Nothing To Say, From Africa

Last updated on: March 25, 2014 at 5:35 pm by Tara Edelschick

Nothing To Say, From Africa 2014-03-25T17:35:18-06:00 Tara Edelschick

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I’m sitting in a hostel lobby in Accra, Ghana, trying to figure out what to say. It shouldn’t be hard, really.

We’re on an extreme field trip of sorts – here to see the Asante king in a parade next week, after having studied the Asante kingdom with our homeschool group last semester.
This is my first time in sub-Saharan Africa; and this is Jeff’s and the children’s first time anywhere in Africa.
We just came back from visiting two “slave castles,” where we stood on the hardened remains of the excrement, urine, blood, and vomit of enslaved people awaiting unknown tortures in foreign lands. We passed through two of the “gates of no return,” where it is likely that at least one of Nafisa’s ancestors also passed.
We swam in a georgeous beach, are eating incredible food, and are meeting wonderful, warm, fun people.
We’re flying to the north of Ghana tomorrow to go see wild elephants and boars and other animals I’ve only seen – or have never even seen – in a zoo.
We are a bit overwhelmed by what looks like abject poverty to us, but is, according to the UN, lower middle class.
People are asking the kids to appear in wedding photos, stopping to show them how to find shells, teaching them the Ghanaian handshake, letting them jump into their video shoots, and stopping their work to play a game of Lulu with them.
We went to a fish market that is the one of the most beautiful, smelly, productive, alive places I have ever been.

So you’d think I’d have something to say. But I just don’t. Maybe it’s just too much to take it all in and process it, and help the kids do the same; there is nothing left to share with others. The kids seem to be having the same trouble. Their journal entries are long lists of what we did -very detailed itineraries, really – with nary a feeling word among them.

I could have skipped the post all-together, I suppose. Instead, as I did with the kids and their journals, I’m forcing myself to write. Perhaps, in the end, it is noteworthy that with so much to write about I have nothing to say.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 14, 2014

Let Them Eat Pi

Next Post

March 31, 2014 The Problem With Teaching Your Children That They Are Blessed

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Reflections on "Mind In The Making" by Ellen Galinsky Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz