Hello everyone,
Right, week 1 in Navrongo completed and the stories I have to tell! Last time I wrote I said I felt like a bit a tourist and sheltered from the ‘real’ Ghana – well it has hit me with full force this week! The journey up was very smooth – not too long, just one puncture (it was seriously flat) and one bribe…
We arrived into Navrongo on Monday afternoon; I am living on the college campus with another primary school teacher called Jennette who is basically doing the same job as me except she’s in the English department. Our driver took us straight to our house… it was covered in LIZARDS – I don’t think anyone had actually been inside the house since the previous volunteers left in July! Anyway, it got sorted and the college came in and ‘cleaned’ it (te he he… Sharon – you’d be amused at their idea of cleaning!) So we finally got in at about 3pm and it was still covered in the lizards, now I know that they’re actually great and they eat bugs and mosquitoes (yay) but I just hadn’t expected them and they’re a bit snake like (for those of you who know what I’m like with them…) so it did freak me out quite a bit on Monday! That and the house being… hmm how can I put this diplomatically? Well, let’s just say dirty and insect ridden. However, we’ve spent the week pretty much cleaning (I am now a domestic goddess!) and moving furniture round and it has turned out great and is really beginning to feel like home; I even have fairy lights up in my bedroom – very pretty (THANK YOU KIRSTY!) I just want to repaint my room (and find some blu-tac) and then I can start plastering it with all photos I’ve brought with me!
The electricity supply is pretty good and we’ve only had 2 power cuts (since Monday!) one was only for about half an hour and I have a wonderful battery light thing (thanks to Barb – thank you SO much it’s AMAZING!) and my iPod speakers were fully charged so we had light and music – great! Then the other time it was in the middle of the night so I didn’t even realise it had happened, so that’s all good. However, water… hmm this is where it gets a little more interesting! Basically I think the water has been off more than it has been on, but it’s actually not so much of a trauma as you’d think. We have a borehole about 25m from our house and LOTS of buckets – so really it’s just a case of being organised and then you’re fine. So, yes – bucket showers are basically the way forward – I’ve discovered that you can have a pretty good wash and even do your hair with one bucket of water – impressive or what?!
College starts next week, but we’ve already been in and met the third year students who are on teaching practise this year (they came back for a few days of training and then left on Thursday). That was an interesting experience. We had to introduce ourselves (to a mere 217 students) so I started with the usual “Hi, my name is Samantha,” (If I say Sam I get very strange looks and comments about it being a boys name) and you would not believe the thunderous laughter that prompted. We have very strange accents apparently! However, they all seem very pleasant and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck in, but I think I’ll save the rest of the work stuff for my next blog so I don’t go on for too long!
So, I’ve told you about the lizards and bucket showers – now onto the FUN! (Although to be fair both of those included a LOT of laughter!) I’ll admit now, Monday was a bit rocky but everyday since I have felt more and more at home. We have made friends with a couple of Irish volunteers who also work at the college and we’ve been very busy discovering the various ‘spots’ around Navrongo – basically places where you can go to have a drink and some of them serve food too. Then last night we went to Bolgatanga (the main city for the Upper East region of Ghana) to a pancake and ice-cream party that some other VSO volunteers put on – so a great chance to make more friends and catch up with some of the people I met during training. Ooh ooh – I’ve bought a bike (push bike) we don’t get our motorbikes for another 5/6 weeks (VSO like to give us time to get used to the traffic etc, before they let us loose on them) and the college is about 1/ 1½ miles from the main town so it’s quite useful to be able to nip in and out – it’s quite a long way too walk when the sun is out… But, best of all it has a basket! So when I went to the market yesterday I was able buy all the stuff and then put it in the basket and ride back – I felt like I should be in an old fashioned film! Whilst I was at the market I also had fun trying out my kasem (the local language) I mainly got laughter as a response but the people really appreciated me trying.
Right, I’ve kept you long enough – thanks for reading if you managed to get this far! I hope you’re all well, take care.
Much love, Sam xxx
Monday, 29 September 2008
Saturday, 20 September 2008
The beginning of the adventure...
Hey everyone!
I hope that you are well and that you're enjoying the UK weather - whatever it may be!
I've had a great first week in Ghana and I've already been lucky enough to make some really good friends who I know I'm really going to enjoy spending the next two years with. Anyway, we've been in Accra (the capital) since we arrived for in country training. Tomorrow, just over half of our group head up north to our various placements, it's going to be a long day - we're leaving here at 6am and goodness knows when we'll get there - possibly 11:30/midnight... Anyone want to come visit me?! Well that's tomorrow - best not to think about it too much.
Instead what's happened so far?
So we arrived on Sunday evening, and were immediatley whisked off to a posh hotel somewhere in the outskirts of Accra - air conditioning, nice food, huge double bed... As I went to sleep I really wasn't sure if I'd actually made it to Ghana or had been diverted to some other country! We had dinner and then just crashed - it's amazing how tiring travelling is! However, the next day when we opened the curtains Africa was right there looking back at us. What the night had hidden we could now see in all it's glory - the mud roads, the people going about their daily lives, the little stalls and the great big brewery straight across the road! (Funnily enough the actual address for our hotel is 'Beauty Hotel, Opposite Kasapreko Company Ltd, Spintex Road, Accra') As we then drove to the VSO office that morning I just spent the journey starring - there was/is so much to take in - bed frames and sofas are being sold at the sides of the road, people are selling goods in the middle of the road and purchases occur through the vehicle window - mad!
We've spent the week being trained all about VSO Ghana and then various medical, security essentials. Then to finish off we've had market challenges to find a list of goods and cookery lessons! Great fun, and like I mentioned earlier all the volunteers who have come out are lovely and I really feel like I've made some good friends already. Although, seriously - the market is a sight to behold, or possibly a better way to phrase it might be a smell to behold! No, it was great and the Ghanaian people proved themselves to be incredibly friendly and helpful - it gave me confidence to think that I'd be able to cope in a big, scary market by myself!
So, tomorrow I head up north and then actually get to Navrongo on Monday. I've found out that the students don't actually arrive until October so the first week will just be settling in and meeting the other staff and then the students will arrive at some point... not actually sure when - TIA! I'm really looking forward to it - although I've had a great week in Accra and made some good friends, I have felt like a bit of a tourist (yes we managed to fit in a trip to the beach!) and I'm looking forward to actually living somewhere and building relationships with the people in the communities.
Right, I'll stop waffling - just 2 more things to say:
- Facebook is a nightmare out here (too many photos on each page) - e-mail is far easier for me to access, so if you want a quick response...
- Parcels - Please don't feel like you have to send anything it's just basically if you do and you don't follow these guidelines it probably won't get to me! It needs to be recorded post, a list of the contents needs to be on the outside and don't put anything too exciting in it, because it'll most probably 'disappear' enroute! But seriously that's not a plug - I've actually done quite well on my packing and haven't thought of anything I've forgotten, yet....
Much love to all, Sam x
I hope that you are well and that you're enjoying the UK weather - whatever it may be!
I've had a great first week in Ghana and I've already been lucky enough to make some really good friends who I know I'm really going to enjoy spending the next two years with. Anyway, we've been in Accra (the capital) since we arrived for in country training. Tomorrow, just over half of our group head up north to our various placements, it's going to be a long day - we're leaving here at 6am and goodness knows when we'll get there - possibly 11:30/midnight... Anyone want to come visit me?! Well that's tomorrow - best not to think about it too much.
Instead what's happened so far?
So we arrived on Sunday evening, and were immediatley whisked off to a posh hotel somewhere in the outskirts of Accra - air conditioning, nice food, huge double bed... As I went to sleep I really wasn't sure if I'd actually made it to Ghana or had been diverted to some other country! We had dinner and then just crashed - it's amazing how tiring travelling is! However, the next day when we opened the curtains Africa was right there looking back at us. What the night had hidden we could now see in all it's glory - the mud roads, the people going about their daily lives, the little stalls and the great big brewery straight across the road! (Funnily enough the actual address for our hotel is 'Beauty Hotel, Opposite Kasapreko Company Ltd, Spintex Road, Accra') As we then drove to the VSO office that morning I just spent the journey starring - there was/is so much to take in - bed frames and sofas are being sold at the sides of the road, people are selling goods in the middle of the road and purchases occur through the vehicle window - mad!
We've spent the week being trained all about VSO Ghana and then various medical, security essentials. Then to finish off we've had market challenges to find a list of goods and cookery lessons! Great fun, and like I mentioned earlier all the volunteers who have come out are lovely and I really feel like I've made some good friends already. Although, seriously - the market is a sight to behold, or possibly a better way to phrase it might be a smell to behold! No, it was great and the Ghanaian people proved themselves to be incredibly friendly and helpful - it gave me confidence to think that I'd be able to cope in a big, scary market by myself!
So, tomorrow I head up north and then actually get to Navrongo on Monday. I've found out that the students don't actually arrive until October so the first week will just be settling in and meeting the other staff and then the students will arrive at some point... not actually sure when - TIA! I'm really looking forward to it - although I've had a great week in Accra and made some good friends, I have felt like a bit of a tourist (yes we managed to fit in a trip to the beach!) and I'm looking forward to actually living somewhere and building relationships with the people in the communities.
Right, I'll stop waffling - just 2 more things to say:
- Facebook is a nightmare out here (too many photos on each page) - e-mail is far easier for me to access, so if you want a quick response...
- Parcels - Please don't feel like you have to send anything it's just basically if you do and you don't follow these guidelines it probably won't get to me! It needs to be recorded post, a list of the contents needs to be on the outside and don't put anything too exciting in it, because it'll most probably 'disappear' enroute! But seriously that's not a plug - I've actually done quite well on my packing and haven't thought of anything I've forgotten, yet....
Much love to all, Sam x
Monday, 15 September 2008
We're here!
Well hello from
Saturday, 13 September 2008
1 day to go! *Packed and ready to go!
So, this time tomorrow I will be up in the air... can't quite believe it! I've spent the past couple of months preparing and saying a thousand goodbyes and now it's actually time! Thanks to everyone for the texts, e-mails, phone calls and visits - it's been absolutely great catching up with you and I will REALLY look forward to seeing you all again soon (well vaguely)!
Anyway I have learnt how to attach photos - so I thought I'd let you into a little secret! Packing for 2 years when you are allowed one bag of 23kg and then 2 bits of handluggage (one of which is my motorcycle helmet) is HARD! It was a real trauma to be honest, but the following picture shows what I hope to sneek through at Heathrow - I'm just about within the weight limit for the suitcase; hand luggage might prove interesting though! (You would not believe how heavy my backpack is...)
Anyway, best go - time to go and do something useful, I forget what!
Take care, Sam x
Anyway I have learnt how to attach photos - so I thought I'd let you into a little secret! Packing for 2 years when you are allowed one bag of 23kg and then 2 bits of handluggage (one of which is my motorcycle helmet) is HARD! It was a real trauma to be honest, but the following picture shows what I hope to sneek through at Heathrow - I'm just about within the weight limit for the suitcase; hand luggage might prove interesting though! (You would not believe how heavy my backpack is...)
Anyway, best go - time to go and do something useful, I forget what!
Take care, Sam x
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
12 days to go... *Excited*
Ok, so this is my very first blog EVER! My brother will tell you how proud I was of myself for actually getting this thing up and running! (I just dragged him away from Big Brother to say "Well done" - he just rolled his eyes at me. Thanks Steve :-P)
Anyway, so why have I set this thing up? Well, as of Sunday 14th September (in 12 days time!) I'm moving to a town called Navrongo which is in the Upper East region of Ghana (West Africa) to work at a teacher training college for two years. I'm not entirely sure of how great the tinternet is going to be... blah blah blah, so I guess this is a quick way that I can let anyone who's interested know how it's going! Hopefully I'll be a lot better at keeping in contact than just this, but it's a start.
That's enough wittering for one day. Sam x
Anyway, so why have I set this thing up? Well, as of Sunday 14th September (in 12 days time!) I'm moving to a town called Navrongo which is in the Upper East region of Ghana (West Africa) to work at a teacher training college for two years. I'm not entirely sure of how great the tinternet is going to be... blah blah blah, so I guess this is a quick way that I can let anyone who's interested know how it's going! Hopefully I'll be a lot better at keeping in contact than just this, but it's a start.
That's enough wittering for one day. Sam x
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