Bamboo - Ghana Volunteer Program

Its very expensive and there are definitely ways of going and volunteering that are much cheaper. However this program works out all the details for you and makes it much less confusing. It can be extremely hard planning out a trip blindly. All in all it was a great experience, but that being said it wasn't really GVNs experience per se. It was mostly the partner organizations experience. But it would not have been possible without the medium of GVN. But the cost seemed a little high for what was offered. If you have the funds, go for it. But remember there are cheaper, but scarier and ruggeder, options.

My time in Bawjiase, Ghana, was great. I learned that I don't really need many things I just take for granted back home... so I think it would be a good experience for everybody.

We mostly woke up very early in the morning, then went for a little walk to fetch water from a well, so we all could take our bucket showers (that was a really important point, because you're sweating the whole day). Then, after breakfast, you can't wait to walk up to the orphanage and play with the kids or help them in school. They appreciate it so much that you're playing with them... and you will fall in love with every single boy and girl, just because they love you (and they are really cute).
Then, during the hottest time of the they we tried to have a little siesta back in our house, which was really relaxing, if the power didn't go out (no power...no fan).
Then we went back to the orphanage another time, just for 2-3 hours.
We all were very tired, so most of us went to bed very early :-)

The people you will meet there are so friendly, and alltough they are poor (from our point of view) they seem always happy... And very helpful (if you don't manage to carry a huge bucket of water on your head... african style). They just take more time to do their things than we do, so the response to most of my questions was: "Maybe tomorrow". Keep in mind, this is just Africa

You just need to know that you'll be dirty all the time, even after a shower you won't be really clean (especially not on your feet), but you'll get used to that circumstance very quickly.
... But you can have as much dirt on you as you want, the people in the village will still yell obroni (that means white person) at you. Every time they see you. Really, every time :-)

The only thing you really need, apart from a visa and a yellow fever shot, is an open heart, and you'll enjoy the time in Ghana as much as I did!!

The ultimate goal for my encounter was to engage life with people. Spending 6 weeks in PramPram which was a small coastal village, gave me a chance to reaffirm what was most important in living-- the ability to touch lives and be transformed in the process. I would say that teaching was rewarding in itself, helping foster kids special connection with the written word. But the smiles at the end of a day, the enthusiasm when I encountered them in the street; the friendships forged with fellow faculty and the headmaster were treasured gifts. What did I accomplish? More than raising funds to build toilets, more than stories gleaned and written-- I found something missing in my life that was lost thru the routine of daily living. The 3rd world is a misnomer-- there is happiness and pride found in fishing, daily task and sharing the stories of who we are.... I would go back in a heartbeat!