Time Capsule Letter

It seems like just yesterday we were all together in Guatemala! It is wild to think how much time has already passed since we gazed into the flames during the Mayan Fire Ceremony. Or when you showed your skills with new moves on the Salsa dance floor. Your group brought a thoughtful dynamic which showed through tight friendships and a meaningful program in Guatemala.

Something I reflect on fondly is your stoke for the drives…bus rides became the heart of this trip, whether we were cruising the winding roads to Lago Atitlán or the route past the cemetery.

Our weekend trip had many unforgettable experiences such as taking the boat past the towering volcanoes, learning about traditional medicine women, and watching the sun set while contemplating big thoughts. Let’s not forget market adventures- how great you became at bartering and the poncho trend that took our group by storm.

I can still picture the mist moving across the sacred Lago Chicabal as we peacefully took in all the beauty. And of course, all our dog friends from throughout the trip!

We really felt the appreciation of the students during their welcome and goodbye ceremonies at the school! It was so impactful to see you change during your time at service. From owning your English classes, to practicing Spanish and playing with the kiddos!

Don’t forget those lessons the children taught you too. The children at the school will continue to learn lessons of curiosity, creativity, and knowledge wandering amongst your beautifully painted walls. Thank you for your hard work to complete all our service goals.

You were truly part of a group of leaders. Everyone showed personal growth throughout Mentor Group Discussions. This includes having some laughs during the blind-fold obstacle course activity. Despite coming from so many different backgrounds, your group really came together to hear out everyones side to a story. I feel like your understanding of perceptions became powerful. I hope you continue to apply those lessons.

I was really impressed when the group came up with the One Meaningful Goal (OMG) to ‘Apply Yourself’. This goal is so powerful because each person in the program had their personal plan for how they could apply themselves- whether for personal growth or within their community. Do you remember what you felt compelled to apply yourself towards?? Well in case you forgot, I included our epic picture from the rooftop in Antigua set amongst the mountains and volcanoes.

GLA loves to hear about how you are BEING the CHANGE so please share your personal goals and initiatives. This summer will be unforgettable thanks to YOU and the positivity you brought to Guatemala!

Cheers to one more spoonful of Pepto,

Sheila, Javier and the Guatemala Squad

P.S. Are you a ninja or a raccoon?

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Friday July 5, 2019

The students arrived safely in Guatemala through the day. They meet at the Hotel in Antigua and we took dinner at a local restaurant. We are waiting for 4 students more (Vivian, Carolina C, Shalini and Antonio) who will arrive later tonight. Everybody is excited to meet them and start the activities tomorrow.

Saturday July 6, 2019

The last students arrived safely last night and, this morning we took our way to the home base in Quetzaltenango (Xela). On the way, we stopped in cooperative of Mayan women who showed the group how is a traditional Mayan wedding.

After lunch, we visited the Mayan ruins of Iximche and we had the chance to learn about how was the lifestyle in their old days.

Now we are in Quetzaltenango, getting ready for our next day and having some rest.

Sunday July 7, 2019

Today, Sunday the 7th we went on an adventure through the mountains of Xela. We arrived at Retaluleu, a zip lining site with beautiful views, and started our course consisting of 11 zips. One of which was over a beautiful waterfall!! After our zip lining journey we headed back to our home base to eat lunch.

In the afternoon we drove to a local plaza which is a place where many people sell their works of art such as colorful tapestries and jewelry. After looking around the colorful plaza we were given a special treat of going to an ice cream place where we were able to have traditional Guatemalan ice cream. Today was a fun day with lots of adventure and color!

-M

Monday July 8, 2019

Today we visited one of the schools that GLA has worked with here in Guatemala. It was so cool to see how GLA affected the school and we could picture how our work will affect others in years to come! Then we went to the school we will be working with. We arrived at recess and got to play with kids of all ages and practice our spanish. After recess we began work and started to clean the walls we will paint. We scrubbed the dirt off the walls and prepped it for painting.

After lunch we drove to the town of San Andres. We explored the town and walked up the steep hills. We visited the home of a local mayan woman who showed us her embroidery. Then we visited the home of our tour guide where we had traditional Guatemalan hot chocolate and bread as a snack. We took incredible pictures of the mountains, church, and the many local dogs in San Andres! The day was so fun and we got a real taste of how mayan culture is preserved in Guatemala. Now we are planning and preparing our English lessons for tomorrow to teach to the children! We can’t wait to start painting and teaching tomorrow.

-C

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Today we went to the school we have been working with. We split into 4 different groups and taught 4 different English lessons to different age groups in the school. We taught the children how to say the different farm animals in English, as well as colors, body parts, days of the week, and the months. While groups were teaching, the others would be painting the walls of the school in colors of yellow and blue. During recess we had fun playing with the children and practicing our Spanish while getting to know them!

In the afternoon we went to visit the Quetzaltenango general cemetery. We were taught the story of the gypsy Vanushka. The legend says that if you lay a rose on her grave, she will bring you love. We all had fun placing our roses on her grave. We walked through the cemetery and saw one of the Presidents of Guatemala’s grave. After we visited the cemetery, we went to Walmart to stock up on necessities like all the snacks we’ve missed. In the evening at home base we had a guest speaker from the Civil War come and talk to us about the history of Guatemala and the Civil War. After dinner at home base we had a game night where we all hung out outside playing games with each other. The day was full of activities and bonding and we are ready for tomorrow.

-L

Wednesday July 10, 2019

Today we went back to the school and we all began the day by continuing to paint the walls we started yesterday. Two groups went at the same time to teach colors, days of the week, months, and body parts in english to a different class in the same grade level as the first day.

Two groups taught in the morning and the other two later in the afternoon. While groups were teaching the other two groups continued painting the walls. We finished second coats of the first walls we painted and later moved on to new walls in the hope of painting the entire inside of the school by Friday. During recess everyone enjoyed playing with the kids and getting to know their stories. People played soccer, games in spanish, and used their spanish to try and make conversation and connections.

In the afternoon, we visited a local chocolate business and learned the history of chocolate making in Guatemala. We had the opportunity to sample the chocolate and traditional mayan hot chocolate drinks. After this we went to a salsa dancing class where we leaned to salsa dance from a local dance instructor. Overall, today was another inspiring and educational day at the school followed by a exciting afternoon.

-R

Thursday July 11, 2019

Today we continued our service project at “Inter Vida”, a school GLA has been working with for many years. We painted the exterior of the building with vibrant blues and yellow and managed to restore the beauty to the school’s building for the awesome students there! All the volunteers had an opportunity to conduct a lesson with the students and enjoy recess with them in between.

After our long morning of service, we headed to a weaving factory where we got to explore awesome tapestry and purchase some cool blankets, sweaters, and bracelets. We met the talented Don Luis and his family at his factory and he showed us how he dyed wool. We also got to enjoy some tasty tortillas and tea at his home! Today was full of fun and adventure. Can’t wait to see what awaits tomorrow!

-E

Friday July 12, 2019

Today, after a delicious breakfast of pancakes, we headed out to service to continue painting. The kids had the day off from school, so we painted the entire morning and made a lot of progress! We’ll finish up at our last day of service on Monday.

After lunch and a break at home base, we drove for an hour to beautiful hot springs in the mountains. We spent a couple hours there laughing, talking, and swimming. Unfortunately, it started raining while we were there, but it was still very enjoyable for all. The day ended with a fun game night with the whole group. It was another successful, amazing day in Guatemala!

-A

Saturday July 13, 2019

Today we started off with an awesome hour long car ride to lake Atitlan that was filled with spectacular views. We hit the hotel we’d be staying in first and then afterward we walked around to a dock to board a boat that would take us across the lake to the town of San Juan. In San Juan we primarily went and learned more about herbs and their medicinal uses from comadronas or midwives. These women were a group that tended to pregnant and birthing mothers using herbal medicine.

After that we went across to the shops to look around for nicknacks and things to get as souvenirs and memories for ourselves and our families. After spending time in this town, we scurried back onto the boat and left. A gorgeous day on a beautiful lake with “smooth sailing” (it was actually exciting and a fun ride:). After we got back to shore we went back to our hotel for our break/lunch and then went back out to go and take a walk a little ways around the lake.

During this part of the day we reflected on what we had learned so far in the trip about what the people around us valued and looked more into what we valued. We wrote these thoughts in our journals while the sun went down and that was the end to our day. We went back to our hotel and bedded down for the night. Apparently some ghosts stories were told but that’s for them to talk about.

– J&A

Sunday July 14, 2019

Today we got to go to the city of Chichicastenango, which has the largest open air market in the area. We learned safety precautions and how to barter, which helped us understand the culture of the market and of the city. We all got to purchase souvenirs and stuff for our families, and we got to have a super delicious lunch at a local hotel.

After that, we came back to home base and played some games as a group. We did an obstacle course where one person who was blindfolded had to be guided through a course by other team members, who had to work together to tell the blindfolded person what to do.

After dinner we did a discussion about our beliefs and stood in a section that described how we felt about that belief. This helped us learn to understand others’ opinions and know why they thought that way. I thought this was a super cool chance to see things from other people’s perspectives and go into the next day’s activities with a more open mind.

-A&R

Tuesday July 16, 2019

On our 12th day, we began with an adventurous hike up to Lago Chicaval. The hike was about 3 miles in total; 1.5 miles up to the lake, and 1.5 miles back down the hill. The way up was a lot steeper than expected, but we all made it! Once we reached the beautiful viewpoint of the lake, we had to make our way down to the water. This included 670 wooden steps! As we walked down, we could see the fog over the water, and we all took in the view. At the lake, we all enjoyed some snacks, took photos, and a few honored lost or important family members, as this lake is sacred in the Mayan community.

After we hiked to the lake, we drove back to home base and watched the movie The Maze Runner in the living room and ate some popcorn. Once the movie was finished, one of our drivers, Nayo, told us his amazing and inspirational life story. Later during our last mentor group, we discussed Nayo’s story and how we will use the lessons he taught is in our day to day lives back in the US. We are very grateful for this story, because it provided perspective and motivation to pursue our goals in the near future.

Time Capsule Letter

It seems like just yesterday we were all together in Guatemala! Its wild to think how much time has already passed since proud parents Corentin and Ella celebrated Melissa and Nick’s Mayan wedding. Or when Britney busted out professional moves on the Salsa dance floor. Your group brought a thoughtful dynamic which showed through tight friendships and a meaningful program in Guatemala.

Something I reflect on fondly is that Nick and Anna ALWAYS had good tunes on our bus. Keep that vibe alive! Bus rides became the heart of this trip, whether we were driving the winding roads to Lago Atitlán or the route past the cemetery/Burger King. I am so glad we all survived our weekend trip in Panajachel, Chloe really stepped up as Leader of the Day when we needed that first aid kit! Let’s not forget Simone starting the poncho trend that took our group by storm.

I was so proud that our whole group hiked up to the sacred Lago Chicabal, taking part in the Mayan ceremony as the fog rolled past. Amber, always keeping spirits high, ensured laughs were had on the way back down too.

We lucked out visiting service sites on Teacher Appreciate Day, remember the huge ceremony we watched? It was so impactful to see you change during your time at service. From owning your mural, to practicing Spanish and playing with the kiddos! Like Nuala’s painted vine, the children at the school will grow wild and free.

Each developing curiosity, creativity, and knowledge wandering amongst your beautiful, meaningful murals. Javier still proudly reflects on the collaboration animal mural- Paige painted just the cutest Zebra.

You were truly part of a group of leaders. Baylee set the bar high with personalized letters as the first Leader of the Day! Everyone showed personal growth throughout Mentor Group Discussions. (Shoutout to Shelnian Pabacomi!)

We were all grateful for our translators throughout the program, especially when Michelle helped barter in the market and Melissa interpreted at the cemetary. Meaning would have been lost without you. As true leaders are not afraid to speak up….I will never forget hearing dancing queen being sung at the top of your lungs!

I was really impressed when the group came up with the One Meaningful Goal (OMG) to ‘Take Initiative’. This goal is so powerful because each person in the program had their personal plan for how they could take initiative- whether for themselves or within their community. Do you remember what you felt compelled to take initiative with??

Well in case you forgot, I included our epic picture from the rooftop in Antigua set amongst mountains and volcanoes.

GLA loves to hear about how you are BEING the CHANGE so please share your personal goals and initiatives.

This summer will be unforgettable thanks to YOU and the positivity you brought to Guatemala!

Cheers to one more weaving demonstration,

Sheila and the Guatemala Squad

P.S. Remember, if in doubt, your Quita Pena has your back!

 

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Wednesday June 19, 2019

After many miles traveling and different arrival times, the group arrived safe to Guatemala. We met at the hotel in “Antigua” and we had a delicious dinner.

At the time of this photo we were still waiting for 3 students. Chloe, Jake and, Nicholas, so they are not pictured.

Everybody is excited to start the adventure!

Thursday June 20, 2019

Last night the last part of the group arravied we are complete now! We wakes early to leave “Antigua” to take the way to our homebase in Quetzaltenango (Xela). On our way we stopped at an collective of mayan women, who showed us a traditional mayan wedding. Also, we visited Ixminche, one of the most important mayan ruins. Todays is Corentin’s birthday! We celebrated with brownies at the lunch time!

Now we are at the homebase in Quetzaltenango resting for a new day.

Friday June 21, 2019

Today with the whole group we set off to visit schools GLA has volunteered at in the past. The first school was having its Teacher’s Day celebration, where a group of about 30 kids honored their teachers with songs and gifts. It was incredible to see how valued the teachers are in Guatemala.

After visiting 2 more schools and having lunch, the group headed off to a chocolate demonstration, where they learned the rich history and importance of the cacao bean for Guatemala. The group also got to try the chocolate and different chocolate drinks. Finally, the group went to a salsa class, where we all stepped out of our comfort zones and learned how to salsa.

Our night ended with a delicious taco dinner at home and our first Mentor groups. Home Base is really starting to feel like home!

-B

Saturday June 22, 2019

June 22, 2019 was a wonderful day for the GLA guatemala program. Today we went zip lining, not to forget the amazing journey we took to get there. We took quite an adventurous jungle road to reach the serene setting for our gran aventura. We rode for a while before we approached the first zip line. Using some teamwork, the crew successfully navigated the lush surroundings . We learned we had 11 zip lines and buckled up for a wild ride! After a few screams, everyone laughing at people’s zip styles, we headed back to basecamp.

The rest of the day was still to come. We relaxed at homebase before we visited the school we would be working at for our service. We got to see all the walls that we are able to paint on and got to create some ideas. We made it back to basecamp to have an eye opening conversation about how gender roles have a place in society and the differing ideas people/organizations have. Not to forget the ceremony at the end of the night to pass on the fanny pack and med kit. Overall an action packed yet stress free day.

-A

Sunday June 23, 2019

Today was a great day. We ate breakfast and then picked up the buses to head to the town of Chichicistenango. Upon our arrival we sharpened our Spanish bargaining skills with a visit to the world’s largest Mayan market. It was an eye opening adventure to see such a bustling market of handmade goods and other things. After many laughs at lunch, we continued our journey to Lake Atitlán.

After arriving to our hotel by the lake, we went out for coffee and an exploration of the city, not to mention some light shopping! We wrapped up the night with a fun game, excited for what tomorrow will bring.

Hasta luego,
M & M

Monday June 24, 2019

We spent our last morning in Lake Atitlan with a boat ride, 20 minutes later, we arrived in San Juan and saw a weaving demonstration, we learned how cotton was made into thread and dyed using natural resources (like rosemary, carrots and flowers)!

Later, we looked around and shopped for handmade clothes, art, and other souvenirs to bring back home. It was a beautiful town to spend time in with the big lake below and mountains all around.

While some of the group rested after our big adventure, the other half of us walked around the lake and journaled about values and what experiences here related to them.

After lunch, we loaded up in the vans. Once we got back to homebase we had time to work on our mural ideas for service.

The day ended with our mentor groups and the ritual passing of the funny pack to tomorrow´s leader.

-by Chloe Kaplan

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Today, students began their first day of service! Groups began painting murals at a local daycare center and were able to spend some quality time with kids during recess (piggyback rides were a must!)

After lunch, our volunteers embarked on a trip to the town of San Andreas Xecul, where they learned about how ancient Mayan and contemporary Catholic cultures mix today in Guatemala.

The journey was not complete without a quick trip to a local Walmart where GLA students stocked up on items not found at home. The day ended with a energetic karaoke night that got every teen on their feet and singing!

Nick

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Today, students started off the day by continuing service at the local school! Together they picked up paint brushes and made additions to the murals that they had started the day before. The murals have begun to take shape and are really coming together in all of their colorful glory.

We then finished off our visit to the school by joining them in their play time activities. The volunteers joined games of soccer, Ring Around the Rosie and generally stayed just as active as the kids were. Additionally, students sat with some kids and read simple books in Spanish with or to them.

After lunch, students loaded the vans with swimsuits and towels in hand to go to the hot springs! They traveled to Zunil to visit Fuentes Georginas. There students all enjoyed the views from the forest and even experienced a little visit from some small monkey and raccoon like creatures. Of course though, many students enjoyed the steam and warm temperature of the springs by going swimming, making a relaxing afternoon!

We ended the evening with some delicious tamales and meeting with our mentor groups. This is always a great way to end an amazing day.

-by Amber

Thursday June 27, 2019

Our 9th day started with our service project again. We started the first half of service working on our mural projects. One group included the participation of the children by using their painted hand prints as leaves on a tree. Our murals are all coming together very well to decorate the school. After painting, we had more time to play with the kids. We played soccer, read books, and drew with chalk. After our service time, we had to say our final goodbyes to our new little amigos as we parted ways.

After service, we returned to home base for lunch, then departed for a pottery demonstration. We watched Don Julio shape beautiful candle holders, bowls, and cups out of clay. After the demonstration, we returned home to listen to a story from a special guest speaker, Arturo, about the Guatemalan civil war. We listened to his story from the revolutionary side of the civil war. We, then, had dinner at home base. After dinner, we played a team-building game then concluded the day. Overall, it was a great day, but sad because we had to say goodbye to the beloved school children.

-E

Saturday June 29, 2019

Our day began bright and early with our last day of service. Unfortunately the kids were not at the school today, as they are now on their “summer break”. We still went to the school though to finish our murals, which all turned out beautifully, might I add. We finished are last day with a discussion on the service experience and how we would take what we learned back home, and into our own communities.

After our lunch break at home base, we headed out for the highly anticipated cemetery trip. Before we entered the cemetery we were prepped with the the story of “The Gypsy who died of love”, whose grave we then visited. Some even left roses and wrote the names of special someone’s. we ended our outing with a trip to a pupusaria, where many experienced their first papusas.

Back at home base, we listened to our second civil war speaker, our speaker today was on the opposite side of the gentleman yesterday. We all enjoyed hearing multiple sides to the same story. after dinner and quick mentor groups, in which we talked about our beliefs and values, we were off to bed and fast to sleep!

-Paige

Sunday June 30, 2019

We started our 11th day with a beautiful morning hike to a lake where a shaman performed a
traditional Mayan ceremony. He taught us more about nawals which represent different
individuals spirit energy and during the ceremony gave us the opportunity to make wishes by
tossing candles into the fire. The hike was a little tiring but luckily the rest of the day was very
chill. We got to listen to our Local Director Nayo tell us stories about his life and we learned that,
among other things, he built a town! We had nice group hugs with Nayo and then another
delicious dinner followed by a viewing of “Coco” for movie night before bed. It was a another great
day!

-by Nuala

Monday July 1, 2019

Today was our last day in Xela! We started off the day by going to a weaving demonstration in rural Xela and got to see how the artisans brush, dye and finally weave sheep’s fur into many beautiful pieces. We got the opportunity to shop around and also have a tasty treat of tortillas guacamole and salsa! We started our journey back to home base for lunch and after we headed into the center of Xela for some cake and coffee.

We got to walk around and listen and dance to the music being played in the beautiful square. Finally we headed to our local director Nayo’s work shop for a demonstration of the hard work and creativity of a carpenter craft. We finished of the night with dinner at home base and a reflection of the lessons we learned in our past weeks here in Guatemala!

-S

Tuesday July 2, 2019

The final full day together in Guatemala began with leaving Home base at 8:15 in the morning, with a 2-3 hour car ride ahead of us to the city of Antigua. But before reaching our destination in Antigua, we stopped at a local coffee plantation where we learned about how coffee is made in Guatemala and saw the process of making coffee from planting to roasting of the coffee beans.

From there we checked into our hotel and had some time to walk around Antigua as a group and take plenty of pictures in the town center. Then we went back to our hotel for our final group activity, and then proceeded to our last dinner together in a very nice restaurant. All together the day was wrapped up by saying our final goodbyes in preparation to come back home. Everyone is looking forward to safe flights and travels alike.

-by Jake and Britney

Time Capsule

Dear Anloga Session 2,

It’s hard to believe that the months have passed by so quickly. We trust you are all settled into your home lives and are in your groove.

The home base got so quiet without you. Remember sharing good talks and laughter around the family table? Hearing the all-day rooster and the constant sounds in the street? The walks to Avete, figuring out your lessons and teaching your first class? “Killing the roaches” and making sexy bricks? What do you think Eric from Avete and Justice from Anseco are doing today? The classroom are still filled with your smiles and we can still hear your students shouting C-O-C-O-N-U-T!

Have you told people about the new foods you tried? Fan Ice, boiled yam, really fresh mango, cassava fries, palava sauce and Top Choco? Oh and let’s not forget about Mr. T, Perks & vanilla wafers in the red and yellow packaging! Have you tried making egg stew again?

So many moments! Remember the late night convos with your roomate, early morning meditations and blindfolded beach walk? What about the monkeys and the pool party in Ho? Feeling the spray of the Wli falls? And what about our very own cheerleader squad? Remember volleyball at Maranatha beach and seeing where the Volta river meets the ocean?

Then there was meeting Jeremiah and connecting with the boys at Father’s House? Going through Keta Fort and being silent in dungeons? Hearing about Mother’s Heritage work with girls, and seeing the gods in the shrine? Do you remember watching the storm move in across the mountains in Ho then the double rainbow?

Then there was the many guitar sing-alongs in the common room. Warm and fuzzies, laundry parties and walks to the store for ice cold Fanta. All the times we were in circle for something. What about the designing your beautiful outfits and batiks, decorating the white board and chanting to Dancing Queens as you shook off the day at the DPs! And what in the world are Larry and Linda up to these days?

Thank you for all these memories and more! Thank you for sharing your stories with us and opening up the harder places. We hope your efforts towards your personal and group OMGs have been fruitful. May you continue to let go of the things that no longer serve you and welcome in the things that bring you happiness.

Sending you each a big warm woooosh from our heart to yours!

Debra, Lisamarie & Hannah

 

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Saturday July 20, 2019

Miawoezo! Our first group of students have arrived safely! After a quick stop to exchange money to GHC (Ghana cedis) our group began the 2.5-3 hour drive to our new home in Anloga for the next 21 days! Amidst sharing favorite foods and hometowns, students discussed what connected them and also what made them unique. We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Akshay and Jasleen to complete our family! Our adventure begins now!

-GLA Staff

Sunday July 21, 2019

Welcome to the GLA Blog for the Children of Africa flagship program in Ghana, the dates for this program is July 20 – August 9. Today was the first full day that we, the students, spent immersing ourselves in Ghanaian culture and food. The food here at the home base is absolute perfection. We all had our full orientation of the GLA code of conduct and the proper customs the locals have, for example that we should wave with our right hand rather than our left.

The staff is amazing; they make this experience so comfortable. They make all the students feel safe and secure at a new home away from home by using creative methods to teach us the rules and checking up on students individually to make sure that we are doing well both physically and mentally.

Today at lunch we had met people from the community like teachers in the local schools. In groups of three, we ate with our host families in order to appreciate the differences between their lifestyle and our own. The students then went to the sandlot to play ultimate Frisbee. Kids of all ages from the community joined in and really made the game complete. We got to meet children like Fred, Godwin, Salem, and many more.

The students split back into their respective groups and went off to visit their host family’s home, which was the overall favorite part of the day. We learned the months in Ghana through a song, and that there are 13 months in Ghana with the same amount of days in a year. We then went to the Market, since today happens to be market day. We were able to see all the different products sold and the differences between Ghanaians and Americans. We then went back to our host family’s home and played soccer with the adorable children that were there.

Back at home base we relaxed with each other and shared our own experiences, while the two mentors checked on each of us individually to ensure that we were emotionally and physically healthy. We then started getting ready for dinner by gathering in a circle and giving shout outs to other students. We also have our first two leaders of the day for Monday. After we have conversed while eating the amazing food in the dining hall, we received our Ewe names which are given based off the day one was born as well as memorable events that might have occurred on that day as well, such as an eclipse.

When the ceremony ended we went into the supply room to create our own “warm and fuzzy cards” where people write notes that make someone feel good and slip it into the card. Then off to bed we went, showering and changing in our rooms. Today was an amazing day to start off the program!

Monday July 22, 2019

Dear friends and family,

Today was packed with adventure and learning. We got up at 7:00 for breakfast and headed to our work sites at 8:00. Once we got there we learned how to make bricks the schools will use for new classrooms. We then had some free time to play with the kids before we went into our classrooms. Many of us were able to learn some new Ghanaian games from the children! At noon we headed back to home base to have a yummy lunch of macaroni and chicken as well as pineapple, we even got to try two traditional dishes.

After lunch we were split into two group. Our group had Wi-Fi time so we were able to talk to our families while the other group headed to an island tour. After our Wi-Fi time was over we went to “Fathers House” a local foster home for children of child slavery. It was very fun and interesting to learn about their experiences while also playing on the beach with the kids!

For dinner we had couscous and watermelon and sat with our teaching partners to debrief about our first day experience of teaching. After dinner we had an evening discussion about education in Ghana and got tips on how to teach in the classroom. Then it was off to bed to rejuvenate for tomorrow!

Love and miss you all,
Celia and Grace

Thursday July 25, 2019

Hi friends and family! We had a super busy day today! When we woke up we ate eggs, oatmeal, and mangos. Then we went to school, it was the kids last day which was super fun because we got to play games and sing songs all morning. After lunch we went to a traditional Anloga market. We bought fabrics and other souvenirs. Later that day, we all went to the seamstress and got fitted for our personalized clothing. Then we returned home. After dinner, Jeremiah, a founder of Father’s House, led a group discussion. He told us how Father’s House was founded and shared a few morning meditations. This led a follow up talk about what we can do in our community to make an impact. Today was a great day and we are all doing splendid!

Lot of life,

Emma + Leah

Sunday July 28, 2019

Hello!

This weekend we visited Ho, which is 2.5 hours from homebase in Anloga. When we got to Ho we went to the Kekeli foundation which advocates for children with disabilities. They work to get them into public schools and normalize disabilities. It was very inspiring to see a group of people working to help others.
Next, we went to the Lady Volta Green Energy School where we learned about batik cloth, a way of dyig cloth using wax. Money raised from selling the batik goes to the school which trains women in electric work as a form of employment.

On Saturday we went bananas for monkeys! At the monkey sanctuary, the monkeys would sit on our shoulders to eat bananas out of our hands. We then went straight to Wli waterfall. On the hike to the waterfall we saw coffee, cocoa and mango plants. The waterfall was very beautiful. Even those who didn’t go in got soaking wet from the mist off the waterfall. When we got back to the hotel, we had fun at the pool!

On Sunday before our journey home we learned about Kente weaving and got to try it ourselves! When we arrived back at homebase in the afternoon, we were greeted by laughing children eager to play. What a great weekend of adventure and seeing new parts of Ghana. We can’t wait for more experienced!

-by River and Thalia

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Hey family and friends! Greetings from Ghana! Today marks day 11, which is the halfway point of our program. We have loved every moment, and have had lots of fun in these past two days.

We started off Monday (July 29) with a wonderful day of service where we built bricks and taught our classes. After service we came back to home base and enjoyed a delicious meal. Shortly after, everyone spilt into two groups where one group would do a Leardship activity and the other would do a cooking lesson with Chef Freeheart. In the Leadership activity we talked about benefits and setbacks of community service. We also discussed why we chose this particular program and found the deeper meaning of “the why”.

In the cooking lesson with Chef Freeheart we learned how to make Egg Stew and learned how to cook yams. During the lesson we were able to cut, peel, and cook all the ingredients that were needed. The cooking lesson was absolutely amazing and we can’t wait to do more! After that we had free time and later had dinner. After dinner we watch a documentary regrading salve trade and and what slavery was like in America. The documentary prepared us for our visit to the Fort Prinzenstein.

The following day (Tuesday July 30) started with lots of energy after a great nights sleep and waking up at 9am! We left homebase at 10 o’clock to head off to a wonderful day of teaching (no brick making today)! Coming back from teaching we enjoyed some fresh made local food, including acheke which is similar to couscous, and the free time that followed.

Then we all went on a field trip to the Keta Slave Fort, called Fort Prinzenstein. At Fort Prinzenstein we learned about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the history of the enslaved, how they were treated, and the process of their transportation to different countries. We were even able to see the cells where the women and men were tortured and held captive. This was a special opportunity, as the rising sea levels have already eroded most of the slave fort, putting the last standing part at risk in the coming years.

We listened to our tour guide sing songs of freedom, still sung today. We stood in silence after entering the dungeon where men would sacrifice their lives for their families, tribes, and villages. After the insightful tour, we took a short car ride to the neighboring beach called Emancipation beach were we relaxed and reflected! We played soccer, had good conversations, and overall enjoyed each other’s company. After our amazing time at the beach we came back to home base and had dinner.

Shortly after dinner we had a reflection about what we saw and heard at the Fort Prinzenstein. In the discussion we talked about how we all were affected by the stories and the continued impact of slavery today. The majority of the group was shocked and got chills from the intensity of the experience. Towards the end of the discussion, mentors passed around a peice of paper where we wrote how we would take action in the area of racism and slavery. With a lot to think about we headed off to bed to get ready for the next day!!

Hede nyuie (Goodbye in Ewe),

Jasleen Kalra and Bali Lavine
P.S. Shoutout to our parents: We miss you and love you so much!!

Thursday August 1, 2019

Happy 1st of August blog! Only 8 days left on the trip not including today (August 1st), but we could stay here forever! We have been learning a lot about the local culture this entire trip, and these past couple of days we have immersed ourselves more then ever.

We visited “Meet Me There” yesterday, a lodge that donates all profits to their NGO called Dream Big Ghana which organizes soccer programs for the community, brings in speakers for the players, and builds compost toilets. We saw the compost toilets that they install in the community and saw the IT classes they run as well. We swam in a saltwater lagoon and relaxed at the resort for the rest of the day. Then, after dinner, a local business man, radio presenter and community leader named Silas led a discussion about local Ghanian issues as well as global ones that affect Ghana and our own communities.

On our first day in August, we returned to the schools to make more bricks and teach, and I think we are all finding our groove within the schools. Our leadership activity today was a simulation where we split into small groups, representing the various stakeholders, to discuss the drilling of oil found in this region of Ghana. It was great to see each and every person participate in the discussion.

Finally, the nighttime event was movie night. We watched Girl Rising, a movie about empowering girls and how education has an impact on the world. It really helped solidify how teaching and learning about education issues help not only the students educational lives but their safety, health, and home lives as well. In less developed nations such as Ghana, and especially in poorer regions, schooling is the key to a lifetime of success and economic growth, and it has been an honor and a privilege to be learning while participating in the schools in Anloga.

-by Akshay and Matan

Saturday August 3, 2019

Dear friends and family,

We can NOT believe it’s already our third and final week. Time really does fly when you’re having fun! Yesterday we started our day as normal; breakfast and then service. After lunch we had a bit of free time and then got the run down on our activities for the afternoon. Our first cultural activity was a scavenger hunt…through the market, with a list in Ewe! In order to decipher the list we had to ask the local sellers for help, many of them would even leave their shops to lead us. The competition was super fun and got extra competitive when we passed members of the teams against us. In the end we all ended up winning and got chocolate bars:) After that we got to visit a local high school and talk with students.

It was amazing to compare our lifestyles and get to know each other, everyone was so kind. Finally it was dinner time, yum! To end the day we got into our mentor groups and had the most amazing conversations. Everyone shared about their lives and what has shaped them into the person they are today. Some of us got very emotional and I know we all bonded a ton. After a full day we headed to bed, it was wonderful to fall asleep knowing we had a late wake up today!

Today we had service an hour late since we didn’t need to teach. We finished making bricks and headed to home base for lunch. Later on we made our way down the Volta lake on a 40 minute boat ride, headed to the beach. We relaxed and played volleyball and soccer with the locals. It was so much fun! On our way back home we watched the beautiful sun set glisten on the water. We had dinner at home base and then settled in for movie night. We watched the movie Slumdog Millionaire, it was great.

We can’t wait to see you all but also never want to leave. Ghana has been the best experience ever!

Much love,
Grace and Malck

Monday August 5, 2019

Hi everyone,

Yesterday we started our day with a late breakfast and then had the choice of going to church. For those of us who went it was like nothing we had ever experienced before, there was a ton of music and dancing! At the service we were blessed and welcomed by all.

After it was over we headed back to home base in time for lunch. Lunch was so yummy and after we ate we had some free time to just chill and hang out. The afternoon activity was a leadership exercise called O.M.G (one meaningful goal).

We all looked back on our experience so far and set a goal for ourselves to complete at a specific date, for some the goal was small and for others it was a big dream they wished to accomplish. With a few hours until dinner we headed to the nearby high school for a GLA versus community youth soccer match. For those who don’t love soccer, we cheered on the sidelines.

When the game was over, which we won, we got to see our high school student partners for a few minutes. That evening we ate dinner and then heard Dodzi’s, the Local Director, story. It was so cool to hear about where he came from.

Today we woke up, ate breakfast, and headed to service (as per usual). No one can believe we are already into our last few days of service. We will miss all of our students tremendously! When we arrived back at home base we were greeted by the seamsdresses with our altered clothes.

After lunch we had some WiFi time and got our hair braided by a local hairdresser! In the late afternoon we got to travel to see the chief, a retired high school headmaster and author. It was an incredible experience! We got to learn all about his role in the community and hear his take on the government.

After dinner we had our cultural activity called “The River of Dreams”. We all created our own version of a river with crayons and markers to represent our experience on the trip thus far. There were definitely some tears when we realized just how close to the end we are. When the activity was over we still had an hour until bed so we all hung out before heading to our rooms for lights out.

Hope all is well back home
Much love
XoXo

-Leah and Grace

Wednesday August 8, 2019

Hi all,

We can’t believe that our final few days are here. Yesterday we got up, ate breakfast, and headed to our last day of service. Everyone got to sign a brick they made and both mentor groups made a team brick. When we got back to base we had lunch and then got to listen to our mentors (Hannah and Lisamarie) talk about their experiences with the Peace Corps and a gap year. It definitely inspired a lot of us! After their talks we had a bit of free time to hang out and sing, a shared love among us all.

Before dinner we created a group OMG (one meaningful goal). We decided to commit to raising $300 a piece to continue construction of kindergarten classrooms at one of the local schools. Between now and the new year we will all be fundraising! We then had dinner and were told to get a piece of fabric for a “Top Secret” activity later. After we ate we were all BLINDFOLDED and held hands as the mentors and leaders led us out of home base to what ended up being the beach. On the beach we had a huge bonfire and got to watch the stars while listening to the waves. It was awesome!

Today we had a late wake up because we didn’t need to make bricks. We went to school to hang out with our students and say our goodbyes. Soccer, duck-duck-goose, and dance parties happened all around. It was definitely a tearful goodbye for most, no one wants to leave these incredible kiddos. After lunch we had a ton of time designated to packing up our rooms.

We then got to experience a cultural drumming and dancing performance before our final banquet. We were surprised with tons of food, balloons, and large table with candles! We had a delicious dinner and then were presented scarfs with our names and GLA written on them, now we will always have a piece of Ghana with us. After dinner we had an appreciation circle and watched a slideshow of the last three weeks. We had our final DP (dance party) and then hung out in the common area. No one wants tomorrow to come.

Much love to all!

See you so soon,

Callie and Hanna

Friday August 9, 2019

COA session 2 2019 has officially come to a close! After a wonderful banquet full of sharing memories, laughs and endless hugs, students went to sleep in their beds for a final time. Upon wake up, last moments were spent with the group in a circle singing songs accompanied by various students playing a guitar lent to us by a teacher at Avete, one of the two schools we worked with this summer. In between smiles were many tears.

Hanging on a pole in the common space was a Gratitude Board that over the 21 days became full of heartfelt sentiments including “I’m grateful for the children in the community”, “I’m grateful for making new friends”, “I’m grateful for dance parties, meditation, and morning work outs”, and “I’m grateful for the community we’ve built”. In the final moments, students were gathered around the board sharing their gratitude in a meaningful and personal way.

In our last circle, a time where we came together each night to share announcements, shout outs and an Ewe word of the day, the group participated in an appreciation activity. This activity allowed students to anonymously tap other students who made them laugh, inspired them, were hardworking and who they can’t wait to see again.

After the third, fourth and fifth hugs were given in the airport, staff watched the students through security as they headed home. We, the staff, are eternally grateful for your commitment to all aspects of the the program, dedication to your service work each day, and intentional effort to build the community you did. For the last 21 days, Pin Drop was filled with love, empathy, and incredible positivity. All 16 of you are on your way to seeing and being the change.

Miagadogo!

Time Capsule Letter

Dear Yevus,

We can not believe it has been so long since our Ghana trip ended. I can still remember us making bricks and having a blast with the kids at the schools. We really formed a beautiful and united community during our session in Anloga, and the impacts of it still echo around the village and, I believe in everyone’s hearts, too.

It seems like yesterday that we were all together as a family, getting in the circle before dinner, choosing the word of the day and giving shout outs to each other, appreciating the moments and the people that made our days better and more fun.

You all might be back to school at this moment (or in college, for some), but I want you to know that the positive impacts you made here in Anloga really made a difference. The bricks you built will soon become classrooms, and it will make classes in the schools more comfortable and a better learning environment.

Be sure that your effort and passion are going to be encrusted in those walls, and will forever be part of Anloga’s community. The school kids still talk about you and how they wished you were still here playing with them or being their teachers for the day…

Something else that I can stop thinking is how much fun we had and how much we learned together. The traditional dance with Seyram and Jerry, the pool party under the rain, the positive vibe of Saquib, the batik we made, the soccer and volleyball with the high school students, the legendary talent show and a lot more, still make my memories from those days, happy ones…

The unforgettable trip to Ho, with the monkeys all around us (even on our heads), the beautiful walk to the unique Wli waterfall, and the bonfire on the beach are also moments that I keep in a special place in my heart. Ah, and I hope that you still remember some words in Ewe, how to carry things on your heads and backs, and how to make the traditional Ghanaian egg stew you learned with Lizzy, Freeheart and Dodzi,…

We worked really hard and had a wonderful time together. At the end, it is all about the people you meet and the connections you make. Our group unlikely will be together again, but we created and experienced something unique that only the Ghana: Children of Africa 2019, session 1, know the meaning in our lives. Our community (common unity) will forever impact ourselves and those who were part of this in some way, and I am really grateful for this experience.

Also, I want to remind you about the One Meaningful Goal we had when we left Anloga: raise U$3000 or more for the acquisition of a land for Mother’s Heritage, so that Fafa and her partners and community can take steps forward on the wonderful projects they have. We would love to know how it is going.

Remember to share your personal goals and how you are BEING the CHANGE in your communities. We would love to hear about the actions you are taking to make the world a better place.

Thanks for helping to make these unforgettable memories with us in this special country. Together we are stronger. Good luck with all your OMG projects.

Cheers,
Rodrigo Arruda, Lizamarie, Hannah, Debra and the Ghana team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Here is our first group photo from arrival day here in Ghana! Eight students, Abigail, Anjali, Brittany, Carsen, Hailey, Isabella, Lydia, and Olivia, are not pictured as they are arriving in the next 24 hours, but we’re so excited for them to join the group! We look forward to sharing updates about our service work, cultural experiences, excursions, and leadership learning moments! Check back soon for more updates!

Author: Hannah Block (mentor)

Update: Brittany, Carsen, and Abigail have arrived safely, making our family of leaders closer to being full! We can’t wait to see you, Olivia, Lydia, Anjali, Hailey, and Isabella!

Friday June 28, 2019

Hi Parents!! Sorry we couldn’t get the text through via email – hopefully you all can read this update below! 🙂

 

Wednesday July 3, 2019

Woezo from Halley, or Akusika!

This morning, July 3, we started our one week anniversary off with some stretches and brickmaking. One group made three bags of cement;the stretching paid off! While one group stayed and taught their classes, the other two went to their school’s music festival. We watched our students perform drum solos, poetry, and choir songs while getting a glimpse into Ghanaian musical culture and what all our students have been working towards. After lunch, we visited the Keta Slave Fort, where we stood in the rooms where the slaves were kept and tortured, and held several moments of silence and group discussions to honor those who had passed through the fort.

To lighten the mood, we headed to a gorgeous beach where we tried some Ghanaian sodas, relaxed in the sand, and danced with playful kids. After coming back to home base and eating a delicious dinner, we spent some time planning tomorrow’s lessons, and discussed our plans for this weekend’s excursion. Today was hot, but we had such a fun and insightful time observing the cultures of the kids we work with, the history of Ghana’s slave trade, and the beautiful landscape of the beaches.

-Written by Halley, Bella, and Gayathri

Thursday July 4, 2019

Happy 4th of July! Today, we started off as usual with brickmaking and teaching at our respective schools. Everyone had lots of fun and now everyone seems to be getting in the flow of teaching. One group even made bricks out of 3 bags of cement! After we ate lunch, we all went to the Home Base of the Building Healthy Villages GLA program to relax, have some sodas (and hibiscus tea) and swim in the “lagoon” they had right outside. We had lots of fun, although one group of kids sunk a canoe in the water. Later that evening after dinner, we all met in our mentor groups to debrief our Keta excursion from the day before. Before heading off to sleep for the night, everyone finished packing for our travel day tomorrow to Ho!

-Lucy, Payton, and Nick

Friday July 5, 2019

Agoo ! The day of July 5, 2019 began with a morning of travel to Ho, Ghana! Upon our 3 hour journey to Ho, we were allowed to get a glimpse into the surrounding cultures beyond the Volta region. We stopped at the Kekeli Foundation where we learned about the struggles Ghanaian families have to uphold when their kids are born with intellectual development disabilities. We also got to meet a few parents and their children which was an eye-opening experience. After stopping at a local grocery store for some snacks, we went to a village exchange where we got to create our own batik using hot wax and dye.

Also at the village exchange, we were able to be educated about the lack of sexual education in the Ghanian school system and how they have created electrical and solar classes that helps empower women to defy the patriarchal culture. We finally arrived at our destination, the SkyPlus Hotel in Ho where we ended our day with free time, a delicious dinner, and a group activity addressing equality vs equity. Overall, the day was informative and exciting as we were able to emerge ourselves in a new environment and plunge deeper into Ghanian culture.

– Keyanah, Ally, and Justine

Sunday July 7, 2019

In the morning before heading back to homebase, we had the opportunity to learn about Kente weaving. Kente means open-close and perfectly describes the process that the weavers use to make the multi-colored, pattern fabrics. We each had a chance to try our hands at the weaving, with support from incredibly impressive men and women.

After a long, three hour drive on bumpy roads from Ho village back to Anloga, we saw an oasis of vibrant fabrics with all different types of unique patterns back at our home base- Pin Drop Hotel. Seamstresses were ready for us after spending a week sewing backpacks, shorts, and countless headbands off of our requests. The tables overflowed with articles of clothing. It was now time to shop. When shopping comes to mind we picture shopping carts, fluorescent lights, cashiers, and set prices but this was nothing like that.

For some this process was simple- we merely had to try on the clothes and say if we needed alterations or if we no longer wanted something. However, prices were suddenly blurred and our tempers slowly simmered. Both sides got a little defensive- the customer didn’t want to be ripped off and neither did the seamstresses. Ultimately our mentors and local staff interjected to clear up the misunderstandings. Defenses slowly lowered and agreements were made. We walked aways with newly found bartering skills and a little piece of Ghanaian culture to take home.

Leaders: Nicole, Sofia, and Gabby

Monday July 8, 2019

Rambunctious would be the first word to come to mind when we all think of monkeys. At first, the monkeys kept to themselves when we arrived. While they kept their distance, we took great pictures. Our tour guide at the sanctuary explained the origins of the Mona monkeys. Later on, Steven, one of our local staff, handed us bananas. The monkeys instantly launched themselves into our arms in order to snatch the bananas. Once they were all eaten we followed another tour guide onto a trail through the woods. We saw more monkeys in natural habitat. It was a long drive from the monkey santurary to the hike leading to the waterfall.

The hike was scenic so the 45 minutes flew by. We finally crossed over a cute Little Rock path to be faced with this gorgeous waterfall. A sight that people couldn’t turn their heads away from. Even though we were told in the morning that we could risk our lives going into the water, that didn’t stop us. We shopped at the small craft market at the bottom of the mountain. The resort was celebrating its 10th anniversary of being open. We could hear the music blasting through windows while we ate dinner. We made our way down to the pool lit up by colorful strobe lights. We danced to the music that the DJ plugged in to the speakers.

Surprisingly, some of us plunged into the pool with our clothes still on. Then it started pouring rain, which didn’t stop us. Everyone danced in the rain for what seemed like hours. Especially when the electricity kept turning off. After playing with Mona monkeys, swimming in a waterfall, and dancing in the rain, we were fine.

-Katie, Sam and Bri

Tuesday July 9, 2019 

Thursday July 11, 2019

Hi! It’s Olivia, Sydney, and Payton here! Today we started our day off with another great day of service including brick making and teaching. We love the kids so much and we continue to build stronger bonds with them as each of the days pass. The amount of love and affection they give us as we come to school to the time we board the vans and leave we have kids trying to run and give us one last hug or high five.

After lunch, we had some time to relax before we went on a river excursion to a beautiful beach. We sat in the boat as a group and watched as small islands passed us and saw the crossover between the river and ocean. At the beach, we were able to get snacks and relax and enjoy the scenery. The sand was so soft and the views were beautiful. We watched the sun set behind us as we rode the boat back, seeing the sky change into pinkish hues that gave the perfect end to our night.

Feeling extra grateful to be here with these people watching the sun set in Ghana truly making me feel like the luckiest girl. When we got home, we were greeted warmly by the local teenagers and got to talk to each other for a little before it was bedtime to get ready for another great day. We love Ghana so much and are so sad as we see our time slowly closing in.

See you soon!

Friday July 19, 2019

Time Capsule

Dear Ghana COA 14 Session 4,

Ladies…lovely ladies. You guys are truly one impressive bunch. You totally transformed so many things for us on this last session and we are grateful for that. You came in with so much energy and it only seemed to grow every day, infecting everyone around you from the staff, kids and even random joggers!

You had a wonderful attitude coming into the trip and kept it up even when it was difficult. You faced the challenges head on-the Boti Falls hike for instance, changes in service needs when the nursery group found no-one there on that first day and doing the hike up and down, primary school construction + landscaping, and on top of that always having energy for the park…you guys are legends!

We of course will never forget the random hilarious moments at Home base; furious Jazz, Liz and Dee in the middle of the night telling you all to get to bed; seeing Korte, Godeon, Sarah and many other kids open up so much and discover themselves; rooftop sun bathes and dinners; amazing meals; deep interactions; Nana’s tuck shop; being paranoid during the assassin game; the party bus and who can forget dance parties with everyone-baaa bababa shibaba oooh, oh shi baba!

Henry and his team remember you fondly and thank you for the appreciation you always gave to their efforts as well as the relationships you formed with them. The kids still ask him about you guys by the way.

That should show you how deep of an impact your love, kindness and self-giving nature towards them made. Just like we discussed countless times, they are full of happiness and love, always remember that about them. For those who can, consider how you can keep giving back to this, and many other communities when you can.

Your Group goal when we did OMG (One Meaningful Goal) was:

We will work to start a truthful conversation by breaking single stories and being more appreciative of the life we live through taking our Krobo experience home with us. Our timeline to have done this to the best of our ability and review results/effects is by August 10 2020.

We hope you will work hard every day to accomplish your group goal. We wish you the best in your future endeavors and keep up us updated in all your accomplishments.

From Liz, Dee, Nana-Ama, Henry and Jazz – we love you all!

Go out there and be the change!

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Everyone’s here!!

It was a long journey for most of us but we got to Ghana. We were met at the airport by our awesome Local and International Directors. On the drive to Home base we got to see a bit of the land and were excited to be greeted by the rest of the staff. They were so happy to see us and that gave us energy for the evening. The meals have been so good, never mind that most of us haven’t eaten some of the dishes before. Its an adventure!

We went to a bead factory and all had a chance to create our own beads. The owner, a talented Ghanaian man,has been making beads since he was 7 and just came from teaching in the States last week. We also had a chance to get gifts for friends and family.

We met the kids at the park and played with them all afternoon. They are so loving and gave us so many hugs as soon as they saw us. Its just day two and we’re already experiencing so much love out here.

-by Haven and Liz

Thursday August 1, 2019

Today was our third full day in Ghana, and we got the opportunity to be the first leaders of the day. After a filling breakfast of oats, French toast, and many other delicious items, we journeyed to Boti Falls where we hiked to a beautiful water fall and “Umbrella Rock.” After hours of photos and exploring, we stopped to eat lunch prepared by our wonderful kitchen crew. Coming back to home base sweaty and amazed by what we just experienced, we took a much needed rest.

After recharging we headed to the park, which is a daily activity. The kids ran up to us and met us outside home base and we all walked down together. After getting our workout in with the kids at the park, we came home to yet another amazing dinner made by our excellent chefs, this time composed of char grilled chicken and rice. To end our amazing day, we watched a TED Talk entitled “The Dangers of a Single Story,” shared our thoughts and became closer to each other than other. We can’t wait to see what the next 10 days holds for us as a group and as individuals.

With love,
Rose and Bella

Saturday August 3, 2019

Today was another incredible day in Krobo! We started the morning with a trip to the market. The GLA team came up with a fun game to enrich the experience; we had to find our way through the market with a list of supplies we had to buy. After, we assisted our kitchen staff in preparing the ingredients and they used these ingredients to create a delicious lunch.

This was a great opportunity to meet people, learn about the culture and the language. When we came home, our GLA staff taught us “hawking” which is how people throughout this part of Africa carry things on their heads. From wooden planks, to buckets filled with water, let’s just say we have a lot of practicing to do.

After we finished lunch we had an open minded discussion on our values. This conversation taught us each so much, as well brought us all closer. We discussed topics from different world views on religion, identity, education and governance to our impact on the world.

To wrap up our day we had the opportunity to watch and participate in a Ghanaian dance performance. It allowed us to immerse ourselves in the festive culture of Krobo. Enjoying the music, the dances and the vibrance definitely had us all up on our feet. It was a really enjoyable day.

-Alexia and Anna

Sunday August 4, 2019

As we woke up after having gotten to sleep in, we immediately heard all of the music and dancing. It gave us all of the energy we need to go to dance and sing at church! At church, we performed 2 Krobo songs: akpal3 s33 ma kpale kpal3 ( a song about Baby Jesus) and david mats3 moo et3si no edoo (A song about King David).

We had so much fun dancing and experiencing cultural emersion through the church. On our way back to home base, we walked through the town and got to see all the kids we play at the park with. When came back to home base, the GLA team had prepared our favorite meal—rice balls and peanut butter soup! While we were at church, the GLA team had a baking competition. Elizabeth, the winner, created a cake that looked like a fish. The cake was beautiful and so tasty!

After lunch, we got some time to relax and get ready for the afternoon. Stella, a batik artist, taught us how to make batik. We each got to choose our own patterns and prints to put on our cloths. After learning how it works and making our own prints, we let them dry. Then Stella dyed our prints in the colors we chose. They turned out to look amazing! Soon after we were ready to walk to the park, but as soon as we got there, there was a big football game going on. We quickly turned around and played in the front yard of home base. There were so many kids with tons of energy so we played their favorite game—the pony game!

After we played with the kids, we ate dinner which was chicken, coconut rice, and fries. It was so good! Our after dinner activity was lesson planning. Tomorrow we start to teaching the kids so we had to prepare lessons for them. We can’t wait to beginning teaching tomorrow!!

Ps. The Dangme alphabet (Krobo language) is a little different from the English alphabet. The 3 is actually a ‘backwards E” pronounced as “Eee” …..so cool!

Monday August 5, 2019

Hello friends!

Today was our first official day in the classrooms! We started the day off with a sunrise jog around the town of Krobo, led by mentor Dee (love ya girl). This provided the GLA students with not only a new perspective of morning routines with outdoor showers and goats walking aimlessly around you, but it showed us part of the village that we had never seen before! After a hearty breakfast of delectable mangos and creamy wheat cereal, the group teaching in the Nursery(6 months-kindergarten) left for their walk to the school while the girls teaching Primary(3rd grade-6th grade) scrambled to find their working gloves and goggles.

The group of 8 in Primary started their service with the refurbishment of a community center on the grounds of the school, taking pick axes to bricks and designed a space that served both as a garden and a way to prevent further erosion. A few of our young friends for the park time joined the construction, cheering us on with songs and bright smiles of encouragement. Little did Primary know, nursery had just found out that today was a National Holiday in Ghana, and their school was out of session.

At this point, the nursery girls would join in on the Primary groups fun and sit in on the classes they taught. A small choir even formed, singing and dancing to childhood rhymes that gave an energetic break for the students learning English grammar. After an exhausting but incredibly rewarding morning of physical and mental labor, the GLA group made their way back to Home Base, passing smiling park goers along the way.

New friends joined our park time, playing competitive games of keep away and teaching the GLA group songs and activities previous sessions had taught. Making mugs of hot chocolate seemed to be the theme of our post dinner evening, drinking them as we learned about the rich and elaborate history of Krobo and their ‘hero’s journey’ that has traditions following the culture to their people in today’s world. There was a minor scare of a cockroach found while many of the girls showered, although our group championed the challenged and proved themselves victorious over the crawling specimen.

Our session is so so excited to continue on our service journey, while allowing ourselves to be immersed into the culture of this incredible region. Although many of us joined this program hoping to impact these kids lives, in reality they have impacted ours more than ever and created memories we will hold in our hearts forever.

Here’s to the rest of journey in the incredible Ghana! We will cherish every single moment we have left. We! Love! Ghana!

– by Livy and Haven (and the GLA team)

Wednesday August 7, 2019

Hi Friends!!!

This morning we had an early morning with a delicious breakfast. I had my normal piece of bread with the most amazing peanut butter, and then I enjoyed some fresh, local watermelon. Following the breakfast, I gathered my school stuff and we made the long trek to the nursery. Honestly, I was a bit stressed out and nervous to teach my first day in front of 15-20 4-5 year olds, but at the end of the day, as I look back on the day, I feel as thought Rose (the other KG-1 teacher) and I did a great job teaching.

However, I’ve realized I can’t be too sweet and too soft with the children because then they take advantage of that. Oops!! We taught them nouns, verbs, addition, and subtraction. Following our teaching, we made our long walk back up the home base, where we were ecstatic to see the infamous, RedRed. RedRed is a delicious bean soup that pairs well with plain rice. It’s a fan favorite for sure.

^lexi

After a nice hour and a half long siesta(!) we collaborated with our teaching partners and planned tomorrow’s lesson. Today we did not follow our usual park routine—instead, we were assigned host families (about two or three of us per host) and we got to go to their houses and learn Krobo from them. Anna and I learned how to say all the days of the week and count to ten! We also had a fun time dancing and exchanging songs during the walk to and from Millicent’s house. Fortunately, we still had time to play with our friends at the park and I even received a card from one of them explaining how good of friends we are and how much she will miss me when I leave.

She also tried to give me her favorite bracelet and I almost cried. Many others received adorable drawings from the kids as well, before we unwillingly left the park to indulge in a delicious dinner consisting of fried yam and sweet potato, fried chicken, salad, and the best bananas in the world (which many of us enjoy with peanut butter and the exceptional honey they have here). I am getting used to the feeling of a very full stomach and an insightful conversation after dinner; looking forward to another day of laughter and learning tomorrow! 🙂

^allie

Thursday August 8, 2019

By starting our morning with a delicious meal of oats, pancakes, and fresh fruit, we were ready for an action filled day.

After breakfast, both the nursery and primary teachers headed on their way to work! Primary started the day, as always, with Sammy! We experienced the joy of making (and standing in) concrete; then it was off to class. Unlike the primary, nursery started there classwork right away. They had lots of fun playing games like hokey-poke and singing nursery rhymes. From outside both schools, you could hear the laughter and tunes of the students that brought a smile to every face. Our third day of teaching was a success!

After a hardy lunch of peanut butter soup, many of us decide to take a nap and reenergize before park time.

Sadly park time did not last as long as usual due to a rain storm.

But thankfully the rain did not last long as after several group bonding games and a yummy dinner, we were able to end the day with a bonfire. During the bonfire, we heard stories of overly trusting ants and greedy men from our local mentor Henry and danced to Krobo music with all the house members.

Friday August 9, 2019

Early in the morning, some of us started our day with a 3 mile run throughout the streets of Krobo. When we arrived home we were excited to see an amazing breakfast of chocolate and vanilla pancakes! Later that morning we would be hosting the nursery school, EdMon, over for a fun day! In order to prepare, we made signs and decorated the lawn. Then the primary school teachers left for the primary school one more time to say goodbye to all of their students, while the nursery teachers finished preparing for the kids.

As the first batch of nursery students arrived, everyone played a big game of football. When the second group of students arrived, we divided into groups and began to rotate through a bunch of activities including keep away, songs, obstacle course, relay races, story time, and dance circle. Even though it did not exactly work out as we had hoped, it was so much fun! At the end, we all had a huge dance party! Then the GLA Staff had drinks and fruit cakes ready for all of us! All of the nursery kids loved it! Then we all said our final goodbyes, and the nursery students were off.

After Funday, we had a well deserved siesta time! Then we were off to the park! Even though we were so tired, we had a blast at the park! We sang bazooka bubble gum, peel the banana, and ridin’ that pony! After dinner, we spoke to Veronica, the owner and founder of EdMon. She told us about her incredible story of how she opened the school. She was an inspiration to all of us!

-by Katherine

Saturday August 10, 2019

We started our day with a GLA activity that taught us to give total trust to our partners and bonded us even more. This game was followed by a discussion about our goals and how to reach them.
Later in the morning we got back the clothes we ordered from the seamstress and settled the final touch for our Krobo look.

After lunch all enjoyed a well needed movie break ans some of us enjoyed the sun on the rooftop. This pause gave us the energy necessary to experience our last park session. During the evening, Rasheed, an artist working at a traditional market came to us and allowed us to buy a lot of Ghanaian souvenirs.

We finished this day with an amazing dinner from the kitchen staff who prepared the rooftop for this occasion. We were all wearing our brand new outfits and enjoyed this festive dinner all together.
This day was a good way to spend time together and strengthen our relationship as a group as well as creating some beautiful memories!

Love, Alexia