Soaking up Every Minute!

Well I have less than 3 weeks left here in Ghana, and the thought of that is so sad. Everyday now my girls are asking me when am I leaving and what my phone number in the states is, and just get all sad. I brought my girls to the beach again this Friday, and have started to visit them at their houses. The added time outside of school has really helped in building relationships with my girls. The fact that my time here is so short is really setting in. I am trying to soak up every moment with my girls(students), and use every weekend to travel. Last Saturday we drove 5 hours to visit a village all built on silts. It was really a fun and neat experience, just a long drive for such a short trip. Sunday, I explored the Lagoon for several hours with two of my Norwegian friends, Eirik and Brenjard. The area around the Lodge is gorgeous; I find new places and areas that I want to explore everyday! Sunday night I went out to celebrate Valentines Day with four of the Norwegians and several staff from the Lodge…we have become like family…=) This weekend our group is going to our Ghanian friend's villiage and coco farm. And next weekend I hope travel to Lake VoltaI took my brace for my broken arm off for the first time on Saturday, and I am enjoying the freedoms that brings! This morning I went to Mass with all of my girls for Ash Wednesday, and got ash put on my forehead for the first time. They love to sing and dance, and I know it meant the world to them that I was there! The students are starting to march almost every morning to prepare for their Independence Day on the 6th. Random meetings, mass, offerings, and marching always throw a curve ball in the schedule…so I am learning to be flexible. I think that is about all for now. I may just send out one more blog before I come back as I am trying to soak up every hour I have left in Ghana! And if you want to get a hold of me, email me, do not facebook me.

Swimming, Sunsets, and Smiles

Well, Ive ben here for over 3 weeks and our time here in Ghana is almost half way over. I have really grown to love it here! This past week I spent many afternons running through the Lagoon and swimming in the ocean. I have done alot more teaching this week with teaching English to both 6th grade classes, and Math to mine. I am learning that I have to talk slow and explain every little step. Most of their teaching is just copying the notes, they dont have very much critical thinking and common sense. On Friday I for a few names from Cynthia of the students that were struggling the most with reading and she gave me 11. I started having them read some very simple books for K-1st grade level, and they were all challenged by those books..yikes! I am tying to teach 16 year olds how to read...who in the states are trying to learn how to drive.... I did not realize that some of my students were that poor of readers. There is no point in them weven trying to read their 6th grade basal reader text. Im think I am going to stick to just teaching Math and English and then work with students on reading, every spare moment in the day! I want these girls to learn how to read in the next month! After school on Friday, about 15 of my girls followed me back to the Lodge and then went to the beach with me, Ronella, and 20+ of her boys. It was very chaotic ywet fun at the same time. We had some really good bonding moments. It was difficult for me to meet their hunger/thirst needs.... Betwen Friday night and Saturday morning I got a little sick..i think it was maybe something I ate. So I stayed back at the Lodge instead of going shopping in Accra with the rest of my group. If I was going to get sick, I guess it was a good weekend. And I am already feeling much better.