Nearly three weeks have passed since I arrived in Accra, Ghana and my experience has gotten better with each passing day. The ebb and flow of life in Accra can seem chaotic at first, but as you come to understand the remarkable ways in which people are making the best of an imperfect system, the Read More …
Recently, the beloved Ghanaian playwright Ebo Whyte brought laugher to the National Theater while addressing the issue of false prophesies in his latest play I Want Your Wife. Five Americans all the way from Oregon were among the Ghanaians laughing along with every joke. We watched as Ben and Abena struggled with the prophecy which Read More …
I reached the Ghanaian parliament building at 9:45 and was supposed to meet my coworker, Patrick, at 10. I began walking down the extended road that led to the entrance and was stopped by a security guard with an Ak-47 on his back. He checked my bag and let me continue. The parliament building itself Read More …
On July 19, 2019, the two best national soccer teams in Africa will go head-to-head in Egypt’s Cairo International Stadium in the final match in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). Last week, on July 8, I got to see firsthand the importance of soccer to the Ghanaians I work with and in the surrounding Read More …
As soon as I came into the office last Thursday morning, my coworker said, “I’m leaving and you’re coming with me!” I had absolutely no idea where I was going but I was excited to find out. About 30 minutes later, my coworker and I arrived at a conference called World Population Day 2019–an international Read More …
Last Monday morning, in the middle of the first monsoon since we arrived, I got dropped off at my internship for the summer. Another girl from the program and I walked through the front door of Innova DDB, one of the 5 marketing organizations within the Ninnani group. She would be working for their PR Read More …
Growing up, I was extremely shy – to the point where I couldn’t even order food at restaurants for most of my childhood. Thankfully I outgrew my shyness for the most part. When I first began my internship at Metro TV, I was assigned the position of a broadcast journalist. As my coworker described my Read More …
While on a trip out of Accra to Cape Coast we had the wonderful opportunity to eat at a non-profit, NGO-run, vegetarian restaurant which used only organic and locally sourced food. The Baobab School for Trades and Traditional Arts was founded in 2001 and focuses on implementing development projects in Ghana. The Moringa Restaurant, where Read More …
As I stepped out of the air-conditioned Kotoka International Airport, the first thing that hit me was the overwhelming heat and humidity of Accra. I searched anxiously for the bus that would take me to my new home for the summer, noticing that everybody had a friendly smile on their faces. The positive attitude of Read More …
I can’t believe it’s been a week since I landed in Accra. From the humidity to the bustling traffic, these last few days have been a whirlwind. The greenery that surrounds the city has been a source of comfort, reminding me of the pine trees that decorate the Pacific Northwest. While the scenery of the Read More …
Hello, all! My name is Francis O’Leary. This September I’ll be beginning my second year at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon. This summer, though, I’m participating in the UO’s Media in Ghana program in Accra, Ghana along with 19 of my fellow SOJC students. After a week of orientation Read More …
While I have been in Ghana for the last couple of weeks, I was given the opportunity to have clothing hand made for me from cloth with traditional prints. Many years ago, the cloth was hand printed and unique, but because of the spread of globalization cloth is being mass-produced and shipped to Ghana to Read More …
Today we had the amazing opportunity to visit the Anani Memorial International School in Nima, a town that is known to be a little bit poorer compared to other towns and cities in Ghana. Nima is also famous for its huge market, Nima Market, where I hope to visit again to purchase crafts and goods Read More …
Well, we’re here. This first week has been a whirlwind of experiences and emotions. It’s been amazing so far, truly. The people in this group and the people of Accra have made this period of getting settled enjoyable, to say the least. Accra is unlike any city I have experienced before. The food is amazing, Read More …