Welter takes in life in Ghana

     “I definitely think I’ll go back. There is so much more to see. Everyone is so nice and genuine and friendly.”

   Maci Welter of Monticello just completed her sophomore year of college at the University of Iowa. She’s majoring in elementary education.

   Recalling her childhood, Welter said, “I always played school when I was little. My dad (Ron) got me a white board and I got a lot of use out of it.”

   Her mom, Lori, taught at Sacred Heart School for a number of years.

   “I used to help her prep her school work,” continued Welter. “I could always see myself doing that (teaching). I knew I wanted to work to help kids.”

   In early June, Welter joined 17 other UI students enrolled in the College of Education for a trip abroad to the Republic of Ghana in West Africa. The trip took place June 5-23.

   Welter admitted when her professor first told her about the opportunity, it wasn’t something she’d ever considered doing.

   “Then I looked into it more and I knew it was going to be a really good experience,” she said.

   The trip was part of Welter’s class “Ghana Education and Culture.”

   “It was designed to see how the school systems work in different cultures; the similarities and differences between our schooling versus theirs.”

   This was Welter’s first time out of the country.

   “I’ve always wanted to travel in general,” she said. “I highly recommend seeing a different culture and going somewhere that’s not the majority.”

   Welter said everyone, no matter where they went, were incredibly friendly.

   “Ghana-nice puts Midwest-nice to shame.”

   She said the Black students who were on the trip felt at ease while in Ghana.

   “They felt at home.”

   Before she left, Welter had to get her passport, considering she’d never been outside the U.S. She also had to get a Visa.

   “Everyone was required to get a Visa, no matter how long you’re out of the country.”

   She also had to receive the yellow fever vaccine and have her COVID vaccine card on hand.

   The group of UI stayed in various people’s homes in and around Accra, the capital city of Ghana. Welter and another female student stayed in the home of a retired couple with two older sons still living with them. Welter remarked that the couple also had live-in help (employees).

   “I would say all of the homes we stayed in would be considered wealthier people,” she said. “They were typical middle-class houses here.”

   However, the homes did not have air-conditioning, which Welter admitted was “brutal.” There was also no hot water. Welter laughed and said as soon as she’d get out of the shower, she’d need another one because it was so hot.

   The UI students did some research about Ghana before they embarked on their trip.

   “Our professor had us to some pre-departure readings about their current events, history, and information about their cities,” Welter said.

   A couple of months before their trip, the group ate at a West African restaurant in Iowa City for a taste of the culture and food.

   “We ordered a bunch of different food to taste-test,” Welter said, “so we had an idea of what their food was like.”

   As an education major, Welter visited two different private elementary schools in Ghana; one being a non-profit school. She said both schools are for extremely low-income families. Welter spent two days at each school.

   “I observed, assisted, taught, and socialized with the students,” she said. “And I learned as well.”

   Their primary language is English, and Welter observed the kids reciting the English alphabet.

   She said it seemed as though the students in these schools were more advanced at their grade levels than their counterparts in the U.S.

   “While some don’t have the opportunity to go to school until their 10 years old, the kids are so smart of their age. They’re learning Algebra I at 12 years old. Four-and-five-year-olds are counting to 100. It’s crazy!”

   Welter did not see any textbooks in the classrooms; instead, teachers were writing on the board.

   At both schools, the kids wore uniforms.

   Welter also had some downtime and was able to explore the Ghana culture and history via monuments and museums. They toured Cape Coast Castle, a former slave-trade outpost that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

   “That was especially emotional for the Black students, seeing how their ancestors might have lived,” Welter shared.

   The hosts in the homes where the UI students stayed cooked traditional Ghana meals such as rice and chicken.

   “They like their spices a lot,” Welter said. “I like my food milder.”

   When the group went out to a restaurant, they stuck to some traditional American food such as pizza and French fries.

   “We all got sick one day throughout the trip,” Welter said of each of the Iowa students. “We all took turns taking the bullet.”

   They also learned to not drink the water in Ghana.

   When the group arrived home, they were given a final assignment. Welter put together a sideshow and video for her final project about the trip and her experiences.

   She said this taste of life outside of Iowa and the U.S. has her wanting to travel more.