There should be a special word for that feeling you have when you walk into a situation with no expectations. It’s a mix of thrill and excitement with anxiousness on the side– and lots of contemplation of different scenarios in an effort to prepare for what’s to come. Whatever that word is, it is Read More …
My first week and a half in Ghana felt a bit like a fever dream. Exhausted, dazed, and exceptionally sweaty, it was like I’d been dropped on another planet. Part of it is the heat. There is a sweltering dampness that rises from the ground and sticks. It may also be the lack of sleep. Read More …
Visiting the forts along Cape Coast was one of the more powerful and haunting experiences of my life. There’s only so much you can learn about the transatlantic slave trade through reading books and watching documentaries. Seeing the forts in person and hearing about the experiences of the people who were kept there on site Read More …
Today, I had the pleasure of being introduced to the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection for the Republic of Ghana, Honorable Cynthia Morrison. She spoke to nearly 60 children who had been gathered off the streets of Accra earlier this morning. Two buses pulled up to Efua Sutherland Children’s Park around 10:30 a.m. Read More …
Today was definitely a day of firsts. I began my very first media internship, and it occurred at Radio Univers located on the campus of the University of Ghana. Or shall I say I was scheduled to begin. Before I touch on that, let me talk about another first. For the first time since I Read More …
The nerves were at an all-time high that first day of work. Everyone woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready. None of us really knew what to expect. All spring term was meant to prepare us for the moment that we walked through those office doors, but until it actually happened, we Read More …
“The past Is but the cinders Of the present; The future The smoke That escaped Into the cloud-bound sky.” – Kwesi Brew When French explorer and slave trader Jean Barbot visited Elmina Castle in 1682, he described the high stone walls as strong, beautiful and cannon-proof. He detailed the surrounding warehouses as being “stately and Read More …
This past weekend our group took a weekend trip to the lovely Cape Coast region, located along the central coast of Ghana about three hours west of Accra. This portion of Ghana was known as the Gold Coast during British colonial rule; however, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in 1471 and built Read More …
My perception of Africa was extremely skewed by the media in America. For a while, I thought there was nothing but safaris and deserts. A typical American view of Africa. I have to blame myself for thinking that way. It wasn’t until my roommate, Duane Harris, came to Ghana in 2017 that I learned Accra, Read More …
We started the day off by traveling twenty miles north of Cape Coast to Kakum National Park, a rainforest that spans 145 square miles and is home to various wildlife. To most people, having the opportunity to walk through a rainforest and explore its natural habitat is a coveted bucket list item. Thus, one would Read More …
Elmina is a small, coastal town about three hours west of Accra. It is home to the Elmina slave-trading castle, which is the oldest European built structure in sub-Saharan Africa. The town itself is small, crowded, and busy, similar to many coastal towns I’m familiar with in the U.S. When we visited this past weekend, Read More …
Earlier this week we visited two of the slave “castles” on the coast of Ghana. Before arriving I did not think much of it. I had been to old prisons before and I felt aware of the ramifications of slavery, having grown up in the south. However, this trip, especially the visit to Elimina Castle Read More …
I don’t know exactly where to begin with this post. On Friday, we drove slightly more than three hours to Cape Coast. We made several stops along the way, but one was memorable. It was called Mid-Way Rest Stop. It consisted of restrooms, restaurant and store. What was unique about this rest stop was the Read More …
As we approach the end of our first official week settling in Ghana, it has been one of the most eye-opening and humbling experiences that I have ever been a part of. I am utterly amazed by how friendly everyone is here. From arriving on that first Saturday night after a full day of travel, Read More …
We touched down in Accra just five sweaty days ago and this sprawling city is beginning to feel familiar. On our ride over to the Nima Internation School today I was already recognizing streets and starting to understand how the neighborhoods connect. What I wasn’t expecting was the enchanting energy of the school kids. We Read More …