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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.

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Tuesday June 26, 2018

Day One!

Hello from Anloga, Ghana! After making their way around the globe, all 32 of our students have arrived safely. Students were met at the airport by GLA Staff, stopped at the Accra Mall for lunch, and then traveled the 3 hours back to Home Base by bus or van. After taking some time to settle in at the Pin Drop Hotel (Home Base), students got to know each other by playing games. After dinner the students have gotten to know each other and several of the staff who will be with us this summer, and then are heading to bed for much needed rest!

The GLA staff team here in Anloga has been working hard preparing for the students’ arrival by doing site visits, planning activities, and sampling the Ghanaian food. We are all very excited to have the students here with us now. Tomorrow, we will have an Orientation after breakfast that will include an introduction to Ghanaian culture, safety and security protocols, and highlights of our service learning activities. After our orientation, we will be participating in a language lesson on Ewe, the local dialect spoken in this region of Ghana, and a drum and dance session.

Future blog posts will be authored by our student leaders and will include pictures from our busy days as well so be sure to check back often for updates on all the amazing adventures we are having together in Ghana!!

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Fie from Ghana!

Since you probably weren’t in the Ewe language class, fie means good evening. Today was the first full day here at our new home for the next three weeks, and it was a busy day for staying on-site for the day. We also took a brief walk to the beach that’s not far. Everyone made it through their jetlag and got to breakfast before starting our safety and health review. We discussed cultural norms, and then we had our first actual glimpse into Ghanaian culture. We were split up into our three mentor groups and were sent our separate ways (still within home base) for a plethora of activities. One group started off with a mentor activity, which included a Model UN style debate, while the second group was at an Ewe language class, and the third group was partying during their drum and dance lesson.

Some of us have more rhythm than others, but we all had a pretty good time. Way to start off the program out of our comfort zones. Because we’re lucky enough to be living in a local community, after our cultural activities, the courtyard of our homebase was full of local children ready to play with us and our cameras. While some played an intense game of Frisbee, others were doing piggy-back races and practicing handshakes. After a hearty meal of couscous, stew, and pineapple, we were given our Ghanaian names by Grandma, who is 8 centuries old, so she knows everything. After a long day of learning and playing, lights out at 9:30 isn’t going to be a problem. We will try to post regularly!

Until next time,
Akuga (Jessie) and Korkuvi (Maxton)

Thursday June 28, 2018

Hey to all of our friends and family!

Today, June 28, was our second full day in Ghana! To begin our day, we had an early start at 7am. We had a wonderful breakfast, and following breakfast, the student leaders of the day went over the schedule, with quote of the day being “Things do not happen. Things are made to happen” spoken by John F. Kennedy and a word of the day which was ”change” in the local language Ewe. We proceeded to our community service sites. While split up into our mentor groups, each of the three groups went to three separate schools, where we learned to make bricks and observe classrooms. Although we did not teach today, it was really interesting to observe how schools in Ghana function. The kids were all very excited and gracious to have our company and we felt the same about them, as the Ghanaians have been so welcoming to our group.

After 4 hours of hard work at the schools, we returned to home base to meet up for an amazing lunch. This lunch was very special as we were privileged to eat with members of the community that we will be spending more time with tomorrow. It was very fun and nice to eat some of the traditional food! Shortly after lunch we split into two groups and ventured out into the beautiful local markets. Half of us went to the Anloga market and half went to the Keta market. There we selected different fabrics that were unique to the Ghanaian culture to be taken to a seamstress to be turned into different types of clothing like skirts and headbands. We concluded our day with a delicious dinner and lesson planning for our first official day of teaching tomorrow. We can’t wait to wake up bright and early and start working in the community!

Thanks for reading!

Shriya, Avery, and Abby 🙂

Sunday July 1, 2018

Today we traveled to Ho after breakfast. the drive was about two hours. Once we arrived we got snacks for our hike tomorrow at a local grocery store. After everyone ate lunch at out hotel, we split into two groups to go batiking,which is basically dying fabric with wax, and making your own print.

We also had an opportunity to buy some jewelry and other things from the places we were batiking. Tonight we had a salsa lesson from some of the mentors and everyone danced. So far we’ve had a great time at Ho and are so excited to go to the monkey sanctuary and waterfall tomorrow!

Monday July 2, 2018

Today was a great day for us here at GLA! We started our morning off with a little bit of a sad good-bye as we said goodbye to some of our fellow GLA peers/friends. Then, we hopped on the bus to go visit the monkey sanctuary. This was very very cool, we got to feed the monkeys bananas right from our hands. At first, we were all afraid of the monkeys, but after just a few minutes we warmed up to them. A few monkeys even went on people’s heads and shoulders. Everywhere we looked there were so many monkeys reaching out for some bananas. What a great start to our day!

Following, we went to a local waterfall which was absolutely magnificent. In order to get to the waterfall, we hiked for about 45 minutes up a scenic trial. After our long and strenuous hike, we all got to take a dip into the magical water. It was so refreshing after our hike. We took great pictures that we know will last a lifetime. AFter a quick dip into the water, we hiked back another 45 minutes. Towards the end of the hike, we visited a crafts market that sold amazing things like: bracelets, paintings, sculptures, clothes, and so much more! After everyone bought a couple souvenirs, we headed back to Ho where we’ll spend our final night. Weather cooperated, and we had a blast!!

–Carmen and Jenna

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today we woke up at Ho for our last morning in the city. We had the opportunity to try Kente weaving with some local experts to assist us. They explained the historical background of the culture and how they personally became involved. Each student was able to try their hand at weaving a piece of cloth. They were paired with one of the experts who showed them how to personalize the colors used in their weave. The people we were working with helped us out and finished the pieces off while we looked through the souvenirs: ties, jackets, coin purses, etc. After returning to home base in Anloga, we did some group activities to bring us together and get back into the routine. Also, we had a fun birthday celebration with Sara! Off to bed now!

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Happy Fourth of July! Today was another exciting and eventful day, the first full day back in Anloga after the weekend away in Ho. Starting the day off, students broke into mentor groups for morning service at their local school. It was nice to get back into the routine and to see the children again after being away. We worked hard making bricks and teaching in the classroom with our partners. After finishing the morning service, we came back to home base and were greeted with a yummy traditional feast, although some students opted for coco pops (chocolate cereal). After lunch, we were split into two groups for the afternoon’s festivities. Group A was off to the historic Keta Slave Fort, and group B headed to another GLA home base to learn about creating sustainable toilets and to relax by the Lagoon.

Being in group A, we enjoyed the tour of Keta Slave Fort, and learned about the traumatizing conditions of slaves in Ghana. We learned about the reasons behind European export in West Africa. It was cool to gain a new perspective on Ghana’s past, and appreciate the beauty of the historical architecture. We took some time to take in the experience by stopping at a nice waterfront resort for a refreshing drink. We played some games with our mentors and then had a group discussion about what we learned. After leaving the stunning resort, we arrived back at Home base for dinner.

Our fellow students in group B expressed their love for the Meet Me There activity at the other GLA base and they really, really enjoyed swimming in the Lagoon. We wrapped up the day with a series of fun activities which helped us get closer as a team.

By Manu, Charlotte and McKenna

 

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today was an eventful day in Ghana. We kicked it off with an early breakfast outdoors, followed by our usual service work: brickmaking and teaching. Every group hit a record number of bricks made, which was exciting news for everyone! After service, a seamstress came to home base and delivered the custom clothing we had ordered along with other hand-sewn bags, headbands, and shirts etc. We then split into our 3 mentor groups to do different cultural activities.

The first group visited a local island and explored the remote fishing community which inhabits it. There we met a priest who can see into the future, and heals those who are physically, or mentally weak. He also helps you spiritually if you are struggling. We were immediately surrounded by children and some of them even stayed with us the whole 3 and half hours and fell asleep in our arms. The second group visited Fathers House, an organization which rescues child slaves and homeless boys, it was founded in 2007 and currently houses 20-30 boys aged 1-20.

We played soccer, drew in the sand, and simply enjoyed every moment we got to experience there. The last group got to cook red red, a traditional Ghanaian dish consisting of a tomato and bean base. To end the day, a couple GLA alumni, Henry and Jessie, joined us for dinner and presented the stories of their past experiences. This was their third time back in Ghana and they explained how they fell in love with the culture, people, and food. All of us could begin to relate to. We also spent some time going around explaining our favorite/memorable moments and it was truly eye opening that we are already halfway through the program. It was inspirational. Today was a day to remember!

-by Sophia, Sarah, Lucas

Friday July 6, 2018

Today began as usual with each mentor group going to their schools for service. Although we were expecting rain, the clouds cleared and allowed for a full day of brick making and teaching. The service was broken up by spending time with the students during recess and learning their traditional games. After one of the best meals so far, including home style potatoes, chicken, and pineapple, we were given some time to digest. For some students, this meant going to the beach, for others taking a nap or hanging out at home base. Later in the day, we all regrouped to visit students our own age at the local high school.

This offered a brand new experience of forming friendships with high school students in the community in a more casual and natural environment. Following a few ice breakers, we got to know each other better by doing an exercise which revealed the similarities between teens around the world. As we got more comfortable with each other, a spontaneous dance party broke out and showcased the variety of dances we all know from our various countries. It was interesting to see how dance and song crossed international borders and was used as a bridge between the two cultures. This was a high point for many of the GLA students on the trip because it provided us with authentic friendships that we can maintain through social media or other means.

We arrived back at home base for a delicious dinner that re-energized us for the thought provoking activity that followed. Each group was given instructions to adhere by the customs of their culture, which directly contradicted and clashed with the derived culture of the other group. This led to a discussion regarding student’s own cultures, stereotypes, and how to avoid them in the future. After a long day, students are journaling and preparing for sleep before another exciting and packed day in Ghana! A special hello to the entire Fales, Tilson, and Wigder families, we love you and miss you!

 

Saturday July 7, 2018

Today was an exciting day! We got to have a late wakeup. Due to no school on Saturdays, today was a day designated to make bricks. All the groups made the most amount of bricks yet on this amazing trip, at a total of 314 bricks. Today was full of sweat, hard work and determination. After a hard earned lunch, we were split into 2 groups for our afternoon activity. While some engaged in an educational, meaningful tour of the Keta Slave Fort, others had a relaxing dip in the lagoon at Meet Me There. Later that night, we got to hear two local guest speakers. Half the group learned about the history on Ghana, while the others learned about the Fathers House and child slavery. Now ending the night on an inspirational note, it is off to bed. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!!!

Sunday July 8, 2018

We started our day with a great breakfast and many students attended an optional service at the Global Evangelical Church nearby. We were immediately welcomed into the church and introduced to the entire congregation. The service was full of singing, dancing, and a lot of fun to start off our day! After church we came home for a fantastic treat of spaghetti for lunch. We then split into two groups to learn traditional Ghanaian dance, how to balance objects on our heads, and how to carry babies on our backs like the locals. After participating in these wonderful activities we headed back to see our friends at Anlo Senior High School.

At the high school we played an intense game of soccer, danced, played basketball, ate some ice cream, then said goodbye to our newfound friends. Then we came back for a wonderful dinner before switching groups to hear the speakers from last night. One group learned all about Fathers House and the child slavery issues in Ghana, while the other group learned cultural insight about Ghana from a local chief of the Ewe tribe. Overall it was a jam packed, exciting day!

-Sydney, Abby, and Layren

Monday July 9, 2018

Hello, today was another exciting day in Anloga! We started bright and early with breakfast and were off to our schools at 8:00 to start our brick making for the day. We switched mentors for the day and were able to use the techniques from the other groups to improve our own group efficiency. We taught today as usual and then returned to home base for another delicious lunch. We separated back into our respective service groups to do some cultural activities.

One group stayed at home base for a cooking lesson and appointments with local hairstylists. The other group visited a fishing island and learned about traditionalists and the last group went to Father’s House, an organization that focuses on rescuing boys from child slavery on Lake Volta. We came back together at home base for chow circle and dinner, followed by a well-deserved and much appreciated movie night. Everyone migrated to their bedrooms early to get some needed shut-eye for another big day tomorrow.

-By Manu, Jessie and Andrea

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Today has been an exciting and educational day in Ghana! Mentor groups headed out to service after breakfast for a productive day of brick making and teaching in their schools. Each group worked their hardest and came back to home base ready for lunch and then some free time. Students made friendship bracelets, went to the beach, or did some laundry. Following that, one of our very own mentors, Fafa, taught us about the organization she co-founded and what they are doing to rescue young girls from child slavery. Everyone then drove to meet with two local chiefs who told us about their lives, what it means to be a chief, and answered questions that students had. After dinner back at home base, students listened to Dodzi, one of the local staff, as he described the education system in Ghana and his own experiences with it. All students are currently going to bed tired but ready for the next day!

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Greetings from Anloga!

Our 21 days are starting to come to a close, meaning that our time in the classrooms and with each other is also coming to an end. We split into our mentor groups in the morning again, heading straight to our schools to continue our brick making, which is slowly becoming a contest of which mentor group can build the most bricks. We then went to our classes and taught our lessons, with some people’s classes being more rowdy than others. After the seamstresses visited again and we did some shopping, we split back up into our mentor groups to go to either an island tour, Father’s House International, or to stay at home base for a cooking lesson, hairdresser visit and wifi. After we were all reunited after dinner, we started our reflections on our experience so far. With our goodbye letters to our friends being started, everything is getting all sappy and sentimental. Only a few more blogs left!

Thursday July 12, 2018

Today was a very special day here in Anloga. One of our students, Jessie, turned 18 today. We had a great breakfast and today was our last full day of teaching. We all worked very hard with our kids and we are very sad to have to leave in a couple days. After service we had a lunch and went on a river tour!! We had a long scenic boat ride for about a half hour and it was lovely. We got to see a ton of beautiful sights. We arrived to a remote island where the ocean meets the river and we spent a couple hours there. Some kids swam while others drank sodas and just sat in the sun or played volleyball. The island was beautiful. The palm trees were painted beautiful colors. The sand was filled with tiny conch shells. Everyone had a blast. We are all starting to realize that we are leaving soon and everyone is soaking in every moment of this trip. After we got back to home base we had dinner and started planning for our talent show. Jessie soon after had a big surprise and had buckets of water dumped on her for her birthday. Which is a Ghanaian tradition. We had cake and ice cream to celebrate. Today was an overall lovely day. Cant wait to see what tomorrow brings!!

-Sophia, Talia & Lucas

Saturday July 14, 2018

Today was a great day! It was filled with our last time brick making and seeing our favorite kids! In addition, we visited all of our friends schools and we were all able to see what one another has been experiencing! After our dinner, we made our way to the beach for a nice bonfire. We all had a great time and went back to home base for the talent show! Many great acts performed and we were all able to have a great laugh. The program is coming to an end, no one wants to leave, the bonds that everyone has created its something that we never expected happening at the beginning. The group that all the students have made its incredible, we are all very happy that everyone got along nicely.

-by Miguel, Bella & Ashley

Sunday July 15, 2018

Greetings from Ghana!

Today was our last full day here in the extremely beautiful Anloga, Ghana. We have all made memories here that we will never forget, as we have become one big family that calls Ghana our home. We started our day with our last breakfast which was followed by us breaking into our mentor groups for our final discussion. We reflected and wrote letters to future GLA students on our journey and gave them advice. This was followed by a whole group activity regarding culture shock and reverse culture shock, which many of us may experience when we head back home. After, we had lunch and had time to pack. Later, we had a local performance group teach us the local dances and music styles.

The performances were amazing and everyone was on their feet dancing away. Followed by this was our banquet where we all dressed up in our finest Ghanaian clothing for a lovely last meal. We were then each given a handmade traditional scarf with our names embroidered on them as a final gift from our stay in Ghana. Next, we watched a slideshow that consisted of photos and videos of our time here. It made us all tear up watching the unbelievable memories we made here. This will be a trip we will never forget. Finally, we had some free time to say our last goodbyes to our new extended family that we made here in Ghana before we all head home tomorrow. GLA has definitely changed our lives for the better! It made us grow as individuals and develop valuable skills that we will use throughout our lives. Words cannot explain how much this trip meant to us, and we all wish this could last forever. We end our final blog by saying until next time!

Sincerely,

Sara M, Shriya M, and Jenna S.

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Wednesday August 1, 2018

We are enjoying our 1st day together as one big Krobo family! Weather is great and spirits are high!

We are looking forward to visiting local market today, so we can get fabric for our new Ghanian wardrobe!

-William Korte, International Director

Thursday August 2, 2018

Quote of the day: “Everyday may not be a good day but there is good in everyday”- Helen Keller
On August 2, 2018, we started off at 7:30 am with optional yoga on the roof. After yoga was finished, everyone was then up and ready for breakfast at 8 am. Breakfast, as usual is always as yummy as ever. The food that we had for that morning consisted of toast, mango, and sausage with veggies. Once everyone finished eating, we got ready to go for our orientation and leadership activities. During this, we went over rules and expectations for the program and played a game called, Mafia, led by the leaders of the day. When the game was finished, we took a walk to the nursery, where kids from 5 months to 5 years old are learning. We got to hear about how they discipline children in Ghana and how the school system here works. We were there for a good hour, and once we said our goodbyes for the day, we walked back to home base for lunch. We ate rice mixed with beans and spaghetti.

However, this spaghetti isn’t what one may expect; this delicious spaghetti has a Ghanaian twist, made up of different spices flavoring thin noodles.After lunch, during the hottest part of the day, we have a bit of free time. Most of us take naps, some of us hangout, and others journal. Today was also our first day to visit our host families! This is an opportunity for us to break into small groups and go with one of the selected local host family members to their house to learn about their language and culture.

We learned to speak some Krobo, we asked questions about their lives, and we met the other family members. On the way back, we played at the park with the local kids, who are very energetic and full of love. We were down at the park for 2 hours and then had to return at 6pm for dinner. They served us chicken and sweet potato fries, followed by vanilla and chocolate pancakes for dessert. Later that night, we danced to Ghanaian music by the bonfire and had a carefree dance off, not caring how crazy we looked. We then had the opportunity to buy some sweets and soda that are made in Ghana.

The chocolates here are so delicious that you want more every time! The soda that they had was good as well. Thursday, August 2, 2018 was a very impactful day and we are sure the next few days will be as well, but this special day was when we truly got into learning about the culture of Ghana and the Krobo people. We can’t wait for what is to come!

-by Makenna Blackman and Cara Dunleavy

Friday August 3, 2018

Day four was full of adventure! We had the honor of meeting Cedi, the founder of
Cedi Beads. He taught us how to create our own beads from glass that is heated
in clay molds. After everyone made a total of six beads, we all participated in
team-building activities. As our beads were fired in the kilim (“Mou lata” in Krobo)
coated clay molds that were placed in the clay kiln, we met with our mentor
groups and discussed our goals for our time in Ghana. Hours after polishing our
beads, we went home for lunch. After lunch, we went to the park and played
soccer, tag, and ninja with the children of Krobo. In the evening, Nanama and
Jennifer came into our rooms, and using our sheets they made dresses for our
dipo talk. They covered our faces and bodies with clay, a custom they have for the
dipo ceremony. Henry presented a slideshow about the dipo tradition – a right of
passage for Krobo girls as they grow into women and prepare for marriage. After
some dancing and singing, we received our Krobo names. Each name has a
significant meaning according to the order in which you’re born in your family.
The night ended in well-earned exhaustion, cold bucket showers, and laughter
enjoyed with the kitchen staff.

We’re excited for our next day in Ghana!

– Tiffany Ahianor & Michelle Edid

Monday August 6, 2018

Day 6 started with donuts and coffee in our Sunday best. After a brief meeting with our mentor groups, we walked a quick 10 minutes to the church where we were warmly welcomed in by the church-goers. We were quickly immersed in the lively singing, dancing and preaching of the people around us (one church-goer was so taken by the message, that she fainted back onto us as the holy ghost passed through her!). There were two preachers; one preaching in English and one translating to Krobo, both conveying the relationship between loving and fearing God. After an eye-opening service, we walked back for a lunch of rice, fried plantains, tomato sauce, mangos and Red Red (a stew of beans that was enjoyed by all).

We started the afternoon with a brick making demonstration by Sammy, a local brick maker. The brick making process begins with a large pile of dirt being mixed with cement and water. This process takes quite some time, but we ended up all producing at least one brick. At the same time as the brick making fiesta, we were getting lessons in the art of Batik. Batik is a method of fabric dying and designing that begins with the dipping stamps into melted wax that are then pressed onto a piece of fabric to make designs. After this process was complete, we sent the fabrics off to be dyed.

After Batik, we went to the park to play with all the kids. Per usual, the kids were energetic, loud and full of joy as we played with them until dinner. After dinner, we gathered for a mock class given by our very own, Nana Ama. After “class” was dismissed, we started to plan our first lesson in preparation for our first day of school tomorrow.

Your Leaders of the Day,

Addy and Emma

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Today was our first day teaching at the schools! Five of us taught at the nursery and the other twelve students taught at the elementary school. Emma and Cara were teaching Nursery 2, Coleman taught Kindergarten 1, and Elizabeth and Gracie taught Kindergarten 2. The nursery kids were very energetic! Meanwhile at the elementary school, Addie, Marissa, and Tiffany taught 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade; Nephtali, Jori, and Bridget taught 4th grade; Kate, Andrea, and Makenna taught 5th; Ashley, Michelle, and Willa taught 6th. The elementary school GLA students also made bricks that will be used to help build the school’s unfinished library. Although it might have been a rough start because we did not know their levels, we all could see that the elementary kids were eager and excited to learn what we were teaching. We were all amazed by all the talented kids and how much they already knew! In the afternoon, went to visit our host families for the second time and finished the day with our daily trip to the park, which was tons of fun (as always).

-Elizabeth and Ashley

Wednesday August 8, 2018

Michelle and Willa get exited about
making bricks in the morning before
school starts.

Marisa, Addie, and Tiffany teach their
first, second, and third graders about
verbs and pictures.

Coleman and Bridget try to juggle all
the kids at the park.

Your leaders of the day have fun
playing with Deborah, Selena and
Ophelia at the park.

After dinner, Jori plays for William’s
team (the winning team) in a game of
charades.

Thursday August 9, 2018

Today was our second to last day of teaching and brick-making. In the afternoon, a man named Rasheed
set up his craft fair at the home base in Krobo. There were so many things to see there. He brought
wooden figurines, bowls, paintings and artwork, wallets, bracelets, bangles, necklaces, waist beads,
pants, dresses, shorts, games, handbags, and backpacks. In the evening, we started planning our “fun
day”, a day where all the local kids come to the GLA home base for games, music, and fun.

Saturday August 11, 2018

Today we set up an end-of-summer event at home base for the kids that come to the park; we called it, “Fun Day.” The kids started to show up around 9am, although we weren’t ready until 10am. They all watched with amazement in their eyes as we set up. We had 10 stations. Station 1 was face painting and station 2 was the Cha-Cha slide dance. Station 3 was a game called, “Chicken Grab,” where they had to run to the center and grab as much stuff as possible. Just past the mango tree from that, we had Red Rover set up for station 4. Winding around the bend, we had a game at station 5, where limes are tossed down a field using towels. Station 6 was a relay race, while station 7 was a lime and spoon race, and 8 was a, “fill the big bucket with water” race. Station 9 was my station. We had the kids make their own masks out of paper. The final station was another game, where two teams had to carry a ball from a bucket on one side of the driveway to a bucket on the other side, using two sticks instead of arms and hands.

The children’s ages ranged from 1 to 18. Some would carry their younger siblings with them on their backs while they joined in on the activities. About 140 kids showed up and participated. Most of the kids were able to do most of the activities, and if they didn’t understand something, we had older kids there to assist us.

All in all, the kids had a blast! We concluded our rotations with a big group dance of the Cha-Cha slide. Afterwards, we served them a nutritious lunch and handed out hibiscus ice cream as we said our goodbyes.

After eating lunch, we went inside to rest for a bit before heading to the park from 4-6pm. In the evening, we had a song competition and talent show. For the song competition, we were spilt into 4 groups in which we created “remakes” to popular songs, describing our experiences during this trip. Group two won first place with their remake of SIMPLE, by Florida Georgia Line. After the impressive talent show, we all showed off our cool new Ghanaian clothes in a fashion show, each strutting our stuff while dancing to Madonna’s, “Vogue.” Everyone laughed when William and Colman presented their matching shirts and danced around. The night ended with laughter and memories that none of us will forget.

-Nephtali

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Saturday July 14, 2018

Hello Parents!

Our group here in Ghana is almost complete! Almost all of our students have arrived, and we have 3 more who will be joining us tonight: Alexandra Kannellpoulou, Chrysanthi Makrygeorgou, and Kornilia Makrygeorgou.

We can’t wait to meet them, and we’ll be sure to update the blog with a full group photo soon!

Sunday July 15, 2018

All our students have arrived safe and sound to home base in Krobo. After a good rest and big breakfast we’re all excited and eager for what lies ahead while this Sunday morning resonates with the sounds of dancing and drumming all over town!!

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Today we participated in the unique Ghanaian cultural practice of bead making. We took the same bus we rode from the airport to the famous Cedi Bead factory. The ride was bumpy – very much like a roller coaster! The first thing we saw when we entered the bead factory grounds was a scorpion! Our fabulous guide named Mark quickly killed the scorpion and then taught us about the four different types of beads.

We then each made five single glass beads out of recycled bottles. Then we made one sand bead which we designed by layering the colors. While the beads cooked in the 1143 degrees Fahrenheit clay oven, we broke into mentor groups and discussed our goals and impressions of Ghanaian culture – America has a lot to learn! While the rain poured down, we learned about different methods of educating the children in the coming days. Finally, when our beads were done cooling, we polished and shined them until they were glowing! Some people turned them into necklaces and bracelets. We took the bus home and rushed to a late lunch. Then we went to the park per usual and taught the kids to play kickball. It was so nice to see the younger kids and the girls of the village get involved! We walked back up the hill with our parade of kids to the home base for dinner.

After yet another delicious meal, we prepared for our special Krobo ceremonies. Dressed in our bed sheets and covered in paint, we made our way to the dining hall for a traditional Dipo ceremony or for the ladies. This was a right of passage into womanhood. Then we all received our unique Krobo names from the Calabash bowl. We all have bracelets with a blue traditional bead (the color blue symbolizing naming ceremonies) to signify our Krobo names. The overall experience was enlightening and by the end, we all felt welcomed and initiated to the land of Krobo.

Love,
Hope and Haley

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Hey GLA Parents!

This is Nya and Rachel here, also known as Djabaki and Kabuki, the dynamic duo. Today, we finally got to meet with the seamstress, much to our anticipation. She taught us about the history of fabrics and traditional Ghanian attire and we jumped right into measurements. Then, we worked on some brick making (which were better at than our first time around) and planned our very first lesson for our classes tomorrow. We are all very excited to teach the children and are hopeful for our days of service to come. After a delicious lunch, we headed to the market to get our fabric, which was overwhelming to say the least. We experienced many sights, sounds, and smells (some not so pleasant), and had an abundance of fabric to choose from.

They were all beautiful and unique and when we returned, we chose the clothing styles we want the seamstress to make for us. We cannot wait to see the outcome and bring them home! Shortly after, we made our daily venture down the street to the park to be greeted by smiling and eager faces. Some of us entertained the younger ones, while the rest of us engaged in our daily game of soccer where we usually do more laughing than playing. “No standing, no talking” has become a commonplace phrase that the competitive soccer boys love to tell us. After a tiresome game, we trekked up the hill for some dinner and then sat through an informative lecture about Krobo history. Now, we are enjoying some much-needed free time which will of course consist of some dancing and game playing. Don’t worry, we will be sound asleep in bed before curfew hits!

Sending all our love from Krobo,
Nya and Rachel

Friday July 20, 2018

Hey GLA Parents!

This is Grace and Chelsi giving you your daily report on the experience of a lifetime. Today, we woke up bright and early for our first day of service at the schools. Some students took the long hike to the nursery where we were met with bright, smiling faces. We split up into each of our classrooms, creche, (the babies), nursery 1 and nursery 2, and kg1 and kg2. Once we split up, we spent the day teaching the children, and mostly trying to get the kids to sit down and listen! Little kids can be exhausting, but we all love working with them nonetheless!

The other group of students walked over to the primary school to teach grades 4, 5, and 6. Those at the primary school started the day with brick-making, which was extremely successful; we made ten new bricks! Then, we went to the classrooms where we were met with three classes of students ready to learn. Since they had just finished their exams for the day, it was understandable that some students were boisterous. However, that did not discourage us, because it allowed us to exercise our leadership skills.

After service we enjoyed a delicious lunch and organized into our mentor groups. We discussed how to express ourselves creatively, what we could do to overcome homesickness, what we were grateful for, and how we felt overall. Next, we relaxed during free-time and mostly caught up on our sleep and played games. Once we had rested ourselves we got to spend time with our host families. They taught us words, phrases, and even songs in krobo languages. After getting to know a little bit more about our host families, and them asking about us, it was time for the park!

We engaged in a wide variety of activities, including soccer and frisbee with the older kids, and hand games and dancing with the younger kids. Some of us even brought paper and pens so the children could draw pictures. Even though the kids walk us back from the park every day for a heart-warming sendoff, this daily ritual always leaves us with tender hearts. After a wonderful dinner prepared by the kitchen staff, we prepared for service the next day, writing lesson plans and gathering materials.
This was such an exciting day, full of more learning experiences and cultural discoveries then we can begin to count. Needless to say, we were more than ready to climb under our mosquito nets for much needed rest!

Sending love and hugs from Krobo,
Grace and Chelsie

Saturday July 21, 2018

Hey GLA Families,

Second day of service was a huge success at both the nursery and the elementary school. We started off by building bricks at the elementary, while at the nursery, two children’s birthdays were celebrated. Exams ended at both schools so the kids were psyched but were still very well behaved for us. After teaching classes at the elementary, we continued to play with the children during their free period.
Following lunch everyone was so excited for Rasheed’s market to come to the house. He brought a large variety of Ghanaian crafts such as paintings, wood carvings, backpacks, purses, and keychains. We spent a long time looking for the perfect presents for our family and friends. There were items for everybody. The majority of the students spent most of their cedis (Ghanaian currency) because there was so much to offer. We all compared our purchases to see all of the different presents chosen. As always, to end the day on a good note, we headed down to the park to greet the children with smiles and laughter. They all love playing hand games, dancing, and competing with each other in our soccer games.

The last activity of the night was the most exciting one yet! All of the students and staff made their way down to the basement for the cultural dance. Four professional dancers, along with drummers came to show us what typical Ghanaian dancing looks like. It was filled with endless energy and happiness, as they pulled a few of the students into the middle to accompany them in their dancing. As a lot of us had hoped, some friends we had made at the park also came and performed a dance they had created. Again, they pulled some of the students up to show us how to dance individually. Overall, the whole day was full of excitement!

To start off the weekend, the entire group, including all of the staff hopped in the buses and made our way to Bodhi Falls. The hour long car ride was full of music and loud singing. When we arrived, we started our tough hike up to umbrella rock where we all took pictures with the beautiful view in the background. During the hike we had to climb up a steep hill with many obstacles like rocks and a river crossing. After returning back to the bottom of the mountain, the group took a short walk down to the huge waterfall where we all enjoyed the breeze and mist. We finished by eating lunch while enjoying watching a couple of children dancing to music being played at the park. All of us were exhausted, but after napping we were ready for the endless amount of energy the children had at the park. We ended the night with a fun game of charades where Team Sergio won!

Sending love,
Savannah and Margot

Sunday July 22, 2018

Hi GLA Parents,

Today was our last day of the weekend and we had a great day! We started off with optional yoga at 7:15 am. We then got into the cars to drive to the Sajuna pool and beach resort. At the resort we played sand volleyball and swam in the pool for hours. We had a packed lunch followed by a boat ride full of dancing through the Volta river. The river was very pretty and we saw a huge suspension bridge and as we went down the river, everyone on the side of the river was waving to us!

We then got back in the cars to go to a local bead market, and crowded into a small shop on the side of the road. There were so many selections and we went all-out buying beads for friends and families. We came back home to walk to the park where we watched our very own mentor, Sergio, playing a soccer match with the local professionals, while we cheered on the side lines!! We came home to have a yummy dinner and write our lesson plans for tomorrow. We are really getting close to all the kids at the park and today we planned a “field day” for them on Tuesday which we can’t wait to tell them all about!

-Love Abigael and Paige

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Reporting to you today is Bennani Mamoun aka the only boy on this trip. Today, was a day full of exciting adventures. It started off as a usual service day with both groups going to their respective schools. In the elementary school, since it was the last official day we could make it special, so we played games and sang along with them. Meanwhile at the nursery we fed and played with them before putting them down for a nap before leaving. Then came your typical Ghanaian lunch where we ate rice and a delicious curry sauce. Next, we enjoyed a well-needed block of free time during which some of us napped, while others watched a movie called “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” which I highly recommend to anyone reading this blog.

Shortly after that, we made our daily venture to the park where the children welcomed us with huge smiles like every single day. Every day we engage in our daily soccer game where the older kids at the park come and tear it up with us. After dinner, Monica, the Founder of Edmon (The Nursery) came to speak to us and told us how she handles her life as a mother, as a manager of a bank and as the CEO of a nursery. Even though all these jobs are very time-consuming and stressful she manages to find a way to dedicate time towards her family. She is a true inspiration to all women pursuing the dreams in their lives. Finally came the best part of the day, which was the singing competition! Each group had to choose a song and change the lyrics so that it describes the wonderful experience we have had living together these past two weeks. Congratulations to the winning group: Margot, Maddie, Savannah, Aubra, and Hailey, with their rendition of “Tonight, Tonight”. We have created a wonderful community of friends within this amazing country.

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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