Hey Followers!
Sorry it has been such a long time since my last post on this blog! Ever since our arrival in Ho, Cate, Juliana, and I have been non-stop in action scouting volunteer sites, taking photos, shooting video footage, designing a new web page for DIVOG, updating internal organizational material, creating PowerPoint presentations, etc... (a detailed list of our endeavors will be posted before our departure). At this point, I figured you all would be much more interested in hearing a little bit about Ghana, and what we have been up to for the past couple weeks.
For the first two weeks of our visit, our role was to visit DIVOG's project sites to shoot video footage and snap photos for DIVOG's new website. Some of the images I saw while doing this were truly amazing. Entire communities (literally!), 100% voluntarily, would be engaged in the back-breaking labor of building schoolhouses and washhouses that DIVOG raised funds to construct. By no means did this work require little effort. In the States, we have the luxury of utilizing 'John Deere' machinery that can perform the most arduous of construction tasks with the single push of a button. Here in Ghana, mothers with babies strapped to their backs (in a sort of hands-free kangaroo pouch made from cloth) must carry concrete bricks on their heads, and walk half a football-fields distance to set them with the foundation workers who then mold them into the walls of the construct. I stopped to ask one of the mothers why she, and all the other members of the community, work all hours of the day (form 8am to 5:30pm) in the blazing heat to construct school facilities for no pay whatsoever. She looked at me puzzled, as if the question only had one obvious answer, pointed at the children who were currently being tought under a tree with no desks, and said "so the children can have a place to learn".
This feat, for me, truly demonstrated the resolve and compassionate nature of rural Ghanaian people. Nowhere else in the world I have been (which, not to brag, is quite a few places), have I ever seen anything even close to the togetherness rural Ghanaian people work under. It also goes to show the trumendous demand for educational opportunity, and the great lengths entire communities are willing to undergo in order to obtain them for their deserving youth. The things we take for granted in the Western world, like, God forbid, a building to learn in, are luxuries in rural Ghanaian communities that the locals feverishly struggle to obtain. All too often their calls are left unanswered by local government as the beuracratic political system in Ghana leaves funding for social programs astonishingly low (everybody involved in the implimentation of these programs has to get paid, leaving practically no funding for the actual program once the money reaches these communities).
This is why organizations like DIVOG exist. To cut out the middle men in corrupt political systems and deliver results directly to the people in deprived communities. This entire experience has truly opened my eyes to the duty we have as a people to help uplift those with less fortunate circumstances than ourselves. Especially having met the children, who are among the sweetest, most disciplined, eager to learn I have ever met, I see that their potential is endless, and nobody is more deserving of these basic structures that are so relatively cheap to build (roughly $10,000).
A few weeks ago, we spoke to a man by the name of Toni who owns the Mountain Paradise Lodge in Biakpa (a beautiful place I would recommend to any traveler to Ghana). He spoke about how a local University (the University of Cape Coast) runs a scholarship program where they sponsor X number of the highest ranking students from rural Senior High Schools to attend their institution. However, upon arrival, many of these students are disadvantaged because their prior school's science and biochemistry departments were without necessary lab equipment for scientific experimentation. Toni explained to us that despite this handicap, these students, with only a theoretical textbook background in the sciences, would often come into Cape Coast University and utterly shatter the curve, exceling beyond anyones wildest expectations, and well beyond those students who had access to these resources in their larger, urban Senior High Schools. Toni was one of these students. One could only imagine how many of such students are out there who will never get a shot at receiving a higher education. A more prosperous Ghana makes a more prosperous world, as we are ever-globalizing in today's market, which is why it is important to donate to social programs accross borders.
The team of three we are working with are some of the funnest, most interesting, lovable guys we have ever met. Richard K. Yinkah, Ankah Angelbert, and Robert Tornu are all very dedicated to their work with DIVOG, and individuals with trumendous senses of humor. Working with them has been a pleasure, as I have come to view them more as brothers than colleagues, and will continue to do all that I can to help them further their cause. They have taken us on weekend trips, to go see the highest waterfall in West Africa, to and from work everyday, and have done everything with smiles on their faces. They have also always been there cheering me on at my performances that I have managed to arrange while out here in Ghana.
We will keep everyone updated on the specific details of our project and how our last few days in Ghana play out. Everything has been very well and Cate, Juliana, and I have managed to achieve so much in such a short amount of time. My expectations were high to begin with after the "Airplane Incident", and they have now been vindicated.
To all my friends and family - I love and miss you all. See you soon!
All the Best... Stay Tuned...
-Etan
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
A Cultural Immersion Like Never Before
WOW!
Ghana is an amazing country --- in every sense of the word. The landscape is a luscious green, the people, despite their lesser living conditions (in comparison to the Western world), are some of the most beautiful and friendly people I have ever met, and the culture is richer than the darkest of chocolates I have ever tasted (no pun intended).
There is so much to say. Yesterday, Juliana, Cate, and I visited St. George's Castle. This establishment is the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa, once colonized by the Dutch (and later the British), who used it as a staging point during the slave trade throughout Europe and the Americas (known as the Triangular Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade). Receiving a tour through this place of shackles and servitude may very well have been one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had in my life. It is so easy to think that you know all there is to know about slavery, until you hear it from the people whose lands ran rampant with it.
In the Castle St. George, our tour guide (whose name was Francis), painted a picture that we could experience. I heard the prayers of colonizers who practiced their Christianity in the upper levels of the establishment, while simultaneously feeling the stinging pain from whips cracking on the backs of black slaves in the Dungeons below. He depicted the powerlessness of black women who were raped at leisure daily by drunken settlers and the Governor who presided over the Castle. At one point, Francis placed us into a dark room that had the skull and cross-bones symbol embedded above the doorway called "The Room of no Return". In this room, slaves (5-6 at a time in a 6x8 room) were packed in and starved until the last one was dead. While in the room, the sound of a baby crying from a family participating on the tour with us echoed throughout as the walls seemingly closed in on us when Francis closed the gate shut and darkness filled the room. These were but many of the images we picked up on this tour, but these ones particularly had a profound impact on me.
On a lighter note, today, Cate, Juliana, and I linked up with a gentleman by the name of Nani, who organized a visit for us to film at an elementary school called "Ebenezer" in the heart of Elmina. He led us through various streets and communities, which secretly gave pause to the lot of us (although our pride would not allow any of us to admit it at the time), as we wandered into unknown territories. On the brink of questioning the sanity of our decision (can we trust this guy? Where is he taking us? Where are we?), to our delight, within minutes, we arrive at a small elementary school with about 50 children awaiting us beaming with smiling faces. Mind you, this is on a Saturday, and upon hearing of our visit, all of the kids rushed over, eager to meet the "Obruni's" (a term Ghanaian children coined to mean "white person" -- although they call me the same thing at times so I am still trying to figure this whole Obruni thing out). They embraced us in all their friendship and hospitality, inviting us into their classroom, as we filmed Nani giving the students a talk cautioning them about HIV/AIDS.
The school was by no means lavish. Windows were non-existent (along with doors) into the classrooms, feces covered the ground of certain areas of the premise, and chalk was a scarce resource. The school was built from the ground up by teachers, students, and administrators. There is much work to be done for a community with so much potential. I was amazed to see that these learning conditions had not deterred the aspirations of these brilliant young minds. Student's notebooks were filled with page after page of notes, the young-lings payed close attention to their teachers, and they seemed to know exactly where they wanted to be later on in life (a feat I am yet to accomplish!). This goes to show that it does not matter where you learn. It boils down to how badly you want to learn -- so long as outreach opportunities are available.
On the way back from our endeavor (which, literally, happened an hour ago from now), I could not help but to revel in the way these people, who live in such downtrodden conditions, were still able to find contentment and peace within themselves. Reflecting further, I realized that even though many Ghanaian people are surrounded by poverty, they endure it together. Crime is low, as it is trumped by their community values and dependence on one another.
There is so much more to say. Unfortunately, my internet time has expired. Much of everything (and more) depicted here is on film, and will be edited for viewing in the coming months of our return. This blog is to-be-updated!
All the best to all of our family, friends, and followers. We love you
-PIBV Ghana - May
Ghana is an amazing country --- in every sense of the word. The landscape is a luscious green, the people, despite their lesser living conditions (in comparison to the Western world), are some of the most beautiful and friendly people I have ever met, and the culture is richer than the darkest of chocolates I have ever tasted (no pun intended).
There is so much to say. Yesterday, Juliana, Cate, and I visited St. George's Castle. This establishment is the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa, once colonized by the Dutch (and later the British), who used it as a staging point during the slave trade throughout Europe and the Americas (known as the Triangular Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade). Receiving a tour through this place of shackles and servitude may very well have been one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had in my life. It is so easy to think that you know all there is to know about slavery, until you hear it from the people whose lands ran rampant with it.
In the Castle St. George, our tour guide (whose name was Francis), painted a picture that we could experience. I heard the prayers of colonizers who practiced their Christianity in the upper levels of the establishment, while simultaneously feeling the stinging pain from whips cracking on the backs of black slaves in the Dungeons below. He depicted the powerlessness of black women who were raped at leisure daily by drunken settlers and the Governor who presided over the Castle. At one point, Francis placed us into a dark room that had the skull and cross-bones symbol embedded above the doorway called "The Room of no Return". In this room, slaves (5-6 at a time in a 6x8 room) were packed in and starved until the last one was dead. While in the room, the sound of a baby crying from a family participating on the tour with us echoed throughout as the walls seemingly closed in on us when Francis closed the gate shut and darkness filled the room. These were but many of the images we picked up on this tour, but these ones particularly had a profound impact on me.
On a lighter note, today, Cate, Juliana, and I linked up with a gentleman by the name of Nani, who organized a visit for us to film at an elementary school called "Ebenezer" in the heart of Elmina. He led us through various streets and communities, which secretly gave pause to the lot of us (although our pride would not allow any of us to admit it at the time), as we wandered into unknown territories. On the brink of questioning the sanity of our decision (can we trust this guy? Where is he taking us? Where are we?), to our delight, within minutes, we arrive at a small elementary school with about 50 children awaiting us beaming with smiling faces. Mind you, this is on a Saturday, and upon hearing of our visit, all of the kids rushed over, eager to meet the "Obruni's" (a term Ghanaian children coined to mean "white person" -- although they call me the same thing at times so I am still trying to figure this whole Obruni thing out). They embraced us in all their friendship and hospitality, inviting us into their classroom, as we filmed Nani giving the students a talk cautioning them about HIV/AIDS.
The school was by no means lavish. Windows were non-existent (along with doors) into the classrooms, feces covered the ground of certain areas of the premise, and chalk was a scarce resource. The school was built from the ground up by teachers, students, and administrators. There is much work to be done for a community with so much potential. I was amazed to see that these learning conditions had not deterred the aspirations of these brilliant young minds. Student's notebooks were filled with page after page of notes, the young-lings payed close attention to their teachers, and they seemed to know exactly where they wanted to be later on in life (a feat I am yet to accomplish!). This goes to show that it does not matter where you learn. It boils down to how badly you want to learn -- so long as outreach opportunities are available.
On the way back from our endeavor (which, literally, happened an hour ago from now), I could not help but to revel in the way these people, who live in such downtrodden conditions, were still able to find contentment and peace within themselves. Reflecting further, I realized that even though many Ghanaian people are surrounded by poverty, they endure it together. Crime is low, as it is trumped by their community values and dependence on one another.
There is so much more to say. Unfortunately, my internet time has expired. Much of everything (and more) depicted here is on film, and will be edited for viewing in the coming months of our return. This blog is to-be-updated!
All the best to all of our family, friends, and followers. We love you
-PIBV Ghana - May
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Layover in Amsterdam
After enduring a rocky start at JFK International Airport, our journey to Ghana has officially begun!
Having missed our flight by a narrow margin, emotions ran rampant as our African dreams seemed to have been swept up from under our feet. The ticket clerk (whose name was Favo, bless his heart!) began presenting outrageous re-scheduling figures, ranging somewhere in the triple digits, that no member of our team was able to pay. On the brink of losing hope, taking our credited refunds, and heading back to our respective families, the clerk asked us the question, that, I believe, salvaged our trip: "What will you guys be doing in Ghana?"
I explained to him our mission -- that we are a consulting team heading to Ghana in order to build a marketing plan for an organization (DIVOG) that builds schools for deprived peoples in the region. I told him that our disappointment was not due to the loss of our own personal investment, but rather the thought of letting down our NGO who now awaits our arrival, and who had been wholeheartedly invested in our project for months. Empathizing with our situation, Favo took the initiative to pull some strings (to say the least!), and book us new flights at minimal cost.
This experience not only served as the first real bonding moment between Cate, Juliana, and I, as it took a 3-pronged approach to express our grievances, but it also proved to me that the three of us can tackle any task that lay ahead. Our resilience in, what I will call, 'the airport situation', speaks volumes about the success we will achieve in our future tasks helping others --- the tasks that really matter.
This experience also demonstrated just how profound of an endeavor the three of us are undertaking, as it had softened the heart of someone working in the most disciplined of vocations.
Favo -- we will never forget you!
Our flight to Ghana is scheduled to depart at 2:15pm (Amsterdam time), which is quite soon. Stay posted...
Africa, here we come!
-PIBV Ghana - May
Having missed our flight by a narrow margin, emotions ran rampant as our African dreams seemed to have been swept up from under our feet. The ticket clerk (whose name was Favo, bless his heart!) began presenting outrageous re-scheduling figures, ranging somewhere in the triple digits, that no member of our team was able to pay. On the brink of losing hope, taking our credited refunds, and heading back to our respective families, the clerk asked us the question, that, I believe, salvaged our trip: "What will you guys be doing in Ghana?"
I explained to him our mission -- that we are a consulting team heading to Ghana in order to build a marketing plan for an organization (DIVOG) that builds schools for deprived peoples in the region. I told him that our disappointment was not due to the loss of our own personal investment, but rather the thought of letting down our NGO who now awaits our arrival, and who had been wholeheartedly invested in our project for months. Empathizing with our situation, Favo took the initiative to pull some strings (to say the least!), and book us new flights at minimal cost.
This experience not only served as the first real bonding moment between Cate, Juliana, and I, as it took a 3-pronged approach to express our grievances, but it also proved to me that the three of us can tackle any task that lay ahead. Our resilience in, what I will call, 'the airport situation', speaks volumes about the success we will achieve in our future tasks helping others --- the tasks that really matter.
This experience also demonstrated just how profound of an endeavor the three of us are undertaking, as it had softened the heart of someone working in the most disciplined of vocations.
Favo -- we will never forget you!
Our flight to Ghana is scheduled to depart at 2:15pm (Amsterdam time), which is quite soon. Stay posted...
Africa, here we come!
-PIBV Ghana - May
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