14 days and nights in Ghana

Its hard to believe, but I have now been in Ghana for two weeks! The time is flying by as I get settled in to my new home, routine, and work...

So first, home: I live with the Martey family just east of Madina, near a village called Oyarifa. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I am actually living about 14 miles outside of Accra (the capital city). I am thrilled to be away from the hustle of the crazy big city, and to be enjoying somewhat rural life in Ghana. My host family are the ones who started Newells Academy and Link Social Club - which is where I am working. As is the African way, almost the entire family lives at home, and so I am never lonely and always well taken care of. Their son, Wofa, is only 6 weeks older than me, so I feel like I have found my twin African brother. We get along great and so I always have a friend around.

Routine: The day begins early in Africa, and I am usually up anywhere between just before 7 and 7:15 during the week (on weekends its a bit later, but by 9 am its too hot to be in bed). I have my bucket shower - literally, water in one bucket while using a smaller bucket to pour water over my head - and then get ready for the day ahead. At the moment, this consists of visiting the older students in their classes, creating opportunities to get to know them and for them to get to know me, and I've even taught a few English classes. The other day, I even had a Twi lesson (the local language) from the students in class 5 (10-12 year olds). It was lots of fun and the best part was when they thanked me for listening to them!!! Precisely what I am here to do... I usually don't spend the entire day at the school as I get prepared to start my research. I've been updating my ethics application - which is still approved - reading and preparing the first couple of times I meet with the children. The evenings can be pretty quiet at home, since every 2 days or so we don't have electricity at night. On those nights, I usually eat my dinner and then go to bed by 7:30 or 8. When there is electricity, I might watch TV for a bit, but the shows we get are pretty bad. We get a few Italian soap operas - don't ask my why Italian - translated into English, but I hate soaps at the best of times and these are really really horrible. There is also a local version of American Idol, which is lives on Saturday nights... I will be attending this weekend!

My work: The children I will be working with are mostly members of the school's associated NGO - Link Social Club. Though, I am hoping that a few others who don't attend this voluntary club will also want to be part of the research. There are some really great kids around! The club was started by Bennett - the head of the family I am living with - to educate children about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The intention is for the children to take their learnings back to the rural villages and to become peer educators about children's rights. As such, advocacy is a well known word around here and the children are already engaged. I am looking forward to the upcoming journey and hope it will be a success. The teachers of the school are also really excited and I think it will be a great learning opportunity for all involved. Generally, this is a fairly disorganized and unmobalized community and I hope to see some change before I leave!

My observations: The most striking observation for me so far has been my experience as a White person here and the dual light in which I am seen. I am asked a lot of questions - especially by the teachers at the school - which are prefaced with "since you are so advanced in Canada", or "since you are the experts", or "since Whites know so much more than us...". It has been strange for me, as its been a first hand experience at how generations and generations of oppression can be internalized to the point where someone can ask a question and not realize how self depricating it is. I always try and begin every answer with something that Canada does not do well (IE: our record with First Nations and Aboriginal people, the fact that Canada got reprimanded for our poor implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, etc...) to put the country (and hopefully myself) in a more realistic light. It always shocks people, but I definitely don't want to be seen as the "expert" on how to live. There are lots of wonderful traditions and things happening here. The other side of this coin, is that I seem to represent all White people and the politics of the West. In other words, I seem to represent all that is unjust and unfair in this world. People here are especially concerned with the media and feel strongly that Black people are completely misrepresented and that "us Whites" are misinformed. I also get a lot of 'why' questions in regards to why the world is the way it is. I don't necessarily feel anger or blame coming from people's inquires, but rather a refreshing curiosity about why things are the way they are. There have been a few times where I have simply had to say... "you're right... and I can't even begin to try and explain anything away".

So, that is the first two weeks in Ghana.... 4 months to go!