Less than a week before I go, and I just realized I've never really explained where it is I'm going! So here is a quick geography lesson to orient you with Ghana.
Ghana is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ivory Coast (or Cote d'Ivoire if you're fancy) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (which goes into the Atlantic Ocean) to the south. It has a population of 25 million (Texas, in comparison is home to 26 million people) and it's about the same size as Oregon. Ghana is just north of the equator which means it's a HOT tropical climate. Wet and dry are the only seasons they have. Rainy seasons typically run from April-July and September-November. The average temperature in May is only 83 but with the humidity it feels at least ten degrees warmer.
Our group will be splitting into two upon arrival. One group will be heading east to the rural Volta region. I will be part of the group staying in the Accra region. Accra is the capital of the country and has a population of about 2.2 million people with the greater metropolitan area home to around 4 million people. It is the biggest city in Ghana.
Ghana is home to 75 ethnic groups, the largest being the Akan people (if you've ever head of the Ashanti people, they are a subgroup of the Akan). Because Ghana was a British colony until 1957, English is the official language and most people in Ghana, especially in urban areas like Accra, speak it, but many people also speak a tribal language. Most Ghanaians (about 71%) are Christian (especially evangelical/Pentecostal) but there is a small Muslim population (about 18%) in the northern part of the country.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, more than 6.3 million slaves were shipped from West Africa, including Ghana, to the New World. In fact, there is a historic slave castle in Cape Coast that I hope to visit on my trip to learn more about the slave trade and its impact on the people of Africa. Ghana is proud to be the first African country to declare independence and become an independent republic. Today, Ghana is one of the most stable countries in Africa. The current president is John Mahama. He was elected to office in 2012. He is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a center-left social democratic party.
So that is a quick run-down of some of the basics. I'm excited for the opportunity to learn more about the country, its history and its people...just four more days!!!
Ghana is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ivory Coast (or Cote d'Ivoire if you're fancy) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea (which goes into the Atlantic Ocean) to the south. It has a population of 25 million (Texas, in comparison is home to 26 million people) and it's about the same size as Oregon. Ghana is just north of the equator which means it's a HOT tropical climate. Wet and dry are the only seasons they have. Rainy seasons typically run from April-July and September-November. The average temperature in May is only 83 but with the humidity it feels at least ten degrees warmer.Our group will be splitting into two upon arrival. One group will be heading east to the rural Volta region. I will be part of the group staying in the Accra region. Accra is the capital of the country and has a population of about 2.2 million people with the greater metropolitan area home to around 4 million people. It is the biggest city in Ghana.Ghana is home to 75 ethnic groups, the largest being the Akan people (if you've ever head of the Ashanti people, they are a subgroup of the Akan). Because Ghana was a British colony until 1957, English is the official language and most people in Ghana, especially in urban areas like Accra, speak it, but many people also speak a tribal language. Most Ghanaians (about 71%) are Christian (especially evangelical/Pentecostal) but there is a small Muslim population (about 18%) in the northern part of the country.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, more than 6.3 million slaves were shipped from West Africa, including Ghana, to the New World. In fact, there is a historic slave castle in Cape Coast that I hope to visit on my trip to learn more about the slave trade and its impact on the people of Africa. Ghana is proud to be the first African country to declare independence and become an independent republic. Today, Ghana is one of the most stable countries in Africa. The current president is John Mahama. He was elected to office in 2012. He is a member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a center-left social democratic party.
So that is a quick run-down of some of the basics. I'm excited for the opportunity to learn more about the country, its history and its people...just four more days!!!
We're excited for you too! Have a safe, fun trip. Mom and Dad
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