asomdwee

It’s really just hit me that we are embarking for Africa, more specifically Ghana, tomorrow. It always seemed so far away to me, and now that it’s actually here, its a little intimidating and nerve- racking, but also extremely exciting. I’m really excited for this trip because I know it will be life-changing. Not only will I be thousands of miles away from my family for a month, but I will also be submerged in a culture that is very different from my own. That thought both excites and scares me a little, but I’m thinking/hoping that is normal. I’m especially looking forward to meeting and hopefully getting to know Ghanaian people. I think our home-stays will be very interesting and fun. I am also looking forward to getting to know my group members better, because though we all know each other now, the dynamic will probably be different in such a new environment. I’m sure that the group dynamic will be different in a good way though. Now, I have to cut this blog short and hurriedly finish all my packing so my mother doesn’t suffer from cardiac arrest. But to sum it up, I’m a little nervous and scared, but mostly excited about the prospects of our Ghanaian adventure.

Wow! I can’t believe that we’re leaving for Ghana tomorrow! It didn’t really register that I would be gone for a month until a few days ago. I started packing and making lists of all of the things I would be bringing and then I realized that I’m not going to be able to turn around if I forget something. That’s when I really thought about what I was in for. I’m a little nervous but I’ve really been looking forward to this trip and I can’t wait until we get there. I am really excited about meeting new people and trying new things. Being able to bond with the other students before the trip was great. All of the fundraisers really brought us together. We learned that we could all work well together which will be helpful while we’re in a new environment. Although I will really miss being home, going to Ghana will be a wonderful, life changing experience.
-Ashley

I am so excited for this trip to Ghana! I have been looking forward to it for such a long time and I can’t believe that it is almost time to leave! I hope to learn a lot about the culture of Ghana and about the people who live there. I am very excited about the home stays and being able to experience first hand how Ghanaians live their everyday lives.

I feel that our group did an amazing job fund-raising! We spent lots of time planning activities at lunch meetings and we all worked well together. We had a concert, movie night, bake sale, car wash, and other events throughout the school year. We raised money to buy food and other things for different non-government organizations we are going to visit in Ghana.

Today, July 5, 2008, three days until we depart, I’m finally realizing what we’re about to do here. Although I have been preparing for this trip for months, the fact that I am going to be in Africa for a whole month finally registered wholly registered today. I am about to go through a life changing experience and it finally feels like I’m some kind of ready.

What I expect to experience in Ghana:
I expect to see a different way of living and thinking about life. I am so used to Californian life that it will take a huge adjustment to understand and live the Ghanaian life. I don’t even know what this means yet because I am so unexposed to African culture. However, I do expect to enjoy learning about all this.

Pre-trip Preparation
Part of the reason it took so long for me to internalize what I was about to do, was because my preparation was so delayed. Just this weekend, I finally made the big R.E.I. run to get all my supplies and clothes. Although my prep was rushed, I believe I will be ready to go!

Patrick A. Redford

As the time approaches to depart from Sacramento I am growing more and more anxious to embark on this life changing experience in Africa. I have been preparing for this trip all year and I’m thrilled to finally be able to go there and actually experience Africa, and the country of Ghana in particular. I think that all the hard work Asomdwee has put into fund raising will really pay off once we get to Ghana, and do a lot towards helping NGO’s there and impacting people’s lives in positive ways. I think that we have really grown as a team and it will definitely show once we put our team work to the test in Africa. I have never been away from my family for so long and I will really miss them, especially my dogs which are like my other half. I have many goals for this trip and hope to fulfill each one to the fullest. I want to explore Africa and see tons of animals, and I also want to interact with the people and learn about the culture, customs, and traditions. I have learned about Africa in Text books and watched videos but actually experiencing it in person is going to be incredible. I also want to taste authentic African cuisine, fulfill my desire to travel the world, broaden my horizons on world cultures, take plenty of pictures, but most importantly have fun!!!

~Robert Zuniga

There are only 5 days left before I am on the plane headed for Ghana, and I cannot believe it is actually happening! I made a list of all the things I have to pack, and there are around 100 individual items. That list includes such things as: a quick dry towel, my passport, 4 pairs of shoes, and my ipod. The whole experience is just now starting to seem real to me.

Packing is a going pretty well, but every time I think I have everything, something else comes up. Even through the stress of packing I am keeping my mind on Tuesday, when I will get on that plane, and leave for a whole month.

I thought that the bon voyage party was really fun, and the food was delicious. It was nice seeing most of the group, and clearing up last minute details. It made the whole trip seem like it was just around the corner.

The floor of my room is currently in complete disarray: there is a tiny patch of uncovered carpet, surrounded by a mess of Ziploc bags and lists and Luna bars. An overflowing suitcase is piled high with many outfits I do not need, and will probably end up leaving at home once my Mom inspects my packing. Tomorrow is the packing deadline given to me by my family, though I’ve done just about everything to avoid it. I even watched all four hours of Ben-Hur today, because it was on TV! It was very good though. My feelings about the trip change from excitement to anxiety constantly. Sometimes I’m counting down the days until we leave, and at other times I worry I will miss so much while I’m away for a month. Despite these feelings, I know that this trip will be entirely life-changing and I have more to be excitedly anticipating than fearing. Our group of fifteen has definitely come together, which I think can be seen by all the hard work we put into fundraising! We came very close to our goal, and in the process we all grew to know one another much better. I am excited to spend more time with everyone on the trip, as we all experience Ghana together.

There are so many different things I have to look forward to. I cannot wait to try the different foods! We got a delicious taste of what we can expect at the lovely Bon Voyage party hosted by the Uwazies, and I am now even more excited than I was before. We did watch Anthony Bourdain in Ghana, and although he is one of my favorite gray-haired men on television (after Anderson Cooper), his program was not nearly as exciting as really tasting the food was. I want to taste foods from restaurants as well as the home-cooked meals that we will have the pleasure of trying at our home stays. The home stays are something that I really look forward to, because I really want to meet and interact with Ghanaians; to see and experience everyday life firsthand. I can’t wait to take tons and tons of pictures! I really enjoy photography and hope this trip will provide me with an opportunity to improve my skills. Several people have questioned my sanity when discussing the amount of memory I should bring. As of now, I have 5 GB of memory, though I feel panicky because I know this will not be nearly enough. I guess this is a warning to the group (and anyone else around me) that I will be taking an excessive amount of photos, and though at times it may seem that I am invading your privacy, well, I am. I apologize in advance. But this is a month of my life that I feel I must document every second of, plus I want to make Explore on flickr.

Aside from photos and food, I know the most important thing that I will gain is a better understanding of the world. I hope to change my mindset about life and what really matters; to learn what role each of us play in revolutionizing this new generation in hopes of bettering our community. I’m not certain that I will ever stop caring about the Gosselins or random Swedish fashion blogs, but perhaps I will delete the file off my computer called “things i want/must have.” In any case, I am very excited to see what changes a month may bring!

love, terren