While the UA in Ghana: Service Learning trip comes with some work, it comes with fun too! A few days ago, we took a day trip to some pretty amazing sites around the country, starting with the Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary. Home to over 700 monkeys said to be the ancestors of the locals in the town, the Sanctuary is a sacred place where monkeys live in the forests and the village. We came with bananas and peanuts, so we quickly found monkeys on our shoulders ready to eat!
After the visit at the Sanctuary, we visited the Kintampo Waterfalls, and took in the amazing views! While the stairs down to the waterfall were a piece of cake, we had to climb about 200 steep steps on the way back up, which was more challenging than I expected but so worth it to see the waterfall. Some of my peers were even brave enough to do the canopy walk, getting a full view of the waterfall while standing above the trees on a huge bridge!
Our last activity for the day was a rural monastery, the highlight of that site being ancient rock formations that are said to have served as a home to indigenous peoples for thousands of years. While the traces of ancient human life aren’t easily detectable, it was a beautiful formation that now serves as a place of reflection and prayer for the monks at the monastery. We finished our day with a complimentary dinner from the Mayor of Techiman, a local town close to the monastery.
Reflecting on this trip, I am so grateful I decided to take a chance on UA in Ghana. It can be an intimidating decision, but when else in my life will I get to do all of these amazing things?? Studying abroad opens your mind and provides you with endless amazing opportunities, and I’m so glad I can to Ghana and cannot wait to experience more!
