Final Thoughts of an Amazing Adventure

I really don't know where to start. And I don't know where to end.
The fact that I only have 3 days left and that this is the last time I'll be posting in Africa is literally blowing my mind right now. AH! I really just can't explain my emotions right now.

Well, first: The events of the week.

• Went to a SWEET bead market in Koforidua.
  
• Traded leftover clothes and items for souvenirs.
• Learned a cultural African Dance.
• Learned cultural African drumming.
• Went to "entertainment." AKA-the Senior High School drama production. The drama production included an intermission in which Suzy had to dance in front of the whole school.
• Got asked my 1000th question about Obama
• Got asked my 2000th question about Michael Jackson.
• Saw Rita Marleys recording studio and she has a little shop. Met a crazy rasta old woman who was incredible. SO funny.
• And lastly, I have the coolest job ever still...you know..working in a school for the deaf! :) LOVE LOVE LOVE

So, I still get to have lots of fun adventures doing other things, but in the long run, my best and most special memories are all with the kids and all because of the kids. The students are not just any students. They are MY students. MY friends. And I honestly, at the moment, don't know whether to be happy or sad. I am happy because I am still having the time of my life and still loving every minute of it. But I get a little sad when I think about the fact that my days are winding down at warp speed! AH. Either way, I am infinitely grateful for this opportunity because it has been the most incredible journey.

So I guess I'll end the journey with some final thoughts...seems kinda sad, but oddly appropriate.

I don't think I changed the world. No lives saved. No incredible acts. I do however, feel truly blessed and humbled by this opportunity. I've been lucky enough to spend the last 2 months in the presence of and in the service of, some of the most precious souls on earth.

"It is what you make it." I haven't always loved that phrase and I guess I haven't always fully understood that phrase...but now I feel I have learned more about it and learned to appreciate that statement much more. I guess part of why I questioned it was because there are some circumstances that you have no control over. But now I know that even with these uncontrollable circumstances, you really do, "make it" yourself.

Most people here having nothing. Some people let that affect their person, their acts, words, and deeds toward pessimism. But for every one of those people, I have also met a person with a dazzling smile; kindess, hope, and optimism beyond measure. People who love and serve their families and make their days great!

"It is what you make it." You can make the worst days, the worst circumstances, better. Your attitude is what you make it. Your outlook is what you make it. Your faith, hope, and charity is what you make it. Your life is what you make it.
"It is what you make it" - It really is.

Make today better. Make today great. Help someone. Devote yourself. Smile. Laugh. Work. Serve. Love others and show it. Make it happen. You can.

Doing nothing makes you feel sorry for yourself. Doing service makes you realize how much you have.

Americans in Ghana...A 4th of July to Remember

Story time...


Once upon a Ghanaian adventure, 9 Obruni's woke up at 3:40am to get ready to leave at 4am for Shai Hills. Of course, our tro tro didn't arrive until about 440 because in Ghana, "it is not possible" to arrive at a scheduled time. Anywhoo, we arrived at Shai at about 6am. Background: Shai Hills is a wildlife reserve where they have monkeys!! We planned to get there early because we heard the most animals are out in the morning. Well, we were right! We got there, drove into the place and there were MONKEYS everywhere!! Super close to us. We could just get out and touch them! They just sit right there! Holy craziness batman. (oh! batman! Ill get to that in a minute!) So anyways, we got there took some sweet pictures of monkeys, I think they were baboons because they had uglllyyy red butts, and enjoyed the cool morning. We even saw a tiny little baby baboon clinging to his mommy's back! cute huh!?
Well, we took the tro tro and drove to the other side of the reserve, picked up our tour guide, Abraham, and were on our way. We drove through the grasslands of Africa! It was B-E-A-Utiful! Mountains and trees and just endless landscapes. Plus, Antelope. We tro tro'ed it through the grass and tried to get close to the Antelope and then got out and sneakily walked to get an even closer view. It was sweet. The grass was a little moist though, so the dirt became somewhat of a mud in places.
Then we saw monkeys running around and climbing trees, and turtles, and antelopes.
Then Abraham took us to some caves! We started with some history and tales of the Shai tribes and people who used to live on the land and how they slept in the caves and they still come back once every year to do rituals on the reserve. We hiked up some rocks and through a few different caves. It was kinda stinky and I didn't know why at first, but Abraham informed me..."It's from the bats."
That's right folks-bats. We walked deeper and deeper into the cave until we were stand under a thousand bats! Seriously, there were tons and tons of bats swarming around above my head! Crazy huh! If people didn't believe me when I said I was batman before, BELIEVE IT NOW! haha. I only wish I had my mask to go with it! :)

Then, after the caves, our adventure was about finished and we got in the tro tro to drive through the grasslands for a final look at the beauty and the wildlife, when suddenly, disaster struck.

And when I say struck, I mean, STUCK. Because crash, boom, bang, and our tro tro was suddenly a victim of the mud. Abraham tried to push-no success. We all got out and tried to push-no success. Abraham gathered leaves and branches to place under the tires for traction-no success. I could go on forever...but the point is-we were really stuck! We ended up pushing for 2 hours!! We gathered rocks and branches, I used a tree limb and got down in the mud to try and dig out the tires, I used my bare hands to push mud from surrounding us, and I shoved the best I could, but it just wasn't cutting it. I of course realized the smart thing to do would be to offer a prayer. So the group gathered, including our tro tro driver and tour guide, and we said a prayer. It was still quite a while of pushing to no avail, until finally, another car came and they helped us out. The interesting thing was that the tour guide in the other car said he wasn't planning on going this way, but for some reason he felt like they should. Heavenly Father really does here and answer prayers. And let me tell you-after two hours of hot weather, mud, and pushing a 20 passenger van that's stuck, it is a miracle to be thankful for!

The day ended blissfully, with fresh bananas and mangos. But a few minor injuries were sustained throughout the group. I am not going to say who got what, because I don't want to worry anybody.
Injuries included, but were not limited to:

• cuts
• bruises
• blisters
• open sores
• gas inhalation
• dizziness and faint
• nausea
• a scorpion sting
• Also, the next day, every one of us woke up feeling like we got hit by a bus! Or I guess hit by a tro-tro would be the more appropriate phrase, considering. But the sore muscles healed, along with all other wounds, and now its quite the story to tell.

Later that day, we finished our 4th of July celebrations by making guacamole and listening to any song that had the word "america" in it.

But in all honesty, I really am thankful and proud to be an American. After seeing and learning different things about Ghana, the culture, the government, human rights, etc. I am so happy to live in the coutry that I do.
During a R.M.E. lesson this week, a teacher was explaining different social, political, economic rights, and he was basically telling the class about all the different reasons why deaf are oppressed and how much they suffer in Ghana.
The teacher then said, "People here sometimes think deaf are the same as animals."
To which my student named Ruth answered, "I am Human!"
It was really striking to me. I guess it might have been more influential had ya'll been there to see it as well, but you get the idea. My students are human, they are people, they are smart, they deserve to be treated with respect and love. I am thankful to be here doing what I can, but there is always more to be done.

I still love school. I know I say it every time. And I know I don't necessarily say much more than that every time, but sometimes I think those things are just unexpressable, if there is such a word. Suffice it to say, I love the students, I am doing my best, and I will keep savouring every small moment I have in these last 10 days in Ghana.

Ghana Day 50!

Oh boy oh boy.

I feel like I write kinda crappy on here, but I get so flustered trying to explain or express all the things that I experience here!

Well, cool events:
I got to go to the Accra temple. One word-Amazing. It was absolutely beautiful, and breathtaking, and every wonderful synonymous word in between. I loved it; definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

I got to go back to Accra, and to the art district that I had been to the weekend before and it was wicked funny because all the people I made friends with before still remembered me or were wicked surprised that I remembered them! Haha. More mango, more bargaining, funtimes!

It is definitely the rainy season! Last week it rained like 3 days in a row, like ALL day rain. And when I say rain I don’t me Utah rain. I mean BUCKETS of water pouring on your head. (It’s the best shower Ive had since I arrived!) Oh, so I guess that proves the point that when it rains I don’t stay inside… Rain+Suzy=Playtime. I love it. I love the downpours. It is hard to stay out of it. Eventually I had to stop cuz I was running out of dry clothes. But one of the days we were stuck at the school when it was pouring, so I took lots of pictures of the kids and then hid my camera and ran out to play in it. I learned new games and dances and got wicked muddy. All the kids talk about how COLD they are after/during the rain and I think they are crazy haha. I love the feeling of not sweating through all my clothes…although I guess I wouldn’t notice that if it was happening cuz Im wet, but you catch my drift.

I went to church at the primary school again. The preacher this week was one of the deaf teachers so I did not have to interpret, however, as per standard in Ghana, the guy was wicked late. So the kids just kept singing lots of different songs. Finally, they asked us obruni’s to sing a song so we all stood up there and signed “As I have loved you” haha. Then, since the guy was still taking forever and my students are the older ones in charge, Ruth (one of my JSS 2 girls) came over to me and said, “Suzy, please preach.” I was like…uh…preach…what in the world do I do? Then a minute later, Isaac came to me and said “Suzy, please preach” Im like okay. Just give me one minute to think of a sermon! Haha. So I finally convinced two of the girls to bear a short testimony with me, and when I told Lartey I would, the teacher showed up! Haha. Saved by the bell. But it was interesting to try and think of a sermon for about 200 deaf kids on the spot! It was fun though, of course. Everything is fun here!! =)

Then yesterday, July 1st, we didn’t have school because it’s Ghana’s Republic Day (I think) so we all went to two different waterfalls. It was pretty cool. We joined a group of students who were about 11 years old in a tro tro. 29 people in that sucker. That’s a feat if I do say so myself. But then we got to the different waterfalls and it was a party! Both places had music and dancing. And of course I joined in…but that might’ve been a bad idea because I think the Ghanaian people have never seen a white person dance before because it kinda causes an uproar and a lot of shock and awe when they do see it lol. But it was fun even if it was a bit overwhelming to have so many stares.
The waterfalls were very dirty. Brown water. But then both places had a hike you could go on to see this other area. The one was super short and you sit on top of a rock and look over an incredible landscape. The other was the same, except totally different! Haha. It was the same because you arrive at this massive rock structure-thing, and then climb a latter, and sit on top feeling like you are in the Lion King movie and totally on top of the world. But it was different cuz at Boti falls the hike is a few miles of up and down and up and down and lots and lots of rock climbing. It was interesting to make that hike in some Crocs but they held up fairly well. And it was pretty fun because all the people kept asking “Obruni are you tired?” (cuz they assume if you’re white you are lazy and out of shape) and I got the opportunity to outclimb and outhike a few of em =) Not gonna lie, I was kinda proud haha.

And as usual, school is phenomenal! I love my students! I love love them all the kids at school. They are wonderful. I have had some fun teaching science this week. Usually I stick to Math and English, but I had the opportunity to finally meet there science teacher and become his official interpreter and now I know what they’re learning about and I have been able to help. Love it love it love it.

My life is cool.