So the project was over. The next day after the concert felt surreal and emotional, with all the goodbyes fresh in our memories. It felt strange not to have to refer to my to-do lists, and not to have to worry about budget money - like a huge weight of responsibility had been lifted from my shoulders. It was hard to believe we wouldn't be going back to the Street Academy.
That Saturday Kasia and I travelled to Jamestown to take part in a walking tour run by the NGO 'Act For Change' - who had provided a couple of workshops for us during the project. They had just started running walking tours of the Jamestown district trying to give visitors an insight into this part of Accra that people often find difficult to access. The tour, given by the lovely Nii, was really interesting and covered lots of different religious, cultural and historical aspects of Ga life - and it gave us a new insight into the area which we had been working in for the whole project: the area where the majority of the children live. We visited a shrine, a traditional housing complex, and then made our way down to the old harbour.
We saw the traditional boats being carved out of a single tree trunk (although Nii told us how now they are making them out of fibreglass to try to help combat deforestation). We smelled fish air-drying on the pier (pungent!) and best of all, we bumped into some of the children from the project who live next to the harbour. Actually as we walked around Jamestown that day we saw loads of the children, each time accompanied by lots of joyful shouting (from both sides!) and hugs.
After the tour we headed back to Osu for an end-of-project celebratory meal with all of the volunteers - both Ghanaian and international. We all brought food along, the most delicious being a dish called 'Kelewele' cooked by Anita - deep fried plantain spiced with chilli and ginger. Yum!
Our last couple of days were really a blur - thinking about buying presents for people back home, thinking about packing and travel plans, and saying sad goodbyes to those others of the team who were leaving before us.
On our last day, Kasia, Lauren and I travelled back to Jamestown to Mokola market for one last fabric-buying spree. By this point we were beginning to be a bit afraid about exceeding our baggage allowance, so we tried to restrain ourselves (with difficulty!). After the market we went and had an Alvaro in the Wato Club - an amazing 'spot' in Jamestown, where Louis Armstrong once played.
That Saturday Kasia and I travelled to Jamestown to take part in a walking tour run by the NGO 'Act For Change' - who had provided a couple of workshops for us during the project. They had just started running walking tours of the Jamestown district trying to give visitors an insight into this part of Accra that people often find difficult to access. The tour, given by the lovely Nii, was really interesting and covered lots of different religious, cultural and historical aspects of Ga life - and it gave us a new insight into the area which we had been working in for the whole project: the area where the majority of the children live. We visited a shrine, a traditional housing complex, and then made our way down to the old harbour.
The view across to the harbour
After the tour we headed back to Osu for an end-of-project celebratory meal with all of the volunteers - both Ghanaian and international. We all brought food along, the most delicious being a dish called 'Kelewele' cooked by Anita - deep fried plantain spiced with chilli and ginger. Yum!
Our last couple of days were really a blur - thinking about buying presents for people back home, thinking about packing and travel plans, and saying sad goodbyes to those others of the team who were leaving before us.
On our last day, Kasia, Lauren and I travelled back to Jamestown to Mokola market for one last fabric-buying spree. By this point we were beginning to be a bit afraid about exceeding our baggage allowance, so we tried to restrain ourselves (with difficulty!). After the market we went and had an Alvaro in the Wato Club - an amazing 'spot' in Jamestown, where Louis Armstrong once played.
Kasia, Isaac and Lauren at the Wato Club
The last weekend we really spent reflecting on the whole experience of being in Ghana - not only the project, but things like the amazing head-carrying skills of pretty much every Ghanaian:
Precision peanut balancing
The amazing plethora of roadside hawkers (toy guns, water,
plantain crisps, chewing gum, phone credit, bibles, fruit, Alvaro, yams, toothbrushes etc etc etc - all available to purchase from the comfort of your own car whilst waiting at traffic lights)
Yams anyone?
Fabric fabric fabric, tailored dresses, the sensory assault of Kaneshie and Mokola markets
Spot the 'sliming tea'!
The sound and smell of Accra, music everywhere, amazing dance moves, smoothies, Milo cubes,
A typical convenience store
Trotros, negotiating roads and sewers, and amazing highlife-music-fuelled taxi rides
Drinking water out of bags, the daily Malarone alarm, mosquito nets, the hot water lottery, the insect visitors and the 2am rooster at the 'Diamond Palace' where we stayed
But most of all our amazing team of volunteers...
Wanlov, Kate, Kasia, Dan, Andrea, Mutombo, Elliot, Harry, Kayla, Setri, Anita, Lauren, Isaac, Kyekyeku, Gonzo and Frank
...and of course the incredible children of the Street Academy.
Actually it feels impossible to summarise properly what was such an emotional, difficult, wonderful, challenging and amazing experience. I'm so glad I did it, and I wouldn't change my experience for the world. I won't deny that acclimatising back to my 'normal' life has been really hard. Working on this project and the children we worked with touched me deeply and it's something I'll never forget.
So, both Kasia and I would like to say one last final THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this fantastic experience possible for us. That's:
So, both Kasia and I would like to say one last final THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make this fantastic experience possible for us. That's:
Dorothy, Kirsty McL, Lucie, Kirsty C, Al, Moira, Georgie, Susie, Hazel, Ros, Em, Andy, Jack, Christine, Liz, Marcin, Magda, Ina, Janusz, Ania, Marek, Claire, Sylvia, Joe, Emma, Kay, Neil, Ali, Susan, Pauline, Neil, Caroline, Ian, Migs, Rich, Katie, Astrid, Thomas, Caro, Helen, Moira, Ivona, Marc, Neil, Zoe, Christine, Rach, Jessica and Eli... (and of course AKOSIA and The Street Academy!)
THANK YOU!!
With so much love and appreciation,
Kate and Kasia
xxxxx
