Wow! Yesterday amazing new experiences and a few confronting ones at the same time. My other volunteer living with me (Josie) came to the Orphanage and my friend Louise. We walked around the markets for about 2 half hours, was great to get to know the place. One situation a lady got pushed who was carrying 6 steel bowls of all different sizes on her head onto the road and the taxi hit her, people came to her assistance and we helped pick up the bowls for her but the astonishing thing is the taxi man just drove off i was so angry. The lady was so shaken up and couldn't walk properly. It was terrible. Its quite different here you need to walk on the road because there is no- where else for you to walk, but you have to walk on the left hand side towards the cars safest way. Bit scary though because some of them drive really fast but most of them are okay.
The Orphanage was so much fun today playing with all the kids got the best photos of them all playing and getting cuddles. Me and Louise have started painting the wall we have two coats of ocean blue. We are going to start painting the atlas of the world so excited to do that for the kids. Then they can see all the different continents in the world and where they live. It was horrible though because the man Mr J came back to the Orphanage drunk and yelling at the children, i am going to tell the Owner of the Orphanage next month about it. I am still finding it really hard, mostly seeing the kids on the street you feel powerless. I made a mistake today me and my friend Louise were walking to the Orphanage and these two boys (Gorgeous) age 6 and 3 were looking like they were lost we went to talk to the children. But cause i cant speak Fanti i couldn't ask them anything. So we asked this lovely gentlemen to interpret for us and asked where there mum was or where they lived, they said there mum had to go to the farm and they stayed back. It ended up working out me and Louise walked and another man walked them back to where they lived and there grandma was there. They just were so shy and timid, i know i am going to come across this situation a lot its just hard not to intervene. The good news is the other guy Azoari is going to see there mum and see if the children can come to the Orphanage during the day when she is at the farm so they are not wondering around. I am loving this experience but it's definitely hard at times not to get to attached and to try to look past things. Its going to make me grow. It's just somethings are so sad. I do love the people they are so friendly mostly around my little town. I eat really well as well. The house is beautiful. Went out in Accra weekend just gone it was great to catch up with everyone and unwind. We stayed in a hostel which was grand we had a bed each and three showers in the next room and a toilet (bonus) it's funny what you take for granted in your home country wow!!. Seriously you can not find one toilet in the whole town i usually have to hold on till i get to the Orphanage. I wish you could all the see the kids they are so cute and tough as well, i guess they have to be. It's a tough country. New blog soon, sorry still t4rying to put photos up computers are very slow teaches patience haha Talk soon
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Monday 20 June 2011
Monday 20th June
Just finished work at the Orphanage, lucky the taxi didn't break down, Happens a lot. Wow had an amazing weekend went to Kokoma National Park ( Central region ) went an a canopy walk, wow it really did not seem safe but it obviously must have been, on the top of the trees it was amazing. Then I slept in a tree house with two other volunteer's Louise (good friend) and Josianne, it was amazing the noises you hear all night are just magical. Then at 4:30am the tour guide woke us up and we walked in the rainforest for nearly 2 hours, didn't see any animals though. And the ranger with his massive rifle but he didn't shot it thank goodness, i would have been petrified. We also went to Cape Coast which i didn't mind but the middle of town was pretty confronting but we all stayed together, the 12 of us stayed in Cape Coast for the night. Then us three girls and two other guys went to the castle in Cape Coast oh my it was horrible the history of the slaves, we walked into all the slave dungeons it was really depressing and mostly because so many African's don't know about their history. I cant believe slavery went on for almost 300 years. Terrible, it was a bit uncomfortable because we felt the African people were looking at us like how could we. Then we saw another castle in Elmina which was just as horrifying a bit more though. The beach fairly clean there was not as much rubbish on the beach. I have another volunteer staying where I am and in a week her friend will joins us, Yay!! not getting fed as much, my little town is so nice everyone is really friendly, the Obruni thing is getting a bit old but i just smile and keep walking. I just feel bad when they say you should give me money and buy me something.but it's just a different culture
Friday 17 June 2011
Friday 17th June
Yay! got to sleep into 6:30am today that was great. I am the only Obroni here at the moment haha. I am heading to Cape Coast with other volunteers today for 2 nights, it will be fun and great to catch up with the others. My friend Louise has changed Host family and is coming to my town and the orphanage I work at. I have to call my host mum when i arrive she is so lovely. Got a bit lost the other day getting home it was frustrating but my host mum called to see where i was ans she directed the cab. I now know exactly how to get to Orphanage and home I walk from my place to markets then catch a taxi to Aboso which is like 10 min cost 40 pescis (not much) then i do the opposite coming home, easy as now thank goodness. Everyone I have met are so lovely sometimes they joke around and say Obroni give me that you just smile and giggle then they laugh. I'm starting to really adapt wow more and more to the food Mamma Joyce is not feeding me such big meals yay! Yesterday was difficult very frustrating, two of the kids have come down with malaria fevers very high Gifty and Prince. It;s just frustrating cause its so different to what I am used to I kept saying they need to go to Hospital they did end up getting the medicine which is really good. The men at the Orphanage are very tough and strict but there is going to be a lady working there soon. Really loving it over here the children are gorgeous some little babies are scared of me cause they have never seen a white person before SO cute. I want to adopt kids from the orphanage mostly Francis he is so cute it's so sad, but they are very much loved by the workers at the Orphanage :-) Its raining heaps at the moment, its beautiful
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Tuesday 13th June
Wow sorry haven't blogged in a while, have my own personal taxi man Queezie who picks me up every morning for work and picks me up and takes me home. His really nice I am glad to give him my business, wow started at the Orphanage yesterday there are 19 children from the age of 4 - 16 the youngest my little baby boy Francis he is so cute they are all so cute. The orphanage is not in the best condition but extremely better maintained than other ones. They yell a lot at he children and hit them with canes which is a bit hard to get used too. Just found out today that they have a bill for 600 Cedis (like $300) if they don't pay the water will be shut off which would be terrible the drinking water, washing etc. It's only men that work at the Orphange but they really care for the kids just very tough... There are a fair few other volunteers helping teaching at schools during the day then returning in the afternoon to help with home work. I have only stayed at the Orphanage learning to Peel casova with insane knives cut myself a few times takes a bit of practice, ill def have more. I am meant to be meeting up with the other volunteers tomorrow so i am going to go into work later. Queezie will pick me up, it was so good to hear form mum and dad and Hannah. It is so hot here i am sweltering the whole time haha, i have to eat my dinner at home under a fan. Out of chose I'm only eating twice a day because Host mamma Joyce feeds me so well. I still gag a little but def dont let them see, I am waited on by which feels so weird i try to help but they say you sit down, I am so blessed my other friend Louise is having a terrible time gets yelled at by her host mum a laot because she cant eat all the food or doesn;y understand Twi I'm slowly learning Fanti but it is very difficult. I have said to Louise to ask to stay with me, host mamma Joyce and host bro Kobi because i have a double bed and a bunk bed and the next volunteer is moving in Friday but only for a month so I will be the longest stay. I am gradually getting used to things stuff still does distress you though, but im keeping it together really well. Love the kids and everyone I have met is just so sweet and caring. Again I am blessed.Loving it here know the time will go quickly just going to do as much as i can to help fix up the orphanage bring all the kids home especially Francis. Sorry for the long Post Love you all see you all really soon xxxooo
Friday 10 June 2011
Saying goodbye to other volunteer's and Pink Hostel
About five volunteer's left 4:30 this morning, I didn't wake up though bit sad about not being able to say good bye mostly to my friend Paul. The other seven left just before we far-welled them goodbye. They have a 12hour journey up north of Ghana. I am about to leave with another four people at 8:30am only for about 70 km journey to Agona Swedru Central Ghana. Two other volunteer's are staying longer in Accra at Pink Hostel. It's sad to say goodbye its only been four days of the beginning of this adventure. I also need to get used to eating spicy food (starting to adapt to it) im going to go and have breakfast now and then a sad goodbye to pink Hostel which has been home for the last four days, but very eager to get to my host family xxoo.
Don't know when I will be able to post again maybe a couple of days hopefully earlier :-)
Don't know when I will be able to post again maybe a couple of days hopefully earlier :-)
Thursday 9 June 2011
Wednesday
Wow major culture shock today, been waiting for it to come. Went on a city tour of Accra with the other 18 volunteer's and guy from organistation; SYTO. Went to the wholesale markets was so poor it was terrible the conditions that they were living in. Then went to the beach and to the memorial site of where the slaves were sold off in the slave days. There are Ghanian's who still live there because there ancestors were the African slaves, again terrible conditions wouldn't believe until you saw. The children are absolutely gorgeous running up to us yelling out Obraine which means white people. But even though they have so little to nothing they are so happy. And families are always together and children are never left alone. We did African dancing at the hostel it was so much fun they pull you up to dance. We did go to a section where they were protesting about stopping the noise ban, but we left again because it was to unpredictable. Loving it here though they are beautiful people. Sad because all us volunteers go our separate ways tomorrow but i definitely cant wait to get to my village. Thinking of everyone over here tis crazy when im awake you are all asleep, the time difference is phenomenal.
Tuesday 7 June 2011
Went to Accra Beach today to go swimming with the volunteer group. It was nice the water, really sad the living conditions of the little villages near the beach. Went to this place where they make custom caskets eg Beer shaped with the beer logo on it, a nike shoe, flour and all the different caskets have different meanings for the person buried in them. It was crazy something you would never imagine. Had a lot of fun with the other volunteers tonight at the hostel early start again tomorrow, haven't been able to upload any photos yet but will try
Monday 6 June 2011
Orientation Day
Wow today was amazing orientation started at 7am finished at 4pm, had Indian for lunch with rest of volunteers still full. There are 17 of us more people arrived last night, I am the only Aussie the rest are from, Germany Holland, Ireland and one guy from Netherlands. Amazing hearing all different languages mostly they talk English. Have had an amazing time already, Cant wait to get to my Project in Agona Swedru central part of Ghana. Ghanaian People are so nice always want to help you. The Word Oburaine means white people. Early start again tomorrow :-) The kids here are so cute, Feeling really safe and comfortable just really really hot.
Saturday 4 June 2011
Wednesday 1 June 2011
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