One Bad Day

So last night I found out that I did not get into the grant program that I had been hoping to get into. I thought I was in. I thought I was perfect for this program. I have been turning it over and over in my mind what I could have done differently, why I can't seem to catch a break when all I have done is work my butt off for the past four years in this job. I have been sad. I have been angry. I have had a very "woe is me" day. Then I took a break tonight to look at my pictures from the Ghana trip and I thought...

I have a home




I eat three meals a day




I have three college degrees and a good job




My son and I have health care




In general I wake up each day with a purpose and do things that I feel good about. I like what I do and if I ever stopped liking what I do I have choices and opportunities open to me. Through my work I have gotten to meet new people and do new and exciting things.




So now...after reflecting...I do not feel so sorry for myself. I do not feel so sad, or angry, or disappointed. I feel thankful for what I have and the opportunities that have been available to me.

There is a link on my blog to the Mocha Club Organization; their saying is "I need Africa more than Africa needs me". At times like this I know this saying to be true. If it weren't for Africa I would not be able to frame things the way I do now. It has taken me 3 trips to understand this, but now I am beginning to see.

MacGyver Kits

Previously mentioned on this Blog were the "MacGyver Kits" (apologies for any legal or copyright infringements) we took with us on our journey. These kits were projects developed as part of our second year students coursework in the OT program at VCU. As their project leader, I requested 2 kits that were portable and contained items that we would need to modify or build adaptive equipment in Ghana using the natural materials readily available in country. The students, using the Disabled Village Children book as a guide, came up with a variety of items that packed fairly easily into one large duffel bag and 1 book bag.

Some of the contents of the kit included: Velcro, superglue, duct tape, piping insulation, PVC pipes, dowel rods, paint sticks, puffy paint, straws, balloons, mole skin, foam pads, scissors, knife, saw with protective cover, foldable shovel, hammer, screw driver with interchangeable heads, more duct tape, sewing kit, rope with differing widths, D-rings, pens/markers, rubber bands, nails/screws, laminating sheets...and more. Here is a picture of the kit materials laid out for packing pre-trip:



The kit definitely came in handy and we actually did an inservice for the teachers and staff New Horizons School on how to adapt school, self-care, and play materials for the children they serve. I will let the students share some of their own creations but I am most proud of the sock-aid made out of a used water bottle that I helped to make.




Not knowing what to expect (or what we would be asked to do) going into this trip, both myself and the students had to be flexible and quick thinking to meet the needs of the individuals we saw. This was a great hands-on learning experience for the students and a very good wake-up for me since it has been a while since I have done some of these things (you know, ivory tower and all...). The MacGyver Kits definitely came in handy and I would bring many of the materials on our next trip. What is unfortunate is that some of these materials are not easily found in Ghana (e.g. laminating sheets, Velcro, puffy paint for raised lines)so the sustainability is limited. What would be better, and could be accomplished with more time on future trips is trying to get a better understanding of what materials are available and how to use these materials to get the job done.

Along this train of thought, we met a physiotherapist volunteering at the New Horizons school who was working with Appropriate Paper Based Technologies. This is essentially using a form of paper mache which they were using to make standing frames and positioning devices for children with cerebral palsy. This was very cool and something that can be done anywhere in the world for a very limited cost. You can see one of the seating devices below (the theraband is from our kit). Very cool!

Return to Western Culture

Well, I have successfully managed to teach for three consecutive days without falling over or having the remnants of my malaria medications cause me to see purple elephants sitting in the class instead of students; That I feel is an accomplishment considering how jarring my return to western culture has been. I have not had much time for reflection on our experiences in Ghana, at least not the solid hours of time with which I would like to have. I have finally managed to get my diurnal rhythm back on track and am no longer waking up at obnoxiously early hours of the morning, that is a blessing.

My eating habits were so out of sorts while in country that it almost seems odd to return to the standard 3 meals a-day routine that we have here in the states. I have to say that I am missing some of the Ghanian foods that I have grown to love (jollof, fufu with palm nut soup, and fried plantains to name a few) not to mention the fact that I did not have to cook any of these things while I was away. I realize that my son has probably been missing these foods since he came to the US as well, and while I have prepared a few Ghanaian dishes over the past two years, maybe I need to make more of an effort to incorporate Ghanaian dishes into our weekly meal plan. One of our new OT students is Ghanaian (born in US) and said that you can microwave fufu using the instant powder; that sounds much more feasible to me than pounding the cassava myself! I also found this great site which provides recipes for lots of my favorite Ghanaian dishes. For people who read this blog and will be staying in the Accra region there are several restaurants in the city of Adabraca that I would recommend: The White Bell, the restaurant at the Niagara hotel (Lebanese), Paloma, and the restaurant at the Hotel President.

Here is a pic from my first trip to Ghana of fried plantains and bean sauce...yum!!!

Starting with Service

If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.

-Alex Noble

Previous VCU groups that have worked in Ghana have spent the majority of their trip doing service projects with Sovereign Global Missions; primarily working on clearning the grounds and literally building the child development center in the village of Adoteimen. I thought from the beginning that service should be part of our trip, but I wanted also to make sure that this experience was more of a course/learning experience than purely a service trip. So we decided to spend the first two days in Ghana painting the school/child development center at the SGM complex. Under the guidance of professional painters from the town, we were able to get 1-2 coats on both the inside and outside surfaces of the school. Now, I have to say that what sticks in my mind most about the experience was how HOT it was and how I don't think I have ever been quite that dirty in my life! But, I also think that working with the painters and becoming a part of the history of the development of this center was one of the most personally rewarding experiences of the trip. I also think that this initial work helped our group to bond and work together as a team in an area unrelated to OT. I hope that future groups of students can continue to be a part of the development of this center and I will be sure to include service work into future trips. Here are some pics of the center and our painting team:


The Center (Before)



Our Team


One of our Professional Leaders


The Occasional Interference







Hard at Work


The Center (after)

Quick Update

Well the trip is almost over and this is the first time I have had a chance to sit down and post; that about sums up how busy we have been! In brief, we have painted a school, worked with children with and without disabilities, fed and provided first aid to street children, talked about disability culture with people with and without disabilities, given an inservice on how to adapt self-care, school and play materials for children with "special needs" and I even made a sock aid out of an old water bottle. Everyone in the group is healthy albiet a bit worn out. We will be enjoying a much deserved day at the beach tomorrow along with a bit more shopping at the crafts market. The computer here does not like my flash drive so I cannot post any pics but we will all have lots to share once we get back. Here's hoping for safe and easy travels on Monday and a smooth transition back to western culture so I can be ready to teach on the 3rd! Just in case I am still running on Ghana time when I get back our group came up with a translation sheet:

5 minutes= 15-20 minutes
10 minutes = 45 minutes
I am there= 20 minutes
I am ready, I am bringing it, or I will come = ~30 minutes
I'll be right back or I am just going to the next villiage= 45 minutes-1 hour
I am in the traffic = 10 minutes- 2 hours
I am fixing the car= you should probably take a taxi
It is finished= never

Wow, you've just gotta love Ghana!

In less than 24 hours...

In less than 24 hours we will be on our way to Ghana to start this little adventure. Yes, I am a little anxious but mostly I am just very excited to be back in the country. I can't wait to buy my first loaf of sweet bread and juicy pineapple that you eat with your fingers. I am actually looking forward to hearing the morning sounds of Ghana, the chickens and the call to prayer. I am excited to see old friends and make new friends. Most of all I am excited to see Ghana through the eyes of my students, to watch how the country affects them. I'm sure we will all be challenged in ways that you cannot be wholly prepared for, but I am confident that this will be a wonderful experience. Ghana, here we come!

Did I mention that we collected 500 POUNDS of Books???

So our service project for this trip was to collect (and deliver) books to send to Sovereign Global Missions for their library and to build shelves for the library once we were in country. The OT honor society, Phi Theta Epsilon, raised over $800 to pay for shipping costs and materials to build the shelves. The students going on the trip then went to work collecting books in around VCU and in the Richmond community. And Yes! when we were all finished we had 30 (fairly large) boxes of books, approximately 500 pounds worth.

It was quite an event sorting the books, packing the boxes, and wrapping the boxes for shiping. The students worked hard though (with pizza as an incentive!) and we managed to get everything packed and ready to go in about 2 hours.

While I know the books came from many sources, I would like to thank the parents and teachers at Lynwood Holton Elementary school, members of the Ginter Park United Methodist Church, the students, staff and faculty at VCU, and the staff and customers at Mango Hair Salon in Richmond who donated so many books to our cause.

Here are some pictures of our book boxing party: