Rolling With The Changes

On Tuesday instead of going to placement we hiked the tallest mountain in Ghana. Now this wasn’t your simple hike, instead it was literally a straight up the side of the mountain hike which seemed like at times I should have had a rope attached to me. It was quite intense but the view at the top was so worth it. When I first reached the top, we were in the middle of a cloud and couldn’t really see anything but the other mountains surrounding me. Then one of the clouds slowly started to move away and I saw the small village below. It was such an amazing view looking down on the village that we had passed by to get to the base of the mountain. I am constantly amazing at what simple but content lives the people in Ghana live. I learn something new about their culture every day.
I was supposed to start at the school on Wednesday so Dela, our driver, dropped us off at the school instead of the orphanage. When we pulled up I saw three small canopies that were made of sticks and then a straw roof and one classroom that actually had four walls. Then there were also men there lying bricks which looks like they are expanding the school building. There were no children there except a young boy named Jonathan and a 19 year old who said that he was the teacher for P5 and P6 (equivalent to our 5th and 6th grade). The 19 year old, whose name I really should know, told me that since there were not enough kids today, that they would not be having school. So we walked back to the orphanage where Lisbeth pulled over three small benches and made all the kids come and sit down in the small classroom at the orphanage. I was a little overwhelmed at the fact that school did not start and confused at what she wanted me to do with the 1-10 year olds in the same room. She left after she yelled at them to all sit and be quiet and I continued doing what we had been doing the previous days. We sang songs, I had them sit in a circle and we passed the ball around saying the ABCs in order, counted as high as they could go, colored, read stories, practiced our colors and then I took them to the park to play.
The hygiene of the kids at the orphanage is pretty much non-existent. They will literally go to the bathroom wherever they feel like it, even sometimes in the classroom. They always have their fingers in their mouths, picking things up off the floor like garbage and eating it or sucking on plastic bags. I even had to take a razor blade from a kid as he almost put it in his mouth. I started having the kids wash their hands after lunch which means getting a big bowl of water, a bar of soap and all of the kids running at the bowl and playing in the water. I decided that I would try to have them actually form a line and have some sort of structure with the hand washing activity. Well, it was to say the least a disaster the first day I tried it. They kids all charged the water bowl and it was a complete mess. However, today, while we were coming back from the park, I made them get in some sort of a line, which really was just a group, but was better than them running off and I had them marching and tiptoeing to a count of 10 and then switching and that worked very well. Then before I even got the water bowls ready, I had them line up a ways away from the water bowl and they actually all stood in a line and waited patiently for their turn to wash their hands. I was so happy that they were actually quiet and standing in a line…small baby steps here!
Thursday I was talking to Lisbeth and the teacher and he said that I could choose which grade I would like to teacher. There are about 70 kids who will be at the school starting on Monday. There are only three classes at the school P1/P2 & 3/P5 & 6. I expressed interest in teaching P2 and P3 but am not getting my hopes up until Monday rolls around and that actually happens. I have been greatly challenged in not being able to have control over most things happening here in Ghana. Although I don’t think I will ever be able to give up my need to make lists and organize things, I am slowly starting to get over the need to have control over every aspect of my life. Instead of being worked up that school didn’t start this week, I just had to laugh and say T.I.A. (this is Africa) and remind myself to be patient. I know that I am at this placement for a reason, that reason? Well I’m not sure yet, but I am sure that with time I will soon discover that reason! So for now, I am going to enjoy my last day at the orphanage tomorrow with the little ones and hope that my little Abrah is there tomorrow since she has not been for the past two days.
On Tuesday we had a guest speaker on the Traditional African religion which is celebrated for the most part across the continent with just a few minor changes in each country. Only 21% of people in Ghana practice Traditional African religion. There is a very small Muslim population and the majority of the people in Ghana are practicing Christians. There are so many interesting facts about how they celebrate their religion that I won’t be able to get into but will have a whole presentation about it when I get back. The first fun fact that I’ll share is, once a baby is born, the baby does not see daylight for the first seven days. Once seven days has passed, they take the baby outside, ask the gods if the baby is normal and then they have a naming ceremony. This is only for those families who practice traditional religion here in Ghana. They also have a very interesting way of naming their children that I’ll share later!
The rainy season is starting to come to an end and the weather is getting hot. The sun constantly beats down and is very intense. Sunscreen has become my lotion of choice as well as bug spray!
This weekend we are traveling to Cape Coast and visiting an old slave castle and doing a canopy walk across the jungle! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
I hope the start of school or continuation of work is going well for everyone back at home! I think of you often! I’ll write again after school has started up here!
Lots of love from Africa,
Steph
P.S. I have been trying to post pictures but it hasn’t really been working all that well. I’ll keep trying though!