PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
Hello families and friends of Ghana 14-day program… Mohee!
Today marked the arrival day of all first session students. We had one group arrive in the morning with a lovely scenic drive to home base. The second group arrived on evening flights and found a hearty meal awaiting them before they settled in for the night.
The biggest highlight of the day was that when the morning group arrived they were welcomed in song and dance by the lovely kids of Asitey and later in the afternoon got a chance to play some games with them.
We’re definitely looking forward to experiencing everything Ghana in the coming days and sharing that journey with you all!
Liz, GLA Ghana International Director
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
Hello from sunny Ghana!
Today began with the full group of students getting to meet each other and kick off their first full day in Ghana. Despite some jet lag, it was incredible to see all the students coming with energy and engagement to the day!
Throughout the day numerous team building activities were undertaken, with students competing in a finger fencing tournament as well as a highly competitive, multi round, game of rock paper scissors.
Orientation was jam packed, with students role playing and discussing the code of conduct, planning afternoons at the park, getting to questions of our local staff team about their time in the Asitey community and deciding on their community and room agreements.
There was of course time to head down and hang out with the local community kids. Soccer games were played, duck duck goose was taught and students also got taught a tricky clapping game which the local kids all beat them in!
Finally, it was Max’s birthday and so the home base team put on an incredible singing conga line of happy birthday (apologies you’ll have to wait till we have better internet for a video) but it was quite literally icing on the cake as we celebrated the birthday boy tonight.
After a massively busy day the home base is blissfully quiet at 10pm as everyone gets a well earned night’s rest!
Mia, GLA Ghana International Director
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Hello from our first student written blog!
Today we were all tasked with the challenge of choosing our service activity for the rest of our stay. There were three options- the first and the third, teaching local kids at nearby primary schools, and constructing the grounds for future classrooms. The second, a nursery school with a challenging hike (both there and back and under the African sun).
We also had the pleasure of seeing a cultural dance (performed at the third school). Getting to visit each school and meeting the students made the decision making process harder. But after teamwork and communication, we came to a consensus on which service activity we would take a part of.
To celebrate this we had a bonfire. We spent the night dancing to local Ghanaian music with our peers, the mentors, and the staff. With each dance making the bonfire burn higher.
P.s. Another challenge we faced today was picking our clothes for the seamstress to make, choosing our designs and fabrics. We will have a fashion show towards the end of the stay.
-Claire, Jade and Emmanual
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25
Hello from Beautiful Cloudy Ghana,
We started off the day with full stomachs for our first day at our service sights. We split up into our three service groups; some challenging themselves with measuring, shoveling, and carrying materials for our local schools. Others were primarily focused on teaching and inspiring a variety of age groups. Some even did both!
After waving goodbye to the students, promising to return the next day, we had played an energizing game once back together as a group, followed by a scrumptious lunch of boiled yam and plantain served with a stew called kontomire.
Next we had a bit of a rest, prepped our lesson plans and games for Asitey Park. Before we got to the park we split off into groups to visit our host family where we were taught how to say things like the days of the week and number. We then expended some energy with the kids at Asitey Park, playing games as we usually do. After that we ate dinner back at home base which consisted of fries, charcoal grilled chicken, salad, and watermelon.
When we were all done with our food, we went into our rooms to get dressed into traditional clothes and got body makeup. It was time for our naming ceremony! Papa Henry and the country coordinator taught us the history of the ceremony. We did a traditional dance and got our names explained. Afterwards, we received our blue beads signifying our acceptance into the Krobo community.
Finally we ended the day by taking well deserved showers and ran straight to bed to be refuelled for tomorrow.
-Elliott, Lola and Ryan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Hello from windy Asitey,
On our fifth day, we started off with a group stretching exercise and then had a quick breakfast before being rushed off to our service sites.
Being our second day at service site, we had lessons prepared for our first actual day of teaching. For some, it was their first time teaching and described it as nerve-racking, but fulfilling. While others had taught before and said it was just as great as the first time they got to teach. At one of the sites, Asitey Primary, we were able to start constructing the foundation for the new classroom. It was challenging, but we got the hang of it. As we left our schools, we looked forward to being even better prepared for tomorrow’s class.
When we got back to home base, some students were extremely exhausted while others were ready for the next task. We sat down and had an energy filled meal of rice with beans, noodles and for desert, pineapples. After lunch we were given free time where some students met with the seamstresses again to finalize their outfits, others planned for the next lessons, and the rest relaxed and chilled while waiting for our Krobo history lesson.
Our Krobo history lesson was a field trip into town. Once arriving to the town, we got to see many different things. We came across the Prime Meridian of the world, the oldest Krobo building, as well as the church that missionaries first came to Krobo for and built back in the 1800’s. Afterwards, we went back home and were greeted by the children on the lawn where we played until being interrupted by the rain. Inside, we were given a demonstration on how to hand wash our laundry. About an hour later, we had dinner.
Today, our mentor groups were a little more involved and we did an activity where our leaders asked us questions about ourselves and our peers to help us find out what kind of leaders we are. This was informative as well as shocking.
Finally, we had the chance to try and buy Ghanaian snacks, candy, and drinks, before heading off to prepare for bed.
Amina, Brycen and Kodjo
P.s – The staff team would like to thank our leaders of the day today who managed to get the many many shoes beautifully sorted, enabling much easier access to the house!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Hello from warm and sunny Ghana!
Today, we started the day at our service sites to continue construction and teaching! At Asitey Primary, we finished digging the perimeter of the foundation for a new classroom and started teaching the students a new curriculum from our self-made lesson plans. The nursery continued teaching 3-7 year olds new songs, computer skills, and Ghanian history. At Sunnydale Academy, students began laying concrete to extend the playground and continued teaching grades 1-5!
After a fulfilling day of service, we returned to home base to indulge in a hearty meal of rice and egg stew for lunch. We then visited our host families and learned more about the Krobo language. For example, one of the new words we learned was “yo” meaning girl. We then spent a fun afternoon in the sun at Asitey Park learning new games with the local children!
To end the day, we had the pleasure of experiencing a Ghanian dance ceremony performed by a universal Ghanian dance group. The dancers gave each of us a chance to shine by teaching us some of their dance moves! After an exciting night, we showered and were off to bed looking forward to a great day tomorrow!
– Alivia, Olivia B and Gianna
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Hello from cool humid Asitey,
We started off the day with a powerful leadership quote of the day about persevering as the trip goes on, followed by our morning stretches. We ate a high protein breakfast as well as some Ghanaian donuts (buff loaves) before the service groups split up, with some needing to leave early for a big day of construction.
The Asitey school service group got an early start on their construction and cement. They were able to complete 2 planned days of construction work in under 3 hours. The Nursery service group was able to have a dance party and overcome difficulties by working together. They were also able to participate in singing songs with their students, taking the break from teaching before their long trek up the hill. The final site, Sunnydale, completed their day’s work of construction while building team connections and working more efficiently. After adapting to their classrooms they were able to have a smooth day of teaching.
Even though everyone was low on energy from it being the end of the week, we were able to start planning and choreographing a dance embodying our stay so far in Ghana. We took the moves learned from our dance lesson last night and our fellow peers to form a dance which will be filmed on one of our last days.
After a well deserved delicious dinner, we were able to split into our host family groups and have a debate. The debate focused on the issues of oil production in Ghana. While some people were very passionate, this activity was used to help us work together and find compromises as a whole group on oil drilling and the protection of locals.
To end the night, we were able to talk more deeply about global social issues in the world with our mentor groups. We came up with solutions to help improve how we will handle issues in our future.
– Natalia, Blake and Max
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Hello from rainy Ghana,
Today was our 7th day on the program which we got to enjoy by getting to sleep in for an extra 30 minutes! Afterwards we ate breakfast and departed for a 2 hour bus ride to our hike at Boti Falls.
Once we arrived at Boti Falls, all students participated in a 5 minute stretching circle, in order to get our bodies moving for the hiking adventure ahead.
Our first stop on our hike was a sound cave, which was used in ancient times as a way to communicate to villages/families within the vicinity. We then climbed up to our second stop which was the Umbrella Rock, where one rock is upright and the other is upside down. Our third stop was at the three in one tree, which is a three headed palm tree. At this stop we made a friend with a goat who had sadly lost his mom.
As we started our way back down, it began to rain and shower on top of us. This was challenging due to the slippery rocks but we were all able to persevere. We then stopped for lunch under a cabana before marching our way down to the waterfall. Despite the rain, the waterfall was super pretty and we took many photos in front of it.
We drove the 2 hours home in the buses, rather wet and damp but on arriving home we got to enjoy hot coco and drying ourselves off. We unfortunately could not play with the kids that we had been making friendships with due to the weather.
For dinner we had corn dogs, fries, salad and fruit. After eating dinner, we gathered together to enjoy a story time from Papa Henry (our local director). Henry told us the story of kweku anansi and the black ants and the meaning behind it. These Ghanaian tales taught us the lessons of treating others the way you want to be treated, valuing other people’s time and that being greedy has consequences. After story time, we ended the evening with mentor groups and reflected on the hectic rainy day.
-Margaux, Ayensu and Olivier
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Hello from another rainy day in Asitey!
We had an early start this morning to attend a local church service. In this service we were able to experience Christianity through a Krobo lens, as well as share the things we learned about Krobo culture such as our Krobo names. We were welcomed with a blessing, music, songs, and open arms.
After church we had a late breakfast before continuing our corn milling process by washing the fermented corn!
We then learnt a new fabric dyeing method called batik. We were each able to create our own unique design using wax stamps and dye. Additionally we practiced the art of hawking, which is a popular way of carrying things around (people place items on their head).
We were planning to go to Asitey Park, but unfortunately a storm kept us inside. Thankfully this made a fantastic opportunity to recharge and bond with one another through games, music, and dancing.
We had a delicious dinner and we were then surprised by a dance party with all of the kids we met at Asitey Park. We were able to learn many of their popular songs and dances, as well as share the one we choreographed.
Now we are winding down after an educational yet relaxing day while also preparing to go back to our routine of teaching and construction tomorrow
Signing out! Thanks for reading 🙂
Grae, Ryann and Saanvi
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Hi from bright and hot Asitey!
Today we started off the day with some rice water and buffloaves for breakfast, which is a favorite of a lot of people!
We then went to our service sites, where service site #1 got to stay at home base for a later start as they were just teaching, having finished construction early. Service site 2 went down the long walk to go teach and play with the nursery kids- but celebrated getting to take the bus for the way back up the hill. Service site 3 kept working on making cement, and teaching their classes.
Once done with service for the day, we had a delicious lunch with some special guests- one who talked to use about managing stress and fatigue.
We had a lot of free time to relax after working in the sun, and then lesson planned to prepare for the final day of teaching!
We then scooped out milled corn to give to our host family groups, since it was our final day with them. We got to learn more of the language and had a lot of fun!
Once we got back, we had dinner and got to have a free night, where people read, hung out, talked, or watched a movie all together.
-Olivia D, Madison S, and Andrew
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Good day friends and family!
Today was another beautiful day in Krobo, as we started off our morning with some delicious Tom Brown (a type of porridge), yummy pancakes, and some fruit. Once energized for the day, we got into our school groups and headed into town.
One of the groups was tasked with loading sand onto a aboboyaa (box attached to motorbike) and bringing it to the school.
The other two groups completed their service and everyone met at the Cedi bead factory. The group had lunch there and made their own beautiful cultural beads, and then bought other beads from the shop.
The group then returned to home base and the girls played a wicked game of soccer with the kids and ended up scoring 5 goals!
Later the group settled down for refreshing and bucket showers and a delicious meal of garden egg stew. The group was later joined by an amazing guest speaker, Queen Mother, who expanded the groups knowledge of Crobo culture with enchanting stories.
Mia P, Taisiya and Simon
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
Good evening from beautiful cloudy Asitey!!
We started this morning with some delicious cake bread and spring rolls. After breakfast we got ready to go to our service sites for a farewell to our classes. At the nursery classes we got to perform and display the work they had been doing with us, at Asitey primary we bought treats for everyone and at Sunnydale we participated in some lively morning praise and played a very competitive game of musical chairs- Sunnydale also got to mark our construction work with our initials in the concrete!
After we shared our goodbyes to our class (and shed some tears), we headed back up to home base for some amazing boiled yams and stew. Once we finished up our lunch, we started to pack up our stuff and looked through clothes to donate to the kids in Asiety. Once we had a nice break (and some rain) we met up with our mentor groups and did a leadership activity that consisted of a Ted talk and discussion about “lollipop leadership”.
Then we all headed outside and had our favorite part of the day, playing with the kids! After a very quick shower, we all devoured dinner before heading. heading upstairs to do a super fun round of the game waiter.
We finished the night off with Papa Henry educating us on the donation process for anything we are leaving, with the stuff we are giving away our stuff being given to the kids during Christmas time!
Trying to soak in all of our time we have left!
—Sydney, Frances, and Natalie
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Hello from our final full day in Ghana!
To celebrate the end of an amazing two weeks in Ghana we took the whole group down to Sajuna Resort. The resort has two pools, volleyball, football and some ping pong tables.
On our way to the resort we stopped at a local fishing village to get a demonstration of how traditional fishing takes place on the Volta river- we certainly admired the fisherman’s balance and strength!
When we arrived at the resort, the students got stuck straight in with playing games, including a competitive game of Marco Polo before a series of pool battles commenced.
We had our final packed lunch of rice, chicken and tomato stew before hoping on two boats for a fantastic tour of the Volta river. We passed under the Adomi bridge, spanning 300m and joining the Eastern region to the Volta region.
Once we arrived home it was time say some very teary goodbyes to the local children who have played such a massive part in this Ghana 14 Day programme. It was a great time of playing final games of football or clapping games, as well as exchanging letters as keepsakes and memories of this time!
Finally we hosted a farewell dinner, with a proceeding fashion show, with some old favourite dishes as well as new ones – like fried yam balls. After dinner we headed upstairs to reflect on the time in Ghana. It was so wonderful to hear from students and staff how special and transformative the experience has been.
From all the staff, we are wishing a safe travel day back for all the students. Thanks from us to them for taking part and bringing themselves so fully these past few weeks.
Wishing our wonderful session 1 all the very best!
Ali, Henry, Lartey, Liz, Mia, Nana Ama, Oliver and Ritchie – the Ghana 14 day staff team!
