Nottingham Emmanuel – arrive in Ghana to a very warm welcome

Day 1: Monday 4th July 2016
Finally arriving in Ghana after a long 6 hour plane journey, which tired us all, however, we’re relieved to be here, welcomed by the warmth of the country and the pleasant smiles from the locals in Accra. Consumed by the heat, our bodies collapsed as we waited for the bus. Packed and ready to set off we ventured into the unknown with our guides from Partner Ghana: Fredrick and Isee. After a shorter journey than the previous bum numbing rides, the hotel offered a long awaited bed to rest our heads. Once settled we ordered enormous pizzas to appease our hungry stomachs and were accompanied by three cats who took a liking to our presence. As the night went on our friendships bloomed whilst we shared stories and laughed at nostalgic moments from the journey so far.

Day 2: Tuesday 5th July 2016
We all awoke to the squawk of the morning rooster declaring the long day ahead of us. Our excitement stirred as we knew we would finally meet our buddies. With bellies fully of toast it was back on the road again to the Dutch- Komenda school; with the busyness of the streets in Accra rife with markets laden with a dizzying array of alien looking fruit and vegetables, we began to experience the astonishing culture and life of the people in Ghana. We passed the time with songs and limited dancing through the traffic of Accra to the cooling breeze of the sea as we journeyed ever closer to the school; at the first glimpse of children running to see us our lethargic energy soon exploded into a plethora of eagerness as we were surrounded by the throngs of students who were so joyful to meet us. We stepped right off the bus into crowd of smiling and waving children overwhelming us in their joyfulness, followed by glorious dancing and meeting our buddies as we were treated to a fabulous welcoming ceremony. After putting up our tents and being given a tour of the community we settled into our first evening together in Dutch Komenda and look forward to spending our first night beneath the Ghanaian stars.