La Voz

Ghana in comparison to surrounding countries. [Click to enlarge]

Students looking for a unique cultural experience should consider going to Ghana next summer.

Dr. Shawn Townes, the academic adviser for the study abroad trip, said she hopes this will not only be an incomparable opportunity for American students to experience an entirely different way of life, but to create an African diaspora club.

Two of the cultural sites students will visit are the Elmina Slave Caves, where slaves were held before being placed in boats, and the "Slave River," where many of the captives took their last baths before going into the caves.

Other sites students will visit are the W.E.B. DuBois Memorial, the Kwane Nkruma museum, the National Rainforest and the Kente Cloth Factory. One of the most exciting, Townes said, could be the individual day with a Ghanaian where you get to "walk a day in their shoes."

"The country in itself will be our classroom by and large," said Townes, and "every day will be a different opportunity for a new place to visit and new people to meet." Meals will be taken in the extremely social Ghanaian restaurant settings and students should expect to try Ghanaian fare, such as traditional thick soups accompanied by corn or plantains.

Townes describes Ghana as "the gateway from the United States to the African continent." Communication barriers are practically nonexistent, since English is the national language, she said.

The trip will cost $3,000 for airfare, hotel or dorm accommodations, to enter all lectures and museums, and for all in-country travel accommodations. Scholarships and fund raising opportunities are available.

Students interested in more information should contact Townes at 650-949-7347 or e-mail her at townesshawn@foothill.edu.

Article Tools