They may say that I’m a dreamer…

“If there’s enough love among you, you’ll have abundant harvest, because love is a feeling that transforms everything. You’ve grown used to one another-passion died a long time ago. That’s why the earth gives only what it gave last year-neither more nor less. And that’s why, in the darkness of your souls, you silently complain nothing in your lives changes. Why? Because you always tried to control the force that transforms everything so that your lives can carry on without being faced by major challenges.”

(Witch of Portobello: Paulo Coelho)

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So many people in this world fear change. They seek out the comfortable, the safe. They build an entire life out of a desire for security, safety, something certain. They spend their entire lives trying to make sure nothing changes. That their marriage remains the same-as happy and filled with passion as the beginning. That their financial situation only continues to “improve”, providing them “security” throughout their lives. That they continue to move forward in their job, even if they don’t enjoy the work they do, because that’s what we’ve been told we are supposed to do.

But meanwhile, what happened to our sense of adventure? What happened to the empowerment of discovering new and different horizons, of taking on new challenges and meeting new people and experiencing new things? Our spirit falls asleep as we hold so tightly to ensuring every detail of our day remains perfect and the same as the day before-all according to our plan, our routine. While we hold this death grip around our surroundings between our clenched fists, our heart quietly cries out in those spaces for some sort of joy, of change, of new life breathed into each moment.

We ignore the laws of the universe-that everything changes and transforms. We fear this process, perhaps because we fear the growing pains. We fear the fading of something we love. But what if something even more beautiful rests on the other side? Awaiting the moment when we step forth with the courage that lives within each of us, and just for today say-I release this control I think I have on this situation, and let whatever will be, be.  We waste energy and precious time and sacrifice our health daily by trying to overrule the universe and force our desires upon it. Denying there is a grander plan at play here because that idea seems too far fetched for us. And yet when something works in our favor, we cling to the idea of destiny. It applies to both situations of pain and suffering, as well as love and joy.

What if we lived for each moment? Not even just for today…everyone tries to focus on that ideal…But for each and every blissful moment, pulling ourselves into our present reality. Noticing the beauty around us within each step we take, appreciating the gift of breathing new air into our lungs, of interacting with our surroundings and loved ones and new people. Each moment is a gift, a blessing, an opportunity to experience something new… an opportunity to realize how blessed we are just to be sharing this human experience with one another. That we are given a chance to grow and learn to love ourselves and one another.

What if today, we accepted that change is necessary. That things do not stay the same. This is the law in the universe around us. It is evident in all life forms, in all natural processes, in all creatures. It is even evident within our own bodies. We grow, transform, change. Even if we fight it with every molecule of our being, we will age and we will grow old.  This does not mean life is finite, but rather always changing. Perhaps our existence in this world changes when we go but since energy can neither be created, nor destroyed, we must move forward in some form.  What if today, when we felt overwhelmed by this notion of change-this fear of something ending or something beginning, we instead just took a deep breath and let go of that fear, replacing it with laughter, love, trust. Just for today, trust that something must die for something new to be created. If we hold on so deeply our entire lives to all that we know, it can never be allowed to manifest into something even more beautiful. Our reality is consistently changing, but those changes can be beautiful. Pain is only temporary. Allowing yourself to experience the lows in turn creates higher highs and an appreciation for the beauty in our lives. After all, we did sign up for the human experience right? That entails discovering a full range of emotions, not just the good ones.

What if today we appreciate and accept the laws of the universe-the give and flow of energy. We let go of ideas and concepts and things that no longer serve us and welcome in the new-that which inspires us. In each moment, we can change our mindset. With every word that passes our lips and each thought that enters our minds, we can change our reality. We can manifest anything we wish. The law of attraction says what we put out will be returned. What are you putting into the universe with each word, each thought? What will you create today?

The World Is Your Playground

I went through a period of time where I started to become one of those people who judged others who fell in love with somewhere after only being there for a short time; those who visit briefly and then talk about it for the next 2 years… Now, I’ll be the first to admit, this was quite condescending of me, because I felt the same way about Haiti after I left. But after I spent my first 5 months in Ghana, I began to judge myself for my love of my brief experience in Haiti. I began to think about why others probably judged me.

When you spend more time in another country, you realize how little you saw in that one month…That one month is barely enough time to get used to the food, the weather, get over your culture shock, and start to find your way around… When you stay in a place longer, you see so much more… You discover the little things you love about the place, the people, the culture, and you find a way to make these count more for the things that make you angry, upset, frustrated. If you are willing to step outside your comfort zone, away from the padded walls of the volunteer or expat community, you witness a different side of life, a different way of living. You are exposed to both beautiful and terrifying circumstances. You go through ups and downs, some days loving everything about your surroundings, some days cursing every person who singles you out because you are a foreigner, wishing you could blend in for just a day… You learn the language and even more so, the way people communicate. You learn to suspend your judgments and hold your tongue because your opinion isn’t going to change a cultural trait that has existed for hundreds of years before your coming-and it’s not your job to change that. You learn patience and your life slows down a bit, which comes as a frustrating halt of the brakes for some, but can become a paradise of easier living if you embrace it. You find tolerance in dealing with the constant hassles of being an outsider…and you also learn when to say screw that tolerance, and stand up for yourself. You are challenged daily, but your life also often changes daily, bringing you new surprises and reasons to smile and laugh. You are broken down and put back together over and over again until you begin to see what you are truly made of.

Now I understand why I fell in love with Haiti in one month. Why so many fall in love with Ghana in just a few short weeks. I think it’s that taste of wanderlust. It’s that brief moment of realizing that there is more to the world out there than what you have known all your life, and that that world is beautiful and interesting and new and is waiting to be explored. It’s seeing that there is so much more to a place than what the media and news in our home and the 20 people who asked if we would live in huts during our stay, tell us. For one brief moment in time, you are put so far outside your norm that you begin to look at the world like a child again-everything is new and interesting and foreign. You have to learn things all over again-language, social interactions, your way home at the end of the day. But it is this childlike sense of adventure and wonder, gazing at something completely new to you, that fascinates people for years after they visit a place. It’s the awareness that the world is far bigger and grander than your imagination could possibly carry you…

So no, I don’t think you have any right to walk away from a month in Africa and think you’re Mother Theresa and you helped so many people who were desperately in need. But I do believe in and respect the love for a new place, new people, and a new experience, that can come from even a few short weeks. And what’s more, I encourage everyone who has even the slightest desire to see someplace new: get up and go. Stop dreaming (well keep on dreaming, but make your dreams happen), (save up), buy your ticket and go. Even if its for only a few weeks. If you can stay longer, that’s absolutely wonderful-you will see and touch and experience more than words can say. But if a few weeks or months are all you have to spare, go and see something new. Shake yourself up, leap outside your comfort zone and awaken something new inside yourself. Life is too short to have the same experience every day. To see the same people, the same buildings, the same streets, to drive to the same job, every single day. The world should be your playground, no matter where you are. Now go explore it.

We are all wanderers on this Earth. Our hearts full of wonder and our souls deep with dreams.

Movin On Up

So I’ve officially moved to yet another region of Ghana. Make that 3 total I’ve lived in, 4 I’m familiar with… And the reason I’ve moved again is a really exciting one! I got a new job!!!

After about five months working for my other job, I realized mainly that the town wasn’t for me, but also I just couldn’t sit in front of a computer day in, day out. It was physically making me feel sick. Within the first hour of beginning work, my head would start to spin, my vision would get blurry and hazy, my head would hurt and I would overall feel nauseous. I didn’t realize how related these feelings truly were to using the computer until I stopped for a few days (thank you malaria). My vision during that time cleared up away from the computer, making me realize how bad it had gotten. Still, I am more than grateful for the opportunity I had to work there and even more so for the wonderful co-workers and friends who came into my life. My Ghanaian roommate/co-worker/best friend is someone who has truly impacted my life and become a teacher to me and a best friend. I already miss her so much…

And so despite these wonderful people, I knew it was time for a change. I found an opportunity working at a Library/ICT Centre called To Be Worldwide. Check out the website here: http://www.tobeworldwide.org/ or “like” the facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/To-Be-Worldwide/139695902714893 . Check it out, share it, like it!!!

My job revolves around working with the kids and teaching them to read. Our previous teacher from Holland (I call her by her Ghanaian name-Ama) helped to set up a really great program with a set of books called Bob’s Books. (Calling all teachers for young children!! Check these out!) They are absolutely wonderful and a great tool. There are 5 box sets, each with 8-12 books inside. The first set, first book, uses only the letters “m”, “a”, “t”, and “s” and creates a short story. We teach the children the sounds instead of the names of the letters, which makes reading much easier. Then, the books gradually progress to add in all the sounds, using only 3 letter words. By the end of the first 12 books, the child knows all the sounds of all the letters!

And what’s even more, they have read 12 books! For a child who has never been able to read, this is a pretty important achievement!

We have wooden letter blocks that we practice making three letter words with. The kids really love these. You would be surprised how long they will enjoy sitting and making words for you…

We try to help them understand the books by explaining the pictures. This skill is really lacking, even with the children who read a bit better. I’m currently working to develop Activity Cards which provides them hands on activities, similar to a workbook, to help them practice skills-like understanding what they read.

We also have a Reading Club, which Ama handed over to me. We work with a local school and a wonderful Ghanaian teacher in one of the classes to help the kids who really don’t know how to read at all. The Reading Club spans 6 weeks and there are 4 potential levels for them to read at; most start at level 1. We move up through the Bob’s Books sets, supplementing with other books, word rows, flashcards and worksheets. Ama also created many different fun activities for the kids to do, which is really helpful. They love any kind of game they can play!! We also use the Activity Cards in the library with the kids if a teacher (myself or if another volunteer) is around. This helps them to build skills and teaches them to work independently.

We also do Saturday activities, since the kids are out of school those days. They come in the morning and read in the library as usual, but at noon, we do something fun and educational. Jigsaw puzzles I think will always be their favorite! The amazing part is how good it really is for them when you think about it! The creativity of the activity and the end result of a beautiful picture for all your hard work is so important. Especially since much of the school work here lacks creativity and critical thinking.

The most shocking part of this job is the number of kids who cannot read. I’m not talking just young kids, but all the way up to Class 5! I always ask myself-how did this child get to this Class (Grade) level without reading? I’ve heard different things from different people, so the following suggestions are not all “facts”, but rather conclusions I’ve drawn from information I have been informed of. I think part of the reason is the class size. 40 kids and 1 teacher is not effective and quite impossible to manage. It takes 1 teacher just to keep them all quiet. Furthermore, that 1 teacher is not paid so well in government schools and therefore sometimes lacks motivation to spend a lot of extra time with children who need extra help.

Then there’s the issue of caneing children….I know many of you will not like this topic anymore than I do. It is commonplace in the Ghanaian classroom for the teacher to carry a wooden cane and hit children with it (usually on the palms of their hands or on the bottom, sometimes the head) when they misbehave. Unfortunately, it is also used when a child gets an answer wrong. Or apparently, as I found out the other day, when one is not a good reader…I have a wonderful boy I work with in Class 4 or 5 (can’t remember which). When he came in, he couldn’t read at all. Ama and I have both worked with him and he is doing wonderful! He has made so much progress already. His passion and love for reading really propel him forward and make teaching truly enjoyable. There’s nothing better than hearing a child say to you, “Madam, reading is fun for me!” He is always wearing a smile. So you imagine my shock when one of the volunteers comes to my office to tell me he has arrived in tears. I then found out the teacher was caneing him because he could not read well…

You can imagine my heart felt a bit trampled…and quite angry. I’ve known about caneing since I arrived and I know many volunteers struggle with it. Still, I also have grown to accept that it is a practice which will take many years to modify, as it is deeply engrained in the culture. Canes are even used by parents in the home. If a child is misbehaving, they say “Stop or I’ll beat you”, etc… (Please don’t think “beat” means punch or anything. It generally means caneing, and although this is not much better, I wouldn’t want confusion). A practice such as this, one that teachers believe is necessary to keep the kids in line, will not easily leave the schools.

Regardless, caneing a child for their inability to read seems rather preposterous to me… What benefit could possibly come of this? You only make the child afraid every time they are called upon and therefore it is guaranteed they will mess up! Furthermore, it is partly the fault of the teachers for not working properly with a child who is in need of extra attention. Beating that child will NEVER help him read better…

I could rant all day about this… But thankfully, after working together for an hour or so, this particular boy left the Centre smiling. That’s the most rewarding part of the day…seeing a child proud of themselves for what they have accomplished in that day. And seeing them have fun along the way.

So I think that’s enough rambling for now about the new job! I’ll try to keep you updated with what’s going on around here and what not. I’ve decided to start writing blog posts about different aspects of life or culture here to give people a better idea of Ghana, rather than always talking about my own life. So hopefully I’ll find a bit more time to write than I have the past year☺ If you have instagram, you should follow me! I don’t really know how it all works, but if you can find me through my username, its autumnwindd1. I finally got one and I’ve been trying to post pictures of life here and the children.

As far as the rest of my life goes, relocating has been a bit of a struggle, but finally the boyfriend and I found a room yesterday, so today we will be moving in☺ Finally we get to have a place to call our own to rest our heads for more than one month or one week or whatever…somewhere I don’t have to feel like I’m tip-toeing around because it’s not my house and I am a guest. It’s something I never thought I would be happy for-to be in one place for a longer period of time- but at this moment, it’s a huge relief. Everything is finally coming into place a bit with the job and the apartment. I’m grateful for all those who have supported us and helped us along our way…there’s been too many to count.

Thank you for reading! Sorry for the length…Since it seems to be my tradition, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes…I shared this one and many others with some new friends the other night and I realized how much I loved this one. And how relevant it has been for me recently…

“Realize that whatever life you’re living, you are creating it-right now, in this moment. If you don’t like what you’re experiencing, then resolve to create something else. Begin to create that new reality immediately. Realize that no one is coming to rescue you. It’s entirely up to you to make your life what you want it to be.”

Anniversary

 It’s officially been one year since I first arrived in Ghana.  How is that even possible?  How can an entire year go by so quickly?  Maybe it’s true what they say: it goes by faster the older you get…Or maybe for me it’s the nature of this past year…It certainly has been far different than anything I’ve ever experienced…

So before I apologize for absolutely sucking at blogging, I want to look back into this past year…

 

In one year’s time, I have: left everything I’ve known in favor of a new and exciting existence abroad; spent my last semester of University studying in Africa, baffled by the education system and endured extreme senioritis (that sounds much worse written than it was meant to :p); volunteered on a cocoa nursery and farm with an inspiring Ghanaian Reverend; actually struggled between the choice of attending Electric Forest with my closest friends or taking a job in Africa (should have been a no brainer right?); spent my summer working as a volunteer coordinator for a ridiculous amount of student volunteers and interns; returned home a quick tour around NC and stay in NY: the most incomplete feeling visit I’ve ever known;  finally officially graduated college after a six month battle; I’ve literally moved to Ghana, in a new region, to develop a new volunteer/intern program for a Ghanaian NGO-which has turned out to be a fairly terrifying process…

 

I’ve met new friends who I love so dearly, said goodbye to them, only to meet new ones who I would again say goodbye to; an endless, sometimes depressing process.  I’ve felt like I could never belong in a country-in a culture, and felt perfectly at home and accepted in that same culture.  I’ve felt utterly hopeless and hopeful in the same breath.  I’ve danced in the rain after suffering through the heat, after a month long water shortage.  I’ve learned how to haggle with a taxi driver.  I’ve had typhoid, sun poisoning, worms, a severe bacterial infection, colds (yep…in Africa..), and probably ten other sicknesses I’m forgetting.  I’ve watched incredible sunsets from beaches and rooftops and between the concrete walls of town while riding home in a taxi.  I’ve seen the way knowing even just a few words in Twi can brighten someone’s day and earn you a smile.  I’ve learned to drum and have danced and laughed and beatboxed with and learned from Rastafarians.  I’ve fallen completely in love with Ghanaian music and the way it is continuously playing everywhere and anywhere you go.  I’ve swam in an ocean I thought I’d drown in after my brother threw me over his shoulder and dragged me in.  I’ve entered a rural village and been greeted officially by the Chief and Elders.  I’ve helped work hour upon hour (with typhoid) to create a soccer net out of recycled water sachets for that village.  I’ve used modes of transportation, which should never have been deemed acceptable or safe (and prayed for my life the whole way).  I’ve learned to cook wonderful new dishes and tasted food you could never pay me to touch again.  I’ve felt completely inferior in dancing on a level previously incomprehensible.  I’ve spent an afternoon laughing and eating brownie batter and peanut butter with a spoon, with one of my best US friends in Ghana, just because of our chocolate withdrawls and a serious case of homesickness/culture shock.  I’ve watched Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas and played Uno more times than you can dream of with the best little Ghanaian brother I could’ve ever asked for. I’ve fed monkeys bananas and learned to weave Kente cloth and dye Batik fabric and walked on a canopy high above the forest between the trees.  I’ve experienced the most painful energy in a place within the walls of the Slave Trade Castle and on the slave’s Last Walk-something so intense, it literally feels like you’ve been punched in the stomach.  But in this moment, I also discovered a Soul Sister to hold my hand so we didn’t have to go forward alone.  I’ve met soul sisters and brothers from the US in Ghana-SoulJahs sent to me from Jah no doubt.

 

I’ve learned to hula hoop and bought an LED hoop to bring back with me to Ghana, along with as many glowing toys as I could find.  I’ve talked more shit about the U.S. than ever before (impressive if you know me…), just trying to rid peoples’ minds of this notion that life in the U.S. is a walk in the park and that everyone is rich there.  I’ve dislocated my elbow and went to a Bassnectar show anyways.  I couch surfed my way through North Carolina, visiting my second family and some of the most incredible Star Children I’ll ever know.  I’ve been tempted to say-screw all plans- and hop in a van headed for nowhere and everywhere at the same time-exploring the country with friends.  I’ve attended a Ghanaian wedding and church.  I spent my first Christmas and New Years away from home (I think it’s worth mentioning here: I spent the New Years countdown in the largest, most intense church service I’ve ever attended in my entire life, while people shouted their prayers for the New Year and danced and sang to welcome it when it arrived..a little different than last year?)  I’ve attended funerals in both Ghana and the U.S. and watched people I care about deeply endure more pain than has ever been fair or necessary.

 

I’ve made friends with whom I could only speak a few basic words, and therefore learned the value of a smile.  I’ve feared returning to a place I once called home and cried the entire flight, partially because I had learned to love my new home, partially because I knew I had changed more than I could process.  I’ve feared returning back to this new home, saying goodbye again to the people and places I have grown up loving.  I’ve drank too much and smiled harder and laughed harder and cried harder and missed people harder than ever before.  I’ve seen some of the most difficult realities I could imagine, and also some of the most beautiful.  Reached the highest highs and alternatively the lowest lows I’ve ever experienced.  Cried useless tears about leaving a place I never thought I’d want to stay, only to end up finding them wasted when I landed a job (twice).  I’ve feared for my life and prayed to God just to help me to the next day (or through the tro ride..).  I’ve fallen completely in love with one of the most incredible people I’ve ever known-someone I continue to love more and more each day, someone I learn from constantly.  I’ve found a new loving family within his family-one that I can’t stand to be away from any more than I can my own.  I’ve deepened my Spiritual Journey and learned more about myself-both negative and positive.  I’ve found myself, lost myself and found myself again.  I’ve fearlessly stared life in the eye and embraced an entirely foreign way of life…Nope, that’s a life, I was absolutely terrified…but pressed forward anyways-probably more out of stubbornness than anything else…I’ve learned more lessons than I’ll ever truly be able to process.  I’ve lived wide open.

 

Anyone who knows me, knows I’m terrible at communication.  I’m bad at phone calls and facebook messages and texting and emailing and obviously blogging.  But anyone who truly knows me, also knows that instead of writing, I’m out there living.  And that’s something I refuse to apologize for.

 

It hasn’t been an easy year for anyone I know.  And I believe there’s a reason for that.  I think we’ve all been handed an opportunity to face down our past, face down our fears, face down the aspects of ourselves we don’t particularly love, and change it, learn from it.  It’s never easy and the path is never clear, but it’s always worth the results.  We were never created to remain stagnant-things will never stay the same.  They are meant to change.  There’s no end result-no day when things magically level out and become easy.  Life isn’t meant to be that way.  It’s a constant process of evolving, changing, growing, learning.

 

I sincerely hope every one of you has been living life to the fullest this 2013.  If you haven’t, there’s no better time to start than right now.  So many people hear my stories or stories of a fellow travelers’ and express their longing for such adventures.  But the only thing holding you back is yourself.  “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”  I believe we can learn the most when we push ourselves outside our comfort zones, test our strength against the rip tide, place ourselves somewhere new and unfamiliar.  You are bound to learn more about yourself and the world than you ever thought possible.  And you’re sure as hell in for the ride of a lifetime…

 

Love and Light to You All.

 

Live Wide Open.

2013

Lights Out.

When I was young, I used to love when the power went out…that meant no more class if you were at school…or not enough light to do homework at home…or it meant lighting as many candles as you could find and sitting around and chatting all night…or playing board games with the family. Power outages were fun (unless you were in bed, alone in the dark…that, of course, called for Mom by your side or sleeping on the floor in the living room…).

So why is it here that power outages seem to be such a frustration? Such an inconvenience, that we run around like mad, muttering about how we can’t get anything done, how could the government do this, how ridiculous the whole thing is.

Furthermore, what good does it do to continue on and on about it? Does it make the power come back on? Nope. (If there were some kind of magic to do so, I’d imagine it would come from positivity and good vibes…not negativity). Does it make you more productive in that moment? Not in the least. Does it bring you and everyone else around you down? Probably. The only place you can reach through negativity is more negativity. Law of attraction. You get back what you put out. You attract whatever you create.

So why not instead make the most of those moments? Remember that childlike innocence, the fun of the power going out…of making shadows on the wall, and laughing into the evening, of good conversation and taking a moment to get to know those around you. Now, I’m not saying everyone in Ghana handles the power outages well, because that sure as hell would be a lie. But I can tell you, from what I hear from my participants, is that those afternoons always lead to the most interesting conversations…to getting to know those around you a bit better. I can tell you, that there is a group of individuals outside my window right now, chatting and laughing the blackout away. I can tell you that my homestay little brother and I did not waste a single moment of that “lights out” time, but instead spent it playing shadows on the wall or Uno or in a tickle war….Or talking and laughing with my homestay mom and brothers, sharing stories and thoughts. And aren’t those moments more important than the work productive ones? There’s something to be said about working hard, about getting things done, about productivity and efficiency. But there’s also something to be said about the relationships we create. I believe our life experience is based on the connections we establish with those who enter our lives. Based on the laughs and smiles and secrets we share, the memories we create, and the bonds we form…on the love that we give out and receive.

Life is full of problems, of challenges, of struggles. But if we see these as opportunities for growth, for learning; well that’s when the true education begins…If we’re not here to be tested, to grow and learn, then what is our purpose? What good would life be without the struggle? Yes, it would be easy…but that’s pretty much all it would be. “There is nothing for me to learn from winning. It is losing that has yielded all the unforgettable lessons. Losing is pregnant with chance.”

Ghana has taught me and continues to teach me so many lessons, I can hardly process them each day. I plan on using the next few bed-ridden days to make up for my lack of blogging the past couple of months. Perhaps my antibiotic induced state and inability to stand for more than 5 minutes has finally forced me to reflect on the past 7 months…the insanity, the magic, the joy that has been my life in Ghana. Thank you to all of you who keep on reading, and sorry for being so ridiculously inconsistent. I like to attribute it to the fact that I’ve been so much in this present moment…and honestly? That’s not such a bad problem to have (if you are on my end, anyways :p). Sending endless love and light to all of you:) Thank you for your constant love and support.

Namaste

“There are no solid experiences in life. Every experience is formed simply by our perceptions. Changing a perception will change the experience. You choose your experiences, so what will you choose to experience today?”

Learning to Love Ghana

So those of you on facebook have seen my really exciting announcement I’m sure!! I have accepted a Summer Volunteer Coordinator position here with ProWorld, and will be staying in Ghana until August! I literally spent about two weeks debating this decision, but in the end, realized I would be a fool to pass up an opportunity like this. In the field, on site, experience right out of college is something every new graduate should hope for, and here it is, right in front of me. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and for the support I’ve received from friends and family I’ve spoken with at home… I’m especially thankful to have two parents who support me so completely in all of my decisions and in every adventure I undertake. Thank you to both of you for always standing beside me, for your constant love and support…for encouraging me to be all that I can be and to always follow my heart.

SO, this summer, I will be helping with the ridiculous number of volunteers and interns we will be accommodating. I’ll help with pre-program correspondence, first day drop off’s and later check-in’s at project sites, official check in and exit interviews, help to organize and bringing participants to cultural excursions/activities, weekly reflections with interns, help Sarah organize and teach our weekly Global Citizen’s Initiative classes and bringing participants to dinners afterwards, and documenting participant project activities. I’m really excited about everything I’ll be working on this summer, and really feel I’ll be able to do a good job here, as well as get some amazing experience.

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If I’m being perfectly honest, if you had asked me in February if I thought I would be staying in Ghana past May, I would have laughed in response. I definitely went through a period of culture shock here, something I expected a touch of, but not quite to the extent I experienced it. I came in completely open and excited, and instantly fell in love with everything around me…that “honeymoon” period of culture shock they refer to I suppose… After a few weeks (especially after lectures started at the University), I began to feel frustrated with some of the views/ideas/etc in Ghana… Even today, now that I’ve fallen in love with Ghana, I look around and see a lot of things that still bother me. The treatment of women here was high on my list of frustrations. Over and over again in my lectures, I heard how the woman should live under the man, how she should stay home and cook/clean/take care of the kids etc… Now I know this idea is still prevalent in much of the US, as well, and I really had to step back and remember that. There’s also an acceptance of domestic violence in some areas here, and one of my classmates even made a comment that if the woman doesn’t feel the need to report it, then it’s not a problem. I also began to feel frustrated by the constant attention given to obronis: daily marriage proposals, children asking for money, the consistent yelling of “Obroni obroni!” everywhere one travels…It felt like I couldn’t have true friends here, without underlying intentions or motivations. But I finally worked through these things and started to better understand the roots of these problems. I also came to realize that these problems or occurrences do not constitute Ghana in its entirety. I have met so many wonderful friends now, who I know value our friendship for exactly what it is. Although I’ll never be okay with domestic violence, or oppression of women, I also can see the roots of these problems, and perhaps search for avenues to work on solutions, instead of simply throwing my hands up in the air, frustrated. It takes a lot to realize some things are so engrained in a culture, you cannot possibly change them so quickly…if the change is to come, it must come gradually and over time. There are no overnight solutions, especially to problems so firmly situated within a culture of people.

I’m happy to say that I’ve definitely entered the “acceptance” stage here, and have truly grown to love Ghana and accept everything for what it is. Some of the things I love about Ghana? The value that is placed upon the family and the relationships within that family. The time that is taken to check in with others, to see how their day is, how their health is, how their family is. The sense of brotherhood that comes from simply being from the same country, or the same area of that country- one of my friends told me if you’re in another area of Ghana and you meet people from the same region as you, you instantly feel a sense of companionship and friendship…and you’ll probably spend the rest of your time in that area with them. I love the fact that almost any stranger on the street is willing to help you, if only you greet them properly. I love that every child I meet wants to hold my hand and talk to me. That they get the most excited when you have a camera and take their picture…and the way they all run and crowd around you to see the final result. I love the games that children play, and seeing how their creativity has not been lost-they play with everything and anything they can get their hands on, and they are always ready and willing to teach you their game, if only you’ll take the time to play with them. I love how proud people become when they hear me speak Fante and realize I’m learning their language. I love the way Ghanaians love to have fun, and how going out generally means all night dancing, instead of wandering around a bar having superficial conversations. I love the way that every Ghanaian I know is an incredible dancer, and probably has been since they could walk…I see enough small children dancing better than I could ever hope to! I swear they hear a beat I can’t! I love the fact that although I hate getting a million phone calls/texts a day, most of the time it’s a simple one-minute conversation to see how I am. That although I can barely eat anything, I have a fever, and I feel like absolute shit, my homestay mom has the upmost optimism and reassures me, you’ll be okay by tomorrow! That my homestay family has become like a true family to me, that they worry about me and care for me as their own, and that my home here has truly become a home. I love that my homestay brother has become a true brother to me…he makes me laugh, is always up for whatever, gets protective when it comes to “his sister”, pisses me off although I can never stay mad at him, loves to bug the crap outta me, and always knows how to make me smile…he has sincerely become one of my best friends in Ghana. I love knowing I can count on any one of my friends here if I ever need anything. Love that they will come across town at 9 at night just to visit for five minutes and make sure I’m okay. I love that I’ve finally found myself here, that I can finally be myself in a completely new and different place.

There’s good and bad with any culture, with any country; I think the trick is to focus on what you love, learn from what you hate, and smile and laugh as much as you can along the way… There’s no harm in trying in small ways to make a difference, whether it be through a conversation with someone, or standing up for yourself in a lecture. But I always remember I didn’t come here to change anyone or anything-I simply came to become a part of the culture, to learn from the people, and to make relationships with new friends. And that’s exactly what I’ve done…

“But that’s the glory of foreign travel, as far as I am concerned. I don’t want to know what people are talking about. I can’t think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly, you are five years old again. You can’t read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can’t even reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses…”

Volta

Okay, so I know it’s been a really long time since I’ve posted a blog and I’m sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, sorry… Mepa wo kyew!! (“I beg you” in Fante, the local language.  You say it instead of saying sorry)

BUT in my defense, a little update on current life in Ghana?  The power has been out at least once a day (3 times yesterday), the internet was down at ProWorld for at least a week, the phone lines have been screwing up, and best of all: there is a water shortage in the entire central region so we have no water (I even heard the water sachets-which are the only water we drink here-are gone, because there’s no water for the companies to make them from).  That’s probably more like the image people have of life in Africa, although in reality, it’s not always this bad…

But anyways…I’m pretty far behind, so I want to share a bit about our trip a few weekends ago.  We had an incredible time and a much needed break from day to day life.  We travelled north into the Volta Region and visited a bunch of different places, which I mentioned in my last blog. On the map below on the right side, you can see the Region.  We were mostly in the lower part: labeled on the map are Akosombo Dam, Ho and Wli Falls, all of which we visited.

I was worried about the driving, but it honestly wasn’t terrible, aside from the small amount of room we had…BUT THERE WAS AIR CONDITIONING!!! Which is pretty much unheard of in a trotro.

 

We left on Friday and stopped at Akosombo Dam along the way.  Akosombo Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Volta River.  Its construction flooded part of the Volta River Basin and created Lake Volta, which is the world’s largest man-made lake, covering 3,283 square miles.

We also went to the Cedi Bead Factory, which was really amazing to see.  They make everything by hand and most of their beads from recycled glass. I will post more pictures on facebook soon.  It was really incredible to see the process, and the skill the craftsmen there possess.

On Saturday, we went to Wli Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in West Africa, and hiked two hours to the top falls.  It was one of the most difficult hikes I’ve completed, but definitely one of the most rewarding.  When we arrived at the top, there were no other groups around, and we took off running into the water.  It was incredibly beautiful and amazing to be next to something so powerful.

That night we drove up the mountain to a hotel called Mountain Paradise…and that it was.  I woke up on Easter morning in the most beautiful area I could ever ask for…it truly reminded me of home…

I could not have asked for a better morning….the wind was blowing strong, the sun was shining bright, and Jordan and I had a lovely meditation together on the hill.  It made me long for home, but also grateful for where I’m at, and for the friends I’ve made here, with whom I could share the holiday.

On Easter Sunday, we first went to the monkey sanctuary.  At first, I was worried we would be going to a closed in room or cages, or I’ve even heard there’s a place here where the monkeys are on chains.  But fortunately, this place fit none of those descriptions.  The guide takes you into the forest where he calls the monkeys down, and they come to eat bananas from your hand….what a way to spend Easter (:  (I’ve posted some pictures on facebook, but I’ll try to post some more soon!  I have a few of them and a video)  Our guide told us their traditional religion in the area, before the introduction of Christianity, involved the respect of these monkeys.  They believed they were messengers, to be treated with great respect and honor.  After the introduction of Christianity, this belief in the monkeys was seen as unholy and people started destroying the forest, or worse, killing the monkeys.  Finally, an NGO came in and helped to preserve and protect the forest and its adorable inhabitants.  Today, the sanctuary is doing pretty amazing things with the income it generates…

We also visited a traditional Kente weaving village in the Volta.  Kente is a traditional type of cloth here and the village is devoted to the making of it.  The families learn from a very young age and weave all their lives.  We went to see the process in their building, which was donated.  The material stretches across the entire length of the room from one weaver to another.  It was a pretty incredible process to see, and the weavers there were very friendly and sweet.

 

Here’s our group with our drivers and the kente weavers and their work.

Our last night, we stayed at Jordan’s and my favorite place, called Roots Yard.  It is owned by a lovely Rastafarian couple-a man from Ghana and a woman from England, who have two beautiful babies.  They have a few different accommodations there, a lovely garden, and a VEGAN restaurant (talk about excited…) Everything was wonderful…we ended up getting a huge rainstorm that lasted all afternoon and night, which was a true blessing.  Jordan, Julie and I ended up talking to the couple until three in the morning, discussing books, theories, ideas, and Rastafari.  It was a beautiful way to close the weekend…as soon as possible, Jordan and I want to visit again.  The couple was so inspiring and their family was beautiful…the location was perfect as well, settled amongst an endless background of green: trees, mountains, gardens…it was truly blissful.

We were greeted in Cape Coast by more rain (YES!) and the University of Cape Coast professors going on strike…which was alright since it meant no class for us, but after two weeks without class, we found there were some challenges with returning… (Both concerning our lack of a desire to be in school here, and with making up the work…)  Regardless, this is our week of classes and I’ll just have 3 exams throughout the month of May, which I’m pretty stoked about…Not feeling entirely the same about the end of May, however…Ghana truly has a hold on my heart…
Sending my family and friends more love than you can imagine!! I miss you all so much<3

“Always have a thought…Always make it a beautiful thought.”   (Hon. Marcus Garvey)

Together We Stand

(NOTE: I wrote this blog last week before Easter weekend so please excuse the awkwardness of a bit of it. I’ll post another about the Volta trip soon!)

 

Two and a half months in Africa…

 

Where has the time gone?  I always know it goes quickly once you start getting busy and into the swing of things….and my, what an adventure it’s been.  I feel like I’ve already been through so much…had so many crazy and new experiences, learned an incredible amount about others and myself, made some amazing new friends…  I’m really happy to say I’m honestly loving life here…I’m finally at home, halfway around the world.

 

It’s funny how life works itself out.  Even when you are experiencing a low point, when you are having a day where nothing goes right, where you feel like hiding away from the world for awhile…life has a way of handing you just what you need to bring you back.

 

Friday, I found myself just exhausted.  It’s been incredibly hot here and it’s the dry season currently…the heat has truly been draining.  And it doesn’t help that the power has been off more than on for the past few weeks.  I think all of these things combined with a bit of tummy trouble just really had me down and out for the count.  (I’ve even been going to bed around 9:00…before my 7 year old little brother…)  I found that two of the other study abroad kids that got here the same day I did, were really feeling the same way; so maybe its just that halfway through the trip, I need a break phase we all were entering..haha.  But I met Jordan at the beach and had a good chat with him and a few of our Rasta friends, and ended up staying in that night once I got home.  But Saturday was the start of an amazing weekend 🙂  My older brother (Ben), two of our really good Ghanaian friends, and Rachel and Jordan and I all went to the beach on Saturday and played in the ocean all day.  The waves were a little crazy and we definitely got knocked over a fair share, but we had SO much fun and so many laughs… Everyone in the group is so relaxed and easy going, and my brother keeps us in stitches every time we’re together…  Rachel came over for dinner and we had fufu and groundnut soup, my favorite (:

 

[(Side note/lesson: Here is fufu! Hopefully the link works!

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I know it doesn’t look entirely appetizing, and I never thought it would end up being my favorite meal… but I can assure you, it’s amazing.  It’s a mixture of cassava and plantain pounded for a reeeallyy long time together to form a kind of ball (looks like a dough ball).  You pinch off a piece of it and dip it into the soup to soak it up.  You’re not supposed to chew fufu but I do a little-I can’t get over that bit.  Groundnuts are essentially peanuts, so the groundnut soup tastes a lot like peanut butter.  It’s soo good and my Auntie is going to teach me how to make it before I leave (:  )]

 

 

Anyways, we ended up going out to Goil-our ProWorld group’s favorite spot to dance and drink.  We always have a huge table with Ghanaians and obroni’s and it’s always a good time (I’m sure I’ve mentioned this, but obroni means foreigner).  Rachel, Ben and I laughed the entire way there and everyone danced the night away.  Sunday, we ended up going back to the beach and played in the ocean all afternoon.  I saw all my favorite Rastas, who always put me in a good mood.  I went swimming with ATL and I beat-boxed for him while he freestyle rapped, which he is amazing at.  You just can’t be sad around Rastas-they’re always full of good vibes and energy…

 

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I’ve just truly grown to love the people I share my time with here.  Everywhere I go, I always say the same thing: it’s the people that do it for me…that make me fall in love with a place.  Despite all the things that frustrate me about Ghana, I’ve found friends I adore, that truly make my time here amazing.  I’ve finally gotten back to myself here; I feel like I’ve found myself in Ghana, and connected with people who really know how to make me smile… I’m so incredibly grateful I’ve been blessed all my life with such amazing friends and family.  I know I will face more challenges throughout the rest of this journey, but I feel more ready than ever for them.

 

 

A few last notes:

We’re traveling to the Volta region this weekend!  It’s our first real trip and I’m soo excited.  I think it will be good to get out of Cape Coast for a bit.  We’re going to a waterfall, a monkey sanctuary, a kente weaving factory, a bead factory and the dam (:  We leave Friday morning really early, stop in Accra, travel all weekend and return home Monday.  This will be the first Easter in a few years that I haven’t spent with my Momma in Boone at Elk Falls….but we’ll be together in spirit, as always (and since I know you’re reading this, you better go do something fun too!)

 

Sorry there have been no pictures from me! Every time I try to upload some, facebook won’t let me… I’ll keep trying though!  I’ve been working on taking more too, since I realized a week ago I had barely taken any since I got here…

 

And I’m also sorry I’ve been sucking at blogging…I get so wrapped up in everything I’m doing here, which is honestly a really good thing!  I’ve been journaling as much as I can remember/have time for/can stay awake for…haha.  I’ve been trying to answer everyone’s messages and e-mails as fast as I can though!  I know you all understand and know how bad at communication I am, which I’m pretty glad for… (try explaining to a Ghanaian that you hate the phone and don’t usually return calls or texts…)  Just please know I’m thinking about all of you and I’m so grateful for all the love you keep sending me.  It truly means the world to me: more than you probably know…it’s what pulls me through…I love and miss you all so much!!!

 

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So usually, I end with a quote….but today I’m gunna change it up and end with a little anecdote from Saturday morning…It wasn’t a big deal but I found it to be hilarious…one of those: Man, I love homestay family moments…

 

I was sitting in the living room eating breakfast on Saturday morning.  My brother was opposite of me in the chair, my Auntie on the couch and Mame in the kitchen.  All of a sudden, I notice this crazy bug flying around the living room.  (The night before, I had a giant cockroach in my shower…I’m sad to admit I wimped out and had Ben come shoo it out for me…  He thought it was pretty funny though!)  I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want them to kill it-they ALWAYS kill any bugs in the house, while I run around gently putting ants and spiders that crawl on me, on the ground…

 

All of a sudden Ben is like,

 

“What the hell is that…”

 

I just started laughing and he’s like, Can I kill it?  He knew my crazy hippie self would say No, just chase it outside!  He was like, What if it doesn’t want to go outside?  So, my Auntie goes and opens the door and starts waving at it with a towel…it tries to go into the kitchen and Mame starts waving at it with another towel.  Finally, they both wave it outside together, safe and free.  We all started laughing and Ben was like… “Together we stand….That should be our motto.”  Oh, the adventures of living with an obroni…they even free insects for me (:

Lessons

 

I can still remember reading countless ProWorld Ghana volunteer blogs before my departure…just trying to get some kind of glimpse at what the next few months of my life would be like…attempting to understand the daily life I would soon take part in…

 

Now I’ve been in Ghana for almost two months…and the reality of living here is so far from anything I could have ever imagined: neither in a positive nor negative way.  I have had some really hard days lately, mostly accepting some of the cultural and value differences here.  But this week, I think I finally had some sort of breakthrough and I’m beginning to have more “I love Ghana” than “Ghana is pissing me off today” moments, which I’m so grateful for.  In fact, as I sit up writing this post late into the night (seems to be the only time I have free time to write), I finally feel that gratitude for this adventure flowing through me once again, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

 

Lesson learned/in progress of learning?  Self care.  Now, I already know the importance of taking care of oneself, especially when experiencing something so entirely new, when working in a developing country, when volunteering, or even at home… But that doesn’t mean I always follow through with actions, which I know would truly benefit me.  Why is it that we so often neglect ourselves, denying ourselves resources that are at our fingertips; refusing ourselves something so essential to our wellbeing?  Certainly this does not apply to everyone, but many of us stumble through the same patterns of self-neglect.  Well, it turns out this is not an acceptable path when in Ghana…
So, I have learned… I have found the absolute necessity in quiet time: alone, away from the hustle and bustle and so on… Time to think, and especially to process and work through the events of a day is so essential to our mental health.  I now have been finding some time during the day, whenever that may be, to sit quietly alone and work through everything, to work on myself…my favorite places to do this are on my roof at my homestay under the stars, at ProWorld sitting in my favorite tree which literally pretty much is a chair, or next to the ocean (when that’s possible…).  I also have been seeking out more time for meditating, writing, Reiki (google it if you don’t know what it is :)), and yoga.  Ghana has surprisingly aided in my quest for an opportunity and the time to complete this self-work.

 

Which leads me to another interesting observation…Jordan and I had a conversation about this on a particularly challenging day for the both of us…So many people float through life without ever truly working on themselves…without looking within to say: Hey, you know, I don’t like that about myself…how can I change it into something positive?  Self-work is some of the most difficult work to be done I believe, but the benefits are so extraordinary, it is worth every effort.  When you truly make a positive effort, you can see the change you are striving for.  For example, I’ve realized I have a terrible habit of missing places I am not currently residing in…Right now, I miss New York, North Carolina, Arizona/southern Utah, and Haiti…  that’s a whole lotta missing… So now, every time I start to miss something, somewhere, or I think of something I’m excited to do when I get home, I instantly think of a reason why I’m excited to be here…something coming up that day or the next that I’m excited for, or a reason why I love Ghana…  Such a simple practice can slowly, but surely, bring about a change in turning an overwhelming emotion into something positive and new.

 

Granted, this is just one of the challenges I am working through here.  Ghana has a way of taking all of the things you’ve known for awhile you needed to work on, and presenting them in a way which does not allow you the luxury of putting off working through them.  Something you may have been running from is standing right in front of you.  There is no way around it-you must work through it.  But simple exercises like the one I’ve described, as well as my quiet processing time, have presented me with an incredible opportunity for learning and growth.  I think that’s why people choose to study abroad in someplace like Ghana…we know we are challenging ourselves and we accept those challenges, in the hopes of returning with new perspectives, new life views, and most of all: new connections with people and places.

 

 

For a quick update, Jordan’s and my first day of teaching at the school went wonderful!  (As soon as we were told we were speaking too fast!)  We ended up talking to students who were a little older, but this proved to be to our benefit, as they were even very shy and not so quick to answer our questions.  I think our main goal with our lessons will be pretty basic: to help them understand why farming is important, why its such a necessary livelihood.  I really want to help them understand how necessary it is they do not follow in the footsteps of America’s food system.  (There’s a blog post for another day…Paula’s rant on the industrial food system…Get ready readers..)  I’ve actually been telling everyone I meet the problems in America across the board: from the lack of jobs, the high cost of living, the energy extraction, the industrial food system, the way in which a handful of companies own EVERYTHING and have an exceptional amount of power, especially over government, and yes there is in fact: poverty in the United States.  The idea of the US is so misconstrued here and some days I wonder if anyone takes anything I say seriously (probably 50% honestly…)  But then I think about the ideas Americans have of Africa and I’m not so surprised or frustrated…

 

Lastly! It was Independence Day here on Wednesday!!! Talk about a celebration!! We went to the beach closest to us but it was SOOO packed… We ended up staying anyways: my brother and I really wanted to go swimming (:  We went to his friend’s shop nearby for dinner which was some of the best food I’ve had out in Ghana and definitely some of the cheapest.  And then we went out to our usual spot-Goil- for Jane’s birthday!  Always lots of laughs, music, and dancing (:  Something I love about Ghanaians: they always know how to let go, be free and have a good time dancing the night away…

 

“When confronted with fear, I eventually knew I had to face it because I could not live a fear-restricted life….”You’re very brave and you know yourself well.  Always trust what you feel.  Don’t turn on yourself with doubts and feelings of inadequacy.  They’s a bloody waste of time.  It takes guts to believe in yourself. And remember, it’s okay if other people don’t understand you or believe in you.  It’s not their job to do that, but it is your job to be true to yourself.  If you don’t, you ain’t got bloody nothing mate.” (Naked in Eden, (Ian speaking to Robin))