GHANA vs. USA!

My Apologies
It seems like it has been ages since my last blog entry.. I’ve used the internet many times, but I just didn’t have enough time to write out my thoughts for the blog :/
Thus, my apologies.. My apologies to all of you who keep up with my blog (i.e. MOM! ;)).. I will my best to post at least once a month! Enjoy
So, one reason I wasn’t able to keep up was the fact that I was on VACATION! Woot woot! 4 weeks of freedom.. Or I had thought.. In fact I was ridiculously busy the whole time! And still am! :/

Easter
The school vacation coincided with the Easter holidays.. And during Easter, Tsiame is a BUSY place.. It is a time for “home-coming”.. Welcoming all those Tsiame people who have moved to the city to come back “home” (for what they consider the most holy time of the year)
Let me give you an idea of how busy it gets:
1. An out-door DANCE CLUB! Yup, a dance club opens up during those few days.. Loud music, alky, dancing, disco lighting! It’s ridiculous.. I went one of the nights to check it out.. It was hopping
Half my students were there, so I didn’t really dance or anything.. Though I really wanted to :).. I’m in love with Hip-life music! (as it is called here).. If anyone is interested, let me know :)
But just imagine a out-door dance club in this usually quiet little town of a few thousand in the middle of nowhere.. Ah enjoy, I guess everyone just loves to dance! :)
2. Easter is also time for the annual DURBAR for the communities in this area.. A durbar (for those that don’t know – I didn’t know until Easter!) is a meeting of the community to discuss the development of the community.. All the chiefs and opinion leaders of the community are present.. This year’s durbar in Tsiame focused on Education.. The board of the senior high school was raising money to buy type-writers for the school.. I don’t exactly know why they wanted type-writers and not computers, but they collected over GHC 3000! Boyeyey!
NOTE: I don’t remember if I have explained this in any earlier blog, but Ghana (and I assume the rest of sub-Saharan Africa) has a very intricate governing system.. Power is held with the federal government of Ghana (democratically elected).. But it is shared on the local level with the tribal Chiefs -- traditional leaders at the rural community level.. Each community will have a main Chief and many Sub-chiefs.. And even a Queen Mother! And the durbar is one of the main events held by the community and its leaders for their own development :)

Nomadism
For most of the break, I was traveling for a variety of reasons:

1. GES Teacher Training Workshop
Two teachers in the all the Core subjects (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) from all senior high schools in Ghana were asked to come to a week long workshop.. The whole project was funded by Agricultural Development Bank (or something like that).. The purpose was to train Ghanaian teachers to be better teachers in their respective fields.. But being one of two science teachers in my school (by the way, we are both volunteers!.. The other one being a Ghanaian national service volunteer), I went along not knowing what to expect.. It turned out to be an awesome experience.. I got to meet the science teachers from the surrounding schools.. Some of the highlights included:
- Getting taught about ‘biotechnology’.. It’s a new topic added to the senior high school syllabus (so they were catching up the science teachers on the topic).. It was interesting to see the topic being taught without even the teacher himself never having been exposed to the biotechnology industry.. But he called on me to clear up some ideas.. I was happy to talk about my favorite biology topic :)
- Getting into a discussion (alright fine, argument) about the role of “God” in a biology classroom.. Especially in treating the topic of Evolution.. Growing up in a very religious (yet peaceful) country, people here do not really separate Church and State (e.g. Wednesday mornings are “Worship” time at my school).. All in all it was a good discussion/argument.. No feelings were hurt :)

2. All-Volunteer Conference: At the end of April, we had a week-long union of all the Peace Corps volunteers in Ghana.. I don't remember too many of the details, but it was a blast to meet volunteers from all the different parts of Ghana (I am all the way in the south-east corner, so it highly unlikely for me to casually meet up with people from the northern regions.. Enjoy).. I do remember that the event was sponsored by PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan Fund for AIDS Relief).. Thus, we had an exhausting dose of how to incorporate HIV/AIDS activities into our service here

3. STARS! = Students Taking Action Reaching for Success!
I talked about this on the last blog.. It was absolutely wonderful! Thank you for all of those that contributed thru the website!
Let me give you a quick overview:
I took 2 very bright students from my school.. One boy (Bright) and one girl (Elizabeth), both in their second year of SHS.. The conference was held in Kumasi (a bit far from my site), but we stopped in Accra for a day.. I took the kids to the National Theatre there.. There was some women’s day event going on there.. And they were testing people for malaria and HIV/AIDS.. All of us got tested for malaria.. And one of the students was brave enough to test of HIV/AIDS.. From there we headed to the University of Ghana, Legon campus.. And finally to the Accra Mall.. Now this may seem small to you, but it these kids never had seen a university campus before.. And this is the only major Mall in Ghana (I wish I could have taken them to see a movie :/.. Next time :))
The conference itself started Monday (May 31st) and continued till Friday (June 5th).. There was a different focus each day of the conference.. For example, one day was dedicated to on how to be a good leader.. Another focused on HIV/AIDS.. Then there was Tertiary Education day.. Guest speakers from various backgrounds were chosen to inspire the students to pursue higher education and become a leader in their community.. In addition, there were night activities, such as a talent show and a dance party, which really let the kids get loose and enjoy themselves.. The conference surpassed all my expectations.. This was probably the first time for most of the students might have a chance to leave their region and see another part of Ghana.. The first time to see a university campus.. The first time to interact with students from across the country.. I had a great time watching the students have fun (and learn)
The week after the conference.. The students presented what they learned during the conference to their fellow pupils in the assembly hall.. It was amazing! Elizabeth, usually very quiet and timid, was able to go up in front of the whole student body and give a presentation on leadership (I like to think the conference gave her that confidence).. Moreover, the 2 students even did a whole little HIV/AIDS spiel.. And a condom demo! In front of the whole student body! And teachers! Obviously, the auditorium went into an uproar during the demo.. But it was absolutely heart-warming to see the students take what they learned in the conference and apply it in their lives
Again, thank you to all the people who were able to donate! :)

4. Training Redux
Lastly, I applied.. And was chosen (somehow).. To be a trainer for the incoming group of trainees this year to Ghana (I'm at the training site as I write this :))
I'm getting to re-experience the training I had during my first 3 months.. Except from the side of the training staff team.. My goodness, it is hard to coordinate things here in Ghana.. Ridiculous.. Enjoy though.. Patience :)
The new trainees have arrived and are basically going through the same experiences (e.g. the starchy food, the constant attention, the Homestay families) as my training group had.. The trainee group is 70+ youthful, energetic Americans ready to take on the challenges of Peace Corps life in Ghana.. I love their positivity!
Observing the new group of trainees has highlighted for me the 'new normalcy' (as our Country Director calls it).. I hardly find the little things of Ghana strange now.. The attention, the goats and chickens, the bare taxis, the go-when-the-car-fills public transport system, the goats and chickens on top of tros.. Its all just life now
Only enjoy in life
The new group has also reinforced my view that Peace Corps is primarily a personal journey.. Sure the infrastructure for the Peace Corps is provided by the US government (aka the US taxpayers.. Thanks guys ;)).. But as this new group, my group was just one of many that have come to Ghana since 1961.. There have been thousands of volunteers that have completed their service in Ghana (NOTE: Ghana was the first country in which Peace Corps volunteers started.. And guess what, they were all Education volunteers :)).. Not to say, Peace Corps volunteers aren't making any difference, rather all difference/experience happens at the grass-roots level at your individual site.. And I love the fact that even though I am one of thousands of volunteers, the core of my Peace Corps experience is completely unique to me :)
Moving on.. Just a few days ago, I found out I am going to have some new neighbors at site! It won't just be Derek and I in Southern Volta.. 3 of the new trainees will be coming to the surrounding areas.. The closest is going to be science teacher going to the senior high school in my taxi town (Abor)!
In addition, the 3 weeks I'm spending at the training site is allowing me to re-connect with my Homestay family.. I had missed them.. And their food.. So much :)
Home Sweet Home
I can not wait to get back to Tsiame after all this traveling! I miss my school.. my students.. my Site Mom.. my house.. my neighbors.. my Peace Corps life :)

2010 FIFA WORLD CUP - SOUTH AFIRCA
Coming to the most important segment of the blog ;).. World Cup fever has infected Ghana.. I hope all of you in the US are following the games.. The country comes to a halt during all the Ghana games as everyone finds a TV to watch their beloved BLACKSTARS take the field
The World Cup started June 11th.. In South Africa.. And the first round (group stage) is about to come to a close
Yesterday, both Ghana and the US qualified to go to the round of 16.. And guess what?! GHANA faces the US (1 game elimination!).. The game commences at 6:30 pm this Saturday(Ghana Time)! (I'm rooting for Ghana :).. ‘When in Rome..’)
Sadly, Ghana seems like it is going to be the only African team to make it to the second round.. This is especially disappointing as this is the first World Cup on African soil :(.. But on the positive side, the Blackstars now have the support of the whole continent :)
I leave you with a link to the official World Cup song to get you into the spirit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRRXXWLviI0&feature=related

NOTE:
For those of you following.. You now know some highlights of my life in Ghana, if you could send me updates of your life.. That would be wonderful, just so I don't lose all contact :)
As always.. Only enjoy in life