Today, June 26th, we went to Anani Memorial International School in Nima. And those kids at school melted my heart. After being rained on and getting soaked, dodging “water falls” from the gutters, and turning corners countless times in little alleyways, we finally arrived at the school. It was nothing like any school I have Read More …
I’ve been Ghana for about a week now and the realization that I’m in Africa didn’t sink in until this morning when we were trekking through the back allies of Nima in the pouring rain, looking for a local school, where we had the privilege to watch children preform for us and after give them pens, Read More …
I woke on Day 3 at 7 a.m…I thought it was later, but the combination of a blaring sun and a sweating body made for a less than ideal state of trying to fall back asleep. My roommate Spencer and I were the only two up at the time, and in attempt to live a Read More …
On Thursday, we took the bus to Nima to visit the Anani Memorial International School. We parked our bus at the nearest landmark—the “big gutter”—and from there we heeded the advice of the school’s headmaster to let him guide us to the school. Across the street, Kofi Anani emerged from the hidden depths of one of Read More …
As I was preparing for my trip to Ghana during the weeks leading up to my arrival, I figured I should have leeway in my normal diet to eat the different foods I knew I would miss while abroad. I thought I would lose weight while in Ghana because I wouldn’t be used to the Read More …
Prior to my trip to Ghana, I, along with another 15 students from the journalism school, were required to take an orientation class in which we learned about Ghanaian culture and lifestyle. We talked about the differences between living in the United States and Ghana, which include having to wash our clothes by hand and Read More …
This morning we woke up to a delicious breakfast and I finally got to try Ghana’s famous mangos. They certainly did not disappoint–with each bite, I felt a little closer to heaven. The papaya and pineapple were also astounding in ways that I cannot fully articulate. After breakfast, we had orientation with Leslie and Doc. Doc provided some Read More …
On any typical day I would normally listen to a variety of musical genres, including Spanish reggae and Latino dance music (the kind of music you would find at Cow Fish and even Taylor’s sometimes), neither of which are considered to be traditional Latino/Mexican music. However, during the week I began preparing myself for my journey to Ghana, Read More …
Despite the title of this post, in which I am un-creatively stating the obvious, those exact words swirled endlessly through my head (I’m also pretty sure I said them about 200 times, which I’m sure sounded intelligent) as I stepped off of the plane and breathed in the humid, tropical air. The last few weeks Read More …
I have been in Ghana for only a few days, but I feel so comfortable here already. Perhaps it’s the weather, or the food, or the people. Surprisingly, Ghana reminds me so much of South Korea. I haven’t even been home during the summer for two years, but this trip here brings me back to Read More …
Today I got my first glimpse at some of the harsh realities that exist in Ghana. My neighborhood, East Legon, is one of the most affluent parts of Accra. When exploring the neighborhood, it is not uncommon to see houses larger than my own, or Ghanaians driving Range Rovers. Keep in mind that cars here Read More …
I don’t think I’ve ever felt as privileged as I did riding down the streets of urban Accra today. I wasn’t surprised to see the impoverished conditions of the people in communities much poorer than East Legon, where we’re staying. I expected the crowded, littered streets and homes made of scrap metal and whatever else Read More …
The attitude I bore coming into Ghana went something along the lines of, “Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best.” I wanted to anticipate anything that could go awry during the trip. I followed the advice I had received before arrival as closely as I could to avoid a meltdown or intense culture shock. For Read More …
I would have never guessed I’d one day find myself waking up in Africa. After months of planning and years of dreaming, I have at last arrived in Accra, Ghana! It’s currently 6:36 p.m. of day three, and already I feel as though so many things have happened. I’ll be keeping a daily journal to Read More …
The Ghanaians take soccer, or as they call it here, football, very seriously. After being here for only a few days, I have already come to realize that football is an integral part of the country’s culture. The sport is incorporated into billboards and advertisements, and locals participate in large pick-up games after work and Read More …