Siliminga, Hello!

June 24, 2018

During my time in Tamale, not one day has passed where I didn’t get called Siliminga. It means white person, but it isn’t said with any malice. Most of those who say it are small children shouting “Siliminga, hello, Siliminga, how are you?” Replying with “Hello, I am fine”, doesn’t dampen their spirits and they continue their musical chant over and over again, getting louder the further we go or more passionate and excited if you answer back. There is no winning in this conversation game that I have found. However, there is a part of me that will miss this daily exchange and the buzz of feeling special even though I’ve done nothing to deserve the attention other than being white. Still very white, I might add after 6 months here …. I must tan when I’m sleeping, and it’s gone by morning.

This week was our last 4 days in the office. On Tuesday, we had our last peer education session where we invited a tie dye trainer to come in and teach peer educators from our communities and some women from the Sagnarigu office. It went down well, and we also got some t-shirts made by the women as a souvenir. That same afternoon, we did our final training session which was a recap of all they have learned over this cohort. To finish our week, on Thursday, we had a PAGSUNG party which involved lunch for the women, party games, a presentation on female empowerment and a troop of drummers from the local chief’s palace which spiced up the whole proceedings. It was a fantastic day and we were very proud to go out on such a high!

On Saturday, as we are the last cohort, both teams in Ghana got special permission to go on a safari at Mole National Park, visit Larabanga mosque and the mystic stone. It was a fun day out and a perfect reward for all the hard work their volunteers put in this cohort. We saw a large herd of male elephants, some antelope, baboons with baby baboons and warthogs mooching around the residential area in hope of food.

Today was our debrief event where we get together and reflect on our achievements over the last 10 weeks. It was a nice day together to show the other team what we have been up to and learn about their youth focussed project up in Navrongo. Tomorrow is going to be a day full of bittersweet goodbyes: goodbye to my amazing host mum who welcomed me into her home, goodbye to the staff at International Service who I couldn’t have had this experience without, goodbye to my amazing co-team leader Nanna who has taught me so much and goodbye to my in-country volunteers who I am so proud of all they have achieved personally and professionally.

However, I don’t get to say goodbye to the UK volunteers, I get the pleasure of their company on a 12-hour bus journey down to Accra and then a day in a hostel before I watch them fly back to the UK, leaving me here for another 36 hours! Good thing you are having a heatwave in the UK. I might only need 2 jumpers now…...