This morning I gave my first Health Education talk at the hospital! I was told yesterday that each morning, the Out Patient Department (OPD) gives health education talks to their patients while they sit in the waiting room to be consulted. The staff in this unit said that I could do the honors of providing the health education talk this morning, and I was so happy to hear this! I've been struggling a bit with figuring out where my skills could be most useful in the hospital, since the staff really are in need of certified nurses, doctors, and physician's assistants. Being an undergraduate with no type of certification leaves me a little lost in terms of how make sure that the skills I do have are being used in the best manner possible. So last night I took the time to create some very basic pictures of ways to live a healthy day to day life. I was not sure how much these people already know or how difficult it would be to work through the language barrier so I kept it simple: 1) brushing your teeth for dental hygiene and overall body health, 2) eating healthy - having a colorful plate with plenty of fruits and veggies to outweigh the amount of white carbs that are so abundant in Ghanaian cuisine, 3) getting plenty of sleep to help keep your body and immune system strong, and 4) washing your hands constantly, especially here where they are handling goats, chickens, babies and any number of unsanitary things. I will say that I was definitely a bit nervous to present my talk. Though these people are incredibly hospitable (the most hospitable people I have ever met in my life), it is still intimidating to the only, and I mean only, white person in the entire hospital and then make a presentation to people who can barely make out my American accent. Courage, both internally and the name of the doctor who works in the OPD, helped me out immensely. He was my translator and was able to convert my words into Ewe so that it was certain that the patients understood what I was conveying. I saw plenty of nods, laughs, and smiles from the crowd, so I believe I can say that it went quite well. I'm hoping to have the opportunity to make these talks a regular activity, which will allow me to better plan for what I want to say and give much more educational talks as time goes on.
The afternoon was much more laid back then it has been the past few days. We had a few hours of rest time after lunch and then proceeded to go into town to convert some money and do a bit of souvenir shopping. I am constantly amazed by the beautiful handcrafted goods that these people can make! Bags, carvings, knick-knacks, pillowcases, paintings, shirts, dresses, jewelry and anything you could possibly want is always for sale in town, and for cheap! I wish I could walk away with all of it. Again, as soon as pictures are able to be uploaded, I'll be able to give you a taste of just how authentic and stunning all of these goods are.
Tomorrow we will depart for the weekend on a trip to Cape Coast, a beautiful old castle on the coast that was also the place where most slaves were held before their journey to America. Apparently it is extremely rich in history, so we will be making a 9 hour van ride to the coast, spending Saturday morning taking a hike through the Kakum rainforest and then visiting the castle in the afternoon. I am so excited! I'll be back in a few days to tell about how amazing it will undoubtedly be :)
Mia dogo emegbe! (See you later),
~ Sarah
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