Projects Abroad Ghana!

Most days we would wake up at about 7:00 am, although most of us were up before that because of the chickens. We would have breakfast and head off to work at the Jr. High where we were painting and plastering. Often, we would get to talk to the students there and they were able to teach us some Chi and just talk and tell us about their lives. This was really cool and gave all of us a true look into their culture. Then in the afternoon we headed home for lunch in our village where we would play with the kids there on their break. Then we headed off to the Daycare or Orphanage. It was great to be able to play with all of the kids and help them with their english. One of the coolest things was in our village, we got to watch the kids do their play and one night we walked with them to get our bathing water. It was incredible to see these tiny boys and girls carrying extremely heavy buckets on their heads, we even got to try in and it was not easy! We really had no difficulties. No one got sick due to the food, I actually really really miss it, and wish we had it here! I feel like this trip was worth it, I worked for three years to be able to afford it. Those two weeks were worth every single penny I earned. I felt like I got to experience the culture, and live life. Everyone in Ghana was so friendly and the host family was amazing, I brought everything I needed, and I felt safe all the time. Normally I feel nervous in new settings, even hotels. The first night we were there, I didn't even think about the fact that I was staying in a unknown country, with people I didn't know, and in a room that didn't lock. I was completely at ease. The thing that I found amazing was the fact that I slipped into the situation so easily. I didn't feel out of place at once, not even on the first day! I loved this trip. I grew so much, I feel more mature, and I feel like I have a better understanding of the world around me. I'm no longer as naive about things as I was before. I have more pacients, and I feel like I'm more willing to work hard without complaint. There is so much more I could write about, I could probably write a novel! I will say, the most difficult thing for me was watching the kids not eat sometimes. One night a little girl was telling me about how she was so excited to get dinner, she went home and about five minutes later came back crying saying that her mother could not feed her. And I couldn't do a thing about it. The next night we had chicken, (often the kids would ask for our plates to clean them) when a little girl came to me asking for my plate I handed it to her, she ripped the ketchup and chicken bone off of the plate and ran in the corner and started eating the bone. This was an extreme wake-up call for me, even if the kids are happy all the time, they still have hard lives. I want to help change that. I don't like the fact that I have all the food I want, and they sometimes don't have any. That was my only issue with the trip, and it had nothing to do with the organization. Only the poverty. Overall I had an incredible time, if I could go back this second, I would.
Thanks!