Hobbling around Ghana

I am sitting here on a Sunday night trying to think how I can put into words what I have experienced over the past week.  I have moved my life and my things to Accra, Ghana  and for the most part, I am feeling relatively NORMAL!  Ghana has been my home now for 9 days and, where usually I am never one to be speechless, I am finding that the real issue is that I doubt my words would do justice!

My mind is reeling so instead of coherent thoughts, this will just be more of a play by play of some of the highlights from the week!  My hope is that you can glean some of the amazing things about my school, my colleages, and my new country!

New teacher orientation in a new country can be daunting, but the team at Lincoln Community School has a well oiled machine!  I hobbled off the plane in Accra and was greeted by the Headmaster, my principal and other new teachers.  I was quickly whisked off to my apartment, given the code for the internet, some local currency and then my luggage was hand delivered to me!  I began to browse my apartment and realized my accomodations are huge....I have 2 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bath.  My kitchen is a little small, but I am no Betty Crocker so I can't imagine how long I will be in there!  :)

After I did my NESTING routine of settling in and unpacking my suitcases, I was very eager to go to bed since the plane ride was a nightmare with my injury and not being able to keep my foot elevated!  When I shut out all the lights in my apartment and headed into my bedroom I became confused at which switches belonged to which light.  No matter how many trials, it seemed that there was one light above my bed that just wouldn't go out!  I become stubborn and looked ALL around my bedroom and apartment, but to NO avail!  I decided I was too tuckered so I laid down on my bed with the light shining brightly above me!  Frustration and exhaustion won out and I finally fell asleep!

Ghana electricity - 1
Misty - 0

The rest of the weekend was spent meeting the new teachers at various restaurants and getting to know each other!  There are 11 of us total and we are just as different as we are similar.  One couple from Minnesota, one couple coming from Kuwait, a single guy from Egypt, a single girl from Ethiopia, another single guy from St. Louis and a single mom with her 16 year old son coming from Turkey just to name a few.  We have had a great week together getting to know each other and feeling like a tight knit group!

The second night I went to bed, again I searched all over my room for that stupid light!  I was tired and could not deal with another restless night of sleep with the SPOTLIGHT above my bed!  I had shared this with my principal at lunch one day and she laughed!  I moved dressers and even looked under the bed!  No luck!  Went to bed the second night with a t-shirt over my eyes to keep out the harshness of that d*$%&* light!

Ghana electricity - 2
Misty - 0

Another social event happened at this fabulous restaurant called Burger and Relish (click to go to the website) and several of us went for food and jazz!  One of the parents at our school was performing so we went to show our support!  The burgers were delicious and the atmosphere was very modern!

Later that night I asked my principal if she could help me with my light situation, for I feared I might injure myself or something in my apartment if I had to fall asleep to that BLINDING RAY again!  She gladly came to my rescue and showed me the light switch that was hidden behind the curtains!  She flipped the switch and I started dancing my HAPPY DANCE!

Ghana electricity - YOU LOSE, Misty wins!

Throughout the week a veteran teacher told me about TWO great stores that give back to the local economy and when I get my first paycheck, I am going to check them out!  One store called Trashy Bags sells very cute purses, bags and wallets all made of recycled materials.  The other store is called Global Mamas and has some really cute clothes and ways to help the community.  There is a GOOD possibility that many of my Christmas presents will be coming from these stores!  :)

During the school week, we had new teacher orientation and had a chance to tour the beautiful campus, meet other staff and get settled into our classrooms.  We had meetings where we discussed TONS of things that are typical to new staff arriving in Ghana.  The most beneficial meeting for me was the one that was led by a staff member named Amelia.  She talked to us about the culture of Ghana.  It was only a snapshot, but I really learned alot about the Ghanian culture.

• There are 3 big events that people attend in Ghana over the weekends:  OUTDOORING, WEDDING AND FUNERALS. 
• Outdooring is a big celebration where a child is named.  It is usually during the first week or two that a baby is born and a priest, family, friends and ANYONE else that wants to attend can come!  It is an open invitation and the baby recieves a traditional Ghana name.  The baby also is named for what day of the week he/she was born.  This is a time where people speak LIFE into the baby!  You are supposed to wear white to this event since it is a celebration of life!
• Weddings and funerals are both OPEN EVENTS - anyone can come.  The weddings include a dowry and there is a traditional wedding then a wedidng in a church.  The male will ask for the bride's hand in marriage in front of the whole family (no pressure there) and again, white or light colors are worn to this event to celebrate the life they will share together.  Funerals are a big open event to help support the family of the loved one.  Only if the person has died early would someone wear black to a funeral.  Otherwise, people wear white to celebrate the long life this person has led!  
• In Ghana, they have a different sense of time - different from some in the States.  If you make an appointment for 3:30, it is typical that someone does not show up for an hour or maybe even 2 hours!  They are VERY relaxed!  There is a phone company that is called GMT and stands for Ghana Mountain Time, but people at the school joke that it stands for Ghana Maybe Time! 
• In Ghana they operate as a COMMUNITY, not individuals.  There was a story of a foreigner who spit at a taxi driver.  That foreigner was escorted out of the country and asked to never return!  Amelia explained that just because that man was a taxi driver, don't judge him for his profession.  He can be connected to some of the highest ranking people in Ghana and therefore the whole community will respond!  

The talk was great insight into the country, but also into the human spirit!  I love the fact that people in Ghana celebrate - they celebrate life, love and leaving!  I also really love that Ghanians believe in operating as a community, not individuals!  There is something to be said for people RALLYING together in a society!  

On Friday, we had a new teacher party that was hosted at our Headmaster's apartment.  Him and his wife had food and drinks catered and we spent the night getting to know one another in a very informal way!  It was a wonderful and personal way to top off the very overwhelming week.  

Please don't misunderstand my use of the word 'overwhelming'!  

When I arrived, I was overwhelmed with finding physical therapy where I would feel comfortable.  (I had an appt. on Tuesday with a woman MJ who made a copy of my protocol from my doctor at home.  She took excellent care of me and is on board with my aggressive approach to healing!  I will be seeing her 2 times a week for the next month!)

When I arrived, I was overwhelmed with meeting so many UBER talented teachers that know what they are doing in the MYP and IB program. (I found that I just need to be confident with my teaching skills and the MYP lingo will come with time!)

When I arrived, I was overwhelmed moving to a NEW country, in a NEW apartment with NEW people I don't know. (The glorious thing about teaching overseas is that most of you are all in the same boat - everything is NEW!  Within one week I have made some great connections with new teachers and forged friendships with my colleages and veteran teachers.  It really is a small world when you realize that you are in Ghana and you meet two teachers that used to work in Kuwait and know the same people you do and then you meet two other teachers that used to work at another school in Seoul, South Korea!  LOVE making those connections!)

However, MOSTLY, this week I have been overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of the people in Ghana.  (The entire Ghanian staff at the school has been so helpful and I even have a driver that keeps offering to take me to physical therapy.  He even said that he will bring his own car and wait for me instead of driving the school bus.  On Sunday, I had a young girl see me hobbling in the store and she came up to me and tapped me on the shoulder and said, "I hope you heal quickly.") 

The bottom line is that the people here in Ghana are BEAUTIFUL, KIND, WARM-HEARTED people and I am overwhelmed that I get to live here for the next 2 years!

My fruit basket that greeted me in my apartment on arrival

Amelia gave a talk about Ghana culture.  Her outfit is a typical Ghanian dress and I loved it so much I had to get a picture!

All the new teachers went and heard some JAZZ at a local restuartant called Burger and Relish - it was DELICIOUS!

One of the selections of beer at Burger and Relish - winner of BEST BEER in 2014 - Tongerlo!

My neighbor Jessica Lawrence.  She is the high school counselor and lives right next door to me!

Accra, Ghana on a Friday night

Local soccer game

Awkward selfie with some of the new teachers:  Anita, Emmanuel, Lucia, Eric, Jessic and ME!

Club is the local Ghana beer!  I was trying to be artistic getting a shot of Accra in the background

International teaching really is a SMALL world!  Found out that I have mutual friends with these crazy 2 that came from a school in Kuwait!  I liked Nicole and Joe from the very beginning!  :)

What does a foreigner do in another country?  Make a trip to the commisary!  Went to the embassy and loaded up on some AMERICAN food!  

Local currency in Ghana called CEDI and pronounced CD