Ghana, I miss you. <3, Me.

The NYT has a fine little article on Ghana in its' travel section.
"As an English-speaking country with abundant natural gifts and an appealing culture, Ghana draws international tourists who not only want to explore its dark past in the days of the slave trade, but also desire a joyous African experience."


It has been interesting watching some of the press since Mr. O paid a visit last month.
Let's see what's to come.

In other news... I'm working on my final field internship application to potentially return to Ghana and continue my work at the school. Who knows where I might be in 6 months? Exciting? Yes. Nerve wrecking? A little bit.

Natural African Beauty

Check out BBC’s excellent slideshow highlighting “Natural African Beauty.”

A beauty pageant in Côte d’Ivoire (also known as Ivory Coast) strikes back against the dangerous processing of skin bleaching and its underlying doctrine: that only White is beautiful. A song commissioned for the competition sings: “African women, don’t lighten your skin. It’s a gift from God.”

Speaking from my very limited time and experience working with youth in West Africa this is so painfully accurate.

Women across the world are bombarded by unrealistic images of beauty. I lead workshops on body image and self esteem for girls in Central Texas from ages 10-18 years. At some point in the session I always ask the girls to describe a "beautiful woman" as they see in the media.

Without fail she is described first and foremost as being thin or skinny and tall. She has long blond-hair and blue eyes. She has no freckles or scars or blemishes. She has long legs that seem to shine. And, it pretty much goes without saying that she is white. But, for good measure I always ask the girls what is the race of this "beautiful woman." It does not matter if there is not a single Caucasian female in the class, the ideal image of beauty is White. Thus, it is not surprising to me that increased globalization in West Africa, among other places, is that we see an increase in girls and women trying to bleach their skin or starve themselves. As our twisted, unrealistic ideals of beauty are exported, womens' self esteem and pride plummets.


Until 2001, a black African woman was never crowned as Miss World. Many ethnic groups in West and Central Africa consider bigger women to be beautiful—but these women were considered “fat” by Western standards. However, the Nigerian “Most Beautiful Girl” judges used the tactic of sending a skinny contestant to compete for the Miss World crown. Agbani Darego won, and is now a national hero. While older Nigerians find her unattractive, younger girls see her as a role model. According to the article, Nigerian films and music are now praising slim girls, and women are increasingly dieting and exercising.

Andrea Falkenhagen, a student at UW-Madison, put it finely:

"These examples of the Western ideal woman being exported to other parts of the world are alarming. Such images will no doubt tear at women’s self-esteem in Africa every bit as much as they do in the United States. As more and more women do not eat because they fear being ugly or unwanted, a new type of violence will permeate their lives. Some feminists refer to women who have starved or manipulated their bodies to conform to the ideal as “beauty survivors.” Such women must deal with the physical effects such as osteoporosis, malnutrition or surgery scars. They also face some of the same symptoms of battery or rape survivors—difficulty having personal boundaries, disconnection from their own sense of body, difficulty believing in their own decision-making ability, emotional distance and lowered self-esteem.

In addition, concerns about weight and appearances will only serve to distract and hinder women from fighting for things they really need. In the United States, as well as abroad, women face discrimination, violence, a lack of health care, child care and education, just to name a few. All these forms of oppression are connected, and they are all more important than the size of a waistline [or shade of skin]. For this reason, it is imperative to challenge these negative images about women’s natural bodies whether they occur in the media, on the street or in conversations with friends."

[emphasis mine]

Day 20: Accra

I haven’t really partied much on this trip, but I definitely tied on a good one last night and didn’t head to bed until 1 or 2AM. I felt it this morning in my pounding head so I took advantage of the “study day” to sleep in. I lounged around in my room until lunch time. After lunch a group of students went to the beach – which is probably where I should have went – but instead I stayed in to work on our papers. Our papers and presentations are due by 12midnight tonight and we give our formal presentation to the community tomorrow. Today was a busy work day with intermittent breaks to take a walk, get some pineapple juice, and attempt to buy a dress from a street seller (her price was too high and she wouldn’t negotiate).

As the time is winding down, I am becoming very reflective about my experience here – what it has meant, what I have learned, how I have grown. I know most of the learning will probably happen long after I have left, but I always try to over-analyze and process. I wish I would stop that and just be in the moment. Be here, in Ghana, for the next 6 days. Our final trip to Kumasi should be a good time and, along the way, we will be visiting a couple different villages and village projects. I am looking forward to that and to learning more – the sponge that I am.

I am also starting to look forward to my next trip – London, Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam, here I come! (And, maybe Berlin, Prague, Munich, and Manchester if I can swing it!)

Day 19: Accra

I cannot believe I leave here in a week. Me and change, while we’re old friends, don’t quite get along. In some ways I feel I am just finally getting settled and into a groove and don’t want to leave. In other ways I feel I am getting restless and am ready for the next chapter. Ghana was my “work” trip. Since my project is over and I accomplished what I set out to do I feel lost in my purpose for being here now. I guess I could just have fun??

After all of our hard-work, we still have a stupid paper to write! Our group needs to compose 12-15 pages and give a presentation on Tuesday as our final project before heading off to Kumasi for 3 nights. I spent a large portion of today working on that. It was nice, actually. One of my Ghanaian friends came over and we watched the futbol game. He sat yelling at the TV while I alternately typed and watched the game. It reminded me very much of undergrad and dorm life. Not that I miss that, but it was a nice adult-like flashback.

Afterwards we went for a walk to get some fresh air and later stopped at a local eatery for a drink. We had a great conversation about everything under the sun – family, upbringing, education, future, culture. We are very similar in many ways – both are first-generation college students who have worked hard as hell to get to where we are today and we both have younger siblings whom take care of (physically and/or emotionally). We both had drama in our homes as children and had a parent who suffered from mental illness. The effects on us seemed similar – we became hard working, dedicated, stubborn, motivated people who would not take “No” for an answer. Similarly, we became hard on ourselves and put pressure on ourselves to succeed. Failure was a motivating fear because we never wanted “those people” (who didn’t want to see us succeed) to be right or win. We wouldn’t allow losing wagers to be placed on us. I admire in him the strength and perseverance. Even now, he is looking to study in the States and is working very hard to learn more information and determine what it takes. It is not often that I meet someone who I believe matches my hard work and determination to make things happen. I rarely feel that someone works as hard as I do, but I feel it with him. It is interesting how I have to go to the other side of my world to meet someone whom I can relate with so well in that regard.

Later in the night, Miss K., our hostel mistress threw us a party! Since we will be out of town the later part of the week and most of us leave on Sunday or Monday, she wanted to have a bash to send us off. She is so sweet! She has been incredible at accommodating a large group, cooking for us, and generally being loving and motherly. She always greets us with a smile and a warm welcome. Again, the warmth here is unrivaled. We pushed back the chairs on the back patio and she had a DJ playing jams. Luckily it was a cooler night and there was a perfect breeze to help keep us not so sweaty as we danced the night away.

Day 18: Accra, Depression Circle

Same moon, same sky, and same me wherever I go. I was hoping that my depression would stay behind in Austin and let me enjoy my vacation. It appears, however, that it wanted to come along on this trip. I spent much of today in bed – reading, journaling, listening to music, and generally feeling sad/blah. I felt bad for “wasting” a day on my trip, but I needed to honor where I was today. This week has been pretty emotionally charged and, in many ways, today felt like the end of semester crash. All I have been thinking about, planning for, exciting over just ended. I do not do well with ends, ever. Also, I know I need downtime and quiet time to replenish and rehydrate. Traveling with 40 people has not afforded me much alone time. While I partly feel I ‘wasted’ a day – I know I did what I needed to do to take care of myself today. And, ultimately, that is what I am striving to learn – how to take care of myself no matter where I am. Practice, practice. Practice makes perfect, yes?

Day 17: Ashaiman SHS

This morning was chaotic. We arrived to the school early, as requested, to begin our morning assembly. Since today is the last day, they wanted us to end early because they had planned a recognition ceremony for us in the afternoon!  Well, as usual, we hurried up to wait. Headmaster was in a meeting but needed to meet with us before assembly. Finally, about an hour later he was able to see us. Basically he just wanted to welcome us for our final day and tell us of the ceremony they had planned for later. He also wanted to be sure we would finish our work by lunch. This did not fit with what I had scheduled for the day – I wanted to meet with the peer consulate group again and we had more one-on-one counseling sessions. However, the Headmaster calls the shots so we adjusted. I was disappointed because I did not get a chance to meet with the group again and I had promised them we would discuss some of their questions and concerns today. I had planned on helping them to identify the mission, goals, and purpose of their group along with providing basic mediation skills. I will give the information and training manual to the counselor and hope it reaches the students properly. ::sigh::

The wrap-up theme for the week was “Exploring Options - Post secondary options.” Two of our co-workers who are Ghanaian led this section since they know more about the educational system here than do we. They provided information on university and other college options as well as military options. As is usually the case with seminars like this – some students were extremely engaged, taking notes, and asking questions while others were passing notes, reading other material, or flat out sleeping. Teenagers are so similar, no matter their background or placement on this globe.

In the afternoon was the special ceremony recognizing our work this week and seeing off the student teachers. I did not want such an elaborate honoring for us. It almost felt as if we were stealing the thunder from the student teachers because we were the “Special friends from the U.S.” I definitely appreciate the gratitude; it just felt awkward. One of my friends told me not to worry; he told me that “this is how we show our thanks in Ghana.” There is a belief that if you do not appropriately thank or honor someone who has helped you that you will not again receive help (sounds religious or spiritual to me). At any rate, it was a really sweet gesture and we very much appreciated it.

This event was complete with drinks and appetizers, including the casual octopus kebab.  Not only were we honored and thanked publically, but we were each given gifts. We each received a large, framed “Citation.” A Citation is equivalent to a certificate in the States. The Citation reads:
“You arrived in Ghana-West Africa on 26th May, 2009 and first visited Ashaiman Senior High School on Monday, 1st June, 2009 to acquaint yourself with the environment and to put yourself in good shape of the task ahead. Subsequently, from Monday, 8th June to Friday, 12th June 2009, you together with other members of your three-member team took turns to share with the staff and students of the above-mentioned school your rich experiences in the field for social work particularly on issues concerning: “Expressing Myself,” “Positive Self-Talk,” “Leadership Heroes”, Goal Setting” ‘SMART’, and “Future Planning.” You also held daily counseling sessions with individual students who needed help. You also proved yourself a good mixer and exuded the spirit of voluntarism and selflessness. Lesson learned from your one week interaction with the ASHAISEC community will go down memory lane, especially for being the 1st Batch of Americans to willingly choose ASHAISEC for such an exercise. Thus for the above achievement and others which are yet to manifest; and selfless services to humanity, the Board of Governors, Parent-Teacher Association, Headmaster, Staff, and Students of Ashaiman Senior High School present to you this citation. Thank you. God richly Bless You.”

This, alone, brought tears to my eyes. I feel what we did was so simple and non-impactful, and to receive such a heartfelt recognition and token of appreciation really moved me. In the States you would never get such a large thank you for such a small task. I really love that about this culture – the people are soooo warm and loving and friendly. They are so genuinely interested in you, as a person, as a part of humanity. I have been incredibly well received in ways I would have never expected. I love the warmth I am surrounded by here. It makes my heart ache, truly.

Along with our Citation, we each received a wrapped gift which I was told included “something African for you to wear.” When I got home and opened the gift, it was a traditional dress complete with headscarf. I tried it on and I think I look a bit silly but it was incredibly thoughtful. I am not sure where I will wear this in the States, but I will definitely sport my super ab-fab new wear proudly. I really am so appreciative, it is beyond words. I had already cried when I said goodbye to the kids and several of them told me they didn’t want me to leave, they would miss me, and I had changed their lives. And then to be so positively received by the administration was mind bending. I wish schools in the States would be so appreciative of support services. I wish.
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Feeling like a ball of emotional turmoil (from a week well-done, mixed feelings of sadness, excitement, pride, and guilt) I did what most people do on Fridays at 5PM – I had an ice cold beer. I sat outside and talked with some of my Ghanaian friends. One of my friends, Gl., asked why American men have hair under their arms. I explained to her that in the US this is seen as “manly” and that hardly no men shave their underarms. She seemed appalled – “but what about the odor” she exclaimed? I asked about women and what the shave. Gi quickly chimed in “we do not shave our legs, but we shave everything else. Yes, everything.” She is usually such a soft spoken, modest, demure type of woman so I burst out laughing with her description, which included a proper hand motion demonstrating where “everything” was located. So, we had a cross cultural discussion about hair, cultural standards of beauty, and masculinity and femininity. It was really interesting to think about. Most of the arguments I have been making for or against shaving and hair is that it should be practical. Underarm hair catches sweat and increases odor – maybe shaving that is practical. Similarly for pubic hair. Leg hair, on the other hand?! What does it disturb, on a woman, other than her perceived beauty by the hegemonic society? Does my leg hair or lack there of really matter to anyone other than myself? It is not, inherently, “gross,” “disgusting,” or “wrong.” And, I argue how much of shaving legs is really a “preference.” We all have been so forced into gendered roles and boxes that we rarely have an opportunity to question or explore. How can you prefer something if you have not experienced the other? That’s like saying I prefer corn when it’s the only vegetable I have ever hard. That’s not a preference, it’s a lack of options. Having been exploring and testing gendered roles and boundaries for quite some time now, I found it reinforcing to have this conversation with two beautiful women and two beautiful men. :)

Day 16: Ashaiman SHS

Since several students expressed difficulty with academic learning, such as remembering what they had read and concentrating on a task at a hand, we integrated these issues into our curriculum for the week. The theme for today was “Skills for Success – Learning to study more effectively. Since I had done more of the preparation and leading for the first days, my co-facilitators took charge on this one (plus, it is more inline with what they study – both are earning their Ph.D. in Education). That meant I had more of a chance to interact one-on-one with students and help facilitate dialogue. The students were quite restless today – they seemed anxious and disinterest in the material. Understandably so, as learning study skills is not usually too fun. And, admittedly, the curriculum could have been more engaging. Live and learn. All in all, we provided an overview of effective time management skills, practiced note taking, and identified supports and challenges to concentration. Even though the students were restless and resistant, I have to know that at least one student learned something today. Each day, that is my ultimate goal – to affect the life of just one person. I feel I have done that every day (regardless of my unrelenting inner voice telling me nothing I do is enough...ugh).

The afternoon was my opportunity to meet with the Peer Consulate. The original plan was to lead a “Train-the-Trainer” workshop but, as with most things thus far, the plan was rearranged at the last minute. Instead, I co-facilitated a focus group with the 28 students (15 female, 13 male) who serve as volunteer peer counselors. Essentially, these are the leaders of the school and all volunteer for the role of “peer counselors.”

We began with asking each participant why s/he is interested in the peer counseling program and several themes surfaced, such as noticing a need for mentorship and counseling their peers; a desire to assist peers with their struggles; an opportunity to develop and/or enhance personal leadership skills; and a desire to improve their school and community. It seemed obvious that most of them wanted to “help” and some even connected this to their future career interests, such as counseling or ministry.

We asked the group to speak as spokespersons to help us identify the issues among the student body as they see it. The main themes were: fear of speaking up in class (shyness, afraid to make mistakes and/or be made fun of), lack of adult mentorship, and a feeling of being unloved or underappreciated. It was also stated that teachers humiliate the students; often saying telling them that what they have to say is “nonsense” (which, obviously wouldn’t be much help for those who wish to speak out in class). Also, it was pointed out by several females in the group that the male teachers are “too friendly” with female students. (I later asked one young woman to explain what that meant. She said the male teachers play favorites with a group of girls and will spend much of their time flirting with those girls. I asked if she knew of anyone being romantically or sexually involved and she said no. Here’s to hoping…)

To try and identify positive and successful coping mechanisms, we inquired of the strengths of the students. They identified several strengths within themselves to draw upon in overcoming the above obstacles, including: self confidence, belief in God or faith, practice in socializing, encouragement from friends, remaining goal-oriented, boldness, determination, counseling and guidance from a few Pastors and teachers, realizing one’s humanity and unity with others in that regard, parenting, close relationships and sharing, admiring and learning from those who are confident and speak out. Time and time again the impact of a positive adult – a parent, mentor, priest, or other important person – was listed as having been integral in helping them to cope with situations. This reminded me very much of what I know about resiliency and the influencing factors to resilient human beings. Those ideals seem to be applicable in this culture as well.

We also wanted to better understand what they like about the school, how the school is supporting them, and what the school can continue to do. The students identified the strengths within the institution that already adds to overcoming the above obstacles, such as providing positive reinforcement for Class Prefects and in academic competition, encouraging groups (such as morning devotions), assisting in arranging study groups, offering clubs and sports, some teacher’s lectures, and providing social opportunities for youth

They had much more to say, however, about where the school needs improvement. Suggestions from them directly include:
• Organize more social time for students to feel comfortable around each other
• Form study groups and peer teaching models
• Obtain better facilities (furniture, science equipment, computers, etc.)
• Encouragement from teachers: more positive reinforcement than negative, discontinue favoritism, more support for students who are struggling
• Train teachers to learn how to reach students at their level
• Encourage teachers to be more patient with students and give the students a chance to think of answers
• Place students into groups based on career goals and focus more heavily on more relevant courses
• Provide individual and group counseling/therapy
• Monthly forums for students to voice concerns
• Scholarships to help with financial burden of attending school
• Offer experiential education or provide more real-life examples to help with teaching and explanation of material
• Implement a Newspaper reading club to help with English and keep students up to date on current affairs

I was impressed with the critical thinking involved in the list. The students knew what they wanted and what would help them. I am thinking how this list might compare to a student group in the US – better lunches, add soda machines, more school dances – and am humbled. Most of these students so genuinely want to learn. They work harder to complete a high school education than many do to complete their college education. They have many more barriers to overcome – financial, personal, and societal. It is inspiring and overwhelming to think about all they do to succeed.

In effort to empower youth and help them to use their voices and be agents of change, we asked them what they could do to create change in the school. The group identified options in which other students can contribute to a better learning environment, such as forming study groups; study, complete readings and some of the learning before class so it will be easier in class; fully prepare for each class; compete with each other (healthy competition for success); and attend classes on time and not participate in truancy. How responsible! Again, most college freshman I know are not doing these tasks consistently. While it can be seen as an unfortunate struggle that the students must work so hard; I see the strength and resiliency these students have and know they will be better off in their futures for learning how to work hard.

The results will be submitted to the Headmaster and Asst. Headmaster. I will include the following recommendations:
1. Expand counseling services, individually and group
2. Train teachers to utilize more positive than negative reinforcement
3. Encourage a professional environment, and address the issue of how male teachers are treating female students
4. Provide monthly meetings for students to voice their concerns and follow up on all possible suggestions
5. Develop a newspaper (or other) reading club
6. Assist in the formation of study groups

Obviously I would recommend scholarships and any other financial aid, but it is not feasible at this point. They school is very aware of the financial status of its students and is working to improve those circumstances. Unfortunately, secondary education is not government subsidized so money is tight all around. This, I believe, also contributes to the poor quality of teaching. The teachers, I am sure, are underpaid and overworked. They are managing 70 student classrooms and lack basic teaching materials. It is an extremely challenging situation for everyone. Instead, I want to focus on more tangible suggestions that could possible be implemented with little cost other than time and energy.

The day ended with me feeling pretty good. It was nice to actually get a chance to sit with a small group of students and allow them to speak. I do not believe that students’ or youths’ voices are typically heard in this community. They were hesitant to talk at first but eventually opened up and had lots to say. These kids are incredibly intelligent, motivated, and driven. I know they can do amazing things and I would love to see them flourish with some adult support. I keep thinking, in the back of my mind, that I could transform this group if I had some more time to work with them. And that voice keeps saying, “you can…in January…final field.” Shhh, voice. Not yet…

On the way home from work a couple interesting things occurred. First, I purchased some material from a woman on the side of the road. I saw her carrying fabric on her head and said I wanted to get some. Next thing I know, my friend had invited her into our van and we drove while I picked out material. Nothing like drive through (or drive while) shopping. I got 4 yards for 12 cedis. That’s a great deal, since it is usually around 20cedis for 4 yards! I must find a tailor now to make me another dress. I want to buy all the dresses here. And the jewelry. And the art. And the musical instruments. And, and, and… And I’m out of suitcase room already! I simply must come back again.

Second, I engaged in an interesting conversation with one of my Ghanaian male friends about male-female relations. Most all of the men whom I have met are still virgins. Most of them are around 25ish. Now, if I were in the States, I would think they were all bullshitting, but here – no, I believe them. It is largely engrained in the culture to wait until marriage. Some people will ‘date’ for one or two years before ever even kissing. Kissing! Some women will make a man pursue her for one year before even deciding to go on A date with him – one date, to dinner perhaps, and there is no special dessert.

Now, my Western frame of reference is…flabbergasted. Coming from such an oversexed culture, I have been very interested in these having these conversations. Today I learned that in courting, a man “must stand the test of time” by pursuing a woman. My friend compared this process to a piece of electrical equipment, my digital camera, to be exact. He said “just like your camera, we must prove our durability, reliability, and resiliency. You want a camera that will stand the test of time, don’t you?” Well, yes, but how do I know if it stands the test of time if I don’t ever USE it? If I leave it at home in its case, how do I know how it functions, what its strengths and weaknesses are? How do I know if I have the best camera for me if I don’t try several different cameras during my life? It might be a simple, silly analogy, but it really made me think. I doubt I’ll be taking a lifetime vow of chastity but it helped me to question our culture’s obsession with sex, sexuality, and the body (especially ideals of beauty). My friend broke it down and said “a partner who is for real doesn’t need physicality. They want someone with whom to share their days and feelings – for better or worse, richer and poorer.” It made me see a different view of “man.” In the States I have never heard a man say this. Men are “by nature,” as the argument goes, “hardwired for sex.” They “need” it because that’s the way “they are.” Bull. Here is an entire group of men, attractive men I might add (the no kissing rule is a shame!) who value connection on an emotional and spiritual level over physicality. Holy cow, who knew. Aren’t only “women the emotional ones?”
Learning about a different culture is so eye opening. Being here has helped me to question myself, my values, and my experiences in a new light. It has really helped me to open my mind and stretch my abilities.

One more day at Ashaiman. I am quite sad, actually. I will miss those kids...