Hey everyone, I'm sorry for the lack of posts thus far, but it has been difficult to find working computers to use. First off, I would like to let everyone know that we are all doing fine and well. I believe the last post I made was in Damongo, but so much has happened since then that I would like to elaborate on, but I don't have the time. In that case I'll just stick to the big stuff. First while in Damongo, we were with the Globelink Foundation. With this foundation we worked in an orphenage in Damongo painting rooms and playing with children. One day Zoe, Casey, Ben, and I were able to go to the general hospital and view their healthcare facilities. While we were there we saw a pleathora of things. We were able to see the different wards and outpatient areas. While we were there, they had a couple emergency cases which is atypical for their hospital. I was very glad I was given the opportunity to see the hospital, because I was able to compare it to what we have back home. The facilities and equipment they have at their disposal are very bad. The sanitation of the builidng is atrocious and this puts both the patients and the employees at risk to work there.
After our visit to the hospital Annie started to feel sick. We ended up bringing her back to the hospital to test her for malaria. We went to the hospital after it had closed for the night, and thanks to a personal favor from Abraham, the person in charge of the orphenage, the lab tech. came out to test Annie. The labe tech showed me how they test for malaria, and walked me through each step in what to look for. It turns out that Annie indeed contracted malaria. She felt terrible for the next few days, but thanks to the malaria meds, she is back on her feet now.
After about 10 days in Domango, the group decided that we would have more volunteer opportunities working for a different organization than Globelink. We decided to cut our trip to Domango in half and pursue another opportunity through the Challenging Heights organization. This organization is committed to helping children who were once slaves in the fishing industry of Winneba. This brings us to our current location. We plan on staying here and working with Challenging Heights for the next week helping in their school and going to different areas educating and talking with different people advocating the abolition of child slavery in fishing. Challenging heights is also partnered with the Free The Slaves organization in the US. Thus far our group has taught classes in the Challenging Heights school. There are many students, all of which were considered slaves. It is terrifying to hear about what some of these children have been through. They care for children of all ages, from kids around 5 to one who is almost 30. I feel that here we can do a lot of good. I look forward to all the opportunities we have with this organization.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Damongo 1
So now we are all staying at our site in Damongo. There is a lot of poverty here, but there are lots of signs of improvement. Damongo is in just northwest of the middle of Ghana, and is a tucked away from their major cities. Although we are far away from cities, there is still a presence of government and infrastructure here. They have power in most of the places, a firebergade, and an ambulance service. Thi is very encouraging to see. The streets are still filled with vendors selling their crops like the south, but they have a much different environment to grow crops in. In the south, the main crops they sold were plantanes, coconuts, and bananas because they it's a tropical environment. In the north where we are staying, they sell many more different types of rice and grains.
We are staying in the Catholic Guest house which has been jerking us around the past few days on the price of our rooms which has been very frustrating. But it is a nice place to stay. We have AC and fans to keep us cool at night which we are all very greatful for. We also have running water, but no water heater which means we have to take cold showers. This really isn't as bad as it could be because it's so hot durring the day that a cool shower at night is welcome.
We have been working at the orphanage in Damongo for the past few days. We haven't done a lot of work, but as of right now we are repainting the main building and the bedrooms. We work in the mornings and take a break around noon when it's the hottest point in the day. We go back later in the evenings to finish what we can. We also have lots of fun playing with the children.
Personally I have been dieing from allergies. I normally don't have allergies when I'm in the US, but here they are killing me. Every 3 minuts i'm either hacking, crying, or blowing my nose. Today my goal is to go into town and find some medicine for some kind of releaf.
We are staying in the Catholic Guest house which has been jerking us around the past few days on the price of our rooms which has been very frustrating. But it is a nice place to stay. We have AC and fans to keep us cool at night which we are all very greatful for. We also have running water, but no water heater which means we have to take cold showers. This really isn't as bad as it could be because it's so hot durring the day that a cool shower at night is welcome.
We have been working at the orphanage in Damongo for the past few days. We haven't done a lot of work, but as of right now we are repainting the main building and the bedrooms. We work in the mornings and take a break around noon when it's the hottest point in the day. We go back later in the evenings to finish what we can. We also have lots of fun playing with the children.
Personally I have been dieing from allergies. I normally don't have allergies when I'm in the US, but here they are killing me. Every 3 minuts i'm either hacking, crying, or blowing my nose. Today my goal is to go into town and find some medicine for some kind of releaf.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Last Days in Cape Coast
Okay, sorry for all the wait but there has been a few snags with our internet connection. First off we have done so many things since I came. Two days ago we went to the Kakum National Rainforst and went on the Cannopy Walk. This was terrific. There are only 5 canopy walks in the world. We walked on a tiny plank 150 feet up in the air holding on to ropes. In the middle of the walk it started to rain making everything slippery and we. Afterwards we all stopped to drink fresh coconut. After this we saw Samuel again and his hut along with half of the slums were flooded. This looked aweful, but he tells us this happens every 2 to 3 years.
The next day we went to the school of the deaf and the blind. These children so excited to see us. We had a crash course in sign language for 5 minutes then we went out to the classrooms. The children all showed us how to sign different things. They taught us so much in such a small amount of time. We also went to the blind school and played a game called showdown. This game is like air hockey only with a ball that has beads inside that make noise so they can hear it. They put a blacked out hockey mask on me and allowed me to play. I lost pretty badly. After the school we headed back to Accra because we had to fly out the next morning.
In Accra we had to wake up at 5:30 to catch our flight. I slept the entire flight which was about 1.5 hours long. After we got off the plane we met with Danny Janes who is planning our activities. From the airport we took the most bumpy road in Ghana to the Catholic Guest House which we are staying at. From here, we made a small trip to the market and called it a day.
Today I felt terrible. I got up and went to breakfast only to not eat anything. We went to the orphanage which we will be working at for Sunday morning service. After the service I went back to the guest house for the rest of the day because I felt so bad.
I am feeling a little bit better now, and I hope I can hold down my my dinner. That just about catches you up to what we have done.
The next day we went to the school of the deaf and the blind. These children so excited to see us. We had a crash course in sign language for 5 minutes then we went out to the classrooms. The children all showed us how to sign different things. They taught us so much in such a small amount of time. We also went to the blind school and played a game called showdown. This game is like air hockey only with a ball that has beads inside that make noise so they can hear it. They put a blacked out hockey mask on me and allowed me to play. I lost pretty badly. After the school we headed back to Accra because we had to fly out the next morning.
In Accra we had to wake up at 5:30 to catch our flight. I slept the entire flight which was about 1.5 hours long. After we got off the plane we met with Danny Janes who is planning our activities. From the airport we took the most bumpy road in Ghana to the Catholic Guest House which we are staying at. From here, we made a small trip to the market and called it a day.
Today I felt terrible. I got up and went to breakfast only to not eat anything. We went to the orphanage which we will be working at for Sunday morning service. After the service I went back to the guest house for the rest of the day because I felt so bad.
I am feeling a little bit better now, and I hope I can hold down my my dinner. That just about catches you up to what we have done.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Here is my first actual post from Ghana...
First off, I'd like to give a brief description of our trip thus far. The night we were suppose to leave, July 5th, I left my house at 5:30 pm to go stay with Casey Key for the night. In the morning we drove to the Detroit air port at 6:15 am and met up with Janaan, Amanda, Ben, and Annie. We were able to get all of our bags checked in without incident. I was only allowed to bring a 35 lb bag with me, and I was worried I might be overweight, but I was right on. After check in we found our gate and the last member of our team, Zoe.
Our flight left at 10:00 am from Detroit to New York JFK. I briefly dozed off on the hour long flight and woke up before we landed. In New York, we were supposed to have a 6 hour layover, but due to maintenance problems, our flight was pushed back to 8:15 pm. On this layover, we met some very cool people who were traveling to Ghana as well. One such person was Jen, I forgot her last name. She had a carry on guitar, so for entertainment on our layover, we got into a circle and started playing songs. Apparently I'm the only person on this trip who can't play the guitar.... This is something I shall have to remedy.
We had waited for 9 hours in the terminal and changed gates 3 times before we finally took off. On the plane each seat had its own small touch screen that could play music and movies in the headrest of the chair ahead of them. I was very impressed with the selection they had for us. On the 11.5 hour flight over to Accra, I watched the movies Taken, Watchmen, and Monsters Vs. Aliens. The entire flight I couldn't sleep. The coach seat I was in, as always, is too small to get comfortable, and in order to straighten my legs into a somewhat comfortable position I had to wedge it between my armrest and the frame of the seat in front of me. All in all, the flight had its kinks, but it wasn't a horrible experience.
When we landed in Accra, we unloaded the plane on the runway and went straight into customs. We passed through cleanly and found all of our luggage at luggage claim. Thank god they didn't loose our luggage in New York when we had to change gates so many times. It would be horrible if they did, and I don't think I would see my bag again if it got lost going to Ghana. We got out of the airport and met with our driver Alfonso, or as we call him "Big Man." From Accra we drove to the Baptist Guest House where we left some of our luggage. After this we went and had some lunch. I had fried rice and grilled chicken with a bottle of Guinness beer. The beer costs 2 CDs, which is about $1.50 US dollars.
After lunch, we drove to Cape Coast. I was exhausted from the flight and really wanted to sleep, but due to the bumps in the road and the trunk of the truck I was sitting in, I was not able to get any. The drive from Accra to Cape Coast took about 2.5 hours, then we arrived to Anomabo Beach Resort where we stayed. This place is really cool. We stay in a guest house with 2 bedrooms and a living area. The women sleep in one bedroom while the men sleep in the other. Each room is only supplied with large bed, so all the 3 guys have to bunk up really close. The resort is very cool, it is all located on the beach in front of the Atlantic Ocean. The waves are huge. We tried to go swimming, but we got kicked out by the supervisor of Anomabo because it was past swimming hours and there was no lifeguard on duty. In the evening we ate dinner at the resort. Half of us had barracuda and the other half had rice with either chicken or beef. In the meal I had made some comments about eating strange things before on other trips. I was then dared to eat the fish's eyeball, which I did. If you care to know, it was very chewy and tasteless. We later found out that the fisherman caught our fish using large insects, and they cooked the fish with the insect still inside. Ben Garlets was then dared to eat the insect. He manned up and not just ate 1, but 2 insects. Mad props Ben
This morning, we got up at 6:15 and ate breakfast. The pineapple here is delicious. Today it rained. I mean it really RAINED!! It was pouring until around noon. In the rain we went and visited the Slave Trade Castle. This was a very enlightening and depressing tour. There was a little irony in the castle because there was a protestant church located over the dungeon where they kept over 1000 slaves.
After the tour of the castle, we had lunch at the University of Cape Coast and met some of Janaan's friends. During lunch I found out the the money I had wired from my bank to pay for my plane ticket to Tamale didn't go through, and now I have to pay for the flight in cash down here in Ghana. It will work out, so I'm not overly angry at the situation. In the university we met Samuel, a local that Janaan had befriended on her prior trip. He took us into the city and showed us around while teaching us a little of the language. We went through the residential parts of town and saw all of the houses, then we went to the main street where all the shops were. The girls all bought fabric and were measured because they are paying a seamstress to make an outfit for them. When we were walking through the town, school had just ended and we were able to see and talk with some of the children. It is really nice that every one at least knows a tiny bit of English, so the conversation doesn't always completely come to a halt. We all had a great time walking around the city greeting people with the little vocabulary we know. It is very difficult to keep our words straight because in Ghana they speak so many different languages. They have the official languages Tree and Ashanti, but there are so many other different languages all mixed in. We ended up saying "Hello how are you?" in 3 different languages.
That brings you up to date. I am having a great time over here and am looking forward to tomorrow.
First off, I'd like to give a brief description of our trip thus far. The night we were suppose to leave, July 5th, I left my house at 5:30 pm to go stay with Casey Key for the night. In the morning we drove to the Detroit air port at 6:15 am and met up with Janaan, Amanda, Ben, and Annie. We were able to get all of our bags checked in without incident. I was only allowed to bring a 35 lb bag with me, and I was worried I might be overweight, but I was right on. After check in we found our gate and the last member of our team, Zoe.
Our flight left at 10:00 am from Detroit to New York JFK. I briefly dozed off on the hour long flight and woke up before we landed. In New York, we were supposed to have a 6 hour layover, but due to maintenance problems, our flight was pushed back to 8:15 pm. On this layover, we met some very cool people who were traveling to Ghana as well. One such person was Jen, I forgot her last name. She had a carry on guitar, so for entertainment on our layover, we got into a circle and started playing songs. Apparently I'm the only person on this trip who can't play the guitar.... This is something I shall have to remedy.
We had waited for 9 hours in the terminal and changed gates 3 times before we finally took off. On the plane each seat had its own small touch screen that could play music and movies in the headrest of the chair ahead of them. I was very impressed with the selection they had for us. On the 11.5 hour flight over to Accra, I watched the movies Taken, Watchmen, and Monsters Vs. Aliens. The entire flight I couldn't sleep. The coach seat I was in, as always, is too small to get comfortable, and in order to straighten my legs into a somewhat comfortable position I had to wedge it between my armrest and the frame of the seat in front of me. All in all, the flight had its kinks, but it wasn't a horrible experience.
When we landed in Accra, we unloaded the plane on the runway and went straight into customs. We passed through cleanly and found all of our luggage at luggage claim. Thank god they didn't loose our luggage in New York when we had to change gates so many times. It would be horrible if they did, and I don't think I would see my bag again if it got lost going to Ghana. We got out of the airport and met with our driver Alfonso, or as we call him "Big Man." From Accra we drove to the Baptist Guest House where we left some of our luggage. After this we went and had some lunch. I had fried rice and grilled chicken with a bottle of Guinness beer. The beer costs 2 CDs, which is about $1.50 US dollars.
After lunch, we drove to Cape Coast. I was exhausted from the flight and really wanted to sleep, but due to the bumps in the road and the trunk of the truck I was sitting in, I was not able to get any. The drive from Accra to Cape Coast took about 2.5 hours, then we arrived to Anomabo Beach Resort where we stayed. This place is really cool. We stay in a guest house with 2 bedrooms and a living area. The women sleep in one bedroom while the men sleep in the other. Each room is only supplied with large bed, so all the 3 guys have to bunk up really close. The resort is very cool, it is all located on the beach in front of the Atlantic Ocean. The waves are huge. We tried to go swimming, but we got kicked out by the supervisor of Anomabo because it was past swimming hours and there was no lifeguard on duty. In the evening we ate dinner at the resort. Half of us had barracuda and the other half had rice with either chicken or beef. In the meal I had made some comments about eating strange things before on other trips. I was then dared to eat the fish's eyeball, which I did. If you care to know, it was very chewy and tasteless. We later found out that the fisherman caught our fish using large insects, and they cooked the fish with the insect still inside. Ben Garlets was then dared to eat the insect. He manned up and not just ate 1, but 2 insects. Mad props Ben
This morning, we got up at 6:15 and ate breakfast. The pineapple here is delicious. Today it rained. I mean it really RAINED!! It was pouring until around noon. In the rain we went and visited the Slave Trade Castle. This was a very enlightening and depressing tour. There was a little irony in the castle because there was a protestant church located over the dungeon where they kept over 1000 slaves.
After the tour of the castle, we had lunch at the University of Cape Coast and met some of Janaan's friends. During lunch I found out the the money I had wired from my bank to pay for my plane ticket to Tamale didn't go through, and now I have to pay for the flight in cash down here in Ghana. It will work out, so I'm not overly angry at the situation. In the university we met Samuel, a local that Janaan had befriended on her prior trip. He took us into the city and showed us around while teaching us a little of the language. We went through the residential parts of town and saw all of the houses, then we went to the main street where all the shops were. The girls all bought fabric and were measured because they are paying a seamstress to make an outfit for them. When we were walking through the town, school had just ended and we were able to see and talk with some of the children. It is really nice that every one at least knows a tiny bit of English, so the conversation doesn't always completely come to a halt. We all had a great time walking around the city greeting people with the little vocabulary we know. It is very difficult to keep our words straight because in Ghana they speak so many different languages. They have the official languages Tree and Ashanti, but there are so many other different languages all mixed in. We ended up saying "Hello how are you?" in 3 different languages.
That brings you up to date. I am having a great time over here and am looking forward to tomorrow.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Alright, I'm off. I will be leaving my house in 15 minutes and heading to Adrian to meet with Casey Key, another member of our group. Tomorrow morning we will drive to Detroit and meet up with our other team members and fly out to NY at 10:00. We will have a layover in NY and then a direct flight to GHANA!!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
excited to go
Okay, so I'll be leaving in just a few days, and I'm really excited. I'm nervous and excited, I haven't done my packing yet, but that's okay. I'll get it done soon. I can't wait to go.
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