So, I am on the internet for only the second time since I have been here. I thought that I would have internet access where I am but it ended up that I don't! I wanted to do a day by day update but that obviously is not going to happen just yet! Maybe when I get home I will put up important things that happened each day but for now I will just give an overview of a usual day and such!
I wake up around 6:15 every morning, shower, then eat breakfast. The showers are outside, I have running water which is better than I thought it would be! They are like metal sheets that seperate two showers; the doors don't really shut the whole way so I have to put my towel up. After breakfast, I go to my classroom and teach. Me teaching. Funny right? I teach English to class four, the kids are about 11 ish years old. Give or take. At first it was definitely intimidating and they didn't listen to me. Apparently they don't usually listen to the white people so I told them just because I am white doesn't mean that I am stupid. They thought it was funny but it is true! They cane the kids at school which at first was unnerving, now it is just something that happens. It is so funny because you can't even look at a kid the wrong way in the US without getting in trouble, and here kids hit each other and get caned by their teacher. I only stay in the classroom until lunch time, and after lunch I clean my room, wash my clothes, or just enjoy a couple minutes of somewhat quiet time. My first hand-washing clothes experience did not go so well... I had to wash them again. Some of the kids thought it was really funny and the all said "Here in Ghana we don't use washing machines, we use our hands. Maybe you can teach people that when you get home." School goes until eh, 3:30 ish. And then the kids are just everywhere. The other volunteers that are with me usually are all together and so we really just try and keep order! I get to play with the kids a lot, but my favorite time comes after dinner. 7:30 is prep time. I am the only volunteer that goes and helps the kids with their homework and I love it!
The way the kids learn isn't like in the US- they don't think for themselves. If you asked them why 1/10=10% they couldn't tell you why. They just memorize. One of the strangest things is how the kids use the bathroom during the day. They just go in the yard. It was gross at first but now it is just how things work.
The town that I live in, Ofaakor, is a great place. There are a bunch of sellers and a tro-tro station right by the school. A lady has a fruit stand and I get pineapple from her like, every night. So good.
Bathrooms. Okay so this was a sore spot for me at first. It is a toilet, but over a hole in the ground. So there are SO many bugs (spiders- huge ones, flies, ants) and geckos. It used to take me like two minutes just to walk into the bathroom but now I don't even look. I am getting used to it!
There have been some extremley frustrating times but I love it. The kids are great, it is so sad to think that their parents don't get to enjoy them.
More will be coming as soon as I can but that is an update!!!
OH and I can see Royal Seed, the orphanage where the Rummel's adopted son is!!! I plan to see him a couple more times before I leave! He is literally a two minute walk away from me. So stinking cool. Love you all, I miss you!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Blogging, Blogging, Blogging!
So I must apologize for being pretty horrible about posting in my blog! Between my two jobs, packing, completing my nursing requirements for next year, and studying for finals, I've had little time to sit down and write something! I don't have all that much time-6 minutes actually- but I want to let everyone know that I found out my placement today!!! I woke up with an email with that information and I am so excited! Sadly enough, my computer skills cannot find a way to copy-and-paste the letter yet; so I will try when I get home! On Facebook IVHQ Ghana has a page-https://www.facebook.com/#!/IVHQ.Ghana
Click on their photos and view the Red Program page-That's where I will be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woo!!
Oh and by the way. I leave in 4 days, 5 hours, 52 minutes and 20 seconds.
Much Love!
Click on their photos and view the Red Program page-That's where I will be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woo!!
Oh and by the way. I leave in 4 days, 5 hours, 52 minutes and 20 seconds.
Much Love!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Quick Update
I should be studying my Geography of the Non-Western World notes right now and reviewing Russia and the caucus region, along with east and western Asia... but I had a lot happen over the past couple of days! Last Thursday I officially booked my flight and then this Sunday I paid my program fee, which covers food, housing, and a bunch of other things for my stay in Ghana! I am so excited, my bank account is down over $2,000... but it is all done! I will be sending away my visa application this Thursday, after I get my yellow fever shot! Everything is coming along very well!
23 days till I leave!!!!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Commonplace
It appears that I get the most work done at this time during the week. I spend about three hours at the Commonplace every Tuesday morning/early afternoon and I get so much work done! I think it is just because I can focus without distractions. Well today I checked my fundraising campaign web site and I saw that I had a donation from an individual that I did not know. Not being the most emotionally individual, I was surprised when I found myself starting to tear up! I can't believe that someone who doesn't know me would support me in this, it meant so much to me! There is so much going on and I can wonder if I will raise the funds I need to; this reminded me of why I am going and that God has a plan for me in Ghana. I am SO thankful for everyone's supprt, I know I saw that a lot but I don't think I can say it enough! Today be reminded how God loves you and takes care of our every need- super small, medium, and huge issues! Every single one is important to Him- isn't that so awesome to think about? Oh my gosh, so I just read my daily Bible verse that is on my phone (an app) and today's verse is
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart..." This is found in Psalm 37:4, it continues on to say
"Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of yoru load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. 6 And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday. 7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him..."
With that, have a great day everyone! God bless!
"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart..." This is found in Psalm 37:4, it continues on to say
"Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of yoru load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass. 6 And He will make your uprightness and right standing with God go forth as the light, and your justice and right as [the shining sun of] the noonday. 7 Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him..."
With that, have a great day everyone! God bless!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Fundraiser
As some of you may have seen in your inbox, I created a web site to help me raise the funds necessary. This is a cool way to reach a lot of people and it also makes it convenient- you can use a Debit/Credit Card or a PayPal account! The web is the best way to reach people now-a-days! The web site is http://www.indiegogo.com/liztoafrica?c=home&a=524618
Your generous support and prayers are very much appreciated!
Your generous support and prayers are very much appreciated!
33 Days
This past week was so busy! Sorry for my lack of posts! This upcoming week is HUGE for me, I will be applying for my visa which requires me to have my Yellow Fever Vaccination as well as flights booked! Needless to say I will be busy! This morning I gave a very quick announcement in church concerning my trip which was cool. I am glad that I am able to share this experience with the people who are important in my life. The support of you all is invaluable. I am leaving either May 12 or 13, making the official countdown 33 days.... unreal! I will be sure to post updates more frequently to keep this on your mind! Thank you!
Have a wonderful Easter Sunday and remember what Jesus did for us on this day!
Have a wonderful Easter Sunday and remember what Jesus did for us on this day!
Monday, March 26, 2012
New
All right-So I was having some difficulty with my previous account so I had to make a new one! Sorry for any confusion, I just did not want to wait and keep anyone out of the loop if any new updates came! As of right now things are still the same, slowly but surely making progress! In between my full credit load and two jobs I haven't found much time to post but hopefully things will be moving a bit more quickly now and there will be more updates to come! I have found that flights are becoming more and more expensive as the time comes close so I will be sending out fundraising in the very near future once I have the go-ahead! Keep on the look-out! I believe it will be easier to hand out the information instead of finding everyone's address, so if you would like some information about how to support me pleae let me know and I will be sure to get you the necessary information!
Pictures
Ghana's Flag
Ghana's location in
Africa
These are some
pictures from IVHQ's orphanages in Ghana! Just a taste of what I will soon
see.
(I do not own these pictures!)
Quck and Exact-
A very short update-- After finding a cheaper flight I have a new goal total
which equals $2,716! It is quite exact, I know, and I am happy to say that I am
7.4% closer to my goal than I was two weeks ago! I am big on being very
precise so I wanted my supporters to be aware of my new and lowered price point!
Thank you all for keeping up to date with my progress!
Getting Excited!
Hello Readers!
I have not posted any updates because, well, there haven't been any! Today, Friday March 2nd, 2012 I met with a couple of people to discuss my travel plans and to hear their thoughts and concerns. It went very well and I am so thankful that I have their support and prayers! The time is quickly approaching and I couldn't be more excited! As a countdown until the day I leave, there are 71 days left! My departure date is May 13th, which is the day after finals. The weeks in May are going to fly by!
After a decision to wait until after my meeting today, I am letting you all know that there will be a more public announcement made in about two weeks concerning fundraising. Until then feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have or if you wish to help beforehand! I am so grateful for the support that I have already received, not just monetarily (which I am SO blessed) but also prayers. I will need them every step of the way, whether it is planning, travel, in country, and leaving!
I have made contact with my advisor that will be assisting me in my planning as well as in-country support, and just today I replied asking questions such as what clothes to bring! Today I also contacted volunteers who have recently just returned from volunteering in the orphanage program through IVHQ and I have not heard back from them yet, (as it has only been an hour ago) but when I do I will be sure to pass on any interesting information they give me. IVHQ Ghana has a Facebook page-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=557006711&sk=friends#!/pages/IVHQ-Ghana/259259484101122 and if you 'Like' it then you can see pictures posted! I let the American Embassy in Ghana know what dates I will be in country in case of an accident or if I needed help, which is a step of precaution advised.
So today has been very productive, I'm thankful for the continued strong support I am receiving! Stay tunned for more information to come!
I have not posted any updates because, well, there haven't been any! Today, Friday March 2nd, 2012 I met with a couple of people to discuss my travel plans and to hear their thoughts and concerns. It went very well and I am so thankful that I have their support and prayers! The time is quickly approaching and I couldn't be more excited! As a countdown until the day I leave, there are 71 days left! My departure date is May 13th, which is the day after finals. The weeks in May are going to fly by!
After a decision to wait until after my meeting today, I am letting you all know that there will be a more public announcement made in about two weeks concerning fundraising. Until then feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have or if you wish to help beforehand! I am so grateful for the support that I have already received, not just monetarily (which I am SO blessed) but also prayers. I will need them every step of the way, whether it is planning, travel, in country, and leaving!
I have made contact with my advisor that will be assisting me in my planning as well as in-country support, and just today I replied asking questions such as what clothes to bring! Today I also contacted volunteers who have recently just returned from volunteering in the orphanage program through IVHQ and I have not heard back from them yet, (as it has only been an hour ago) but when I do I will be sure to pass on any interesting information they give me. IVHQ Ghana has a Facebook page-- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=557006711&sk=friends#!/pages/IVHQ-Ghana/259259484101122 and if you 'Like' it then you can see pictures posted! I let the American Embassy in Ghana know what dates I will be in country in case of an accident or if I needed help, which is a step of precaution advised.
So today has been very productive, I'm thankful for the continued strong support I am receiving! Stay tunned for more information to come!
Reserved!
Approximately three minutes ago I paid my $231 registration fee to officially
reserve my spot for this summer's volunteer trip to Ghana! I am beyond
excited! The people at Internation Volunteer HQ are now in the process of
matching my payment to my acceptance letter and I will be receiving an email
with quite a substantial amount of information as well as an attachment that is
a whopping 55 page detail filled packet. Upon receiving those I will give some
more information that I think people may want to see!
As for the family side of this...! My mother, who so wants me to be careful, was concerned last night that I did not know about all of the vaccines I needed to safely stay there-- needless to say that was one of my many findings when researching this trip! My parents are supporting me as this is something they know has been on my heart for quite some time now, actually since I was younger. After coming home from work yesterday night my brothers made fun of me, as brothers do, but I know that they understand. I have to say that while I do not mind being away from home, I will miss my family and animals! My dog Jim, fish Bill, and many kitties are always great to see when I come back from any trip. It sounds silly but if anyone knows me, they know I love my animals!
Here are some facts about Ghana that I found interesting-
As for the family side of this...! My mother, who so wants me to be careful, was concerned last night that I did not know about all of the vaccines I needed to safely stay there-- needless to say that was one of my many findings when researching this trip! My parents are supporting me as this is something they know has been on my heart for quite some time now, actually since I was younger. After coming home from work yesterday night my brothers made fun of me, as brothers do, but I know that they understand. I have to say that while I do not mind being away from home, I will miss my family and animals! My dog Jim, fish Bill, and many kitties are always great to see when I come back from any trip. It sounds silly but if anyone knows me, they know I love my animals!
Here are some facts about Ghana that I found interesting-
- It is similar in size to Great Britain, or Oregon!
- Population is 20 million (10% of that live in or around the capital city of Accra!)
- There are over 70 languages or dialects spoken
- 2/3 of the population are Christian! Wow!
- It gained its independence in 1957 from the British
- Is said to be the friendliest nation in Africa
What is this for?
Hello Everyone!
Thank you for checking out my blog! This is the place where I will be updating everyone on my pre-Africa news. I am fundraising $3,000 to volunteer in Ghana for four weeks beginning on May 15th, 2012. I am going through an organization International Volunteering HQ-- http://www.volunteerhq.org/ (check the web site out!) This program is extremley affordable, over half of the cost is the flight alone! The program fee and registration fee is only $770, which covers food, accomodations, in-country support, and a great many of other things! Other fees which need covered are the flight, travel insurance, a visa, transfer back to the airport, and vaccines.
I will be working at an orphanage in Ghana. "Orphans everywhere need care and volunteers will be placed in either rural or urban environment where they will teach, love and care for these less fortunate children. Volunteers will design and execute effective teaching programs, activities and events to inspire and develop the kid’s talent and abilities through human interaction and care." I want to show these children that God loves them!
So I need everyone's help! I need the donations of all of my wonderful family and friends, the total $3,000 needs to be paid by April 15th, 2012! It is a month and a half away (just about!) and it is quite an undertaking-- but I know that God has put this on my heart. No matter what I know that God will provide for me because he put this idea on my heart! I will be posting with updates so please continue to check this out!
Thank you for checking out my blog! This is the place where I will be updating everyone on my pre-Africa news. I am fundraising $3,000 to volunteer in Ghana for four weeks beginning on May 15th, 2012. I am going through an organization International Volunteering HQ-- http://www.volunteerhq.org/ (check the web site out!) This program is extremley affordable, over half of the cost is the flight alone! The program fee and registration fee is only $770, which covers food, accomodations, in-country support, and a great many of other things! Other fees which need covered are the flight, travel insurance, a visa, transfer back to the airport, and vaccines.
I will be working at an orphanage in Ghana. "Orphans everywhere need care and volunteers will be placed in either rural or urban environment where they will teach, love and care for these less fortunate children. Volunteers will design and execute effective teaching programs, activities and events to inspire and develop the kid’s talent and abilities through human interaction and care." I want to show these children that God loves them!
So I need everyone's help! I need the donations of all of my wonderful family and friends, the total $3,000 needs to be paid by April 15th, 2012! It is a month and a half away (just about!) and it is quite an undertaking-- but I know that God has put this on my heart. No matter what I know that God will provide for me because he put this idea on my heart! I will be posting with updates so please continue to check this out!
Donations can be made by
contacting me!
Thank you for your
support!
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