An old post that I forgot to put up... 1st November

Dear friends and family

Another wee update from Ghana!

That’s me been here six weeks now – the time is flying by!! I’m really starting to feel settled now. My flatmate’s back in the UK for a month, so I am making the place feel like my home as well… got my photos up in the bedroom, stocking up the kitchen cupboard with… well rice and pasta and various beans and pulses. I am eating well – and very healthily – but the selection is not huge – lots of tomatoes, egg, onions, garden eggs (like wee aubergines), and tins of meat and fish from the tiny supermarket in town. It means you have to be creative! I’ve discovered a recipe for a chocolate tray bake, which made me popular at the Halloween party the VSOs held last night (I was a tortoise – thanks for that one Sonia!!)

Two ladies from England, Jo and Lyn, spent the week with me last week. They, along with two others, set up the Let’s Read! project, which I am working on. They have produced a set of primary school resource cards, which they have given to various schools, alongside training courses. I am now the on-the-ground person, continuing the training, working with teachers, producing extra materials if necessary from time to time etc etc.

This week, we spent two mornings training P2 and P3 teachers in games and activities to do with their classes, making sure they are teaching the phonic sounds rather than the letter names. We visited 4 schools to see how teachers were getting on. We also spent two mornings at a school called Grace International, which is partly funded by a Ghanaian charity called Afrikids. Let’s read have been doing work to make the school into a model school, so I envisage I’ll be spending quite a lot of my time there. On Friday, I did some team teaching with P3 and P4 teachers. Both are quite new, and I think untrained, so they were struggling with aspects of teaching phonics. I did some team teaching with them. I’m now very much more aware of what my day to day job will be, and have a huge to do list!! It’s very exciting to see how things fit together, and to get a feel for what I’ll be doing in the coming months. Lyn and Jo left behind lots of resources for me to use, including a brand new printer! (I’m easily pleased!)

I’ve had some nice day trips over the last few weekends. Two weeks ago we went to Zebilla, which is very near the Burkina Faso and Togo borders – in fact I think you can see all three countries from one spot (a little like a place in Swaziland where you can see South Africa and Mozambique). We spent some time at a local spot, and went to the house of other VSOs in the area, Pat, Iona and Andrea. The following day, I went to the Tongo Hills with some other friends. There are huge big rocks scattered around the area, making small caves where traditionally people would meet to discuss local business and make decisions. We visited the chief and compound as it is today. The chief here has 13 wives and 40 children, all of whom live in the compound – a maze of passages and homes. Very interesting.

Last weekend we went up to Navrongo and Paga, which is another border with Burkina Faso. We visited Sam, who is teaching at a teacher training college, and went to Paga Pio’s Palace, which, similar to Tongo, is a chief’s compound. Going to Navrongo makes you realise how lucky we are in Bolgatanga in terms of shopping!!

I still haven’t made it to Burkina Faso yet as my visa/work permit/resident’s permit is still being processed. (I can’t remember which, just know I don’t have my passport!)

Rachael arrives on Monday in Bolga for a week’s visit, which is VERY exciting!! I have to work a couple of days, then we can go off and explore the country!