Playing Class

The last few days have been rather uneventful. Things have changed a bit with Acusi being here. Kwaku doesn't like having to share Margaret with another baby. It's odd though. Kwaku is a year older than Acusi, but because of poor nutrition Kwaku is the same size as Acusi. The electricity has been out for the past few days. We can't get fresh water from the pump, so the boys have to walk all the way into town to get water! It's quite an exhausting trek.

Teaching has been very frustrating this week. The children have caught on to the fact that I won't beat them. If the teacher is there the children are well behaved, but if not, they will not listen to reason. It's very exhausting and I end up shouting most of the class for the kids to sit down and be quiet.

The teachers here frustrate me as well. They often don't even show up and the kids just sit in the class all day doing nothing. And when they are around, they often teach from their desk and sit the whole time. They give the kids exercises but give them the answers. I don't know how that method measures whether the kids are learning the material. I'd say most of the kids are about 2 grade levels behind American students.

For instance I had each student in grade 6 read individually with me. Most of them have no idea how to read. I'd say about a fourth are illiterate. Reading and learning is so important to me and it's sad that these students are missing out.

But, I did run playing class myself this week. There were about 20 kids total which was perfect. It was really fun. We played cat and mouse, red rover, sang some songs, and did the bobo clapping game. Ebenezer took a lot of pictures and they turned out great!




The cat and mouse game


Red rover, red rover send someone right over!

Everyone playing the clapping game

They're kicking, I'm screaming!

The students in grade 2 have gotten so bad! Whenever I tell them to be quiet or to sit down, the students that are sitting and being quiet smack those who are misbehaving. And since there are so many kids misbehaving, class turns into a giant slap fest! I'm not exaggerating. It's total chaos sometimes. I know that if I hit the kids I'd have instant order in the classroom. But, I just can't hit a 6 year old with a stick.

I took my camera with me to school. The kids absolutely love to have their picture taken. When I show them the pictures, they just go crazy with excitement. Some of the kids stood up on a desk and fell down when the desk broke...oops. I think this will be the last day I bring a camera to school :)

Our Savior Sekyere Primary School

Inside one of the classrooms

Grade six posing for a picture

After seeing the class picture :)

Grade two posing for a picture

Right before the desk in the back broke

No School

The kids had a field trip today to play football at a local park, so I didn't have to teach. I went with Boat to the internet "cafe" and helped him apply to universities in London. I don't think he realizes what it takes to get into a university. His grades aren't so great...I hope he can figure something out.

I'm feeling a little home sick since I've been alone this week. I'm excited for Katja to come back so I'll have someone to talk to. She's staying with a family near Accra and observing at a school there.

The kids take a picture of me eating dinner most nights, so I have plenty of pictures of typical Ghanian meals.

Breakfast! Bahflots and porridge made out of maize

An egg, bananas and MILO

Dinner...Ground yam with palm oil

Spaghetti with cassava leaves and pods

Plantaines and yam with fish stew

Rice balls with ground nut sauce

Church

So I got sick again!!
Something flu-ish. But it was my last chance to go to church with the family, so I sucked it up and went. Church is a big deal. We went to a joint service in Effiduase. So, it took an hour to get to church, then the service was three and a half hours, and then an hour to get home. The service was interesting. First we sing a song, then the entire congregation breaks into groups for little bible studies, then the pastor gives a sermon, we sing the same song as before, the pastor gives another sermon, we sing the same song again, and the pastor gives one last sermon. Then they take offering...twice. People who are giving money are supposed to hold it up in the air in their fists. Then they had people go around an announce to the church how much money they were donating to repair the church. Finally, we end with the repeated song. Also the church doesn't do communion...ever.

Back in the Swing of Things

Katja came home Monday night! It was great to see her. Sadly, Kwaku has malaria. It's so hard to see such a little kid so sick. His fever is very high and he is so weak. I hate that I can't make him feel better. It took a while, but Margaret finally gave him some medicine and his fever is a little lower.
Katja and I went to a seamstress in Sekyere to have clothes made. We bought material in Kumasi and wanted dresses made. She only measured our busts and waists, so the clothes may not fit. She doesn't speak English, so we had to draw the clothes we wanted. I still think she didn't understand, but, she's so ecstatic to be making something for white people, it's become quite the experience. It will be funny to see how it all turns out.
Today, the kids in grade 5 were behaving beautifully, and we were having a really fun lesson on rhyming and poetry. All of the sudden there was shouting and I turned to see a boy and girl standing on their desks. The girl was holding the boy against the wall, choking him while they both bunched each others' faces. I couldn't get them to stop fighting. Evans, the grade 2 teacher came in and forced them out of the class and apologized to me.
At the end of the day, Katja came over to me saying how she'd seen the worst thing. She'd seen two students (my students), the boy and girl, leaning their foreheads against the school wall with their hands behind their backs. Three of the teachers were taking turns hitting them with a cane and laughing. The children were soaking wet from crying so much. I hate the way they discipline here!

Last Day in Sekyere

So today is my last full day at the orphanage. I taught at school today, but grade 2 was so bad I ended my lesson early. I got to talk to the head master and the substitute for grade 1 for a while. It was interesting to hear their views on America. It took a long time for me to explain to them that not all Americans are super rich. They didn't believe me when I said that there were poor people here. I felt bad dashing his hopes, but the sub planned to go to America and make lots of money. I explained that it's not so easy to get into America or get a job once there. I think he thought people just hand out money.
We had playing class again. This time it didn't go very well. I had some extra toys and Katja had a lot of candy, so we thought we'd give out prizes when the kids won games. As soon as I took out a toy to give I got swarmed by ALL 30-40 of the kids. It was actually kind of scary. They were grabbing at me and the bag. The littlest children were crying because they got pushed out of the way or trampled. The kids wouldn't listen when I told them to back away. I never thought that would happen. We ended playing class an hour early because Katja and I were so exhausted.

Tonight the kids made me gifts and cards. I'll definitely miss them - especially Miracle, Solomon, and Kwaku.
Kwaku is almost better, but he is very weak. He can't stand for long and still won't eat much. I wish I could stay just to take care of him.

As it was my last dinner at the orphanage, Margaret made me something special - Yam balls! Their like deep fried balls of mash potatoes. They're pretty good.


The headmaster and the grade one sub

Katja giving out candy at playing class


Addo making me a drawing

The kids made me a paper hat :)

Yam balls...mmm

The kids playing tag

Goodbyes

This morning it rained and the kids didn't have to go to school. So I got to have some extra time with them before leaving for Kumasi. It was hard to say goodbye, but I think it was harder for them than me. Solomon was crying and angry with me both for leaving and for not giving him candy. Atta II was mad at me for leaving and wouldn't give me a hug. Sarfo was crying and wouldn't hug me goodbye either :( It was hard fo me to say goodbye to Miracle, Solomon and Kwaku (yes, I had favorites ) and I'll miss them. Thankfully, I'm coming home with about half as much stuff as I brought! I was able to put one of my bags inside the other...woot!
Katja and I went on our way to Kumasi. We went to the cultural centre and I bought some souvenirs and handicrafts. There were drum makers and painters that we watched do their work. It was cool to see how everything was made. We got a super cheap hotel that had a working toilet!

Kumasi traffic

Another roundabout statue

Ghanian marketing - "God First Boutique"

Last Day in Kumasi

Katja and I slept in and got some breakfast (more of that bread and egg stuff...so good!). We went and visited a family Katja had stayed with for a weekend when she first arrived. They were Muslim and lived in a Muslim community, which was interesting to see. They must be pretty wealthy because the family had lots of decorations, television, a computer, and a big kitchen. The mother was a very interesting women. She'd gone to university and spoke English very well. I met her 2 week old baby who was so sweet and small. I was invited to come and visit again if I come back to Ghana.
On our way back to the center of Kumasi, it starting raining like crazy and we got soaked. I had to say goodbye to Katja pretty quickly. It was so great getting to know her and I'll miss her. We've talked about going on a road trip through the U.S. in a few years, so hopefully that can happen.
I met a girl from California at my hotel. She'd been in Mali for four months and was staying in Ghana for many more months doing public health work. It was good to have someone to walk around with at night. Kumasi is a safe city, but being a lone white girl, I'd stick out quite a bit. I can't believe I leave Ghana tomorrow!

Made It Home!

After about 45 hours of traveling I finally made it from Kumasi to Accra on a bus, from Accra to London, and London to Minneapolis. I can't believe I was really in Africa. It all sort of seems like a dream. There is so much in Ghana that I didn't get to see and hope I can go back someday.

More Pictures and Videos

Here is a slideshow of the kids and I hanging out. There are some videos too.
The kids learned the art of making funny faces as you will see.



Slideshow mat

Atta II playing ping pong against the wall


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Solomon and Addo dancing


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Kwaku's favorite thing to say is "Yea!" You can see how he doesn't like anyone else getting in on his attention :)


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Solomon loved this video and had me play it for him all the time. He was quite impressed with his ability to twist his arms in and out.


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