Ghana Teaching Volunteer Journals

In the Ghana Teaching program volunteers will have the opportunity to make a lasting difference in Ghananian communities through education while experiencing African culture and life. Opportunities are available in Primary and Secondary schools all over Ghana. However we can arrange for you to teach in a pre-school if that is your preference.

Participating schools can be found in several towns and villages of the following regions in Ghana: Greater Accra, Central, Eastern, Volta and Ashanti.

Subjects area that volunteers can teach in include:

For more information, please visit the Ghana Teaching program page on the Global Volunteer Network website.

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Leaving Ghana

December 9th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

First off, I want to let everyone know that my mom made it here in one piece.  She has had a chance to really experience Ghana: crazy weather, bad driving, no electricity, urinals, greedy taxi drivers, yummy pancakes, fascinating history, celebrations, colourful people, and warm smiles.
The election was very peaceful.  It was amazing how concerned the community was about peace, even my sixth graders were talking about a peaceful election.  My mom and I were swarmed by and thus took part in a peace parade walking in Kitase on Saturday.  It is wonderful to see how excited people are not [...]

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One Week left.

December 4th, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

It is starting to hit me now. As I left my class to go the the internet cafe, my three little ones, Samuella Juliet and Joyceline stood at the door like they usually do saying,”Aunty Daphy Bye Bye, Aunty Daphy Bye Bye, ect.” Until I am out of their view. Soon I will not be returning to their small hugs, arms wrapped around my legs, and kisses galore! I am however ready to return home. It feels almost like another journey, and it is. I have learned so much here and I am excited to continue my growth at home [...]

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Things I won’t miss

December 1st, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Caning (I hate it!)
Rice and stew (HUGE plates of it)
My students fighting (I have had many talks with them about using words instead of physical violence but it is hard to make an impression when they get beat by other teachers)
My students stealing (I have had to search so many desks, bags, and pockets it isn’t funny.  They aren’t even shy about it, they just grab things out of people’s hands.)
My students lying (Do you see a trend?)
Teachers in my school who don’t care (teachers will just wander around and leave their class unattended, or just sit there and do [...]

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Things I will miss

December 1st, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

My kids (well, at least most of them)
Ken and Diana (My host family has taken such good care of me over the last few months. )
Lucia and Claire (my sisters)
Fried plantains (so sweet!)
Wearing flip flops everyday!
Trips to the beach (I think I spent half my weekends at the beach!  I had to take advantage of it, I’m from Nebraska)
Not washing my hair (and no one caring)
Being greeted by kids everywhere I go
Cheap public transportation
Youpis! (They are the best candy ever, it is like a stick of chocolate/hazelnut icing)
People going out of there way to help you just cause.
Not having anything [...]

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10 days to departure

December 1st, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

I am having a hard time believing its December.  Time has passed so quickly.  Currently, I am busy preparing my students for examinations which are an outrageous 60% of their grade.  However, this is quite frustrating since only half my class is in attendence because the rest have not paid their school fees.  I have a hard time figuring out how the school runs when so few kids have their school fees paid for.
I am starting to get sad about leaving Ghana.  To be truthful, I feel overwhelmed.  I feel like there is so much left undone but I am [...]

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Claire, the roadwarrior

November 18th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

On the day of Ken’s brothers funeral, Ken had to leave early to receive the body and we were to meet him at the funeral. However there was a slight hitch in the plan, no one in our party attending the funeral knew how to drive. We were suppose to have a driver come and take us but he was no where to be found. Diana must have been desperate because she asked Lucia, Claire, and me if one of us could drive. I was out of the picture since most African cars are stick shifts and Lucia quickly said [...]

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Washing day, my favourite time of the week!

November 18th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

I lied, washing is definately not my favourite time of the week but it is here and unaviodable no matter how hard I try. Over the last two months I have been here I have had plenty of opportunity to hand wash my clothes. (The novelty of it has really worn off.) I use two buckets of water, one for washing and one for rinsing, but they are both end up filthy and soapy by the time I finish. It leaves me wondering how clean my clothes really are. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could fetch new water [...]

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A reason to be grateful

November 18th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Three Mondays ago we had an impromptu worship to thank God for looking after Wisdom and her children. Friday, when the school bus was on its fifth and final round it was struck by another vehicle. The school bus rolled over multiple times before coming to a halt. Fortunately, all fifteen students inside and the driver had no serious injuries, which is miraculous. Especially when I think about how many students I have seen squished into that bus, piled on top of each other without any safety restraints. Ghanian citizens receive free health care from the government so they all [...]

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Chow time!

November 18th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Apparently I have really come to like the food in Ghana. This is evident my the extra weight I have been putting on. One of the teachers at school was kind of enough to inform me that I was beginning to look pregnant. Which I think and I hope is an exageration. So I have decided to name my “baby” Carbohydrate Carl.

Carbohydrate Carl is the product of huge portions of his namesake, carbs. I eat bread with groundnut paste (peanut butter) or jam (which I bought in Accra), or sometimes both almost every morning. For lunch I have [...]

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Up North… T.I.A.

November 10th, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

This past week Krista and I traveled up north to see the elephants! So traveling from east to west in Africa is a breeze, going up north is possibly the most difficult transportation I have ever encountered. We got to Kumasi late and awoke to a wonderfully busy city. We saw the palace filled with beautiful peacocks and ventrued into the central market. Wow. 10,000 small shops and pushed together on the side of an old railroad. We only lasted 2 mins and then quickly escaped. Caring our our bags around the city quickly tired us so we found our [...]

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Visitors

November 10th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Today, like most days, I had a couple of my students escort me home.  They make sure that I am never lonely.  Lucia and I, almost always have a colouring party (I\m starting to spell words the British way), card games going, or kids singing in our room.
Two weeks ago four girls from my class: Edna, Angela, Abigail, and Eugenia, came to visit.  Eugenia’s mom owns a hair salon so the topic of braids came up and the next thing I know I have my students all over me tugging and twisting my hair.  It took at over an hour [...]

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GOD BLESS AMERICA

November 10th, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

I AM SO HAPPY. Obama is our new president and the finest one we have ever known. The world is celebrating our victory and I am right their with them. Ghana has many songs of Obama that played ALL day. Tuesday was Reggae Day for Obama, so that he relaxes. Instead of people yelling Obroni, Krista and I know get OBAMA! I am just so proud of America and so happy to come home to a country the I now truly believe in. Obama is huge here and the people of Ghana are hoping that it will play a large [...]

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Sisters

November 10th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

There are now three Obrunis  (white ladies) at Wisdom.  Everyone refers to their comrades as brother and sister, mommy or daddy, so people always call us sisters.  Kennedy, has labeled me as the senior sister since I was at Wisdom first.  That means I have to take care of these wonderfully independent women – not a hard task to accomplish.  It is pretty cute, I teach grade six, Claire grade 5, and Lucia grade 4.  Sometimes when we go out I feel like I am part of a gang because we always go people always stare and call out at [...]

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Trust Thy Neighbor

November 10th, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

To say that I will never travel alone, is a big lie of comfort. I know that I would be traveling plenty in my time and I would not always have a friend in toe, so I did want to know what it was like, a way to find my own comfort. And what did I have to fear? I think the honest question would be who. As an american in a different country, our faults are become vividly apparent, the biggest one being lack of trust. We fear escaping to a different world because of the people who inhabit [...]

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halloween… and mom don’t kill me when you read this.

November 2nd, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

Happy Halloween! Krista and I made a big celebration at school on Friday. I was a ghost and she was a wicked witch! We ran through the classrooms scarring the kids haha. We actually made two cry but when I took off my sheet they screamed with joy to find out it was only Aunty Tauphie! We gave them plenty candy which they all loved and then decorated masks. It was a lot of fun. School is going really well. I am getting a lot more organised with my teaching style and having the children do a lot of projects [...]

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Making a break through

October 28th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

So I have been struggling to find an appropriate way to discipline my students since the main source of discipline or rather intimidation at my school is caning.  Despite other teachers’ suggestions I refuse to cane my students and despite my arguments against it they continue to rely on it.
I have started an incentive program to get students to do their work in class and at home.  Everyone who does all their work for the week receives a toffee on Friday, and is entered in a raffle to get a prize (educational of course.)  I am happy to report that [...]

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The Beach!

October 28th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

So I have a really rough life.  I teach all week long and then travel every weekend.  So far I have been to the rainforest at Kakum national park, toured the slave castles in Elmina and Cape Coast, seen the tallest waterfall in West Africa, drifted along the Volta River in a boat, visited the bustling markets, and the walked through the capital.  Last week I decided it was time to head to the beach.
Myself, and two other volunteers, Bethany and Rebecca made a pilgrimage to Kokrobite beach.  We stayed at a place called Big Milly’s, which was the cutest [...]

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Lucia’s Birthday

October 23rd, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Yesterday was Lucia’s (my roommate) 21st birthday.  Yesterday was also “ligts out” meaning we had no electricity.  Despite darkness Ken was determined to throw a party for her.  Lucia’s mom and sister are visiting from Pennsylvania, and two voluteers came froma village nearby.  The rest of the party consisted of random locals in search of a good time and free food.  In Africa it is the more the merrier, the more friends you have the better you look and the more blessed you are.  The party was a little slow without music or lights, but it livened up once the [...]

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Gift Day

October 23rd, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Today was gift day.  It is a day that wisdom celebrates once every term. A chance for students to turn “passion into action.”  I had mixed feelings about it when I heard about. Students and staff are encouraged to bring presents for a friend or favorite student.  The idea of some students getting presents and others not did not bode well with me.  Students wrap and place gifts on a table where they are doled out one by one infront of the school.  Surprisingly, all the students were in good spirits whether they received a gift or not.
I made out like [...]

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volta region and BOOKS!

October 22nd, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

It has been amazing here in Ghana. Last week we had midterms and my math students all did pretty well, I was very proud of them. My young ones put on the play, The Three Billy Goats. They learned the play so quickly and sometimes will perform it for me during break. Krista and I traveled to the Volta with our two friends Quaye and Kobe. We stayed at Kobe’s compound and I quickly made myself at home. It reminded me a lot of when I was in Fiji, beautiful mountains, outside… everything, and laughing little children. We explored the [...]

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Friday the 17th

October 20th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

So Friday the 17th really seemed more like Friday the 13th.  I usually travel on weekends and on this particular Friday I was heading to Hohoe about three hours northeast in the Volta Region.  It was five o’clock by the time the tro-tro filled up and we were on our way.  I usually like to travel earlier in the day so that it is light when I arrive but I was meeting two volunteers there so I felt comfortable.
Well, our “three” hour journey turned into a five hour adventure.  Our tro-tro was racing down the pot hole filled road only [...]

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It’s friday!

October 10th, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

I realize it has been a while since I have written, but for being in Ghana where people take it easy, things are moving so fast here. The last two weeks have been really challenging but still amazing. Last weekend we travelled to Kokrobite, a beach in Accra. I have realized that so far all my travels have been to a beach but I really can’t complain. There was so much dancing, music, and people, even white. I even bumped into a friend who I met in Cape Coast which was wild. Sometimes I feel like nothing here is real [...]

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My class

October 9th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

I have 34 loud, energetic, adolescents that I am attempting to teach.  Some seem to have the theory that knowledge might just seep into them simply for physically being in the classroom.  Our science test today begs to differ.
I really enjoy my kids.  Yes, they are stubborn, have short attention spans, and drive me nuts, but can’t wait for the next time that I get to see them in class.  Just don’t be surprised if I have pulled out all my hair by the time I come by to the states.
The main subjects I teach are math, science, English, and [...]

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What you think is what you become.

October 9th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

The school that I teach at is called Wisdom Academy.  It is a private school founded by my host, Kennedy Aboagye, in 2000.  What you think is what you can become is the motto and Ken really believes it.  He is very passionate about his school and more specifically his students.  While it started with a single classroom of students it has grown to more than 500.  Most families in Ghana try to send their children to private schools such as ours.  The government has recently made public schooling in Ghana free til the age of 15, but there is [...]

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Jukwa

October 8th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

This last weekend I spent a couple days in the Central Region.  I went with Ken, my headmaster, and his wife Diana all over.  It was a very scenic, and very slow four hour drive from my village of Kitase.  It seems especially long when you have a full bladder and the people you are with apparently absorb all liquids in their bodies because they never had to stop.  We spent Thursday night in Jukwa, the village Ken grew up in.  It was a chance to see life in a little simpler and more traditional manner than Kitase.
I christened my [...]

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Worship

October 8th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Wed-nes-day, as pronounced in Ghana, is worship.  Every morning the student’s recite the Lord’s prayer before school and end the day with hymns but Wednesday morning the school transforms.  The classrooms become churches, the teachers pastors, and the students brothers and sisters in christ.  I am not quite sure how my already crowded classroom accomodates grades 4, 5, and 6, but somehow we manage to squeeze some seventy students through the doorway.  Some students are sitting three to a seat, while others crouch in the narrow spaces between the desks.  For the first thirty minutes students lead the praise with [...]

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Everything is so new.

October 2nd, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

It is October! Time has gone by so fast here but everyday I learn so much from this amazing culture. The roots go so deep. This past weekend I traveled to Cape Coast. Krista and I stayed at Auntie Cecilia’s sisters house. If you are staying anywhere here, it needs to be at someones house. You just feel so much more connected to where you are. Auntie Aggie is a cook! and an amazing one at that. We walked around at night with Henry and his friends from school. I have been working on my Twi! I am getting a [...]

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weekly update

September 24th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Things have been a little unusual this week.  Well, at least unusual for me, probably normal by Ghana standards.  I came to class monday to find that a hen had made a home behind my cupboard and left a present – an egg!  The kids were all very excited about it.  Even more so, when the hen snuck back in and scared me because I it was the last thing I was expecting as I went to the cupboard to grab chalk.  The kids think I am afraid of african chickens.  That made my day until it starting pouring rain. [...]

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Drums galore!

September 23rd, 2008 by Daphne Murphy

Great weekend. The people here are truly amazing. People use friendly to describe Ghanaians in the guide books, but that is only half decent. They are honest and sincere. Krista and I have people coming up to us all the time to talk or help us out. Although some are marriage proposals, haha, most are to get to know you and connect. I could never imagine someone in the U.S. seeing a tourist, running up to them, and starting a conversation with them that then leads them to asking if they can take you around their country.
Friday night I went [...]

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Jesus and futbol

September 19th, 2008 by Kerry Flynn

Ghanians have a lot of pride in two things: their faith and their futbol teams.  I came  to this conclusion while taking in the sights riding in a tro-tro, a passenger van with 20 seats and 25 people, on my way to Accra this morning.  Every where you turn there is a billboard relating a company to a futbol team, “we connect people just like futbol” or a store marque showing the owner’s steadfast faith: Allah is Good Groceries, Blessed Jesus Meats, Divine God Mens’ Cuts…  The people I have met, with exception of one in the internet cafe today, are very friendly and you can see the joy that have for Ghana.  When [...]

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A Global Volunteer Network Initiative: http://www.volunteer.org.nz