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Friday June 29, 2018

Good evening from Krobo-Odumase, Ghana!

All of our students have arrived safe and sound for session two of the 14 Day Children of Africa program. We kicked off our orientation today, and were welcomed by the cooling afternoon rains of Africa as we played with all of the local kids in the park.

We are all super excited for the days to come and can’t wait to share our stories with you here. As the evening is coming to a close, we are crawling under our mosquito nets to be lullled to sleep by the sounds of African drumming in the distant valley.

Goodnight!

Caitlin and the Krobo Ghana Team

Sunday July 1, 2018

To start the day, we ate delicious French toast with a Ghanaian chocolate spread, similar to Nutella. There were also yummy mango and pineapple juices, which were freshly squeezed in Ghana and have no added sugar. After breakfast we did leadership and team building activities where we worked in groups to propose solutions to difficult scenarios. We then visited the nursery where some of us will be doing our service! After an intense, hot hike, we came back to enjoy a very traditional lunch that included jollof rice. After lunch and a nice afternoon break, we visited the market to buy African cloth to make Ghanaian clothes. The market was very busy, filled with people selling a variety of things such as tomatoes, mangos, cloths, shoes, and more.

We did our service for the day at the park! There were tons of children, and together we played many games such as sharks and minnows, freeze tag, wax museum, and various hand games. Afterwards we came back and ate a very nice dinner. We then had a bonfire where we learned new Ghanaian songs and dances. In the fire we each burned a stick, representing our fears and challenges. Before bed we had the opportunity to buy traditional Ghanaian chocolates and snacks. Then we took some much-needed showers; some even by bucket! We have all loved the trip so far and can’t wait for more service and activities to come!

Your Leaders of the Day,
~Ellen, Grace B, and Mia~

Monday July 2, 2018

We woke up bright and early on Monday morning, excited to go to the Cedi bead factory. We took the bus on a very bumpy ride to the bead factory to learn how to create our own handmade beads. The beads are very unique to Ghanaian culture, so it was really awesome to have the opportunity to learn about how they are made. We each made five small glass beads and one large sand bead. They turned out gorgeous and many of us made them into necklaces.

As we waited for the beads to cook, we broke into groups and discussed our first impressions of Ghana and some goals that we have for this trip and beyond. We also practiced our lesson plans so that we would be ready to teach on Tuesday.

In the afternoon, we visited a host family who taught us some more of the Krobo language and answered many of our questions about life here in Krobo, Ghana. Following the visit, we made our daily trip to the local park to play with the kids. Their smiling faces warm our hearts every single day. In the evening, we participated in an ancient Krobo tradition, a naming ceremony where we received our own Krobo names.

The local staff dressed us up in our colorful fabric and painted our faces and arms with blue and grey paint. We learned the history of the naming ceremony, sang and danced to traditional music, and received our Krobo names. Each of us got a name bracelet that consisted of a black string and a blue glass bead. It was amazing to be part of such an important right of passage in Ghanaian culture.

  

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Everyone woke up early today to get ready for our first day of service. We ate eggs, jam rolls, pineapple, and fresh mango juice for breakfast. Around 8:30 we split into our groups; those heading to the nursery and those going to the elementary school. At the nursery, GLA students helped feed the toddlers, taught them new games, played outside, and put kids down to nap.

Those teaching the little kids, aged 6 months to 1 year, taught the kids fruit vocabulary and parts of the body. In the kindergarten classes, students taught the children how to subtract numbers. The students that went to the elementary school observed the teachers to get a feel for what they’d be teaching. They also spent an hour making bricks to build new structures at the school. After spending a couple hours at our service sites, students and mentors walked back to home base around 11:30 to eat lunch.

After everyone finished eating lunch, we watched a Ted Talk where a Nigerian woman talked about generalized opinions based on one side of a story. The episode was called “Single Story.” We discussed the Ted Talk and shared how it made us feel. At 4 o’clock we all headed to Asitey Park to play with the kids for a little while. Some people played soccer and volleyball, while others drew pictures and played frisbee. We walked back to home base around 6 to eat a dinner consisting of boiled sweet potatoes, beef stew, egg stew, and fresh watermelon. Tomorrow we head out for another day of service!

Everyone is healthy, happy, and having the time of their lives.

Sending love from Ghana,
Chloe and Grace Z

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Some of us began the day with optional morning yoga, which meant that whoever wanted to join had to sacrifice their precious hours of sleep, but it really was worth it. (I’m not ashamed to admit that I fell over several times!)

We had a delicious breakfast, as per usual, and to celebrate Independence Day we even had donuts! After breakfast, everyone separated into their groups: the people going to the nursery, and those who were going to the elementary school. For those at the elementary school, brick making came first and everyone did their utmost to get as many done in one hour as possible. Next, for us teaching 4th grade, the class seemed engaged and attentive to what we were saying and understood the topic, which was prepositions of place and location. The girls who were teaching 5th grade taught them nouns, and got to know each of the students better, as they played some fun interactive games with the class. Those in 6th grade had a tough day, since some of the students were a little rowdy, but they were able to come up with good ways to get them to engage!

After teaching we all hung out with the kids during their break, which is nice because you get to interact with your students in a more informal way than in the classroom, and get to meet many new children who are just as kind and friendly.

At the nursery the youngest children were taught colors, while the 4-year olds learned about trees and plants and the 5-year olds made progress in subtraction. Since it was Wednesday, the day on which they worship God at the nursery, they had a special presentation, and even had a runway where all the kids showed off their modeling skills, shaking their hips and popping their collars.

After service we came home to have lunch, and enjoyed some free time afterwards, during which many people took well deserved naps. At around 2:45 we split into our respective mentor groups, where we discussed homesickness, why it happens and how we can fight it. We wrote down a list of things that we appreciate from home, now that we are in Ghana, as well as a list of things that we appreciate here, that we may not have back home, such as all the new friends we’ve made, and the loving atmosphere within the community. We then separated again, this time into our host-family groups, who took us into their homes once again, and taught us some more Krobo: this time around it was animals, fruits, and vegetables. We were able to ask them more questions, and know them a little better.

Afterwards we all went to the park, where we played with the children, whether it was soccer, frisbee, volleyball, drawing, or just running after them, everyone had loads of fun. When park time was over, we all walked up the hill with some of the kids, and said our goodbyes for the day. Dinner was already served, and we got to eat with our hands! We had grilled tilapia, grilled chicken, fries, some egg stew and a special Ghanaian dumpling “banku”, which is made from corn and casava dough.

We had some time to prepare for our next lesson tomorrow, and then listened to a speaker, who told us about Ghanaian history, into the origins of the Krobo people and then we had a special Independence Day celebration. We started playing music and got popcorn and soon everyone joined, and even the local kitchen staff members danced with us and we all did the macarena! After a very off-key interpretation of “Don’t stop believing”, we all got ready for bed, and got some much-needed sleep.

-by Lula and Alexia

Friday July 6, 2018

This morning, we woke up to some fantastic chocolate bread that is definitely the best bread we have ever tasted. However, the day got a little trickier, but we still had a great time. We all knew that coming to Ghana meant stepping outside of our comfort zones, and today everyone took on more responsibility in order to help things run more smoothly. No one anticipated the chaos that today brought, but the most important thing is that we all adapted quickly and still had lots of fun, which demonstrated our ability to handle difficult situations and make the most of them. We shared many laughs and smiles because we are so grateful to even be here in Ghana!

Although our day had some hiccups, we turned it around with cultural music and dance that night. Everyone participated and learned new moves that we will never ever forget! Our host families made a surprise appearance and performed a routine that blew us all away. Afterwards, we connected our music through the AUX cord and had a party of our own.

We took away two major things from today. First off, a bad day is not all bad. By the end of the night, everyone was full of energy and smiles, even though the day got off to a tricky start. Secondly, it is important to acknowledge when things do not go the way we intend them to. This recognition allows us to learn from our mistakes and make adjustments. Although today was hard, we all grew from these challenges and are ready to take on our next days of service. We are so excited for what still lies ahead!

-by Ashley and Christina

 

Saturday July 7, 2018

During the weekend, when we have no service, everyone gets to sleep in an extra hour before breakfast at 8:00am. Everyone was eagerly getting ready to head to Boti Falls where we would spend our day hiking to see a beautiful waterfall, a three-trunked palm tree, and a rock shaped like a giant umbrella that overlooks the mountain range. We all piled into the van and listened to throwback music for the one-hour drive. As we got closer to Boti Falls, we had to maneuver around many potholes in the road which created a very bumpy ride. The view on our way was stunning with very green mountains and tall trees.

Once we arrived to embark on our adventure, we started heading on our trail. We first started casually walking alongside an open yellow field. Within just a few minutes, we were lunging up a steep rocky hill. On our way up the hill, we passed by a large cave and a stream which we had to cross. Walking on a tree branch to cross the stream, everyone had to balance themselves to make it across to the other side. We continued our steep and rocky hike up the mountain where we stopped at our first destination: the umbrella rock.

The view from the rock was amazing because we could see the enormous green landscape of the mountains. Everyone stopped to take picture of each other sitting off the side of the cliff. We then headed to our second destination: the three-trunked palm tree. Two people were able to climb up the ladder to stand in-between the palm tree trunks, and everyone was able to rest for a bit before we headed back down the path to see the waterfalls. Once we arrived at the bottom of the stairs, everyone was shocked to see two large waterfalls. The long hike to get here was worth it. We all stopped to take many pictures of the waterfalls and enjoy the stunning view. The GLA kitchen staff prepared us a delicious chicken and rice meal as a picnic lunch to conclude our adventure at Boti Falls.

When we arrived back to the GLA base camp, everyone enjoyed some much-deserved free time. We were all very tired after our long excursion at Boti Falls. Many people took a nap during our free time, but others worked on their song that we were going to sing later that night at the song competition. We were split into four random groups and asked to change lyrics to a song to talk about this trip. After free time was over, we went to the park to play with the children and then came back to the GLA base camp. For dinner, we ate chicken, fried plantains, and fresh mango! Afterwards, it was time for the song competition! Each group’s song was humorous and well prepared. Everyone had a great time hearing each other’s songs. The GLA kitchen staff sang us a song on the spot after the students were finished, and Henry played the drums.
As we headed off to sleep, we were eager to wake up the next morning to go to Sajuna Beach Club!

-by Lea Powell & Grace Bolander

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Tuesday June 12, 2018 

Maakye from Krobo!

22 students arrived safely at home base in high spirits and are settling in their new home for the next two weeks. Today they will be spending the day getting to know each other, their leadership team and getting orientated on the program.

Our team has been in contact with Hannah and Nkemdilim who will be joining the group tomorrow after we pick them up from the airport! We are very excited to have them join our group!

Akpe!

William (International Director) and Henry (Local Director)

Thursday June 14, 2018 (Part 1)

Two more students arrived yesterday, and now the our group of 24 is complete! Here is a photo of all of us from yesterday.

Thursday June 14, 2018 (Part 2)

We started this morning with a delicious breakfast of muesli, donuts, sausage, and fresh fruit juice. Then we headed out to the village where we visited our service sites. The first was a preschool with kids from 6 months to 5 years old. We were able to talk to the headmaster of the school about why and how she created the school. We played games with the children in the school yard and sang songs.

We then walked to the local elementary school, which serves first through ninth grade students. The school is divided among three buildings surrounding a large field for the kids to play in. When we arrived the teachers were in a PTA meeting so we had time to spend with the kids. We got to sit in a classroom with one of the teachers and ask him questions about the school and how the children learn in Krobo.

We headed back to home base for lunch and afterwards did a team building activity and leadership workshop. These activities allowed us to become a closer community. When we were done we headed to Asitey Park to play with the kids, which has become our nightly routine. We play soccer, volleyball, braid hair, sing and dance, and get to know the kids.

After the park, we went back to the house and took cold bucket showers, which feel amazing in the heat. We had chicken, avocado salad, sweet potato and yam fries, and chocolate and vanilla crepes for dessert. We finished the day with a bonfire outside and more bonding activities like card games in the den and group discussions about what we’re experiencing. We’ll head to bed around 10:30 where it’s too hot for a blanket. The trip has been amazing so far and we can’t wait to bond more with each other and the kids!

Kate and Kenzie
Student Bloggers

 

Friday, June 15 2018

Last night we had a blast around the bonfire. Henry taught us traditional songs where we sang and danced. Also, we each contributed to the fire by adding a stick, uniting us as one. The happy vibes around the fire assured us that everyone was having an amazing night. Before bed we enjoyed eating popcorn.

Today we began our day at 8 o’clock with sausage, plantain chips, and fresh watermelon. We then proceeded to quickly gather our things and take the bus to Cedi Beads. We were greeted by the staff and given a tour of the grounds. Then, a staff member gave us a tutorial of how to make the beads. It consisted of explaining how the glass powder and the clay pot molds were made. We then saw the oven that fired the beads. Soon after, we got to make five small beads and one large bead to take home. We were each given two sets of molds and six different colors of glass to make the beads. Everyone worked meticulously at making sure the glass was just how they wanted it. Finally, we were able to send our beads to be fired.

The beads took about three hours to completely cook and then cool. Although it took a while, we were excited to hear of the events we will be participating in down the road. In the free time we played volleyball and soccer with some of the neighborhood children. After cooling, we sanded and polished the beads until we were happy with the outcome.

We drove back to the home base where we ate lunch and went to the roof for some downtime. While on the roof, it started raining! Everyone was super excited to “bless the rains down in Africa.” The children were excited to see us at the park because there was no school due to a national holiday, Eid al-Fitr, the last day of Ramadan.☺

-Audrey and Michaela

 

Saturday, June 16 2018

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Because we had an egggggggggcelent breakfast this morning! After our eggcelent breakfast, we all piled into the van and traveled to Boti falls. During the hour-long drive we got to see more of the beautiful eastern region of Ghana and the trip was filled with many scenic views of the Akwapim mountain ranges. Upon arrival, we listened to a local guide recite the history of the falls and the land surrounding.

Our hike consisted of three stops. The first stop was the caves about thirty minutes in. They are named “The Talking Caves” after the holes in the cave walls that echo when you hit them. Following another thirty-minute hike we reached “Umbrella Rock,” a natural rock formation that overlooked a beautiful valley. Our adventure drew to a conclusion as we approached our last stop, Boti Falls. The river splits into two 75-foot drops, with the left believed to be the “female” fall and the right the “male.”

We enjoyed a packed lunch before heading back to home base. Upon arrival, a big thunderstorm hit and a lot of people took a fat nap. Unfortunately, due to the storm, we were unable to make it to the park today, but Henry made up for it with a wonderful presentation on Ghanaian history. Sending our love to our friends and family back home.

-Erin and Mackenzie A.

Sunday June 17, 2018

Greetings from Ghana and a happy Father’s Day! Today we got to sleep in until 9. As a result, the group was much happier, and overall better prepared for the day. Everyone dressed in their Sunday best and we took a 15 minute walk to a local church. We were welcomed with warm arms for the service. Members of the congregation even shook our hands and kindly found extra chairs for us. The service began with the worship group singing and we were encouraged to join in and dance. The service continued with a guest preacher from the Krobo community. GLA was blessed by the church and thanked for our time in Asitey.

After the service, we walked back to home base for lunch, which was another delicious meal made by Charity and the whole kitchen staff. We then had down time before a local business came to teach us how to make Batik prints. We split into three groups, which cycled between Batik making, brick making, and mini mentor groups. Then, we quickly changed and met the kids outside to walk down to Asitey Park. When we arrived, a soccer game was in full heat. It was fun for the group to witness the talent of the local players. Once the game ended, we had time to play with the kids on the field. After our time at the park, we returned to the home base for a delicious dinner. After dinner, we prepared for our lessons at the schools tomorrow and met in our mentor groups. The day seemed to be passing by in the blink of an eye, but the experience has been so incredible!

Sincerely,
Your fearless leaders of the day: Calvin Brauer and Olivia Nash

Monday June 18, 2018

Today we woke up early and embarked on our first day of service. Half of our group taught at a local nursery with students with ages ranging from 2-5 years old. The other half of our group taught at the local elementary school with students in 4th to 6th grade. The group at the elementary school also made bricks before starting their day of teaching.

After our service, we enjoyed a delicious meal, which consisted of traditional peanut butter soup, rice balls, and pineapple. After our lunch, we relaxed for an hour and regrouped to watch a Ted-Talk. We then split into smaller groups and discussed our thoughts on the video.

Later in the afternoon we met with different locals, and learned a bit about their local culture and language! The words we learned will be extremely helpful in upcoming lessons and daily interactions within our community. After our time with host families, we went to the park and played games with our favorite children. After about an hour and a half of this, we headed back to home base to enjoy another meal. Our meal consisted of fries, roast chicken, and pasta salad. We wrapped up the night by planning our next lesson for school.

Warm Regards-
Lex & Ethan

Update: Here are some photos from Monday!

Friday June 22, 2018

The last day of service ended with a bang! The students of the nursery greeted the kids with open arms. Their lesson plans consisted of dancing, singing, finger-painting, learning the ABCs and blissful last games of duck-duck goose in the field.

The elementary school volunteers began their day with topping the record of the most bricks made in a volunteer session: twenty-three! Seventy-two bricks were created in all over the course of the week. The volunteers then taught lessons for the first half of class, and played games and sang songs with the kids for the second half as a fun last day. Goodbyes were hard at both the nursery and the elementary school, but we hope we left our mark on them and we know they left their marks on us.

Returning home, the seamstress came to do final fittings for our one of a kind dresses, skirts, pants, and shirts made with fabrics we handpicked ourselves. We then joined each other for a Peace Circle under the tree in the front yard to strengthen our bonds and better our final days together.

Following that we gathered children at the park in a ‘clean up day’ to pick up plastic bottles and trash from the local areas. The kids were fully involved in the activity and excitement brewed as we handed out gloves as we walked all around town. From 4:30-6, kids were running and laughing while cleaning up their community.

Tonight we will have a guest speaker come into the home to teach us more about the Krobo culture and way of life here. Afterwards we will begin our Capstones, on the roof, speaking about our experience here and how it has changed us and what we will take away.

Saturday June 23, 2018

Today, we started the morning with getting ready to go to the Sajuna Resort. The resort was filled with trampolines, swimming pools, and spaces for soccer & volleyball under the sun. GLA students formed teams with the locals and GLA staff in a volleyball game full of smiles and laughter.

After spending the day by the pool and playing games, we took a group boat ride. As we headed down the beautiful river a downpour came upon us even through the rain there were still smiles, laughter, and dancing.

After a day at the resort GLA students traveled to a local bead shop where students were able to buy local beads for there loved ones back homeJ The store was filled with bunches of colors and beautiful beads. After the shopping GLA students headed back to home base to spend the penultimate day with the local kids at the park. During dinner, we celebrated GLA student Ethan Mazursky ‘s birthday! Happy Birthday!

-By Clare, Simon and Evan

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Friday July 27, 2018

We have all arrived safely to homebase for delicious lunch. After the last of our group arrived we had some dinner and learned who was in our mentor groups.

Getting ready for lights out to begin tomorrow’s activities!

-Desiree
International Director

Saturday July 28, 2018

The day started with breakfast, where we had delicious pancakes and fruit prepared by Justine and her helpers. We ate our meals where we eat every meal, on a covered deck that sits on a platform up above the lagoon. We don’t regret wearing long pants as the chilly morning winds move blow the lagoon, but we know that once the sun rises a bit more the heat will come.

After breakfast, we had orientation. During this time, we learned everyone’s name, including all of the local staff members. We ended up playing a name game, but even after that some of us were still unsure of how to say some of their names.

Next, we all learned about the customs here in Ghana, and what to expect when we meet the local people. On behalf of all of my group members here, I can definitely say that the potential marriage proposals stood out the most. But parents, don’t worry, your son or daughter probably won’t come back with a ring because when these proposals happen, they are always in the name of fun.

After the swim test that we all gracefully passed, we had time to shower and get ready for lunch. After lunch, Tigo and Boots gave a presentation on service and sanitation. During this presentation they had us walk in the shoes of those living around us to give us an understanding of the things that we might take for granted. From this we’re able to understand the importance of sanitation and our service. We were taught the history of Meet Me There Lodge, Dream Big Ghana and of the program that we are participating in. Being a part of something this great, where the demand for these compost toilets are really needed, can be overwhelming. I think we’re all excited to see the impact we make with our own eyes. Interestingly enough, this is the only GLA program where we complete our projects from start to finish, building it up from the ground.

Later in the day, we went on a community walk where we walked around some local farms. We learned about the agriculture. We saw shallots, onions, tomatoes and other crops being grown. What makes this farm different to all of the other farms that I’ve seen is that all of the crops are growing in the sand. I never thought that sand had enough nutrients to sustain the growth of all of these crops. But here is where our contribution comes in. After 8 months of using the compost toilets, manure is the result of all of the waste. Local farmers can use this manure to help grow the crops.

It’s only been two days and we have already learned so much. Tomorrow we start service, so we’ll all need our sleep tonight.

-Julia

Sunday July 29, 2018

Hey families!

I am Olivia and I will be your student blogger for today, Sunday the 29th!

Today was our first day of service and we were all super eager to start our toilets. For breakfast we had omelette with plantains, sausage and peppers, it was delicious. We then headed out to our service sites to see the foundations of our toilets (there are 3 sites in total). We spent about 4 hours out at the sites. The foundation has two sides (chambers) so one can be getting filled and the other can be decomposing. We made mortar, did our first layer of cement bricks and plastered the inside of the chambers. It was tiring work but we all had fun!

When we got back we had wakye, a traditional Ghanian rice and beans dish, with noodles, salad and 2 different sauces. It was also delicious. After lunch we had a public health discussion, where we discussed what public health is and what we can do to improve public health abroad and at home. We watched a documentary about the an area in Accra, where they burn electronic waste to get the metal and sell it. But, they have to burn lots of rubber and plastic making it very toxic in this area. This opened our eyes to a different part of the country we are in.

We had fish and chips for dinner that was delicious as well. This evening we have an Ewe lesson and a mentor group activity! Miss you all but we are all having the best time!

-Olivia

Monday July 30, 2018

Waking up was a struggle and it was colder than I thought it would be. We started with a quick yoga stretch before heading out. Everyone is healthy and helping with the service project alongside our service coordinators.Knowing we are helping the locals boosts our morale even more. Making concrete was difficult but we also get to practice our Ewe with all the kids around site. While at homebase, we pass the time by playing ping pong and Will is the undisputed king.

The food is great and will hopefully stay that way. After stopping and eating we headed to the local medical centre. The staff showed us around and we were able to learn more about healthcare in Ghana with a visit from the Public Health Nurse, Rose.

Surprisingly we get more free time and await dinner. After eating we will set up camp for the night, wish us luck, goodbye.

-KayDean

Tuesday July 31, 2018

Hey. It’s Eryk. I tried thinking of a good start but that was the best I could do. I’d love to say I was on the adventure of a lifetime, surrounded by the things we all think of when we think of Africa.

A sprawling sub-Saharan landscape filled with lions, zebras, and giraffes; maybe a small shack in the distance. But these traditional beauties that people visit Africa to see are not what I have experienced. What I have seen so far has been so much more beautiful. Dzita has around 10,000 people living in it and when you are in it all previous misconceptions of Africa disappear. On the work site, people bustle around doing their jobs and work to support their families. A mix of traditional African culture and Christianity has provided for kind welcomes and thank you’s by all that pass us. Kids surround us: watching, helping in any way possible, and yes, pointing out the visibly apparent fact that I’m a white guy. These comments do no hurt, however. In fact, it is impossible but to smile when surrounded by people living such a life.

The natural serenity is different from anything I’ve ever experienced. I don’t need a dazzling landscape to desire more of Ghana like I have in so many other places, (although the beach offers it). Instead of Africa being the place I have traditionally viewed it as; a place of impoverished people with no tools provided to them to support themselves and their families, I see a place with people who are content with what God has given them. Where people love each other more than they love themselves. A place full of beauty, even if it’s not what most people would call it.

-Eryk

Wednesday August 1, 2018

Today, half of us went on a health walk shadowing Rose, a public health nurse. They went around to different houses, and watched as Rose advised new mothers to vaccinate and protect their children. The other half of us went to our sites to continue work on the toilets. We worked hard and soon the others joined us.

After service we went back to the lodge and ate. Later we left to go to the market and went on a scavenger hunt. We needed to find certain items and buy them at a certain price with bartering. Then we bought things we wanted and went to a seamstress to have clothes made. We watched a documentary after dinner. So that was our day, cya later parents.

-Daon

Thursday August 2, 2018

Today’s adventures began at the local clinic. It was baby weighing day! We split in to pairs and spread out around the clinic. Some went to the dispensary to record data and distribute medicine, a few went to the public health unit to weigh babies and observe immunizations that were administered, and others went to test patients and watch the locals communicate with their nurses. The clinic has no computers. Everything is written by hand into books that are falling apart.

The babies are weighed by wearing “weighing pants.” The best way to describe these is by imagining a cloth grocery bag with two holes for legs in it. The baby is hung from a hook on a scale by the handle of the pants.

We then came home for lunch and had a mini ping pong competition with Ballo, one of the staff members. Long story short, Will is still the undisputed ping pong champion. Soon after, we left for the Keta slave fort. We were taken on a tour of the women’s side of an old slave fort created in 1784. For a break, we stopped by the lagoon resort for some soft drinks. Next, off to the light house! The view from the light house was beautiful but most of us only stayed up there for a few seconds… it was very high up. A few people found out they had a new fear of heights. So hey, you learn something new everyday!

Once we arrived back at the lodge, we watched (and participated in) a cultural performance put on by a local music/dance group. All in all, today was quite an eventful day that will definitely help us sleep soundly tonight.

-Elana

Friday August 3, 2018

Today we woke up at a ripe 6:45 to Kaydean’s beautiful singular pitched voice saying “wake up, breakfast is in 15 minute.” After hearing these inspiring words we walked to breakfast at a brisk pace. At the breakfast table, our band of brothers and sisters awaited the joyous arrival of Justine who nourished us with good food. Following this we headed down to do our intense work constructing the extravagant toilets designed by our two favorite people: Boots and Tigo.

After our merry gang finished doing our work we headed back to Home Base on the Tigo Mobile which has become a beacon of controversy as campers fight for the backseat. Before lunch we had a short break to cleanse ourselves of the debris that attached to us as we worked on the toilets.

We then headed towards lunch following Kaydean’s second of his three daily reminders he gives us as the sacred time keeper. At lunch we refueled for the afternoon, chatted, and had a wonderful time. Following lunch we saw the graduation of students at the local learning center, where they learned to do batik (a skill that has to do with crafting
colorful fabric).

We then headed to the local school where we “learned” the Ewe alphabet and attempted to play football (aka soccer). This resulted in the ball flying far outside the field onto the property of one of the local’s. We then headed back to Home Base and had an intense game of volleyball that lasted many hours and resulted in lots of diving, yelling, and local Ghanaians showing off their athletic supremacy. Following this we had a solid dinner and an even
more solid night activity that was lots of fun, and helped us build leadership skills.

We ended the day by celebrating Sophia’s birthday as Justine brought plantain and vanilla ice cream, concluding day 9.

-William

Saturday August 4, 2018

Today was another fun day in Ghana! We started the day off early and had our usual breakfast at 7:00. After that we all got ready and headed to service.

Today we worked on plastering the last wall and the outside parts of the stairs. It is beginning to look like a toilet. Afterwards, we headed back to the lodge where we hung out and had free time. Some of us went swimming and others just hung out and relaxed. After that we ate lunch and headed off to play soccer with the locals.

In order to get to get to the field, we had to walk through the local community which took us a while. Next, we played two matches of soccer. One game was our group split into two teams, and the other was a tournament with the locals. After we headed back to the lodge. We had a nice dinner and played an opinion game. Overall today was another lovely day in Ghana!

Sunday August 5, 2018

Today we got up an hour early to pull in the fishing nets with the locals, which was really hard to do. We then ate breakfast and went to service. While at service we painted the door and sanded the walls to prepare for painting.

Later on in the day we went to the batik workshop to tie dyed our shirts and learned how to make patterns with wax and dye ( this is called batiking). For our night activity we watched a movie called Girl Rising. It was about girls around the world and the things that happened to them at a young age and we learned a lot. We all had fun today and look forward to tomorrow!

– Erin

Monday August 6, 2018

Hey parents, it’s Sophia! Today we got to sleep in until 8am, which everyone was happy about. At breakfast, we enjoyed french toast, baked beans, sausage and fruit.

After breakfast, instead of going to service like we normally do, two representatives from Days For Girls, a company which specializes in affordable and reusable female sanitary products, presented to us about problems that women face in developing countries. After this presentation we, learned from Eryk about proper sleeping positions, which made us all want to take a nap.

For lunch, we had jacket potatoes and tuna salad. After, we finally headed to service. We painted the outside and finished the toilet! (besides the roof). We got back and showered the paint off, and then enjoyed our favorite dinner of Red Red.

We ended the day with night activity and mentor groups. Today was another great day in Ghana!

-Sophia

Tuesday August 7, 2018

We started off the day again with a later start at 8:00. Then we headed to breakfast where we had a plantain frittata and fruit.

After we headed to the learning center where Tigo had us paint and decorate some of the walls. We split into two groups and some of us finished our beaded crafts.

Then we went to Auntie’s to pick up our Ghanian clothing. We were there for a while because some people needed alterations, but in the end everyone was happy with the end result. For lunch we had ‘Yum’ Balls (Yam) and a salad. After we had some time to relax and then resumed with our painting.

One group took drumming and singing lessons first while the other group finished. Will truly did sing his heart out and hit the high notes on the ooh. After both groups had finished the music part we joined together for a dance class. We would say that Kaydean was the best.

Then we hung out by the water and took a short canoe ride. It took a long time getting ready for our farewell dinner. It was a meal of jollof rice and goat kabobs. Then we headed to our bonfire where we sang, danced, and celebrated our last night in Ghana!

Shelby & Anna

Wednesday August 8, 2018

Today was our last full day. It started with the opening ceremony of our newly built toilets. We all sat through a presentation where our local director, Boots, educated the local families on how to use the toilets. He emphasised the importance of sanitation and personal hygiene. After that, we drove through the market to get to the Volta River. We travelled by boat until we reached Papa’s Beach Resort where we ate lunch and had an intense volleyball match. The girls + Jasper, Papa and Tigo are the reigning champions. For our final activity, we participated in an appreciation circle. Half of the group sat in a circle on the ground while the others went around tapping shoulders. Statements were being read, and the goal was to tap the shoulders of someone you think met that statement. We all left feeling appreciated.

For the staff, the students put on a talent show. Daon showed us how he can walk with one of his legs behind his head, Kaydean showed us his impressive jumping, Eryk “hypnotised” Daon, Will sang Allstar, Elana sang Tunring Tables by Adele, and Julia gave the staff Chinese names. The last act was Sophia, Olivia, Anna, Shelby, and Erin performing the Cha Cha Slide.

This has been an amazing two weeks, and we are sad to leave (partially because we need to leave at 3:30am). Parents, we will see you soon!

-Julia

Thursday August 9, 2018

Today began our journey’s, in returning home. We are sad to leave Ghana, especially our new family in Dzita! Calling this place home for 2 weeks felt like a lifetime, but we know our hearts will always be here.

-Desireé
International Director

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Tuesday July 10, 2018

We have finally arrived in Ghana and have all made it safely to homebase. It was a long road but in our first day we got to swim in the lagoon, watch fish jump out of nets and were able to fit all 6 of us in the canoe! We are getting ready for bed after a delicious meal and can’t wait to begin tomorrow.

-Desiree
International Director

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Hi everyone!

It is Day 2 here in Dzita! We all were up bright and early (for me at least) at 7 am. Gathered for breakfast with beautiful views of the lagoon, we enjoyed yummy nutella crepes with fruit salad. After, we had an introduction to the staff and orientation. We met such wonderful people, and got introduced to more of their culture. We learned that when you greet someone, you woud shake their hands followed by a snap sound that uses eachothers fingers.

When I walk around the home base, I feel at home. Everyone is so supportive and we feel like a family. After relaxing a bit, we grabbed our day packs and started the tour of the local community. Walking through farmer’s fields, we learned about peoples lifestyle and the crops most commonly grown. Waving to all the little kids running by, we visited the builiding site of the compost toilets that we will be constructing for the next two weeks.

Learning about sanitation was extremey informing, and interesting. Coming to an end on our tour, we took a walk on the beach with views and sounds of huge waves crashing. Cannoeing over the lagoon was an awesome calming experience. We all jumped into the lagooon for a quick swim before dinner. Enjoying pizza and salad for dinner, we were all pretty exhausted and ready to take on day 3 in this magical, life-changing community.

-Charlotte

Thursday July 12, 2018

Woezor!

Our day started off early when the otherwise serene morning was briefly interrupted by a chorus of particularly vocal roosters. Their dulcet tones carried us through to our breakfast of sausage and plantain fritattas, fresh fruit, toast, and baked beans. Fueled up and ready to go, we met with our community’s nurse and followed her through the maze of houses, asking everyone to visit us so we could weigh their babies.

We found ourselves in a constant state of joy as kids waved at us, shouting “yevu!” (white person). As people arrived at the outdoor clinic, we recorded the babies’ data in several large books. The babies were weighed on a hanging scale, and anytime there was a pause in mother and baby arrivals, we were free to play and dance with some of the older kids.

After lunch, we met with the Chief of Dzita. He described the history of Ghana and gave thorough answers to all of our questions before asking us some of his own. He was beautifully wise and wonderfully kind.

We had a lovely time lounging with our pineapple-mint-lime smoothies and dinner, and then headed to the summer hut for an Ewe lesson from Tigo and Elvis. Equipped with our new knowledge, we feel ready to take on our first official day of service in the morning.

Mi ima va (see you tomorrow),

-Sofia

Friday July 13, 2018

So today is Day 4! We started the day with a breakfast that comprised of french toast, sausage, baked beans, and a variety of local fresh fruits, which thankfully provided us with enough energy for the first day of service. Then we left to our work sites.

The service coordinators(masons from Meet Me There) had already made the bricks so that they could dry and set the first layer to get a start to the project. We spent our time at the site today carrrying the bricks over, mixing the mortar, and then adding a layer of bricks filled in with mortar. Then we plastered the inside wall with the mortar until it was smooth. By the time we finished service my work clothes were completely covered in sand and mortar.

We then returned to Meet Me There and had amazing smoothies before swimming in the lagoon to cool off. After lunch we went to the local clinic and saw the different rooms and how it operated. We then met with Nurse Rose to discuss what she does. On a monthly basis she does home visits, school visits, discussing family planning with women, setting up a place to weigh and vaccinate babies in the community, and working in the clinic.

We then swam again before a dinner of yam balls(unusual name, but super delicious spherical cakes) with a vegetable sauce and salad with lentils and goat cheese.

I think the jet lag has finally worn off and we’ve settled in to the Ghananian way of life, so I’m looking forward to the next ten days here.

-by Fran

Saturday July 14, 2018

Hello parents!

Today in Ghana we had a delicious breakfast of muesli and yogurt, as well as some mixed fruits. Following breakfast the six of us split up into our two service groups and went to work on our composting toilets. Both groups were able to complete the concrete floor to our toilets. Following the morning service, we returned to home base and went for a swim in the lagoon. We ate a lunch consisting of a local Ghanain food known as “Red Red” which is a sorts of rice and beans, with a spicy red sauce, accompanied by sweet plantains.

Upon the completion of our midday meal, we embarked on the short journey to the vocational college, about 10 minutes away. Once we arrived, we unloaded the truck and walked inside, in order to engage in a local tradition called “Batik” which is the dying of cloth with dyes, using wax to create designs on the cloths.

We returned to the home base once again following the afternoon activity in order to shower and relax a bit before dinner. Our dinner consisted of avocado wraps with a side of chips and a small salad.

After consuming our dinner to the content of our now-full bellies, we proceeded to the evening activity. We played a game called “Sheep and Shephards” in which we worked in pairs, with one partner blindfolded and the other guiding them through a maze. The only catch was the use of sounds and animal noises in place of directions such as “Left, Right, Down… etc.” After this we watched a short TED Talk and spoke about the subject of leadership.

Things here in Ghana are going great. The fifth day was yet another day full of fun, work, and friendshps.

-Cam

Sunday July 15, 2018

Today was a very special day here in Dzita! All day long we celebrated the 17th birthday of Sofia!! We first started off the day by waking up for breakfast at 7am, which consisted of omletes and fresh fruit. After breakfast we packed our bags and hit the road for another day at service.

The service sites saw great progess today with the completion of five layers of bricks which began to form the walls of the toilet. This process started by mixing the cement, carrying endless bricks and chopping the bricks down the right length. We then used these tools to build up the walls with the help of Ballo and Jasper, our local service coordinators.

After service, we spent time hanging with the staff sipping on our fresh smoothies, then the next thing we know Papa and Tigo are pouring water all over Sofia! This is Ghanian tradition of pouring water on the birthday girl represents the “second baptism.” Now soaking wet, we headed to have another delicious lunch.

Later now, we headed to the Community Learning Center and learned about Public Health and applied what we learned to the local community of Ghana. As the day came to a close we had dinner and started doing some dancing on the deck over our lagoon. Catching us off gaurd, the local staff came out and surprised Sofia with a delicious birthday cake! Today was a great day of service, learning about Public Health, and celebrating Sofia!!

Etsor mia dogo (see you tomorrow),

Rose

Monday July 16, 2018

Hello everyone back home,

We had the busiest day so far on this trip. We began the day by going out into the community for a Health Outreach after an amazing breakfast. Since this was our second time doing the Community Outreach we got the job done very fast and efficiently. In total we weighed, documented, and gave immunizations to 87 babies!!! After finishing lunch we left right away again to continue our adventures. We received a very eye opening tour at an old slave fort. We learned a lot more about the slave trade and took more time after to reflect on everything we saw there. On our way to a light house we stopped at a beautiful resort on a lagoon for some local drinks. Once at the light house we took some funny photos and climbed our way to the top on the steep steps. Our day didn’t end there though. After getting back we received a local performance of singing, drums, and dancing where we all got to jump in and learn some wicked dance moves. After dancing today we will be bringing back our newly learned skills to American dance parties. We of course ended the day with an amazing dinner of vegetables, rice, and fish. We are officially half way through a trip!

See you all soon!

-Jorg

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Hi Again!

We are all thriving for our 8th day here in Dzita! We enjoyed a yummy breakfast that consisted of scrambled eggs, toast, avocado and fruit salad while overlooking the beautfiul calm lagoon. As we all grabbed our bellongings including the most important things; bugspray so we don’t have to constantly itch our bites, sunscreen so we don’t burn and look like tomatoes and water to hydrate!

The two groups parted their separate ways to continue working on the compost toilets. We all finished building and plastering the 8 layers of the toilet. Lots of hard work today but everyone stayed energized and never gave up!

After working hard, we all deserved a refreshing swim in the salty water lagoon. Floating and laughing, the lunch bell soon rang. We gathered around the table, like a family, and enjoyed our meal of jollof rice, egg sauce and salad. Hoped in the truck, we continued our journey to a local school. We got to see the separated communal toilets that Dream Big Ghana built for the school. After, we looked in the classrooms and interacted with some of the students in games. As we all ran around and dripped sweat in our friendly competition of soccer, we shared lots of laughs. Also, some of us enjoyed singing and dancing for the students consisting of old pop songs.

As we all arrived back at Home Base, we headed with our baskets to the beach for Sofia’s project of the day. We did a beach clean up competition to pick up the most trash in 15 minutes. The winner received a prize, which was a fresh smoothie! While playing intense card games in the summer hut, the bell rang for dinner. A classic American dish of pizza was a hit and lets say, we all went back for seconds, thirds and fourths…..

We were all wiped from the day but were ready and excited to continue our journey in Ghana!

-Charlotte

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Welcome back!

As you may have read, our days have been busy and exhausting, but highly fulfilling–today was no different. We started the day off with a breakfast of muesli and fruit before heading off to our service sites. Both groups have now finished layering the walls of their toilets with bricks, so today we mainly focused on plastering the outer walls with cement and building stairs up to the toilets’ doors.

We had some time to relax before our lunch of rice balls and groundnut soup, and then we prepared to visit the market. Each of us was paired with another student for a scavenger hunt that required us to buy specific items and bargain (in Ewe) for lower prices. The market was a managerie of sounds, colors, and smells, and though there was a lot going on we all had a wonderful time roaming around and shopping for fun fabrics. An hour later and with our wallets significantly lighter, was taxied to a local tailor that took our measurements in order to turn our fabric into clothing.

We walked back to the lodge as the sun was starting to set, and soon sat down to eat our spaghetti under the stars. Later, we headed to the Summer Hut for Charlotte’s project (a fun game that requires a good memory and extreme concentration) and a lesson on goal-setting. We can’t wait to see what we will achieve tomorrow.

~Sofia

Thursday July 19, 2018

Hi everyone!

We started off the day with a full English breakfast of omelettes, toast, sausage, and baked beans; before splitting into our two groups and heading off for our work sites. We worked on plastering the outside walls of the toilet and finishing the stairs. With only two days left of service, the whole structure is really starting to come together. The woman who lives where my group is building the toilet, Mercy, brought us fresh coconuts to drink out of. They were so refreshing, and the perfect treat to enjoy after a long day of service.

When we got back to Meet Me There, we all jumped into the lagoon for a quick swim before lunch. Our midday meal was brown rice with palava sauce and salad. After lunch, we got a lesson in traditional drumming, dancing, and singing from Ballo. It was really interesting to learn how to do some of the things that we observed the other night at the cultural performance. Some kids from the community center also joined in and giggled at our first attempts of dancing. For dinner, we had the Ghanian version of fish and chips, which was catfish or snapper fish and cassava chips, along with salad. It was absolutely delicious!

Then we watched a documentary called Girls Rising for our night activity, which showed different stories of girls around the world that didn’t have access to education. One girl in Nepal wasn’t able to go to school or live with her family because her parents gave her to a master as a bonded worker, starting at age six, while her brother got to go to school. There was some statistics in the video that were really shocking, like girls as young as seven years old have been married, and fifty percent of sexual assaults in the world happen to girls under fifteen years old. The video was really eye opening to how fortunate we are to have so many opportunities for our education, and how we often take that for granted.

On a lighter note, during the video Justine brought us warm brownies, reminding us of how grateful we are to have her amazing meals everty day!

Looking forward to tomorrow, another day of learning and service awaits!

-Fran

Friday July 20, 2018

Hello Parents,

Today from Dzita: Your children awoke to the sound of the breakfast bell ringing at around 7:00 in the morning today. After stumbling out from beneath their mosquito nets, all the way to the door, they managed to make it to breakfast. Messy haired, but with bright smiles on their faces. After breakfast we played card games in the summer hut while awaiting our guest speakers. Around 9:45 AM two women from the “Days for Girls” Enterprise came to talk to us about female hygeine and and their mission to educate and empower girls and women as to their menstrual cycles. Their mission is to solve the problem of girls missing days of school due to them menstruating. After talking with the women from Days for Girls we had our lunch before heading off to site for the day.

Today at site we sanded our doors, cast the slabs to close the compost chambers at the back of our toilets, and plastered the stairs and interior floor. Tomorrow is our last day working on the toilets before the opening. We plan to put on our doors, finish the tiling on the inside, and paint our new toilet a bright color. Everyone here is excited and overwhelmingly happy to have been a part of this amazing project.

After our work at the site we went back to the local tailor to pick up the items we dropped off on Wednesday. All of the clothes came back perfect, and everyone is beyond thrilled with their new clothes. Dinner was a favorite dish, “Red Red”, for the second time this trip.

More from Dzita tomorrow!

-Cam

Saturday July 21, 2018

Hello!

Today was Day 12 and our last day of service! After another delicious breakfast we packed our bags and headed towards our service sites. Today we worked on painting the outside of the toilet and adding some finishing touches. Sofia and Fran both painted everyones names onto the toilet to show our hard work.

After a long day of service we got back to homebase and enjoyed yam balls and veggie sauce for lunch. Once we were refueled we hopped in the truck and started on our way to a local football game. As we walked through the community we seemed to pick up kids along the way. By the time we finally made it to the field we were walking with a whole pack of local kids as they continued to jump on us. We then warmed up and started to play some football matches with the locals. It is fair to say that they are certainly way better than us. When the games finished we had to peel the kids off of us as we headed back to homebase.

Once we got back to homebase we had a delicious dinner with all of the local staff and headed to a bonfire on the beach. After a long night of dancing and singing with the locals we canoed back to homebase and called it a night. Another successful day of learning about the local culture in the books.

-by Rose

 

Sunday July 22, 2018

Hello Ladies and Gents,

Today was our last day in Ghana. We began the day with our favorite breakfast, chocolate pancakes and fruit. Then we went to the opening ceremony for the toilets. There we explained how to use them and both Sofia and Charlotte gave a hand washing demonstration. After we went back to home base to prepare for our river tour. For the river tour all of the staff from Meet Me There Lodge came with us, which included everything to make lunch. We went to see where the Volta River met the Ocean and soon after went to a beautiful beach. On the beach we played volleyball together as we waited for the Staff to cook lunch. We had rice, salad, and chicken for lunch.

After lunch GLA played the Staff in a match of Volleyball, which we lost, but we still think we are winners at heart haha. After the game we had an appreciation circle with the staff, which was very heartwarming and made us realise our impact on the group. The girls continued by playing local games with the cooking staff which were a ton of fun, while the guys played another round of volleyball. After we traveled back to Home Base to pack and prepare for the talent show.

We will be up for an early start and sad it’s coming to an end.

-Jorg

Monday July 23, 2018

We started our morning early to head to Accra. After saying our last goodbyes everyone headed into security ready to head back home. Such an impact was made in the town of Dzita, and will always be in our hearts!

Ghana, oh na na na
Half of my heart is in Ghana
Oh na na!

-Desiree
International Director

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Saturday June 23, 2018

Arrival day!!!

It’s been a long journey for all of us, but we have all arrived safe and sound. We made our way to our beautiful home base in Dzita and settled in after a great dinner. With all this excitement we dont want to sleep but know tomorrow starts a great adventure!

Desiree
International Director

Sunday June 24, 2018

Today was a day of introductions to both the GLA program and culture of Ghana.

At 8:00 am we had breakfast— although after talking with some of the others students in the program, we all appeared to have all woken up at 5:00 am. For breakfast we had two types of thin pancakes, quite similar to crepes (one plain, one with chocolate) and a fruit salad; there, many had their first taste of starfruit.

Following breakfast, students were introduced to the staff of our home base. We first sat in a circle and stated our names and where we are from. Both the staff and the students then played a game to help us remember each others’ names. The traditions of Ghana were explained by the staff; this included how to be respectful and the traditional Ghanian customs; for example, receiving items from others with our right hand and remembering to greet others.

We students then went over the GLA code of conduct, and later played a version of Jeopardy to review these rules and code of conduct and some Ghanian facts. We then played a game where we were prompted to stand in a circle and link hands and “untangle” ourselves without saying a word; once we finished we learned that communication can occur even if we cannot clearly communicate (perhaps due to a possible language barrier).

We then had to take a swim test. Fortunately, we all passed. After, we spent some time in the water.

After lunch, Boots led the group to a nearby school. It was about a ten minute walk to the school. There we were informed of the education in Ghana and how it is structured. We then visited local homes in the area where the compost toilets were built last year.

Once we came back to home base, we ate dinner and discussed the day and what we had learned. Something that was highlighted was that even if a student has good grades and had the desire to further their education, the often cannot as they may not be able to afford the tuition. At the school, Boots stated that very few scholarships are available for students and many students may become discouraged in class as the student teacher relationships are not very close.

The day concluded with watching the TED talk entitled “The Danger of a Single Story.” This TED talk oped up new ideas and perspectives. Many individuals may have one idea that may encompass “Africa.” This may include poverty, sadness, and a low quality of life. From our experiences we too must also share our story to include others’ perspectives about the different aspects of our world.

– Nick

Monday June 25, 2018

“… but what will you leave behind?” he asked, a smile spreading across his face. Perhaps the old man understood that we were all thinking of the same thing – the project we had started a few hours earlier. The wise village chief continued, offering advice and suggestions for our futures. Each student was able to ask him a question and he provided fascinating responses. He spoke of life and love; the latter led to some interesting albeit slightly uncomfortable discussion. As we chuckled and shifted in our seats, the soreness in our muscles became apparent.

We had spent the morning mixing mortar and plaster and learning the masonry techniques that will become an integral part of our days in the next weeks. Transporting water in pans (which we rested upon our heads – Ghana style) and lugging 50kg cement bags was tiresome but rewarding. We were able to finish the foundations at each site. Even our HQ visitor got in on the action. We had many interactions with the people of Dzita today. Surprising locals by greeting them in their own tongue was a great experience, and it instilled in all of us a drive to learn more Ewe (the language of the Volta region).

When we arrived back at base, after a delicious dinner prepared by the staff, Elvis helped us do just this. He taught us a full page of words and quizzed us until we had most of them committed to memory (for now). The words will help us communicate at the building sites, during the day, and at markets.

Glad to have finished the first real day of work here! A day of culture, language, hard work and fun! Goodnight from all of us here in Dzita!

-Johannes

Tuesday June 26, 2018

So today started off with mini-sausage, bread pancakes, and fruit. It was all really good. Some people even took the “french toast” & wrapped the sausage to make pigs in the blanket. Service was rough today, but it was still good. We made the cement and mixed it with the shovels which was really hard! Then we poured it into the layer above the foundations to cover the chambers. We got back early, and things changed because the water was down. So, what happened was everyone took a bucket shower, and had one bucket of water to take a shower. Which really shows how much more water you can use less of.

We also visited the clinic today, and learned about public health with Rose!! After we played soccer with the kids in the community center. It was one of the best things I have experienced. The kids were so happy and had such wide smiles. They were running around so much, too! One of the kids named Grace played goalie with me and she was super cute. She tried to carry me, and hang from my arms 🙂 So yeah! I would say it is going really well today, and everyone is getting close together too.

Sincerley,

-Kate Beddard

Wednesday June 27, 2018

When you think of poverty, what do you see? Houses with rusting tin roofs, dirty feet, starving children with flies circling their heads. This is the perception of poverty many people back at home picture—and it can’t be more wrong. Today, experienced by six out of the thirteen students, we split into two groups, accompanied by one GLA leader and one local nurse each, to observe home health check-ins.

These check ins consist of:

1.) Greetings and introductions to the household as they pulled out plastic chairs in kind hospitality.

2.) If there are children living there, a check of their green booklet containing their up-to-date vaccinations and progressing weight.

3.) A measurement of each adult’s blood pressure (BP).

4.) A personalized recommendation of what they should consider according to their issues.

It seems simple bulleted on a four point list, though the nurses working tirelessly at the local clinic say it’s anything but. Between the two groups, we faced rejection, anti vaccinators due to clashing spiritual beliefs, and misinformation on health subjects relating to birth control and immunization. These challenges may seem daunting and forever constant as each visit seems to drone on for the nurses (as we asked them to translate the issue while drilling them with lots of public health questions), yet this work cannot be ignored. Like one of the nurses, Rose, said “If I can educate at least two people, then I can educate four, then six, then eight” then she can make an impact on the culture, not just individuals. Public health locals do not look for praise in this job; rather, they look for impact and understanding.

The market was full of busying people and strange new foods. While we tried to take in the overwhelming environment, the staff led our three separate groups through the market to achieve a scavenger hunt—basically just a way to show the everyday run to the market that Ghanaians in Dzita, do every Wednesday to get their supplies. We were handed a list of needed items for the lodge, given 50 cedi, and given to a staff member to help us navigate the market and prices. The informal prices and casual way of doing business was a huge culture shock, but in the end it became clearer as we went out a second time (still accompanied by the staff member) but this time to find things we wanted to buy for ourselves and our families.

After all this, we ended the day with a lesson on the difference between service, helping a local community on something they say they needed while focusing on a sustainable local program, and volunteerism, coming in blind to the needs of a community and instead focusing on “saving” them. The video we watched was a parody on how westerners viewed “helping” people through viewing service as a thing to prove how good you are. Then the parallels between the nurses and service came to surface: we all want to create a sustainable program to benefit the community, while not looking for praise but for impact and understanding.

So, to say the least, we learned a little!

-Paige Thimmesch

Thursday June 28, 2018

Hey what is up parents, my name is Jack and I’ll be the student blogger of the day.

We had a pretty fun day overall and came a lot closer as a group. So let’s start at the best place to start, the beginning. Breakfast was the first item on the agenda, and we had a blast. Ordinarily we get our breakfast and sit with the same people we’ve sat with since the beginning not because it’s required, but due to our own personal comfort. Today was no ordinary day however, because Dezzy decided to push us out of our comfort zone. We all got our food, and sat with different people at different tables. We had such a blast eating amongst friends we don’t usually dine with that we made one giant table for everyone to sit at. The meal was great, only topped by the joy of companionship.

Soon afterwards, as per usual, we got ready for work. We played a small game while waiting for the rides, nothing too noteworthy, and we built two more layers of wall, as well as fill in the sides of the base with sand to even out the ground. During this I met many small children of the area that took great pleasure in climbing me like a tree. That was great until they got told by their father not to disturb us, then they stayed clear.

Afterwards, I met a man named Coffee, or a least that’s what it sounded like, and he was handicapped and on the older side. He was just on the side of the road waiting for God knows who. He seemed thirsty so I gave him water and talked with him as best I could. It was no cake walk however, as he didn’t speak a lick of English.

In the afternoon we ventured to Auntee’s place, a local tailor, where we brought our fabric to get it designed into trousers and shirts. There were a lot of people to fit up, so we resorted to pictionary in the sand, and we had way too good of a time with that. We then came back to the lodge, and immediately got taught how to grass whistle by Lena, which annoyed surrounding members of the community, but one of the funniest things to us. Then Eric taught us Egyptian War, or Slamwich, which is a vicious card game that raises blood pressure and numbs your hand. We then played cards again for a while until dinner. We tried making awful jokes at the table, which only led to cringes and fake laughter.

Then, we got into small groups in order to self evaluate our goals. We came together to discuss the three facts about our leaders and I obviously crushed it. That will wrap it up for today’s blog as we are going to bed soon. We are fine and are loving our time here.

-Jack

Friday June 29, 2018

A new day arrives yet again, and there are many surprises laid ahead. Today began cool, with a crisp wind accompanied with a delicious beans and eggs breakfast. The group’s energy was low, but as soon as caffeine kicked in our systems, we were up and ready for service. Once arrived at our sites, the primary goal was to establish steps, and begin plastering the walls of the famous toilets. Easy day of work today, though the sun was beaming and the flies were crowding on our faces wet with sweat.

After the appropriate amount of work was accomplished, we headed back to Home Base for an early lunch. Justine, the lovely head chef, presented us a plate of soft boiled yams topped with “the sauce”, a concoction of the perfect ingredients and measurements, a large portion of coconut rice along a side of a most exquisite salad of course. After Justine received a round of applause for her work of art, the group of service-learning students went back to practicing ping pong techniques and shuffling a deck of cards for a small break.

The afternoon activity consisted of two things nowhere close to anything we have done so far: visiting a fort museum from the times of slavery in Ghana, and reaching the top of a coastal lighthouse. The transportation on the way to our first destination was a trip in itself, as the road was bumpy enough to make our bodies jump, it was soothing enough that many students fell asleep. We passed some villages that were apparently more well-off than Dzita, the village where we rest, and some were scarcer.

On our way back, we went into a village named Keta, full of friendly people and colorful market stands. There at the end of the path was the a bright red and white lighthouse, built from metal, shining right next to the fearful ocean. A kind man opened up and allowed us to climb to the top of the lighthouse, though some had a much more difficult time adjusting the increase of distance between our feet and the ground. The view was incredible, we could see thousands of palm tree and every road for miles ahead.

In the evening, we were greeted by a lively cultural performance. It involved an enthusiastic group made up of young girls singing, men drumming, and women dancing. The students were even forced into the dancing at some points, some quite nervous at first, but everyone slowly got their bodies to cooperate into a decent rhythm, and moved in a circle with the others, to a catchy beat.

After the guests were thanked, we enjoyed a nicely cooked glow fish with “sauced” up rice, alongside coconut salad. A delicious ending to a beautiful sunny day, a memorable day, and yet another day in incredible Ghana.

-Lena

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today was another fantastic day in the beautiful country of Ghana. We started off with another delicious breakfast, pancakes and fruit, and then we headed off to service at 8:30am. At the site, we plastered the four outside walls and part of the stairs. Plastering is a very hard technique, but the service leaders are great at showing us exactly how to do it; it’s all in the wrist! At my site today, all the kids were watching us while we worked and they even wanted to dance!

After service, we had lunch and then it was football tournament time! We walked to the field with some of the football players from Tigo’s team. Once at the field, we played ladies versus ladies and guys versus guys. Surprisingly, the ladies were fairly matched! The football games were really fun to play in and even watch. Watching the actual football players use their techniques was pretty awesome. Also at the football tournament, we played the ninja game and some of the girls from the other team showed us their games, including a version of our ‘duck, duck, goose’, where they sing ‘there’s a fire on the mountain’. After that, we walked back home and Claire showed us her project of the day (POTD) which ironically was another version of ‘duck, duck, goose’ with a sponge filled with water!

Then, dinner time came. For dinner we enjoyed fresh pizza with salad. After dinner, we partnered up and blindfolded half the students and the ones who weren’t blindfolded helped lead the other students through the obstacle course. It got a little chaotic, but ultimately it taught us the importance of trust, leadership, communication, and listening. We also watched a TED talk to show us the importance of being a leader, but also the importance of taking the initiative after the first leader to get others to follow. Finally, we ended with April’s POTD, which was a trivia game that involved questions about goats. Time is going very fast here and we all love it here!

The country is beautiful, the people (both the villagers and the staff) are amazing, and all the students are really getting along well.

-Chloe

 

Sunday July 1, 2018

Today was Day 9 of living and breathing in the vibrant, vivacious country of Ghana.

Yes mother and father, this is your beloved daughter Sargi writing this. Yes I have been taking my malaria pills, yes my poop has been fine, and yes I’m having the time of my life.

Since we, children and mentors alike, understand the parents need to be informed about their offspring’s aliveness throughout their visit in Ghana, I’ve decided to enlighten all of you about our happenings with excruciating detail and big words. The big words simply because I’m smart… obviously.

Today we started the day off with an energising breakfast from our head chef Justine to help us work our hardest at the sites. We finished up the exterior of our compost toilets by plastering the walls and building the stairs. After service we took much deserved showers and enjoyed yet another wonderful lunch. Soon after, we traveled in a TroTro, a motor vehicle popular with the Ghanian people, to a batik workshop. There we learned how to use traditional Ghanian designs and art to dye cloth. Once back at home base, we had an intense capture the flag game, resulting in a round of Alvaro’s for everyone.

We ended the day with presentations on public health, increasing our knowledge on the preventions and risk factors of several diseases. We are now nearing “lights outs” at home base, while getting ready for a long but fun day ahead of us tomorrow. Good night and don’t let the mosquitos bite!

-Sargi

Monday July 2, 2018

Today was a great day in the wonderful country of Ghana. We started off with breakfast at 8, then went to service at 9. My service group finished plastering the stairs, and then we got sand to fill in the rest of the surrounding area around the toilet. Many young kids came and helped us do the work a little bit, and at one point, there were about 22 kids! They all helped so much. Two of the kids, Francisca and Grace were attached to me, they were too cute. After service, we ate lunch, then went to a school.

Today is Day of Republic in Ghana, so the kids did not have school. We saw the composting toilets that were made for the school, and we saw the classrooms from the outside. After we looked at the school, Boots let us play with the kids that were at the school. They were all very nice, and Boots’ child Destiny got to play with them, too. When we got back to the lodge, we played football (soccer) and volleyball with some of the kids at the Community Center. Francisca was there, so I played with her for a little bit. We saw a lot of kids that were at the service sight as well.

At about 4:30, we left the Community Center and did an activity in the summer hut. Desiree and Jen filled cups with a liquid that we didn’t know of at the time but ended up being oral hydration tablets to hydrate us. We did two relays of drinking them. Today was Chloe’s project of the day, so we played a game called SPUD in the Community Center.

After, we ate dinner, which was fantastic as always, and met for our night activities. For our night activity, we got into four groups and got cultural greetings that we had to do to each other. It was very interesting because it showed how to respect other people’s cultures and ways of greetings. After that, we got into our mentor groups and made an elevator speech about life in Ghana. We also talked about our highs and lows of the day. We ended this great day with Kate’s project of the day, which was yoga. I enjoyed the yoga very much, thank you Kate. Tomorrow will be another amazing day full of new experiences!

-April

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today, breakfast was at eight, consisting of toast slapped in egg and toasted in a French fashion, sausages, baked beans, and pineapples. Days for Girls, an innovative, international enterprise focused on educating girls about their monthly cycles and distributing reusable and locally sustainable menstrual supply packages, visited to tell us all about their organization. After an engaging presentation, we learned about how they are working to become self sufficient and reach every girl in need in the world within a few years– an ambitious but worthy goal. With luck, no female will ever miss days of school or work again.

Lunch, as always, was another gorgeous creation from Justine: avocado wrap, chips (French fries for you Americans), and a chickpea salad. The best part of the day was service in the afternoon. Walking up to our site, we saw the completed structure of the toilet, surrounded by the smiling members of the family benefitting from it. A few hours were spent coating our compost toilet with layers of rust colored paint, and a few more hours washing the paint off with buckets (hoses should never be taken for granted).

At the end, the children of the house gathered around, watching me give myself unintentional showers with overflowing headpans. The kids assisted in carrying water, the mother helped us clean up, and a young man shook my hand and accompanied our team to the road as we left. I saw nothing but genuine appreciation in their eyes. The blood, sweat, and tears of laughter from composing freestyle raps about building toilets were worth it, a million times over. After a lovely dinner (rice, Sauce, salad, and my favorite fried plantains) we slipped into the night. I’m heading to my bed now. I don’t know how I can leave this place in a few days.

-Claire

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Today was Day 12 in Ghana. Breakfast was at 7:00. We had omelettes, toast, and avocado fruit salad. It was a delicious meal and everybody enjoyed it. After breakfast, we split into two groups– one went to finish up the toilet, the other to go with the nurse to visit the locals. I was in the group that went with the nurse; it was a fun experience.

The nurse took us to an island off the coast into a small community. When we arrived on the island, we were greeted by a horde of mosquitoes that bit us as we furiously sprayed ourselves with mosquito repellent. After we got past the mosquitoes, the nurses took us to the different parts of the village, where they would talk to locals about their health problems and translate what the villagers said to us.

A common problem found among locals was hypertension– due to stress and drinking, and another problem was a lack of famliy planning among women. Many women in the community had unexpected teen pregnancies because they did not understand how babies were made, so they were forced to stay with their baby and were unable to follow their dreams. We then learned about breastfeeding, dangers of home births, and reasons why many people do not go to clinics to seek treatments. I truly learned a lot from this experience and it’s something I would like to do again.

We returned from the island and headed to Auntie’s where we received and paid for the clothes we had ordered last Wednesday. Lunch was right after that and we had yam balls, vegetable sauce, and beet salad. It was a great meal and it helped to prepare us for our afternoon activities. After lunch, Ballo taught us how to play drums and how to dance, we even learned a new song! After that, we had a debate with local students concerning the hazards and advantages of being a farmer or fisherman, which was an interesting experience.

Dinner was after all those activities and we had a huge feast to celebrate our departure. We had goat kebabs, fried chicken, and okra mango salad. This was one of the greatest meals during the trip and I really enjoyed it. We completed our day with a bonfire on the beach, where we dance and sang until our fire died out. Looking at the stars and listening to the sound of the waves was an amazing experience I will cherish forever.

-Eric

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today was our last day in Ghana and we had a great day! For breakfast we had an omelette cooked with peppers and plantains. We finally got to see our hard work complete and we celebrated by having an opening ceremony of the toilets. While most of it was in Ewe, the families seemed very excited to learn how to use them.

Then we took a nice boat trip down the Volta river to Papa’s bar and hangout on the beach. When we arrived we played sports with the locals and had lunch on the beach. After winding down and eating another delicious meal from Justine we headed back to home base and said goodbye to a fellow student with an early flight.

When the time came around for dinner we had noodles with vegetables and salad followed by a student talent show. The talent show consisted of a variety of songs from Count On Me by Bruno Mars and even a hula dance lead by Lena. After a long day of saying good byes and spending quality time with each other it was an unforgettable day that will always be remembered.

-Chelsea

 

Friday July 6, 2018

Our journey began early today to head back home. Although tired, we remained with smiles on our faces as we check-in and passed through customs, knowing Ghana will forever be in our hearts.

-Desi