(the two most asked questions (in our first three weeks of our stay) in Ghana)
Dear
Braveaurora-friends!
My
name is Ariane and I am a socialworker from Austria. I just passed my
final exams of the master program in social work, social politics &
social management in Innsbruck and since 3 weeks I am in Ghana, to
work as a volunteer for Braveaurora. I am here with another austrian
girl, called Katja! Katja quitted here job in a big fashion company
to work as a volunteer for Braveaurora. She is a professional taylor
and an expert for re- and upcycle processes. We didn't know each
other before we came to Ghana - but I am positively surprised. I
waited for Katja in Accra for starting together the journey to the North,
to Guabuliga.
Our first pure water bag experiences and our new friend at the makola market in Accra
How
to come to Guabuliga? We got a more or less easy explanation and we
tried our best to obey the instructions. Do not travel during the
night!!! We started our tour at 10am with a six hour waiting
period for the bus, but nearly on time at half past 4 we started the
ride with the night bus to Tamale! We succesfully disesteemed the
first advise. But we didn't want to stay one more night in Accra.
Everything went good – we arrived Tamale at 2.30am and we got a cab
to our guesthouse. There are some postive outcomes because of the
waiting time – we were able to start our first upcycle project -
crocheting balls with plastic bags. And we got a couple of proposals
of marriage, telephone numbers and e-mail adresses.
at the bus station in Accra
On the next day
we wanted to visit the market in Tamale, before we arrived anything 2
men invited us to their family for sharing lunch with them. Why not.
After a freshly slaughtered goat with rice and spicey tomato sauce we
drove to some other places with the two guys. Do not enter a cab
or a car, where two guys are sitting inside!!! Disregard
number 2. And here I am coming directly to number 3. Stay
at home or in your guesthouse, when it is dark!!! Darkness
is coming quickly here in Ghana – so we didn't manage to be at home
before sunset. The list is even longer, but I will stop explaining
our mistakes. As you can see, probably improvement potential exists!
But we are not sure if it is necessary, because we only made good
experiences. But we are sure, that it is important to be careful!
at the family compound in Tamale
In
Tamale we got to know Saibu, the local manager of Braveaurora and
Alhassan, the education coordinator. We aggred to go togehter with
Alhassan to Guabuliga on the next day at 6am. To make sure that we
are on time we ordered a cab at 5am. At the bus station we were
waitng till 6am to get to know that the planned bus shortly after six
won't come this morning. So we changed our plan and tried to get
another car to Walewale. At around 8 we got a car and started our
ride with 22 other passengers in a Minibus. On the road the police
tried to stop us, but our driver wasn't willing to stop. So the
police had to follow us. Finally they stopped us and asked the driver
to drive back to the control point where the tried to stop us before.
The police was not amused about the driver's attitude – so they
didn't allow him to drive further. Another two hours of waiting later
a new bus came and we were able to continue our way to Walewale.
There Alhassan organised a Motorking for us and our luggage to go to
Guabuliga. At around 1pm we finally arrived Guabuliga! It took us
around 8 hours to come from Tamale to Guabuliga. (around 130km)
'Suleminga,
how are you?' - The first sentence we heard in Guabuliga, and also
the most asked question. Nearly every child tries to ask us how we
are, every day.
In
the volunteers compound we got the keys for our new house and we were
really happy to be here. Everything was new and exciting and it was
hot. Well, it is still hot, but we are here now for nearly two weeks
and we are on the best way to acclimate of course to the climate but
also to the village, the culture, the people, the food, the noises,
the greeting ceremony and to all the other new things. We are both
really fine and enjoying the time and all the great new experiences.
I
started to work with the local socialworkers and the education
coordinator and Katja started to support the people in the training
center.
Young Ambassador Programm in Timpela
work in the trainingcenter
Soon
we will let you know more about our work and our lives here in
Guabuliga.
We
stopped counting our marriage proposals. We already got many during
our journey to the North and also in the village there are loads of
men, who want to marry us! The most funniest proposal was in Accra, when two
policemen stopped with there motorbike next us, just for aksing, if
we want to be their wifes. Maybe we are going to collect them all till
the end of our stay and then we will celebrate a huge marriage with
many husbands.... We will see :-)
we at Mister Jo's - the best bar in town, while listening to 'Mono and Nikitaman' and
'Die Toten Hosen' (Vielen Dank dafür, Severin!!)
Best
regards,
Ariane
