Report from a school in Ghana

My first trip to Ghana

It should be mentioned in advance that my four-week assignment as a volunteer in Accra was my first major trip and my first time in Africa. A decision I will never regret. However, I met them at very short notice, so that I registered in mid-September and took off on October 31st. The preparations and planning with RGV went well until the visa application and cooperation with the Ghanaian embassy came about.

Early application for a visa is worthwhile

After my visa application sent by post was rejected, I had to deal with a very confusing online form with the help of RGV. Due to the tight deadline, I applied for an express visa 14 days in advance, for which I paid €110 and which should arrive in three days. I can't recommend this to anyone!

In the last week before my departure, I called the Ghanaian embassy 15-20 times a day, only to get through the line once and get information about the status of my application from an extremely unfriendly woman. Three days before my departure, I was threatened with a seven-hour drive to Berlin to pick up my application. Luckily, it arrived in the mail just in time, one day before my trip. It is therefore best to apply for the visa early enough!

My arrival - from culture shock to the African way of life

When I arrived in Ghana, I experienced a real culture shock in the first few days due to the standard of living, which is very different from that in Europe. This went away after several days and I got used to the African way of life.

My accommodation in Gbawe and Accra

In the first week I was housed in the Gbawe district in a house 100m away from Mama Rita. The roads and electricity are pretty bad there, but the place is a bit more remote and you can enjoy privacy in your own room. The biggest disadvantage is the daily exhausting and somewhat expensive taxi ride to Nima to Mama Mina, which takes about 1 hour. For the rest of the time I moved to an apartment also 100m away from Mama Mina. I lived there with 3 other boys in a room with whom I got along very well and had a great time. We only had to walk a short distance to Mama Mina to shower and eat. In order to have some distance and to make phone calls in peace, you could go to the roof of the apartment and enjoy the great view of Accra alone or with the others. Unlike in Gbawe, I had good connections to the other volunteers there and I really liked the apartment.

Volunteer as a teacher at a primary school

I volunteered at a school 5 minutes walk from the apartment. I taught math and physical education at primary school, which I really enjoyed. I was very shocked that students in Ghana were punished with a stick. Even though the children were often very restless and required a lot of patience, working with them was a lot of fun. Especially the farewell, where I received a rich gift, was very touching and will always remain in my memory as a beautiful memory.

The food in Ghana

The cooks Francis & Francis cooked for about 20 volunteers at Mama Mina during my stay. Most of the time there was rice with an oily sauce, which tasted good, but became a bit monotonous over time. We ate mainly white bread with any spreads like "Nutella" and jam, which we bought ourselves. Tea and porridge-like porridge were always served.

My weekend trips - Ghana has a lot to offer!

I spent the weekends in Cape Coast, in the Volta region and in Ada Foah. As part of day trips, I've been to Shai Hills and Kokrobite Beach. All trips were unforgettable and worth every strenuous Trotro ride. I liked it best at the beach of Ada foah, because I could relax and swim here very well. I can only recommend the Volta Region with the "Wlii Waterfalls" and I've never seen anything like it before. During the orientation week you will be informed about the numerous sights of Ghana. Ghana has more to offer than you think!

Conclusion: an unforgettable time

Four weeks was a very short time in which I was able to settle into Africa. I experienced a lot on the weekends and I also enjoyed my work every day. I got on very well with all the volunteers and had a wonderful and unforgettable time in Ghana, which I can only recommend to everyone.

Experience report volunteering as a teacher in Ghana, Mario G. 18.12.15