Shan In Ghana: The things you learn in Ghana

These past couple of days have been very interesting, but I have loved it!
Thursday was our last day at Gray Memorial School and playing with the kids. We had a field day for a couple of hours, and the kids had a blast. There were about 300-400 students that we played games with. We did three legged races, jump rope, balloon toss, ultimate frisbee, parachute, and of course their favorite Football (which is actually Soccer in the U.S.).
My station was the parachute and beach ball. The parachute lasted for about 45 minutes and then the kids just wanted to play with the beach balls. It's interesting to see that a simple beach ball could entertain them for hours! I had about 5 beach balls and within seconds of blowing them up, they were all gone out in the field being kicked around and thrown up in the air! It was fun to see how much fun they could have with a simple beach ball!
After playing at Gray Memorial School, we went back to our hostel and finally had some free time to relax. It felt wonderful! lol We made some glitter toe girl talk time! haha

Today we woke up early and got ready to head over to the Ga tribe! This is a school for both boys and girls. We had already taught the girls about anemia, and today we went back to teach our AIDS program. Our first group we taught was a men's group who were not very well educated. They are at this school to learn how to fix phones and computers so they can learn new skills to get a job.

One of our AIDS lessons is on women and how women have rights and she be respected. Janessa and Brayden in our group teach this lesson and asked the mens group this question, "Would you respect my opinion or Brayden's opinion more if we both had an opinion on something. Be honest, we want to know what you guys think."
One guy stood up plainly and clearly said, "I would respect his opinion more because he is a man!"
It kind of shocked us all! It's so hard to hear a man say it the way he said it... to not respect women or their opinions because they are women not men!

After teaching the men's group, we walked over to the women's group. They were so excited to see us! We finished our AIDS program and research with them. I also handed the last of my flower hair clips. I thought it would be fun to give to them because they were going to school to learn how to do hair. They went nuts over them! I love the girl's comments today and I loved how they listened and seemed so eager to learn what we had to say.

HIV/AIDS is scary scary virus! And I think it is so important that each man, women, boy, and girl know what it is, how the virus works, what it does to your immune system, how it can affect your family, how you can get it, and most importantly how you can protect yourself from the virus! AIDS is a slow and aweful virus that will ruin the rest of your life, and possibly generations after you! If at all we could teach these men and women how to protect themselves, and how to educate their friends and family about the disease, I would be happy to know they can save their own life and generations to come after them! I feel like I know the disease HIV/AIDS inside and out! Ask me any question! haha

After teaching all day with the Ga tribe, we came back home and had us some great dinner that I thought I might vomit back up. My body is really starting to have a rough time with all the carbohydrates we eat. I thought I would lose 10 pounds on this trip, but I'm pretty sure I have gained 10 pounds because our diet is so unhealthy... fries, rice, noodles, chicken, fries, rice, bread, fries, rice, bread, boiled egg, fries, rice, bread! Bahahahaha! I cannot wait to eat a spinach salad! In fact, today we also had class and we talked about patterns that affect child and maternal mortality rates. We talked about how it's important to make sure you eat breakfast and eat all day. The worst diet you can have is skip breakfast, don't eat all day, and then eat a big meal for dinner. When Lynley said this we all kind of laughed and Lacey said, "Um.. Sounds like our diet here in Africa!" It was hilarious! Here we are all health majors and we have the worst diet in a third world country! Love it!

These past couple of days I have watched the environment I am in, the people I'm with, and the people around me. I have realized a lot about myself! Everyone is different and everyone has their own problems! Gifty may have struggles with making enough food to help feed her family, Ezekial may be struggling to support his family giving them food, clean water, and shelter. Everyone has their own problems.
Tonight I talked with one of girls in my group here. I'm not much of a talker but more of a listener. She talked for probably about an hour to me about her life and some struggles and frustrating things she was facing with. Before she told me all this, I knew who she was and what some of her frustrations or struggles were, but I never fully understood her or why she did some of things she did or said until I fully completely listened to her and understood her situation tonight! Even though I had the worst headache and felt like I wanted to throw up, I learned a lot from this girl in my group tonight!
It's so important that we don't judge people by how they look, or what they do. Until you are in their shoes and fully understand their situation, no one can judge or tell that person what to do! I feel like it is so important to love and support friends and family with the decisions they make! They know what's for themselves in their given situation and you just have to love them and give them the support they need to get through those struggles or frustrating moments they are going through!

After class yesterday, Lynley smiled and gave us some advice. She said, "I am so thankful you are here! You all have really done amazing things here and you all are amazing! The people here in Africa have a very low opportunity of getting an education and moving out of poverty. Most of the kids here have no chance. You are here from school. You are getting an education and have so many opportunities opened to you. Take them all! Nothing is impossible! I believe if you put your mind to something, you can do anything! You can achieve anything! Keep going and take all the opportunites you can get, and achieve whatever you put your mind too!"
I felt like this was a booster talk... straight to me! I have grown a love for Lynley! She is an amazing women! It is going to be hard to go back to school in the fall and be one of her students, and see her as a professor. I see her as a great friend! She always asks how we are feeling and wants to know details if we are sick... which mean we need to tell her if we have diarreah. Needless to say, Lynley and our group have grown close and have a special bond I guess you could say lol. After dinner tonight, I walked up to our room and Lynley was doing some of the girl's make up in our group. I feel like we are all family here and I love it!
One last thing I wanted to share. Lynley gave us a quote that she used all the time to get her through graduate school. It says:
"You are the only person who can change the life you have created!"

I love this quote! Being here in Ghana, I have learned so much about myself and how lucky and blessed I am in my life! I am the one who has created the life I have and I am the only one who can change my life If I choose too. I love my life and the way I have created it! I don't regret anything and I am grateful for the good and rough times I have and am going through! They only give me new experience and make me stronger! I know what I want out of life and I will achieve what I put my mind too! The only person that makes this possbile for me to get through this crazy, but wonderful life is my Heavely Father and my savior Jesus Christ!

Thursday July 28, 2011