Tricontinental Teacher Training

Merle

In our second-to-last week, we can feel the goodbye coming closer, even though we are still in the middle of our internships. We start thinking about what we still want to do before our departure next week – what to buy, where to go, and what to bring our students as a farewell gift next week.

For me, most of my classes did not take place this week because it was exam week for Form 2, where I spent most of my time. So, I decided to take the chance to visit another school – the Zion Girls‘ School, where Imke and Ida do their internship. They took me to their classes, and I got to observe them teaching their own lessons, including Ida giving a spontaneous French lesson when the teacher couldn’t come. Impressive! I loved that at one point, two chickens entered the classroom from one side, walked through, and exited on the other. Apparently, no one knows where the chickens come from, but they always chill in the shade of the big mango tree, where the school’s interns also take their breaks. A little later, some kittens wandered into the classroom to play between the chairs, which was not only exciting for us Germans but also caught the attention of the Ghanaian students. It was very interesting for me to see a different school because there are some noticeable differences, and it is great to make the most of our time in Ghana and make as many experiences as we can.

Also, this week, our buddy Beatrice took us to the place where she is doing her internship – a facility for traumatized children who can no longer live with their parents. Here, they are cared for by a foster mom on-site, receive therapy, and are slowly reintegrated into school and society as they begin to heal. It was impressive to see this, and while we were there, I even got the chance to play a little with the children. 

I also attended an exam at my school to help with the invigilation, which felt like observing the Abitur. The students wrote their exams in the huge assembly hall, and while most were lucky to have a chair and table, some had to sit on benches and lean forward onto another bench in front of them to write, as there weren’t enough tables for everyone.

Aleyna

My school week, like Merle’s, was not a normal school week. From Wednesday to Friday, a sports event took place, where all the Basic Schools, including mine, competed in various athletics disciplines. A teacher explained to me that the theme is different every year. In other years, there are soccer competitions or dance tournaments, for example. Watching the students sprint, compete in relay races, or long jump was interesting, and I didn’t envy them – I was sweating even while sitting. The students who weren’t competing and some teachers from my school were there, and together we cheered on the competing students. The atmosphere throughout the sports event was very positive.

In addition to our frequent visits to the beach and a few trips, we also spend our free time doing active things, such as playing tennis. Twice a week, we train with a tennis coach and can already see real progress. It’s fun to be active, despite the heat. In addition to our tennis training, we also had the opportunity to take part in an Afro dance class at the university this week. Together with the dance instructor, we learned two choreographies to Afro Beats music. Even though we didn’t look nearly as skilled as the dance instructor, it was a lot of fun dancing the choreographies.

Ida

While my school week was mostly normal, Imke and I very much enjoyed having Merle at our internship school for two days. For me, it was also interesting to finally see the classes of the Form 1 students, who had been on vacation before. They are taught based on a new curriculum that includes more student-centered learning, and I could see the first steps of that in the lessons.

In addition to our other free-time activities, on Friday evening we attended the final presentation of the performative arts project Framewalk, an exchange program between German and Ghanaian students in theatre, music and dance. Within just one week they create a performance together. Watching the result of their collaboration was impressive, and I loved that the many songs included not only English lyrics, but also German rap and Twi. Besides, the atmosphere in the theatre was great, and the audience was much more active than we know it from Germany.

On our last weekend we did a final day trip to Accra, where we visited the Aburi Gardens and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The tour through the gardens was quite a magical experience for me. It is a beautiful place, and I enjoyed walking around so many plants that I had never seen in real life. Especially, we were shown tree parasites that grow around the trees, and a number of trees from which I only knew the spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon.

The parasite grows around the tree, until after decades, the tree dies and only the parasite is left as the outer shell.

Visiting the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was an impressive experience for me as well. Its centerpiece is the Mausoleum of Ghana’s first president, who on one side played a central role in the process of independence, and on the other side had several repressive laws voted during his presidency, until Ghana even became a one-party state in 1964. He was overthrown in a military coup in 1966.

We are really grateful for all these interesting experiences. I feel like our flight home is approaching way too fast, and I am already sad that I will soon have to say goodbye to this place and all the people I met here. So, we are now planning to make the most of our last days in Winneba.

Have you ever heard of Ghana month? Better known as the heritage month, March is filled with different activities and events. The most important one takes place on March 6^th: Ghana’s Independence Day. For 68 years, Ghana has celebrated both its independence and the legacy of Kwame Nkrumah, the nation’s first prime minister and hero of the independence.

After a short week of school, our German group visited the traditional school marching in the morning of Independence Day. Students of all ages were participating. Students from each school marched in rows, with teachers leading at the front and following at the back of every group. A marching band was playing while chiefs and heads of ministries were sitting under big pavilions watching the marching procedure. The whole festivity was very impressive and we’re really grateful for being part of such an important national event.

The day after Independence Day was an official holiday, so we met our buddies for some games. The Ghanaian buddies are particularly fond of the game “Werwolf” (werewolf), which we have played many times since Friday.

Wednesday was also Ash-Wednesday. At my internship school, a pastor prayed with the students and then marked ash crosses on the foreheads of the schoolgirls. I was surprised to see this religious practice, which has been very familiar to me since childhood.

Speaking of events, our group went on a big trip on Saturday. We met at the student’s center on UEW north campus at 6am – pretty early. First stop of our tour: Assin Manso Slave Market. We walked barefoot to the river from which the slaves were shipped to America. It was an oppressive feeling walking the same path the slaves had to take many decades ago. Descendants of the shipped slaves can request that the ashes of their family members be returned to this place, the last place they set foot on.

After the slave market, the bus took us to Cape Coast Castle. The slaves had to survive in small, dark dungeons, filled to the brim with people. Under the occupation of various European countries, they were sent to European colonies in North and South America. On a guided tour, we got to see different rooms of the castle and the male and female dungeons. The dungeons were dark and tiny, and sometimes they smelled damp and musty inside.

Our third and final stop after the castle was Kakum National Park. The park is definitely one of my highlights of our six-weeks-stay in Ghana. In the evening, we went on a guided tour through the rainforest, keeping an eye out for wild animals. We saw a centipede and a poisonous snake eating a lizard on top of one of the wooden beams of the reception building. That was scary and exciting at the same time and absolutely impressive. That night, we slept in a large treehouse, which was a unique experience. We heard so many different sounds, especially from the tree hyrax. I never imagined a forest could be so loud at night.

Early in the morning, we went on another tour that took us to the canopy walk. Large wooden bridges were stretched between the trees, allowing us to walk at treetop level and fully enjoy the sunrise. We also spotted monkeys hiding in the trees. I will never forget this experience, as the raw beauty of the national park proved how important it is to protect nature and its animals.

by Imke

Der Start unseres Kernpraktikums

Reflexion über den Vortrag „My Friend Abe“

Raum für Reflexion: Austausch und Rückblick an der UNC

Am Dienstag trafen wir uns zum zweiten Reflexionsseminar mit Taylor an der UNC, Peabody Hall, dem Gebäude der Erziehungswissenschaften. Dieses Treffen war mehr als nur eine Diskussion. Es war ein Moment des Innehaltens und Nachdenkens über unsere Erfahrungen in den letzten Tagen. Während draußen der Campus pulsierte, Studierende mit Kaffee in der Hand eilig zu ihren Seminaren strömten, Fahrräder klirrend an Metallständern abgestellt wurden und das Summen lebhafter Gespräche die Luft erfüllte, nahmen wir uns die Zeit, unser bisheriges Erleben in unserem geschützten Raum zu reflektieren.In dieser Sitzung hatten wir die Gelegenheit, genau diese Gedanken zu ordnen, unsere Erlebnisse in Worte zu fassen und sie mit den Erfahrungen der anderen zu verbinden.

Schnee, Basketball und Campusrituale

Unser Tagesausflug nach Outer Banks

Am Freitag fand unsere Happy Hour in der Bar TRU statt, zu der alle von uns erschienen. Neben einigen unserer UNC-Buddies kamen auch einige Mentorteachers, sodass eine offene und entspannte Runde entstand. Taylor nutzte die Gelegenheit, um organisatorische Punkte anzusprechen. Spontan entschieden wir uns, den Samstag für einen Tagesausflug nach Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk zu nutzen.

Am nächsten Morgen machten wir uns auf den Weg zur Outer Banks-Küste und hielten in Kitty Hawk für ein gemeinsames Lunch bei „Tortugas’ Lie, Outer Bank“. Danach besuchten wir das Wright Brothers National Memorial, das an die ersten erfolgreichen Motorflüge der Brüder Wilbur und Orville Wright erinnert. Hier konnten wir die Startpunkte ihrer historischen Flüge und die Nachbildung ihrer Flugmaschine sehen, was uns die Bedeutung dieses Ortes für die Luftfahrtgeschichte bewusst machte.

Ein sonniger Sonntag in Carrboro

Am Sonntag zeigte sich nach den Schneetagen endlich die Sonne, begleitet von einer frischen Brise. Michel, Tharchis, Taylor und ich trafen uns in Carrboro und besuchten den Weaver Street Market, wo wir uns mit Kaffee und Burritos versorgten und die warmen Sonnenstrahlen genossen. An einem kleinen Stand bot uns eine Frau Jollof Rice zum Probieren an. Es ist ein traditionelles westafrikanisches Reisgericht, das für seine würzige Tomatensauce und vielfältigen Aromen bekannt ist. Nach der kurzen kulinarischen Entdeckung spazierten wir noch ein wenig durch Carrboro und ließen das Wochenende entspannt ausklingen.

by Sara

After our second week in Ghana, we now feel settled and fully arrived in Winneba. Going to school every day has become a routine as well as the daily walk to the fruits stand to buy delicious mango or pineapple. By now, we’ve gotten used to the regular power outages that often occur after sunset – the Ghanaians always say “The lights are out” and then, later, “The lights are back”. Good thing we brought our flashlights, taking a shower in the dark is also an experience. Besides, we feel like we are getting used to the heat, but then again there was a thunderstorm at the weekend that brought two nice cool days (only 23 degrees in the night!!). We even got goosebumps on the beach, it’s hard to imagine.

Our schools are very different from each other. As for me, Aleyna, I go to primary school where I visit a different grade every week. I observe lessons in the same class the whole day: Fante, Maths, English, History, Science, Arts… The children come to school at 6:30 to clean the classrooms and the campus. At 7, they meet for the assembly every morning where they get instructions for the day, sing the Ghanaian hymn and then march to their classrooms.  This week, I took part in the class by correcting their assignments. I found it really interesting that the level of the content is quite high, for example, the first-grade students can already read and write in English. As for me, Merle, I go to a senior high school where I observe different classes. I observe Physics, Social Studies, Food and Clothing, and Agricultural Sciences. I have a different timetable every day and find it interesting to see as many different teachers and subjects as I can. In most classes, the teachers dictate and explain something, and the students just write everything down and don’t talk much. However, things are changing now in Ghana, they are introducing more student-centered methods to their classrooms and the teachers get schooled in that now. It is really interesting to discuss with the teachers their perspectives on school and lessons.

We keep trying out different Ghanaian dishes – some are delicious, others take some getting used to. Our breakfast usually includes some cornflakes or other cereals and fruits, and you can buy Ghanaian bread, and they even have a good chocolate spread. After school, we often go to our favorite fruit stand to buy a snack for lunch and then we meet up to chat, to go to the beach, or to explore the market. It is huge and you can get everything there, but you should come on market day, which is Tuesdays and Fridays, because it’s busier. This week, we went there to buy some fabrics for dresses. After my host mother had introduced me to her favorite seamstress Regina, we had to come again and have more dresses made because Regina is such a warmhearted person. The dresses aren’t finished yet, but maybe we’ll post a picture next week!

On the weekend, we met up with some of our buddies who happen to love the card games we brought. It was such a fun afternoon! Friday night, we met the DiCoT-people for the first time and some other Germans who are here for different projects. It’s nice to exchange about our experiences here. At night, one of our buddies took us to a Jama Night on campus. Groups of students were singing gospel songs and dancing, it’s fun to watch and dance along, although we can’t move as nicely as the Ghanaians can. But they always encourage us to join them. We spent most of the Saturday doing some chores or preparing our lessons for school, and then we went to the beach – of course, it’s the best place of all. There’s always a nice cool breeze and listening to the waves is very calming. At night, we went to the campus again because there was a live band playing. We enjoyed the music and dancing. The night was short because we wanted to go to church the next morning at 7am. We loved the gospel; everyone is so cheerful and happily dancing and enjoying themselves so we could not help but dance along. It was so much fun, and we felt very welcome! In the afternoon, we went to Royal Beach and played a card game. There was a really pretty lagoon. We are looking forward to visit other places around Winneba in the next weeks and to get to know more of the Ghanaian way of life.

By Aleyna and Merle

For our flight to Ghana, we met at the airport at 5am. We were all a bit excited and nervous: despite all our preparations we knew that whatever is expecting us would be a completely new experience. When we walked through the security check many backpacks needed to be controlled separately and guess what: two card games were tested for explosives  But all in all, our flights to Brussels and the next one to Accra, the capital of Ghana, were good. We also passed immigration without trouble and finally walked out into the tropical humid heat. Beatrice, one of the Ghanaian buddies, and the TTT coordinator Dr Frank Twum surprised us with a nice Akwaaba (Welcome). The road to Winneba and to our host families was under construction, so it was a really bumpy ride. But when we safely arrived in Winneba the second welcome was expecting us from our host families.

The next day we finally met all our buddies for a fresh coconut at Sir Charles beach. During the next two days our buddies showed us the three different campuses (North, Central, South) and other parts of Winneba, e. g. the market. We learned how to get a taxi (equivalent to the German public transports) and that you shouldn’t pay more than 5 cedis if your way is on the main road. On Tuesday we had our official orientation at the North Campus student center where, after another warm welcome, we learnt something about cultural shock, the UEW and security. After lunch we were taken to our different internship schools.

Our first official day at school started for all of us at 7 or 8am. The two of us are at a Senior High school for girls. Here, too, everyone welcomed us very warmly and our mentors explained to us which lessons we can observe and teach in our respective subjects. We were also told that interns are expected to be present for the whole school day but aren’t expected to be in class all the time. So, we used this requirement as an opportunity and completed our timetable with additional subjects we were interested in, for example Jewelry, Food and Clothing, Music and Literature. The classes we have observed so far are different from what we know. The teacher is mostly teaching in front of the class and usually the students are listening, taking notes and answering the teacher’s questions. The class sizes vary between six and 36 students, who all wear a school uniform. It is hard for us to understand everything in each lesson because English is not our native language, we are not yet used to the Ghanaian accent and there are often background noises. Still, the lessons are really interesting and filled with new topics for us. Funnily, there are many other interns at our school who are a big help with all our questions. We often sit with some of them under a big mango tree at school.

Generally, the people in Winneba are really friendly and open-minded. As a greeting, you always ask “How are you?” even if you don’t know the person at all. Another form of politeness is the phrase “You are invited”. You say it to the people around you before you start eating something. Not only our host families and buddies, but everyone we’ve met so far, are incredibly hospitable towards us. People or children, if they don’t know us and want our attention, sometimes call us “Oburoni” (Fante term for a white person). This is still a bit unusual, as well as the concept of “Ghanaian time” in which a “soon” or a starting time can be very vague. At the same time, we enjoy that everything seems to be more relaxed here. Another thing that we enjoy is the Ghanaian food. We have already tried Jollof rice, GobƐ and fried plantain. You can also buy fruits at some of the many shops and stands along the streets. When we walk around, we notice for example chickens and goats (also cute baby goats!), some colorful dresses, trash in the gutters, coconut trees, and people carrying goods on their heads.

Most of our afternoons we spent at Sir Charles Beach, one of the places where you are not continuously sweating.  Sadly, because of the current it is dangerous to swim in the sea, but we enjoy sitting in the sand, collecting shells and watching the waves. On Saturday, some of our buddies even took us to a beach resort close to Winneba, where we enjoyed more beach, good food, took pictures and played the card game “UNO”. All in all, it was a really good and exciting first week full of new impressions and cordial encounters.

By Imke and Ida

I’m in the person of Tahiru Abdul Wadud a final year student at the University of Education, Winneba, offering Linguistics and Gonja Education. As a young man growing up with the passion for behavioral change in society through education, I have preconceived notions and ideas on educational systems, religion, methods of teaching and racism through my experiences in life.

  To begin with, as a young man born in a small town called Damongo in Savannah region of Ghana. It was known to me, our educational system which starts at KG, primary, Junior High School, Senior High School and Tertiary. This is based on how intelligent and knowledgeable you are. Here age is not important, because of this you can see in our classroom nine (9) year old boys and girls in a classroom with fourteen (14) year old boys and girls. So this was my preconceived notion on every educational system in the world but through Tricontinental Teacher Training, I got to reflect on my thought because in Germany the educational system is based on grades and ages so you can only see children of the same age at a particular classroom.

   Secondly, growing up it was made known to me that Christianity is coming from overseas, so I was with the preconceived notions that Germany is going to be a mono-religious country but upon arriving there I got to know that it is a country where freedom of worship exists. This helps me to realize that my preconceived notions are not true.

  In addition, as a young man who has been through his entire educational journey through public schools, mostly I observed that our teachers provide us with all the necessary information for learning and it is always teacher centered method, so I was of this notion it is done the same way in every part of the world. But being on Tricontinental Teacher Training made me know that the students also have responsibilities to feed themselves with the necessary information they need to learn and the teachers are there to guide them.

  In a nutshell, as a football loving fan I always see on television situations where players are maltreated badly because of their racial identity and I was with this preconceived notion that Germany is a country with a high rate of racism, but being there in person made me realize that not all parts of the country practice racism, this helps me to reflect on my notions.

Challenges of the Tricontinental Teacher Training journey 2024

Every organization has its problems it faces and TTT is no exemption. I only saw the problem of communication. There is a problem with proper ways of disbursing information to fellows, which to me needs to be improved upon.

Recommendations

  I recommend the leaders of the project for this wonderful opportunity for student-teachers to acquaint themselves with different perspectives of teaching and also make connections with the global. Finally, I think proper communication would help the project and the fellows would always prepare themselves well for whatever event or activity they are to participate in.

In conclusion, these are some of the things that came to my bear during the study camp at Hamburg, Germany and if put in proper order would help the growth of the TTT project.

The last week in Chapel Hill has dawned, and we are amazed at how quickly the time has flown by. It seems as if we had just arrived yesterday. Reflecting on the past days, we realize how rich in great experiences our time here was. Yet, the end has not yet come, and we are fully enjoying the last days in the college town – at our schools, on campus, and with our buddies and host families.

On Monday, most of the group‘s participants took part in a discussion with Priscilla Layne, a professor of German at the University of North Carolina and an author. Professor Layne has recently collaborated with German author and illustrator Birgit Weyhe to publish a graphic novel based on Layne‘s life story. The book hadn’t been published in English yet but we had all gotten to read „ Rude Girl“ beforehand nonetheless. Albeit it wasn’t mandatory, most of us had read the book front-to-back as we enjoyed it and got invested in the story.

The event started with a presentation that Layne gave us to summarize her lifestory, including some personal  photographs, thereby adding on to the book‘s content. The book „Rude Girl“ centers around the theme of identity and the interests, preferences and influences that shape it. Afterwards, we – the German TTT students – and some professors from the University of Carolina asked her questions, all of which she answered kindly and openly. Some of the questions centered on her unique perspective of growing up as a Black American who developed an

intellectual curiosity for German(y). Other questions covered the topics of having one’s own life experiences published and the collaboration between two intellectuals. She also talked about the punk scene, what it means to grow up middle-class and how isolating it felt to be a nerdy Black girl who didn’t fulfill people’s expectations.

It was an honor to meet Priscilla Layne and to get to hear her talk about her life after reading her impressive biography. We also all enjoyed the snacks and refreshments provided for us, which were especially appreciated since some of us came straight from their U.S. school observation.

Another highlight of the week was the „Global Connections“ event at Smith Middle School, which had been a topic of conversation among teachers and students for weeks. This celebration, jointly organized by students, teachers, and families, aimed to honor and celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds within the school community. With great commitment, classrooms were designed to reflect the participants‘ countries of origin, with lovingly crafted information posters and traditional elements that invited discovery and wonder. Culinary samples were also provided. For instance, we had the opportunity to taste Isidudu in „South Africa“. It is a traditional maize porridge called Pap, served either with stewed vegetables or beef. It was delicious and introduced us to a world of new spices. Among other things, a teacher offered homemade sweets for sale. There we had the best brownie of our lives!

In the auditorium, impressive dance performances took place at regular intervals. For example, students enchanted the audience with a Bollywood dance, while other groups danced to K-Pop. A Japanese drumming group created a captivating atmosphere with their performance that made the walls tremble.

„Global Connections“ was an undisputed success, filling the school’s hallways with a throng of lively and curious people. You could literally grasp the open-minded and committed mood, showing how eager everyone was to learn more about other countries and cultures. It was a moving experience to see the school offer a platform for all cultures, thereby promoting acceptance, inclusion, and a sense of community. We are convinced that such events should also be held regularly in German schools. Mutual exchange and learning from each other offer invaluable values that form the foundation of any open and inclusive society. And if we don’t lay this foundation in school, where else?

Wednesday was our last day at our school placements. We left our mentor teachers and students with mixed feelings – proud of ourselves to have yet accomplished another step towards becoming teachers, relieved to get some more free time in between semesters, but also sad to say goodbye to new companions on our journey.

Before saying goodbye to our American TTT-fellows, we met for a BBQ-night at Peabody Hall. Heavy rain was supposed to come our way, but we didn’t let it stop us and decided to meet inside for a nice Carolinian BBQ-Buffet. Our mentor Taylor ordered all the typical dishes, such as coleslaw, hushpuppies, mac-n-cheese, cream spinach, pulled pork, beef briskets, burger buns and lots of BBQ-sauce. The highlight was the desert, the infamous banana pudding.

After 4 weeks of many appointments, long school days and intense seminar sessions, it was very nice to meet everyone and to have time to talk, eat and relax together. The Carolinian BBQ is quite different from ours at home, so we already discussed introducing our guests to a “German BBQ” in Hamburg.

The final goodbyes arrived way to soon, so we’re all very much looking forward to our second Study Camp in Hamburg, when it will be our time to host our lovely fellows and take care of them in the same welcoming way as they did. We are also excited to finally meet our fellows from Ghana and of course to reunite with the other half of the “Hamburgers”.

Thank you, Chapel Hill, for having us! We had a blast and some of us might come back in the future. 🙂

Rosa, Naemi & Charlotte

Basketball Game: Miami vs. UNC

Week Three of our exchange program at UNC has been a fascinating experience, culminating in our attendance at the UNC vs. Miami basketball game and our travel weekend. Our week kicked off with a relaxed gathering at Sup Dogs, a popular restaurant at Franklin Street especially known for its diverse hot dog variations, providing us with a taste of the American cuisine as we prepared for the upcoming game.

Throughout the week before, we could feel the excitement for the basketball game building up within the campus community. So, after finishing our pre-game lunch at Sup Dogs, we joined the throngs of students making their way to the stadium, blending in with the sea of the Carolina blue UNC jerseys and hoodies.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was lively and intense. The stands were filled with cheering fans, their enthusiasm contagious. Despite UNC taking an early lead, Miami’s team displayed remarkable resilience, keeping the score close throughout the game. Each play was met with applause and chants from the crowd contributing to the intensity of the match. Go Tar Heels!

As the game progressed, we found ourselves fully immersed in the experience, appreciating the passion for the sport and the sense of community among the UNC fans. We waited for the final buzzer to sound, signaling the UNC victory with the score 75:71. It was a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the role of collegiate sports in American university life, an aspect of the culture that we had heard about but hadn’t fully grasped until now.

Road trip to Wilmington: 02.03. to 03.03.

Arriving in the coastal college Town Wilmington, we, a group of five UHH students, were welcomed by beautiful sunny and warm weather, southern-looking houses with big porches, and vegetation that catapulted my mind straight into the movie “Forrest Gump.“ Palm trees and mistletoes met one another in the blue sky while our 5-seater, fully packed with people singing along to the radio and luggage, passed by the entrance sign „Welcome to Wilmington.“ First stop, the hotel we were staying at for the night. After quickly refreshing and figuring out the next steps for the day, we got back into the car and made our way downtown, where we were met with the smell of summer vacation (I bet you’ll know what smell and atmosphere I am talking about). Strolling through the historic streets of downtown Wilmington, we took every chance we got to explore small shops and take plenty of pictures of the beautiful buildings and murals. Of course, when we passed Kilwins ice cream shop we had to stop for a sweet treat!

One of our American fellows and his sister, who lives in Wilmington, joined us and took us on a little tour around downtown. This is when we learned that, indeed, alligators are roaming the waters of Wilmington (unfortunate for some, a blessing for others, we did not experience their presence during our trip).

One of the highlights from our trip was definitely spending the evening/night watching the beautiful sunset before heading down to a pizzeria and bar where we stuffed ourselves with gigantic pizzas (some of us were very delusional and thought they could finish a whole pizza all by themselves – big miscalculation) and playing board games with the American fellow, his sister, and his friends. This might sound rather boring, but we all had a blast. We ended the night with some chocolate cake and pajamas in our hotel room.

The next day started with a very American breakfast. After fueling ourselves with lots of sugary food items, we made our way to Target to get some snacks for a little picnic at the beach. Arriving at the beach, we realized that eating here might not work out the way we anticipated since the whole beach was covered in fog. Not to worry, we still got to successfully have a picnic inland.

When it was time to head back to Chapel Hill, we had lots of experiences and impressions to take bring back home with us! Not to forget, the drive home was already memorable enough. We had plenty of time to bond over music and conversations during the three-hour drive back home.

Making my way back into my bedroom, I can happily look back at this awesome weekend and the friendships that were formed. OH, an important thing to mention is that we discovered capybaras (not physically, they, unfortunately, do not exist in North Carolina), a savage animal that rides on alligators’ backs – what a legend (we made it our spirit animal for the trip and discovered there is a song worshiping these true legends)!

Travel Weekend in Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, February 29th, Laura and I took a bus to Washington, D.C. After a 5.5 hour bus ride, we arrived at our hotel at 11 pm, ready for a long night‘s rest. We stayed at a very central hotel, so that we were able to mostly walk everywhere. That is why on Friday, after having pancakes for breakfast, we were able to just walk to the National Mall. Some of the most prominent sights are located in and around this park, including the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial, which we found very impressive. Of course, we also went to see the White House. We finished the day by having dinner at a nice Indian place.

On Saturday, we took a look at the Supreme Court and visited the Library of Congress before splitting up: Laura then visited the Museum of Bible while I went to the National Museum of Natural History. After that, we took the metro to the Georgetown neighborhood, where we had a very yummy late-lunch at an Italian restaurant. Then, we took a long walk down M Street, which is recognized as one of the best shopping streets in the whole country. We had an amazing time going into different stores and taking in the views of the beautiful architecture outside. We finished the day by having some cookies at a famous Bakery called “Levain“, and then went back to our hotel. After an amazing weekend, we took the bus back to Durham on Sunday morning, where one of our host families picked us up.

Laura, Fahima & Marieke

Right now, we are writing our blog entry at the university cafeteria at the North Campus of UEW, which is called Kams. Because of its central location in Winneba, its AC and its good food, it has turned into our unofficial meeting spot. During these lunch breaks, we catch up on our internships, reflect on our experiences and share how we are feeling both physically and mentally. So far, we have learned that irritation can occur both in our host families as well as at internship schools. And on a very simple note: our digestive systems have some catching-up to do as well 😉

The last week of our internship has started today. Everything feels so much more familiar than it did two weeks ago. Starting with the morning taxi ride to school, including the negotiation of the price and small talk with the other passengers. It has already become somewhat of a routine. When arriving at school, we greet our colleagues, exchange reports of the weekend, and banter about new hair styles or the most recent gossip in town.

Last week was under the auspices of Ghana’s Independence Day. On March 6^th, 1957, Ghana became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence from colonial rule. All over town, the students spent days preparing for the march on Independence Day. The big event took place on the field in front of our school, where each school presented their banner while a marching band was playing. A jury voted for the best marching school and many spectators came to watch and celebrate. After the march, we had a conversation with a person who did not want to celebrate the day because of current politics. It was interesting to hear and learn about another perspective than the one that has been the most apparent in other conversations.

This weekend we visited the Assin Manso Slave River Site and the Cape Coast Castle with our buddies. There we learned about the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the interconnectedness of Europe’s, America’s and Africa’s history.

It is difficult for us to put the emotions of visiting these sites into words.

For us, experiencing these places once again confirmed the importance of being aware of the past and how it shapes the role we play as visitors from the Global North.

It also stresses the importance of the Tricontinental Teacher Training, since our goal as students partaking in the program from the USA, Ghana and Germany is to meet and learn from each other as equals.

Lastly, the conversations with our buddies are getting deeper and deeper, and we have been able to reflect on our visits to the memorials together. Slowly but surely, we are getting to know our buddies better and are excited for our time together in the Hamburg summer. Conversations about phenomena like transition jackets (Übergangsjacken), public transport and long, mild summer nights add to that excitement, for both us and our buddies. We are already looking forward to the time when the subway rides to the internship schools become a routine for our buddies as the morning taxi rides to school have become one for us. Maybe we will even need Übergangsjacken in June. You never know in Hamburg.

Carlotta & Paula