Wow! I can't believe I'm finally here. After months of preparation and a long, strenuous flight I made it to Ghana. As we walked of the plane, we were greeted by the moist Ghanian air. As a group of multi-ethnic American exchange students, we were bombarded by porters and airport personnel eager to get tips from us. After locating missing luggage and clearing customs, our program coordinator recieved us and took us to the Miklin Hotel. I learned a lot about Accra through our ride back. The streets were filled with the hustle and bustle of any metropolitan area. Taxis, cars, buses, motorcyles and tro-tros whizzed past. As far as its structure is concerned, Accra reminds me a lot of Mumbai, India. While both cities are modern in their posh malls, restaurants, and homes, abject poverty and inequality persist. It blew my mind to see poor children in tattered clothes playing outside fancy mansions. When we reached the hotel, we checked into our rooms, freshened up and ate at the hotel's restaurant. Never in my life did I think I would be eating so much Chinese food in Ghana! Since there aren't many vegetarian options here, I find myself eating lots of fried rice and sauteed vegetables. Later on in the evening, a seamstress measured us for dresses. She will sew us dresses made from traditional fabric for a cultural dance on Tuesday. I'm so excited for my dress, which will be a short, one-shoulder dress made from orange block print Kente fabric.
We went to a nice supermarket today, located at the Accra mall, where I managed to find some pita bread and hummus to satisfy my protein intake. For the most part, people here are so nice and helpful. Everyone from the hotel staff to our Ghanian peers at the University of Ghana-East Legon seem genuinely interested in our well being. After touring the university campus (which was beautiful!), we toured the city in our tour bus. Everything from the parliament buildings and the gardens to the homes by the coast provides Accra with so much character. We exchanged money at a local bank where we met Ghanian neighborhood children as we waited outside. They pointed at our group, smiled at us, and called us obrunis (foreigners). I got the most adorable picture of two young children carrying water buckets on their heads! I'm looking forward to visiting the beach on Saturday and buying souveniers from the street vendors and Culture Centre there. In addition to the experience of being in Accra, my group members are great. It is a great bonding experience for all of us as we explore Ghanian culture together. It has only been two days and I feel like I know everyone much better. Overall, my experience has been great. I can't wait for all the exciting adventures that await me throughout the next month!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Bon Voyage!
So the time has finally come for me to go to Ghana! It still hasn't hit me yet that in less than 48 hours I will be in the capital city of Accra. The program I'm participating in is a Community and Social Development Maymester, which will start on May 22 and end on June 19. Our group of 20 students will participate in various sevice learning projects. My service learning group will work with women residing in the Agoblushie slum. We have raised nearly $1000 in microloans which we will distribute to these women. We will assist them in starting their own businesses. We have organized workshops for them pertaining to team building, professional networking, reproductive health, sustainability, and financial literacy. We will also embark on educational field trips throughout Accra, Elimina, and a couple of villages. The Kwame Nkrumah National Museum, the Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Patriensa Village, and the Elimina Slave Castles are just a few of the historical and cultural sites we will visit. This is my first time going to Africa so I'm beyond thrilled. Please follow my blog as I write about my experiences in Ghana!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Social Justice Blog: On A Closing Note
I never thought a class would impact me as much as Foundations for Social Justice did. From studying every subject from racism and sexism to homophobia and ageism, the wide array of topics we have covered this semester is quite incredible. I've never been in a class like this, where we discuss real issues and their pertinence to our own lives. From watching documentaries relating to classism and writing op-ed articles about hot button social issues, this class has helped me channel my passion and energy to create change. The social justic action projects we took on were indisputably life-altering learning experiences. More than anything else, I really appreciate the action aspect of this class. Part of the journey involves studying the issue but the other part involves taking steps to fuel change.
In retrospect, it often seems like there is no way that we can tackle all the problems in the world. Whether it is battered women, economically disadvantaged youth, ostracized transsexuals, or the neglected elderly, it seems like there are so many populations to serve and not enough resources. Many of the social inequalities that exist in America and the world as a whole are the result of deep-rooted, historical injustices. However, the important thing to keep in mind is that we can't lose hope. Yes, it may often feel like there isn't enough social capital to make a notable dent. However, if we start small and build up support systems over time, it's quite remarkable what we can do. A recent experience I had really got me thinking about what I can do to make a difference.
Soon after I presented my project regarding educational disparities in low-income neighborhoods, a friend invited me to participate in a career event she organized at Pearce Middle School. She needed guest speakers to discuss their college experiences and I was happy to assist her. I showed up at Pearce and proceeded to the cafeteria where I would meet with the students. As someone who has volunteered and mentored extensively at Reagan High School, the high school Pearce feeds into, I had a thorough understanding of the struggles facing students at Pearce. Known for its location in a crime-ridden neighborhood and disciplinary problems, Pearce is undoubtedly a rough school. When I walked into the school, I saw a multitude of police officers, students wearing assigned colors, and both genders situated on opposite sides of the cafeteria. I began speaking to different students at each table.
I tried to develop a rapport with each group of students in the short amount of time I had. I asked them about themselves and what questions they had about college. Some students were extremely engaged while others were more interested in discussing tangential topics. I did my best to encourage all students to pursue college and apply to UT. While it was difficult for me to accept that not all the students would take my advice to heart, I was comforted by the students that asked me about college life, my major, and their own career goals. I decided that even if I could reach out to maybe 20 out of the 100 students I interacted with, that would be a success in itself. Pearce, like many other economically disadvantaged schools in Austin, is plagued by poverty, crime, lack of family involvement, and the historical impacts of racism. Closing the achievement gap between low-income, often minority, students and upper-middle class, often White, students requires a long journey. However, I believe that it is doable. If we are able to mobilize enough people in the community, we can create gradual change.
I realize that I, alone, will not be able to tackle world hunger, racism, economic disparities, human trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, etc on my own. If there is one thing I've learned in this class, strength is in numbers. In addition to pursuing a career in social work, I vow to do my part to organize people. Whether it is registering people to vote, encouraging others to write to legislators, or organizing protests, every person counts. Although racism is still alive and well, it is admirable the amount of awareness we have raised as a result of the activism elicited by the Trayvon Martin incident. While we still have a ways to go in terms of reproductive rights, the impact we have made as a result of recent nationwide protests and rallies is significant. The utilization of social media to expose dictator Joseph Kony is another example of strength in numbers. As empowered citizens of the world, we can collectively alleviate social inequalities. There's no doubt that what starts here, changes the world.
In retrospect, it often seems like there is no way that we can tackle all the problems in the world. Whether it is battered women, economically disadvantaged youth, ostracized transsexuals, or the neglected elderly, it seems like there are so many populations to serve and not enough resources. Many of the social inequalities that exist in America and the world as a whole are the result of deep-rooted, historical injustices. However, the important thing to keep in mind is that we can't lose hope. Yes, it may often feel like there isn't enough social capital to make a notable dent. However, if we start small and build up support systems over time, it's quite remarkable what we can do. A recent experience I had really got me thinking about what I can do to make a difference.
Soon after I presented my project regarding educational disparities in low-income neighborhoods, a friend invited me to participate in a career event she organized at Pearce Middle School. She needed guest speakers to discuss their college experiences and I was happy to assist her. I showed up at Pearce and proceeded to the cafeteria where I would meet with the students. As someone who has volunteered and mentored extensively at Reagan High School, the high school Pearce feeds into, I had a thorough understanding of the struggles facing students at Pearce. Known for its location in a crime-ridden neighborhood and disciplinary problems, Pearce is undoubtedly a rough school. When I walked into the school, I saw a multitude of police officers, students wearing assigned colors, and both genders situated on opposite sides of the cafeteria. I began speaking to different students at each table.
I tried to develop a rapport with each group of students in the short amount of time I had. I asked them about themselves and what questions they had about college. Some students were extremely engaged while others were more interested in discussing tangential topics. I did my best to encourage all students to pursue college and apply to UT. While it was difficult for me to accept that not all the students would take my advice to heart, I was comforted by the students that asked me about college life, my major, and their own career goals. I decided that even if I could reach out to maybe 20 out of the 100 students I interacted with, that would be a success in itself. Pearce, like many other economically disadvantaged schools in Austin, is plagued by poverty, crime, lack of family involvement, and the historical impacts of racism. Closing the achievement gap between low-income, often minority, students and upper-middle class, often White, students requires a long journey. However, I believe that it is doable. If we are able to mobilize enough people in the community, we can create gradual change.
I realize that I, alone, will not be able to tackle world hunger, racism, economic disparities, human trafficking, child abuse, domestic violence, etc on my own. If there is one thing I've learned in this class, strength is in numbers. In addition to pursuing a career in social work, I vow to do my part to organize people. Whether it is registering people to vote, encouraging others to write to legislators, or organizing protests, every person counts. Although racism is still alive and well, it is admirable the amount of awareness we have raised as a result of the activism elicited by the Trayvon Martin incident. While we still have a ways to go in terms of reproductive rights, the impact we have made as a result of recent nationwide protests and rallies is significant. The utilization of social media to expose dictator Joseph Kony is another example of strength in numbers. As empowered citizens of the world, we can collectively alleviate social inequalities. There's no doubt that what starts here, changes the world.
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