Village Life, Starting the New School Year, and Being Madam Nasara
I’ve been at my permanent site where I’ll be living and working for my next two years of service for just over a month now. I’ve settled into a bit of a routine for the most part; though, it’s difficult to have a routine without having any real responsibilities. For my first month, school was out of session, so I’ve spent my time biking through the community, greeting community members (a very important practice in Ghana) in the local language, reading, watching movies, observing the children playing on the field next to my house, and, one of my favorite things to do, going to market. The days can be repetitive and mundane, but almost therapeutic. I took that time to reflect on my purpose for being here: the reason I chose to join the Peace Corps in the first place and how that reason has transformed as I’ve gotten to know the culture, the people, and the education system in Ghana. The atmosphere of the village I’m living in, which initially seems small but then seems to ext...