Focusing on the Books

                My study abroad experience has been wonderful in so many ways but I have to stay focus on my main purpose of being here which is academic. Sometimes it seems like it’s harder to get in study mode in a different environment. I am learning to focus and study in any type of environment.  I have adjusted to a different academic system. That has not been the easiest but I feel I am managing and my exams will go well. Due to the strike this week is when I will be taking Mid Semester Exams then I will be taking Final Exams in approximately a month. It is definitely official study mode time and focusing on the doing well. This semester I am taking Mechanical Engineering Lab I, Thermodynamics, Strength of Materials, Applied Electricity, and Dynamics. I am aiming for a 4.0 this semester. I know if I can obtain a 4.0 here I can continue to do extremely well at North Carolina A&T.

In the mist of adjusting academically I have been researching ways to be more effective in studying and preparing for exams. Sometimes I catch myself studying but I question how effective am I? I am aiming to get the max out of my study time. I had the feeling that I had freshmen year when I took my first exams of just not knowing what to expect. On Tuesday, I took my first Mid Semester Exam for Strength of Materials and it went very well. The exam took place in the Lecturer Theatre with approximately 125 students. I was given script paper and the actual exam. On the script paper, you are required to give your index number which takes place of your name and that is where space is provided to show work for exams questions. At this university names are not used so all students will be graded equally. The test was approximately an hour. On Thursday at 6am, I took my second exam which was a little intense. After leaving I felt, I needed to study some more for that class in a different way. I am looking forward to the final exam of this class to well. Tomorrow I am taking my last exam of the week for Basic Mechanics. It has been interesting week full of preparing for exams.

On Wednesday, I had an experience of a life time. Some classmates of mine invited me to a mid-week church service. The church service started at 7pm which took place in a residential hall dining room. It was a nice service and I was enjoying it but in the mist of it the lights went out. My first thought was they were going to pray and dismiss service because the electricity was out on campus. Well as the lights went out students obtained candles and placed them on the floor lit and service continued for the remaining time it was scheduled. I was flattered to see how students dealt with the lights going out and continued to praise god in the mist of it all. Once service was over, I headed to my room walking in the pit black.  I was very tired and had a lot of homework but was unable to do it because of the lights going out. With that said I went to sleep for time to pass and hoping for the lights to come back on. I woke up approximately every 3 hours to check to see if the lights were on. Throughout the night they never came on and at 6am when the sun came up it was not bright of enough to see to do homework. With that said I went for my morning run and let more time pass to for the sun to be bright enough to study. When I got back to my room from running the lights were finally on.

I feel that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel towards going home. I have less than 7 weeks and I know the time is going to go fast. I am excited about Christmas, snow, my family, friends, and American food. Great grades lead to a Great Christmas. This is always a goal for me to accomplish every fall semester. It make the holidays that more specials when you can relax knowing you did well in school.

It has been another week of interesting events and I am looking forward to what next week has in store. 

Adventures in Northern Ghana

 Bright and early the journey to Northern Ghana began on October 22, 2010. The bus was full on 10 adults and 5 little ones. Starting at 5:30am we travel to see the Monkeys at Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary in Nkoranza District of Brong-Ahafo. As we arrived a tour guide explained that the sanctuary consisted of 500 Mona and 200 Black and White Monkeys. The sanctuary itself consists of eight communities combined. The communities are Boabeng, Boabeng, Fiema, Akrudwa, Busunya, Konkrompe, Senya, Yefri.The monkeys were fascinating to see up close. It almost reminded me of a movie walking through a forest area and monkeys jumping from tree to tree. They were very aggressive in obtaining bananas. One actually grabbed one from me by jumping about 4 feet. I was shocked and amazed. It was also very interesting to learn that some of the monkeys live to be 50 or 60 years old. On these grounds the moneys are also buried when they die and the land is marked. As a whole these monkeys are treated as human beings by the people in the communities. Once the monkeys took all our bananas we loaded the bus and headed to Tano Boase Sacred Groove.

The Groove was a sight to see and it was a physical work out that was unexpected. The tutor guide explained the great history of the land and the people who use to reside on it. Once the introduction was over we begin to climb the different mountains. On this journey there were infants on their mothers back to the older generation and it was a sight to see everyone climb the mountains. In the mist of climbing all these mountains there were a lot of flies and insects along with the weather being very humid. Once we were done climbing the mountains, it was great to know you had accomplished great tasks and you wanted to know where some water was. We loaded the bus again for our last stop of the day at Kintampo Water Fall.

As we headed to Kintampo Water fall we enjoyed our lunch of Jollof Rice and Chicken. It was sometimes hard to eat with the bumpy road but it made the experience that much more unique. Once we arrived we were able to tour the three different waterfalls. The major waterfall consists of going down 152 steps prior to getting there. The site was beautiful and relaxing. The waterfall is 70 meters long prior to hitting rocks beneath it. I enjoyed taking my socks and shoes off and entering the waterfall and feeling the mist of the water as it fell. The Kintampo Water Fall was definitely a great way to end the trip. Overall everyone was exhausted after climbing 152 steps to get to the bus.

The journey back to Kumasi was relaxing and everyone seemed to have enjoyed there day. I enjoyed this experience adventuring into different parts of Ghana during my study abroad experience. I am looking forward to some more journeys in the future. 

Personal Development

                Week after week, I have the chance to view my personal growth in life. When I first arrived in Ghana I was Shanaya L. Johnson, daughter of Rhonda Allen and Curtis Johnson II, honors college student, but behind the titles who was Shanaya? In my life I have always aimed for perfection in an imperfect world. I have enjoyed accomplishing goals but I never thought it would become my life at one point. I was to the point where everything was about what I had to do for school or work. I took very little time for myself or the simple things in life. As I got settled in my Hostel on KNUST campus, I was truly able to see my life and the changes I wanted to make to enhance it. One thing about Ghana is most things are very calm and relaxed. There is never a rush to do anything; and life is just easy going. This has been the perfect environment for me to obtain academic, social, and spiritual balance.

                Prior to this semester of school, I had limited balance when it came to school. It seems as if I studied more than I needed to and was stressed most of the time. Now I look back at situations and can only laugh. There were times at North Carolina A&T where I thought classes could not get any worse or the world was over when wireless internet was not working for a day.  I look at all those different moments now and say it was not that bad. I guess this goes with the saying you do not miss something until you lose it.

In the mist of balancing my life, I have been able to broaden my arisen my meeting so many different people. It is very fun to meet people from a different part of the world; you can always learn something new and find similarities amongst the differences. When students were able to see that I was a foreign student they instantly want to know my name and where I was from. As much as I enjoy learning about the culture here they enjoy asking me about the American culture. It is also funny that Ghanaians are very knowledgeable about the US as a whole. Sometimes people have discussed different subject matters with me that I was not even knowledgeable about. It shows me that other Nationalities put more time into knowing global news. Most individuals want to know how I like the country and what are some major differences from the U.S.  It seems every day I am meeting different people and I am to the point where I am unable to remember names but I remember faces. As a result, I have learned that amongst different nationalities everyone wants to be happy and have adequate monetary security.

Currently, the teachers are still on strike but we will know if the strike will continue any day now. The students as a whole want the strike to end so they can continue the academic year. If the strike does not end the entire academic year will be deferred and students will have to come back next August to repeat the same courses.  As for me being an international student, I truly do not know what my options would be in regards to if the semester was deferred. I have just been hoping for it to end as it earliest convenience.

This weekend I will be attending an excursion to Northern Ghana to site see some more of this beautiful country. Look for the updates on the excursion next week. 

More Adventures in Ghana

Time is flying with this past Tuesday making 2 months that I have been in Ghana. Currently, lecturers at KNUST have been on strike for over a week to obtain owed funds from Ghana’s Government System.  The students are hoping for classes to start soon as possible so the semester will not be extended. Once classes resume students will be writing Mid-Semester Exams. I am very interested to see my results on Mid Semester Exams since the academic system here is different than North Carolina A&T academic system. I have spent time adjusting to the differences and I am ready to put the pencil to the paper.

As I have approached the midpoint of my study abroad experience, I have definitely gained more strength, courage, and confidence. I have adjusted to a daily schedule that starts at 6am and ends at 12am. When I first arrived I did not know how the students were able to start their days so early and end them early. With time I have adapted to their schedule and I am enjoying every minute of it. It feels great to have accomplished most of daily tasks by dinner time and not just beginning them. I call it getting the most out of day. I hope to apply trait to my academic life at NCA&T.

Over the past week I was able to visit the local lake in Kumasi name Lake Bosomtwe. It was a beautiful view and very relaxing. There are twenty four villages that surround the lake which makes it unique. The tour guide explained that there are two theories on how the lake was created. One theory says a huge meteorite formed the lake. The second theory states it is a crater of an extinct volcano. Both theories are pretty interesting. On the property of the lake fresh tilapia and palm wine is sold by vendors. The fish was very good and the palm wine was an exotic taste. Within in each village there is a resort for guests to stay at. The resorts were very nice and look to be a great place for relaxation.

This past Sunday I attended my first Football Game (Soccer) where Ghana played against Sudan. The ending score of the game was 0-0. The stadium held approximately 45,000 people. I t was definitely a sight to see. The entire time I was there it look like it was going to rain and when the game ended it started t o pore down. In the mist of this happening everyone began to run to places to stay out of the rain. After taking shelter for about 30 minutes my friends and I tried our best to catch a taxi back to campus. As we walked through the rain we were unable to find a taxi. Either there was already 6 people sitting in 4 seats or the taxis were done for the night. It took roughly hour and half to walk back to campus in the rain. Once I got back to my dorm I had mud all the way up my back. My clothes were ringing with water. This is an experience I will never forget.

 Keeping an open mind and positive attitude will get you through anything.

Being an International Student and recognizing the Diversity on Campus

                It is fun being an international student. Typically I am asked what country are you from and how long will you be here? I am unable to count the amount of students I have meet over the course of time I have been here. They also like to ask do you remember my name. I always remember faces but the names do not always stick. I feel like the students know me better than I know them. They remember my name better than I can remember their names even though they do not always pronounce it correctly. Quite frequently students visit me, call me, text me, or send me a message on facebook just to check on me. There has also been a few times when students assumed that I was in some additional classes and they would call me ask if I was okay because I did not show up for class. The students are very observant of their surroundings and the people within them.

 Students have been very interested to know about me and the United States as a whole. Many students have the desire to obtain their Masters or/and PhD at a university in the US. I tend to hear students say they pray that they have the opportunity to go the US in the future. It is many students dream to cross the borders of the US and learn about the American Culture. Growing up I always heard about people from other countries really wanting to come to the US and now I am witnessing it firsthand.

Even though majority of the students at KNUST are Ghanaians there is diversity with students from other African Countries. The second largest population of students is Nigerians with Nigeria being a neighbor geographically. I never imagine that I would be able to distinguish between students based on what African Country they originated from but, most of the time it obvious. Differences typically come from how an individual dresses, speaks, and their ego. Ghanaians are very humble soft spoken individuals for the most part. Nigerians tend to be more outspoken and adventurous. Nigerians students resemble the typical American student more than a Ghanaian student.

When it comes to campus life students tend to primary socialize with people from their home country. Campus housing is even organized where Nigerians have separate residential halls on a particular side of campus. Even though the students attend the same classes and live on the same campus their interactions with one another are limited. As I have become familiar with different students here they are very fast to tell you what country they are from. I am still unsure the exact reasons but many Ghanians and Nigerians do not have positive comments to say about one another. I hope one day that students here will be able to look past their difference and find the similarities amongst their origin diversity.  It has been pleasure to learn about the cultures of all students.

As a result, being an international student I am learning something each day that is sharpening my mind for the future. This study abroad experience is an eye opener to life outside my own culture and country. 

Traveling the Roads of Ghana

This past week has been very interesting and full of fun adventure. My mother and I are two individuals who can find enjoyment anywhere.

Everyday has been unique and full of things to do. My mom has attended each of my classes at least once and met all my instructors. This is definitely another motivation for me to do well since she has exchange emails with all of them. It is very interesting to see her reaction to campus life. One thing that she brought to my attention is the amount of African men who are attending college. In all my classes the amount of women students are no more than 10 in a class size of 125 students. She was glad to see so many African men getting higher education in a great number which is something that is not seen in American colleges. It is an advantage to see things in the perspective of an individual of a different generation. 

Outside of life on campus we have been able to travel the roads of Ghana and broaden our arisen. On Saturday at 3am, we woke up to catch the 4am bus ride to Cape Coast to visit the Cape Coast Castle. The Cape Coast Castle is a museum with information about the history of Ghana and slave trade.  Initially, we thought that we were riding a nice charter bus and came to find out that we were traveling in a compact bus that can accommodate 12 adults. We had to hold are bags in our lap and sit closely for 3 hours to our destination.  Once we arrived to the Cape Coast Castle it was a sight to see and great history to learn. The Atlantic Ocean was beautiful, relaxing to see, and a place to catch great sea food. While being in this city for a short period of time I have never see so much fish, shrimp, and octopus for sell. Even though I was very hesitant, I did try octopus and it was not that bad. While traveling abroad, I made it a goal to try different foods at least once. By trying something you can distinguish what you like and what you do not like for the future. After a day of sightseeing and buying souvenirs we headed back to Kumasi.

Sunday we went to church at the campus Presbyterian Church. Presbyterian is similar to Baptist and the service was good. I have learned that culture of people can change, the appearance of churches can vary, and the conduct of a church service can be different but you’re praising the same god. After church we were invited to Sunday dinner at the home of the Engineering International Director. It was the best dinner; I have had since I have been in Ghana. Everything was hot and fresh and cook to perfection. There was an appetizer, main course, and dessert. I felt like I had just eaten for a holiday back in the United States. It was cool to go to a Ghanaian home and see that they live no different than Americans. We ended the evening my watching an African Reality TV Show called Big Brother.

Throughout the week we had the chance to visit The Ashanti Museum and Bonwire. These outings were great in learning the culture of Ghanians as whole and buying souvenirs for my family.  As we traveled various places we tended to meet so many people. I can truly say that I love Ghanaian people.  Overall are intelligent, hard working, genuine people. I also admire how calm and mild spoken they are. To describe the people here in one word it would be peaceful.

Even though I do not want her to go, my mother is leaving me this week. I will miss her and join her for Christmas in the states. I am back to adventuring Ghana solo.

Spending Quality Time with My Mom

When studying abroad, you learn that it is an experience of a life time. Your able to meet new people, be a guest student of a college, learn a new language, learn a new cultural, and see life in a different perspective. You also learn that there is no place like home with your family and friends.

When I began to plan my study abroad to trip to Ghana, my mom began planning time off work to come visit me. My mom and I both enjoy traveling and see new things in life. We had always talked about traveling to the Motherland and we have finally made it.

My mother arrived the morning of September 19, 2010, which was my 20^th birthday in Accra, Ghana. Once we left the airport we got settled in a Guesthouse which was very nice. When we first arrived they told us we had to get separate room because they could not allow the same sex adults share a room. At that point we had to explain that we were mother and daughter. Then they apologized and moved us into our room. Throughout this day we toured the Makola Market and Labadi Beach.  My mom was taking pictures none stop and enjoying the different cultural. Labadi Beach is a sight I will always remember. It was a cultural shock to go to a beach where everyone looked like me. There was also horse riding up and down the coast. I definitely enjoyed riding which is something I have not done in some time. It was very relaxing and my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean from this part of the world. After a day full of fun, we went to bed to wake up early to catch the 4am VIP, Charter Bus to Kumasi. The bus ride was 5 hours which we slept through.

Once my mom was settled we were on the move to explore Kumasi. She noticed first there was no KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, or any of our usual franchise operations here. She enjoyed seeing African people on the currency when she exchanged her money.  My mom is very adventurous; I would have to say I have gain that trait from her.  Everywhere we go it seem like she has these great conversations with Ghanians from the taxi drivers to the waiters at restaurants. She has been very shock to see that Africans have a picture of a white Jesus hanging from their rear view mirror. Every time she sees it she lets the driver know that Jesus is not white and that the bible describes how he looks. It is so funny to see her do this when we get in most taxis. The drivers usually are like really. One driver took out his bible and asked her to show him the scripture that describes how Jesus looks. I was in the back seat wondering where this conversation was going to lead to. Besides the mosquitoes at night she is truly enjoying her time in Ghana.

September 21, 2010 was a national holiday in Ghana. It was Ghana first president’s birthday, Kwame Nkrumah, which meant no class. It was a great day just because I did not have to go to 3 classes for a total of 6 hours. We spend most of the day in town looking for fabric to get dresses made. In Ghana many women wear dresses made from fabric with different designs. These dresses are usually worn to church or for special occasions. It was fun shopping for material. In the past, I thought it was sometimes hard looking for certain clothing items but, try looking for the material of clothing. We ended the day with a dinner of fried rice and fish.

The next day we started the day bright and early. I headed to class and my mom went to get her hair braided. When I was done with classes I meet her at the hair salon. She looked great with her braids. The last time she had braids was when she was 14. This special day of her trip was also her birthday. I would share her age but you would not believe her age even if I told you. Once her braids were complete I was able to share my favorite Ghanaian dish with her; Black Eye Peas & Fried Plantain with Palm Oil. She loved it! Throughout the day, I attended a few classes and she rested. We also had measurements done for our dresses. In the evening we went to dinner at Its my Kitchen which was a great restaurant. We enjoyed the remaining of the evening with some Banana Cake.

The great thing about being in Ghana is that it is relaxing. There is no rushing or counting the minutes in the day. We have been relaxing and taking life minute by minute. I am glad to see my mom relax with her working 2 jobs and always on the move.  I am enjoying every moment with my mom. I was glad to see her come but not looking forward to her leaving.