warm & fuzzy

Fred said the most lovely thing the other day.  When asked about an individual he doesn’t know very well he said “I don’t know him to my heart”, as opposed to the people he does in fact, “know to his heart.”

Is “I know them to my heart”not the most wonderful way of describing someone you care about?  

Thank you, Fred, I am definitely bringing that one back to Canada  :)

the calm before the storm

January 22^nd

 

Oh right... we are here to work...

Last night after visiting both the schools we will be volunteering at, we came up with a tentative schedule.  Turns out we are going to be crazy busy!  What is especially great about our project here is that we are merely supporting what the community need is.  We are definitely not going in and lecturing on whatever we think should be said; it seems to truly be a collaboration with our local partners which is so very awesome.  

The YMCA Vocational School is comprised of over one hundred girls ages 16-24 and two very brave young men.  I think they will be able to teach Nolan (our only guy) how to survive surrounded by so much estrogen.  The principal there would like us to focus on employability skills as the youth will be graduating in their studied trade and many will be looking for work in the summer.  We have to develop 6 or 7 two-part workshops for them around specific employability skills including CV writing, interview skills, customer service, entrepreneurship and leadership.  We will be giving each of these workshops four times.

Because this is a vocational school with training for specific trades, there is less focus on health issues than in other curriculums. The last group here noticed some important knowledge gaps around HIV/AIDS and sexual reproductive health with these students, so we will be doing a few workshops on that, focusing on stigma reduction and busting the many myths that seem to pop up.

At the OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Centre) school, the last group presented on the Millennium Development Goals and from that the students started an Environmental Club.  Our job there will be to support the students to create events for the Club to do throughout the community and doing some teaching around the environment.  Should be great!

We also have two large events to plan – a job fair for youth to network and connect with employers and hopefully, an event for International Women’s Day on March 8.  I came knowing that we would be here for that holiday and hoping we could plan a community-wide event celebrating women.  We have a lot on our plates so let’s hope we can make it happen!

Workshops start Monday... I shall keep you posted on how they go!

oh I just can't wait to be king...

We went out for dinner and dancing tonight at a place in town called KQ.  Devon from the last group recommended we go there – an outdoor restaurant with an awesome live band... complete with “Bongo Man” and “Trombone Man.”  There, we met some young professionals in the Rotor-Act club. 

Ebo, sitting beside me, told me about his mom who is a King.  I asked why she is called a King instead of a Queen and the story that followed pretty much blew my mind... 

In his hometown, the royal lineage is passed through his maternal side.  There was a conflict between another town (or within the town... I’m not sure), and so his uncles were asked to go and fight.  If whoever went won, they would be declared King.  His uncles refused to go until finally his mom stepped up to the plate and SHE decided to go and fight.  And so, she was declared the first female King and remains King of that town. 

Amazing!  3 cheers for the ladies!

glorious day

January 21

Upon waking, we had our first warm bucket shower of the trip using Angela’s new-found electric kettle.  Amazing.

Jean, Jane and I then got our hands on some instant coffee – and I must say, this is my kind of coffee.  Half sugar, half vanilla sweetener and just a touch of coffee – rolled into a little pack of perfection.  We’d been waiting all week to get our hands on some warm caffeine and as the waitress delivered our mugs, “One Sweet Day” came on in the restaurant... followed by the ultimate Mariah compilation.   

Best.morning.yet.

fish & chips

January 20^th

 

We met some of our work partners today – Emilie, Winifred and Augustine from the YMCA Vocational School.  Here goes my conversation with Augustine:

A: “So where in Canada are you from?”

Me: “BC... I grew up in a small city near Vancouver.”

A: “I’ve been to Vancouver many years ago.  I also ate fish and chips in White Rock one day.”

Me: [brain exploding] 

So, a man who has lived in Takoradi his whole life and visited Canada once has eaten fish and chips in White Rock.  What are the odds?!!  Most of my friends in Vancouver haven’t even been to White Rock.  Oh, what a small, small world.