Co-Tutors Dinner

Me with Peter, Ernest and our faithful and reliable driver, Eric

Thursday July 31^st 

I felt better this morning although I didn't have much energy. I laid low and rested while I watched Barb work. I delivered my talk about how to use a book for a math lesson and then Lyle, Barb and I acted out a story that Cindy read about a prairie dog colony that has a tennis ball dropped in it and then we acted out Abu Is A Lazy Boy in reader's theatre.

As we were leaving Ernest gave us each a GNAT pin and bottle opener as well as a union shirt for the men and a dress for the women (the ones they measured us for the first week). They are blue and white and adorned with the GNAT logo “We live to teach”.

Tonight was our co-tutors dinner. We invited Naa, Julius and Comfort as well as Peter Mabande, Ernest and Eric. It was a great evening with our new friends. Julius asked us what we thought of Ghana and Angela said this is her first time to Africa but Joe here has been to lots of countries in Africa and has climbed Kilimanjaro. “Jesus Christ you are great!” Eric said. It was a very funny moment but also an illustration of how privileged people of the west are and how limited are the opportunities for the people here. Most of them have traveled very little in their own country let alone outside Ghana. Ernest has been to Canada for six weeks a few years ago and Peter has traveled extensively through Africa and worldwide, but they are the exceptions.

Peter and Ernest both addressed us and praised CTF and the Project Overseas partnership and us individually. When we gave out our gifts for them Eric made an impassioned speech about how happy he has been to drive us around Ghana and to get to know us. He praised his boss (Ernest) for allowing him to be a member of the team and be allowed to eat with us and join us on excursions (in St Vincent this was not the practice and the driver was nothing more than a servant). Peter said many nice things about CTF and its involvement with education initiatives worldwide. He praised us for our “commitment, interest, involvement, dedication, spirit, humour and knowledge”. We had a great photo session before our guests departed.

At the end of the night the four of us gathered at the bar again for another drink before bed.