Afehyia Pa!

Spined Micrathena. One of my favorite daily encounters. They hang out suspended between trees and other foliage everywhere.

A section of the nature trail at the Centre for Spiritual Renewal. 

Indian food with Collins in Adum. 

Dancing Nuns. At Archbishop emeritus Father Peter Sarpong's house for the FST foundation day celebration December 8. 

Kente cloth weaving at the Cultural Centre in Kumasi.

With Samuel. 

Kwame comes to visit my classroom everyday. He's not in my class but he's certainly one of my shining stars.

Shenanigans 

So much love.

Kindergarten 

Sammy is growing up. He's crawling, showing signs of language acquisition and prematurely indulging in popcorn (see chin). 

Full house for the first term PTA meeting.
Sr. Martha, Sr. Lydia and Sr. Alice (FST superior general)  facilitated parent feedback and open discussion. The meeting proved to be a success as parents, teachers and administration exchanged constructive criticism and collaborated on ideas for the upcoming term. 

Generations.

Celebrating the end of examinations with BS4 students.

Romeo wears his name well. 

ICT lab azonto.

The product of Cosmas and Benjamin's first go at videotaping. 

These kiddos didn't quite make it through mass.

Jude with a smitten Kelvin (left). 

Miss Maggie

Jesus

Gloria 

Somewhat unfortunate for Francis at this stage in his adolescence, this picture completely captures his personality. This kid's a hoot. His energy is through the roof and he's a great thinker. 

 Sometimes I get the impression that Benedict is a fifty year old man taking a ride in a six year old's body. 

Catholic school is incomplete without a Christmas Pageant. The boarders performed at both the school and at St. Gregory the Great Provincial Seminary. 

The students have put aside their uniforms, the boarders have gone home to their families and the school is officially closed until January. I hope that these pictures help to illustrate the joys I am experiencing while teaching in Ghana. I may be in Africa, but the children remind me of a collective humanity transcendent of place. I am adjusted to life in the convent and within the community of Akokoamong and I look forward to 2013. 

The Daylight Need Not be Saved

BS1'ers 

Stephen introduced me to this scorpion. He called it a 'little present'.

Sea of roofing = Kumasi's central market.

Cheesin'

The bosses: Sr. Martha and Sr. Lydia

Kwame for president! 

Desperation...they're not quite old enough for computer class.

in Accra for the GRE. Belabor esoteric sentence comp and math questions for four hours then retire to an awesome sunset. Good trip. 

Beach at dawn. 

"Everything is Part of It"

Christopher (left) and Stephen Tumase KG2

Morning assembly disperses. 

BS 3 

Percy KG1

Clockwise, from left to right: Francis BS4, Francis BS1, Precious KG2, and Loretta KG2 

Adwaa Pokuaa BS 2

Clockwise from L to R: Wendy BS4, Agnes BS3, Teresa BS4, Sandra BS4, Christa BS2 and Lil' Francis BS1

James KG2

The kids learn how to use a camera in ICT. 

Francis; the kids' shot. 

This picture is washed out, but I like it. I'll also admit it, yes, I'm a bit partial to James. 

Bus shot with Auntie Milli and some of the boarders after mass. 

These spiders are prolific in the corners of the convent. 

This one seems to have an affinity for my room's balcony. These thread-waisted wasps' nests are remarkable when complete.

Sluggin' around some dandelions. 

These beetles love the dandelion greens as well. 

Mantis 

Progress is relative. 

Random kids after school near tech junction. 

Malaria sucks, bites, stings...regardless of the pun, it's absolutely no fun. Fortunately, this hospital is fairly close to Akokoamong. 

Ha...I couldn't resist. This is what we'd call the 'maternity ward' in the U.S. 

As we are in week five of the school year, BTLA is running smoothly and successfully. Enrollment for the year is very high and attendance has been strong. I have been openly welcomed by the faculty and I am enjoying the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) classes that I teach. Thus far, we have namely been focusing on theoretical elements in the classroom, but I plan to move all grade levels to the lab this upcoming week. BTLA is a fairly dynamic environment in terms of classes and on some days I have taught math (or maths), language arts, reading comprehension and natural science. I have also had opportunities to tutor students in French and play some futbol. Adapting to some of the Ghanaian pedagogy has been difficult, but the students' eagerness to learn and their uninhibited spirits continuously remind me why I became a teacher.

 Presently, I have been out of school for more than a week with Malaria and an upper respiratory infection. Being confined to my room with sickness has definitely brought on the blues and has delayed my course schedule but c'est la vie, as I'm always lookin' for a rainbow, the time in bed has spurred some good reflection, novel reading and introspection as well. My acclimation to the myriad cultures here expands every week, whether it's the Twi, village hopping, food, electrical theatrics, the conservation efforts, the prosperous essence of the people, gender normative expectations, nun livin', or the caucasian void...it's all quite becoming, and beautifully at that.