Yesterday I went to Deme for the last time with Jon, Andrew, and Nick. All the Deme teachers, who are infamous in our Volunteer house for their laziness and disinterest in actually teaching, seemed to be in a day long "meeting," that involved napping outside, so most of the classrooms were full of teacher-less students. Nick and I were assigned P4 (roughly equivalent to fourth grade).
I haven't done much formal teaching in the past (just a little tutoring), so I was excited to get my feet wet. I quickly learned that it's extremely difficult to teach almost every subject (possibly excluding math), without adequate materials. The small classroom, that held nine students, had three very old chalkboards, a box of chalk that never seemed to make any visible marks on the boards, two posters (one that explained the roles of the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches, and one that simply listed skin diseases: leprosy, scabies, fungus, eczema, chicken pox), and a pile of workbooks. A few of the students had pens, and one had a pencil. There was no paper, no crayons, no markers, no reading books.
The kids all wanted to start the day with "Creative Arts," so we all took out the Creative Arts workbooks, and Nick and I started going through them. Crocheting lessons, pottery lessons, crayon resist lessons. Nothing we could do without the materials. Finally Nick ripped out a bunch of pages from his journal, handed out one to each kid, and we all drew our favorite animals, taking turns with the pens. (After I drew an example elephant on the board, everyone just drew elephants). Then we tried to do math. The math workbooks contained such exciting lessons as: "Follow the pattern- 434, 433, 432, 431, ..." and "Count in multiples of ten from 0 to 80." I quickly abandoned the workbooks (for their sake and my own), and tried to teach fractions by drawing banku and mango on the board and "cutting" it into different numbered slices. That got us a little further, but the language barrier definitely created some problems (I'm still not sure they understand that 1/4 is bigger than 1/8, even though 8 is bigger than 4).
We ended the day with reading, which they do out of their science workbooks. The page they were on was titled "skin diseases" (the poster suddenly made sense), and each paragraph was about a different type of skin disease they could get. Everyone took out their books except one boy. I asked him where his was and he said he didn't have it, so I gave him mine to use for the lesson. The rest of the class immediately jumped up in dissent, shouting "No! No! Do not give him book. He can't read!" It's no wonder the poor kid can't read. He's never given a book! Not sure how they ever expected him to learn. Of course I gave him mine anyway and told him just to try following along while the other kids took turns reading about peeling skin infections and boils and fungi (I kid you not, I had to spend five minutes listening to a little ten year old try to sound out "anti-fungal cream." It was simultaneously hilarious and incredibly frustrating. They have absolutely no comprehension of what they're reading). When it got to his turn, I asked the boy if he wanted to give it a try, and he surprised me with an enthusiastic "yes!" It took him ten times longer than the rest of the students (and he only got through the sentences by sounding out the few letters he knew, and his friend whispering the rest of the words to him), but he clearly wanted to know how to read. I'm sad to think about how he will get lost in the system. Students simply repeat grades until they pass out and move on, but each grade teaches essentially the same things, and it's incredibly easy to slip through the cracks and move on before you're ready (the first three questions of the final exam, which we saw one of the teachers preparing, were: "1. Design a bumper sticker that says 'God is great,' " "2. Which of the following did God create?" and "3. How many times a day do you pray?" If they've had these exams before, I'm sure they're not exactly motivated to learn about government systems and grammar rules). There also isn't an expectation of success in school, and no motivation to study or do well. Whether the teachers are jaded from years of frustration with the system, or simply don't care much about teaching (it's sort of a status symbol to be a teacher, and the pay is comparatively very good), they are not doing a good job of inspiring their students or setting any example of where a good education can get you. Although that leads to the next question of what CAN a good education really get you here, and is it simply better to live the life of their parents who spend their days on the farms, but (at least from what I've seen in the past month), seem relatively happy (especially compared to the stressed-out, tax-paying, tv-buying American). But that's a conversation for another day.
Ultimately, I was really glad to get a little experience teaching, and despite the many frustrations of the day, really enjoyed working with the kids. With a little patience and creativity, learning can go on anywhere, even a paperless, teacherless classroom.
Today is my last full day here, so I'm spending most of it saying the important goodbyes. I'll really miss everyone I worked with from Bankas' clinic, most noteworthy Livingston, Kindom, Salome, and Innocent. Not to mention our artist friend (Yao), our contact in Deme (Charles), the seamstress next door (Praise), the shop lady down the street who supplied us with endless amounts of bread, coke, and biscuits (Fida), and of course, all the other volunteers at Ghana Act. Thirty days came and went, and somehow in that short time, I discovered and carved out a home here. I will miss it greatly.
Until next time,
Anna
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
More Extreme Sports
This weekend we took a day trip to Aburi, a small city near Accra that houses a beautiful botanical garden and, right next door, a bike renting company. After a short stroll through the gardens (where we found a woman selling ice cream!), we all rented bikes and went on a short but strenuous ride through corn fields, villages, highways, and dirt paths. It took us a while to get started because of faulty breaks and chains and a shortage of helmets, but once we got going we flew down the roads. It was by far the most scary (and thrilling) mountain biking I've ever done. For the most part, the roads were very narrow and rocky, and often times strewn with mountains of trash that you had to swerve around or fight your way through. Avoiding people and cars was also a challenge. At one point the trail was so steep and uneven we had to walk our bikes down and then leave them to walk the rest of the trail, which ended in a gorgeous waterfall. A few of the more fearless volunteers climbed up the waterfall via a knotted rope, and the rest of us went exploring at the bottom. After our ride back (which was infinitely more difficult seeing as we had to bike up everything we had coasted down before), we were greeted at the rental place with platters of fresh pineapple, which we devoured quickly.
I unfortunately spent the next day dealing with a rash that I woke up with that covered most of my legs and stomach, and by midday had traveled to my arms, face, feet, and hands. I battled the itch with some benadryl, which made me super sleepy. But Sunday is usually a chill day anyway, so I sat in the kitchen and learned Bridge with Jon, Andrew, and John, and played for about four or five hours (Hearts may have found a new replacement).
That night a drum/dance group came to the house and put on an interactive show for us. I'm not sure if it was intended to be interactive, but after the first ten minutes of watching them drum and dance, we couldn't stay put, and about thirty of us crammed into our common room and danced in circles, waving the kerchiefs they handed out and attempting to learn their dances. Something I learned too late is that Ghanaian songs last much, much longer than American ones. We must have been dancing to the same song for at least twenty or thirty minutes. And the music is largely drum based, although there was one incredible trumpet player there, and everyone was shout-singing the words, which were incomprehensible but full of energy.
As Thursday draws nearer, it's harder and harder to focus on what's going on. All I can think about is home! But hopefully the next few days will be full (possibly teaching in Deme tomorrow, and going to the clinic at McCollins on wednesday), so they will fly by. In the mean time, Mia do go!
I unfortunately spent the next day dealing with a rash that I woke up with that covered most of my legs and stomach, and by midday had traveled to my arms, face, feet, and hands. I battled the itch with some benadryl, which made me super sleepy. But Sunday is usually a chill day anyway, so I sat in the kitchen and learned Bridge with Jon, Andrew, and John, and played for about four or five hours (Hearts may have found a new replacement).
That night a drum/dance group came to the house and put on an interactive show for us. I'm not sure if it was intended to be interactive, but after the first ten minutes of watching them drum and dance, we couldn't stay put, and about thirty of us crammed into our common room and danced in circles, waving the kerchiefs they handed out and attempting to learn their dances. Something I learned too late is that Ghanaian songs last much, much longer than American ones. We must have been dancing to the same song for at least twenty or thirty minutes. And the music is largely drum based, although there was one incredible trumpet player there, and everyone was shout-singing the words, which were incomprehensible but full of energy.
As Thursday draws nearer, it's harder and harder to focus on what's going on. All I can think about is home! But hopefully the next few days will be full (possibly teaching in Deme tomorrow, and going to the clinic at McCollins on wednesday), so they will fly by. In the mean time, Mia do go!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
A ride from Deme
Yesterday, after a week of frustratingly long days at the clinic, a bunch of us took the day off to visit Saviefe Deme, where a few other volunteers are teaching and building a school. There was no building that day due to a lack of materials, and also no teaching because class was cancelled so the kids could help their parents on the farms, so needless to say we didn't have much to do. We ended up walking around the village, visiting the different schools where we worked, running into friends along the way. Saviefe Deme is everyone's favorite place to visit because the people are so friendly and hospitable. Sammy, a 60 something year old who loves to guide us around town and always seems a little drunk on akpeteshi, feeds us coconuts cut straight from the tree and bananas by the bundle. George, another neighborhood face, took us on a long walk that ended in an antelope and palm wine tasting. They show us how coal is made, introduce us to their pigs, and always make sure we're well fed (and the akpeteshi is always flowing. Anytime you're brought into someone's home, it's customary for the host to "wash the feet," of the guest, which translates into opening up their liquor cabinets and playing bartender). In the late afternoon we decided to head back, but calling for a cab would have meant waiting a good 40 or 50 minutes because Deme is a tiny village off the beaten path, and taxis don't generally drive down the winding dirt road unless they're called for. Instead, villagers get to the main road (about a ten minute drive) by paying 1 cedi to ride the back of a motorcycle. Which is what we did. Helmets were not provided, the speedometer was broken (so I had no idea how fast we were going), and the road was so holey that the only way we could maintain a smooth path was by swerving back and forth between the pot holes. I was gripping my drivers shirt so hard my hands were sweating (especially when he took out his cell and started making phone calls while steering one handed), but when in Ghana, do as the Ghanaians do. I was uncertain I would even make the ride until I saw an old woman straddling the back of a motorcycle in her traditional long skirt. If she could do it, so could I. And once I got past the fear of falling to my rocky death, it was actually quite enjoyable. The scenery here can't be beat.
Today started sadly, as Julie, Jess, and Rosie all left for home. They will be sorely missed here, but we already have a Bickford's date set for when I get back to the states. And today was one of the first days that I really enjoyed working at the clinic with the med students. I started off at bp, which now also involved taking people's temperature via the armpit. The babies really hated it, and would cry and wriggle everytime you came at them with the thermometer. One baby was so horrified he was screaming his head off and struggling out of his mother's arms. But she settled it quickly. She simply reached into her shirt, took out one of her breasts, and popped it into his mouth. That shut him up. I also had to try taking the temperature of a 90 year old woman who couldn't remember to keep her arm tight against her body, so the thermometer kept dropping into her shirt, getting lost in folds of wrinkled skin and cloth. I switched to research for the second half of the day, and after observing a few by a med student, ended up conducting survey interviews by myself (with the help of a translator) to randomly selected villagers in order to find out about their knowledge and awareness of malaria, how to prevent and treat it, and what they think should be done to combat it. That was really fun. The younger generation tended to be more well informed, and much more willing to go to a hospital if they got sick. But most people seemed to understand that it was spread by mosquitoes, and that the best preventative measure is bed nets, which we were also giving out at the clinic.
Finally, tomorrow the clinic volunteers are going on a one night trip to Accra with the med students to observe cataract surgery! More on that later. I'm very excited, although not for the three hour drive (my ipod seems to be broken, and I'm running out of books. But maybe I'll catch up on sleep...) Can't believe I'm starting my last week tomorrow!
xox
Today started sadly, as Julie, Jess, and Rosie all left for home. They will be sorely missed here, but we already have a Bickford's date set for when I get back to the states. And today was one of the first days that I really enjoyed working at the clinic with the med students. I started off at bp, which now also involved taking people's temperature via the armpit. The babies really hated it, and would cry and wriggle everytime you came at them with the thermometer. One baby was so horrified he was screaming his head off and struggling out of his mother's arms. But she settled it quickly. She simply reached into her shirt, took out one of her breasts, and popped it into his mouth. That shut him up. I also had to try taking the temperature of a 90 year old woman who couldn't remember to keep her arm tight against her body, so the thermometer kept dropping into her shirt, getting lost in folds of wrinkled skin and cloth. I switched to research for the second half of the day, and after observing a few by a med student, ended up conducting survey interviews by myself (with the help of a translator) to randomly selected villagers in order to find out about their knowledge and awareness of malaria, how to prevent and treat it, and what they think should be done to combat it. That was really fun. The younger generation tended to be more well informed, and much more willing to go to a hospital if they got sick. But most people seemed to understand that it was spread by mosquitoes, and that the best preventative measure is bed nets, which we were also giving out at the clinic.
Finally, tomorrow the clinic volunteers are going on a one night trip to Accra with the med students to observe cataract surgery! More on that later. I'm very excited, although not for the three hour drive (my ipod seems to be broken, and I'm running out of books. But maybe I'll catch up on sleep...) Can't believe I'm starting my last week tomorrow!
xox
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wli
I used to hate hiking. If we were on a family vacation and my parents wanted to go for a hike, they would refer to it as the "h word." I'm glad to say I've grown out of that phase and I learned to love hiking. The smells, the sights, the picnics or ponds at the end. Yesterday, however, my new found affinity for hiking was challenged when we went on a day trip to Wli, a famous waterfall in the Volta Region. The group had hiked to the lower falls before, a very mild walk that leads to a beautiful and powerful waterfall, so they thought it would be nice to try the hike to the upper falls. Try something new.
As soon as we started hiking up, we ran into two girls on their way down. They warned us that it was an hour and a half steep hike up the mountain, that they hadn't even gotten the whole way before quitting and turning back. But we assumed they were exaggerating and didn't listen. We continued hiking up, and pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. We ran out of water in the first 30 minutes. Two girls thought they were going to pass out. The group got split up into three or four parts. There was barely a path, and the entire way was either steep uphill climb or dangerous downhill slides. At times we were literally rock climbing. I was just hoping we'd all make it back alive. And the hike really was an hour and a half up.
But then we made it to the falls, and all of our exhaustion melted away. We tore off our sneakers and sprinted into the water. The spray from the waterfalls was so strong I had to get under it by walking backwards, but it cooled us down and prepared us for the climb back down, which went much faster (it didn't hurt that we started some Lion King sing a longs). Getting to the bottom was the most satisfying thing I've done so far here.
It was also Corey's birthday yesterday, so we all went out to dinner to celebrate. While we were eating, two Germans, Fabian and Tobias, approached us, surprised to see so many yevus in one place. They joined us for dinner and we chatted for a while. They're both here for a year doing social work (in Germany you either join the army or do a year of social work), and like many of us they are working or teaching in schools. Their accents were so strong I wondered how Ghanaians could understand their english. Then again, they probably have just as much difficulty understanding my Ewe.
Today was much more chill. Usually our excursions last all weekend, so I've never been here in Ho on a Sunday. It's very peaceful and quiet because most people are at church. I spent the day learning how to do my laundry, which was not as exhausting as the hike yesterday but still made me sweat. Four of the local kids, Mary, Peace, Samson, and David, took it on as their duty to teach me how to wash my clothes. And they were very strict teachers. Whenever I cleaned something and put it in the rinse bucket, they almost always snatched it up and threw it back in the scrub bucket, shouting at me, "not clean! not clean!" Needless to say it took longer than if I had been doing it myself, and I'm still not convinced I didn't leave a layer of soap on everything, but it will certainly be better than before. And luckily I got them off the clothes line before the giant thunderstorm this evening.
Overall a great weekend. Moving on to book number three (finished East of Eden, which I LOVED, and Hunger Games, which I also loved and Jacob you should read it, and just started Water for Elephants), and looking forward to celebrating Sae's birthday tonight with some pineapple, popcorn, and charades.
Love to all!
As soon as we started hiking up, we ran into two girls on their way down. They warned us that it was an hour and a half steep hike up the mountain, that they hadn't even gotten the whole way before quitting and turning back. But we assumed they were exaggerating and didn't listen. We continued hiking up, and pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. We ran out of water in the first 30 minutes. Two girls thought they were going to pass out. The group got split up into three or four parts. There was barely a path, and the entire way was either steep uphill climb or dangerous downhill slides. At times we were literally rock climbing. I was just hoping we'd all make it back alive. And the hike really was an hour and a half up.
But then we made it to the falls, and all of our exhaustion melted away. We tore off our sneakers and sprinted into the water. The spray from the waterfalls was so strong I had to get under it by walking backwards, but it cooled us down and prepared us for the climb back down, which went much faster (it didn't hurt that we started some Lion King sing a longs). Getting to the bottom was the most satisfying thing I've done so far here.
It was also Corey's birthday yesterday, so we all went out to dinner to celebrate. While we were eating, two Germans, Fabian and Tobias, approached us, surprised to see so many yevus in one place. They joined us for dinner and we chatted for a while. They're both here for a year doing social work (in Germany you either join the army or do a year of social work), and like many of us they are working or teaching in schools. Their accents were so strong I wondered how Ghanaians could understand their english. Then again, they probably have just as much difficulty understanding my Ewe.
Today was much more chill. Usually our excursions last all weekend, so I've never been here in Ho on a Sunday. It's very peaceful and quiet because most people are at church. I spent the day learning how to do my laundry, which was not as exhausting as the hike yesterday but still made me sweat. Four of the local kids, Mary, Peace, Samson, and David, took it on as their duty to teach me how to wash my clothes. And they were very strict teachers. Whenever I cleaned something and put it in the rinse bucket, they almost always snatched it up and threw it back in the scrub bucket, shouting at me, "not clean! not clean!" Needless to say it took longer than if I had been doing it myself, and I'm still not convinced I didn't leave a layer of soap on everything, but it will certainly be better than before. And luckily I got them off the clothes line before the giant thunderstorm this evening.
Overall a great weekend. Moving on to book number three (finished East of Eden, which I LOVED, and Hunger Games, which I also loved and Jacob you should read it, and just started Water for Elephants), and looking forward to celebrating Sae's birthday tonight with some pineapple, popcorn, and charades.
Love to all!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
A short recap
This has been the longest day ever, so this post will be short in case I pass out in the middle. But here's a quick recap of my day:
Woke up at five thirty to drive to the outreach.
Didn't get there till nine. This week we're being joined by a bunch of med students and they are super slow at getting ready.
Drove up a mountain with a gorgeous view and set up the clinic in a little village nestled into the mountain side.
Did eye screening for eight hours. Blargh.
Drove back down the mountain. It was very scary and I thought the van was going to tip. But luckily it didn't.
Jolof and mango for dinner ftw.
Went to the bank and the atm ate my card. The bank itself was closed so I have to go back tomorrow morning and make sure I get it back. I was very upset. But Ahasamed, the bank guard, assured me I'd get it back. He better be right.
Biscuits and tea with Julie and Rosie.
Bed time. So tired. Market day tomorrow!
Woke up at five thirty to drive to the outreach.
Didn't get there till nine. This week we're being joined by a bunch of med students and they are super slow at getting ready.
Drove up a mountain with a gorgeous view and set up the clinic in a little village nestled into the mountain side.
Did eye screening for eight hours. Blargh.
Drove back down the mountain. It was very scary and I thought the van was going to tip. But luckily it didn't.
Jolof and mango for dinner ftw.
Went to the bank and the atm ate my card. The bank itself was closed so I have to go back tomorrow morning and make sure I get it back. I was very upset. But Ahasamed, the bank guard, assured me I'd get it back. He better be right.
Biscuits and tea with Julie and Rosie.
Bed time. So tired. Market day tomorrow!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The 24 hour drive
We started the weekend early this week by waking up at 3am on Friday to start our 10 hour drive to Kumasi, which is the west trek of our journey to Mole National Park. We spent one night in Kumasi, and it was very interesting to compare with Ho (we all agreed Ho is the best place to live). When we went for a run we were gawked at, hooted at, grabbed, and stared at (this happens sometimes in Ho, but it's usually followed by laughter at seeing Yevus and their silly exercises). To be fair, we committed a series of social faux pas, including running through a funeral procession in the streets, and the boys running shirtless (they were yelled at by a guard and told they wouldn't be allowed to pass through shirtless again). When we ran past a soccer game at a nearby university, we tried to sit in the bleachers and join the fun, but we were turned away by someone in authority (we don't know if it was because we were white, or many of us were girls, or the boys were shirtless, but it was definitely a new kind of experience. Not fun but a good one to have). Despite these initial setbacks, Kumasi was pleasant enough, especially because the nearby market carried mars bars and twix. I also am proud to say I slept in a room in which we found two cockroaches, one dead and one very much alive (though I should say for posterity's sake it took a little bit of wine to prepare myself).
Day two was the northern drive, a 12 hour metro ride that ended in Mole National Park. This ride was particularly noteworthy at the end, when our tin can of a bus jostled over the dirt roads. The noise was deafening, and it was so bumpy that one of the windows fell out of its ribbing (luckily Rosie had some quick reflexes and caught it before it fell on her head), and the floor cracked. But since we arrived late at night, all we could look at was the sky. Despite what I know is scientifically true, the sky here is not the same as at home. I've heard before that there are more stars than grains of sand on the earth, and I never would have believed it until now.
Sunday morning (happy belated father's day btw!) we woke up early to start our safari, and we didn't have to go far to see some amazing wildlife. The monkeys were chilling outside our door, and the wild boars were hanging out about 20 feet away. When we walked into the savannah we saw baboons squatting with their babies, lots of different versions of antelope, and the cherry on top- the elephants. We followed their massive footprints (and even more massive piles of poop) until we got to a waterhole where six elephants were standing in the water. They then put on quite a show for us when they tramped out of the water and started spraying themselves with mud. Lots of pictures and videos to share. We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the resort at the park, which luckily had a pool, shower, and french fries. Ingredients for a perfect day.
That night we braved the ominous clouds and took a nighttime hike to a massive treehouse (just a large roofless platform in a tree), dinner balanced on our heads, and spent the night in the forest. The clouds parted, a starry sky blanketed us for the night, and describing the following six hours would be too difficult and would sound too cliche, so I won't try. But it was awesome.
Early Monday morning and Tuesday we undid our first two days of travel, and we finally arrived back home (it's weird that Ho is now "home") around noon today. We had a few hours to re-energize, then we redeemed ourselves from our miserable soccer game by playing a bunch of Ghanians at volleyball and actually winning. Then we tried to teach them frisbee, but most of us got distracted with handstands and cartwheels and spinning little kids in the air. So now I'm extremely dirty and the water has turned off for the night there's no shower in sight. But it was worth it.
Also noteworthy is that a bunch of us made guacamole tonight. It took about 20 avocados, 4 onions, 4 limes, and lots of garlic, but we devoured it all with some fried yams. Delicious.
So tired and dirty and such. Love to all.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Market Day
Another typical day at the clinic. Got to work the eye test station today, and Innocent proved to be another excellent conversationalist. He talked me through everything we were doing, and let me examine the patients with him when he found something noteworthy like cataracts or glaucoma. During down time, I learned that he is a music teacher, a pastor, and an optometrist (right now he's donating his time to the clinic, what he calls "saving souls," an alternative form of preaching in his mind, a way to spread the word of god outside of the church), and he also went to school for geology, and he started making glasses when he was 12, and he's married and owns a drug store. And he's thirty.
After telling me all about his faith, his work at his church, how his father was a Presbyterian pastor, etc, he asked what fellowship or church I belonged to. Actually, I said, I'm Jewish. That sparked a new conversation where we discusses how Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all very similar (camp if finally payed off). I would really like to attend a church service, especially a "crusade," which, as he described it, is an outdoor church service, and from what I heard can get very rowdy, even violent with the mass mentality that goes on as the preacher shouts to his public. I think they're a weekly thing so hopefully I'll get to witness that. (Oh, and apparently Livingston runs an a cappella group at his church, so of course I have to see that).
The highlight of the day was that it was market day. Basically thousands of people set up there stalls in a maze like area of land that starts on the main street and winds up at a tro tro station. A pack of us went to check it out, and luckily ran into a few McCollin teachers while we were there, so they guided us along and made sure we weren't lost in the heaps of tomatoes and piles of fish and stacks of fabric and endless rows of necklaces and spices and bread. Everyone wanted the yevu at their stalls, so we moved slowly, but we found lots of trinkets and made some friends along the way. Can't wait to go back next week.
Our weekend excursion for this week is starting early (4am tomorrow morning), and we won't be back until Tuesday, so I'll be incommunicado until then (mom). It involves about 24 hours of driving both ways, but we end up in Mole National Park, where we'll (hopefully) see some wild elephants and sleep in a tree house and do some hiking. Sneakers and bug spray are a must.
Gonna do some packing and have a quick discussion session, then crash for a few hours before early morning departure. Love to all from Ho!
After telling me all about his faith, his work at his church, how his father was a Presbyterian pastor, etc, he asked what fellowship or church I belonged to. Actually, I said, I'm Jewish. That sparked a new conversation where we discusses how Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all very similar (camp if finally payed off). I would really like to attend a church service, especially a "crusade," which, as he described it, is an outdoor church service, and from what I heard can get very rowdy, even violent with the mass mentality that goes on as the preacher shouts to his public. I think they're a weekly thing so hopefully I'll get to witness that. (Oh, and apparently Livingston runs an a cappella group at his church, so of course I have to see that).
The highlight of the day was that it was market day. Basically thousands of people set up there stalls in a maze like area of land that starts on the main street and winds up at a tro tro station. A pack of us went to check it out, and luckily ran into a few McCollin teachers while we were there, so they guided us along and made sure we weren't lost in the heaps of tomatoes and piles of fish and stacks of fabric and endless rows of necklaces and spices and bread. Everyone wanted the yevu at their stalls, so we moved slowly, but we found lots of trinkets and made some friends along the way. Can't wait to go back next week.
Our weekend excursion for this week is starting early (4am tomorrow morning), and we won't be back until Tuesday, so I'll be incommunicado until then (mom). It involves about 24 hours of driving both ways, but we end up in Mole National Park, where we'll (hopefully) see some wild elephants and sleep in a tree house and do some hiking. Sneakers and bug spray are a must.
Gonna do some packing and have a quick discussion session, then crash for a few hours before early morning departure. Love to all from Ho!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Starting at the Clinic
Yesterday we finally got to start working at the clinic. Turns out there isn't much they need us for. I'm learning so much more than I'm helping, but I sort of expected that. Basically the way it works is Bankas, the pastor who runs the clinic, picks us up in his big yellow van at 7:30am (after telling us insistently that he'll be coming at 6:30), and the four or five of us who work at the clinic drive with Livingston, Kingdom, and Mama Salome (three ghanians who also work there) to wherever we are meeting that day. Possibly a school, or an empty church. We set up three small stations in the space: one for getting your blood pressure taken, one for meeting with Innocent, the optometrist (don't you love these names?) and one for giving Mama Salome your prescription and then picking up your meds/glasses.
The first day I was working the last station with Mama. I was under the impression that the clinic was free, but this is not so. It costs 1 cedi (about 60 cents) to register, and then you must buy the eye drops (2 cedi), reading glasses (10 cedi) or sight glasses (20 cedi) that you need. And if you need bifocals or glasses with different prescriptions in each eye, you must pay 70 cedi and get yourself to the clinic's homebase to pick them up. The one redeemable piece of aid that the clinic provides is free operations for people with cataracts (a surgery that would otherwise cost 800 cedi), and unfortunately, many people have cataracts (although most of the patients are 70+ years old, so I wonder if they'll really take the effort to get the surgery even if it's free. You have to travel to the hospital in Accra to get it, which can be a 3-5 hour, bustling, tiring tro tro ride away).
Despite all this cynicism, I've only heard good things about the clinic from local ghanians and all the workers. And I'm certainly learning a lot (I must have taken 100 people's blood pressure today, using the old equipment, not the mechanical kind, so I now appreciate how hard it is to listen to someone's pulse in a room full of loud people speaking Ewe). I get to talk to lots of people, so the 3 or 4 conversational phrases that I know in Ewe are being perfected. And today I got to talk to Livingston for a while (he was working the blood pressure station with me) and learned all about his family and schooling (he's 24 and hopes to attend law school, but he's working at the clinic now to support his family and save up for school).
Still loving it here. And Jolof rice for dinner, so I couldn't be happier. Check out facebook for a few photos (they're taking forever to load so I don't think I'll get them all on there, but I'm trying as we speak). Go Bruins!!
The first day I was working the last station with Mama. I was under the impression that the clinic was free, but this is not so. It costs 1 cedi (about 60 cents) to register, and then you must buy the eye drops (2 cedi), reading glasses (10 cedi) or sight glasses (20 cedi) that you need. And if you need bifocals or glasses with different prescriptions in each eye, you must pay 70 cedi and get yourself to the clinic's homebase to pick them up. The one redeemable piece of aid that the clinic provides is free operations for people with cataracts (a surgery that would otherwise cost 800 cedi), and unfortunately, many people have cataracts (although most of the patients are 70+ years old, so I wonder if they'll really take the effort to get the surgery even if it's free. You have to travel to the hospital in Accra to get it, which can be a 3-5 hour, bustling, tiring tro tro ride away).
Despite all this cynicism, I've only heard good things about the clinic from local ghanians and all the workers. And I'm certainly learning a lot (I must have taken 100 people's blood pressure today, using the old equipment, not the mechanical kind, so I now appreciate how hard it is to listen to someone's pulse in a room full of loud people speaking Ewe). I get to talk to lots of people, so the 3 or 4 conversational phrases that I know in Ewe are being perfected. And today I got to talk to Livingston for a while (he was working the blood pressure station with me) and learned all about his family and schooling (he's 24 and hopes to attend law school, but he's working at the clinic now to support his family and save up for school).
Still loving it here. And Jolof rice for dinner, so I couldn't be happier. Check out facebook for a few photos (they're taking forever to load so I don't think I'll get them all on there, but I'm trying as we speak). Go Bruins!!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Cape Coast
This past weekend we took a trip to Cape Coast, which is a city on the coast where there were posts in the triangular trade to export gold, ivory, and slaves. They kept the kidnapped slaves in these huge dungeons (which were ironically right below the churches), and walking through them reminded me a lot of walking through Terezin (a concentration camp) in Prague. Although I have to say, the conditions were worse. Essentially all the men or all the women were forced into a stone dungeon, and they were not let out for 3 months. You can't imagine the darkness, the smell, or the fear.
After a very depressing tour, however, we went shopping in a small courtyard area where some Ghanians were drumming. After they left a few of us picked up the drums and started our own drum session. Immediately the Ghanians came swarming back, with more drums and instuments in tow, and we started to all jam out together. Then the rain started, a torrential downpour, which led to an impromptu dance party in the rain. We all learned some traditional ghanian dances (I tried to teach them the running man but I don't think they really got the essence of it...) It was quite an experience.
I'm really falling in love with Africa. The land is thriving and thick and beautiful, the people are hospitable and friendly and so much fun, and don't get me started on how cute the babies are. Can't wait to see what the next three weeks hold...
After a very depressing tour, however, we went shopping in a small courtyard area where some Ghanians were drumming. After they left a few of us picked up the drums and started our own drum session. Immediately the Ghanians came swarming back, with more drums and instuments in tow, and we started to all jam out together. Then the rain started, a torrential downpour, which led to an impromptu dance party in the rain. We all learned some traditional ghanian dances (I tried to teach them the running man but I don't think they really got the essence of it...) It was quite an experience.
I'm really falling in love with Africa. The land is thriving and thick and beautiful, the people are hospitable and friendly and so much fun, and don't get me started on how cute the babies are. Can't wait to see what the next three weeks hold...
Friday, June 10, 2011
Day 1!
Ndo! Already I'm sticky, hot, sweaty, and dirty, but having so much fun. We got in pretty late last night (the trotro, which is the bus you take to get places, like a large taxi, took about three hours to get to Ho), met the other volunteers, and had our first very traditional Ghanian meal, bancoo (not sure on the spelling of that), which is an okrah stew that you dip dough into and eat with your hands (Traditionally, you only use your right hand, your left is used for something else...). I slept a solid 12 hours on my mattress, which is surprisingly comfortable for being on a cement floor (or maybe I was just exhausted...)
This morning the eye clinic didn't meet, so we all went to the McCollin school to meet the kids, got destroyed in a game of soccer against them, and helped build some new goal posts. We also got to play with the babies, who have an infinite amount of energy and will hold your hand anytime they can reach it. They fed us, and one of the directors took us on a tour around the school, so we got to see gorgeous views and walk through corn fields. I still can't believe I forgot my camera.
Bugs haven't been bad yet. It's just the heat. They keep filtered water in these .5 liter plastic bags that you just bite a corner off of and drink to your heart's content. It's a great way to keep hydrated, but since I'm drinking .5 liters everytime I'm thirsty, I have to pee all the time. There's one computer with internet in the house, but it's really slow, so I'm going to try to blog whenever I come to the internet cafe, which isn't far, but it's an excursion (but there's ac here, which is a huge motivation).
This weekend we're going to Cape Coast, so you'll here about that soon. Mia do go!
This morning the eye clinic didn't meet, so we all went to the McCollin school to meet the kids, got destroyed in a game of soccer against them, and helped build some new goal posts. We also got to play with the babies, who have an infinite amount of energy and will hold your hand anytime they can reach it. They fed us, and one of the directors took us on a tour around the school, so we got to see gorgeous views and walk through corn fields. I still can't believe I forgot my camera.
Bugs haven't been bad yet. It's just the heat. They keep filtered water in these .5 liter plastic bags that you just bite a corner off of and drink to your heart's content. It's a great way to keep hydrated, but since I'm drinking .5 liters everytime I'm thirsty, I have to pee all the time. There's one computer with internet in the house, but it's really slow, so I'm going to try to blog whenever I come to the internet cafe, which isn't far, but it's an excursion (but there's ac here, which is a huge motivation).
This weekend we're going to Cape Coast, so you'll here about that soon. Mia do go!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
T - 1 day
The next two days of travel will be very long and tiring. In order to sort it all out in my head, I've made a little schedule...
9:30 pm Flight leaves from JFK. 11 hour flight to Accra. Take funny pictures of people sleeping on the airplane. Like so...
7:30 am. Say goodbye to the family as they leave for school and work
(Please appreciate how difficult this sign was to make. I had to write it backwards so it would come out right in the photo)
11 am. Drive to the airport with mom, Nick, and Jan!
2 pm. Flight leaves from Logan and lands in JFK at 3:30. 6 hour layer over follows...
9:30 pm Flight leaves from JFK. 11 hour flight to Accra. Take funny pictures of people sleeping on the airplane. Like so...
12:30 pm. Arrive in Accra. Find John Barber somewhere in airport, drive about 50 miles into the Volta Region. Drop off at the volunteer house in Ho.
The end! Sleep off the jet lag and start adventuring.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
T - 3 days
With three days left to prepare, my trip is very quickly becoming very real. Planning the trip and getting the shots (3 in each arm. Yellow Fever, Tetanus, Hepatitus A, Polio, Typhoid, and Flu. I plastered bandaids on myself to make sure everyone knew how I had suffered) and buying the tickets were all important steps, but not until now have I really realized what I'm about to do. As in, take an 11 hour flight into a country I've never been to before, in a continent I've never been to before, with only my 30% Deet and sheet of "Common Ewe Phrases" to guide and protect me. (I can now say: "good afternoon" (ndo), "how are you?" (efoa?) and "welcome" (woezer, but pronouned way-zo. Which confused me at first because I thought it was pronounced woe-zer. Silly me.)
My biggest fear? The mosquitos. Even in the states, where the little devils aren't pumped full of lethal viruses, I always seemed to have the worst reactions to their bites. My friend's bites seemed tiny, even cute compared to the bulbous lumps and rashes that would spread over my entire body anytime I got near even one mosquito, making me scratch like a madwoman until I had appeased the itch gods. My mom says it's because I have sweet blood. Is this an attempt to make me feel better as I scratch away skin until it's raw and bloody? Perhaps. But now I'm prepared. My 30% Deet will be my new best friend (assuming it doesn't poison me before it gets to the mosquitos).
I'm most excited to meet the people, who are supposedly very friendly. A reliable source also told me that they will try to propose to me. This source also told me there are chickens running around everywhere. I'm excited for both these things.
With that I shall conclude my first ever blog post. As they say at the double tree, "we hope you enjoy (pause) your stay with us."
My biggest fear? The mosquitos. Even in the states, where the little devils aren't pumped full of lethal viruses, I always seemed to have the worst reactions to their bites. My friend's bites seemed tiny, even cute compared to the bulbous lumps and rashes that would spread over my entire body anytime I got near even one mosquito, making me scratch like a madwoman until I had appeased the itch gods. My mom says it's because I have sweet blood. Is this an attempt to make me feel better as I scratch away skin until it's raw and bloody? Perhaps. But now I'm prepared. My 30% Deet will be my new best friend (assuming it doesn't poison me before it gets to the mosquitos).
I'm most excited to meet the people, who are supposedly very friendly. A reliable source also told me that they will try to propose to me. This source also told me there are chickens running around everywhere. I'm excited for both these things.
With that I shall conclude my first ever blog post. As they say at the double tree, "we hope you enjoy (pause) your stay with us."
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