Why Ghana?

I've heard it presented in so many ways.. but more or less everyone is asking, "Why are you going to Ghana, of all places, to teach abroad?" Apparently people seem to think that Europe or an extremely exotic country is deserving of the most recently educated, future teachers. I think the opposite.

My journey finds the beginning of it's path back when I was in high school and decided to embark upon an international mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. It was during this trip that I came to understand that people outside of the U.S. were living simpler lives, and believe it or not, were happy! To me it was so rewarding and life-changing to see such an underwhelmed environment with high amounts of pollution and poverty with the healthiest of personalities and attitudes. Ever since this trip, I have been "itching" to do something beyond my own personal wants and needs.

While I was in college, I learned that I love children and spent four years learning how children grow and develop. After graduation, I again found myself working with those families and children  who were "at-risk," or by American standards low-income, immigrants. I fell in love with the diversity and simple-mindedness of the children. I decided that my passion was not only to work with children but to teach them all of the knowledge of the world.

When I went back to school to attain my teaching license I was immediately interested in any study abroad opportunities that were available to me. When I heard through my study abroad office that there were teaching contacts already made in Ghana, Africa, I couldn't have imagined myself going anywhere else. To me, this is the very heart of why I want to be become a professional teacher, to give back and bring knowledge to the children that need it the most. Not only will I teach these children and help them grow, but I hope that they teach me how to be a better teacher and a better person.