Written by Gabriella Barnett - GapBreak 2009, Ghana
We went to Kakum National Park 2 weeks ago which was cool. 'Hans Cottage Botel' was fairly isolated so we had to walk a bit before we could find some inexpensive local food. It was so wierd arriving there because it was like a real standard 1 or 2 star resort type place with a swimming pool, rooms with showers, a gym, ping pong table -how awesome! The restaurant was on stilts over a crocodile pond. We did a 7km walk to the rock shrine -3 giant rocks balanced on top of each other. It was as scary as I'd anticipated trying to pull myself over the first rock -you had to grab on to these 2 vines and walk up it's side vertically. Unfortunately we couldn't go further because it was too wet. We were incredibly fortunate with the weather though - it was a little overcast and not too hot - because it was all so exhausting! The next day, we did the Kakum National Park Canopy walk which was cool because you have got a good view of the rainforest by walking along a very thin bridges raised 50m high. We took heaps of photos -some very funny as it was quite scary. After that we went to see Elmina Castle. Just standing outside and looking at it hits you with something I can't quite describe, but we'd been so shocked from the Cape Coast Castle tour, that the Elmina Castle tour didn't affect us as much as it would've.
I teach Class 1 all day, everyday, now. It was hard changing classes after having gotten to know class 2 so well, but they've definitely grown on me. I get a nice big group hug in the morning upon entering the classroom, which is so heart warming. I mostly teach them songs, to read, and subtraction in maths. They love to colour, but they don't have much imagination so I have to draw things for them or tell them what to draw.
We visited the orphanage on Tuesday again (I didn't go last week as I was sick, so I was really excited). Spiderman (Steven) I feel, has taken a liking to me - he's such a great, happy kid (anyone would totally adore him!) - but his sister, 'Quiet Ama' (a.k.a.) Spiderwoman), was so sad when I saw her, because the 2 Swedish girls that were there 24/7 had left and I think she'd grown really attatched to one of them. She could barely look at me and wouldn't smile. I managed to lift her poor little spirit, but I felt terrible when it was time for us to leave. When Steven and Ama saw a few of us head off, they got really worried and kept asking me if we were leaving and if we'd come back. Sometimes, I wish I hadn't planned my around the world trip so I could come back as soon as I'd done my safari and just stay at the orphanage. There's a new baby of only about 2 or 3 months, that Phoebe held for a while, who looked as if he'd been totally emotionally shattered. He seemed to always be on the verge of a major cry breakout, and whenever someone else went to touch him, his eyes would well up even more, and unless you backed off, he'dbegin to cry. That's even worse than Ama, who, for our first week of visiting, wouldn't show any signs of emotion and was irresponsive. An older girl who seems lovely, kept trying to claim us as her mum. It's just tragic that they can't fulfill their want to love and to be loved.
We're going to the Volta region this weekend -sounds like a very exotic place!
There is no other position I'd rather be in than the one I'm in now.
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