less than a week now :(

It's really hard to know that I leave in less than a week. I wish more than anything I could stay longer. If I didn't have school starting so soon.... But I can only cross my fingers that one day I can return.

The library is going fantastic and Friday we had about 50 kids! With such a small building it's a given that it was pretty loud for a library but they were really well behaved and we are really starting a good clean slate for future voulunteers because the most important thing is order and being able to control that amount of kids and re enforcing rules. Which they are really getting a hang of.

This Saturday we had a realy nice ad relaxing day trip to dodi island Which is in lake Volta. We took a cruise that had. Great music food drinks and even a small pool to the island. The island didn't have much to offer it was more so for the landscape. We all put on lots of sunscreen but all got very burnt.

Sunday was a long day but I was able to keep myself buisy transfering picture files to my laptop from everyones camera cards. In the process we found out that anyone who put anything in the Internet cafe including USB cards or sd camera cards where full of viruses. And people where starting to lose pics from the damage. Since I was the only person who had a clean computer with virus protection I took charge and was able to clean up everything I could detected. Everything is cleaned up and now tomorrow I get to actually make copies for everyone

We have had a bug going around I was one of the first to get it in my first week and it's still going around. one of the older ladies is probably to the clinic tomorrow. It's lasting longer than the normal 2-3 days so keep her in your paryers cause she is here for 10 more weeks.

Along with work we have alot going on this week. Including African dances, folktales, monkey sacuary and who knows what else might pop up!

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Leia Mais…

this week...

Placement has been pretty hectic. This past Monday we went to the nursery but very few kids where there and me and my partner just wanted to do more. So we decided to sign up to work at the library in likpe bauke which is around 30 min from hohoe. And we love it! The kids are super sweet and ages 1 to young adults. We get around 30 a day so far. Alot of them don't even know how to read or can't even comprehend English words cause it is a very small community and they all speak ewe. So we are teaching basic English and the alphabet and even some numbers. We are also teaching them proper library behavior. Because they tend to stand around on table and eat food Which in return can harm the books. We are also helping the older kids that know English how to use the computers and how to type. But there is not always electricity which makes it difficult to plan anything. In all we love it and they seem to really respect and love us as well which is really nice.

It's been raining a lot so other than work there hasn't been much to do but i did get a really cute dress done in town
And got a pretty nice peice of art that a kid did. Tomorrow is market day and it's always interesting to walk around with so many things to see and smell.

4 days ago I did laundry and hung it out, and for the next 3 days it rained causing my clothes to not dry. Cause it is all done by hand which is really hard work when u have to use a well to get the water. But by day 3 I had to hand clothes all over the room with fans. After dry u have to iron everything! Even socks. Because bugs lay eggs in the clothes. But now, 4 days later everything is finally done!

Saturday we are taking a small day trip to lake Volta and taking a boat into a small island for traditonal BBQ and music. Just to get out the house and relax.

If anyone has any specific questions they can email me cause I'm not able to see any comment on my iPhone for this blog. Amanda1164@gmail.co

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Leia Mais…

back from my weekend

So we are finally back from our weekend trip to cape coast. It was a long 9 hours to the coast, because traffic in Accra was horrible. Our reservations where messed up and we where. Suppose to be staying in beach huts for two nights but for the first night some of us had to stay in rooms but by the second night we all had huts. It was so nice and cool I feel in love with it. The huts where called "one Africa" google it and they may have pics. Our first day I was sick and throwing up in the morning but was later feeling better our group did a canopy walk, but since I was throwing up I decided walking over a swinging rope bridge would not be the best idea so I walked around at the rain forest shops. Afterwards we went to a slave castle called elimia (spelling?) then went back to the his for a relaxing dinner on the shore

The next day we went out to a crocodile park and took pictures touhing them, wasn't too exciting for me but it was pretty funny wathing everyone else who never saw them.

After that we started back home. On the way over and back we stopped at the Accra mall because it was the only safe eating place!

Tomorrow I start at the nursery or what they call a crig so I'm excited about that , then in the afternoon we have a batik lesson which I have been looking forward to. Monday ( and Fridays) is market day so everyone around here should be out and about and very busy! I'm so exhausted it's only a little after 7 pm and I'm thinking it's time for bed and a shower. I have a nice small thin coat of dust on me from the long drive with no ac and windows rolled down!

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Leia Mais…

loving it

It's been pretty amazing since being here and it's hard to believe almost a week has gone by. The weather has been nothing like expected. I expected reallllly hot! But I find back home in Louisiana much worse! The humidity is a lot worse though and everything always feels really damp and heavy. So No one is ever really dry. We don't have hot water but the freezing cold shower is so refreshing after a long day. I also thought the bugs would be way worse and I have yet to have a mosquito bite or have to use any spray, others have to put a ton of spray on and still have huge bits all over so I really lucked out so far. We have two sets of bunkbeds per room and I have two other ppl in my room and we have bug nets over our beds which is nice cause we sometiMes get lizards and geckos and other things in our room.

The other day we went to the wli waterfalls which was breathtaking. It was a 45 min hike to the moutain which was very hard for me and it took me a bit longer but I made it! I am pretty proud of myself for that and who can say they swam under the waterfalls in Africa? The hike was a million times better going back down where we all did some shopping!

Placement has been pretty hard to deal with at times. Since tomorrow is the last day of school we were told we didnt need to go to the school so me and my partner are going to the library. Where alot of young ones go to learn to read English. It has been closed down for a bit because no one has been able to work it. But starting Monday we are going to the nursery which is being run by the same ppl as the school I was at. So we will see how it goes. I don't think I can deal with it If they cane kids as well.

Tomorrow after placement there is a group of us around (14?) and we are all going to cape coast. For the weekend. We will be going to a canopy walk, slave castles and a crocodile park which was all recommended and all very cheap and since we are volunteers we get a discount. We are staying is a hotel that is actually huts on the beach. Very basic but very nice and cheap.

Time to sleeeeeeeep!

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Leia Mais…

cultural shock

It's only been a few short days but we have been pretty busy. Sorry for my delay on updating my blog but the Internet issue has been a complicated one. The only working one is much farther than anticipated and is very limited and oh so slow. So I'm doing my Updates via my iPhone which to my suprise works amazingly well (yay for AT&T) sorry in advance for grammer mistakes it's much more difficult on a phone. And I will only be able to pictures after I return home.

Home base is very much home and very relaxing the staff is amazing and super nice they really take good care of us and really want us to have the best experience we can. Food is amazing as well. At times I'm not really sure what I'm having but I havnt had anything that was bad yet. I can really taste the creole flaver which is really nice since I'm use to it!

Tomorrow after work we are going to the waterfalls and this weekend we are going to cape coast which I'm really excited about. Other things plannned while I'm here include batik lessons and bead making lessons as well as going to a monkey sancuary. Yesterday we went into the market to get some beautiful fabrics and the bank or cedi Which I the currency they use. 1 cedi is about 1.50 USA. Later that night we had an amazing experience because we had local drumming and dancing performed for us and afterwards they taught us dances and how to use some instraments which was VERY entertaining

Today was our first day actually at work and it was pretty rough. the kids actually stop school this Friday but where I'm working it is also a day care. It was a free day because they just finished exams. So the kids where allowed to play around but if they got out of hand the teacher used a cane on them and hit them very hard. The kids are ages 4-5. And it really scared me but I was told this is really part of the culture. Tomorrow we go to the under 2 day care so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed they don't do the same to them , if they do and it makes me uncomfortable was told we can change placement.

Tonight we have an ewe language lesson which is really interesting and pretty hard.

I find it even more hot in Louisiana so it actually been really nice overcast and small breezes. It's so beautiful

Well that's all for now! Sorry how long it is!

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Leia Mais…

So close i can smell it

WOW it seems like I just posted a blog about it only being 16 days away and now its less than 4 days until I leave! Its almost surreal feeling knowing that its finally happening! Today was a major day because I got my actual placement details! I am being placed with a school/day care that is new to the Cross cultural solutions program. Me and one other girl from the group I am going with are only the second group of people to be volunteering with them. So it is really important for us to make a really big impression for CCS.

The school currently has a population of one hundred and five (105) children with forty in day care, thirty in kindergartens and twenty five the primary school. From what I get from the name and classes taught at the school it is a Christian based school, so that should be nice. Here in the states, religion isn’t taught in “public” schools so I think it will be a very interesting perspective. I’ll be doing everything that evolves kids! This is exactly what I wanted. I’ll be helping with conversational English as well as simple math, games, music, hygiene and everything small in-between.

I’m finally finished packing and throwing in those last minute items. And I don’t know how people can go with only one bag? I tried and tried, just did not work out. So im forced with two bags. Once I get to New York, 6 people will be on my flight to Africa. So it will allow us a good time to visit before the cultural shock. But there will be a total of 16 people arriving the same day as me, not including other people that will have had arrived before us with other groups!

Still not positive as to how I will be updating when im actually in Ghana. Due to the fact that the internet and power can never really be counted on. But I will have a journal to write in every day. And when I am able to log online ill be able to take everyone day by day from what i write down in my hard journal.

Leia Mais…

16 days

Its really hard to imagine that in only 16 days ill be leaving for Ghana, Africa. All the hard work really paid off. I should be receiving my exact placement next week, and the wait seems to be killing me. Anywhere im put I will be grateful, but just getting all the finial details is such an important step and makes everything finally come together.

I have been organizing, packing, unpacking and repacking, and even more organizing. Making list, and crossing them out. Printing contact information and so much more for my family. So even though the wait seems like it is taking forever I seem to be pretty much keeping myself busy.

Everything’s done, all my meds, all my shots, passport, visa…you name it and I got it done. Now its just the 16 day wait.

I never really considered myself a VERY religious person. Though I am Baptist I do not attend regularly like when I was younger. I just feel as if this trip is something that I was put on this earth to do. Because I know that this one trip will open doors and opportunities that I will have never thought about otherwise. I am truly blessed by the support I received. And hope to continue more work like this in my future.


I have gotten a lot of questions as to how I will be living on this trip like housing, food, water, and things of that nature. For everyone who was wondering. We have a “safe house” which I like to describe as a mini college dorm. We have a kitchen and dinning area and there are 4 same sex people to a room with bunk beds. The beds have mosquito nets and fans. And basically as long as I eat and drink what Is in the house I should be perfectly fine. And we have bottle water to carry around town. I don’t have any personal pictures yet but here are a few I was able to find online of the actual base house.

In the Map, I will be Flying into Accra, but the base home and where i will be working is in Hohoe

Leia Mais…

Moving Along Now...

Things have definitely been moving on. Slowly, but well! Our fundraisers went off with huge success! Way better than any of us ever expected! I think the biggest shock was the bake sale when we sold 12 cakes and make around $650! I am still so very greatful to everyone who helped out for the trip, but especially my family. Even though they may not be trilled about my plans, they have still supported me. Between helping bake cakes, gather up “stuff” for garage sales, and selling raffle tickets to everyone they know there is no way I could have done it all on my own!

Unfortunately there have been a few changes in our plans. Amy will no longer be traveling with me. As much as we wanted to make it possible, only one of us can go for now. A lot of changes in her life have made it financially impossible for her to travel with me this time. But there is always a next time!

Today was a no turning back point as I found the PERFECT flight! I had been searching for days. And even though my Program date isn’t until Aug 1 it was looking like it was going to take two days of travel to even arrive meaning I would have to leave on July 30. (Meaning that I was going to have 12+hours of layover in foreign airport floors)

So today when I found a delta flight from with only a day of travel and very little lay over I immediately booked it!

Later on this week I will be finishing up with my passport so I can soon apply for my visa.

Sorry about such the delay since my last post, things should start moving along soon now! It’s a slow moving process and it seems like its taking forever! I just cant wait!

Leia Mais…