my dad off. grown in confidence as a person.
On the following weekend, it was a more chilled relaxed weekend in which on the Saturday morning Kwame took me to try out his favourite breakfast take outs, but in my opinion it wasn’t really a breakfast meal, but more like dinner meal, but it doesn’t matter which type of meal it was all that matters were the food was so good, therefore it’s my favourite meal so far. Once finished eating me and the cooker went to the market again, to get the food for the next coming week, the market was so busy, but that makes it more interesting as it makes the culture more realistic as you see other people’s personalities coming out, which is always interesting. Once we got back from the chaos market Prince’s wife let me to try on the new dress in which she kindly made for me, at first it didn’t fit, because of all the weight I’ve put on, but after a few tweets the dress fitted so perfectly it made me to feel like a model as the way the dress carefully sits on me.
After
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Me and Kwame on the beach we went to everyday after school. another week of school I had another weekend full of more new exciting trips for example; on the Saturday Kwame took me to Cape Coast, but first we had to take a 3 hour journey to our first destination which was a really good destination as we had to walk through a rainforest and then to climb a tree house in which I liked a lot as I have never been in a tree house before anyways, we got the chance to walk on rope bridges in which was hanging above trees and I’m not talking about normal height trees I’m talking about enormous trees. After we finished our first destination we imminently moved onto our second journey in which we had the chance to touch a crocodile which was very exciting as me or Kwame both haven’t touched a crocodile before, but the funny thing is you need to have courage to be able to touch the crocodile, the crocodile felt muscly not scaly which was strange. After the second destination, we set of to our last destination which indeed was Cape Coast Castle, I couldn’t wait to get there, as we arrived I had this sad feeling in
me as I put myself in the slaves shoes, so as the tour around the castle went on the more sad feeling I got, because I didn’t agree on how the slaves were treated, I honestly didn’t want to leave the castle, but time was running out so I had no choice, but to leave, but till next time I’ll be back to the castle. The journey home seemed to take forever, but when we actually got home I had dinner and went to sleep, because I was utterly shattered.
My final last week in Ghana I didn't have any school, in which the last week was full of trips, for example on the Monday I was able to visit the harbour in wish I saw how the Ghanaians did fishing in which in a way fascinated me. On the Tuesday was able to go to James Town in which now in Ghana is one of my favourite places to go to, as the scenery/ imagery is amazing i.e. the lighthouse. On Wednesday was my relax day in which I started packing for my return home to the UK on Saturday. Thursday I was able to go
and see Kwame's university Pentecost University, in which the University was so big and so pretty. As well, on that day I got to reunite with Kwame's friend in which us three played Fifa, in which I got to see how competitive they both get whilst playing the games which was so funny. Finally, on the Friday was my last day at the volunteer house which was so sad, as I didn't want to leave, Prince kindly gave me a certificate of what I achieved/ volunteered in Ghana, in which I liked a lot as I love certificates! However, I was reunited with my dad who was ready to take me back to the Uk the next day. In which meant I had to visit my favourite beach for the last time and say goodbye!
My time teaching at the school was properly the best experience that I will properly never forget, because I couldn’t off have asked to teach any better bunch of children. The classes that I taught the most was Class 4, Class 6, Class 5 and only on Wednesdays I taught senior high. All the students were very polite and so
funny, I never really felt like I was their teacher, not because I was so young, but I felt like I was their sister, well that’s what some of the students called me which I liked. I always wanted to know how it’s like to teach, as in the future I want to be an English teacher, so coming to Ghana gave me that experience and I’m so grateful. All the teachers were so kind and inspirational, I think I had talked UK politics with each teacher and some students, but that’s, because the teachers and the students wanted to learn all about UK and Brexit. But as I said in the fourth paragraph the headmaster’s office literally became my second home, in which Sir Collins told me all of his amazing riddles, stories and even jokes, in which some of them were bad in which I didn’t understand, but some were so funny for example ‘the greedy dog and the bone’, in which me and Sir laughed so much that a teacher came in and see what the laughter was all about. My very last week of being at the school, I had the chance to become an examiner,
which was so good, because a month ago it was me writing my final papers and so to be watching my very own students writing their own papers was different as you are sitting in the room with them, and your hoping they have remembered everything in which you have taught them. I had the chance in my PE lessons to play football with some of the children which got really competitive but the teachers loved watching it. At the school, I was supposed to be teaching PE and English, but sometimes me and the students got a bit too carried away I taught ballroom dancing, ballet and English music, I even took part in a country quiz with Class 6 in which made the boys to see themselves lose at something for the first time, in which was so funny. But finally, my second week of being at the school I was allowed to go on a school trip to Aburi Garden, in which I know I’ve been already, but as it’s so amazing I had to do the trip a second to last time, but the school didn’t know I went on the trip already, so when I
was there I had to act like I didn’t know the information already which was so fun. But in class 6 I taught them how to speak proper British I got the class to say ‘guys shut up’, they love it every time I teach them I don’t need to say it they say it for me.
So altogether, I had the best experience I wouldn’t change anything the programme altogether was so fun and such an amazing experience the host family was so amazing throughout the stay, each host member had a role and they did their role very well in which meant for me to do my role and I think I did my role well. Prince and Kwame and Sir Collins had the biggest inspiration on me and I can’t thank them enough for what they have done for me and what they have taught me. Prince always made sure everything was alright, he can tell if there’s something wrong. Prince’s wife she was amazing so funny you know she’s there if you ever need her. Prince’s wife’s sister; Matilda now she was amazing I felt that she was an older sister
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Me getting my hair braided to me she would always dance and would always teach me how to eat the food even though it got us no where I am happy that I had met someone like her on my stay. Whereas on the other hand there was Kwame, now there’s a lot you can say about him, I think out of everyone I was the closest to him he was literally a brother and a best friend, he inspired me so much he has taught me so much too, when Kwame took me on trips he would do everything to make them so exciting, but I actually don’t think anyone has made me laugh as much as he did. But finally, but not forgotten Sir Collins, he was the man so funny and the best head master I have ever come across, he would always love to chat, sometimes he wouldn’t let me to teach just, because he wanted to tell me the next biggest joke, which would leave me in tears of laughter, but in general as a whole the children and teachers were amazing I couldn’t have asked to work or teach any better people. I honestly can say as a person
Ghana Blog 2017
Me and Kwame in the volunteers room this trip has changed me into a much more confident person and to believe in myself in all I do just like the school children, as in this world nothing is impossible if you don’t put your mind and heart into it. I will truly miss everyone who made this trip a one to remember and my story of the trip will be forever told.
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