This week, Abby continues to teach Computer Technology, Natural Science and English. She is learning by trial and error the best ways to convey information to her students, a constant challenge considering the language barrier. Abby decides not to travel this weekend, and to instead attend the funeral of a woman who has died in her village, which turns out to be a fascinating cultural experience.
Teaching a Natural Science class
Children marching in celebration of the woman who died
Dressed for the funeral march
Ghanaians attending the formal funeral service
Abby and Ayla, a volunteer from Australia, begin teaching together and dividing their teaching duties. Abby confronts the unique challenge of teaching Computer Technology, despite the fact that the school has no electricity, let alone computers. She and Ayla also decide to establish class rules, which they hope will provide some order. This weekend, Abby takes a ferry ride on Lake Volta and sees baboons at a nature preserve.
Attempting to demonstrate how a mouse and mousepad work, using a cell phone and a book
View from the ferry ride on Lake Volta
Baboons outside the Shai Hills Resource Reserve
Guided through the Shai Hills Resource Reserve
This week, Abby begins her work as a teacher at the Mt. Zion School and finds that it is less organized than she had hoped. She also realizes that the children in her class vary greatly in their skill levels, which she fears could pose a major problem in teaching them. Nevertheless, she continues to be impressed by all of the kids she works with, with one incident involving popped balloons leaving her utterly in awe at how creative the kids can be. Abby also makes her second trip to Kokrobite Beach, where an unexpected illness leaves her wondering if she has malaria.
The Mt. Zion School
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Teaching a Natural Science class
As the summer holiday draws to a close, Abby prepares for her upcoming role as a teacher at the Mt. Zion School. She is also enjoying getting closer to the kids and visiting with them while they eat lunch. Abby also takes a trip to Keta Beach, where she visits another historic slave fort and has a journey through Keta Lagoon on an unsettlingly leaky boat.
Hanging out at the orphanage
The slave fort in Keta Beach
Boat trip in Keta Lagoon
Boat trip in Keta Lagoon