13 Quick Ghana Thoughts
Happy Sweet, beautiful, sunny, nice weather, end of the week-we finally made it, Friday!! I am currently at work, the time is 11:28 and I am SO ready to get off of work so that I can begin---working on the things God has been depositing in me. I’m ready to work on my dreams! What are some of your dreams? Are you spending the same amount of time that you spend at work (working for someone else, as you do working for yourself?) Another convo, for another day
Anyhew, I just got back from Ghana this week, on Monday to be specific. WHERE. DO. I BEGIN? When I say, “life-changing, perspective shifting, humbling, heart leaping, heart breaking, hard-hitting, soft landing, sweet smiles, tons of laughter and equal amount of tears.” believe me. Ghana was AMAZING and HARD at the same time! Interestingly enough, I would go back if the opportunity presented itself, because I didn’t realize until I got back home the amount of work going there was doing, and has done on me!
So, last year I went to Cape Town, South Africa and I have YET to post thoroughly about it, (totally my fault—maybe I’ll go again just to provide you all with a fresh experience). A year later (May 2017) I was privileged enough to go to Ghana! (Totally different experience!) When I tell you we were IMMERSED into the culture…honey...I mean IMMERSED! I just about thought when I was coming to the US I was a Ghanaian! LOL!
If I’m honest, the first night there I sat on my bed for 3 hours staring away, just kind of dazed because I was experiencing shock after shock after shock. I wasn’t prepared for an immersed lifestyle. (I missed maybe 2 trip meetings, which from my understanding held very critical information about the way we would be living, the lifestyles etc.—so my fault, but probably for my own good. I don’t like being uncomfortable and probably would’ve considered passing up such a lifetime opportunity at the sake of my comfort, SHAME. Just keeping it 100 though.)
There’s SO much to share about, so many layers to unfold, so much inspirational moments to tell you all about, so many lessons, so many hard moments…just SO much. I honestly don’t know where to begin ( I feel like that was the case last year) however I told myself, this year…doesn’t matter where you begin, JUST BEGIN. (Catch that message). So I figured my first post would be 13 things I learned/experienced while visiting Senya, Ghana. (Some will be serious lessons others will be fun, don’t be a serious bug all the time!!)
1. The humidity is not a joke, it did not come to play and it is disrespectful. Yo’ natural hair will learn. – listen, we arrived at night, (cant recall the exact time—it was dark) HONEY, I wanted to re-board the plane, walk to the farthest opposite end of the exit door and have several seats. My first greeting to Ghana was It’s heat and it’s humidity. I originally arrived with Marley twist. They were last minute twist, BABY I took those things out so FAST. I wanted to shave all the hair I had on my head, legs, face, arms etc. LOL! If there was hair it needed to go.—Needless to say, I was looking rough. (Which after a few hours there was the least of my concern! #PerspectiveCheck)
2. The Akumanyi Foundation (The group we traveled to partner with—look them up on Facebook and online, get involved) are working on some incredible things and has one of the best volunteer staff I have ever met. Throughout our duration of staying, they constantly asked us about our experience, what we would change, add or get rid of. The accommodations they made expressed LOVE in everything.
3. Becky’s Home, which is an orphanage home has the most beautiful, funny, smart, courageous, community oriented, loving and inspiring children EVER. When I tell you Becky’s Home is amazing, believe me! We spent our mornings there, getting the children ready for school, and our evenings playing with the children, serving for dinner and playing games! My top 2 games of all times with them was our “Becky’s night club” and “Duck, Duck, BOOM.”
4. I can’t recall the name of the school we visited, (I’ll get it and place it here or mention it in the next post) however, the children in Ghana are brilliant. (I knew this, however I want to publicly say it for those who wont have the opportunity to travel and ONLY SEE and HEAR otherwise. I also want to share it for those who may doubt that reality. THE CHILDREN IN AFRICA ARE SMART! Yes, they have hardships, yes poverty is a reality for them, but baby…in the classroom, those children have a hunger which, as an educator in the US, I have never seen before. I had the opportunity to teach 3 classes, and each class challenged me to be a better educator. They called out the professor in me, they challenged my personal discipline, my ability to teach more, faster, harder, under conditions that require creativity, a greater demand of patience and desire. THEY HAVE HARDSHIPS, BUT THEY HAVE MADE A LIFESTYLE OF MAKING EDUCATION A PRIORITY REGARDLESS OF THEIR HARDSHIPS.
5.Com·mu·ni·ty- the definition of community is, (1) A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. (2) A feeling of fellowships with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals. I have NEVER seen an area SO community oriented. From the students to the street vendors even down to the Becky’s home. One thing we can learn and pull from Ghanaians is the way they love, support and correct one another. I was always in AWE to see the family unit amongst those who really weren’t related, the way they made sure the next person always had some sort of food, even if it were just a little, the correction that was brought with love and the constant looking over their shoulder to check on the next one.
6. THE FOOD. I am already chunky…but honey…the FOOD. We had a pretty routine diet/meal plan, due to the water system not having the best filtration system, however when we ate, the things we ate, were always on point! We had a very high carb diet when there, but well worth it! Our cook for the week, the beauty, Tina made every single meal, with LOVE. Our first meal when we arrived is what they would call, “street food” (basically grabbing food off the street) was like, fried rice (theres another word for it, I’ll ask and repost it) with fried chicken, and on the rice they put ketchup and mayo. I passed, but those who I traveled with, didn’t, and apparently it was a hitter! I think my favorite was their fruit! I don’t even like my fruit warm, but honey the fruit in Ghana was warm and SWEET! I’m convinced that we aren’t eating the way we think we are! Their food is quality!
7. Their transportation includes taxi’s and Tro Tro’s. There are NO words to describe riding in one…but for you all, I will try. Similar to a Scooby doo van, extremely fast and able to use both sides of the roads.(Even if the traffic is going in opposite directions……Use your imagination, and it’s legal.)
8.Box braids, top of the line, 10.00-15.00 U.S dollars. *Drops mic*
9.The best seamstress live in Ghana. You haven’t had quality clothes until you get yours hands made there.
10. We went to Cape Coast Slave Castle… OMG, a mouth full about it. I’ve uploaded the entire tour on my facebook page. (Alicia Elizabeth—go check it out when you can) I left feeling several emotions but the one that lingered with me most was that Ghanaians are some of the strongest, most prideful, resilient, powerful, amazing, beautiful people ever. They don’t give up easily…and while there are remnants still lingering in the area from what has happened to them years ago, they WILL come out of it on top. How do I know? The way they live, the way they move, the way they value one another lets me know that beneath the hardships, they as a community are building…intentionally. Wait on it, and you heard it here first. (What was meant to break them, hasn’t and it wont.)
11. Even though I am an African American Woman in the US, when visiting Ghana, they would sometimes, respectfully refer to me as an Obruni, which means Foreigner/White. (Because I am from the US)
12. I walked up a mountain! *My group would say it was a hill, but I’m here to tell you the truth* It was a mountain, and then did the canopy walk! OMG.
13. I took a Ghana rain shower! (what’s that you ask?) Its when, it pour…I mean really rains and instead of bucket showering….(Oh did I mention we bucket showered and bucket flushed…yep)..so instead of bucket showering, you shower outside! You have not showered until you’ve showered outside.
I miss the people, the area and the children. Your life can absolutely change in 2 weeks, mines did.
XoXoXox…heart be still,
Alicia Elizabeth
P.S,
There will be more post about Ghana! This was just something quick! Thanks for reading and checking it out! If you have any questions, please feel free to write me!
