What does it take to be a graduate assistant for an international project? A lot of work. What started out as an idea turned into a two-day training for teachers and after-school volunteers. The training would cover topics such as building a cycle of teacher-student self-efficacy; packaging and managing curriculum for effective teaching; understanding ecological factors that influence a student’s academic performance; understanding how poverty and socioeconomic status affects students and how to overcome issues when resources are limited; and creating an aesthetic classroom that promotes engaged learning.
Being a graduate assistant took a lot of energy out of me as I took the task with me on vacations, worked through holidays, and added the load of work on top of a full-time schedule. Nevertheless, it got done. Finalizing the curriculum was the greatest breath of air I’d had in a long time. I had dedicated so much energy and effort into the curriculum. When I got the award for the travel grant, I was both nervous and excited. It’d been a hot minute since I’d been out of the country and I knew I had a lot of steps to make sure I could get to Ghana. Racking up all of the stress and added costs that went beyond the dollar amount awarded me, I kept telling myself that the trip would be rewarding and that all of the headache and added costs I ate out of pocket were worth it.
And it was rewarding, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself here.
I’ve talked about day 1 already, which is in my blog post titled, “Akwaaba!” So, I will continue the journey with what’s technically day 2.
The first couple days in Ghana were spent being a tourist. Tuesday, we went to the Makola Market in Accra. This is a large open-air market that stretches far beyond what the eye can see. Our tour guide explained that the market is run primarily by women and that most of the women are uncomfortable having their pictures taken for various reasons. We were able to find an elevated space to take pictures of the market, without invading people’s privacy. At the market, I was able to purchase some beautiful fabric, that I later had made into a skirt.
We visited the Great Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and museum. I’m not naïve to fact that world leaders meet, but it’s always interesting to see photographs of leaders from other countries meeting with leaders from the United States. It shows a different perspective than what we commonly see in our American textbooks. In the museum there were photos of President Nkrumah meeting with American presidents at various forums. There were many other artifacts and memorabilia in the museum that highlighted Ghana’s founding father, and the tomb outside was a glorious display of respect and honor for the man who led the country to independence in 1957. It’s crazy to think that Ghana was under British rule till 1957. Ghana’s independence is only 62 years old. Being the timelines/perspectives addict I am, I began to think about when America gained independence, which was 243 years ago, and then I did the ol’ comparison: America was in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement when Ghana became independent. Just a baby!
We got to go to the W.E.B. DuBois center, which was his home-turned-museum. For those who don’t know, one of my greatest loves is old books. There’s something about the musty smell of old pages that makes me happy. Now, DuBois also happens to be one of my favorite sociologists as he was the father of Pan-Africanism. DuBois, an American, was provocative. A man who openly talked about human rights and community for people of African descent. I may be a solid conspiracy theorist on this one, but I attribute the shadiness of American government as to why DuBois landed in Ghana permanently, but I’ll let you all do your own research. Anyway, we went into DuBois’ office and saw some of his original books that he wrote and studied from. I was in heaven. The combination of two things: old books and one of my favorite sociologists. I don’t want to sound ridiculous, but walking through that now-museum was surreal to me. So many people have no idea who he was, but I felt a greater connection to my purpose as I observed all of his works and effects, first hand.
Moving away from me nerding out, we also explored the Centre for National Culture (Arts Center) in Accra and got to see beautiful craftwork, listen to local instruments being played, and see local arts in the form of clothing, fabric, jewelry, woodwork, paintings, and more. A fun fact is that Ghanaian ATMs aren’t always stocked with plenty of money, so I unfortunately was unable to participate in much shopping on this date as I needed to ensure I had enough money to cover the cost of our tour guide. But we went back… we stopped back at the Arts Center on Thursday and I went a little crazy. I found a beautiful dress for myself and for a friend’s unborn daughter. I found a couple bracelets as well. I then found my way into a wood shop called “Glory Art & Craft Shop.” Of course, I bought some items - like a unity globe, a cross, a painting from the woodworker’s friend who popped in, and some kashakas. A kashaka is a handheld percussion instrument that has two small hollowed gourds filled with pebbles, connected by a strand of rope. I received a little concert followed by a tutorial on how to use them, but let’s be real… it’s going to take me a LONG time to gather the coordination to make them sound good in my hand. I felt right at home with the people in this specific stand. We joked, laughed, talked about the dreaded art of being a student and making ends meet – they gave me the “student price” which was later transformed into the “sister” price. I made it, guys. I was taught the Ghanaian handshake and was dubbed their “African Sister.” I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited about something so simple.
Those who know me, know I’ve dreamed of going to Africa since I was very young. I’d like to think that a piece of my heart was somehow birthed in Africa before it made its way into my body. I felt a connection in Ghana that I’ve never felt in any other country I’ve visited.
