Meet My Kids!!

Hi Everyone!
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you all to my beautiful children at Idea and Ideology school in the heart of Accra! Look into their eyes - these are the faces of the nation! I feel truly blessed to be a part of these children's lives!!


RAYMOND is 7 years old and loves Ghana! He draws flags every day. He loves to play games, eat chicken fried rice, and he wants to be a soccer player when he grows up! He also loves to dance like "Mickey J" (Ghanaian term for Michael Jackson!! Absolutely priceless!


SARAH is 8 years old and aspires to be a teacher when she grows up. Her favorite meal is fufu (powdered yam) and light soup, and she loves music!


STEVIE is 5 years old and he loves to color! His favorite story is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? He loves to play ball and eat fried rice!


NICHOLAS is 7 years old and loves to eat fufu (powdered yam) and light soup! He loves to play ball and wants to be a goal keeper when he grows up!


PRINCE MENSAH is 5 years old and loves to eat waatse (beans and rice). He loves to play ball and wants to be a doctor when he grows up! His nickname is "Shadrock"!


LAWRENCE is 6 years old and loves to play ball. He loves to read books and play music! His nickname is "Obolo"!


ERIC is 4 years old and loves to follow "teacha Heatha" around all day! His favorite meal is waatse (beans and rice), and he loves to play games! His nickname is "Kujo"!


JUNIOR is 3 years old and loves to tease "teacha Heatha". He likes to play hide and seek, color, and be michevious!! Little spark-plug!! He will eat just about anything!


PEACE is 4 years old and loves music! She likes to wear dresses and fancy shoes! She loves to play "mom" to all the children!!


BISMARK is 4 years old and loves to smile! You will never see him without one! He loves to play blocks, color and brag about his "big muscles"!! Quite the showman!!


DAVID is 5 years old and loves to read books! His favorite story is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? He loves to play ball, and his favorite meal is fried rice!!


FORGIVE is 3 years old and adores coming to school! She loves to play blocks, color, and read stories! She's a tiny little thing, with a huge smile and a beautiful spirit!!


SERIYUM is 4 years old and has undergone a huge transformation! Before November, he wouldn't speak, and now I can't keep up to him!! He loves to play blocks, read stories, and play soccer! Little character!!

I hope you have enjoyed!! These little characters have become an integral part of my life here in Ghana! I will miss them deeply come the end of December!! I will have to visit often!!

Take Care! Love You All!

Peace,
Heather

Beautiful Faces!!

Hello Everyone!
Just a quick note to let you all know everything's fine here in Ghana! Less text and more pictures of the kids!!

Enjoy!!





















Peace,
Heather

Interesting Facts About Ghana!

I thought you would enjoy a quick lesson on some interesting things that occur in my new homeland! Like I have said before, Ghana is unlike any other place in the world – and I say that with love!
HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS:
• It’s not washroom, it’s “toilet”
• It’s not near or little, it’s “small small”
• It’s not parking lot, it’s “car park”
•Caucasians, Asians and East Indians are all considered “obruni” – white man!
• Absolutely everything is negotiable. The key word is “BARGAIN”!
• Red clay covers every inch of Accra.
• If you see a funeral procession and the members are wearing white, then an elderly person has passed. White symbolizes the passing of a prosperous and long-lived life. If everyone is wearing red or black, then a young person has passed. Red and black symbolizes bitterness at a life ended too young.
• Corruption is everywhere! The police routinely pull over drivers for no other reason than to look for money. I have seen it a couple times already. But it is evident at every turn – from the corner grocer to the highest powers of government.
• When eating, shaking hands, passing or collecting objects, you only ever use your right hand. Using your left hand is considered a huge insult to Ghanaians.
• Filtered water, liquor and other drinks come in “saches” - plastic baggies that you bite the tip off and drink from. Of course, you can buy the bottles too!
• Ghanaians serve bread in “thousands”. If you like your bread on the thinner side, you say “one thousand”. You get it twice as thick if you say “two thousand”.
• Africa is the fastest growing market for cell phones in the world. In Ghana, a cell phone is more widely used than a comb or wallet.
• Taxis account for over 80% of the cars on the road. And they are as corrupt as they come! Always negotiate a price before entering a cab!
• Asking for your contact information is as common here as it is for Canadians to talk about the weather. It’s just a customary thing to do, regardless if they ever contact you or not.
• Ghanaians are extremely proud about their “freedom”, which helps explain why asking for contact information has become the ordinary.
• Garbage is piled throughout the city. There is no garbage disposal system in Accra, so everything is dumped or burned. Everyone becomes accustomed to the distinct smells of this great capital city.
• One Cedi goes a long way in Ghana! It can purchase you a variety of things: a few rides on a tro-tro, 2 delicious omelette sandwichs, a couple bottles of soda, an hour at the Internet Cafe, and much more!
• Ghanaians have no concept of time! Like I’ve said many times, a minute can take four hours. Here, you just roll with the punches!
• If you’re Canadian, you’re a hit! Ghanaians have very friendly relations with Canadians. The average Joe may know nothing about our country, but they know you’re a peace-loving friend!

I hope I have enlightened you!

Until Next Time, Take Care!
Love Heather

Visit to Buduburam!

Hello to Everyone!
Well, it's already close to the weekend and yet I have not posted last weekend's blog - once again, slow process here in Ghana! But here it is in full detail!

I went out on Friday after school to the Buduburam Refugee Settlement where I will be teaching come January. I arrived at about 4:00 in the afternoon, met up with Alfred, Harrington and Amus, the three young gentlemen who I have been in contact with for the last few months. We wasted no time in meeting some of the children I will be teaching. Brilliant kids! When I arrived, they were having a forum regarding a number of issues, and to hear them speak was motivational. I am serious when I say some of these children have more wisdom then their corrupt governmental leaders. But that is a story I will save for another day!

I have to admit that my experience with the kids was somewhat heartbreaking. Being that these are Liberian refugees, you have to expect that there are going to be some traumatic stories. But to see children with missing limbs is something that you can read about for years, but to witness it is horrific. I have one young girl named Sarah who had her right arm chopped off by rebels during the civil war. What a courageous and beautiful spirit! I have so much admiration for these children! Once again, there will be many stories and personal memoirs to share with you as time goes by.

After my enlightening introdution with the children, the four of us headed to a small restaurant for a plate of chicken fried rice. Know, imagine sitting at home in pitch black trying to collect your rice on your fork and get it into your mouth without dropping it all over the floor. Fun times when it's "light's off". No power in the settlement, no running toilet system - just foul smelling latrines, and 40, 000 refugees wondering the camp looking for a good time on a Friday night. INTERESTING EXPERIENCE!!

The four of us arrived back at my small shack and spent close to 3 hours talking about my new friends horiffic experiences during their country's civil war. I have never felt so moved in my life. It's one thing to read of personal experiences, but to have people sit with you and share their tragedies is something totally different. These are young men who watched their fathers be shot to death, their mothers and sisters be raped and killed, and their villages be burned to the ground. My friend Amus managed to escape the rebels, but he had to walk 36 days through the jungle with hundreds of other Liberians to reach safety in neibouring Guniea. I thought of each of these stories all weekend long. It effects you in a way I can't explain. And these stories need to be told - there simply isn't enough told about Africa!! So I will undertake a bit of journalism come January - I want to document these people's stories and share them with as many people as I can!!

I have posted a few pictures of the settlement - it has been up and running since the start of Liberia's first civil war in 1989. Some of the children I met were born on the camp. They have never even experienced life in their native land. And it simply isn't safe to return for many. You may think as you look at the photos that it hardly resembles a refugee camp. It is well built with solid structures and housing simply because it has been established for so many years. Families have been able to save enough money to build proper houses to shetler their families. Not the typical tin roofed shanty towns you see in most African refugee camps.

The photo of the young gentleman is Alfred, and he is the project coordinator for RESPECT Ghana. A wonderful young man and a gentle soul. He has committed his life to bettering the lifes of his people! I can't wait to spend more time with him and the others I have come to know!















Stay tuned! I have many more pictures to post - providing the power situation here in Accra!

Take Care and Enjoy Your Weekend!
And let's all reflect once again on how lucky we are to be Canadian!! I have always been a proud Canadian, but I become more proud and more grateful each day!

Peace!
Love Heather

Photos, Photos, Photos!

Hey Everyone,
Well, my first ever live reggae show last Sunday night, and what excitement! Such an enlightening experience. I have posted pictures for you to see! The main artist is Jamaican legend Luciano, and is he very popular around the world. It was his first visit to Accra! His music gave me goosebumps! And of course, Prosper wouldn't give up the opportunity to get close to his idol, so he snuck up close to the gate, and low and behold, Luciano jumps the barrier and comes and gives him a warm hug. Unbelievable! He's pictured below in the ball cap and blue and yellow Ghanaian shirt!







I have also added some pictures from our trip to Cape Coast - although it was a very brief visit. Prosper was delivering a political presentation at the University. And a few photos of nights out in Accra! And of course, the both of us enjoying a traditional Ghanaian dish of banku and fish!









And of course, how could I forget my kids! I love them all, but here are just a few photos from the last couple of weeks. I will post more!









Hope you have enjoyed!
Super time, so I better go home!

Cheers,
Heather