What are some ghanaian customs?

DO NOT
-use your left hand
-say the words: silly, foolish, nonsense
-give the thumb/okay sign
-point
-stare
-eat before the male head of the family
-rush a meeting
-make eye contact with someone of a higher class or older than you

DO
-greet people starting with the oldest
-say thank you when refusing a vendor or an offering
-be polite, respectful and formal
-wait to be told where to sit
-eat from the section fo the communal bowl that's inf ront of you
-ask about a person's health, family and job when greeting them

What did I learn from Logan (the travel abroad fellow)?

Not much. He did reiterate the importance of having the proper documentation and medicines when going, but I already knew that. Well, yup, that's it.

Where I'm going?

W.E.B. DuBois Memorial Center: research institution of Pan-African history and culture (the equivalent to native american culture)

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and Museum: all about Ghana's first president (was one of the leaders in the movement for independence against the British government)

University of Ghana

Markets: for culture immersion and shopping

Church

Beach: if weather permits

L & A Academy: hang out with kids and staff

Village: Install malaria nets and help build a clinic

Cape Coast Ghana: tour elmina castles (slave castles that were established by the Portugese for trading purposes)

Kankum National Park

What I learned? 2

DO NOT
-use the left hand
-say the words:
    -silly
    -foolish
    -nonsense
-do not give the thumb sign, or ok sign
-do not point
-do not stare
-eat before the head male does
-rush a meeting
-make eye contact with someone of a higher social class, or older than you

DO
-greet people starting with the oldest
-say thank you when refusing a vendor or and offering
-be polite, respectful and formal
-wait to be told where to sit
-eat from the section of the communal bowl that’s in front of you
-ask about a person’s health, family and job when greeti

1 USD = 1.5 GHSng them

What am I going to do when I get there?

Service Project: We're going to help build a clinic and help install malaria net

Other:

• go to a school (L & A Academy; University of Ghana)
• tour the city and go to markets
• got to memorials and museums (W.E.B. DuBois Memorial center; Kwame Nkrumah Memorial and Museum)
• go to church
• go to the beach
• meet government officials
• tour Elimina castles (slave castles)
• visit National Park (Kankum Park)
• visit the neighborhood

What have I learned?

There are many health risks and after looking through various websites and my own personal health records I have listed what needs to be done.

Disease Prevention/ Health Care

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/africa/ghana.shtml

http://www.cdc.gov/

·         Vaccines

o   Typhoid-10 Days

o   Yellow Fever-10 Days

o   Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria , Pertussis)-3 months definitely should get

Measles- definately should get

o   Meningococcal meningitis-3 weeks should more than likely get

o   Polio- should more than likely get booster

o   Rabies-1 month should get

o   Cholera-2 weeks should get

o   Tuberculosis-3 months *10-26-98*

o   Hepatitis B-2 months*09-17-98~03-02-99*

o   Hepatitis A-2 weeks *02-04-09*

·         Malaria pills-starts 2 days before, everyday during, 2 days after; drink Nim tea made from a very common tree; artesunate = Chinese herbal

·         DO NOT eat food off the streets

·         ONLY eat warm foods

·         Drink BOTTLED water (Voltic)

·         DO NOT swim in FRESH water for fear of contracting Bilharzia (if you do swim in fresh water that is not near a village)

·         When cleaning food preferably clean in SALT water

·         NO SEX (no duh)

·         Wash hands as frequently as possible or if there is no soap use an alcohol based cleanser

bolded text is what is required for the trip
itlaisized text is what I would like to happen
*text within the asterix are dates when I last recieved the vaccines*
~the days/weeks/months are how long before the trip must I get the vaccine~

Part of the trip we will be installing Malaria nets and so I researched the disease

v  MALARIA

Ø  http://www.netsforlifeafrica.org/

Ø  http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/malaria/overview.html

Ø  Cause: get bitten by an infected Anopheles mosquito that transmits a parasite; first travels to the liver; enters blood stream and infect red blood cells- multiply inside them then the cells rupture 48-72 hrs after

Ø  Symptoms: begin as early as 8 days after infection and as late as 1 year later

§  Chills

§  Fever

§  Sweating

§  Headache

§  Nausea

§  Vomiting

§  Muscle Pain

§  Anemia

§  Bloody stools

§  Jaundice

§  Convulsion

§  Coma

Ø  Prevention: anti-malaria drugs; long pants/shirts; insect repellent

Ø  If infected go to hospital immediately

Ø  Mosquitoes often appear at dusk/dawn

Ø  Nearly one million people die from malaria each year, mostly children younger than five years old.

Ø  There are an estimated 250 million cases of malaria each year.

Ø  Although the vast majority of malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, the disease is a public-health problem in more than 109 countries in the world, 45 of which are in Africa.

Ø  Approximately 3.3 billion people live in areas where malaria is a constant threat.

Ø  90% of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ø  Malaria costs an estimated $12 billion in lost productivity in Africa.

Ø  When insecticide-treated nets are used properly by three-quarters of the people in a community, malaria transmission is cut by 50%, child deaths are cut by 20%, and the mosquito population drops by as much as 90%.

Ø  It is estimated that less than 5% of children in sub-Saharan Africa currently sleep under any type of insecticide-treated net.

There is this website that lists the common diseases in Ghana and what can be done to prevent them.
http://www.info-ghana.com/common_diseases.htm

I have also made a packing list of what I'll need for the trip.

Packing List

v  SUIT CASE

Ø  CLOTHING

§  1 clothing set for trip home (bottom, top, under garments, shoes)

§  1 semi-formal clothing set for professional meetings and church

§  11 bottoms

·         8 pants

·         3 shorts

§  11 tops

·         T-shirt style

·         NOT BLACK

§  7 bras

·         5 sports

·         2 regular

§  11 pairs of underwear

§  11 pairs of socks

·         Medium length

§  Pajamas & robe

§  Hat/ bandana

§  Shoes

·         Tennis shoes (possibly more than 1)

·         Flip flops (for the shower)

Ø  Other

§  Toothbrush

§  Toothpaste

§  Hairbrush

§  Scrunchies

§  Shampoo

§  Conditioner

§  Body wash

§  Loofa

§  Q-tips

§  Towel

§  Pillow

§  Face wash

§  Deodorant

§  Body spray

§  Baby powder

§  Pads

§  Lotion

§  Sun screen

§  Hand sanitizer

§  Bug spray

§  Tylenol

§  Toilet paper

§  Umbrella

§  Batteries

§  Plastic bags

§  Nail clippers        ?

Ø  Snacks

§  Nutella
Raisins

§  Crackers

§  Granola bar

§  Trail mix

§  Almonds

§  Skittles

§  Gum

§  Pretzels

v  CARRY ON

Ø  Clothes

§  1 pair of pants

§  1 t-shirt

§  1 pair of underwear

§  1 pair of socks

Ø  Other

§  Retainer

§  Phone charger

§  Phone

§  Mini first aid

§  Passport

§  Resident card

§  Outlet converter

§  Journal

§  Writing utensils

§  Camera

§  Backpack

§  Sweater

§  Chapstick

§  Pads

§  School ID

§  Money

Some common recipes for Ghanaian food are:

Jollof Rice

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups white rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 can (6-ounce) tomato paste
• 3 cups chicken broth

Procedure

1. In a saucepan sauté rice and onion in oil.
2. Cover and cook until onion is translucent and soft.
3. Cut chicken into ½-inch cubes and add to sauté mixture.
4. Mix in tomato paste and then broth.
5. Bring mixture to a boil.
6. Cover pan and reduce heat to low.
7. Cook until rice is tender, liquid is absorbed, and chicken is cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Read more: Food in Ghana - Ghanaian Food, Ghanaian Cuisine - popular, dishes, diet, history, meals, staple, rice, main, people, favorite, make, customs, fruits, country, vegetables, drink, typical, stew, different, fried http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ghana.html#ixzz1ADQbUXTE

Kelewele (Fried Plantains)

Ingredients

• 6 large ripe plantains
• 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 3 cups oil or shortening

Procedure

1. Peel the plantain and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices, removing any woody parts from the center.
2. Mix ginger, salt, and red pepper with water in a mixing bowl.
3. Drop plantain slices into mixture and turn them to coat.
4. Heat oil or shortening in a large skillet and fry the mixture-coated slices until golden brown.

Serves 6.

Read more: Food in Ghana - Ghanaian Food, Ghanaian Cuisine - popular, dishes, diet, history, meals, staple, rice, main, people, favorite, make, customs, fruits, country, vegetables, drink, typical, stew, different, fried http://www.foodbycountry.com/Germany-to-Japan/Ghana.html#ixzz1ADQkwUY5

Where am I going? And why?

Ghana is my destination.

For those who don't know, Ghana is a country on the west coast of Africa.

Why?

Although traveling anywhere would be great I think that going to Africa is far from cliche and will provide a different experience than a trip to Europe would. Also the chaperones are teachers that I'm aquianted with and I think that for my first trip abroad having someone I know and trust will make the trip more enjoyable.

More than anything I'm worried about any possible muggings and the health risks invovled with traveling to Africa. I'm most looking forward to the markets, nights out, slave castles and the museum.

The more I talk about the trip the more real it seems and the more excited I get.