It's been 9 full days here in Ghana, but it feels as though we have been here for months. As you can see from the previous posts, we have trekked all over Accra in the short time we've been here. Our days are spent in various parts of town- at the beach, the Dubois Museum, etc., and we usually head into Nima in the late afternoon to meet the Ghanaian students for photo class. The heat and humidity are not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, but that could just be because I grew up in Houston, TX. Despite the relative discomfort, everyone in the group has been doing so well with all of the walking, pollution, heat, and intermittent A/C. As Jontonnette said at dinner one night, the kids in Nima are her medicine, and she instantly feels better when she sees them.
Other highlights for me have been the Ghana vs. Gabon World Cup qualifying match, the reggae concert at Alliance Francaise, and mostly the time we've spent just sitting outside the students' homes dancing and talking with them and their parents. Our first meeting with the students and their families was truly unforgettable. Everyone was so warm and open, and I felt so grateful to be able to share in this experience based on the goodwill that Jamie has aleady established here.
Other highlights for me have been the Ghana vs. Gabon World Cup qualifying match, the reggae concert at Alliance Francaise, and mostly the time we've spent just sitting outside the students' homes dancing and talking with them and their parents. Our first meeting with the students and their families was truly unforgettable. Everyone was so warm and open, and I felt so grateful to be able to share in this experience based on the goodwill that Jamie has aleady established here.
One of the scariest moments for me on this trip occurred on Monday morning when I woke up to Erik pounding on my door. I am a very deep sleeper, so apparently his knocking had escalated to pounding by the time I woke up. All I heard was that my sister (and roommate) was on the phone and my mind began racing- thinking that something must be terribly wrong at home. Everything is fine now, but she was calling to let me know that San Bruno Mountain was on fire, and since we live in Brisbane, she could actually see the flames from our balcony. Evacuations in Brisbane were beginning, so she was calling to ask me what I wanted her to take with her in case she would need to evacuate as well. While the trip has been equal parts amazing and challenging, it has given me so many opportunities to remember what really matters.. good health, friends, and family. Hope you enjoy the photos.. more to come!
L-R: Marcio, Naomi, Karen, Vivian (back row), Jontonnette, Bethany, Jamie (back row) and James, our tro-tro driver/ personal DJ.
Gathering on the porch of one of our photo students' home in Nima.
Jontonnette, Karen, and Bethany with some of our students outside St. Kizito, the school in Nima where we meet for class.
Naomi teaching the first class and presenting a color wheel.
Erik helping Yaw (15 yrs. old) with his camera before heading out into the neighborhood to shoot.
L-R: Mastura and Yahaya at Jamie's birthday/ dance party.
Abdia, Ajara, Bethany, and Mastura walking through the streets of Nima after class for a photo assignment. 
Many neighborhood children who want to join the class gather outside the classroom and watch through the wall openings.
L-R: Jontonnette, Vivian, Karen, Jamie, Bethany, and Naomi - girls' day out at Labadi Beach.
Jontonnette taught everyone how to do sign language before leading her photo class on using the camera to capture unique perspectives.
3 comments:
Hi to Jontonnette and the First Exposures crew, your pictures and trip thus far looks so amazing! I'm so proud of you all. Keep up the awesome work, and I look forward to hearing about your trip when you get back!
Love, Nikki Holcomb
Hi Jon’ Tonnette & Vivian:
I’m about to go on vacation so this is my last comment for a while. Feel free to not publish this comment.
I know you are well versed on the issues of slavery and Ghana’s involvement with it. Something interesting happened last night. that I’d like to share with you.
PBS showed a documentary film titled, “Traces of the Trade: A Story form the Deep North.” The filmmaker, Katrina Browne finds out that her ancestors, the DeWolf family of Rhode Island, were the largest slave traders in United States. She along with about ten of her relatives retraced the Triangle Trade (from Bristol RI, to slave forts of Ghana back to the plantations of Cuba.)
On this emotional trip the family members face their shared history, the participation of their ancestors in one of history’s greatest crime, as well as the mythology of incorruptibility of northerners and its corollary on race relations. It’s a “must-see” film, but that’s for when you get back.
Meanwhile two of the most important salve forts of Ghana (Cape Coast and Elmina Castle) are a short distance south of Accra. Many of the slaves were captured in tribal wars in the north (may be around Accra?) and were marched to these donjons before walking through the “door of no return” and into the salve ships bound for Americas.
May be this is part of your plans, but in case it isn’t, wouldn’t it be amazing if you could go to Cape Coast and visit the birthplace of slavery’s Diaspora!
Have a great trip.
I’m glad everything worked out at home with the fire. I was wondering what I’d like to take from home right before a fire? Besides pets, I’d take my box of family and friend pictures. You are absolutely right about what matters most.
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