What Happens in Africa... STAYS

We woke up at 5am with everything packed and ready to go. What a strange feeling. We had to strap the back seat out of the trotro on the back of all the luggage so none would fall out: it was quite the sight! We then took the 2 hour drive to the airport in Accra. We were all exhausted from barely any sleep the night before, I managed to make it on the airplane though! : ) Both flights were pretty good.. Our first flight was 2 hours early so we had plenty of time to go through customs. After saying goodbye to Canadian George, it was off to SLC! It was so fun to arrive home and be on American soil again. It was weird seeing so many white people but I got use to it pretty fast.

PARTY IN THE USA!
It's weird being home and I am having withdrawals. Taking showers is amazing, I can't seem to take one long enough! I keep forgetting its winter and I am freezing to death every day here! I miss the nature and landscape of Africa. It's so green and luscious wherever you are. I miss the students always brightening my day and giving me countless reasons to smile and enjoy the moment. I miss is all. I feel like i have just been thrown back into reality into the same old day to day routine. I never thought it would be this hard. I miss serving every day all day- I went from loving from the inside out with my whole heart and to now focusing on my selfish life and what I need to do to get ready for school. I wonder how my kids are every day...
I am excited to take everything I learned in Africa and make it build me to become who God wants me to be. I know God is mindful of them. I know he is watching over them. What a blessing to know this. I know my Savior lives and loves each of us, we are all His children- even across the world in AFRICA!

SPORTS WEEK

This is a very special time of year to be in Kibi, Ghana. All the schools in Kibi get together once a year for a week long sports tournament. They have Football (Soccer), Net ball, Running, and Volleyball. The Friday before the week starts the kids all get in huge long lines and have weigh ins. They each are weighed to see if they are between 50-54.5kg. They must be in this scale or they are not allowed to play. The week is full of loud music, dancing, lots of food vendors, and kids who can't get enough sports! We sat in the hot hot sun from 7am-5pm every day to watch! I felt like I was back home at soccer tournaments and I grew a greater appreciation for my mother who spent year after year watching all of us every Saturday. The deaf are looked down upon in Ghana and this is where I saw it first hand. The deaf were last every day.. The hearing kids make fun of them and the refs are biased. A lot of the hearing teams cheated as well and got students from the High School to come play on their team. It's sad the extent they go to to win, however, they never do! DEAF ALWAYS WINS! KibiDeafs older boys soccer team won the entire week! They won the "cup" in the end and we were all SO proud of them! It was so much fun to celebrate with them and see their hard work turn into an accomplishment. They are the sweetest kids and deserve that trophy! They practice so much and so hard, I love watching them. They are each so talented.

It's Nice To Be Nice & Good To Be Wise

Today we went to Accra to attend the temple and what a beautiful time it was! This was a day I will never forget. I loved being in the temple and feeling beauty all around. It keeps life in perspective and makes me even more grateful to be here, experiencing all that I am.After the temple we went back to the Culture Center in the center of Accra and boy was it cultural! When we got there I got swept away by Humble Lyle who wanted to sell me sweet painted shirts for 45 Ghana Cedis. I literally only had 5 so I was trying to think up ways to bargain and he took his shirt off of his body and gave it to me for 5...plus my SOHI water bottle. He was fascinated with it, the fact that it was blue and could hold a liquid.. was awesome.

After that encounter I met my Rastafarian soul brothers. Fuzzy, Daniel Djembe Drum, Denis Rap Dee, and my favorite: Antiga Martin. They are the greatest people. They invited us to come "make music" with them in their shop, so I spent about an hour playing the drums and dancing with them. It was a blast! Martin gave me a necklace to always remember that "we are one" and he wanted me to stay and hang out with him all night and he'd bring me back in the morning... yikes!!! no way!! These guys definitely had Rasta-vibes! They were awesome and it was very fun to learn how to play the drums.

Fantastic FOUR

Every day when I walk to school I pass a little house on the left, tucked back into the tall grass with 4 beautiful children living there. Their names are Andrew (7), Desire (12), Goodwill (10), and Ms. Catherine (14). They are the most down to earth loving family. I can see their love for each other by the way they treat each other- they are best friends! They do everything and anything together and always want to talk talk talk my ear off. Whenever I walk by their house I hear "MAYGENN!!" and they all come running out to give me hugs. At night when I walk by I will heart "Maygen, You are invited" in their raspy childish voices. This means they are inviting me in to eat with them. They make my day every time I see them, they are always so caring and want to know about my day. Andrew asks for me to bring him toffee everyday, "maygen, I want toffeeee.. or maygen, I want a bicycle." Such funny kids- Andrew thinks I can just run home to America real quick and grab him some toffee : )


One day they invited me over to watch them dance. Here is some of their sweet goodness:

They were so hard to say goodbye to, I need to get that little Andrew some toffee!!

Emmanuel's Gift

Meet Emmanuel.
This boy is my everything. He is literally sunshine and radiates wherever he goes. He is always so happy and he is my best friend here. He lives each day to the fullest and ALWAYS has a smile on his face. He lights up whenever he sees me and I love our friendship. He is 14 years old and in my P-5 class. I tutor him every night and we are working so hard on remembering whether 7 is spelled: "seven" or "twenty".. he gets the two mixed up quite a lot : ) but I love him for it. He is the one individual that I am trying to make a difference to. Tutoring him is awesome. He wants to learn and he is always asking for more. It was his idea to be tutored, he would rather learn than play with friends at night. I believe that is what is needed. They need their own desire to want to learn beyond in the classroom so then they try harder and work to learn, instead of just memorize. he does his homework every night and is excited about it. i have been creating his homework in worksheets that I make up and have ready for him each night at 6:30 when I tutor. He LOVES them! It shows him that I care about him enough to take time to make him something special. He gets so excited. He has some misunderstandings still but they are slowly becoming understandings. he just needs a little more explanation of things and he is wonderful! I love that he wants to learn for himself. He tries to never cheat, unlike some of my students.. oh children.. I made him flashcards for him to practice going from the number to the word form and vise-versa. I can't wait to see his progression!

I call him twinkle eyes because his eyes literally sparkle. They are so darling. He also makes a crackling sound with his voice when he is embarrassed or nervous. I love when he gets a question wrong as well, I can see his brain working and he sincerely signs sorry and fixes it. I adore this boy with my whole heart and soul- he is the reason I am here!

NAMES

The name game here is quite the treat. each person is given a name according to the day they were born, so everyone has the same name! here they are:

MALE:

Monday- Kwadwo

Tuesday- Kwabena

Wednesday- Kwaku

Thursday- Yaw

Friday- Kofi

Saturday- Kwame

Sunday- Kwasi

FEMALE:

Monday- Adwoa

Tuesday- Abena

Wednesday- Akua

Thursday- Yaa

Friday- Afua

Saturday- Ama

Sunday- Akosua

Now as you can imagine, this makes for name signs to be very similar.. which makes everything that much harder! i hope you enjoy finding out your ghanaian name!

Love,

Abena

Cape Coast

I have officially hit my one month mark and I am half way done.. I have mixed emotions- I am excited to be home but never want to leave the green, warm, miraculous Africa with the most remarkable people. Their life stories would blow your mind.
For the one month mark, we took a weekend trip down to Cape Coast to go to the Kankum Canopy bridge walk and the Slave Castles. We started off in Kankum. It was so weird to see other Obrunis.. I didn't like it. It was a large tourist attraction but I am happy we went. The bridges are basically a ladder with a board on top the width of one body. There were 7 bridges from tree to tree that I went on. They wobbled sooo badly! At first I was very scared but after my second or third bridge it was all fun and games! It was so awesome to think that I was atop of an African jungle..walking! I am in AFRICA, it still amazes me. The scenery was beautiful! So many different trees, leaves, and shades of green. I loved every bit! The hike up was sweet too because we were walking deep into the jungle.

After finishing the canopy walk we took off to the slave castles. They were fascinating!! We went into the different dungeons and they were pitch black large rooms that fit 2,000 men in their own cells 1,000 females in theirs. They would be there for around 2 months and then be taken in shackles to the "Door of No Return" where they were shipped out to work. The whole slave trade was a secret to the public. If they tried to escape they were thrown in a cell with no air, no water, and no food. They were kept there until they died. What happened here is such a tragedy but nonetheless they are very cool castles and right on the edge of the coast.

After the castles we went and had lunch at a resort right on the beach! It was a blast to play in the sand and feel the ocean! We had so much fun just running around and taking a break from all the stress; it felt like vacation. There were so many white people there and they were all very fat. They were all laying around drinking and smoking and being lazy, I was embarrassed for them. It also broke my heart that someone would travel all the way to Africa to do that, that isn't Africa at all- I can get that in Florida... I love the beach though!!

Ghana's Beautiful Children

I have gotten so attached to these beautiful children and have now found myself making the 20 minute walk to the school and back 3 times a day to see their shining faces. Each one of them radiates. I can't even describe the love I have for them. When I am with them I am filled with pure happiness from head to toe that I can find nowhere else.. they make me the happiest person alive. I love each chance I get to learn from them because each of them are SO happy all the time and they are just overjoyed to be around anyone who cares.

Church at the school with the students on Sunday was breathtaking. When we walked in they were all dressed in white! They all looked like little angels. They are taught the most plain and simple principles but they are so deep. We learned about King Solomon and how he was very rich but he did not ask God for more money, no he asked for wisdom to know his people. The children were taught that they too must not ask for any material possessions but rather things we can take with us like wisdom. The kids are counseled daily to pray for wisdom to learn and to know the things their teachers are teaching. They have the kindest hearts that are so full of love for everyone and everything! We learned the acronym PUSH as well: Pray Until Something Happens! We also learned to pray for the world, then family and others, then finally yourself. We talked about when we pray.. do we only pray at night? or in the morning? or can we always have a prayer in our hearts at all times of the day. They definitely understand about prayer and I am humbled by them. The other night one of the boys had his eyes closed in the middle of the school signing in the air. When I asked him what he was doing he said he was praying to God that Ghana would win the world cup! Well Daniel's prayer was answered! Yesterday I ate lunch with a small boy and he prayed over his half of a fish and some beans.. it was nothing, but he thanked God for the abundance that he has. It is so touching every day being around such sweet spirits. They are beautiful from the inside out. I want to bring each of them home with me! I love spending every moment I can with them.

I started tutoring a girl named Ruth from the p-5 class, where I am now teaching math. After one day she has grown so much! SUCCESS!! Today she could not sit still because she wanted to do every problem on the board to show she knows how! She was soo excited, and I loved seeing the emotion in her face. There is no greater joy. I have the best job in the world. I love it here, I love everything about it.

It's a Charmed Life

The Lord has calmed my spirit and I know this is a trip centered with His help. Today I feel so lucky and grateful to be alive! I love the work I am doing here and I get more attached to each student every day. I never want to separate from them. I feel so much joy and love being here! This is the greatest thing I have done in my life. I have had so much stress taken off my shoulders since Comfort has been teaching daily, along with Edith. (That is my P-1 teacher and her student teacher. They have started to come to school every day to team teach so I have been teaching P-5 every day: math in the morning and then tutoring in the afternoon). Wow! What bright students I have! I love being in the P-5 classroom feeling each of their rays of Sunshine! They are some of the sweetest kids and just looking into their eyes your heart melts.
Ephraim Abbey is the most darling boy. He is eleven and one of his pupils is blue! He is very very smart and has the best personality. so genuine. Today I looked over at his notebook and he had written in bubble letters with a pencil "Meghan + Abbey = Love". He got so shy when I saw it and he kept asking "who told you!" funny boy. I am going to die leaving him, he is my little helper and always has a smile on his face. He is so kind about everything he does and is always making little noises. He is the best side-kick. Ephraim, along with many others like Frempong twins and kwadwo Boakye. They are all so much fun to teach and spend the day with. I look forward to the day and time I get to spend with them. I am so grateful I got the chance to help in the P-5 class and I know it is a blessing given graciously. I recognize it very well. today we taught 1,000,000 and how to spell it out. We also did review and I am impressed by how fast they can grasp concepts.
I don't want this feeling to go away! I know it doesn't have to if I am keeping my mind in the right place and giving it my all. I live for this. Find the good and be happy about every day. Be ever so grateful for everything whether big or small- come what may and LOVE it.

COMFORT

my teacher comfort is the greatest blessing at the school that i have. she might not come every day but the days she does she is fantastic. the whole point of my being here is to help these children more than they can imagine and then leave here with them not being worse off and to have a way to keep improving when we are gone. Comfort, i believe, will do exactly that. she is the teacher of my P1 class and she does a tremendous job. her relationship with the kids is remarkable! she thinks up new lesson plans that are hands on every day and is always engaging each of the students. she is learning sign and is picking up on it quite fast. she is such a funny lady! some funny facts about her are: she bobbles her head when she talks and always closes her eyes. her favorite thing to say is "uh huuuh". she has been teaching for 30 years and know exactly what she is doing! and she loves me like her own! she buys me treats every day and when she is teaching she always looks at me and tells me good pointers about being a good teacher.

i feel like i have learned more from them about teaching, children, culture, and the joys simply of being alive, than i have taught them.

Comfort is a great woman with a great heart. she is very good at taking concepts and making them come alive! i am grateful i am in her class and got paired with her. she has started to come to school a lot more lately and i am grateful for that because it is her that is going to make the biggest impact when i am gone. i have no doubt that she will keep improving as a teacher and my kids will keep loving to learn when i am gone.

 In Ghana, there is one deaf student to every six hearing. i have 22 students, so that means my 22 students have 132 hearing students to match up to and be just as brilliant and successful. i am working hard!!

GHANA WON THE WORLD CUP AGAINST BRAZIL! 3 - 4 AND THE STREETS WERE WILD!

FATU FUSEINI

When I first arrived in Ghana I pegged him right off the bat and wanted to be his friend. His sense of humor is hysterical to me. He is so sarcastic! Which means he is very smart and talented-it's hard to get your expressions of sarcasm across in sign language- at least I think it is. He always makes me laugh and I can't ever get enough of him! He was very shy when I first met him but now he is warming up to me. He is the sweetest boy-the jock of the school... the lazy one that is tooo coooool... however, he works very hard and is very smart!



"Dear Gril,
I am happy to write you this letter. How are you. I need fried. My love for you, And i'll always love you happy so I like look Beautiful gril. I love you. you are mys eveyone. It is mice to know that your the ohly you love coundl be replaced to me becasure of you, i'm never sad and blue you brighten up my day, with a lot of love from you friend. Thank you.

Fatu Fuseini

P.S. I love you nSA"

Ghanaian Culture

Here are just some fun things i have learned about their culture since i have been here.. some you might find pretty entertaining. We are not in America anymore.
1. tro tros are fast! there is no law here- at least no one to enforce it. the cops sit on a bench and just wave their arms to tell you to slow down, tro tros are so fast and the mate hangs out the window yelling the next destination so if you want to get on.. point your finger to the ground and they come to a screeching stop.
2. everyone holds hands except who you would think. boys hold boys hands and girls hold girls but there is NO public display of affection here between man and woman.
3. "Bra" means come
4. they hate when you window shop and they get offended
5. They are offended easily so you must keep your word- if you say you will come back.. you better go back or they will give you the silent treatment when you see them next.
6. They are very blunt and want to know details. everywhere i go we talk to EVERYONE on the street or they get offended that you don't say hi. and after you say hi they say "where are you going, what is your name, where are you from, where do you live, can i come to america with you, i want to marry you" one of those.. or all..
7. They don't go outside in the rain much, so when the obruni's do.. they all laugh
8. Akwaaba means welcome
9. if you are white, or an obruni here, you are a celebrity and everyone touches you
10. the first sign any of the deaf kids are taught is "punish" so sad.
11. medase means thank you
12. to bargain here is easier than stealing candy from a baby. sometimes i feel bad because i totally rip people off
13. The students get whipped if their fingernails are long or dirty.
14. if you are 1/2 black and 1/2 white you are looked down upon as having slave trade rape genes
15. you DO NOT use your left hand here- i found that out the hard way at the bank, the teller yelled at me..
16. pears here are really avocados
17. oranges are green
18. everyone says "i love you" to us everyday.. i don't think they know the meaning..
19. one woman tried to convince us she was all of our mothers so we would pay for her tro tro.. yes a 250lb BLACK woman is my mother from Africa... ok....? makes sense.
20. lizards are INFESTED HERE! they are literally everywhere in all shapes and sizes. i find them in the shower and by my head where i sleep..
21. only the rich have carpet and you MUST take your shoes off.
22. they hunt for snails at night with flashlights and then sell them as a delicacy.
23. Obama is the biggest celebrity and they have t shirts- posters- the kids books have his face on it.. bags.. biscuits.. everything! and America is called the Obama state. they worship him here!
24. fan ice- it is frozen ice cream in a plastic pouch that is AMAZING! i wish they had them in America
25. obruni means whiter person and obibini means black
26. the children allll stand with one hip jutted out
27. the women carry the babies on their backs tied on with fabric and then 50lbs or more on their heads balanced perfectly with a little round piece of fabric
28. when it rains... IT POURS
29. they pee everywhere. doesn't matter who is there to see it or if it is 2mm outside your classroom door.. they are going... Ghana has a scent... it is everywhere and horrible
30. the children run wild with no supervision. every child for themselves.
31. Religious  saying are everywhere and make no sense; "Jesus never fails haircuts"
32. when a man and woman are dating the man then takes on all of her financial support
33. they are named by the day they were born. i think i was born on a Tuesday (mom correct me if I'm wrong) so my name is Abna
34. they make kissing and hissing noises to get each other's attention
35. the kids are SO proper
36. everyone wears Ralph Lauren and Dolce and Gabana... strange..
37. They all call each other "chaley" ... Charley without the R when they great other Ghanaians...
there are sooo many more but i think 37 is enough.. this is a hefty list! i hope you had fun reading them... but that is just a taste of this land! LOVE IT!