I’ve now been in Ghana for two months.
I’m really enjoying my time here at the moment. I go to work every day with a big smile on my face, and I see my friends at the weekends with a smile, too. This is simply because I feel very much at home here thanks to the people; the locals make me smile.
But I can still clearly remember how, just two months ago, excitement – and perhaps a little fear – was evident on my face.
At Frankfurt Airport, I met four other German volunteers who are also doing voluntary service in Ghana. Their presence helped to ease my nerves. However, my excitement faded completely when Bismark Asante picked me up from the airport and gave me a very warm welcome, which immediately put me at ease. I’d also like to tell you a little about Bismark Asante. He works at the head office of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Accra. I could tell you much more about him, but that would go beyond the scope of this blog. But, in summary, you should know that he is very nice and likeable. After picking me up, he immediately struck up a conversation with me, which made him even more likeable. After a seven-hour flight, I was really raring to talk!
During my first few weeks in Accra, Bismark really took me under his wing. He showed me the sights of Accra and helped me with bureaucratic tasks. But what I remember most are two wonderful experiences. Firstly, there were the Sunday church visits and, yes, the three fufu lunches. I’ve really taken a fancy to the dish fufu. Fufu is a traditional dish here. It consists mainly of cooked and mashed yams and plantains. This is then worked into a soft mash and shaped into a ball. It is eaten with your fingers and served with a soup, such as peanut soup or, in my case, a light soup.
But, as I mentioned, I also really enjoyed visiting the churches. I loved how warmly I was welcomed by the congregation after the service. For example, being addressed as ‘Sister Ama’ made me feel very welcome.
This name perhaps needs a little explanation. In Ghana, people are given names depending on the day of the week they were born and their gender. In Ghana, everyone is given a name depending on the day of the week they were born and their gender. The name for a girl born on a Saturday is Ama.
As well as the church visits and administrative tasks, I also attended a preparatory seminar during my two weeks in Accra, which included a Twi language course. Alongside English, which is the official language, Twi is widely spoken in Ghana as a mother tongue. It is spoken a great deal, particularly in Agogo. Children usually learn English at school and from their parents. However, the children in the hospital in particular speak Twi, which sometimes creates language barriers.
I attended the preparatory seminar with the other four volunteers, whom I met at the airport. There were many funny moments during the days. I also had the opportunity to meet Rev. Odjawo, Bismark’s boss at the Presbyterian Church.
All in all, the two weeks in Accra went by very quickly. I really enjoyed them. On 13 September 2025, I finally set off for Agogo.
I was given a very warm welcome upon arriving in Agogo. That evening, Anokye and Doreen dropped by to see me briefly. The siblings also attend the Presbyterian Church in Agogo. They have since become good friends of mine, and we meet up very often. When we meet, we play card games such as rummy or bake together.
However, I will go into more detail about my current life in Agogo in another blog post. In that post, I will tell you about both my working life and my free time with friends and at church.
Until next time! Akyire!
This text was automatically translated using an AI-powered translation system.
