Talking to a Wall

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” -- Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

The plight of international aid work. A person shows up in a developing country with the big idea that they are going to make a difference. The person later discovers that making this difference is virtually impossible because change is very difficult to cultivate. I’m thinking of several cliché sayings here…. you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, beating a dead horse. I think you get the picture.

Thus has been my experience. I work for a government funded organization, and I feel guilty about taking their money. I really am essentially getting paid to be on vacation. I can’t help but think that the government could find greater causes to devote their funds to. Buy books and put them directly into the hands of young children. Yes. Purchase vaccinations and put them directly into the hands of doctors who administer them on the spot. Yes. Send teachers to train other teachers. NO! This teacher-training college just had five weeks off because of the culmination of semester one. Students are just now deciding to return to class, then at the end of March there is another week off for sports, a long weekend at Easter, and two weeks off at the end of April for who knows what. Yea yea. I should be enjoying the relaxation. But the thing is, I came here to try to teach people something. To really help, and make that big difference! Turns out I’m reading a ton of books, watching a crapload of DVDs, developing an addiction to Pinterest, and exercising regularly. A paid vacation sounds pretty sweet, right? Well, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I actually like being a busy and productive person. Sure, I have a teaching schedule and I’m doing some training workshops, but ultimately, I just feel like I’m talking to a wall each day, because few, if any of these people, will actually implement any of the strategies I have taught them. Yet, deep down, being the stubborn woman that I am, I keep trying to influence at least one of these people! I’m determined! Really trying hard to maintain a positive attitude here. For those of you go-getters out there, carefully consider ever volunteering your time to a developing country. Things move slower than molasses around here.

In this lovely world of education, a TLM is a “teaching and learning material”. And to Ghanaians that means a large posterboard with some mumbo-jumbo about a random topic in any of the various subject areas. On the other hand, my idea of a teaching and learning material expands far beyond a poster. Hands-on games, graphic organizers, foldable papers, and the list could go on! Yet, what I have been asked to do this semester is support students with the development of their TLMs. Yes, I’m going to spend the next three months of my life helping college students design posters. Yet, last semester I preached and preached about my version of TLMs. It is as if nothing I spoke of matters even one little inkling to these people. That manifests a deep frustration within me that is difficult to bear.

So teaching college pre-service teachers isn’t the most rewarding gig in the world. Alright, so to compensate a bit, I have decided to do a few more staff training workshops for the college professors. My first one was well received. However, when I asked the organization employing me if they would reimburse for refreshments for the participants, I received a lovely email detailing the requirements of the “donors” and that since I already trained these people once, I cannot count them again in my report. At the orientation I attended for this program in August, I must have heard the word “workshop” a few dozen times. So, I decided to align myself with the desires of the organization and plan some workshops! Yet I am discouraged from doing them because of bureaucratic garbage. To me, that is just straight ridiculous.

What I’ve learned most about the education system in Ghana is that people do not want to change. Change requires work. A LOT of work, and I’m discovering that finding individuals interested in exerting that sort of effort is difficult. I feel genuinely liked here. People raved about my first workshop and the students tell me that they like the way I teach. Great! Then please! Go out and be like me! I’m singing a beautiful tune here, but no one is really listening.

P.S. 3 months from today I depart Ghana. This really has been an incredible experience, but in all honesty, I think I've had enough of Ghana for one lifetime.