The more time I spend in Ghana the more I respect the limited scope of my knowledge. I've realized that the moments I am most actively helping my community and they actively helping me actually happens when I play the role of the student. In the classroom I've implemented such programs as “Fante Friday” where I give students the opportunity to teach me about their culture, language, and interests. So often here the role of “Teacher” is so rigidly absolute. It is a loaded title that just compliments the, at times, detrimental oligarchical Ghana society. For example, for a teacher to admit they perhaps do not know the answer to a student's question would be far worse, culturally speaking, than to supply the student with blatant misinformation. The concept of lifelong mutual learning is absent and as a result students that have the potential to be motivated in their studies by challenging their educators and in exchange being challenged remain bruised and beaten in aspiring for futures outside the limited scope of reality presented to them.
I like to take a different approach, constantly reminding students (and fellow teachers) that as Phil Collins so eloquently says in his hit Something Happened on the Way to Heaven, “I don't know. I don't have all the answers.” I mean who does really? In an effort to level the playing field and potentially start some lucrative projects with school clubs and such- I decided to (on my own dime- thanks for supporting your eager-to-learn-new-practical-skills-volunteers Peace Corps) attend the Environment Technical Training in Techiman. The training included a whole bevy of information that I think all Education PCVs in Ghana should be presented with. The week was packed with hands-on activities for several popular alternative livelihood projects. We learned about mushroom farming, bee keeping, rabbit farming, grasscutter farming, animal rearing, mango farming, cashew harvesting, and many small agro-processing practices. I am hoping to work with a few teachers in my school to implement a few of these projects to help the school generate income for facility maintenance. In addition to some sweet instructional workshops the training also took us to the Tano Sacred Grove (the source of the Tano river), a Monkey Sanctuary, as well as the Kristo Buase Monastery. It was a magical week of learning and relaxation that was much needed after such an intense month of being a trainer. Here are a few photos from the training:
Monkeys love juice boxes
Mushroom Harvesting and tasting
It must be puppy season in the King family because in addition to my parents getting two new additions to their household, Alex's dog, Isla, had another litter so naturally it seemed like a great time for me to ask for a new best friend. I asked Alex to do extensive interviews with the 5 canidates and to select the right puppy for me. Just a few days short of 6 weeks later, my request was honored.
