This past week our jet-lagged brains were under fire, absorbing unfamiliar sounds and smells, stimulated by the constant exploration of Accra. Our group is made up of trained communicators whose majors focus on the power of storytelling. Regardless of the medium we use to tell our stories, each concentration of the SOJC is unified by Read More …
Africa is often presented to the western world as an unknown country. Yes, it is wrongfully seen as a continent where everyone is the same. A topic that angers most, the misconception of what and who resides across the Atlantic Ocean reaches far beyond the passed-down knowledge the youth receives. Western media and academia both Read More …
Today, we received a lecture from Dr. Michael Williams on the transatlantic slave trade and the effects of it that still persist in Africa today. I found the lesson to be one of the most impactful moments of the trip so far, because it allowed me to see Ghana in a new way. I know Read More …
Yesterday we visited the Anani Memorial International School (AMIS) in the Nima area of Accra. Nima is one of the economically deprived communities of Accra. It was clear that there is almost no sanitation infrastructure. The markets that lined the streets were notably different from what you find in upscale neighborhoods like East Legon where Read More …
On Monday I had the pleasure and privilege of listening to Dr. Audrey Gadzekpo speak about the history of media in Ghana and the current media climate. Gadzekpo is currently a senior professor in the department of communication studies at the University of Ghana. She earned a doctorate degree in African Studies at the University Read More …
Should a local man or women mention “Aburi”, the first emotion that comes to mind is being relaxed. This sacred land up high is not far for those who seek it; yet, the large garden and forest lie distant from the busy sounds of Accra. I am new to international travel and this freshman experience Read More …
We embarked on our journey to Ghana one week ago today. Adjusting to life in Accra challenges each of us to venture beyond our comfort zone, but I’ve come to realize that the cold showers are refreshing and Ghanaians are welcoming. Each day, I recognize another small luxury that I took for granted in America. Read More …
After spending a significant portion of our first week in Accra touring the city by bus- I have become familiar with the print and billboard advertising strategies of the city. My initial reaction is that there is plenty of repetition of the physical ads across the city. I noticed that the billboards are frequent along Read More …
We were not so sure about our choice of flying with Egypt Air to Accra, Ghana in the beginning. However, the outcome surprised us in a big way. During the 21-hour layover in Cairo, Egypt, we started the amazing adventure of Summer 2017 before we even arrived in Ghana! After checking in at the hotel Read More …
The radiant sun peeks through beige curtains as I hear the alarm beeping. It’s 7 am which means it’s time to start our first day in Ghana. As I sit up, I feel a rumble in my stomach and run to the bathroom as nausea takes over my body. After feeling sick for an hour, Read More …
I felt like everyone was looking at me. I kept my head down and walked to seat 28A. I asked the two men already seated in row 28 if I could get to my seat and awkwardly maneuvered myself over them, somehow still managing to hit each of them in the face with my purse. Read More …
Maybe I was having too-easy of a packing and preparation process. Things were going a little too smoothly. Perhaps I needed a reality check; a sign that leaving America for six weeks wasn’t actually going to be that simple. So here’s what happened (the abridged version): My bags were basically packed and ready to go. Read More …
As intrigued as I am to sit on the plane and watch every new released movie Delta has to offer, I am just as inspired to sit down and journal what has happened so far on the journey to Ghana. Half way there, only four more hours to go and I will take my first Read More …
words by Katrina Cantwell photos by Austin Hicks Media in Ghana 2017 had our final group meeting before we start the adventure of a lifetime together. Instead of having our normal class session on Thursday, everyone going on the trip (and a few others) gathered at Leslie’s house on Friday night for a pizza party. The Read More …
On an overcast day that blended with all the other humid days Ghana offered, cohort member Andie and I set out to tell a story. We had no idea what would amount from our expedition or who we would meet. We only had one common purpose: to make something great. Naturally, as all great adventures Read More …