Down on the gorgeous Ghanaian coast, having a week of rest and relaxation before heading home, I got thinking about all the amazing times I've had, and decided to make a list of some of my most memorable days here in Ghana (not in any particular order!).

1. Saying goodbye to family and especially Oliver ("Aunty Emma, what if a lion tries to eat you?!") at home and at the airport in Manchester.
2. Arriving at London Heathrow Airport with fellow Manchester volunteer Barbara and meeting all the other emotionally charged and slightly dishevelled volunteers about to board a change-your-life flight to Ghana.
3. Taking our first trip into crazy Accra on ICT (In country training) and 'popping in' to Kineshie market (oh my god.)
4. Travelling the looooooooooooooooooong journey north with fellow volunteers and buddy Leela.
5. Moving into my new house and meeting a man on a camel in my back garden!
6. Moto training!!! Every SINGLE day - I LOVED it!!!!
7. Sitting on a crocodile!!!!
8. My first trip to Zebilla market with Bev, wow!
9. Our welcome party in Bolga, - dancing the first Azunto of so many to come!
10. My first visit to the Binaba girls sports and literacy project
11. My first day (and first morning devotion) at World Vision
12. Children marching on independence day
13. My first day 'out in the field' with my colleague Sheriff - learning to dig a pit latrine in the baking sun!
14. Going to church for the first time
15. Eating goat meat and drinking huge bottles of Fanta in a French speaking hut-cafe on our random trip to the Burkina border
16. My first day at a school with World Vision - meeting and greeting the children and whole community of Gbantongo
17. Waking up to sunshine (and donkeys, cockerels, ducks, cows and goats!) every morning at 6am J
18. Eating fresh mangos daily!!!!
19. My first workshop with World Vision
20. Sitting drinking cups of tea (or ice cold juice and water) with John and Bev and having lovely homely chats about everything and anything (staved off the homesickness during a tough couple of months!)
21. Seeing hippos on river safari and sleeping in a tree house under the on and stars next to the river - one of the most fun weekends of my life!
22. Eating egg and bread at 4am with sleepy volunteer friends making the journey across from Upper East to West and back J
23. Sarah's parties in Lawra (all of them!!)
24. The day that Bev saved a baby goat!!
25. Taking walks up to the baobab trees near our house
26. Movie nights with John and Bev
27. Running a 4-day HIV/AIDS workshop for 120 children and 20 teachers - loved it!
28. Riding my moto out to far out communities - love love love it J
29. Trips with J&B on the moto - to Tanga taking portraits of the people, to the White Volta and to the Burkina hills at sunset J
30. My first Ghanaian wedding do
31. The tro-ride to Bolga after the first rains came and everything turned green!!
32. John and Bev's leaving party L
33. Making friend with the 'tuma tuma' lady
34. The first crazy scary night-storm in Zebilla that scared me wit-less!
35. The day of the funeral party for Ayuuba's father
36. Seeing the gorgeous Zulfaiatu every morning on my way to work "nasaaaara nasara nasara!"
37. Seeing the little boy playing his drums outside their little compound house and joining in an impromptu party
38. Singing nursery rhymes with the children at Googo Primary school
39. Seeing the millions of bright stars for the first time in the deep dark blue night sky
40. Being part of the SPAMS (school performance meetings) and meeting hundreds of school children, teachers and parents to discuss the state and future of the schools and their education.
41. My first advocacy meetings - changing the actions and lives of mothers and their newborn children
42. Meeting hundreds of sponsored children for whom the support of World Vision is life-changing
43. Hannah's visit! Cultural shows at schools, baby shows and HIV/AIDS school quizzes J
44. Dancing to live music under the stars on the beach!
45. Exploring Cape Coast castle and getting to grips with the way our history is entwined with Ghana's
46. Being part of the Child Rights Sensitizations and discussing traditional but harmful cultural practices with community members
47. Going to my first baby naming ceremony!
48. Celebrating the rights of children at the 'Day of the African Child'
49. Cooking and eating Red Red with Fati J
50. Interviewing some of the most vulnerable children for a World Vision campaign to increase sponsorships
51. Seeing so many beautiful birds and butterflies on a daily basis!
52. Marianne and Lisa's visit to Ghana!
53. Our trip to Togo crossing the border on motorbikes in the pouring rain with a police escort!
54. The birth of baby Aaila!
55. Sunshine, sand and fishing boats at Kokrobite beach
56. Relaxing in Elmina under the palm trees by the sea
57. Exploring the history of generations at Elmina castle
58. Matina's first day at school
59. Training NGO's working with orphans and vulnerable children
60. Visiting Binaba to see the Hope Givers project
61. The arrival of Janice and Nicole!
62. Eating TZ under the stars with James and Lydia
63. Cooking traditional Ghanaian food with Memuna at her compound house
64. Meeting baby Alex for the first time
65. The football match for the children at Mama Laadi's
66. Leela's birthday party
67. Going running!
68. Cooking on coal in the house when we ran out of gas!
69. The night the little girl dies after falling into a well L
70. Eating freshly pounded fufu and light soup J happy days!
71. Being whizzed to hospital after collapsing with malaria, and being utterly looked after y all my lovely visitors and the nurses at the dire hospital!
72. Riding out to far out communities to run peace building activities
73. The most amazing moto ride I've ever made, all the way out past deserts and cliffs and river beds out to a teeny little remote village with the most spectacular views across to Togo, and then being taken out by the local Assembly man for an impromptu trip across the White Volta to Burkina Faso in a canoe!
74. Partying the night away in Lome, capital of Togo
75. Girlie beach days on the Togo coast
76. Meeting hundreds of community members when out with colleague Jacob sensitizing communities on child sponsorship
77. Our 'Girls night in' in Zebilla - face masks and pedicures for our lovely female friends (and Julius!)
78. Running the Hope Givers workshop with the women from the centre
79. Helping with the World Vision disaster relief distribution effort to helps a hundred families affected by devastating floods
80. Taking Tutu desks to a school with no tables or chairs for any of its 400+ children
81. My last day at World Vision
82. Our Christmas and Emma's farewell party L
83. Christmas eve dancing in the church
84. Christmas day morning in Zebilla
85. Christmas day afternoon in Bolga J
86. New Years Eve party with so many friends on the beach with bonfire and fireworks under the stars and moon
87. New years day party on the beach at Kokrobite
88. Beautiful moments by the sea preparing to go home L

With love from Ghana,

Em

Xx