Wednesday, April 25th, 2007
Pre-departure so far has generally been really interesting and very informative. The group is interacting really well and I feel a genuine sense of care and concern growing for one another. It's really amazing how open and loving people can be when they are focused on a common goal. The process is constantly reaffirming to me the good the lies within us and the desire we all have to be engaged and connected. Today in particular we spent the morning with a Ghanaian woman who was kind enough to take on all of our nervous questions. We talked about everything from handshaking to smoking, child-rearing to bargaining in the market place. You could tell from the groups questions that everyone is genuinely concerned about being respectful and courteous especially in regards to dress and gift-giving. In the afternoon we wrapped things up with Raymond as he taught us about the natural process of adaptation when arriving overseas. It seemed to bring a sense of relief to us all whenRaymond explained that it was natural to expect times of emotional turmoil and homesickness while away.
Rachelle Blum
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8 comments:
HI Nicole,
I'm going to try to get the students to respond/add to your blog today. So this is just a tester to see if it works! We miss you tons!
Julie
May 16, 2007
Nicole!
How is your trip going so far? How long have you been there for again? School is good if you were wondering. It’s boring though! It’s the same thing everyday! How have you been filling your days? Like what have you been doing? Have you learned anything new yet? What about the people! What are they like? I hope you like everyone in your group because that would suck if you didn’t! Any fights yet? Haha! Have you met anyone? Any kids like me! What are the schools like? And how’s the food? I don’t think I would like the food there, is it spicy? Have you met anyone with AIDS yet? We started reading a book about this girl and how she lives her life in Africa and how everyone around her is pretty much dying of AIDs. Great book right? Is there a lot of poverty there? Like no running water or toilets. How do these people live? But I guess when that’s all you know then that’s all you can live by! Are there a lot of computers around? What about TVs? Well Nicole stay in touch! xoxo Jess!
Hi Nicole!
How is Africa? Everyone misses you!! That would me too! Here in Canada we have been reading this book called “Chandas Secrets.” This book I finished in like 1 day! It was a really good book! It’s about a girl and her mom and the problems that occur during her life long journeys. Her little sister died and she was raped! Does that really happen there? Ugh if so that totally sucks! We are almost done the book and right now her best friend was raped and beaten! I felt so sorry for her but then I remembered it was just a book and then I said to myself…hey this actually happens! It’s so sad!
What’s it like there? How do the kids look if you no what I mean?! Have you seen dieing HIV/AIDS victims? If so how does it make you feel?
Have you seen and wild animals? O! Have you seen the little monkey called the bush baby?! I love those little dudes! Have you seen lions? Or those gross snakes. Do you have time to see the wild life or are you too busy!?
Is there a lot of stigma against the people that have HIV/AIDS? Is there any access to treatment? Is there a lot of poverty? Do they have schools open to the kids? Or is it just open to the rich? Is it hard to adapt to the culture?
Is the food yummy? What’s a normal day like in Africa for you and for the people?! Are the people friendly? Is it emotional?
A lot of people here in our class don’t get how bad it really is and they have no sympathy for the people in Africa!
Its so different without you here! I wish I really was there with you1 I think this would be a good experience for all of us here! I really want to be there! I think that in a couple of year I think I will do what most of the students you are with are doing!
How long do you have to walk to get to a water hole, for fresh water (if there is any!)
Those poor kids! I really feel for them! I no what its like! Ok maybe just a little! When I was younger (baby) I had worms and I didn’t have food!
Well Nicole we have only half an hour and I tried so hard to type as much as I could, so please write us back soon!
Have fun and be safe!!! See you soon!! Next year!
From Iona!!
Dear Nicole
May 16, 2007
Oh my God! Miss you so much. How is every thing in africa? Life is really boring with out your houmor. In english we havd read a book called “Chanda’s Secrets”. I finished it in three days. I want to ask you some cool questions but juile wants me to ask about stuff from my book to ask you.
What are the people like? In our book there are people you have a bom box and have parties all night or there are the older women who sit on the porch and watches verything happening and knows everything about everyone.
Is there a alcoholich drink called “shake-shake”? If so have you every tried and is it bad or good ?
What is a dayly life for you? Do you help people with AIDS or do you teacher youth about how AIDS works and how you get it. Hey!!! Maybe you can teach them science. Just kidding
Isn’t it really werid that everyone turns to men to ask a question or for anything a mater of fact? I would feel so weird.
Are there and young girls and boys who have AIDS? Did something bad happen to them? I wish I was there to comfort them or help them in anyway. Is the school at least good for them or are they getting the worst education . I bet they are learning a lot from you. You have always been a great teacher to your students.
How is the food? Is it any good as the food up here and what is it called?
I just had the BEST banana cake in the world, one day I will let you try. YUMMY!!!
I have learned so much from this book and how bad it really is up there. It was a eye opener. At first I thought it was stupid but by the end of the book I was so into it I had to finish it. I feel so sad for all the children up there. I hope little girls arent going into the hooker business like our book. The things that could happen to them kill me inside.
In our book there is rape, drugs, alocohal, children becoming hookers, children taking care of children, not much food and poverty. Is any of these things happing in your area?
School here feels like it is getting a little worse without you. Everybody’s yelling and swearing, it’s carzy how everyone is treating one another. COME HOME!!!!!! Save us.
I am not really sure what else I can say except that I miss you and I want to come back.
From Sammy
Dear Nicole,
It sounds like you are staying in a very safe place unlike the common areas in Africa. I was wondering if you could possibly explain the certain way that the kids act in the environment that they live in. Is the teaching method there any different then in Toronto and why? Is there anything different when it comes to the people of Africa to the people in Canada? What is the common house in Africa and what is the regular job there? Have there been any major incidents that you have experienced? Do you get a fairly nutritional meal compared to the average person there because you’re a guest? Has it been to adapt to there way of living or has it been an easy change? How many people on average come to you for help? What sort of wildlife have you encountered in the different parts in Africa? What sort of things do you do to for the short term help those who are sick? What has been the best part of your trip and the worst so far? Have you experienced any discrimination while being there? Has there been anything that’s the same about Toronto as there is in Africa? You have been missed by many but have you felt pretty comfortable while staying there or have things been frustrating? Has anything touched your life in a special way while your there that makes you look at the world differently? Do you believe that you’ve made the world a little better and that this is a start to a long journey to the end of aids? Is there anything that you had thought of since you’ve been there before you left for Africa? Do you miss anything about Toronto when it comes to food or home life?
Sincerely Sam
Hi Nicole
This is Chris talking to you.
How are you doing ?
Did you have a good flight ?
How is Africa. We’ve been reading a novel called Chanda’s Secret. It is set in Africa, and I wonder if some of the things that I’m reading about ,are happening in your area. For example, Rape, AIDS and HIV.
In the story we reading my Character is a baby that had Aids when she was 1 ½ years old. She died at the beginning of the story.
What are the people like? Everyone is good hear. Things are the same like Connor being loud. Matt c is getting kick by Jamie and peter every day
How is weather? It is good hear it getting warmer
Email me at cwatson@ymcaacademy.org
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Chris
Hello Nicole,
The school seems very empty without you here. How has you’re time in Ghana been so far? I hope it has gone well so far over there. Here in school we are reading a book called Chanda’s Secrets. It has been very insightful about how people with HIV/AIDS are treated and how people without the disease treat them. Is there much malnutrition in Ghana? Which kinds of people have it? Also what is the food like there? Is it the same as in Canada? I hope the food is good and I hope there are some of the same dishes as in Canada. I also hope the people are nice and you’re seminars are going well.
Do the people in Ghana live off the land? Or do they go to market to buy there food? Is it hard to adapt to the different culture there? I hope there aren’t that many differences between are two cultures and that it is easy to adapt to. What kinds of animals have you seen? Are some of them animals from Canada? Are the animals friendly and domesticated? I hope they aren’t as wild as they can be in Canada and are more secure with people. Do many of the people you have met have HIV/Aids? I hope not and that they are all clean from it.
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