Volunteer Teaching- Ghanaian Style!

When I decided to come to Ghana on my Around the World trip, the main reason for selecting this country was to experience the culture through volunteer work.  During my 6 weeks in Accra, I was living right next to the school that I was volunteering at.  The school, Central International Academy, went from early childcare (1-3 years old) to 8th grade.  I have so many amazing memories from my time at this school.  Looking through the photos of all of the kids makes me smile, which is funny considering how much they terrorized me during my first week!

On my first day of school I found out that I would be teaching the 1st grade class.  This was slightly intimidating given that 1) I had no teaching experience, and 2) I had no curriculum to look over prior to my first day.  To say that I had a rough first day would be an understatement.  Within about an hour the kids realized that I was incapable of disciplining them the way they were used to which meant that I had absolutely no control over the class.  The 2nd grade teacher had to come over at least once an hour to yell at them!

After the first couple of days I realized that I wasn't quite ready to lead a classroom on my own so I spoke with the headmistress to make alternate arrangements.  I ended up rotating between the different age groups every day so that I could help out with each teacher as something came up.  This was such a better fit and it gave me the opportunity to spend time with all the kids, although I found myself with the 1-3 year olds the most given that the little boy, Adom, that I met my first day was in that classroom!  Another benefit of hanging out with the toddlers was nap time...and yes, all of the teachers took advantage of nap time as well! (see below)

  

On the first day that I was working with the preschool class, I saw a little boy who looked distraught at the sight of me, so I smiled and waved at an attempt to cheer him up.  He started screaming at the top of his lungs! I later found out that I was the first white person that he had ever seen! After a few days he finally warmed up to me!

Here are some of my rotations during the first few weeks!

The little ones!

ABC's with the preschool class

The Kindergarten class

After working with the younger kids, Desmond and Deborah convinced me to come teach their class, 3rd grade, with their teacher, George.  I had a lot of fun with this class and found myself becoming the math teacher for 3rd grade and above! Desmond and Deborah would keep getting in trouble for calling me "Auntie Lisa" rather than "Miss Lisa" which I couldn't help but smile about!  I settled into the 3rd grade class and worked well with George, who was a great teacher.  The kids were very wild but we all had a fun time!  During lunch breaks, they would simply come up to me and poke around my face, laughing at how different my facial features were from them! They would also get a laugh when they saw me trying to eat food, the Ghanaian way, with my hands.

Given that the 4th grade class was next door I often helped out with their class as well

4th grade class with their teacher

And I can't forget the wonderful kitchen staff at the school! I would always sneak into the kitchen in the morning to see what they were cooking for lunch.  I cannot believe how much better their school lunches are than the school lunches that I remember as a kid.  Every day they were making homemade meals!

The wonderful school cooks!

The kids loved the food...always trying to get more!

An Obruni in Accra

Word got out quickly in Kwashieman that there was an obruni (white girl) living in the neighborhood!  From the second I left my house to venture out into the city I interchangeably heard kids chanting "obruni" in a near singing tone while the men simply said "psssst...psssst" in an effort to get my attention.  It was all harmless but it certainly would have been a treat to be ignored every so often.  It took a couple of weeks to get used to being stared at but I learned to not let it bother me too much!  I actually started to enjoy my walks down Queens Street, chatting with all of the regulars on my way to and from the city! My favorite neighbors (on the right) were a sweet little girl and her grandma, who would always make my day with their smiles!

During my first couple weeks I did a bit of exploring in Accra, testing my skills with the tro- tro.  My experiences on the tro- tro were always entertaining, especially since people laughed at me, the sole obruni, packed into the van.  Although there were quite a few times that I took the wrong bus, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to travel around the city.  Apart from sightseeing, I would regularly go to Makola market to buy $1 DVD's of "LOST", which became my nighttime obsession while in Ghana.

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

Accra Mall was another place that surprisingly became one of my "go to" spots.  Now Accra Mall is truly a place of its own.  It is a modern, westernized mall plopped in the middle of nowhere in Accra, which reminded me of one of those home on wheels that drops a house off in a place where it just doesn’t really fit in.  Stepping foot in the mall was the only time when I could easily blend in among all of the other obruni's in Accra.  This mall has everything a westerner could need:  a modern cinema, the fastest possible internet in Ghana (which isn't saying much) with video Skype, large overpriced grocery stores, a food court, clothing stores, and best of all, AIR CONDITIONING!  Needless to say, it was an indulgence to come here every couple of weeks!

As  I began volunteering, the weekends became the time to continuing exploring the area although Sundays were always dead since everyone was at church.  My African Mama, Laura, took me to church while I was there.  I must say that African church is pretty fun! There is a lot of singing and dancing during the service and then a lot of socializing afterwards.  A typical Sunday in Accra was church (which I sometimes skipped), followed by lots of eating (which I never skipped)!

Ready for church with Mama Laura, Desmond, and Deborah

Another great aspect of African church is that it was a great way to meet other locals.  I became friends with a lady named Winifred who was a seamstress that owned a clothing business nearby.  Given that she has family in the U.S., she does a lot of beautiful custom made orders for American women.  I went over to her house a few times, learning how they fulfilled different outfits for their clients.  Additionally, they taught me how to make one of my favorite meals: fufu (a spongy starch) and meat.

                     

A New Home in Ghana

After 4.5 months of backpacking, not staying at one single place for more than 5 days, I was ready to have a semi-permanent home.  My 6 week volunteer program in Ghana couldn't have been timed better!  I didn't quite know what to expect as I arrived at Accra's international airport.  I had no idea what to expect from a lady that I had only met once in my life! After getting my luggage, I went outside looking for someone and luckily saw Laura’s nephew, Noah, holding a sign for me.

Initially, I was a little disappointed to hear that I was the only volunteer working with the program but it definitely allowed for a truly unique African experience as the only "Obruni" (Ghanaian word for white person) in town!  When we arrived at Laura’s home I was instantly greeted and welcomed! She had been expecting me for quite some time and later on I found out that she cancelled her plans to return to the U.S. so that she could be around while I was in Ghana.  Since things in Africa are never prepared ahead of time, my room was being worked on the day I arrived!  After setting my things down, I met Laura’s 9 year old twin grandchildren, Deborah and Desmond.  They were so cute and I knew I would have lots of fun with them!

Within 30 minutes of arriving at Mama Laura’s home I was fed! This was the beginning of Ghana’s “Operation: Fatten Lisa”.  They made me a delicious egg stew with yams, which became my favorite Ghanaian meal that I eventually learned how to make.  If you are not able to fatten up guests in Ghana, it is as if you have failed as a host!  And if you do not gain weight while living with a host family in Ghana then you are essentially defying gravity!

By the end of the day I was shocked at how nicely my room was prepared.  First off, the room was massive, and second, there was a bathroom inside with a proper western toilet and a shower head.  But, during my entire stay in Accra the water had not been connected to the bathroom so every day I fetched water to take a bath from a bucket and to flush the toilet!  Since then, I have had a new found appreciation for running water in a bathroom!

Before heading to Cape Coast the following day for a weekend trip, Deborah and Desmond took me to their school next door.  At the school I met Auntie Gladys (the school cook) and an adorable 18 month old boy named Adom, which means blessing in the Ghanaian language.  Adom was instantly drawn to me (possibly because he never saw a white person before) and he melted my heart! He would just cling onto me and always make me hold him!  I hung out with all of the kids, played soccer with some of the teachers that were at the school, and then was off to Cape Coast with Noah to do some sightseeing.

Noah and I took my very first tro- tro (public van transport in Ghana) to the bus station.  I was amazed at all of the things that Ghanaians carried on their heads! Literally, anything and everything you could imagine could be found...nothing is off limits!  The strangest thing that I saw for sale on a vendors head was a huge metal bowl filled with at least 10 live ducks for sale.

Upon arriving at Noah's home on the Cape Coast I was shown such African hospitality.  Noah and his wife gave me their room and laid out a mattress for them to share in the living room.  I tried to refuse their room but they insisted! Then, after cooking dinner, I received such a massive serving of food.  It could literally feed an entire family!

I thought this was for the three of us!

On Saturday morning I went to watch Noah’s soccer team do a scrimmage match and then we prepared apicnic before heading to Kakum National Park.  I was taught how to make the egg stew that I loved so much and his niece came along with us.  The main attraction at the national park is the canopy walk about 50 feet above the ground and it was packed given that it was the weekend.  The canopy walk was fun although it was quite annoying because the employees at the park were rushing us to walk quickly across the bridge.

Right when we finished the canopy walkway it started pouring rain which provided the perfect opportunity to sit down under some shelter and have a picnic with the lunch that we prepared.  It was so delicious!   Although it was still pouring, we made our way back to the entrance of the park where I tried some palm wine.  It was actually really good and the first sip of alcohol I had had in quite some time! The rest of the day was spent just relaxing, and of course eating!





The next day we visited the famous Cape Coast castle.  Since I never bought a guidebook for Ghana I honestly had no expectations for any tourist attractions.  On the way to the castle we walked through the town which was busy with all of the market goods and vendors.  The castle was very beautiful despite the unfortunate history behind it.  I couldn’t believe how well organized and massive the trade route scheme was in Africa.  It was very strange being at a place where people were sold to the highest bidder and shipped off into the slavery.

     



By the time we completed walking through the castle, we stopped at a local beachside bar before catching the bus back to Accra.  It was a great weekend getaway but I was looking forward to further settling into my new home.

Pole Pole- Zanzibar and Kenya

I love how slowly time moves in East Africa.  The days are long and no one seems to be in a hurry.  Pole Pole!

I couldn't seem to get enough time in Zanzibar.  It is the definition of relaxation.  Gorgeous beaches, wonderful accommodation, amazing locals, and delicious seafood!  After a few days in Stone Town, we were ready to find our own slice of serenity on the East Coast of Zanzibar.  A crammed hour long bus ride led us to Jambiani Beach.  Now, I have been to A LOT of spectacular beaches around the world but there was something truly special about this beach.

Perhaps it was our $10 beachfront villa

Or sitting back and watching the dhow boats head out to catch fish before sunset

  

Or watching sunset before eating the fresh fish

Or waking up for low tide to see the locals doing their "ocean farming"

       

Or hanging out with the locals

                             

The combination of things that made Jambiani Beach so special and unique is likely why it is one of the best beaches I have ever been to!

It was tough to say goodbye but the journey had to go on!  Once arriving back in Stone Town, our new friend Solomon showed us around the island and took us up north to the village where he grew up.  We went to a turtle sanctuary where his friend worked and we were able to chill with the turtles (one of my favorite animals!).

Afterwards, we stopped at his aunt's restaurant for lunch as an afternoon storm began to roll in .  The beach looked so incredible with the rain in the backround.  This was the perfect way to end our time in Zanzibar although we could have easily spent another week there.

With only a week left in East Africa we decided to hit a few spots on the East Coast of Kenya.  Our first stop was Malindi, which is a small laid back beach town roughly 2 hours north of Mombasa.  Malindi has a small Italian expat community so we treated ourselves to some delicious Italian food during our stay.  The one thing that I really missed in Africa was cheese so it was great to finally have some GOOD pizza!

From Malindi we took a day trip to the Marafa Depression, aka "Hells Kitchen".  For $5 you get a guide that will take you around the sandstone canyon and discuss both the local legends and natural reasoning for the rock formations.  It was a very interesting site with such amazing contrasts between the different shades of red, orange, and yellow in the sandstone.

   

Before heading back to Nairobi we spent a couple days sightseeing around Mombasa.  Mombasa is definitely a fast moving city, especially compared to Zanzibar and Malindi.  It was the perfect way to prepare ourselves for Nairobi.

Fort Jesus, Mombasa

Unfortunately Nairobi, or "Nairobbery" as some may call has a bad reputation for muggings.  Expecting the worst, we were very cautious and decided to go out in daylight with the only necessary possessions in a money belt.  I actually felt very safe walking around downtown and was glad that I didn't stay holed up in the guest house.    Although I did not end up doing any real sightseeing in Nairobi, I got a decent taste of the city.  Julie and I parted ways from Nairobi after backpacking together for 4.5 months.  While it was sad to say goodbye we were both excited for our next destinations!

Take me to ZANZIBAR

As Julie and I hopped onto the bus to Jinja, Uganda, we turned out the window to say goodbye to our mom as we continued on our journey.  There we were, back on our own, roughing it with no set agenda and just a deadline to return to Nairobi for our flights! By nightfall, we arrived in Jinja and had no clue where to go. The only option was a motorcyle, and despite my skepticism, I was shocked it could fit me and my beastly backpack.  It was mildly terrifying, but we made it to the hostel without any broken bones!  The next day, we wandered aimlessly, ended up at the source of the Nile River, and got a firsthand look at the Class 5 rapids that we would be up against the following day.

From Jinja,  we made our way down to Rwanda to spend four days in the country before making our cross country journey through Tanzania.  Being in Rwanda was intense, as all I could think about was the horrendous genocide that occurred during my lifetime.  But, I truly was inspired by the resilience of the people and couldn't believe how warm Rwandans were and how developed the country has become.  We were in Rwanda for Easter and made our way through the countryside, to a small lake town, Kibuye, to relax and hear the voices of the choir at a local church.  Upon returning back to Rwanda's capital, Kigali, we visited the Genocide Memorial Museum for the anniversary of the genocide.  It was chilling to hear the wailing cries of local people in the background who were reminiscing about the atrocities that occurred not too long ago.

As we caught the bus to the Tanzanian border, there was the realization that we had a huge task at hand: getting to paradise, aka, ZANZIBAR! After thinking of every possible route, we made a plan. Essentially, the quickest way to get to the opposite coast of Tanzania was to go back through Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, but we refused to have to deal with the hassle of border crossings!  So instead, it became an epic cross-country journey, taking an "8 hour bus ride" to Mwanza, Tanzania.  As the bus approached early morning, there were already 30 people standing in the aisle as they piled the rest of us on.  The bus ride was unbelievably exhausting, lasting 12 hours, but quite entertaining.  When a lady with a baby came on board, they would just pass the baby to a random person while the mom stood up.  Africans truly have a community mentality wherever they go!


Although Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania, there wasn't really much to do there! Our only goal was to get to Zanzibar ASAP.  The decision was made to suck it up and splurge on a ticket to Zanzibar!  Realistically, it saved us days of packed in buses, breakdowns, and just some crazy adventures that I don't know if I was ready to handle.


Immediately, I felt instant serenity seeing Zanzibar in the distance.  After settling in, we explored the cultural heart of Zanzibar, Stone Town. Full of winding alleys, bazaars, and charming buildings characterized by carved wooden doors, it was easy to get lost in time as I wandered through this maze-like town.  I truly loved everything about Stone Town.  The people were warm, the markets were bustling, and the local scene was very unique.  I particularly loved the night market, where all of the seafood caught during the day was showcased by the fisherman.  Not only was the food fresh and delicious, but it was cheap!

Zanzibar is known for its spices, so we figured we would go on a spice tour to see what they were growing in the rural areas of the island.  The tour was enjoyable and a bunch of locals followed us around, making us souvenirs out of the leaves while we smelled the many different spices and sampled fruits grown in the area.  Afterward, we explored an old slave site, and then had some down time at a quiet isolated beach.  Overall, it was a great budget day trip.

Zanzibar and the rest of my East African adventures are to be continued...