Village Life!

Hello Everyone!

I hope all is well and you are enjoying the start of October! Time flies here, that’s for certain. I can’t believe I’ve been here for only three weeks – it seems like I have been here forever. I absolutely love it! It’s feeling more and more like home every day!

Last Saturday was an eventful day for me! Kofi and I took a long (and extremely bumpy) tro-tro ride out to a remote village to look at opportunities for building a school. I was in my glory out in the bush. We are talking about the most primitive way of life out there. I was told I am the only white person to visit the village, and my white skin and blond hair scared some of the children away. I did manage to get a few high fives from the little ones however, and that of course made my day. A couple of the villagers even asked if I could take them back to Canada with me!

I am just in awe of these people and how efficiently they use the land to live. Resources we take for granted every day are the staples for sheltering their families. I have posted some pictures of the village for you to enjoy! You will be wondering why there are no people in the photos – I elected not to snap away at the villagers because I did not want to scare the little ones even further. Plus, my camera might have looked too interesting to the village elder and I would have had to bargain to keep it!





I will be posting pictures of Accra in the next week. I know many of you have been asking to see the streets and the markets, so I will be sure to post those! It just takes so long to load pictures here in Ghana, so I have to spread the blogs out!

Take Care
Love Heather

Please Join Me in Prayer!

Hello Everyone!
First thing's first – I want to send out a warm hug for all my friends and family in Alberta, because as I understand it, you are going to be getting an early winter. I send you lots of love and warmth from Africa. I wish you were all here experiencing this wonderful land with me!

Second important issue – I am not religious by any means, as many of you know. However, there is a devastating event occurring in Ghana right now, and I want you all to join me in prayer! The Volta region of Ghana is under horrific flooding and many people have died. Over 300 homes have been washed away and hundreds of families are left homeless. You know, I watch the news here as often as I can, and I just thank my lucky stars that I am not a civilian in that region right now. For those of you who don’t know the geographical location of Lake Volta, it is located in the East, approximately 200 miles north of Accra. So although I am not in any direct path of devastation, the entire nation is feeling the destruction. I am yet to know if this will cause further problems with water and electricity. I plan to travel with a friend to his hometown of Ho (bordering the country of Togo) in the upcoming weeks, so I hope we can make a stopover in the Volta region and check out some of the devastation first hand. I want to offer my support to the people and see if there’s anything I can do to help.

I cannot explain this enough - as a volunteer in a third world continent like Africa, you are not consumed just with your mission or project. You begin to care so much for the people that you are always looking at ways that you can lend your support. It is my hope that by the end of my stay here, I have come in contact with as many people as possible and that I experience as much as I can. Sometimes all these people need is someone to listen to their stories. But I tell you, once you have begun to hear the struggles of the Ghanaian people, you feel compelled to act!

Now that I have left a sour mark on your day, I want us all to reflect on how lucky we are to be living in our great country. Yes, we bitch about taxes, but I believe it’s a small price we have to pay to live a life of such luxury. I have always considered myself a proud and grateful Canadian, but each day, I become even more proud and even more grateful!

Love Heather

Wonderful Times with Ghanaian Teachers!!

Greetings from Accra!
I hope you aren’t freezing to death in Alberta. I hear some cold weather is headed your way! Poor you! – It’s absolutely lovely here – the Ghanaians are cold because it’s rainy season, and here’s the white “sista” sweating like never before. To be honest, it’s very comfortable here – you just need to make sure you’re well hydrated!

What an amazing day I had yesterday! Kofi and I hopped on a tro-tro and headed out to his school at 8:00 in the morning. What a school! – Absolutely crumbling to pieces, but what a wonderful bunch of students and teachers! I was so impressed by the way I was treated. I have been asked to come back to the school – I guess I am quite a social hit! Apparently, I am the only volunteer who has brought supplies and has taken the time to visit all the classrooms and speak to the students and teachers.

The school includes every grade – from Kindergarten to Junior Secondary, and Secondary students. And I tell you, I challenge any group of students in the world to outdo these students – by far the best behaved and disciplined students I have ever seen! And what a blast they are to hang around with! I spent most of the time in Kofi’s Math and Agricultural Science classes. These students are 15 – 17 years of age, and what personalities! I love them all! I know I will see these kids as politicians, lawyers, teachers and doctors in the future! God Bless Them!

The school is in desperate need of teaching resources – the younger Forms (grades) really need age appropriate books. They would also greatly benefit from resources for the development of phonics. Currently, the roof of the school is in need of replacement. A couple of the classrooms have been closed down because the roof has caved in. Luckily no one was in the classroom at the time. And often times, the money to replace things comes from the teachers own pockets! I have already dedicated some time when I get home to do some fundraising! I want to make sure these kids have as much as possible to help them learn! They deserve the quality education our children receive in North America!

As I was touring the school, Kofi pointed out the window and showed me the ocean. I was floored! I had no idea the school was mere steps from the beach! One of Kofi’s older students took me for a walk down to the beach! Fishing boats littered the water, as they do all along the coast. It’s an amazing sight. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera. But when I return for a visit, I will be sure to snap up some pics!

Well, I have a busy afternoon! I talk to my parents every Wednesday afternoon(morning in Alberta), so I will be expecting their call in a short while. Then I have some laundry and cleaning to do. I need to remove the layers of red clay that gets tracked into the house! I’m sure going to miss African clay when I leave. It’s become part of my skin texture!

Take Care
Love Heather

A Day of Traveling About!

Hello to Everyone,
Saturday was a fun day, one of traveling throughout Accra and hanging out with the neighbourhood kids. I headed out early and hopped on a crowded tro-tro to Max Mart and purchased some much needed supplies – pop, a few goodies, some laundry soap, and other household necessities. I absolutely love this store! You can even rent current DVD’s for $2.00. You know me and my movies, I can’t live without them.

I also had a houseful of visitors today, as many of the kids stopped in to play with my selection of toys. Many of the neighbourhood kids come by asking, “teacha Heatha, where’s the soccer ball?” or “teacha Heatha, come and play with us!” How can I say no to these beautiful children?? But let me tell you, I think I have opened a big can of worms here, because now they are going to be at my door all the time! But I love it, and that’s why I’m here! I even had little Mawena drop in Friday night showing me how well she’s done her homework. God, she’s precious!

My bead sensation has taken off like a rampant fire here, and now I have both the children and the adults asking me to teach them. It’s so funny to watch the boys beading because in Canada they would consider it too girly! Little do they know, it’s excellent for fine motor development and hand-eye coordination. So Bring on them Beads!!











I have posted some more pictures of the children for you to enjoy! As teachers, we are to never show favouritism to certain children! I love them all so much here, however, there is one little boys that just melts my heart. For me, Junior is the face of the nation (he's pictured at the top - with his serious face). He has such a unique personality and man – is he cute! He's so young, and yet he takes charge so easily around here, especially with the soccer ball in hand!

Either Monday or Tuesday I will be going with Kofi to his school where he teaches. I want to observe in as many settings as I can here in Ghana! You never know when you may have another chance to learn in Africa! I look forward to sharing this new experience with you!

Cheers,
Heather

Special Kind of Person!

Hello Everyone,
I want to once again thank you all for posting comments on my blog and sending me emails. It can get pretty lonely here, especially when power is out and I’m sitting in the dark! But no big deal, I’ve bought plenty of candles!! But keep those messages coming, because I love them!

The one thing that does help dampen the homesickness is Kofi’s incredible family. I cannot express to you the amount of respect I have for these people. Kofi is a saint. He has spent the last 14 years of his life volunteering with various NGO’s(Non-Governmental Organizations). He teaches, he builds schools and he is a familiar face wherever we go! It takes a special kind of person to expend so much energy on others! I hate to imagine where these children would be without the generosity of Kofi and his family.

Even more amazing is the fact that Kofi is not the healthiest right now. He has painful arthritis in his knee and has suffered a bout of malaria. And yet, each day he marches to the school to be with his students. He is a huge inspiration to me! I just might have to explode the next time I hear anyone complaining about having to drag themselves to work. With any leftover money at the end of my stay here at Idea, I am going to buy Kofi a year’s supply of medication and vitamins.

I have been trying to post a video of the children, but unfortunately it has not yet worked. It may be because there is such limited power in many of the Internet Cafe’s. But I will keep trying because it is so precious!

I plan to travel to some of the remote villages with Kofi as he hopes to establish some schools for the children. I will be sure to collect a few pictures amidst the clouds of dust from the dirt roads. It should be an eye-opening experience, and one I am looking forward to!

Until Next Time,
Take Care

Love Heather

BUSY DAY!

Greetings from Ghana,
I hope all is well with you on this fine Sunday. I’ve had a very busy morning as I am painting tables for the classroom. You see, Tatiana, the previous volunteer had ordered four tables approximately three months ago, and we had only just got them my first week. But as I have been saying, this is Africa! One minute can take four days. So I have finished painting the red and yellow tables, but I’m thinking I need some blue and green as well. The kids go nuts for color!!



This morning Kofi, the director of the project came to my door and told me that I am a hit in the household for my creative bead work. Apparently, my skill is in demand as everybody wants a bracelet featuring the Ghanaian colors. So I am in the midst of beading bracelets at night. It’s an activity I like to save for those nights when power is off because the candlelight is sufficient enough to work in. He also commented on how well I am doing here! Perhaps it has taken other volunteers a bit longer to adjust to the lifestyle. I have been told I fit in well with the locals!! BONUS!!

I’ve quickly realized that I did not pack near enough clothes for this excursion. Plenty of shirts are a must here as you may be required to change them a couple of times a day because of the heat. But you live and learn!! That just means I will have to use my first class washing machine more often – bucket, soap and hard hands!!

On Friday afternoon after school, Kofi took me to City Phones at a downtown market. I bought a cell phone for 40 cedis ($40.00) and a couple of scratch cards. In Ghana, in order to “phone out”, you require a scratch card which you open and then punch the number into the phone. When those units are finished, you simply buy another scratch card for about 2 cedis. I had a wonderful chat with Mom and Dad last night, so hopefully it continues to work well for me. I need to hear familiar voices, as it can get lonely here on your own.

Anyway, I have buckets of laundry to do and hang out to dry, so I better be on the run! Thank you all for your responses and emails. It certainly helps make the world feel a little bit smaller!

Love Heather

It's Time to Relax a Bit!

Hello to All,
Well, my first week of teaching is complete, and boy did it go by fast. What an incredible day today, the children were amazing. Well behaved and eager to learn! The day is not as long as it is in Canada as I only teach from 9:00 to 2:00. The mornings are spent establishing routines such as brushing teeth, reading stories and singing songs. I spend the afternoons one-on-one with the children or in small groups working on specific skills such as writing and math. But there is such a wide range of ages and abilities that it can very difficult to have appropriate activities planned that would be suitable for all the children. But considering the fact that without volunteer teachers the children would be aimlessly running around all day, I believe the children are all learning in one way or another.

I’ve been hearing reports of cold weather in Alberta, down into the minus digits at night. All I can say is ...You Poor Buggers!! Let me tell you, it’s beyond hot here. I mean it’s so toasty that I have become accustomed to sweat running down my face all day and my hair being damp. But it’s not uncomfortable. You learn to live with it. And it cools off considerably in the evening, so much so that I wear layers to bed. You also get used to the layers of red clay that cover your skin wherever you go. I am beginning to feel like something’s missing when I can’t feel the sand in my socks and shoes.

I have posted some pics of my living quarters. You would have been totally grossed out if I had sent you pics when I first arrived. The cobwebs and dust bunnies were everywhere, however after a day’s cleaning, this place isn’t looking half bad. And now that my fellow volunteer Tatiana has returned home, I have the place to myself. I have a fridge (loaded with mass quantities of pop), a tv and DVD player, a sink and shower, and a bed. Now, if electricity is not on and water is turned off, then I have nothing! But power has been OK for a solid week, so here’s hoping! In the mornings, if needed, you have to bucket shower because water is turned off until the evening. I do my laundry in a pail in the shower and hang it out on the line to dry. This might sound Stone Age, but it’s really not that bad.

This weekend I hope to purchase a cheap (but effective – you got to watch what you buy here!) cell phone so that I can talk to people. That way my parents can phone at whatever time is convenient for them. It will be nice to hear familiar voices, as it can get lonely here on your own. So I’ll let you know how the shopping goes!

By For Now!
Love Heather

More Pictures!!

Hi Everyone,

So, it's just about the end of my first week in Ghana and I am starting to get comfortable here. Getting around is still a challenge, as I'm not big on directions. But that's what's so great about Ghanaians, they help you out and see that you get to the right places.

I have posted a few more pictures of the children. We brush our teeth each morning, and you'd be shocked at how many of these kids have never before seen a toothbrush. I handed out all the shoes I brought from Canada, and let me tell you, the kids thought it was Christmas here. Very rarely do they ever have new shoes! It was so wonderful to watch their reactions. It touched my heart!

I hope these bring a smile to your face. Working with these kids certainly has put smiles on my face everyday!

Take Care
Heather

Where Are All the Children?

Hello everyone!
Well yesterday was a bit of a shock, only having six children, but the attendance record hardly improved today! I had nine children this morning, one of them I had to administer liquid advil to because he had a bad headaque. Poor little guy! So basically I am "teacha Heatha" and nurse combined. I sure hope nothing serious ever happens to these kids, because I'm not a qualified nurse by any means.

Aside from the everyday unexpectancies of school life in Africa, these children are amongst the cutest I have ever had the privledge of working with. They have so little, yet they demand nothing. The kids I work with in Alberta could take some very important lessons away from these children. I know I keep repeating myself, but I feel so fortunate to be a part of these childrens' lives.

I have been lucky today in that I can post pictures! The first two are of the classroom. Not much as you can see, but for many of these kids, it's like a palace. We are painting tables today so the children have a work space to do their work. Next on the list is to fix the leaky roof. Every time it rains in Accra, the roof leaks and the classroom takes days to dry!

The little girl pictured at the top is tiny "Forgive". She is only two years old and the sweetest thing you'll ever see! She is also one of the only children who pays school fees - the $6.00 required for each term. Just think, you can't even buy a burger meal anymore for six dollars, and yet too many families in Africa can't afford the fees to send their children to school! I look at these kids and thank God that I was born in Canada! The little boy at the top is "Stevie" and what a little character. "Obolo" and "Shadrock" (or Prince Mensah as he likes to be called) are pictured together. "Nicholas" is always smiling. And you'll never see him in any thing other than his blue school uniform because it's the only clothes he has for school.

I hope you enjoy the pics! I will post more as I get them!

With All My Love,
Heather

My First Day of School!

Hello To All,
I hope this message finds you all in good spirits! It was my first day of school today, and what an experience! But before I explain, I need to share with you a few unique cultural differences that exist in Ghana. First off, there is really no such thing as “time” in Ghana. People rarely wear a watch and many, including the family I am living with, could not give you the time of day. This poses a significant problem when it comes to the teaching and learning process, because so many students will be late or not show up for school at all. For instance, having just come off the weekend, we had a whopping six children today, most likely because family forgets it’s the start of a new week. But WOW, what awesome little children! I am truly blessed to have this opportunity. I know I will learn just as much from these children as they will learn from me. This is unique to any teaching experience I could receive in Canada, and I am sure I will be a better teacher when I come home because of this opportunity.

Another drastic difference between the educational systems in West Africa compared to North America is that corporal punishment is still widely used in West Africa. In Ghana, a teacher can strike a child, which is something I will never get used to. But being a foreigner in another country, I need to respect these differences and keep my opinions to myself. But what is most impressive about students in Africa is that they rarely require discipline because they are so well mannered and eager to be in school. School is so unaffordable to many families that those children who have the opportunity to attend school consider it a privilege and don’t waste time misbehaving.

I have been trying to post pictures, but right now, Ghana is facing a major electricity shortage, and power is only alloted in small amounts. It doesn't want to let me download pictures. But I will try again from a different cafe tomorrow night!

Love Heather

Tro-Tro to Where??

Hello Everyone,
I was so excited last night, my first night in Africa and we had a major rain storm. The gutters on the streets were flowing all night long. It was so loud, but luckily our roof didn't leak. You see, when it rains in Accra, the school's roof leaks and it takes days to dry the one room school. The plan is to have the roof fixed this week. But in Africa a minute can take four hours, so you can imagine my slight hesitation when someone mentions a week.

I had the opportunity to take a quick glance at the school, and let me tell you, that quick glance was all I needed to see how deprived a school this is. There is one main chalkboard, although hardly any chalk (glad I brought tons of it!) There are currently no tables for the students to work on, and the few chairs we have can be missing legs and have protruding nails. No wonder the kids don't want to bloody sit! Amazingly however, this tiny one room church serves as a learning centre for over 20 beautiful children. I can't wait until tomorrow so I can finally meet all the kids!

The afternoon here was awesome. Myself and the two other volunteers took the tro-tro to the Botanical Gardens up in the hills, and WOW, what a view. All rolling hills, palm trees, cumulus clouds, and the mountain tops in the distance. It's almost a better view when it is cloudy! It feels like you're standing in a painting!

You are probably wondering what a tro-tro is! Good question. My God, what an experience. So you stand on the street and wait for an arriving tro-tro (somewhat like an Volkswagon van)and flag down the "mate" hanging from the doors of the vehicle. But it's tricky, because you've got to watch for hand symbols. For example, to get to the "Cirlce" market, you have to watch for the rotating index finger. I have picked up quite quick! So then they pack you in like sardines, sometimes up to 23 hot, sweaty people, and you go for the biggest, bumpiest bloody ride you'll ever be on! But you can't relax for a bit or you'll miss your stop. I've still got a lot to learn.

I must be a quick learner, however because I have managed to make a few Ghanaians laugh at my use of African tongue. As a white girl in Ghana, I get the "Hey Obruni" (Hey White Girl!) shouted out everywhere. So I reply back, "Yah, Yah, Bibini! meaning "Hey black man!" I get the biggest chuckle out of watching their responses. Many just laugh, and then they think you're as nuts as they are! Today I happened to walk too close to a tro-tro as the driver was making his way through a throng of people, so he shouts "Hey Obruni". I yelled back "bibini" and he looked at me and laughed! It's such a feeling of freedom here! Of course there's always bad apples amongst the crowd, but most everyone has your back and watches out for you. It helps to make me feel a little more secure.

I am hoping to post pictures tomorrow of the classroom and my living quarters. I will also post pictures of the insane crowds, markets and tro-tros. Then you will have a vivid image of what I am talking about.

Better Fly so I am ready for class tomorrow! Hope is well with each of you and I will talk to you soon!

Love Heather

I'm On African Clay!!

Hello To Everyone,
Well, I am finally in Accra, Ghana, although what a hellish last leg of a trip! Everything was going smooth until I hit Germany, and then all hell broke loose! First, they overbooked the flight, so if you can imagine close to 400 Ghanaians cramming the gate to get on a plane and a white girl in the middle of this commotion. But there's a bit of competitor in me, because I was in the front of the massive lineup boarding the plane! What a fantastic view. There is nothing like overlooking Sub-Saharan Africa. I can't even explain it!

It feels wonderful to be in Ghana! The people are wonderful, especially to foreigners. I'm an "obruni" white girl from "way over there". "TORONTO, You from Toronto?" No, I reply, Edmonton! "Oh yah!" I will definitely have to bring out the atlas! I have already picked up on a few life lessons here in Accra, like everything is a negotiation. Cab fares, market goods, gum, you name it! You name your price before you even think of purchasing things. The amount of traffic is horrific here, like I am talking thousands of cars crammed in market streets dodging potholes bigger then my Honda! And I will NEVER, EVER complain about anyone's driving back home! I thought I was dead 5 times today. But you never see an accident here! Ghanaians were born for the wheel!

And as far as food, I am set. THEY HAVE SODA at every corner of the streets. You can basically purchase anything here for a price! Lots of pasta, veggies and fruit. Nothing I can't handle comfortably. My living conditions are fine too! Minus the bugs - cockroaches come out to visit at night!, it's cozy! But my two other volunteer friends won't be here much longer, so I will have the place to myself for a while!

Anyway, I gotta fly here! I am sure tomorrow will present some new and wonderful experiences. I will try and post some photos tomorrow! You'll be quite shocked. But I tell you, I have already begun to appreciate the great life I live in Canada. You don't really realize how fortunate you are until you experience Africa!

I will write soon! I love you all!

Cheers
Heather

Wonderful Send-Off!!

Hello Everyone,

I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by such loving friends and family. This weekend, I had the opportunity to visit with some very special people in my life. We ate, drank and chatted into the night. I also picked up a few tips that should assist me in my travels. Thanks Mark! It's a comforting feeling knowing my cousin's been down this road before. I want to thank you all for coming out and taking part in my farewell party. Your support is greatly appreciated! I will miss you all very much! Cheers for now, and I will send word when I reach Ghana!

Love Heather