i have officially been in Ghana, West Africa for 2 weeks today... and it feels so much longer, and yet shorter at the same time. The first few days in Kumasi were both challenging and interesting. my host family is amazing; so welcoming and friendly - so i feel right at home. the only slightly awkward moment arises when the father (a pastor) asks me questions about my religious background. i dont dare tell him i'm not baptized or dont really believe in christianity teachings... but he's an interesting man to talk to. There is a very big religious influence in Ghana - where asking someone what church they belong to is as common as asking what their name is.

my placement so far is going really well to. i work at two schools; an all girls school once a week teaching basic sciences, math, and english. for those who know me well, the fact that i teach english with my horrible spelling skills i find quite hilarious... haha. the other school is for younger children, ages 4-9 who's parents are currently living with or have died from HIV AIDS. they are a special group of kids, and do not speak english. it makes teaching them very very hard - such a huge language barrier, but also so rewarding. Once a week i will do work with the local sex trade workers - doing HIV AIDS presentations, as well going to the hospital to work in a counseling question answer office on sexual health. so a very well rounded experience in terms of social and health work... and I'm surprised at how much i love teaching,

I'm starting to feel more comfortable in my own skin... literally... haha. it was pretty hard at first being so visibly different, but i'm adjusting to it now... and am learning to cope with the amount of attention i get when i walk down the street. until i make it to the office again! cheers :)