This weekend we went to a Ghanaian wedding! It was interesting. It wasn't a Catholic wedding so comparing them to weddings back home wouldn't exactly be the same but it was unlike any weddings I have hear do of regardless. It was a very short service. We couldn't understand most of it since it wasn't in English but they groom gave gifts to the bride's family and they had to accept them and if they didn't then I don't know what would have happened but he accepted them. Then the bride came out and the relatives took turns putting cedis (their money) on the ground and she had to walk on the cedis to the groom and then she did the same back the opposite direction. They stand in the middle of the two families as well. The groom's family is on one side and the bride's family is on the other side facing them. It was outside under a tent in the front of a family member's house. After that family members take turns giving them advice. Like I said, it was hard to follow because it wasn't in English.
After our first Ghanaian wedding we went to the Accra Mall. The most exciting part was the ride there. We took the Trotro (?) which is similar to a large van. It's public transportation but is oober cheap! 50 peswas per person! it was like, maybe 30 US cents for this ride. There were maybe 15 people crammed inside. haha it was fun. Auntie Agnes sends her grandson Pati with us wherever we go (aside from the internet cafe and school). We all had fun.
Within the house we live in are 3 other families and then Auntie's grandson and grandnephew live with her as well but two of the families have multiple kids. Rachel started a nightly tradition of reading at night to the kids. We have come to find out that books are not very common but the kids LOVE hearing story after story. The kids range from 4 years to 11 years. We love the kids. We taught them the hand game where you cross your hands over each other and tap the table around the circle. If you double tap then you reverse. Fun game. The 5 year old asks us to play it every night. :)
My exciting school story. Caning the kids that misbehave is a part of the Ghanaian culture and something that I have struggled with because of the difference in beliefs about discipline. I have been invited to cane a child who was misbehaving but I just explained that in my country, we don't do that and gave other examples of discipline strategies. I have implemented the removal of a child from the classroom for misbehaving, and hitting others in the class, which is also incredibly common. The kids hate it because they happen to sit outside the classroom right in the sun. Behavior has improved with those who have had to sit outside. My teacher and the nun who helps in the classroom have both taken to this as well. Today my teacher told the students that if they were going to misbehave they could sit outside and not participate in the activity.
And! We used these color cards I made for the students to practice spelling their colors and they loved it! I am running out of time so I will explain that later.
<3 from Ghana!
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