The 998 Good Bricks

Here I am, lying on the bed of my room, starring at my broken leg in Yamoransa, Ghana. As I stare at my broken leg, I have been wondering how much more challenging it has been to carry out my goals here in Ghana. The doctor told me to put no weight on my leg […]

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Aid?

Is foreign aid all bad? These days, it seems like almost everyone has something to say on the matter. Though I’ve personally maintained my silence for as long as I can suffer, today I will confess that I am no exception. Allow me to explain. I’ve spent the last 14 months living with, learning from, […]

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Rain on a Tin Roof

It was one of the first class periods I was teaching on my own. I had spent hours meticulously working on my lesson plans, making sure each aspect of the lesson was planned out and properly prepared. My class period was to be held from 12:50 – 2:00pm, in the heat of the day. I […]

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Helping without Hurting

When I first set foot in Mensah Dawa, so many questions ran through my head simultaneously. I wondered how my life would look here, if the people would treat me well, and will the students thrive under my instruction? As we came to my small house behind the school, we passed through the primary school […]

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Now Take it to the Farmer

The suspense hung in the air as Professor Aaron Asare of the University of Cape Coast closed the novel cowpea seed presentation and it was time for the National Varietal Release and Registration Centre Committee to decide which varieties to take to the National Seed Council. Everyone shuffled outside the room as the gears behind […]

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Wear Socks, it’s Very Cold

On the first day of school at Nana Ankobea Takyiwa, a bell rang and over 200 primary students gathered in lines by grade level on the grass in front of the classrooms. The teachers went up the steps to stand on the cement walkway, and proceeded to list the school rules that all students should […]

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Background Noise

It was still within my new bedroom. I was as snuggled in as it gets being wrapped in a thin sheet, for the warm night acted as a blanket of its own. My first night at my new home in Asesewa could not have been more tranquil. The three window screens allowed for the room […]

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People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it!

When first meeting someone, the conversation usually begins by asking the question, “What do you do?” or “What are you doing here/there?” It’s not too often that one will be asked, “Why are you doing what you are doing?” Over and over again, since accepting the position as an AgriCorps Fellow, people have asked me […]

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The Loop De Doops of Life

There I was, sitting in the passenger seat of a small red sedan car, en route to my new home and family for the next couple days in Koforidua, Ghana. As I stared into the dark storm clouds in the distance through the car window, thoughts of excitement and curiosity were flooding my brain. I […]

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Fear is a Liar

Taking a break from packing my bags in preparation for Ghana, I head to an old wooden dock overlooking a pond on a West Texas ranch. I journey there alone to be alone in nature, alone with my thoughts, and to contemplate what will happen over the next few months. I feel a warm Texas […]

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