Village Experience

....and an experience it was!! I couldn’t have been more happy to have chosen to do this part of the program. Going into it I was a little uneasy because I knew it would be an eye opener but I didn’t know how extreme it would be. On Sunday afternoon, another girl and I went about an hour outside of Takoradi to a small little village where we would stay for the week! We had our own cute little mud hut with one cute little twin bed for the two of us to share... problem #1. With some rearranging we were able to create two beds for both of us to sleep comfortably...somewhat. Sleeping was problem #2. Roosters and goats wake up at about 2 in the morning and the locals wake up at 4 in the morning to use every little bit of sunshine. 

We spent our time at the clinic where there wasn’t any PT so I was a nurse for the week and did lots of paperwork! The pattern seemed to be that no matter what the symptoms were the diagnosis was malaria...no questions asked. The afternoons were filled with activities planned by our guide! We met with the chief of the village, saw where/how palm oil is made, how alcohol is made, went to the local market and beach, went to the school to play with kids, and played with the children of the village! These kids absolutely loved us and wouldn’t leave us alone! We ate rice, rice and more rice with spice, spice and even more spice. We showered out of buckets but I wasn’t having much of that so I showered in the rain and took the laughter from the locals! Even though I ended up getting a little sick I enjoyed this experience to the fullest. Since I can’t really find the words to describe the week I figured pictures would be better for this post! Can’t wait to show you all much much more pictures! Miss you all! 5 weeks down, 3 to go! It’s flying.

The village

Our house

Our room

The toilet. It goes really deep into the ground - falling in would not be ideal

Buckets for showering.... Let's just say I didn't even attempt to wash my hair! You may call it cheating but the women here don't have long hair to deal with so I think it's fair :)

The Shower. You would bring the buckets to the shower and hang up your towel and clothes on the branch going across.

Animals everywhere

The clinic

File room... better known as 'headache'.

Palm Oil Plantation

The Palace

The Chief and two of the elders. We gave them a bottle of gin to thank them for allowing us to stay at their village!

The kids at school! 

They don't stop waving!

They love the camera 

Where alcohol is made!

A day in the life! Hand games and running around

True Ghanaian with a baby on my back... and he had no pants on. 

Fetching water

My free time

Questions welcome and encouraged!!! I would love to hear from you!