So hard to say goodbye!

My time in Ghana has come to an end. I was assigned to teach for a full school year so my 10 months are up. Leaving was bittersweet. I have grown so much as a young woman and as a Ghanaian and it's quite amazing. I have nothing but love and positive things to say about my time in Ghana. The people have been so kind, the food fabulous, my living situation bearable.... so much so that a part of me didn't want to return back to the States. I have learned to be content with the little that I have in life because so many people in Ghana are without. Though I am still young, I have had my share of stressful situations from just dealing with work and bills and the like. Being away from such great responsibility didn't eliminate these stressful things but it allowed me to put things into perspective. I think we get so wrapped up in life's demands that we fail to enjoy what is around us. Many of life's pleasures are not monetary. It did not cost me thing to sit and talk with townspeople for hours. I don't recall the last time I smiled and laughed so much. It doesn't cost much to take a long walk to nowhere in particular. It costs nothing to spend time with family or share a meal with a neighbor..... I have enjoyed so much by giving nothing but my time and attention. 

All in all, I have grown to be a more content person. I had a lot of alone time on my hands so it forced me to listen to that still, small voice and meditate on the goodness of God that was around me. I am so thankful for this experience. I cannot wait to return to Ghana, to my family, and to my students. I hope I was able to make an impact on their personal and professional lives. I did see a change in their approach to teaching English; many of my students commented that they no longer see teaching/speaking English as a threat due to the way I presented the subject. That just makes me smile and know, that I did what I set out to do. To make a difference.

My school surprised me with a send-off service. All students and staff were present to shower me with gifts, kind words, and hugs. I was moved to tears. I was crying before the gifts started pouring in! I was shocked at the love and hospitality by these people. I know they don't have a lot but they did all they could to show me that I was loved and appreciated. I was presented with money, cloth material, trinkets, shoes, kente!, so much! I was just dumbstruck. You don't get this kind of attention in the State unless you're retiring or something. And even still, I feel like I got more.

I will never forget Abetifi College of Education. May that school and all their attendants be blessed through and through. Amen.

My own kente!

 My amazing students!

Andie will miss me/ and I her!

Some colleagues

A shot of a few of the things they gave me