So I realized I haven't written much about my time in Ghana, and my Blog is basically a place to get donations. So I am going to tell you all about my experience in Ghana I probably wont remember a lot of specific details and dates but here ya go! :)
So I left the USA early in the morning on January 30 and traveled for 24 hours to reach Ghana. When I arrived at the airport it was around 9pm. I was so confused in the airport, but just went with the flow. There was a man standing there, his name was Evans, he picked up me and another volunteer (Alyssa, who I met in the Amsterdam Airport and stayed a month in the same program) and we traveled to the main volunteer house. I remember the whole ride there I was looking out the window and just taking all the new sites in. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. We then went to bed and woke up early the next morning for orientation. After orientation we traveled to our placements. Alyssa's and mine was the Pink Program, "The Potters Village Orphanage." which was in a small village called Dodowa. We stayed in a house with the other volunteers that were there. There was no running water so we had to bucket shower which wasn't that bad when you got used to it. Us Americans use sooo much water when taking a shower! We had electricity but there were A LOT of times where it would go out and we would be without it. When I arrived, there was 12 volunteers total. After meeting them we walked to the orphanage to look around (its about a 10 minute walk) at this time all the kids were at school so we didn't meet many of them. We went back to the house and had lunch. It was noodles, which ended up being one of my favorite meals when I was there. We walked to the orphanage to greet the kids getting home from school and instantly they were all over us new volunteers. They are all so adorable!! The next morning we woke up at 5:15am and walked to the orphanage to help get all the kids ready for school. THIS WAS CRAZY. I remember everyone was struggling to get ready for school, and some kids were going to be late and miss the bus. So we had to hurry. Plus it was early in the morning and I was still asleep! But we ended up getting them to school on time!
My first weekend there Alyssa, Cindy and I traveled to Cape Coast. This place was amazing! We woke up at 4am and traveled there riding on "Tro Tro's" these are like vans with a bunch of seats where they put as many people as they can inside. On a hot day it is miserable to ride in one of these, but I got used to it, and this was our main way of transportation. We went to the beach where we met a man named Justice. He offered to show us around, so we let him! He took us to Cape Coast Castle and saw where the English kept all the slaves that they would export out on ships. It was such and Eyre place, so sad to hear what they did to the Ghanaian people, If any of you all go to Ghana hit up Cape Coast. We then went back to our hotel (Hans Cottage Botel) This place is surrounded by Crocodiles! It was crazy!! I remember walking on this path around the Hotel not knowing that they just let the Crocodiles wander where ever the crap they want, and I was about to walk right past a HUGE croc. He looked at me and showed his teeth. I calmly stopped and turned right around! I was terrified! The next day we went to Kankum National Forest where we did a "Canopy Walk" Justice insisted that he came with us. I remember the whole time there we were trying to ditch him because he ended up wanting us to pay him for his services. Screw that! We finally got rid of him! The next day we headed back home! During the week we did the same routine. The kids had began to know my name and our friendship was beginning to develop!
During the week we would wake up early get the kids ready for school and serve their breakfast and walk them either to the bus stop or directly to school. In the morning we would usually have bread for breakfast, which was the best!!! Freshly baked in the morning and ahh it was delicious! On a rare occasion we would get porridge which was soo soo good! Then while the kids where at school we would either go pay their fees, go to Accra, do our laundry, basically whatever we wanted to do! Then when they would get home from school we would go and play with the kids, attend to their medical needs, help them study, read to them, help prepare dinner occasionally. When the kids were having dinner we would usually head back home for our dinner. On our walk home we would usually buy cookies, or coke to go with our rice and red sauce, with a boiled egg if we were lucky! Which was delicious!
It was either my 2nd or 3rd weekend and Alyssa and I traveled to Kokrobite (a Rasta Beach) This place was my favorite ever. We hung out on the beach all day just talking to a bunch of the shop owners. It was so fun! We also got fried!! Because well, we are both red heads and fell asleep on the beach earlier that day. haha Then later that night we enjoyed some traditional Africa dancing! The Sunday of that weekend is when it hit. MALARIA. Yes. Yes I did get Malaria in Africa, of course that would happen to me! Anyways, the first couple days are honestly a blur... I remember being super sick and just staying in bed all day. The kids where so adorable, they wrote me get well letters and some came to visit me at the house! I remember Emit came to come and visit me and I couldn't even walk straight. I had to use the wall as a balance. But the kids were sweet and said they prayed for me lots! haha on Wednesday I went to the Hospital. Now that was an experience. haha I had to travel to Madina (a town outside of Dodowa) On a tro tro. IT WAS AWFUL!! Luckily another volunteer came with me on the tro, her name was Jayne. When we got there I met up with Evans and Jayne went to do some shopping for the kids. Evans took me to the hospital where they admitted me and gave me IV's because I was dehydrated from not eating, plus I had sun stroke from my sunburn. They also gave me two shots in the butt. They didn't even tell me what they were doing, they just pulled down my pants and stuck me! haha I was there form 10 in the morning till 6pm. That night I stayed at the main volunteer house where we stayed the first night, and took a shower (yes they had running water) I about cried with I saw the shower! haha at this time I was feeling a lot better and thought that my Malaria had passed. LIES. It came back the next night and I was back to laying in bed all day. I was close to coming home. I told my Parents if I don't get better in another week I will come home. But luckily I got better and was able to stay my full 2 months! I lost 15 lb. that week. That was the only bad week I had in Ghana. But it was all apart of the experience right?!
Stay tuned for My Ghanaian Experience Part 2 :)
No comments:
Post a Comment