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Tuesday June 19, 2018

Today was arrival day – and our staff were super excited to meet the students! As students arrived they met with each other and began bonding – we had a large group come in at lunchtime so we all went to Pollo Campero, a beloved Guatemalan chicken restaurant that the students really enjoyed.

We then traveled to Antigua where we hosted some icebreakers, had a brief orientation to the program and our staff, and then went to dinner at a restaurant for a mix of American and Guatemalan traditional fare.

A second group of 6 students arrived later and went to dinner with Cathy, one of our mentors, in a tranquil neighborhood of Guatemala City minutes from the airport and multiple embassies. They arrived to Antigua and went straight to bed, but all are excited for seeing a coffee plantation and traveling to Xela tomorrow!

One of our students, Allie, is not pictured, as she arrived at 5:30am and spent the day in Antigua with a mentor while we did pickups for the rest of the students, but we will share another photo tomorrow with the entire group!

-Patrick (International Director)

Wednesday June 20, 2018

Today, we were packed and ready to go by seven in the morning from our hotel in Antigua. We ate a traditional Guatemalan breakfast and headed to San Antonio Aguas Calientes for a weaving demonstration and a wedding (director’s note: just a simulated wedding, folks! No students were married on this program :D). There, we experienced how authentic clothing and blankets are made only by hand, something that is rare and difficult to come by. We also watched two of our group members get “married” in traditional wedding outfits. After that, we hand-flattened corn tortillas and got the opportunity to eat them with a cup of coffee. We then continued our day at a coffee farm where we learned about process, culture, and history of coffee production in Guatemala. We got a chance to try and buy coffee home-grown at the farm. We began to finish up our day by driving four hours to Xela, our home base.

-Blog and Photos by Olivia and Jack Phillips

Thursday June 21, 2018

Today was GLA’s first day working with the children at the school, or Centro de Atencion Integral. Both groups were eager to meet each other! We got to work beginning their murals and helping out the teachers with their classes. After lunch, we drove to a local family owned chocolate factory, where we sampled natural Guatemalan chocolate and learned about the history of chocolate production. Finally, we ended the day with a Salsa class in downtown Xela. It was a busy, exciting day for our group!

Friday June 22, 2018

Today, we woke up to the smell of pancakes which made everyone very excited. After, we returned to the school and spent more time with the children playing games and painting our beautiful murals. “Pato Pato Ganzo” or “Duck Duck Goose” was one of the favorites. When we finished our morning full of service, we drove an hour to Momostenango to visit a textile factory run by a Guatemalan family. We learned how the wool is taken from the sheep and turned into beautiful textiles. Some of us bought bracelets, jackets, and blankets. A day full of fun!

-by Laura S. Photos by Morgan H.

Saturday June 23, 2018

This morning, after breakfast, we left our home base to go to Panajachel for an overnight trip. We took a boat ride where we saw many mountains and volcanoes. Then we walked around a small town and shopped. After that, we went back to our hotel and ate lunch. Finally we went to city where we could do some more shopping and bought souvenirs for our families. We also did an eye-opening activity which was called “Privilege Walk” where we realized how lucky and privileged we are. My favorite part of the day was eating ice cream in Panajachel. Overall we had a great day!

-Blog by Laetitia. Photos by Genevieve

Sunday June 24, 2018

Today we went to the market in Chichicastenango. There, we found many different shops filled with textiles, food, and many types of clothing. When we wanted to buy something, we had to bargain with the sellers to bring the price down. After the market, we went to lunch at a hotel where there were talking birds. After lunch, we took a two hour car trip back to home base, had a leadership activity and watched a very powerful documentary about Guatemala called When the Mountains Tremble.

-Blog by Marina. Photos by Elise

Monday June 25, 2018

Today was very interesting. First we had a very good breakfast, it was french toast. Then we all got on the bus and headed to the school where some of us finish out paintings on the walls while other played with the kids. After that we came back to the home base and had spaghetti that most people thought was amazing. After that great lunch we returned to the school where most of us scrubbed paint off the walls while others painted fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria for the kids. After a long day at the school we went to Walmart for a little bit to shop for some food. Then after a long day we return to the home base and had dinner (chicken tacos!).

Tuesday June 26, 2018

This morning we started the day with delicious breakfast burritos before heading off to the school to do service work. My group began caring for a dozen of excited toddlers as the other groups painted happy-looking fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria. Recess is always an exciting part of the day as we run around giving piggy-back rides and playing games with the children. Our groups split up and some of us worked on scraping old walls and repainting them, even while some plastered. The other groups worked with all ages of children in the classroom and prepared activities and made crafts like colorful fortune-tellers.

After lunch, all of us loaded the busses and headed to the hot springs about 45 minutes away far up in the mountains. The drive seemed to constantly continue upward as we went farther and farther into the mountains. After a while we could hardly see anything but the road and the clouds surrounding us. Once we arrived we viewed beautiful hot spring pools right before we rushed to take a dip in the steaming waters. After we finished swimming we left for home base ready to take showers and a nap.

-Blog by Erin. Photos by Patrick and Elizabeth

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Today was another day painting and playing with the kids at the school. During the first half of the morning, the kids went to different stations and played with paint. We finished up the wall murals and enjoyed spending time outside with the kids. After lunch we had a surprise activity led by Patrick. He took us to a famous cemetery and then we participated in a scavenger hunt in downtown Xela. We finished our activity with a trip to a hot chocolate café. We came back to home base and listened to a guest speaker who told us about the history of Guatemala’s civil conflict. We finished the night with mentor groups and our resting up for our last day with the kids.

-Blog by Brooke and Alexa. Photos by Mariló and Hadley

Thursday June 28, 2018

Today was our final day of service and as we rode to the service site everyone made sure tissues were in hand. We started the day off by finishing up the final coats of paint and completing the sign outside. After that we had some time to play with the kids before finally having to say goodbye. We all stood in a circle and held hands and the kids began to sing us a goodbye song. More than a few tears were shed as the director gave us her final words of thanks. With a couple more hugs and teary, “I’m going to miss yous,” we said goodbye to the kids and walked out the door.

After lunch we got back in the vans and took a quick ride to San Andres Xecul. We walked around with our tour guide, Juan, and he explained to us the Mayan Catholicism of the town, the culture, and significance of the churches. He also took us to the house of woman who embroidered detailed fabrics that take six months to make. Juan took us to his house afterwards and treated us to hot chocolate and tasty bread. The view was breathtaking from every location and even though the walks were incredibly steep it was all worth it when we got to the top.

Another quick ride back to home base and a tasty dinner later we all begin to settle down for a movie night. We are excited for the rest of our exciting trip in Guatemala!

Friday June 29, 2018

Today we woke up bright and early to go to a zip lining course. We ate breakfast and then started the hour drive up to the course. The end destination did not look much like Xela anymore, there were a lot of bugs and the moss and trees made it look like we were in a jungle. We put on harnesses and helmets and took a short but very bumpy ride in the back of a truck to the first of nine zip lines. The zip lines over looked a valley between two mountains with a waterfall. Once we were done with the course we drove to home base.

At the home base we had a lunch of lasagna and chicken soup. Once lunch was finished we had a few hours of down time to nap and relax. A guest speaker, Don Jose Castillo, came and talked to us about his perspective on the Guatemalan civil war. Don stood with the Guatemalan military, his perspective was very different than our first speaker who was on the Guerrilla’s side of the war. We were given some more down time before dinner. After dinner we had a book end group activity and discussion and then snuggled into bed!

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today, we woke up at seven and drove to an hour to a volcano, Laguna Chicabal where we met students from another other GLA group to hike! We started our hike together and ended an hour later at a very special lake where we participated in a Mayan ceremony. We then hiked back to the buses and drove back to the home base. After lunch, we said our farewells to Juan, our friend from Spain. This was very sad and we all cried. We then had time to pack and rest before we had mentor groups. We then had dinner followed by a surprise activity: a birthday party and dance party for our friend Georgia!

Blog by Noah. Photos by Anna & Julio

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*Please note: This blog will include both the 15-day and 22-day student groups, as the two groups are together up until day 15. After day 15, we will send a new blog link to the families of the 22-day students.

Saturday July 7, 2018

All students have arrived! This photo includes students from both the 15-day and 22-day sessions! Stay tuned for more updates on our Guadeloupe adventure!

Sunday July 8, 2018

Bonjour from the GLA Guadeloupe Pioneers!

The official day 1 began at 6:45am with a delightful breakfast of baguette, beans, eggs and juice. Following breakfast, our troop of 30 made our way over to a beautiful park overlooking the sea and the Ilet du Gosier. A long morning of orientation left us excited for lunch.

After our meal, we prepared to go and accomplish our afternoon activities. Our bus first took us down the long winding roads, straight to the beach. the water was warm, and the sand was a pure white powder. Following our beach time, we met our local director in Guadeloupe, Florence. Florence planned a scavenger hunt through Le Gosier which refreshed our French minds, as well as introduced us to some of the interests of the town. The scavenger hint ended with a rainstorm and us entering the school where we would take French lessons. We took a short test and then sat in groups discussing motivational quotes. By this time, many were exhausted with the day and were looking forward to dinner.

We arrived back at E. Gwada hostel with some time to spare, and then we dashed through the rain to dinner. Our night ended with us listening to thunder and the humming of mosquitoes as we fell asleep.

Official Day 1 in Guadeloupe was quite the adventure, as we experiences much of what is a part of life on this beautiful island.

– Piper S.

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Today was the first day of community service at the local garden, Jardin Alexina. Our day began bright and early at 6:45 for breakfast. Fueled for the coming hours, we hopped on the bus and arrived at the garden around 8am. We were greeted by the kind owners and the mooing of the nearby cow. We energized ourselves with a quick game of “wink murderer” and proceeded to take a tour of the gardens. However, before the tour, everyone made sure to keep their WITS about them: Water, Insect repellent, Buddies (even though it doesn’t start with a “t”), and Sunscreen.

The gardens were gorgeous! It wasn’t the typical garden located just on a flat piece of land, but it extended on a hill and the two flat plains above and below the hill. There were mango trees, aloe vera plants, breadfruit trees, and a “tree of life,” and even bee hives. There were many more species and the garden felt like its own ecosystem. It was amazing to learn about all the uses of the plants and discover natural growth that provided medicinal aid.

Après, we separated into groups and helped weed, pick up leaves, rake, shovel, and whatever else needed to be done. Though the work was hard and accompanied by many water breaks, the progress we made in four hours was fulfilling.

Around noon, we headed back to the E. Gwada hostel and ate a hearty lunch to prepare us for the four hours of intensive French lessons. The four hours were spent practicing grammar, learning tenses, speaking with each other, and having fun wile learning another language. French was followed by another hearty meal and then lights out around 10pm. The long but rewarding day opened our eyes to what hard work can produce in the community, both through service and language.

– Greta H.

Students having fun in their first French class in Guadeloupe!

It was an amazing thunderstorm when the tropical storm Beryl came through Monday evening. The open patio and our beautiful view made a stunning backdrop for our evening conversations during mentor circles!

Students are having a lot of fun getting to know one another at our hostel during their free time!

Our first day of service was a hit! Students watch as our very knowledgable guide cracks open an almond pulled straight from an almond tree growing in the gardens. The gardens are used to teach local school children about the many local plant species, and our students will be helping to repair structures damaged by the hurricanes of last season, the most important of which was Maria.

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Today, we again got up at the ungodly hour of 6 in the morning. We had breakfast inside the hostel, then prepared to go to French class. My class was pretty fun! I have realized idioms are really weird things, which we never think about really. They don’t make any sense. After four hours of French class, we came back for a lunch of spaghetti with meat sauce with a veggie salad.

After lunch, we went to the slavery memorial. We all had headsets for personal guided tours. Recordings played based on where you were in the museum. Very high tech and cool! I found it particularly interesting because it talked about slavery throughout the world, not just the US, both hundreds of years ago and modern slavery. It was a very powerful museum.

Afterwards, we wandered the streets of Guadeloupe, getting our first real look at people’s lives on this island. I loved it. We stopped by the market, and although it was closing, the souvenir shop was still open, and many of us got several somethings for ourselves or family. We then walked to a gelato shop for ice cream. It was delicious!

We had dinner (chicken, salad, and zucchini), then Mr. André, the director of the French school, came to talk to us about the English Camp where we will be doing our service tomorrow. I myself was rather anxious to do this part of the program, but he helped. We ended the day in mentor groups and talked about the museum and slavery. And now, we are all getting ready to sleep.

– Alyssa U.

Thursday July 12, 2018

On Thursday we went to our first school to play with the kids. We taught them games in English, such as duck, duck, goose, Simon says, and musical chairs. Not only were these games fun for the children, we taught them bits of English. We were there from 8-11.30am, and we spent the entire time laughing and playing games. As we were leaving, some of the kids ran out to the bus to say goodbye. They were very sad we were leaving but overjoyed to hear that we were coming back on Monday!

-Anish, Bruna, Julianna, George, Pheobe, Maeve, Harper, Kaitlyn, Grace and Aarti.

 

Sunday July 15, 2018

Hello!

Students in Guadeloupe have continued to experience local culture in the last few days through snorkeling, a cooking class, and community service.

“Sunday, after some much needed sleep, we got up for breakfast at 7:45. We ate quickly, got ready, and headed off to what had definitely been the most anticipated day of our trip: the snorkeling excursion. Our one hour road trip to Basse Terre flew by, and when we arrived on the black sand beaches you could feel the excitement in the air.

Once on the beaches, we split into two groups. One group went snorkeling first while the other group stayed behind and enjoyed the beach. Then after an hour of snorkeling fun, the groups switched. But, whether you went first or second, every student got to experience the delight of snorkeling.

Afterwards, we enjoyed pizza, the beautiful beach, the World Cup final, and an array of little beach shops teeming with souvenirs. Tired, sunburned, and happy we then returned to the hostel for dinner and bed.” -Ella E.

For many students, Sunday was their first time snorkeling! They were enthusiastic about the colorful fish and the beautiful coral.

Monday July 16, 2018

Monday’s community service at the English camp was followed by a quick French lesson and a cooking class!

“We attended a french cooking class where we made three different unique french creole dishes. We made a pineapple cake, a squash tart, and a pasta. We used french cooking terms and everybody had a good time with the chefs. Afterwards we all enjoyed the delicious dinner we made at home base.” -Anna B.

The group is looking forward to meeting locals and learning more about Guadeloupe for the rest of the week!

Photos will be added tomorrow when we have better WI-Fi at the school!

Thursday July 19, 2018

After receiving our daily announcements at breakfast we hopped on the bus to go to our community service at Jardin Alexina. As soon as we arrived to the garden we split into two groups. One group was teaching English and playing games with the local children. The other worked on repairing the greenhouse in the garden and rebuilding some stairs.

After this, we headed back to homebase for lunch. Instead of having our usual 4hrs of French class, we were pleasantly surprised with a trip to the beach. The water was very clear and the weather was beautiful. We saw many interesting animals including small crabs. We later came back to homebase for dinner and then we had a whole group debate on the rights of the aboriginal people of the wet tropics in Australia. It was interesting hearing different perspectives.

Friday July 20, 2018

Our community service today involved cleaning up a beach and learning about mangroves. We learnt a lot about their importance to the environment, and how they are now threatened. They are polluted by the trash that accumulates around these areas.

In addition to learning about mangroves, we also learnt about species that live in those habitats, such as crabs and termites and their contribution to the environment. Some of us even decided to taste some termites which are very rich in protein! After lunch, we attended a Gwo Ka performance at a school where we all danced and sang to the music of the drums. The dances were very energetic and soulful.

The performers also told old creole tales of which its origins dates back to the 1800’s. Later, we went to an artisanal market where we bought lovely souvenirs and then headed to the beach. After dinner, we took part in an ‘appreciation circle’ activity where we shared our thoughts and feelings to each other and it ended us all in tears (happy tears) as our time in Guadeloupe has come to an end.

-by Jules, George, Bruna, Maeve, Harper, Pheobe, Anish, Kaitlyn, Grace and Aarti

*Please note: This blog will include posts for day 15 through day 22 of the program, as the first group departed on July 21st.

Saturday July 21, 2018

Today was the end of the second week and as we all said our goodbyes the two week group left for Point a Pitre.

Then the rest of the remaining students left for an excursion in Basse-Terre. Our first destination was a coffee plantation.The local guide showed us around the plantation and we were able to eat different types of fruits. Often times on the plantations there are lots of fruit plants. After the plantation tour we started our hike through the forests, on our paths we ate mangos and let cows cross. Sometimes we crossed a roaring stream. Our hiking guide showed us some unique plants and we had a chance to eat termites. At the end of the long hike there was a big crashing waterfall and a place to cool off. All in all today was a fantastic day.

-by Pierce

Sunday July 22, 2018

So on Sunday we had another day of adventure but we were lucky because we got to sleep in. Breakfast was at 8:30 which is pretty late in Guadeloupe so we all got to sleep later then we usually do here. Then we had our first breakfast at our new hotel which included a croissant for everyone, it was absolutely delicious. After breakfast we set out on the days adventure. When we finally arrived at a beach at around 11 we met up with our tour guide and the adventure began. We started off on our two hour hike across the shoreline heading south from the northern most part of grand-terre. We hiked from one beautiful beach to the next and stopped several times at these little secluded beaches for short breaks of water and to take a tiny dip. Every beach we passed had the most amazing clear turquoise water that you can look right through to see the marine life under the water.

We also saw many crabs and hermit crabs along the beaches and pathways. What I thought was really cool was how the beaches didn’t have any seaweed because the land on that part of the island is protected by a big coral reef just off the shore. We continued our hike with many amazing sights and lots of discussions until we finally arrived at a more populated beach where our bus was parked, so we grabbed our supplies and headed to a spot that our bus driver saved for us. There we had chips and sandwiches for lunch before we finally went into the water. This beaches water was crystal clear and very warm once you got in, also once you got in it got deep very quickly. But the ocean was so calm and there weren’t any rough waves so we were all able to just relax, hangout, and have fun together. I spent almost two hours in the water before I got out and joined some others to lay out and dry off in the sun.

After about 30 minutes we all squished into one van and rode back to our hotel where we had two and a half hours to chill before diner, this gave us time to shower and settle in to our new rooms. Then we all just hung out I did some coloring in an adult coloring book some other kids made string bracelets and we all just had some fun. For dinner, almost all of us decided to wear some nicer clothes to eat our first dinner at our new restaurant. The food was great it was a large buffet with a salad bar and I was happy to have some chocolate mousse for dessert. After some great food and great conversation we decided to explore the area a little bit and ended up spending some time on a pier looking at the sky and talking. Before bed we had mentor group and we watched a really interesting ted talk. Then we all went to bed to get ready for tomorrows adventure.

-by Madison

Monday July 23, 2018

This morning we all left at 8 o’clock to head over to a small beach located in Grand Terre. As we lathered ourself up in sunscreen, our tour guide handed us binoculars and a page filled with local birds. We began to walk down the sandy path looking at wildlife and different types of mangroves. We learned about 4 different ones and what makes each of them different. Alongside this we learned about how many plants and animals have learned to adapt to the weather and wind here in Guadeloupe. Once we stopped for a break we had a discussion on the benefits of coral reefs and how it helps more than just tourism.

As our walk continued on we began to see more birds and learn many new things about each one. After driving back to the hotel listening to Rihanna songs, we had a little free time to take a nap before heading out to lunch at 12:30. After we helped ourself to local cuisine buffet style we headed over to French class. Considering the mass decrease in students our French classes were much smaller and conjoined. After 3 hours of class we returned back to the hotel to do the second load of laundry this trip. As soon as we had finished we headed out to a dinner buffet style. Following dinner, we went to our mentor group followed by a good nights rest.

-Olivia P

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Today we started the day with a great breakfast and immediately headed to the gardens for community service. Some of us played soccer and cards with the kids. We learned about their interests, their lifestyle, and their culture. Some of us worked on stairs that needed reconstruction and made great progress on it. After the garden we came back and had lunch at a buffet close by. After taking a relaxing break we watched Transformers on our way to the Cacao Plantation. We learned about how chocolate is made and tasted unique chocolate flavors. After that we had dinner at the same buffet and planned what to do the next day for kids whom we will be teaching English to.

-Aylin

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Today we went to a local summer camp to teach kids english. we taught them colors, animals, the alphabet, a few songs, as well as playing some games with them. the group of kids i worked with likes to play with lego’s especially. as a gift to us, they performed and taught us a few dances which brought smiles to all our faces. saying goodbye was hard with these compassionate kids. After working with the kids the group did 3 hours of French class. We had some down time and then a we went to the beach to relax and hang out. We had a good dinner and then did mentor group.

-by Sophie & Sergey

Thursday July 26, 2018

Today we started off the morning by returning to a garden the group has been working with these past few weeks. We created cement for the stairs and played with young kids to aid them in learning English. For lunch we returned to home base before going to the beach. Later we met with local teens. With them we played charades and learned local dances.

-by Talyne

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Friday July 20, 2018

Hello from Anloga, Ghana!

With some rain today, we haven’t been able to post our first full blog entry yet! The staff has been eagerly awaiting the students’ arrival and we are so excited to have this team here. All students arrived at the airport safely yesterday and we are now together at our homebase, Pin Drop Hotel. From here on out, blog entries will be written by your leaders of the day. They will take lead in their own way through the day, and be in charge of communicating with friends and family with a blog post here every couple of days, including some photos too! We have spent time learning about each other and the program schedule and goals during orientation, and look forward to fun times to come! Stay tuned!

Saturday July 21, 2018

First official day in Ghana! We got up and ate pancakes for breakfast. Then, we had an orientation where we went over our group rules and expectations for our time here. We talked about local cultural norms and greetings. Following this, we went over the code of conduct. We then got to go out into the village and play with the local children. Many of us played soccer and duck duck goose.

Later, we split into mentor groups (these are our service/smaller groups). In these groups we decided on a group name and created a banner. Then, we had a Ghanaian dance and drum lesson with local teachers. We also had a Ewe (the language spoken in the Volta Region) language lesson from a teacher. We had another free time with the kids, playing games and getting to know each other.

In the evening after dinner, we had a “naming ceremony” from an “elder” (who was actually one of our local mentors with theatrical talent) where we were each given a Ghanaian name based on the day we were born. Everyone got a beaded bracelet with their Ewe name. Overall today was a great day and everyone is getting to know each other really well!

-Allie and Rina

 

Sunday July 22, 2018

Hi friends and family! This our third day here in Anloga, Ghana and truly got to experience the local culture. We began the day by going to a church service which is about a five minute drive away from Home Base. We danced and sang with the locals in the church for over an hour. Luckily, from day 2’s dancing lessons we were able to look somewhat less awkward while dancing! As we left church, we were greeted by local children and had the chance to meet the head pastor of the church, Pastor Gershon.

Secondly, we were split into groups of 2 or 3 and paired with host families from different parts of the Keta District. We had lunch with members of the families and played games and learned about each other’s traditions and customs. After lunch, we separately headed to our host families’ homes. At their homes we explored the neighborhoods, farmers markets, played games and discussed Ghanaian culture with the children and parents. Finally, we ended our night with the famous Ted Talk ‘A Single Story’ by Chimananda Adichie which was followed by the discussion regarding stereotypes about Africa and America.

-by Mara and Mason

Monday July 23, 2018

Hi friends and family!

Today was the first day of service—filled with sun, sand, and excitement! We started off the day with a hearty breakfast of French toast and apples. Then we split up into mentor groups to go to service. Although the schools were different, both groups participated in brick making. In order to make beneficial and sturdy bricks, there is a lot of hard work that needs to be done. Initially we thought that brick making was complicated but it only consists of sand, cement and water.

After making bricks in the hot sun for an hour and a half, we changed into our teaching uniforms and observed the classes. These classes range from kindergarten to sixth grade. Although it was completely overwhelming, all the kids and staff welcomed us with open arms.

In the afternoon we spent the day at our nearby beach, only a mere 15 minutes walk away from the Pin Drop Hotel. At the beach we played a variety of games including the value line game. It was a little too dangerous to swim, but we all had fun playing on the shore. We spent the evening preparing for our teaching adventures tomorrow. Each student has a pair that they will teach with and the lessons are catered to the grade. Overall today was a great day and we are looking forward to tomorrow!

Another update coming soon!

– Leaders of the day (Allie and Chloe 🙂

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Hello friends and family!

It’s been a beautiful day here in Anloga, Ghana. Today was our first day teaching in the classrooms. It was a wonderful experience filled with laughter and learning. We woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at the beautiful hour of 7 am, ready to take on the day. Our breakfast, as usual, was filling and delicious. After breakfast, we departed to our schools where we completed a hard hour’s work building bricks and having fun. We were jamming to music as we shoveled cement and sand. Afterwards, we fled into the classrooms and began our lessons. Some classes played hangman while others learned the Cotton- Eyed Joe. From learning about geography to playing Simon Says, the children and all of the GLA crew had a wonderful time.

After service, we returned to base for a hearty lunch. The cooks treated us to many local dishes that were both spicy and delicious. After that, we broke up into 2 groups, both talking about slavery and the impact it has had on the world in the past and now. Afterwards, one group went canoeing to an island while the other visited the slave fort located in Keta. The group that traveled to the island wove baskets and visited a local shaman. The group that visited the slave fort learned of the history that took place at this Danish-owned fort. It was a very impactful and powerful trip that will stay with all of us for the rest of our lives. We returned back to the base for a scrumptious meal, played a few games, and planned for the next day’s lesson. We are so excited to see what the next few weeks will bring!

xoxo Ashley and Rachel Z., signing off from Ghana.

S.O to Missy and Melissa, our beautiful moms. We love you! Xxx

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Hello friends and family!

Today was a great day. Firstly, we began with service: building bricks
and teaching the students at the local schools. Both mentor groups
produced the same amount of bricks today, reaching an all-time high of
93. The excitement in class was high today due to school getting out!
All the students were energetic and enthusiastic.

Later this afternoon the students either visited the slave fort or
took a boat ride to the local island. Our mentor group spent the day
at the slave fort and later visited a local restaurant for drinks. We
played some crazy mind games together, one of which literally no one
understood. Lunch today was especially unique, featuring a local dish
called “cassava” (basically squishy, sticky mush – but delicious!) and
peanut soup/stew.

Both groups were able to enjoy unique experiences on their excursions
– one group visited with a sacred priest, the others participated in a
cultural ceremony (which included being painted with baby powder).
Tomorrow’s schedule is promising, we will be visiting a local market
and designing custom, authentic clothing.

Corinn and Rina

Thursday July 26, 2018

Thursday had a full day today during service and visiting the market. Here’s our Latin dance party this evening!

Friday July 27, 2018

Today we started our journey to Ho. Once we reached the city, we went
to the Kekeli foundation, which is a small organization dedicated to
helping children with special needs in the Volta Region, and hopefully
throughout Ghana. It was very interesting to see how disabilities are
seen in this part of the world. In Ghana, it can be very difficult for
those with a disability to be accepted in society, which is what the
Kekeli foundation hopes to fix.

Then, after lunch, we visited Village Exchange Ghana, where we learned
how to make Batik, which is a traditional cloth. We each made our own
designs, and will be receiving them once they are all dry. Next, we
came back to the hotel and had a bit of pool time before dinner.
Additionally, we enjoyed the air conditioning and the WiFi that the
hotel has to offer. In the evening, we discussed where we are from,
and wrote poems which commemorated our identities, and we were able to
learn about each other some more.

–Dan and Justin

Saturday July 28, 2018

Today we spent the day in Ho and Hohoe. We started our day at 7 am, then left for a two hour journey to the monkey sanctuary. There, we walked into the forest and fed the monkeys bananas; sometimes they jumped onto our backs to grab the bananas. We then traveled another hour to lunch, where we waited for a LONG time to get our food. In the afternoon, we headed to the waterfall, where we hiked to the base of the large falls. Before jumping into the water, the mentors warned us about the possibility of contracting a bacteria that burrows in the skin, which can be found in some bodies of water. Most people swam and had a great time. After hiking back down the mountain, we briefly shopped at a craft market where local artists displayed their creative talents. Afterwards, we returned back down the mountain to the hotel. The sunset view of the forest together with the music in the bus was a great bonding experience. By dinner, we were all exhausted and ready for bed.

-Phoebe and Roark

Monday July 30, 2018

Dear family and friends,

It was back to service this morning after our fun weekend excursion to Ho! We were all a little tired. We started with brickmaking, and then teaching the first day of summer school! There weren’t too many kids at school because it was market day, so we combined some classes for some extra fun!

This afternoon we visited a local boarding high school, where we had interesting conversations with the students. We played a series of fun introductory games that allowed us to learn more about the students. We ended with ice cream and dance festivities which consisted of mostly the students dancing and us attempting miserably. We did show them a bit of our culture through the cha-cha slide though!

Tonight we discussed the word “culture” as a group – allowing us to expand on the differences we’ve experienced/recognized between Ghanaian culture and our home cultures so far. We delved into deep, meaningful conversations in which every member was able to share their opinions and how they’ve been assimilating thus far.

We ended the night with lesson planning and preparation for day 2 of summer school tomorrow!

Wish us luck for another exciting day of service and fun!

-Corinn and Maeve

Tuesday July 31, 2018

As we continued to get back into our community service routine after the weekend in Ho, we woke up at 7:00am and headed to brickmaking and teaching. As usual, the kids were very excited and happy to see us, though there were significantly less of them as regular school has ended, and summer school has begun.

After service, we headed back to Home Base for a delicious lunch, and then split into two (eve) groups. Group A went another GLA site that sat on a lagoon near the ocean about 30 minutes away from our Home Base. We swam in the lagoon as well as played ping pong, bought smoothies, and relaxed in the sun! The students at that GLA site were making composting toilets for local communities. Group B made some tasty Red Red, a cultural dish involving red tomatoes and red palm oil. Then we took a trip to Fathers House, a home that takes in former slaves and provides them with a home. The children were super cool. We played volleyball and Uno then walked down to the beach to enjoy the beautiful seaside. We thought we saw a shark in the distance. It was wild.

Later on in the evening we were graced with the presence of the chief who discussed the history and culture of Ghana. He talked about their cultural traditions that they have kept over the years along with many traditions that have evolved over time. Over all today was a good day and we are excited to continue with our service.

-Mason and Jeffrey

Wednesday August 1, 2018

Today was a great day in Anloga which started out with an early breakfast before service. The breakfast was served with delicious fresh mangos from the local market. However, the SuSu group experienced a minor setback when they arrived at their school and realized some of their bricks were broken from the “rain.” After brickmaking we enjoyed a fuller summer school class.

Once we returned from service, the seamstresses greeted us with our vibrant clothes, made from the fabrics we picked out a week ago. They also brought additional items for us to look through. It was amazeballs to see everyone’s custom-made Ghanaian wear. After everybody ate lunch, we departed to our cultural activities. Like yesterday, some went to MeetmeThere and the other group went to Father’s House and did a cooking lesson at homebase.

When we returned, we ate a mouthwatering dinner to end the day. After dinner we had an honorary visitor speak. His name was Jeremiah and he informed us of his work at Fathers House. He can be found on Instagram if you want to follow him!

Your Leaders of the Day

Jessica and Isabela

Thursday August 2, 2018

Hello friends and family!

We started our glorious day off with brick making followed by teaching. Both groups were incredibly pumped up and are one step closer to 2,200 bricks, which is our goal for the entire trip. After a delicious lunch, there was an optional visit to the local mosque. All those who went were impacted and gained a new perspective on the Muslim religion. After that, we were culturally immersed in contemporary Ghanaian dance lessons, led by the local staff.

We also learned how to wrap children on our backs along with learning how to carry loads on our heads, as the locals do. We had a wonderful and exciting dance party where we danced with the local kids as well as with each other. After dinner, we had a group discussion where we recalled our most memorable moments. This was very important as we all highlighted the most meaningful parts of our trip so far. As we reach the 2 week mark, we are all beginning to realize the impact our work has had on the local community as well as how fast the time flies. We are so excited for what the upcoming week has to bring!

XOXO,

-by Rachel Z. and Naya

Friday August 3, 2018

We started off our day as usual with our service. We have made so many bricks over the past two weeks and we are so close to shaving Alex’s beard! Also, we have been making progress in the classrooms and making stronger connections with the kids at school. To finish up our morning, we came back for lunch and were treated with some Red Red (local stew made with black eyed peas) and plantains.

To kick off the afternoon, we heard from our very own Fafa about her organization called Mother’s Heritage International, which is dedicated to rescuing girls who are forced to work. She is incredibly passionate and we all hope that we can find a way to help. Next, we went to visit the King of the Anlo State. After getting the ancestors’ permission to be welcomed, we heard from the king. It was very special to have an experience that even the locals may not get. It was very interesting to hear from the chief of chiefs and he was very grateful for our service in his community.

In the evening, Dodzi spoke to us about education in Ghana and about his personal life. His story was really moving and shows how valued education is here in Ghana, and further highlighted the differences between Ghana and our homes abroad. It’s crazy to see how quickly our time here has passed and we hope to make these final few days the best ones.

–Dan and Chloe

Saturday August 4, 2018

We started our day with service, it was our 6th day so we were all quite tired but managed to push through when we put some music on! We then played games with the children that had turned up for school on a Saturday. We returned to home base for lunch with two people from the Peace Corps organization. They then gave a very interesting talk about their experiences after lunch.

After that, we went to the high school to play a football match with the team. It got heated and it is unclear who won the match in the end. It was Allison’s birthday so we all drenched her in water, which is a Ghanaian tradition. We said our goodbyes and returned to home base for dinner, cake, and some talent show prep!

Sunday August 5, 2018

Hi friends and family!

Today was an amazing day! We started with a late breakfast at 8 instead of 7, and thoroughly enjoyed the extra hour of sleep. After breakfast we had an exciting photo scavenger hunt in Anloga, the city surrounding our home base. We had a list of things to take pictures of within the community, and we worked in teams finding all the different items. A few things we needed to find in the community included a cassava plant, a goat, a well, someone carrying a baby on their back, and a stack of bricks not made by GLA participants. We had to talk to the locals to find what we needed, so it was a great way to further immerse ourselves in Anloga.

After a hearty lunch of chicken and Ghanaian jollof rice, we hopped in our vans and drove about 45 minutes to the Volta River. From there, we took a short boat ride to a nearby beach where we spent the afternoon. Usually the beach isn’t insanely crowded, but today a festival of some sort was occurring and the beach was packed. Students swam, played volleyball, bought small souvenirs, relaxed in hammocks, and had so much fun! The sun was setting as we took the boats back to our vans, and the river looked so beautiful.

Dinner was delicious, especially because we were all super hungry and tired from our beach day. We ate quickly, then reconvened to do some self-reflection/group reflection as we near the end of our trip. Mentors asked us to consider where we have felt at peace here in Ghana, connections we’ve made with locals, and most importantly, how our service here, brick making and teaching, will have a ripple effect on our lives after we’ve returned home.

We ended the night with some free time and brief lesson planning before teaching tomorrow. We’re excited for more service since there are only three days left!

Your leaders of the day, Maeve and Naya

(P.S. Shout out to Alexa – I love and miss you momma!)

Monday August 6, 2018

Hello Friends and Family,

Today was another wonderful day in Ghana. It was also a very special day because Rachel Z turned 18! Our group woke up at seven a.m. and enjoyed breakfast together. We were then off to service, where we made bricks first and then taught in the classrooms. As per Ghanaian tradition, Rachel was soaked with water multiple times throughout the morning. After service we returned back to our home base where we ate a delicious lunch. At lunch, we sang Happy Birthday to Rachel. Afterwards, we enjoyed some free time before playing Jeopardy, when our knowledge of Ghanaian culture and history was put to the test.

Our afternoon was spent with our host families. We were all very excited to see our host families again. When we returned, we ate another delicious meal, and enjoyed some birthday cake. Rachel was again soaked in water by the GLA staff and some of the students. After dinner we all got ready for the talent show. Dan kicked off the show by rapping a song by Drake. Rachel W and Phoebe also rapped a British song. Rachel Z and I (Ashley) performed a skit emulating the Bachelorette with some help from local staff. Corinn, Maeve, and Mason snag the cup song. Jeffery did a cartwheel. Mason did a solo performance singing another song; and, Ellery also sang. Local staff demonstrated their dancing while our international staff performed a salsa dance. After the talent show we all had a dance party.

All in all it was a wonderful day. We can’t wait to savor our remaining days in Ghana!

See you soon!

Ashley and Mara

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Today we continued to make bricks and surpassed our goal of 2,200. We have currently made 2,220! We did our last day of teaching and the children were so sad to see us go even though we still have tomorrow for our final day of brick-making and games with the children. We had a delicious bean lunch. Yum Yum! We took a final trip to the market to get any final gifts. Then we visited each school that GLA has worked at and we saw how our service has affected the lives of many people. During this adventure, we took a detour to a local barber and said goodbye to Alex’s beard. He looks like a young Jane Austin. We then went to our home and ate some yummy din-din. We wrote letters to future GLA students and gathered in a candlelit circle to share our appreciation for each other. We then had an epic bonfire on the beach and looked at the stars. Tuckered out, we walked home and all went to bed. 🙂

Wednesday August 8, 2018

Today was our last day of brickmaking in Ghana. L After brickmaking at our schools, we proceeded to take part in a Field Day where we played numerous games with the children. Our favorite included drip, drip, drop. After lunch, we all participated in a game where we reflected on our GLA experience. This involved using three different categories; our comfort, stretch, and rip zones. A statement was read and everyone stepped into the suited group. Soon after we discussed the reverse cultural shock that may occur when we arrive home, and following that, we began to pack our suitcases! Prior to dinner, we watched a drum and dance show which was filled with lots of energy and many amazing dance moves. We then had a Banquet, which comprised of many delicious dishes and some nice fan ice for desert; Justin will miss the fan ice. Finally, we watched a slideshow of images compiled during our three weeks in Ghana. That’s concludes our journey, hopefully see you again Ghana!

-By Justin Blieden and Rachel Winters

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Tuesday June 26, 2018

Woezor! This means “welcome” in the local language, Ewe!

Staff were super excited to meet students! After most of our students arrived, we headed over to the Accra mall for lunch before departing for our 3-hour drive to Home Base. Once we arrived at Home Base, students were placed in their rooms and given time to unpack and settle in. Some students were able to partake in an informal game of soccer with new friends! Dinner was delicious. We had salad, spaghetti and fresh mangos. After dinner, we had cake to celebrate Avery’s Birthday!!! After we had some orientation activities and free time. By the end of the day, everyone was ready for bed.

Yensi & Stephen

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Nutifafa – Peace

Today is the first full day the students spent in Ghana. After breakfast students introduced themselves and played a fun game of “screaming knees” to get acquainted with each other’s name. We then engaged in various orientation activities ranging from a tour of our homebase to discussing safety, health & hygiene to team building activities to get to know each other a little more.

Students had the opportunity to have lunch with a member of their host family, whom they will be visiting in their home during their stay in Ghana. They will have the opportunity to see first hand the routines, traditions and ways of life of some of the families in the local community. Today they got to ask questions and get a general idea to prepare for their visits.

After lunch students took to the classroom to learn a little bit of the local language, Ewe. They started by learning the alphabet, which has 30 sounds. Then they moved on to greetings, introductions, time of day, and classroom-related words.

They also got the opportunity to learn about traditional dances and music from a cultural group based in Keta, Ghana. They sang, danced and even got to do a jam session with the musicians!

Finally, after a delicious dinner cooked by our very own Chef Ruben, students participated in a naming ceremony. They were given an Ewe name based on the day they were born by an “old man” who has the gift of clairvoyance. It is traditional for people in this area to be given a special name based on the day they were born, aside from their first and middle name.

Written By: Cristina

Thursday June 28, 2018

We had an extremely fulfilling day today! We started the day by heading to Anloga Anseko Primary School where we learned the procedure of making bricks and we were instructed to sit in specific areas in the classrooms in order to observe the flow of lessons.

We all had a wonderful time while interacting with the children and we couldn’t wipe the smiles off their faces! Albeit the exhaustion from making bricks, we also know that our help is essential for student’s development in the primary school, our tiredness seem to be insignificant and everyone worked hard.

After coming back to Home Base for a delicious lunch, we had free time to play with the group of children that visit the base regularly. Based on the lessons we observed earlier in the day, we spent a little while preparing lessons for tomorrow where we will be teaching the children ourselves! And then we went to our host family’s house to learn more about Ghana’s culture, traditional dances, typical board games and Ghana’s political situation.

Despite the hot weather in Ghana, the conversations between students and the host family went perfectly well. Though we were all tired and ready to go to sleep, we ended the day in a mock stakeholders’ meeting, practicing our leadership, acknowledging different perspective of different stakeholders and delegating skills.

Written By: Rachel and Alex

Friday June 29, 2018

The day began with breakfast: delicious omelets, watermelon and porridge. We then went to school, where we made bricks and taught. At playtime, we played Ghanaian games with the children, as well as intense matches of ping pong! When we returned to Home Base, welcomed by the village children, we ate lunch: fried rice, grilled chicken, and avocado salad. We then split into two groups.

Half of us learned how to make a traditional Ghanaian meal and how to braid hair, while the other half took a canoe to an island village. The “islanders” met a traditionalist priest who was willing to answer all their questions, from “Where do you believe people go when they die?” to “What is your favorite food?”

Our break was a trip to a restaurant, where we received WIFI! (If your child did not text you …. this is awkward.) After a long day of learning about Ghanaian culture, a wonderful dinner was prepared for us: Beef, french fries and pineapple. In the late evening we met with our mentor groups to share something personal: an object that represents our identity. Soon it was time for bed.

Written By: Laura and Meg

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today was the first day we felt confident in our brick making ability. Each person took on a role doing a specific job. Some shoveled cement onto the molds, some carried the molds over and back, and some dumped the molds to make the bricks. This method proved to be quick and efficient.

After the brick making, we broke into our mentor groups and went to either the island tour or to the Father’s House.

At the island tour, everyone kept their phones away. We were infatuated by the island’s plethora of goats, chickens, puppies, and kittens. We didn’t want to be drawn away. We walked over to the shrine, where we spoke with a priest. We asked him about his religious practices and also about his personal life experiences. After we thanked him for taking the time to speak to us, we went over to watch the women weave carpets and baskets. If we wanted, we were given the opportunity to participate, the outcomes were beautiful. Once we were finished there, we took the boat back to land and came back to home base.

At the Father’s House, we started by listening to Emmanuel, one of the older boys that lives in the Father’s House. The Father’s House is a home for children who have been saved from slavery or that have been abandoned. While we were sitting there listening to the boy tell us about how the Father’s House works, a little boy walked up to me and held my hand and then sat on the bench next to me. He was honestly the cutest little boy and I’m holding him in the picture. So, after we finished the tour we had time to play with the kids at the Father’s House. We then went to the beach and played with the kids there. It was a really great experience to spend time with the kids who have had such a rough time. Child slavery is a big deal here in Ghana and everywhere in the world. We need to bring more awareness to these issues especially when it comes to children.

After both the Father’s House and the island tour, Emmanuel, the same boy who spoke to us at the Father’s House came to home base to speak to us about child slavery. We were able to ask him questions and brainstorm ways to figure out how to end child slavery.

Overall today was a really good day for all of us and we are very excited for tomorrow.

Written By:
Emma D and Jade S

Sunday July 1, 2018

Today we split up into two groups. One group went to the church while the other stayed and washed their clothing. When the church group returned, we walked to the beach where we enjoyed the water, played soccer with the kids, and took many photos. After walking back from the beach, we enjoyed a hot meal and had some time to rest before splitting up again. One group, that has not already been, went to the International Fathers House and played with the kids. The Fathers House is home to rescued children, victims of slavery and abandonment. We got a tour of the house on the beach before we played with the kids. The other group took a cooking lesson from the chef at the home base. Afterwards we met up and ate dinner before meeting with one of the chiefs in the Volta Region. He taught us about the history and culture of Ghana, local region, and the traditions.

Written By: Meaghan and Grace

Monday July 2, 2018

This morning we started our day with fried eggs, bread, and apples. After breakfast, we debriefed, reflecting on our first week in Ghana. At 8:15 we split into our mentor groups to build bricks and plan our lessons for the week. We are getting better at brick building, and most are starting to adjust to the heat.

After a quick lunch of spaghetti and tomato sauce (a huge hit), we visited an open air market to shop for fabrics and other goods such as bracelets and shea butter. Later we took our fabrics to local seamstresses to turn them into bags, dresses, shirts, headbands, and much more. These items will be completed and delivered in about a week.

When we returned we were greeted by a crowd of local children who were eager to talk and play soccer and volleyball. They are starting to get used to us, and we even know many of them by name. For dinner we had chicken stroganoff with mashed potatoes and pineapple. There were also “fish pies” available… tasty to some, but few were eaten. After some downtime, Cristina led a meditation session in the sand. Everyone agreed that they had never felt more relaxed. We are looking forward to Day 2 of teaching, and whatever else tomorrow brings.

Written By: Anna and Carolina

Tuesday July 3, 2018

For our eighth day in Ghana, we had a very action-packed day. We started off our day with our 7am breakfast, then headed to the school where we would begin our community service. This included teaching the primary school and building bricks. We are starting to get faster at building the bricks as we find the best techniques.

Then at 12:00, we headed back to home base to eat lunch as a group. After lunch we had Seyrum, one of our mentors, talk to us about women’s rights in Ghana as well as teach us how to carry things on our heads and wrap a “baby” on our backs. Both of which are extremely common practices here in Ghana.

We then went to the high school nearby to meet the students and play sports with them. It was really fun to talk to kids our age. For dinner we had mac n cheese which was a huge hit. We are getting into a good routine here and can’t wait for the next weeks to come!

Written By: June B and Emma W

Wednesday July 4, 2018

On this beautiful Wednesday afternoon, the gang took a leisurely boat tour along the Volta River. We sat with curious eyes surveying our surroundings as we glided down the river. As we passed a forest of mangrove trees, we saw a plethora of beached boats which served as a rustic backdrop. We stopped at a beach resort and restaurant with a very relaxed tone. As we relaxed we ordered soft drinks made with real cane sugar. We were also given the opportunity to soothe ourselves by swinging in a hammock with the breeze coming through at many different angles which provided a very tranquil time. After we spent our time sippin’ on soft drinks and relaxing on the beach with the tall, swaying palm trees, we headed back towards our buses. Overall the day was very relaxing and much needed after all the hard work the group had put into brick making and lesson planning.

Person 1: “It smells like updog.”

Person 2: “What’s updog?”

Person 1: “Not much, how about you?”

Written By: Dennis & Ben

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today was our last day of service work before our expedition to Ho, so
the group spent half the morning teaching English and ICT, and the
rest mixing, pouring and casting sand bricks for the Anloga Basic
School’s future classrooms. Despite the cat-and-mouse play between
sunshine and overcast clouds, the weather remained hot, which only
made our work that much more rewarding. We paused briefly for a quick
lunch before departing to play an elusive game of hide and seek with
the WiFi hotspots while enjoying our flavored Alvaro drinks.

At three o’clock we departed for the senior high school, where we met with
local students studying general education courses, found out about
their hometowns, their aspirations, and even their favorite cuisine.
After exchanging phone numbers and emails, we left to have a meal of
cooked and glazed chicken, rice, and pineapple before watching a TED
talk on the dangers of telling and perceiving the world through a
single story or viewpoint, and finally prepared for our road trip
tomorrow, where we will visit the Monkey Sanctuary and see the Wli
Waterfalls.

Written By: Ben M.

Friday July 6, 2018

When we woke up at 6:30, and we had a great breakfast. We were now ready for
our next adventure to ho. When we were about to board the bus, we had
founded out that our bus had been “upgraded”- the seats were modern
and there was AIR CONDITIONING! While we were on the bus, we were able
to see the beautiful mountains and greenery of Ghana. After we arrived
in Ho, we visited the Kekeli Ghana Foundation where we learned about
the history of the foundation, the struggles of students with special
needs in Ghana and the ineffectiveness of government policies that are
meant to protect children.

After we learned about the present situation that the children are
facing in Ghana, we were all starving! We went to a hotel where we had
a plethora of food for lunch. While we were having lunch, we were
astounded that there was a big plate of pizza. IT’S SOMETHING WE HAD
BEEN DREAMING OF SINCE WE ARRIVED IN GHANA. After lunch, we learned
that the place we were having lunch was actually the place where we
will be staying for the next two days! IT’S A GREAT PLACE TO STAY!

Then we went to an NGO where we learnt about their effort to empower
women through sex education and health. In addition, the organization
endeavors to build solar panels in an effort to provide electricity to
their neighborhood. In order to raise money, the organization focuses
on Batiking, a traditional method for making fabric. We were able to
make our own cloths through the method of Batiking.

After a long day, we headed back to the hotel where some of us went
to the pool, some of us watched the world cup and some of us decided
to take a nap. We have a wonderful view and some of us even saw a
rainbow. After this break, we had dinner and ended our day as we
watched an intense World Cup game and had our own evening of board
games.

Written By: Alex & Meg

Saturday July 7, 2018

We woke up to the cold, air-conditioned rooms of the hotel. There was a buffet of foods for breakfast like sausage, rice, salad, fruit, omelet, scrambled eggs, and pastries.

We took an hour and a half drive to the monkey sanctuary. At first, most were hesitant to approach, especially since the younger monkeys aggressively snatched people’s bananas and ran away. Soon we became accustomed to the monkeys. The alpha monkey of the group perched on several people’s shoulders and civilly ate the banana out of their hands.

We had lunch at a place called Fortune Restaurant. Our dreams came true again as everyone had their own personal pizzas. An extremely bumpy ride on a dirt road took us to the visitor center of the Wli Waterfall. 30 minutes and 9 bridges later, we arrived at the beautiful waterfall. There were strong winds and a constant mist provided by the waterfall, and we could see many bats flying around the cliffs. Some braved the strong winds and swam in the waters.

We hiked back to the visitor center and perused the craft market. The vendors sold jewelry, backpacks, paintings, and wooden carvings of small animals and…umm…things that would make your grandma blush (you can ask your kid later).

After dinner and some downtime spent hanging out and watching the World Cup, we played charades, acting out the most memorable moments of the trip thus far. The winning team could go first for breakfast. We are reluctant to leave the scenic views of Ho and the wonderful air-conditioning of the hotel and bus, but we are excited to see the kids back at home base and play with them once again.

Written By: Carolina and Meaghan

Sunday July 8, 2018

We started the day by learning the art of Kente Weaving from a Master Weaver. When we returned to the hotel, we were greeted by our Local Director, Stephen’s, family (including his new-born son, Kingdom!). We had a delicious and filling lunch of hamburgers and fruit, and then headed back to Anloga. The students reunited with all their favorite local children, and had some free time to rest, lesson plan, and receive the clothes and bags they had previously ordered and been fitted for by Ghanaian seamstresses. After dinner, we watched the first half of the multi Oscar Award-winning movie, “12 years A Slave,” in order to prepare us for our visit to the Keta Slave Fort in two days. By that time, it was time for bed, and after a long day of travel, the students were grateful for the rest.

Written By: Laura and Rachel

Monday July 9, 2018

Today we started our day by eating omelets and oranges and then by making the bricks and teaching until lunch as usual. We had red red, rice and mangos for lunch. Then in the afternoon we went to Meet Me There, another GLA base in the area of Anloga, where we went swimming and canoeing in the lagoon and relaxed in hammocks. When we returned to our home base, we were greeted by a bunch of local children whom we played with until dinner at six. For dinner we had fried rice, chicken, and watermelon. After dinner, we ended our day by finishing the movie, 12 Years a Slave.

Written By: Grace & Anna

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Today, brick making was an entirely new experience. We brought the speaker and played music and jammed the entire time. We worked faster than we have in the past and everyone was involved throughout the entirety of our time there. We even finished twenty minutes early. It was almost therapeutic.

After brick making/lesson prep, we headed to the Keta Slave Fort and had a very emotional and eye-opening tour led by a passionate guide. Here, we were able to understand the living conditions and treatment of slaves in a whole new way.

I would also like to add that this was partly written by June, so hi mom and dad. : )

Written By: Jade & June

Wednesday July 11, 2018

We started our day with community service, brick-making, and teaching. We have two more days of brick making and tomorrow is our last day with the students, which will be so sad because we all have bonded soooo much with our students. After lunch we had nap time for 45 minutes for the first time since we’ve been here. We all enjoyed it very much. After nap time, we could continue sleeping, play with the neighborhood children, or do our own activities.

At 3:00 we went to visit two of the chiefs from the Volta region to learn about their role in maintaining culture, tradition, and spirituality. We went back to home base for dinner and then had the local director from the other 21 day program, Dodzi, come talk to us about education in Ghana and tell us his story. All in all, it was another great day for GLA!!

Written by: Emma W and Emma D

Thursday July 12, 2018

On this hot day, we spent our last day teaching, setting up our curriculum, playing with the children, and saying our goodbyes. We started off the day with a nice filling breakfast. At 8am we left to go do community service at the local school. After spending around 3.5 hours teaching and brick building we came back. At 1:30pm we split into our mentor groups to do Johari’s windows, (an activity where students give each other feedback about specific characteristics). Then at 3pm we went to the dining hall to learn the Azonto dance. It’s a very common dance across Ghana and are the latest dance moves in Ghana. Some of the children that looked to be very young could dance to the music and were even much better than any of us. After this we had some free time to just relax after a long day in the sun. After dinner some of the students played big wind blows to have some fun.

Written By: Dennis and Ben

Friday July 13, 2018

Today was our last day at the school. We made bricks while the other group made posters to thank the students and teachers for welcoming us into their community and their lives. We switched so everyone got a chance to both make bricks and posters. Frank, the foreman, had us write our names on the bricks for the last day which was cool; it was a lot of fun today. We all worked hard and finished strong.

After we finished making the bricks and posters, we presented the posters to our classes and said our goodbyes. They asked us when we were going to be back and that was the breaking point. That’s the moment I realized I was really going to miss being here. We brought ice cream to every student and they sang a song saying “thank you” in both English and Ewe. It was an experience filled with gratitude from both parties. It was beautiful. We said our final goodbyes and the children followed us out. They were hanging on our arms and legs and yelling. We had to peel ourselves away, and then we came back to home base.

We also went to see our host families today. We finished there, came back to home base, and played a game of mafia. All in all, it wasn’t a super busy day, it was a nice way to begin wrapping up our time here.

Written By: Jade S and Lana C

Saturday July 14, 2018

Although today is the third to last day, we have had a wonderful and fulfilling day. Moreover, it’s Stephen’s birthday! We started the day with a scavenger hunt at the local market. We had to search and ask for different types of foods such as sugar cane and kpakposhitor (pepper) in order to complete our mission. In the end, we all accomplished our mission and we all had a blast. After the scavenger hunt, we shopped in the market for the final souvenirs for our relatives, friends and loved ones.

At noon, two Peace Corps volunteers joined us for lunch and came to do a presentation about their experience in Ghana and the Peace Corps as a whole. We followed that up by going on a tour of the Keta lighthouse and a former GLA service site. The lighthouses is one of the oldest in Ghana and was built by the Danish in 1802. We were able to go all the way to the top. It was so tall, but we climbed to the top eventually. At the GLA site we got to see a school that was GLA helped to build in 2013. They turned a piece of empty land into buildings for the school. We even ran into the other group of GLA students in Ghana and got to catch up with them.

After the service site tour, we had a free time, some of us decided to do laundry, some of us decided to play with kids visiting us and some of us decided to take a nap after a tiring journey. After dinner, we went to the beach for a bonfire and did shoutouts to those who helped make our trip special. It was so touching and moving, everyone shared their appreciation for their friends, staff and local children. We even poured juice on Stephen’s head! OH MY GOSH! Finally, we returned to home base and we hibernated after a long and fulfilling journey.

Written By: Alex & Avery

 

Sunday July 15, 2018

Our final day in Ghana was full of laughter and smiles. We began the day with crepes and pineapple, followed by free time. Students were able to do laundry, pack, and prep for the evening’s notorious talent show. After a delicious lunch of mac n cheese, we headed off to Father’s House International where we received WiFi and watched the World Cup with Ghanaian children. When we returned to home base, we were greeted by a teen drumming and dance group, as well as the local children we had been playing with throughout the trip. The drumming and dance group performed for us, an exciting and engaging experience that created contagious smiles.

We then returned the favor, not exactly adequately, by putting on a “talent” show. Later the Ghanaian group initiated a final dance, inviting us all to dance with them. It was a blast. Smiles were turned to frowns when we had to say goodbye to the community children, many of whom had become like family to us. We were then called to dinner. To our surprise, the dining room was decorated with red, white and blue balloons and streamers. The local staff presented us all with beautiful Ghanaian kente weaver sashes. Each one was handmade with our names on it. Our last night was very touching, to say the least.

Written By: Laura C.