International Cross Cultural Ninjas in Ghana

Obruni, where are you going?

The first week of our trip in Ghana has been like jumping into a river from a cliff…you don’t do it a little bit at a time!After an exciting arrival in Accra (anyone need a crash course in taxi bargaining?), we spent time at the beach, orienting ourselves with the city, and getting to know the food of the country. We even got to sit in on a talk on Ghanaian culture and traditional women’s leadership that ended in (of course) a spontaneous Azonto dance lesson.

But it hasn’t been all fun and games. After a long tro tro ride to Cape Coast (was the driver aiming for the potholes?), we visited El Mina castle, one of the largest centres for the West African trans-Atlantic slave trade. Local historian Ato brought the experience to life with his in-depth knowledge and personal research.

View of Cape Coast

We had our first serious discussion of the trip last night and our group’s passion for engagement and learning made a night of mind mapping and trip planning really easy. It even allowed us to dive straight into tougher subjects like the idea of the saviour complex in volunteering, race dynamics, and economic disparities.

Today we experienced some of Ghana’s natural beauty in the canopy walks at Kakum National Park. Soon we will be preparing for our stay in Wli Todzi, and our volunteering at Horizon Children’s Centre in Sandema.

Kakum National Park

We are so stoked for the next month with our group! We are one step closer to forming our cadre of super coordinated international cross cultural ninjas! More to come!

Peace + Love,Jeremy and MichelleWest Africa Discovery trip leaders