7 Wonders of Montessori

After school one day a bunch of kids found the paints in my room so we had an impromptu art class!

The Seven Wonders of Western Royal Montessori:

1. Afternoons in the sitting room with Momma Hannah, Maame Grace, Betty, and little Whitney (Dadzie grandchildren)
2. Jessica (Class 6)'s "Heyyyyy Maaaa-dam!" phrase that the entire school caught onto
3. Elizabeth (Host sister)'s cooking- Mmmm missing fried plantain already
4. Francis (Class 6) ringing the bell and yelling to "Change Lessons, Pleaaaaase"
5. Maame, Salomee, and Eastwood running to greet me everytime I open the door to the crèche
6. Heart to heart conversations with Madam Ruth
7. Having the JHS 3's live at the school- Kelvin and Ebenezer quickly became like brothers to me!

Every Roberts trip ends with a 7 wonders list. This trip has been different, and this time it's just me writing it. But tradition is tradition, and it wouldn't be a trip without making a list! The past five months have been an incredible experience.

Madam Elizabeth, the Obruni, Madam Ruth, Madam Clara, and Teacher Maame

Sister Ellen  (Timoskay) dancing Azonto

One of the 6 classes that I taught

Diana, Betty, NanaYaa, and Whitney. Students, Dadzie grandchildren, and now my Ghanaian sisters <3

Going going Ghana. I miss it already <3.

Love,
Sarah

Draw anything

I really do feel like I’ve taught my students all sorts of useless things. In my very first lesson with Class 4 (which, by the way, feels like a million years ago) I taught them what a narwhal is. You know, those whale-type creatures that have a horn like a unicorn? Everyone needs to know that! And the science behind a sunburn. (“Madam, you are no longer white. You are red! Why?”) And that a cold day in Ghana is like a hot day in Canada…

But the most important thing I’ve taught them is Creative Arts. This week has been midterm exams. Last term I gave them tests on the principles of design, art knowledge, etc. How boring. I clearly hadn’t figured out yet what CA is all about. This time I gave all my classes a blank sheet of paper. And they drew whatever they wanted.

When I first arrived I liked CA, but wished I was doing something more. Which I got to do. I’ve taught a variety of things as well as taking on the younger kids CA and Library classes as well. And yet, somewhere along the line, I’ve fallen in love with teaching Creative Arts. I’ve always said that education is the key to a kids future. I still believe that. But there’s more to it than that. Creative Arts lets kids just be kids. My school is an amazing school and it absolutely prepares them for whats next. Seeing the JHS 3’s studying literally 24/7 has proven that! But school is all about the results, and the memorization, excercises, homework, and project work to obtain the best possible marks. When people ask me how the school system is different from ours back home it’s a simple answer: Canada’s is way more interactive.

So that is why my exams were blank pieces of paper. Ready to be drawn on, coloured, and designed. And I was impressed. Not only did they draw, but a bunch of them decided to use my origami book and fold their papers into all sorts of things, and then colour that instead. Finally, some creativity!! These kids are amazing; their enthusiasm never fades. I have 10 days left. I seriously have no idea how that happened.

But I’m leaving with a sense of accomplishment, a sense of goals met. My time in Ghana has literally been nothing like I would of expected. But I can’t for the life of me remember what I thought it would be like. What I know now: I want to come back one day.

Talk soon,

Sarah xoxox 

Everywhere we go

June 7, 2013.

Montessori Song:

Everywhere we go-oh

People always ask us

Who we are

And where do we come from

So we tell them

We are the Royals

The mighty might Royals

And if they do not hear us

We shout a little louder!

*Up the tempo, and repeat at a louder volume!*

Sorry I havn’t posted in awhile. It’s just that, well, my life is insane. This past month has been eventful, and I can hardly believe how little time I have left!

School is the typical Montessori chaos. About a week ago the headmistress asked me to create and teach a song for the kindergarten kids to sing at the graduation ceremony. Not only do I have zero musical talent, but every single Ghanaian can sing and come up with songs no problem. Why she picked the obruni for the task I have no idea. Luckily a few teachers were helping me, and no surprise, they came up with an awesome song in no time. I was relieved I didn’t have to sing in front of 50 kindergarteners. Little did I know, a few days later I would be marching and leading all the older kids in the song.

2 weeks ago I had my typical Monday morning of surprises. The first: One of my favorite teachers, Monsieur John the French teacher has left. Everyone knows I speak French so I got to teach French for 2 weeks until a new teacher was hired! I loved it and it was super fun to teach an academic subject. My other surprise was that a previous volunteer, Lindsay, from 3 years ago, was coming back to visit. She leaves only a few days before I do so I have a new roomie for the rest of my time here! She’s super nice and it’s interesting to hear about the school and what the family were like a few years back. And it’s absolutely made me realize that I want to come back and visit my students one day!

My other news is Timoskay news: We reached our goal!! It has been so exciting watching all the donations come in and I want to send a huge thank you to everyone who helped out. Our final total is $5901 which is absolutely incredible. The money is being wired this week and we are all set for construction to begin! The facebook page has been updated with pictures of the new staircase leading up to the second floor. The kids are all super excited and they can tell big things are happening for the school! Again, a huge thank you to everyone who donated; I’ve been consistently blown away by your generosity over the past few weeks.

I’ll share one more story with you before I head back to my little pink house to clean up my disaster of a room. (Clothes, drawings, paper, and glitter everywhere…)

Yesterday afternoon we had a rehearsal for graduation. Lately its been no lessons in the afternoon as this grad ceremony is a big deal. The younger kids sing their Montessori song, lower primary is doing a dance routine, and upper primary and JHS are doing cadets. The marching is back in full form and the kids are always trying to get me to join in! So, yesterday afternoon Lindsay and I were sitting in the shade watching them march when the headmistress taught them the Montessori song. Then she figured they should march along the road singing the song. She looked around for someone to lead them. Uh oh. Spotting Lindsay and I, she came over saying “You know the words, right?” I’m one of those tone deaf, no rhythm people that has a fear of singing in public. But hey, why not try something new? Hah. So Lindsay and I took our places at the front of all the students, and sang. We sang a line (badly) and they would repeat it back to us. While marching (again, badly). But it was tons of fun. We lead them around to the front of the school where all the rest of the students were. And it was something I’ll never forget. Singing in Africa, no big deal J

Love,
Sarah

Let's build a school, shall we? ;)

It started with a few questions. A few comments. A few conversations. And now we're ready to make it happen. In one of my first blog posts I wrote that volunteering meant experiencing. I change my mind. It means doing. It means experiencing, learning, and then doing more if more is needed. And so Marisa, Mason and I have decided to take on a big project, and we need your help. We got it officially started today- a fundraising project for Timoskay.

Timoskay School Complex:

On the left is the nusery, to the right you can see the JHS 2 and JHS 1 classrooms 

Timoskay has become a second home to me, a second school. And one look at it when you set foot on the property and it gets you thinking. These kids deserve more. So much hard work has gone into starting the school but has been stalled due to lack of funds. So what's needed? 2 things. A library, and a new classroom on the second floor for the Junior High School 3 students of next year.

Even though I teach at Montessori, I've spent a lot of time here at Timoskay. I've seen 2 schools and I've seen what works and what doesn't. Montessori is a lot more developed than Timoskay. All the classrooms have 4 walls. There's a second story. An office full of library books. In fact, Montessori has just finished the construction of 4 brand new classrooms, one of which will be a computer lab. The JHS 3 students get one of the new classrooms which also have new desks. And already I've seen what a positive effect it's had on them. The students that is, not the desks! Timoskay deserves all of these things. And if the only thing stopping it is funds, than we should change it. We can help. All of us.

A library. A place where the whole school comes together. It benefits every single student. There are so many positive things I could say about how it would benefit the school, but it's far more interesting to hear it from the students. So, they've written you letters! Check out the photo album on the Timoskay School Complex facebook page so that you can hear directly from them why this is important.

Junior High School 3. It's the final year of mandatory education in Ghana. It's a big deal. It seems like my JHS 3 students at Montessori are constantly studying. There's so much stress on them for their final exams. The exams allow them to get into Senior High School, and then on to University and their jobs. I can't stress enough how important their final year is. This coming September will be the first year Timoskay has JHS 3. A graduating class. And as of right now, there is no space for them. The only alternative is to shift all the classes back one room, and combine the younger kids. Already, the Kindergarten and Class 1 share a room, with a small cardboard wall dividing them. If there is no new classroom, it will be Kindergarten, Class 1, and Class 2 all sharing a room. In theory it would work, but in reality it wouldn't. I am now teaching Class 1 at Montessori which has 45 kids in it. Not going to lie, it's a disaster. Having about 60 kids in one room, with 3 teachers trying to teach 3 different things would be insane. And it's not fair to the kids. They deserve an environment that is beneficial for their learning. And the new JHS 3 classroom would be the first one constructed on the second floor. They would be a part of the school of course, but separated enough that they get their own space. The second floor has to be built at some point. Why not us? Why not now?

Looking from the Class 1 part of the room at the Kindergarten Class

So that's our Timoskay project: A library and a classroom. It can be done for 5,000.00 dollars Canadian. It's within reach.

Let's talk money. We're in a country where every single dollar counts, and gets stretched to the maximum. Right away, 1 dollar is equivalent to 2 Ghana cedis. So look at that, your money is already doubled! And the money can go such a long way. Marisa arrived in Ghana with $250 Canadian donated by Lambrick Park Secondary School. With that money, they've been able to resurface 2 chalkboards, 1 bulletin board, the floors of 5 classrooms, add 3 levels of brick on the exterior wall, and lay the foundation for the new water run-off system. With the money left over they've bought 2 soccer balls for the soccer academy and some story books for the new potential library. Imagine how far $5,000 can go. (Also, huge thanks to Lambrick Park for their donation. Vic High- I'd love to see you get involved!!). Another key point is that every single dollar goes towards the project. We're not some big organization that has administrative fees. We wouldn't be doing this if we weren't 100% dedicated and believe in what we're doing. And what's more, it's a chance for all of you to be a part of our trip. We all had so much help to get here; were wished good luck by so, so many. So we're asking for donations. And we want to stress that anything helps, no matter how big or small.


How to donate: A click of a button. It's that easy. The Donate button at the top of your page will take you directly to our PayPal account, or you can access it from: http://pages.pacificcoast.net/~roberts/timoskay/
If you would prefer to donate by cash or cheques my parents in Victoria will be collecting the money. Please contact me if you would like me to put you in touch with them.


Updates!

It's more than just making a donation! We want you to stay connected and watch the progress. Our Timoskay Facebook page is going to be updated regularly with news, letters and cards from the kids, and progress with construction. And of course, plenty more pictures!  I'll also be keeping my blog updated on how progress is coming along, because this project is about to become a huge part of my trip. :)

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Timoskay-School-Complex/120020291521463?fref=ts

Timoskaaaaaay!

We're going to get the kids involved as much as possible. Because this project is not about 3 obrunis making a difference. It's not about putting up walls, a roof, a door, and a staircase. It's about so much more than that. It's about 2 communities: Timoskay School and you- the family, friends, neighbors, teachers, and mentors of 3 kids from Victoria. One of the most important things I have learned this trip is a quote from Mr Kainyiah: "There is no "I", there is only "we". There is no "my", there is only "our"". So we want to build our school a brand new library and JHS 3 classroom. And we want you to be a part of it. Any  donation helps and will make the world of difference for these kids. And spread the word!

Love,
Sarah (and of course Marisa, Mason, Mr. Kainyiah, and the entire Timoskay School community)

P.S. If you have any questions at all free free to contact me! Facebook message me or email me at sarie511@gmail.com.

Timoskay students <3

Aaaaaannnnnd Kindergarten!

About a month ago I read Robert Munch's "Moira's Birthday" to Class 2. When I read it, the class listened. I didn't have to deal with the normal Montessori chaos that I love and I'm used to. They all sat there quietly listening to the story. Except for the part that goes "I'm going to invite Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, aaaaannnnnnd Kindergarten!" They all joined me in reading that part.

Little did I know that that line would forshadow my life. Because now I'm teaching Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, aaaaaannnnnd Kindergarten. I'll explain.

A few weeks ago my roomate decided to go back to Canada, and she left last Thursday. So Term 3 has been even more of a new beginning than I would have thought. I arrived home Monday evening, and upon opening the gate to the school everything was different. In fact, I could barely open the gate due to the fact that the entire playground area was covered in cardboard boxes, and brand new tables and chairs.

The first full day of school was also full of surprises. One of the new classrooms is completed and in use, there are some new teachers, and a new headmistress. All changes for the better for the school, except the only thing that sucks is that there's a new math teacher, so I'm back to doing just Creative Arts and Library. But, I no longer only have my 3 classes. Because Maddi has left all of her students want me to be their new teacher, especially for Creative Arts.

And then came my conversation with the new headmistress. She wants me to focus on the 3 classes that are graduating in July- JHS 3, Class 6, And Kindergarten 2. To make some sort of art project that they can put on display for their graduation ceremony. So. I'm now teaching Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, aannnnnnd Kindergarten! (And may as well throw the JHS classes in there as well.)

Upon hearing that Maddi was leaving my first worry was that I would be lonely. I definitely do not need to worry about that. 2 steps out of my room and I have students who look up to me, want me to teach them, and want me to be their friend. And, typical Montessori, I always need to be in 2 places at once. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe even 3. But it's also less pressure. It's Creative Arts. It's fun projects for the kids. It's not about the marks, the tests, the stress. It's about art. And with any age group, it's a blast. A crazy, chaotic blast. :)

On Monday I'll go to Kindergarten. I'll be their teacher for the morning. I'll bring paper, crayons, and let them draw. I'll be the teacher. But also, I'm sure I'll be five years old again. I'll sit down with a group of students and draw a picture myself. Because it's about connecting. And really, who doesn't want to be in Kindergarten again??

I've also realized that I have amazing support from my friends and family. I probably don't thank you guys enough. I've been so pleasantly surprised with so many things in the past few weeks. Calls and text messages back home to Vic. Marisa, Mason, Mr. Kainyiah and the whole Kainyiah family at Timoskay. My students and fellow teachers. My host family. The first thing my host brother Prince asked me when Maddi left if I was alone. I said yes. He said no. He's right. I really do have a family here. And there's some additions to my little pink house. The JHS 3 students move into the school for their last term to prepare for their exams. The 4 girls are in the actual school, and the 2 boys in one of the rooms in our little pink house. The boys spent like 4 hours yesterday helping me clean and re-arrange my room. So basically, they're my new best friends already!

I'm at Timoskay for the weekend where Marisa, Mason and I have just kicked off a major project for Timoskay School. So stay tuned for my next blog post- I promise it will be a good one!

Thanks for reading :)

And wish me luck with Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, aaaaaannnnnd Kindergarten!

Love, Sarah
xoxoxox

Travels.

When the only departure for an STC bus to Kumasi on a weekend is at 3:30am on a Saturday, you just gotta suck it up and get up early! And then sit on a bus for 5 hours without even an iPod, as both Marisa's and I's broke the day before...

But this was the beginning to an amazing few weeks of travel. The chaotic city of Kumasi, peaceful day trips, arts and craft stores in Tamale, elephants in Mole, and a relaxed few days heading back to the coast is pretty much as good as it gets! Lots of small things go wrong, which we've taken to calling Ghana Probs, but as there were so many they may even get their own post ;) So here's a (long, sorry) overview of my adventures!

Felicity, Marisa and I at Mole National Park

Saturday April 20th, 2013.

Marisa and I arrived at our hotel in Kumasi at about 9am and were greeted by the most cheerful security guard you've even met. His name was Bismark but insisted we call him Markus because that's what his fiends called him. Always smiling and laughing, he made going and coming from the hotel very pleasant! (Plus, every single time we left he would ask: You will go and come? Which is one of my favorite Ghanaian expressions hahah). We were exhausted from being up so early so we spent the day just walking around town. It's busy and I'd say just as developed as Accra , and chaotic yet, but never hectic.

Twinning it as per usual

Sunday April 21st, 2013.

Up early, made groundnut paste (peanut butter) and chocolate spread sandwiches to prepare us for a busy day. We went to the Ketjetia Market, which is supposedly the biggest market in West Africa. It was smart to go on a Sunday because it was way less crowded as the whole country is at church. But it was still incredibly overwhelming hahah. So we went back to our hotel for a nice nap! (We feel like we're old people. We've got excellent use out of hotel. Also, we feel like we've been in Kumasi WAY longer than we actually have because are days are broken up by sleeping...!) In the afternoon we went to the National Cultural Center and went to the museum. We got a guided tour and learned all about the Ashanti history and the artifacts from the Ashanti royalty were incredible. We also went to the Artist's Craft Store which had some excellent Ghanaian jewelry  sculptures, purses, and clothing. We found that the market did not sell a lot of "African" things; it was all westernized clothing, jewelry etc. The Kejetia market was like Market Circle in Takoradi but on a massive scale. So this little art store had exactly the type of things we were looking for, and it was the perfect place to end our day!

I hardly took any pictures in Kumasi... but I thought this was cute hahah. 

Monday April 22nd, 2013.

Day trip to Adowamase village, one of the 4 original golden stool villages and about 1 hour away from Kumasi. We arrived at the visitor center (one of very few in Ghana!) and met our tour guide Raphael who took us on the combined Kente/Village tour. Kente cloth is the most well-known craft in Ghana, and this little village is one of the places where it originated from. We got to try the first few steps of the process ourselves, and learn about the history and symbolic importance of the kente.. Then we got to see the weavers at work. The first remarkable thing was that it was all men. Men do the craftwork- kente weaving, and the women do the farming. The women hire men as labourors in the cocoa fields, but it's the women who are in charge. Very interesting, as you would guess that the gender roles would be reversed.

Seeing the weaving was incredible. They work with wooden "machines" that look like they belong in a museum. The string is attached to a wooden block which they pass from hand to hand at lightning speed as it weaves the strings in place. Marisa and I stood there mesmerized watching the strip of kente cloth being woven. It's so homemade, so local, and such a pat of their culture that seeing it being made was one of the highlights of my trip.

On the tour we also got to see the cocoa fields, and suck on the inside of a cocoa pod, which tasted like candy! We asked permission from the Chief Priest of the village to visit the shrine. The shrine was interesting and we learned more about the traditional religion in Ghana before Christianity became so prevalent. At the end of the tour we got to try on full kente outfits. We went to a woman's shop and picked which cloth we liked, and she dressed us in the traditional manner. I would post a picture but we look absolutely ridiculous,  especially with the headpieces... :D

After the tour we chanced upon a beauty salon and decided to treat ourselves and get our nails done. 3 cedi ($1.50 canadian) for a manicure, not bad at all! We then walked back towards the main road. Eventually a taxi came by but we had a decent few kimometres walk first!! Luckily it wasn't too hot, and it was a nice walk with gorgeous jungle-like foliage surrounding us.

We got back to the hotel and rested for a bit (after all, we did sacrifice our nap today...) and then went out for dinner, which we ended up sprinting in the pouring rain to... Oh Ghana life!

Me in the first step of making a strip of Kente Cloth

A half-completed strip of Kente 

Tuesday April 23rd, 2013.

Woke up at 6 am to be at the STC bus station by 6:30 for the 7 am departure. But, of course, that means 7 am Ghana time. Which means sitting at the bus station for 3 hours until we leave. And then, once we take off, the driver explains in Fante (the nice man sitting next to me translated for us) that there was an issue with the tire so we were going to the STC workshop first. By 11am, we were finally off to Tamale! :P It was a fun 7 hour bus ride with no music... But, looking out the window was something else. The further north you go, the more different it gets. Once we were bumping past round mud houses with thatched roofs while cattle and goats were milling around it felt pretty surreal. Almost like watching an imax, a disney movie, or something out of National Geographic. A woman walks by carrying a large bucket of water on her heard. A man wearing a traditional Muslim outfit rides by on a bicycle. The bus slows down enough for a little kid to notice that I'm white, and waves enthusiastically.

We arrive into Tamale and you can tell it has a Muslim feel to it, unlike the south where its predominantly Christian. But the similarities stand out and it absolutely has that Ghana city feel to it. We arrive to the Catholic Guesthouse, despite reserving at the Christian Guesthouse... When you're half asleep and your taxi driver doesn't have stellar English you just end up where you do! :)


Wednesday April 24th, 2013.

Woke up early for another day of travelling. We went into town and met Felicity, one of the other volunteers who was going to join Marisa and I for the rest of our trip. After breaky we had some time to kill before our bus to Mole National Park, so we went to a shop named COLWOD, recommended by other volunteers. It's all locally made crafts as part of an NGO for women in distress, so I got some fabric and a few pressies for home :)

By 2pm we boarded the bus to Mole National Park, and it was 4 hours on the bumpiest road I've even been on. But driving through the National Park gates at sunset, with nothing but jungle ahead, I knew it would be worth it.


Thursday April 25th, 2013. 

On all my family vacations we always joke that the best wildlife viewing is found in the parking lot. And sure enough, 2 steps out of our hotel door we practically walk into an elephant. And we thought we would need to be lucky to see one! There was a 2nd one as well so we watched them in amazement for awhile, not quite believing it!! We then went to the info center for the walking safari. We saw 2 more huge elephants walking around and eating the leaves off trees near the staff houses. We were probably standing within 5 meters of one of them- absolutely incredible! As we continued walking we saw monkeys, baboons, antelopes, and warthogs which even the guide called Pumba's because let's face it, it's practically The Lion King here. The highlight of the tour was once we got down to the watering hole where there were 3 elephants. We watched them eat, walk around, and then get into the water to cool off. Absolutely amazing.

The Mole Motel is unlike any hotel I've ever stayed at. Sure, the rooms were decent, the reception mediocre at best, and the food all right. But the pool was out of this world. The setting of this place was just incredible. After a refreshing swim I lounged on the poolside with a drink- and a view of elephants in the distance.

But I must say that the highlight was when a British tourist slapped a baboon. Marisa Felicity and I were sitting by the pool sharing a chocolate bar when a baboon came sprinting towards us and grabbed another lady's bag and took off with it. A bunch of guys ran after it throwing things at it until it dropped the bag. A minute later it came running towards us again. So, this British guy leaps up and stares it down. It was quite the stand off. I guess the brit thought something might happen to him if he didn't act first. So, he slapped it. It was quite the sassy slap, and the funniest thing I've seen in a longggg time! (And yes, it was enough to scare the baboon away!)

Didn't have to go far to see elephants!! 

Truly does not get much better than this. 

View from the pool deck. 

Our shadows show how unbelievably close we were to some of the elephants.

Oh, baboons. 

On a safari in Africa, no big deal ;)

Friday April 26th, 2013. 

Planned to get up early for a jeep safari, but instead we woke up to pouring rain. We figured a relaxing morning would be just fine! We had tea and breaky and then went for a nice swim. We had the place to ourselves until a few girls showed up- 2 of the volunteers from our group hahah! It was good to catch up and hear about their travels :) For lunch we all went to the staff canteen- a cheaper version of the restaurant and it ended up being amazing. After our meal a few boys came by selling mini mangoes, which are delicious and just what we were craving. And then the lady who made us lunch pointed behind us to where a family of 3 elephants were wandering by! So we ate our mangoes and watched the elephants. Just another day in Africa :)

After lunch a british lady who we were sharing a room with taught us how to play poker- but we had to use stones instead of chips! Hahah. By 3:30 it had cleared up and the sun was out. So then we got the real safari experience. Sitting on top of a jeep being driven around the national park was well worth doing, despite not seeing much more wildlife. It was a relaxing few hours drive, very peaceful, and a good conclusion to our time at Mole.

We got back to the hotel, and sat under the stars drinking coke and talking. It was the most relaxed I've been in ages.

Saturday April 27th, 2013.

Another stellar 3:30 am start to catch a bus back to Tamale. Arriving exhausted and hungry we immediately found a restaurant for breaky. We then decided to take a shortcut back to the main road- one that ultimately took 3 hours and was a great success. In reality, it could have taken 3 minutes. But it was lined with stores selling paintings, African clothing, bags, jewelry, souvenirs, etc... So it turned out to be an awesome shopping morning!

The best part was learning how to play the game Makala by one of the shopkeepers. It involves moving marbles and it's a traditional game here. The neat thing about it is that I remember playing it, or something very similar to it, in grade 2 at SJD.

We eventually did leave, hit up an ATM, and went to the bus station. Where of course, we ran into 5 of the other volunteers who were heading to Mole! We got on a bus to Kintampo and arrived by about 6 pm. We found a hotel no problem, and it even had air con so we were pretty stoked. We found a kettle and made some instant noodles and tea. Picnic supper on the ground! It was one of those moments where you realize how normal everything is, and what amazing friends I've made here. We were all asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow :)

Dindins with the girlies!

Sunday April 28th, 2013.

Woke up and went to Kintampo Falls which was gorgeous. It was a short walk to see 3 waterfalls, and especially the third was wonderful. We spent about 45 min there with the place to ourselves to take pictures and just write in our journals. Doesn't get much more relaxing! We then went to the less known Fuller Falls, recommended by a Vancouver Island University prof that we met at Mole. We also had this one to ourselves for the 3 of us and our taxi driver and his little brother! We were in the middle of nowhere and it was gorgeous. A lovely way to spend the morning.

We then went back to the hotel, had lunch, packed up, and hopped on a tro-tro to Techiman. From there, it was an hour taxi ride to the Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary. We arrived by about 3 pm and had the afternoon and evening to relax, read, write, and watch the monkeys that were climbing in the trees above us. It was wonderful to be out of the city for awhile, and a very nice place to spend the night.

Kintampo Falls

Monday April 29th, 2013.

We should have known it would be a long day when we showed up for our tour at 8 am and the ranger thought he had already taken us yesterday... Our instructions were to walk down the road to the village in search of fruit and monkeys. We did manage to find the fruit! And walking through the village was fun; it gave an amazing insight into what life is like in small villages all over Ghana. The sense of community is absolutely far stronger here! So, instead of finding monkeys, we found a bit of daily life and some excellent people watching.

We got back to the guesthouse and reported to the ranger that we had found fruit but no monkeys. So he offered to take us into the forest on a tour. Why he didn't do that in the first place I have no idea, but hey, it's Ghana. It was a lovely forest walk and we did some tree climbing of our own before spotting the monkeys. They were mona monkeys and they ate the bananas and mangoes right out of our hands. Crazy how human like they are with their little hands when they steal the banana from you!

But for me, the most interesting part of the tour was the history behind the sanctuary. The monkeys had always been held sacred by the people, and there were all sorts of fetish priest tales. The tour ended at the monkey cemetay. Due to local legends, whenever a monkey dies the death is treated the same as a human death with a coffin etc. Slightly eerie, but interesting all the same!

The rest of the day was transportation. And it took FOREVER. An hour taxi, 4 hours tro-tro, an hour taxi again around Kumasi, an hour sitting on the tro-tro waiting for it to fill up to leave, and then another 4 or 5 hours until we finally arrived at Cape Coast. We were pretty happy to get into bed knowing the farthest we were travelling tomorrow was a 5 minute walk to breakfast!

Walking to Boabeng-Fiema Village

3 little monkeys

Mona Monkey

Monkey Cemetary

Tuesday April 30th, 2013. 

Chocolate and banana pancakes. Iced coffee. Sunshine. A beach at our doorstep. A street lined with shops. A couple of great friends.

It was exactly what I needed before heading back to Takoradi with Marisa.

I've decided to spend the next few days at Timoskay. So the two of us got off the tro-tro together and started the 20 minute walk home. We decided to carry our bags on our heads. Partially because my arms were tired. Partially because people stare anyways. By no means do I think I'm a local, but I love it here and I know I'm where I need to be. For some reason durring the past 10 days of travel I've learned more about myself than I have all year. And it was a wonderful, wonderful mini-vacation.

I'll keep you posted about term 3. I can already tell that it will be drama-filled, hard, incredible, and most of all, rewarding.

Love,
Sarah

xoxox from Cape Coast

Photo Album

Welcome to the last day of term at Montessori- The usual high energy from the kids hit a whole new level!! 

 Two of my favorite munchkins in the Creche at my school- Tasha and Eastwood :)

You know you're stylish when you match a couple of cuties like these Timoskay Students! I had a wonderful 10 days being part of Timoskay School, which is truly my home away from home here in Ghana. 

These students got my attention early in the morning telling me to come teach them. Thus began a week of creative art poster projects! 

Kindergarten and Class One

Class Five's Creativi-tree

There's always something fun happening- this was an impromptu soccer game outside the nursery class that quickly caught on with many of the boys!

Haga, one of the Nursery students, quickly became one of my favorites. She stands outside the part of the school that has not been completed yet due to lack of funds. 

It's hard to find a kid without a big smile! 

The Class Four students are some of the sweetest kids I've met yet. 

Go Stop Go

Half-way point of my trip already. And it's got me thinking. If you could sum up your trip in 1 experience, what would it be? For me, it's an easy choice.

Go Stop Go.  It's the game I created (hahah, well, like to think I created...) most often played with nursery kids. It's very simple. And it's not like I set out to create it. It just happened, like so many things do in Ghana.

Intruiged yet? I've aleady made it sound far more impressive than it is. Really, the name pretty much sums it up. So, here's how to play:

1. Go to the courtyard of the school. Or a classroom. Or a hallway. Anywhere will do.

2. Find 1 kid. Most likely they'll find you. Most likely it's never one, but more. Many more.

3. Dance. Jump around. Be a kid. Remember when you were 5 and did whatever you wanted.

4. Say "Stop!". Really, you're a teacher after all. And you're tired. It's hot out. And you just don't have the same inexaustable energy source that kids have.

5. Yell "Go!" Dance again. Enjoy it. Feel the hot African sun, and see the kids smiles.

6. Yell Stop. Yell Go. Yell Stop. And yell Go. By now you'll be surrounded by kids, all wanting to play the Go Stop Go game.

So, that's my game. Simple in concept. Summarizes my experiences to date. Go Stop Go. Go- do as much as possible. Be a teacher, see Ghana, and share laughter. Stop- take a moment to reflect, relax, and look around you. Maybe you're stopping because you got sick, you're worn out, or life just got hard. But then you Go again. You always do. You see the smiles on the kids faces, and you want to yell Go. Again, and again. You had your rest, and you're back at it.

Wednesday was the last day of Term 2 for Montessori and so I got to hang out with my students; playing with the younger ones, and talking with the older ones. I came to Timoskay later that day to spend the next 10 days here with Marisa and Mason. My fist class was the Nursery Class and I ended up playing Go Stop Go with them. I didn't plan it, it just happened. But what a wonderful introduction to their school.

The rest of the week has been making posters with the students for their classrooms. Once a Creative Arts teacher always a Creative Arts teacher! Pictures to come, I promise :)

Starting tomorrow, it's 2 weeks of vacation. Maybe it's the Stop in the Go Stop Go of teaching in Ghana. The midway point. The small break before things get going again. And the second Go is always just a bit better than the first. So, with travel plans for next week set (bring on the elephants), ideas brainstormed with Mason and Marisa  for Timoskay looking like real possibilities, and fresh ideas for my classes next term, it's looking like the next few months will be eventful. And I'm looking forward to it :)

I'll keep you posted!
Love,
Sarah

Ghana Dictionary

Small small- One of my favorite phrases here in ghana, used to describe anything small. Although really, I think it's one of my favorites because of the way they say it with their accent :)

You are welcome- To welcome someone into a home, a store, to Ghana, or simply a greeting in the Volta Region.

Sorry- Even if they didn't cause the problem, ghanaians still apologize. Examples: Another teacher throwing water at you and all the students go "Ohhhh, sorry Madam, sorry!" or tripping over your own feet while walking about in Takoradi and shopkeepers and passerby's comment "Oh, sorry" in sympathy.

Obibini- Translates as "black person" or "Ghanaian". I say it back to all the little nursery kids at my school when they yell Obruni (white person), and now whenever I enter their classroom they yell Obibini. Either I've done a fantastic job of confusing their 3 year-old minds, or they think if me as a local ;)

Lights Out- The expression for when the power goes out. Our neighboors always exclaim Lights Out loudly whenever the power goes out and cheer even louder when it comes back on.

Cockroach, ew.

I feel like every trip needs that hilarious moment involving a scary insect. And boy oh boy, did mine sure happen.

I walk into my room where Maddi and 4 of my students (also Dadzie grandchildren) were hanging out beading. I put my hand in my hair and literally a giant cockroach flies out (turns out, they can fly. Learn something new everyday!) and hits Diana's neck. We both scream and flail about for a bit cause we have no idea what to do. Meanwhile, the cockroach scurries under my bed.

We all approach the beds extremely cautiously to see if we can spot it. A few minutes go by. And then it scurries out- right at us! Little 3 year old Whitney had chips in her hand which she immidiatly threw into the air with fright, screams, and runs towards the door. Of course, that gets everyone screaming and sprinting to the corner of the room. We made Baduwin, a Class 6 student and the only boy in the room, trap it in the chip container. So much for gettting braver this trip!! :D

After a bit more confusion, we got the darn cockroach outside.
Enjoy your bug-free rooms!

Love,
Sarah

Real Life

Real life is realizing mango season is over and wishing you had eaten more.
Real life is meeting up with friends at Spikes Bar on a Friday night.
Real life is marking creative art exams with a constant smirk on my face as some of their answers are hilarious.
Real life is countless hours flipping through a guidebook knowing you're in a country where nothing goes as planned.
Real life is being incredibly proud of yourself for bargaining down the price of leggings to 12 cidis, knowing that you're probably still being ripped off.
Real life is panicking as the last 5 minutes of time at the internet cafe ticks down.
Real life is sending a text to my roomate "You home yet?".
Real life is seeing the young kids run to greet me with their never-ending enthusiasm.
Real life is seeing a student in town and being greeted as Madam Sarah.
Real life is sleepovers at Timoskay, laughing at the stupidest things.
Real life is getting back to my pink house and being grateful for my host-sister's delicious cooking.
Real life is a taxi ride through town, with the music blaring.
Real life is a walk though market circle, which seemed so overwhelming at first, but is now normal.
Real life is picking out colourful fabrics and getting a dress sewn for you.
Real life is the laughter of a Ghanaian at my limited Fante, but always in good humour as they appreciate the effort.
Real life is occasionally going to bed at 7:30 just because the powers out and there's nothing to do.
Real life is sitting on a stone wall by the beach with a friend on either side, toes dipping into the ocean.
Real life is enjoying a FanChoco on a hot afternoon.
Real life is full of small challenges, all getting dealt with one by one.
Real life is the smile of a stranger, the wave and hello of a little kid.
Even though I'm in Africa, it's still real life.

Volta Region with the Girlies

Girls weekend away? Hell yeah! But this wasn’t a typical girls weekend. It was more of a hike-up-a-mountain/ feed-some-monkeys/ ride-a-motorcycle type weekend. It was very gap year ;)

The prevalent theme of our mini-vacation was transportation. All day Thursday was spent waiting in Takoradi for a bus (3 hrs), on a bus to Accra (5 hrs), trying to find the right tro-tro (1 hr) and on the tro-tro to Ho, Volta Region (4 hrs).

We arrived late into Ho and the 4 of us (Felicity, Sam, Maddi and I) walked into town in search of food. Nothing was open, except there were quite a few street food vendors so we had one of the coolest meals of my trip yet. Where else can you get eggs fried on the side of the road for you for 60 cents?? That was followed by a noodle dish for 3 cidis, and it was absolutely delicious. And then of course, a FanChoco (frozen chocolate milk=heaven) The atmosphere of being outside at midnight sitting on plastic chairs chatting with friends and the women cooking our food, while watching the world go by is pretty hard to beat!

Friday was hiking day, and we had no idea what we were in for. We took a tro-tro to Adaklu Mountain and got off in a middle-of-nowhere village. Quite unsure of ourselves we glanced around looking lost until a man came up to us and asked if we wanted to go hiking. I suppose either no tourists come here for any other reason, or he took one look at our running shoes and deemed us not dressed for a Good Friday church service! He brought us to a hut that had the words Hiking Centre and a little painting of the mountain on it. We were welcomed into the hut, which was empty save a guestbook and some plastic chairs which were brought in for us while we waited for our guides. Sure enough, 2 young guys showed up (14 and 15 years old), machete in hand ready to lead us up the mountain!

Thus began a seriously hardcore workout. Luckily a childhood of climbing Moss Rocks prepared me for the 2 hour trek up the mountain. I’ve never been so sweaty and thirsty (If you’re planning on doing it bring WAY more than a litre of water…) in my life. But oh boy, the view and feeling of accomplishment at the top is well worth it. Looking out at the lush jungle was very much a “Wow, this is Africa” moment.

It took another 2 hours to get down, and our guides were wonderful. They would get oranges from the trees and cut them open with their machete for us J When we got to the bottom we drank an insane quantity of water, and then it was time to tro-tro to Hohoe!

We decided to take it easy on Saturday so we slept in and took a taxi to Wli falls. Even the drive was spectacular going through lush jungle, alongside mountains and especially driving through the little villages. People spent so much time outside here and I love seeing little glimpses into their lives. The Volta Region is quite different from everywhere else in Ghana that I’ve been so far, and I love it. We don’t get called Obruni 24/7, people aren’t constantly trying to get our attention, guys aren’t declaring their love for us, and the locals don’t try to rip us off. Very refreshing! This weekend was the first time I really got the feeling that I was traveling. The whole trip has been about settling in, teaching at school, seeing people, and experiencing new things. But I think it doesn’t take much more than a long drive in a foreign place to get that “travel” sensation!

Wli falls was the first attraction all trip that was exactly what I expected. I mean really, theres not that much variation or surprising elements to a waterfall. It was a nice 45 min hike there crossing over 9 bridges along the way, and there were tons of people at the falls. The waterfall is the biggest in Ghana, and the neatest thing about it was that there were a ton of bats clinging to the rocks around it. We took pics and then walked back, looked at the little shops, ate some FanChoco’s, and then taxi’d back to the hotel. I said transportation was a prevalent theme of our weekend, and this taxi ride was the craziest one of my life. Not only was it a bumpy road in a rickety old taxi, but there were 9 people in the car. There was literally someone in the trunk… Only in Ghana!!

Day 3 we woke up at 5am, grabbed our stuff, and took at tro-tro to Tafi Atome, the monkey sanctuary. We had to catch a taxi for the last 5 km into the village, and this time there were 8 people… at least none of us had to go in the trunk! We arrived, met our guide, bought some bananas, and went in search of the monkeys. We walked along forest trails for about 20 min when our guide made kissing/hissing type noises. Above our heads and we saw the monkeys swinging from the branches to approach us from the treetops. We held out bananas at arms length and all the monkeys would jump on us and eat out of our hands! A little startling to have a monkey jump on you, but it was pretty incredible.

To get out of the village there were no taxi’s. Our only option was motorcycles. So, my first time riding a motorcycle was in Ghana, which I think is pretty badass. Felicity and I were on the back of one with our driver, and it was pretty darn cool driving along the dirt road. With the lush jungle on either side and little kids in the small villages waving at us as we rode along it was definitely a gap year experience I won’t forget!!

The rest of the day was spent traveling home. Another million years on tro-tros to get all the way back to Takoradi. So, despite having no chocolate (actually, unless you count all the FanChoco’s…) it was an excellent Easter weekend. J

I’m now off to figure out what happens at school this week and next… Maybe exams? Maybe teaching? Maybe holidays? Your guess is as good as mine!

Until next time,

Sarah xoxox

Kid Profiles

Welcome to Western Royal Montessori! 

Helping one of my Class 6 students, Shem, with French homework

I realize I always mention that my kids are amazing, so I wanted to share some glimpses into the lives of a few of my students. One of the very cool things about having my dad and sister visit was that it really made me notice things I would have maybe missed, like Francis ringing the bell between classes with so much enthusiasm. So here's some brief profiles on some of my Class 4, 5, and 6 students!

DIANA- Age 9, Class 4.

Unofficially runs the whole school. Frequently rummaging through the back cupboard, perpetually handing out exercise books, and updating the timetable. She could easily be running the country one day.

MAXSWELLA- Age 9, Class 4.

Diana’s sidekick. Always found doing something useful. Prime example being the whole class is in chaos playing Math Quiz Competition and she is calmly standing at the front of the room keeping score. She always has to lend me her math notebook so that I know what the previous teacher has already covered… when I think back to my organizational skills when I was in grade 4, I’m even more impressed with her!

KELVIN- Age 9, Class 4.

Mr. Optimism. Guaranteed to be the first to have his hand in the air whenever I ask a question. Sure, he gets it wrong most of the time, but he never quits trying! Also is constantly the one asking me if we’re playing a game today in Creative Arts.

MUSICAL CHAIR BOYS- age 9, Class 4.

3 or 4 boys who sit in the back of the class who are constantly switching seats, but always quietly and subtely. You’ll rarely catch them if you’re teaching, but sure enough, it’s not often that all 3 will be in the same seats that they started class in.

FAUSTINA- Age 10, Class 5

If I hear a knock on my door and a voice saying “Madam, we have math class right now” there’s a good chance it’ll be Faustina. With strong leadership skills and a heart of gold, I have no problem lending her my personal art supplies, as I know they’ll always be returned on time and in perfect condition.

ISSACKA- Age 10, Class 5

Incredibly bright for his age and always the first to know the answer in math class. Reminds be of a lot of students in my math class from back home! He’s always willing to help other students, and very mature for being 10 years old. He’s also one of the drummers at Worship on Wednesday mornings, and is always found smiling.

SALLY- Age 10, Class 5.

The only student in any of my classes with a learning disability. Her disability prevents her from speaking, so it’s hard for me to tell if she understands what I’m teaching. One of the most inspirational things I’ve seen at my school is how much the other kids help her. They really do all look out for her, and do not need any encouragement to lend a helping hand. I’ve always said that my students take care of me more than I take care of them, and it’s the exact same with Sally. It’s the little things that prove that she’s like every other kid, whether that’s seeing her face light up when getting her picture taken, or telling me using body language and gestures to put the cap back on the board marker when I’m not using it!

FRANCIS- Age 11, Class 6

Francis is the school’s bell kid. His job is to ring the bell between classes and announce the period, snack time, lunch time, etc. You always know when class is going to change because he never muffles the bell as he walks down the hall. He manages to yell his announcement for the whole school to hear, and always looks pleased with himself to be the bell kid! 

Some Small Things I've been Noticing

GIRLS.

It seems like everywhere I go I find a group of young girls I want to become best friends with. I feel like kids grow up faster here, and the maturity the girls have is inspiring. A few examples are the Junior High School 1 (equivalent to grade 7) girls whose dedication to school is matched by their enthusiasm to sing and dance, and try to convince me to join in! A second example is a group of Timoskay students who walked with us to soccer practice one day. They answered all my questions I asked them, told me about their school, and then would imitate my walk. I would speed up, slow down, and pretend to run (Too hot to actually run…) and they thought it was hilarious. It really is the small moments that makeup the Ghanaian experience here. Another one is a group of young kids, mostly girls, selling water sachets and plantain chips in Cape Coast. My dad, sister and I bought stuff from them, and they were super enthusiastic, asking us where we’re from, and introducing themselves to us. I’m convinced there’s not a single shy kid is this country!!

FOOD.

I actually love the food. And I’m always hungry. I don’t know why, seeing as I hardly exercise, and at home I’m basically the pickiest eater ever. But my host sister is an excellent cook. The staple here is rice ‘n spice, which at our pink house is usually plain rice with a red tomato-based stew, and a boiled egg. There’s always variation in our dinners; plantains, yam fries, noodles, chicken, goat, fish, and of course rice and stew are the most common things we eat. And I was worried about big portions, but like I said, I just seem to be hungry all the time…

WATER.

Clean drinking water is sold in water sachets, which are 500 ml pastic bags which you bite the corner off to drink the water. It’s genius. I’ve never drank so much water in my life. You can lie down and drink water, and you can have full conversations while still drinking water. I honestly think that when I go back home I’m going to miss these water sachets so much, as I seem to have one permanently attached to my face…

RELIGION.

Religion is everywhere. One of my least favorite conversations is explaining that I’m not relgious (why I don’t lie, I have no idea) because seriously, every single person here is. Nothing is open on Sundays because of church. And it seems like so many little stores, hair salons, restaurants etc. have religious names. It’s amazing that there’s hardly any presence of religion back in Canada, and I never would have noticed it until I came here. It’s difficult to explain that religion just is not a big part of our culture back at home. Also- church is a dance party. On Sundays everyone is beautifully dressed in colourful, patterned African clothes, and you can always hear music and singing coming from the many churches in the area!

VOLUNTEER CULTURE.

I’m convinced that every single white person in Ghana is either a volunteer, working in the oil industry, or a missionary. It’s been very interesting to hear about what others are doing here. I’ve met quite a few nurses, doctors, and people running for, working for, or volunteering for NGO’s such as Free The Children. Honestly, volunteering is part of the culture here in Ghana. If you came here without an organization and wanted to lend a helping hand, you would not have to look far for someone looking for volunteers!

KIDS.

Kids are the same all over the world, no matter what their background is. And I’ve never met more enthusiastic kids anywhere. If I’m ever bored during a school day all I have to do is walk past the crèche, nursery, and kindergarten classes and I’ll either have kids wanting to be cuddled, played with, or someone to dance with! And whenever I leave the school, I can’t go anywhere without kids yelling Obruni and waving at me. One of the neatest experiences of my trip so far was in the evening at Busua Beach with Dad and Emma. We were walking along the main street after dark, and I can only describe it as African. Loud music playing from the spot (bar), people everywhere, women cooking outdoors, and a strong sense of community. What made it special here was that every woman cooking has a kerosene lamp see by, so it looked spectacular looking down the road. As we were walking along a group of about 5 young kids screamed in excitement when they saw us, and run up to us and hugged us. They were so little, so cute, and I’ve definitely never experienced that anywhere else in the world!