First day of classes!! I was slightly intimidated because I felt like I was at a disadvantage and academically at a different spot but I needed to remind myself I had every right to be there and the only way to grow is to be uncomfortable, and learn from others! Two big points from class that resonated with me after discussing our readings: we have all been affected by race, gender and class in some form, we can understand this concept and the differences and how the systems work to bridge empathy and compassion; we are all subject to the institutional, raised to conform the symbolic, we all struggle with the individual. The readings on voluntourism were also very insightful because they caused me to stop and think have I been apart of this? Were my intentions well but execution poor? These insights and gain of a new lens have given me new approaches for this project and I am so excited to get started! I want to ASK questions and actually be beneficial. I am not an expert and I don’t want to continue to perpetuate that idea. Dinner: two suya kebabs, a whole pineapple and part of a mango = yum
Day 2 of classes and running much smoother! I really love the discussions. Some of my favorite points:
- “ System isn’t working “ ~ well it’s working exactly how it’s designed. It doesn’t work if we don’t obey but that comes with it’s owns costs
- “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression”
- Knowledge is power. But the powerful decide your knowledge.
- Stop band-aiding issues to receive your gold star but instead start making systematic change
- GET UNCOMFTABLE
Day 9- Today was the first day of our internship- just an orientation, but I’m really excited to get started! The main goal of the foundation we are working with is to end child labor and trafficking but they realized it’s not just enough to focus on that and there are other factors. Hence the birth of the public health project. So I’ll be working on their anti-teen pregnancy campaign. We are starting clubs in five different schools and going to educate them/ plan activities and games etc focusing on a little bit of teen pregnancy, but primarily contraceptives, sexual abuse and rights. And then these females and males will become peer educators and continue to educate their school and community after this term when the foundation leaves. Then at some point we’ll also do a community education program and some some administrative stuff for an upcoming project we’ll help on. But ahhh I’m excited, it has a lot of relation to public health obviously but also my reproductive health certificate and really connects to my love of women empowerment in general and I just know it will be a great experience :) Additionally we successfully navigated ourselves back from the office, hailed taxis and negotiated prices.
Day 10- Today was interesting! We visited two schools to discuss with the headmasters about the club we were trying to start. It was interesting to witness the power dynamic and see the role of men, from the school to even John- a local intern, the amount of respect even when a person is completely wrong was astonishing. It was something I knew existed and have experienced on a lesser level due to not being fully immersed. I got mad with one of the school owners, he had a wealthy successful school but was asking for money or books or erasers or something for providing the kids to us. It frustrated me that he didn’t see these clubs helped the community long term and was being greedy. Additionally, him pressing questions on where else teen pregnancy is an issue and why we weren’t focusing there and then blaming Islam for teen pregnancy because they have multiple wives and Boko Haram and Isis are proof of how bad it was. It really frustrated me that such clueless close minded individuals could be the board of an educational institution. What type of students and citizens of the world were they producing? But overall it was good and it was exciting to brainstorm ideas of what these clubs should focus on- can’t wait to start tomorrow.
Day 11- Meeting with cheerful hearts and soccer tournament. Waaaaaaaaaay better than the World Cup, everyone was into it and all the colors and kids all ages it was so nice to be a part of. Brittni’s exhibition was so cool. I got to see the success and stress of a fullbright. Two really touching human moments today- walking past daystar, a school, a girl called out to me. She wanted to know if I remembered her from the tro tro, we were sitting next to each other the other day. She was so sweet and I gave her my number. I don’t know how she remembered my face. The people here are so beautiful. Second moment, I was at the tournament ripping away tiny flyers and all of a sudden there’s a boy on my shoulder. Then next thing I know he’s sitting next to me, watching every move and then insisting he helps. Then his two friends come along and he helps them. Human moment. We started talking and it was me and him and I didn’t just feel like a foreigner, we were just people.
Twi was good. I think I have mental block with languages and I need to learn to break that to get anywhere. The group went back to Accra but me and Savannah didn’t want to so we stayed and explored Kasoa. We went to a new market, called new market and found some really pretty fabric that I’m excited to use!
