Dear Bubu & Susu family,

We miss you! Can you believe it has already been several months since we spent three
amazing weeks together in Ghana?! We hope you are all thriving back in school, sharing your
stories and photos of Ghana, playing “Sing My Name” and dancing agbadza for your friends.
You probably didn’t know what to expect when you signed up for this trip, or maybe you read
every single blog and Facebook comment from last year. But once here, we quickly became a
family and forged deep connections with each other. We have all been changed by the
experience and have taken a piece of each other – and of Ghana – back home. We would like to
invite you to take some time to reflect on the experience, the connections you made, and the
ways in which your GLA trip shaped you.

Remember when we drove up to the Pin Drop Hotel for the first time and were greeted
by swarms of excited children smiling, waving and yelling yevu? How friendly shouts of yevu
soon became the norm. We would have to pry you away from the kids to come to lunch, even
after long, hot hours of service, you were stuck like glue to their sweetness. Speaking of service,
Y’ALL MADE 2,200 BRICKS for Zico and Avete Basic Schools! AND WE SHAVED ALEX’S
BEARD. Enough said.

Do you remember how nervous you were the first day of teaching
compared to the tears you cried when you had to say good bye on the last day? It was amazing
to see you all gain confidence and incorporate your own creativity in the classrooms. Perhaps
even more inspiring than our own service were the many individuals and organizations we got to
meet. How inspired we were hearing Jeremiah’s story of rescuing Christian and starting Father’s
House. How amazing is it that his efforts also helped spark our dear Fafa’s work to start
Mother’s Heritage. Know that you can contribute towards those efforts and even begin your own
journey, no matter how small, to make a difference in people’s lives.

Remember when the monkeys were jumping all over us for bananas? When we stood in
awe under the strong misty spray from Wli Waterfall? When we sang along to songs countless
times on the bus rides, boat rides, and of course, the Saq Mobile. The countless dance parties
we had, at ANESCO High School or after the talent show, showing the locals the Cha Cha Slide
and Wobble, and learning Akwaaba and Azonto from Jerry and Wiz. We all looked so fabulous
in our handmade Ghanaian clothing on the final day banquet! Looking back on these memories,
we hope you feel immense happiness and pride. Don’t forget what you said you wanted to take
back with you. It’s never too late to reach out to someone— a fellow student or a staff, who you
want to keep in contact with! Don’t hesitate to reach out, it will surely make somebody’s day. We
love you!

Here’s some nuggets of advice from your wise mentors… 🙂

The most important thing I’ve learned from traveling in Ghana is to take it easy. Have patience
with others and with yourself. If you can fix it, then don’t stress about it. And if you can’t fix it,
then don’t stress about it! Life has a way of working itself out the way it was meant to be. I think
it’s impossible to go to Ghana and not feel the chill, welcoming vibe that emanates everywhere,
from the friendly smiles and waves, to the swaying palm trees lining cassava fields, to the
rhythmic sounds of hip life playing everywhere. Remember the simplicity of life, the way a cute
kid crawling on your back and mango for dessert was enough to make your day. The way you
could put up with the mosquitos and sweating and sand, for the sense of community, pride and
satisfaction of making a difference as our rewards. You adapted to a new group of friends, a
new routine, and a new culture, and that experience is one that will prepare you for success in
life like no other. I hope you take the lessons you learned— to be flexible to change, to embrace
discomfort, to look again at the stereotypes you’ve learned, to have a positive mindset, and
apply them when you face challenges at home. Ghana will always be with you in your heart!
And it will always be here for you to come back and visit. You know you are all welcome 🙂

Love, Beca

Having just recently finished the session with you guys, I am humbled by your efforts here and
inspired by how you embraced this experience. We live in a strange time, when technology is
changing faster than our capacity to understand the repercussions of its usage. I too am guilty
of getting lost in the abyss of social media feeds late at night when I should be sleeping, or at
least using my phone for something more meaningful, like calling my mom. I hope that you are
all staying in touch – it is more likely than you think for your paths to cross again, given your
shared interest in travel.

I also hope, though, that you have taken from this experience the
valuable lesson of what it truly means to have a community, and to be present in your daily life.
It is so easy to let that voice inside your head write the script for your life, and to let the
monotony of routine dull your senses to what is important. Sometimes we need a change in
scenery, but more often than not what we really need is a change in perspective. That’s not to
say that you shouldn’t travel or chase more waterfalls – do it! But also remember that after the
waterfall and before the tears, there are all of those in-between moments. Seemingly pointless
homework assignments, awkward conversations, traffic jams, etc. Let your time in Ghana be a
reminder to take none of it for granted. Be present in those idle moments. Remember that just
as you impacted the lives of everyone here, so too can you have a profound impact on other
people wherever you may be. Also, tell your mom you love her.

<3 Alex

 

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Dearest GLA Students:

Our first week was full of new learning and sight-seeing. We learned about the work we’d be doing for the next three weeks: brick building and teaching. The first few days were rough, but by the end even Frank was complimenting you! Your time and effort contributed to the 50 bags of cement that needed to be mixed and turned into bricks for one classroom. You were also able to try your hand at teaching students at Anloga Basic School- even learning who the class prefects were and using them to help keep the flow of your session. You taught everything from how to use a keyboard to volume measurements to English adverbs to letter-writing to songs and games. You were creative with your lesson planning, especially when you didn’t have the resources and materials to teach readily available. Many of you walked away with a new appreciation for your teachers!

During each and every cultural activity, you picked up a nugget of knowledge about the local culture. You learned about the Ewe language and used it to interact with kids both at home base and at the school. During our island tour you learned about the vast and complex workings of traditionalism from the priest. Oh and you also saw such cute goats! At Father’s House you played with the children who were given a second chance at having a brighter future. You learned about the greater slave trade that affects not only the children of fishing communities in Anloga, but children from all areas of the world. Seyrum spoke to you about being a girl-child in Ghana; although strides are being made, we still have a long way to go and a lot of work ahead of use to create a society that is equitable. At Kekeli Ghana Foundation, we learned that we must have more than sound policies in order to fully support those most vulnerable in our society. Let us not forget all the cloth we came across at the markets, during batiking and with the master kente weaver! We hope you are still enjoying the items that were made with you by the seamstresses and tailors!

You all proved yourselves to be adventurous souls as you hiked up to the Wli Waterfall, the highest in Western Africa. The walk was well worth it as we were met with such an incredible sight. We also experienced the river tour in which we saw where the lagoon and the ocean met. It was a tranquil and beautiful afternoon. We hope that you continue to find and create these spaces of tranquility for yourself back home.

Thank you all for creating such an incredible three weeks! We hope that you have continued to expand and redefine your visions. We know that these 3 weeks gave you a lot of food for thought, challenged your understanding, and helped you grow in many different ways. Never cease to question the world around you and always carry with you your idealism, courage, and determination.

Our Favorite Moments:
-Playing soccer with the neighborhood kids at home base.
-Playing volleyball with the high school students.
-The beautiful cat birthday card for Stephen and pouring water on him.
-Amazing ice cream bars at Ho.
-Your discovery and infatuation with the orange Fanta.
-Our spread out (running across the sand) game of the wind blows.
-This proverb that Stephen shared with us: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Always remember to have your WITS (+M) about you! : )

Stephen
Seyrum
Baffour
Cristina
Yensi

 

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Dear GLA Ghana Children of Africa Session 1 Alumni,

It has already been six months since we spent three incredible weeks together in Anloga, Ghana! We were united for a short while to achieve a common goal: to serve the community in Anloga, explore Ghanaian culture, and grow as a leader. None of us knew what shape this adventure would take or what friendships we would forge along the way, but we have all been changed by the experience and have taken a piece of each other – and of Ghana – back home. Take some time to reflect on the experiences you had here, the connections you made, and the ways in which your time here has shaped you.

What part of this experience changed your life the most? Was it the service? You spent hours sweating under the humid, West African sun to make over 2,500 bricks for new classrooms here. When it became too much, you took a short break for water and then we all blasted some music to keep ourselves going. Maybe you took a shovel from someone who was too tired to continue, or maybe you allowed someone to take the shovel from you. Even before all the tools were clean, the children would run and cling to you until it was time to teach.

What did you learn in Ghana that changed how you see your life now? Maybe it was meeting your peers at the high school. You watched and participated as students reflected on questions during Stand With Me. The mood became much lighter when the music started playing, and then turned into an all out dance party! Do you remember the moves that the students there showed you? Do you think that they break out the cha-cha slide every now and then?

What comes to mind when you think of a beautiful moment that you experienced here? Was it Wli Waterfall, or the River Tour? Crossing nine bridges, with Bless yelling after us, eventually we arrived at and were all mesmerized by the towering Wli Waterfall. Some us waded in and went far enough to stand right below the falls. Later on in the session, you got to relax on the beach after the river tour, and feel satisfied knowing your days of service were behind you. Whatever you remember, we hope you have kept in touch with the connections you made here, and are continuing to learn about yourself and the world around you!

Pieces of advice from your wise mentors 🙂

The most important thing I’ve learned from traveling in Ghana is to take it easy. Have patience with others and with yourself. If you can fix it, then don’t stress about it. And if you can’t fix it, then don’t stress about it! Life has a way of working itself out the way it was meant to be. I think it’s impossible to go to Ghana and not feel the chill, welcoming vibe that emanates everywhere, from the friendly smiles and waves, to the swaying palm trees lining cassava fields, to the rhythmic sounds of hip life playing everywhere. Remember the simplicity of life, the way a cute kid crawling on your back and mango for dessert was enough to make your day. The way you could put up with the mosquitos and sweating and sand, for the sense of community, pride and satisfaction of making a difference as our rewards. You adapted to a new group of friends, a new routine, and a new culture, and that experience is one that will prepare you for success in life like no other. I hope you take the lessons you learned— to be flexible to change, to embrace discomfort, to look again at the stereotypes you’ve learned, to have a positive mindset, and apply them when you face challenges at home. Ghana will always be with you in your heart! And it will always be here for you to come back and visit. You know you are all welcome 🙂

Love, Beca

I am so happy that I got to know all of you, and that we got to share a part of our journey together in Anloga. In venturing here you all had the willingness to try something new, and to be exposed to a different way of living. With every person you meet and every adventure you take, a little more of this world is revealed to you. Keep expanding that perspective and listen when life calls you on to new adventures and to a new purpose. The stuff of life isn’t just in the highs and lows we experience, it’s also in all those moments in between: in the pettiness of homework assignments, traffic jams, and long checkout lines. Let your time in Ghana be a reminder to take none of it for granted. Remember that just as you impacted the lives of school children here, you can have a profound impact on other people wherever you go.

<3 Alex

Continue to share your story about your time in Anloga whether it’s with your family and friends, people at school, or new connections. Take what you have learned about yourself and apply it to your life – this experience will stay with you and continue to change you forever. Keep challenging yourself and explore the world!

Love, Courtney

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.

The sun sets on another day here in Asitey culminating with a stirring of laughter and smiles at Papa Henry’s Krobo Home base. GLA students are in the den fulfilling their service prep duties to ensure that tomorrow’s day of teaching will be executed with the utmost effort and love. This small moment in time offers a glimpse into the heart of session 4; students doing their very best to be all they can be for the Krobo Community.

If we decide to hop into our magical time machine and rewind our time together here in Ghana, we are able to unearth a plethora of experiences that remind one of the transformation and metamorphosis associated with a butterfly. From mentor groups and Bodhi falls to the poignant moments that we lived at the park on 12 different occasions, we can step back and say with confidence, “we came, we saw, we conquered!” We gave love and received love because it is what mattered most to us; our unwavering desire to make connections to children allowed us to be successful and it helped us learn more about ourselves than we could have ever imagined.

Sure, we encountered our own gamut of challenges that pushed us to go well beyond our proverbial comfort zones. However, it is through experiencing things like bucket showers, power outages and enduring grueling walks to the nursery and brick making at elementary school, that we became tolerant and complete human beings. One day we will look back on these instances which at the time seemed like inconveniences yet we will yearn to reminisce them over and over because of the growth and learning that they provided us.

Let us highlight how we opened our hearts and minds throughout our time in Krobo. We went to a local church and saw a devout parishioner was so overcome by her faith that she seemed to lose consciousness for a few seconds. What is ripe for us to take away from this instance, is that we didn’t judge, we didn’t question her, we merely respected and appreciated this as a testament to her right to her beliefs and individual sovereignty. This was an underlining theme for our journey: we don’t see people or places through the lens of comparing and questioning based off of where we come from or what we believe, rather we practice objective mindfulness so we can allow people to be who they are in their spaces. This is how we can admire the intricacies that comprise the culture and customs of our local Krobo community with love and respect.

Our time in Krobo is complete. Because of this we will always have a link to a people, a culture, and a way of life that it is ours forever; as Viktor Frankl once wrote, ” What you have experienced, no power on earth can take from you.” Our experience is enhanced because we experienced it together, as a team, a community, and as a family. Allowing ourselves the humility to walk shoulder to shoulder with others who see and navigate this thing called life differently than us is truly what helps us evolve. We could not have achieved what we achieved alone or as individuals; for us to be truly introspective and retrospective we must appreciate all of those who helped us along on our journey of a lifetime, a journey that will now continue, but that can’t continue forward without being mindful of what we accomplished in Ghana!

William Korte, International Director

 

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Its about 6:15pm and Session 3 has convened for dinner in the basement dining hall at Papa Henry’s in Asetey. Little do they know that they are about to consume the preeminent dish of Ghanian gastronomy. As they nibble at the Banku that they have just served themselves , they dont realize that by escaping their comfort zones for a mere nanosecond they have eaten something that most human beings will never have the opportunity to eat, not to mention make an effort to discover. This is why they are here in Krobo, they are here to forget status quo and be their true selves through discovery and diligence.

On a daily basis our ability to better understand who we are is seen through trying new things- Bucket showers, Batik, and hawking are all concepts that we didnt know of before our arrival in Ghana, yet the more we become familiar with them, the more we grow fond of our new experiences. They help us understand the Ghanian and Krobo way of life better, but ultimately they help us understand who we are and why we came to Ghana in the first place.

Our time has flown by but what he have been able to achieve will last forever. From brick making and teaching to our time with the kids at the park, we have given so much and yet it feels as though we have received even more in return. You see, we came to Krobo thinking of everything that we wanted to help with and provide for others, and we feel confident that we have put a lot of effort into everything we have done for the last 14 days, yet we cant begin to express how much love and sustenance our experiences with the children have filled us with. The unconditional exchange of love that has taken place during our time in Krobo is something that can be measured or recorded, as Henry often says, it can only be felt.

We came to Ghana as students but we are leaving as leaders. One of the biggest takeaways for us is how much we learned about ourselves and also from the children and local community. This is leadership in motion; through things like the “Single Story” Ted Talk, and our poignant contact with Ghanian people, we were able to see how many of the images and pre-conceived notions about Africa and African that we have been indoctrinated with since we were children are simply not accurate . Through our experiences in Ghana we are able to make our own observations and think for ourselves.

We’ve been to amazing places like Sajuna and Bodhi falls. We did great service at the Edmon Nursery School and elementary school (we made a ton of bricks too! 🙂 We made beads and batik and got Kente cloth clothing custom made for us. Our capstone speeches and song night were amazing and helped us come closer together. We had countless meaningful conversations and discussions with each other and our friends at the park. These are all special things that we need not forget and they remind us that we need to be proud of all of our accomplishments in Ghana.

Let us do our session and time in Africa justice with a quote from Dr. Angelou who spent many years in Ghana:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” We choose this quote because we leave Ghana knowing that our greatest memory will always be the love and feelings that we shared with the Children of Asetey.

William Korte, International Director

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.