Sunday 28 September 2014

We're honourary Ghanaians! Well, at lease we think we are...


COUNTRY: Ghana
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Etta Napier

Akwaaba!

Welcome to the second blog post for the August 2014 Ghana GapBreak group. Three weeks in, and I think it's fair to say we are now honorary Ghanaians! At least we think we are… the locals probably think otherwise.

We have finally got the hang of navigating the chaotic streets of Swedru, bartering in taxis and tro-tros, politely declining marriage proposals and avoiding the slightly soggy-looking pastries sold by venders on the side of the road - no matter how much they insist to us that they are freshly made. We have learnt to love the noise, chaos and the constant claustrophobia of Ghanaian life, so much so that I think heading back to Australia will be quite a culture shock for us all! We have made some fantastic discoveries in the past two weeks about everyday life here, first and foremost being Fan Ice - a semi-frozen ice cream sold in plastic bags that is literally the best thing that has ever happened to us. We have also discovered that everything we want to buy has two prices - the real price, and the ridiculously inflated obruni (foreigner) price, which is irritating to say the least.

Most importantly though, we have discovered how truly happy and optimistic the Ghanaian locals are here, despite living in a comparatively poor and basic environment. It really does put into perspective how lucky we have it back at home, and how important it is to not take such luck for granted.

Our first two weeks of teaching were a real eye opener. A great one, of course, but wow. These kids are something else. Most of the group have been working with 7-9 year olds, and they range from being angels to devils. We love both equally though. It's hard not to, they have such sweet smiles! It takes all of our willpower not to just squeeze them for hours on end. Teaching is a mental and physical challenge, and most days we leave the schools absolutely exhausted. But it is so worth it. Already we see how much these kids benefit from having a teacher that nurtures rather than commands them, or in some cases having a teacher at all! Hopefully we are getting through to them, as they have most certainly made an impact on us.

Our weekend travels have been the perfect way to unwind after a hard week's work. Last weekend we made a trip down to a resort within Accra called Big Millys and celebrated Georgia's birthday. There we were treated to some live reggae music and cocktails by the beach! Pretty blissful.

This weekend we went on a fascinating trip down to Elimina - a small fishing town and home to St George's castle, the largest trans-Atlantic slave trade castle on the Gold Coast (the bottom photo above). It was beautiful, in a way that sent shivers down your spine. It was almost ethereal to be within a place so rich in history.

Hope you enjoyed, until next time!

Etta

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