Akwaaba Ghana

Welcome to Ghana! 

In the local Twi dialect, Akwaaba means “welcome” and perfectly describes the warm welcome we’ve received over the last two days. Greetings and hospitality are an integral component of Ghanaian culture and since arrival, our high school program students have been welcomed by locals and CIEE staff alike as they get to know their new surroundings, and of course, one another. 

Session two students arrived on Sunday morning, slightly groggy from their journey, but excited for the many adventures awaiting them. After settling in to our accommodation and some much needed rest, we headed out to tour the University of Ghana, which is also home to the CIEE Legon study center. This will be one of our homes away from home, as here students will be participating in leadership seminars and learning some of the local lingo in Twi language classes. 

After a night of much needed rest, Monday morning began with a fresh start and the first official day of program activities - first business, and then a bit of FUN. After a morning of learning the ins and outs of program expectations during orientation and getting to know one another through games and icebreakers, it was time to get a taste of some Ghanaian rhythms! 

Our first cultural activity had the group singing, dancing and above all, laughing together as we played some common local games, sang along to traditional call and response songs, and learnt a local choreography that had everyone clapping, jumping and freestyling in the shade of the local neem trees. Afterward, we got more acquainted with the CIEE center and one another as we took full advantage of the volleyball and basketball courts in some friendly matches.

With a great group of eager students and many memories to be made, our team is looking forward to an unforgettable experience and friendships that will last a lifetime.