University of Ghana in Legon

Although it might just look like I am having a vacation in Ghana, I actually am also here to go to school! I am a student at the University of Ghana in Legon. The University's main campus is in Legon, which is about 45 minutes north of the Accra, the capital of Ghana. The campus itself is very large. Luckily the music building, where I have most of my classes, is only 15 minutes away. The process for registration for classes was so chaotic. Registration for classes started on August 9th. We could not register for classes online because the internet system was down due to the recent strike of the admissions staff. I had to go to each individual department to register for courses and find out what times they were offered. School was also supposed to start on August 13th. Only about half of the professors showed up to teach that week. This was the first time that I was actually anxious for my classes to start!

So... here is my class schedule and descriptions:

Mondays

1:30-3:30 Music of West and Central Africa

Tuesdays

9:30-11:30 Guidance and Counseling

5:00-6:00 Twi Language Course

6:00-7:30 Traditional African Dance

AND PRIVATE DRUMMING LESSONS!!!

Wednesdays

1:30-3:30 Introduction to Drumming

Thursdays

5:00AM-7:00AM Institute Class (talk about dedication haha)

9:30-10:30 Drumming Practical

5:00-6:00 Twi Language Course

6:00-7:30 Traditional African Dance

Fridays

NO CLASSES!!! (aka travel day!)

One of the unique opportunities that I have while I am here is doing my research for my Honors thesis. To summarize my thesis topic, I will study African drumming (specifically drumming in Ghana) and look at how it is used in their culture. Then I will compare/contrast the use of drumming in music therapy and discuss what we can do to improve our use of drumming in music therapy interventions. Having this as the topic for my thesis makes the whole process so exciting for me! What better place to do research than in a foreign country while studying abroad?!?!?

This week has been quite eventful! To start off, Monday was Ramadan and it is an observed holiday here in Ghana. So what better to do on a holiday than go to the beach!!! We went to Labadi Beach and enjoyed the nice sunshine and the sound of the waves. That night was also the first FHE for the LDS students at UG. We just met to discuss the semester activities that they had planned. It was fun to meet everyone and get to know them. There are about 20 members of the UG group. 

The rest of the week was great to get started with my classes. Other than my awesome drumming/dancing classes, my favorite class so far has been my Guidance and Counseling class. It is really interesting to hear the perspective of a therapist/professor here in Ghana and learn more about the way that they practice counseling. Our professor received his PhD in Suicidology (I didn't know that such a field existed). 

On Friday afternoon my friend Kristen and I went drum shopping with our drum instructor Franscios. He took us to the Art Market to pick out our drums. I felt very confident going with him and having him help us get drums that are good quality and will be sturdy for their trip back to the US. While we were looking at the drums, Kristen and I both fell in love with ones that we saw and we decided to buy them!!! I was going to buy one anyway, so why not get it early on in the semester so that I can have more practice??? We each got a lolo drum, the drum that is native to Ghana. We are going to pick them up later this week when they have finished putting the skin on the head of the drum!!!

Friday night I went to a church event at the Madina Stake Center. They were hosting a program/dinner for a large group of members from the Ivory Coast (country just west of Ghana) that traveled to Accra to go to the temple. (Unique fact about Ghana, it is surrounded by countries that speak French, not English, as their main language) I was able to meet the temple president for the Accra Ghana temple! It was a great night filled with delicious food and some pretty hip dancing!

Saturday was one of the best days that I have had in Ghana. We loaded a bus at 5:30am and traveled 6 hours to the Nzulezu village. This village is in the Western Region of Ghana. Once we finally arrived, we all loaded into canoes and rowed our way for about an hour down a river to go to the village! It was such a visually stimulating experience. Nzulezu village (village on the water) is a group of 450 people that have built their homes above the waterline. They use large pieces of wood to raise these houses up so they sit up high and are not washed away. We were able to walk around the village and meet the chief. He talked to us and gave us a brief history of that area. It was such an amazing experience to be on the water going to and from the village. Get ready for a lot of pictures :)

Well that is about all for my adventures for this last week. Life is great and I am still malaria-free! I love Sundays where I have this chance to "journal" about my experience as well as skype with my family. I thank everyone for their love and support for my decision to come here to Ghana. What an amazing 3 weeks I have already had! Until next week!