Teaching in GhanaTeaching in Ghanahis blog details our day-to-day lives, thoughts and ideas, and observations and challenges during our year at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, West Africa. If you are planning an extended trip, a semester abroad, or are just curious about life 
Articles
Corruption to Lawfulness?
2008-01-22 14:19:00 When we first got to Cote D’Ivoire, I was horrified by the number of times our driver had to hop out to pay a bribe. How do you make a living in a country where a 30,000 CFA fare might cost you 15,000-20,000 CFAs in bribes to transport? No wonder everything has an inflated price! However, ... More About: Travel , Author , Corruption , Expenses , Stephen
Sandblast exfoliation
2008-01-21 17:36:00 As much as I enjoy the occasional spa treatment, it is way overrated. All the goodness of the spa can be found at the beach. When Stephen and I went to play in the waves in Grand Bassam, these 6 foot waves came crashing towards us. At times it was scary (I have a few ... More About: Events , Author , Terri
Feel the passion
2008-01-21 16:41:00 There is nothing quite like being in a country during a major sporting event. In 2006, we happened to be in France and England during the World Cup. In France, we had a wonderful meal in a deserted restaurant because everyone else was watching the match. In London, we bounced around a few crowded pubs ... More About: Travel , Events , Passion , Author , Feel
Ignoring the Travel Warnings
2008-01-20 14:55:00 Stephen and I headed across the border with our friend Arnold to Cote D?Ivoire. It is rather ironic since I was hoping to travel to all the neighbouring countries except Cote D?Ivoire. The fear came from somewhere between the nasty travel warnings on the Government of Canada website and the fact that they are recovering ... More About: Travel , Events , Author , Terri , Warnings
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
2008-01-20 13:58:00 Our trip to Abidjan was an adventure — maybe not at the same level as the classic Steve Martin and John Candy film, but it was an adventure. It started with a hired taxi arriving at 4:45am at the chalet (4 Ghana cedis because of the time of day). When we got to the tro ... More About: Travel , Events , Photos , Automobiles , Trains
Our good friend Arnold
2008-01-17 17:36:00 The best part of travel is the people you meet. When you stay long enough and immerse yourself deep enough, you will make some really good friends. Arnold is from Benin, but he has lived in Ghana for 10 years. He has also lived in America, Cote D’Ivoire, and The Gambia. ... More About: Travel , Friend , Author , Good , Stephen
Toilet Paper
2008-01-16 17:34:00 This post might border on the edge of TMI (Too Much Information), but I just want anyone who is coming to Ghana for an extended stay to know to pack as much TP (Toilet Paper ) your baggage space will allow. Toilet paper is expensive here (in relative terms since it?s a foreign product), so ... More About: Travel , Author
Things are getting cheaper
2008-01-15 13:42:00 Well, that?s not fair to say since there?s fairly high inflation here and numbers go up for fixed priced items. However, many things are getting cheaper for us. Part of the reason is that we are now more familiar with how much things should cost, so our tendency to overpay has decreased. ... More About: Travel , Photos , Author , Things , Expenses
Cocoa Pods
2008-01-14 13:20:00 Mmmm…Chocolate! For the first time in my life I have now seen a cocoa pod. I?m used to chocolate of all sorts, but few of us know what the origins of that bitter-sweet goodness looks like. To my surprise, the cocoa bean is actually a fruit you can eat. The flesh ... More About: Food , Events , Photos , Author , Terri
Pollution in Accra
2008-01-13 13:39:00 Going to Accra is an exhausting trip. The early morning travel and the long hours on the road are of course tough enough, but the worst part of the trip is the pollution in Accra. You will invariably find yourself behind a vehicle belching black, choking smoke at least a few times. The rest of ... More About: Travel , Medical , Events , Pollution , Author
Intercity Transport
2008-01-12 15:19:00 For the most part we have travelled with friends in private vehicles but yesterday we headed to Accra on public transport. We took the 4am bus with some friends on the STC (State Transport ation Company). The vehicles are like any other coach bus. It?s the most comfortable way to go between cities (if you don?t ... More About: Travel , Author , Expenses , Terri
Begging
2008-01-12 14:58:00 Beggars routinely show up at the chalets to ask for money. Usually it is because a child or parent is in the hospital. When we ask our neighbours, it seems that only the ?Obrunis? are targeted. We have been advised not to give money to anyone that approaches us at the chalets because some could ... More About: Author , Stephen
I?m a liability
2008-01-10 14:23:00 That?s right, I?m a liability. We needed some materials for the completion of our solar dryer. Nothing special — a few planks of wood, nails, and other mundane stuff. I asked our partners if they could pick some up and I offered to help. ?No? they implored. At first I was hurt that they didn?t ... More About: Author , Terri
Ghanaian clothes
2008-01-10 14:19:00 After many months, I finally have all of my Ghanaian clothes. I was right in not bringing much — nothing I brought is at all suited to the weather. The local cotton fabric is that much lighter, and nothing beats the custom linen shirts. Just be prepared for the wait. To get a linen shirt made, ... More About: Travel , Clothes , Author , Stephen
The harmattan is here
2008-01-09 12:27:00 Suddenly, the steamy tropical weather has turned dry and temperate. It has been (on and off) getting drier and cooler since the beginning of December (and our local friends say that the harmattan is a few weeks late this year), but it has finally turned dry, dusty, and quite cool. Terri and I actually have ... More About: Weather , Travel , Medical , Author , Stephen
NGOs
2008-01-08 18:22:00 I mentioned that I did some volunteering with a local NGO, but I haven?t really talked much about it. In truth, it is because I haven?t been spending as much time there as I could/should. However, I do want to write a bit about this NGO in particular and touch on what I?ve learnt about ... More About: Author , Terri
Ghana travel advisory (?)
2008-01-08 18:16:00 One of the reasons we came to Ghana is the fact that it is one of the few African nations that does not have a travel advisory posted against it. Overall, it is very safe and calm in Ghana — crime is low and violence is rare. There is minimal police and military presence, so ... More About: Travel , Author , Stephen
Light meals and snacking
2008-01-07 10:43:00 In Cape Coast, it is next to impossible to grab a quick bite to eat. Compared to the endless variety of coffee shops and doughnut shops that we have in Canada for snacks and the even-more endless variety of fastfood restaurants and quick serve diners that we have for light to full meals, there is ... More About: Travel , Food , Author , Light , Stephen
Recognizing foreign credentials
2008-01-06 14:09:00 Lawrence has brought up a very good point about the ?meaningless paper? that some schools give out and the difficulty it presents for employers to distinguish foreign credentials apart. For a while now, Stephen and I have both advocated the recognition of foreign credentials in Canada. Coming from immigrant families, we have seen how difficult ... More About: Ideas , University , Teaching , Author , Foreign
Hiding from the heat
2008-01-06 14:07:00 Ever since I had malaria, I’ve been taking it easy…and hiding from the heat. There’s air conditioning in the chalet, but only a fan in my office. There’s no internet in the chalet, but the bandwidth can be virtually non-existent before 4:30 when then office staff start to clear out. Coincidently, it starts to cool ... More About: Travel , Author , Heat , Stephen
Accra Market
2008-01-05 14:11:00 The shopkeepers of a store we often patronize needed to go to Accra to restock items for their store. They kindly asked if we would be interested in coming along since we had told everyone we knew that there were interested stowaways if they were going anywhere. We skipped the tourist attractions as ... More About: Travel , Events , Photos , Market , Author
Water and Light
2008-01-05 04:54:00 Ever since the students left at the beginning of December, the water and light have basically been perfect. As a university town, the students represent about 20% of the population and maybe as much as 50% of the water and light usage. In the last few weeks of November, there were two 55-hour ... More About: Travel , Water , Author , Light , Stephen
Kenyan elections
2008-01-03 10:36:00 Terri and I were discussing the Kenyan elections with a local friend. He was of the opinion that Odinga should stand down in the best interests of the country. Yes, the election was stolen. But, since Kibaki has already been sworn in, it is too late. Any actions by Odinga at this time will just ... More About: Ideas , Elections , Author , Stephen
Playing in the Waves
2008-01-03 10:02:00 A friend of mine from Jamaica once told me that she didn?t know how to swim. For the longest time I would never believe her because Jamaica is an island nation, and how can people so used to the sea not know how to swim? She tried to convince me that kids would just play ... More About: Travel , Events , Author , Waves , Terri
Warm ocean waters
2008-01-02 12:53:00 The first time we went to the beach back in August, the water was a little on the cool side — bearable, but noticeably cool. Now, its perfect. When you first run into the water, there’s no initial shock. When you finally get out, there’s no shivering. The temperature is just ... More About: Travel , Events , Ocean , Author , Stephen
Bonne Annee
2008-01-01 13:30:00 Happy New Year everyone! I hope the past year has been as great for you as it has been for us. We celebrated this fantastic year with some friends here and most importantly, each other. The food was great, company splendid, and the fireworks? well, dangerous would be the best way to put it. (There ... More About: Events , Author , Terri
Happy New Year!
2008-01-01 12:53:00 With every ending, there is a new beginning. Terri and I are looking forward to heading home. We will miss our many friends here (who we will introduce to you in upcoming posts), but we also miss our friends and family back home — especially those with four legs and fur. It’s been an amazing year ... More About: New Year , Happy , Happy New Year , Author , Stephen
One Web Day, part 2
2007-12-31 12:40:00 During my presentation at One Web Day, I encouraged the students to use the web to change the world. I believe that the ultimate effect of Web 2.0 will be massive democratization. But, true democracy is a dangerous concept, and all entrenched powers fear democracy. Remember, it started (in the western world) ... More About: University , Teaching , Author , Part , Stephen
Chicken Murderer
2007-12-30 10:32:00 I murdered a chicken. Ok fine, I was too much of a wimp to actually do the killing, but I aided and abetted the crime. That is…if you call running away screaming ?aiding?. As I said when we first got here, I am a product of the first world where I grew ... More About: Travel , Food , Photos , Chicken , Author
Dehydration or public toilets?
More articles from this author:2007-12-29 10:30:00 Terri and I have a dilemma when we are out all day — risk dehydration or risk having to use a public toilet. In fact, other than the open sewers, I don’t even know of a single toilet in Cape Coast. Yes, I’m sure the private homes have them, and some of the ... More About: Travel , Medical , Public , Toilets , Author 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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