Similarities to George Clooney...

I am now similar to the sexy George Clooney... we have both had Malaria!  Not to fear though, I am feeling better already, laughing and enjoying my life.  Malaria, if you have the money for treatment, is basically like having the flu.  One of my teachers has had malaria 7 times in one year.  A few of my friends had already gotten and recovered from malaria, so when the symptoms began, I knew exactly what was happening.  I felt achy, my fever came on very quickly (although it never got above 101), and I felt very nauseous.  Luckily I am in the best city to get sick, because the SIT staff know the doctor here well and I was the first in line when I reached the clinic.  I saw the doctor, got a blood test, diagnosis, and my medicine within 2 hours!  Last night was a bit rough because I felt like I had the stomach flu, but I couldn't get sick because I had to keep 8 pills down so that I could begin to feel better... and although it was a fight with my stomach all night, I managed to keep the medicine down... I win malaria!  Today the nausea was much lighter, and the only symptom I had was feeling very tired and weak.  I joked with my friends that I felt like an 80 year old woman.  However, I couldn't imagine being sick with anyone else... my friends havebeen absolutely amazing.  Last night, everyone staying in my hostel from my group (8 other people) came into my tiny room and we watched the hilarious show Modern Family on my friend Dan's computer, and my close friend Erica who is my roommate here helped me during the night.  Today I was able to rest and watch a movie on my friend's computer, and all of my friends and academic directors came to check on me throughout the day.  All I am hoping is that tomorrow I will get to go with everyone to Mole, where we will see so many different animals at a National Park!  I love you all, and know that although I am not 100 % now, I will be back to health soon enough.  I have been in Ghana for 6 weeks, so getting sick now is to be expected!  My spirits are still high, and I am surrounded my so many incredible, nurturing, loving friends! I feel very, very fortunate.

Life in the North

Yesterday we arrived in Tamale, a city in the Northern Region of Ghana that has a very large Muslim population... very different from the strong influence of Christianity in the majority of Ghana.   The city is much smaller than any city we have been in thus far.  The population here is much poorer than in the other areas we have visited.  It is here where 7 out of 10 individuals are living on less than $1 per day, below the globally-defined poverty level.  We are staying in an international hostel, where we actually have running water (a change from the rural village), although the electricity goes out even more than in the village, and it is INCREDIBLY hot here.  It's so hot that you cannot even concentrate, you are thirsty every second of the day.  You could literally cook an egg on the pavement.  I have yet to feel hungry in this heat, especially because, aside from the peeled fruit, we cannot eat anything uncooked. It's o.k though, I am still feeling happy and healthy despite the challenging weather and food situation!  I will never take for granted the variety of foods we can eat in the states.

Not to scare anyone, but a fair portion of my group has gotten sick, from malaria to bacterial infections.  We are all trying to take care of one another, and from here on out we have easy access to hospitals and doctors, but in the heat it is very difficult to be sick.  Luckily, aside from feeling nauseous because of the heat, I have been relatively healthy.  Those of us who are healthy are trying to help keep the spirits high of those who are sick, but we have all definitely realized that living in another country, particularly a developing country, for an extended period of time wears on your body quite a bit. 

We have 4 more days in Tamale, where we are learning a great deal about the cooperatives and vast number of NGOs that have been set up in this city, and then we are off to a new location!  We are in our fast-paced tour of the rest of the country, and then once the beginning of April comes, it's on to Independent Study month.  I cannot believe how quickly this trip has been going!  Still laughing and loving life, I hope you are all doing the same. Love!

Onwards

I cannot believe that our time in this village is almost up.  We leave on Friday morning, and I have just gotten used to living here.  The quiet streets that I can walk on without worry of cars passing by with inches of room, the simple mattress on the cement that constitues my room, the kids and adults greeting us everywhere we walk.  The constant greeting is at times frustrating because when you are so hot and exhausted that you want to lie down with a cold ice-pack on your forehead (impossible because the water gets warm within 10 seconds), the last thing you want to do is be followed by a million children.  However, not having this will be strange and I will most likely miss so many aspects of a more simple but difficult life that is lived by those in the rural village. 
After working with Herbalists for my mini-Independent Study Project, I have had some major realizations that have aided me on my path for my larger Independent Study Project.  Working with Herbalists, I realized that if I decided to work with individual Priests and Priestesses who practice Traditional African Religion, I may encounter some frustrations.  First and foremost is the issue of relying on one person (or a few people) as a mentor.  I did not enjoy having to be on someone else's schedule at all times just to gain access to the knowledge I was interested in seeking.  Secondly, after teaching in the village school in Ntinanko, I realized that if I am working on a project for a month, I need to be working in a setting that is hands on  as opposed to simply observing.  Thirdly, if I am working on a project for a month, I need to feel that I am making a difference in the community in which I am living and studying.  Simply studying with Priests and Priestesses would not achieve any of these three goals.  However, working within the educational system here in Ghana, particulary in the village schools that are underserved, seems like a more meaningful project that will allow me to sustain my involvement beyond my time here in Ghana. Additionally, because all teachers in Ghana have been on strike since Tuesday (although the teachers have been happy that we have offered to teach their students for them during this strike), it seems an opportune time to study the Ghanaian educational system.  My passion for teaching will carry me through this project as well.
When I told my teacher Yemi about my new ideas for my project, he was so excited that I saw this as an opportunity rather than a challenge to study education during a turbulent time in the educational system.  He gave me a few ideas, including the study of female education and the issues regarding the lack of knowledge on sex and sexual health, especially for female students.  The classes are dominated by males, and many females are either told to stay home to take care of the house, the farm, or get pregnant at a young age and cannot continue their schooling.  My teacher already has an advisor at the University of Ghana, Legon regarding education and women's issues, and I think that teaching, discussing these issues within the classroom, and even attempting to implement a sexual education class and/or discussion would be so incredible.  I would love feedback from anyone at home! Additionally, my friend Tess and I (after teaching English and Social Studies) had a discussion with the class asking what the students felt they needed in order to learn more easily.  Then today, we all put together some money to buy the school protractors, pens, pencils, chalk for the blackboards, paper, colored pencils.  When I get home I hope to run a book drive and send the books to the school, because all of the students want to have a library so badly. 
Anyway, I am sad to leave this beautiful village, but I am quite sure I will return to teach in the village school and compare this government-funded schooling with private schooling in the city of Kumasi. Also, I am loving life! I hope you are all loving your lives as well. Laughter is currently the music of my soul! 

Village Life!

Hello all! I am alive and well here in Ntinanko, our small village stay here in Ghana.  Internet access is very difficult to find, but this village stay has been the best part of this trip thus far.  Laughing SO much, dancing, farming (SO difficult), learning about traditional herbs in the bush with a 100 year old Herbalist who dances with me, teaching in the village school, sweating from the intense heat, feeling exhausted, feeling overwhelmed by the friendliness of the people in this village (who want to greet you even when you are so tired that you want to stop moving all of your muscles)... but incredibly happy! Savoring this sweet life. Love you all!!!