First Impressions

Matthew Miles-

            What an incredible past few days I have had.  Ghana has met my expectations and amazes me every minute.

            The first feelings I had when I arrived in Accra was relief to finally be here.  That was quickly followed by confusion when I was separated from John and Madison for a few minutes at the airport when we rode different shuttles from the plane.  Once we were reunited I was again confused when we left the airport because many “helpers” asked for tips for the “help” they had given us.  After we arrived at Stephen Jr.’s home I realized for the first time what I had really gotten myself into and was very excited to start an awesome adventure.  The trip to Abomosu was a long one but I saw so much of the city and it’s people.  That drive got me really eager to interact with them and to immerse myself in the culture.  Spending time with the Abus, Douglas, and everyone else here in Abomosu has been a real delight and an eye opening experience. 

I was very excited to come and now that I am here I am glad I get to spend the next few months living in this beautiful country among these wonderful people.

John Johnson-

            Ghana rocks! I love it already. The people here are very nice and the area is beautiful. The drive to Abomosu was an adventure; I expected that the roads would be bad but I didn't know pot holes could get so big.

            The Abus are awesome. We haven’t been able to talk to Stephen much because he has been very busy, but he has been very accommodating. We are still trying to get settled into a routine. I am very grateful for the air conditioner in our room. It is very hot here.

            Douglas took us to see some of the towns in the area that we will be working in.  We were able to meet some of the collectors in the towns and get to know them a little. On Monday we will start meeting with loan recipients that are having a hard time paying back. Hopefully we will be able to help in some way.

            Overall I don’t think any of us have too much culture shock. The language barrier is larger than I anticipated. I have a hard time understanding some of the people. That is the most frustrating thing so far. We all look forward to starting classes and hope to help people in a way that can improve their lives.