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FINDING GOLD ON THE AFRICAN COAST: SNAP-SHOTS OF A THRILLING EXPEDITION TO GHANA Concepts
by Katherine Abbott & Words
by Mark Lewis When
the call came I couldn’t believe it was true. A multinational client wanted me
to deliver my Train The Trainer course in Ghana, Africa, with students from 17
countries! The next three months were filled with thorough preparation and great
anticipation. Among
the tenets of my professional philosophy is the idea that “A trainer is the
‘Leading Student’ within the classroom.” As group leader, the trainer
pursues the educational agenda of facilitating personal exploration and growth
while fostering group interaction. A trainer should also be open to new insights
and experiences, the same as their students. A trainer’s willingness to
inhabit the dual role of leader and learner is crucial to communicating with
students and being in touch with their learning needs. A willingness to learn
from your students, I think, automatically upgrades your level of This
article is a collection of snap-shots from my week in Africa. As a whole they
should demonstrate how I approach each course as a “Leading Student,” and
illustrate how wonderful it is to learn from your students. DAY ONE – AKWAABA, “WELCOME TO AFRICA” Armed
with a business class sleeper-seat and a copy of “The Poisonwood Bible” I
arrive in Ghana rested and well read. The sign reads “Akwaaba”— welcome to
Africa! I push my way through a maze-like terminal and past a huge crowd of
self-appointed freelance porters, each one standing at the ready to carry my
bags for a fee. Outside, on a hot and sticky West African evening I find my
Host. During the next week he will attend to my every need and fill the time
with many spectacular memories. His lovely wife and darling daughter have
accompanied him to collect me. It feels a bit like being greeted by family. I am staying in a beautiful
five-star beachfront hotel in Accra, the capital of Ghana. My room is feet from
the ocean and my windows open onto the beach. I spend the evening reading about
the 17 countries from which my students will come. It is fascinating to think
about how many places there are in the world. At two in the morning I am
awakened by an enormous thunderstorm. I sit awake into the early morning taking
in the resounding booms and bright flashes while thinking, “I’m here. I’m
really in Africa!” DAY TWO – PRIDE OF NATIONS My
students come from the following countries, each bringing a different cultural
and personal perspective to the class: Cameroon, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique,
Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, U.S.A., Zimbabwe. I open the class by having the students introduce and describe their country. Each person exhibits an intense pride that takes my breath away. Just when I think we have heard all there is to know, the next student demonstrates a uniqueness of talent and background different from the rest. Throughout the week I learn numerous things about the world through the insight of each student. For example:
DAY THREE – GREETINGS & LAUGHTER In
the morning I am blown away when all 17 students personally greet me in the
manner appropriate to their country. Depending on where they are from, I receive
handshakes, kisses, and hugs. Their effort to honor me as their teacher makes me
feel like a queen. Our
lunch break whizzes by in a fit of laughter. Although humor is usually
culture-specific, DAY FOUR – MY DRUM TRIP & LEAPIN’ LIZARDS In
the early evening I meet my Host and his family at the hotel pool. As a
pleasant surprise we encounter a group of ten young drummers clad in local
costumes. For over an hour we enjoy their music as we chat. I get lost in the
rhythm as I watch them coax every manner of sound from their huge drums.
Suddenly the boys stop drumming and move their stage set elsewhere. Later on we
discover that they had set up next to the pool by mistake. They were supposed to
be performing for a nearby wedding instead! By a stroke of luck we have been
treated to a private concert! After
taking leave from my Host and his family, I have my first encounter with African
wildlife. On the pathway back to my room I am startled as a lizard shoots out
from under the brush about six feet in front of me. He looks like an iguana and
is about 18 inches long. Stopping in the middle of the path he stares at me
quizzically. Startled, but not really scared, I return his quizzical gaze. We
size each other up for about a minute and then I decide to yield the right of
way and walk around him. Mr. Lizard is joined by three or four of his
colleagues, so I figure they must be out for their evening walk. DAY
FIVE – HOKEY KARAOKE & A GIGANTIC EEL As
part of the official class program we make an excursion to Lake Volta, one of
the worlds largest man-made lakes. The ride lasts over an hour each way, so we
begin to entertain ourselves. Using the bus’s overhead PA system a student
from Ghana initiates a session of a-cappella karaoke. Sitting at the back of the
bus I watch the differing profiles of all the students as they take turns,
eventually creating a patchwork of musical styles and forms. Suddenly it is my
turn to sing and I can only remember the lyrics to one song. So I launch into an
embarrassing rendition of “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad.” The stuff
you come up with when you have to improvise! At the end of our magical
mystery tour, I am ready for bed. But the gods of African wildlife are eagerly
waiting to deliver my second and most unforgettable animal encounter. After returning to my room, I am
in the bathroom getting ready for bed. Suddenly a two foot eel shoots out from
behind the toilet and through my legs. I scramble out of the room so quickly
that I don’t even see where the little bugger has gone. I go to the farthest
corner of the room and call the front desk. While I am waiting for someone to
come help me, I stand on the bed gripping my only weapon. If he wants to come
get me, he will face the wrath of my imposing pocket flashlight! After what seems an eternity, a
maid shows up and inspects the bathroom. “You’re seeing things,”
she says, “There’s
nothing in the bathroom.”
“No
I’m not!”
I reply, “Look
again.”
Eventually she picks up the garbage can and lifts the lid. She turns white as a
sheet, screams her head off, and runs out of the bathroom too. She places a call
to “The
Man,”
as she calls him. While we’re waiting I see about six inches of the eel’s
tail is wiggling out of the trash can, kind of waving at me in defiance. When “The Man” shows up he is confidently carrying a tiny can
of bug spray. Thinking he’ll be killing a wasp or something I say “Look,
you’re not going to kill a two foot eel with an itty bitty can of spray.”
But he has no idea what he’s up against. He gets down on his hands and knees
and tries to spray the eel. I’m getting concerned because he’s unloading an
entire can of bug spray into the room where I’m sleeping. Then he comes
running out of the bathroom—also white as a sheet—and goes to get a mop. He
thinks he’s going to beat it to death. When he returns I say “Why
don’t you just take the whole can out of the room?” So he comes flying out of the room holding the
can very unsteadily at arms length. Eventually I think he got rid of the eel,
but not before it had scared the three of us witless. DAY
SIX – YEARBOOKS & SOUVENIRS On the morning of our last class
day we pose for a group picture. The pictures arrive after lunch and we take a
break to sign each other’s photos, like our version of a high school yearbook.
Because the students are enjoying themselves so much, I let the planned fifteen
minute break run for an hour. I sit back and watch as they interact as a
cohesive team, swapping stories and jokes. This is the culmination of a
productive and wonderful week together in the classroom. The rapport and mutual
respect has been contagious and inspiring. At the end of the day, four of
the students invite me to go visit a local gold and jewelry shop. The men are
hoping to buy some jewelry for their wives. After doing some haggling and
picking up a few gifts we move on to a nearby market. They instruct me to select
one or two things that I like as a thank you gift on behalf of the whole class.
I am touched that they have organized such a thoughtful gesture. I find a black
beaded necklace and a traditional Ghanaian “Kente.”
The Kente is a colorful band of cloth that can be worn as a scarf, sash, belt,
or headdress. In black, gold, green, and maroon, the Kente is a perfect reminder
of my time with the group. DAY
SEVEN –VILLAGE PARTY & SAYING GOODBYE The capstone of the week comes
on my last day in Africa. My Host has arranged a program of social activities
and kept it a secret all week. We board a bus without knowing our destination
and travel north-east for two hours. We arrive at a small village somewhere
between Accra and Akosombo. Because he knows that I was at one time a dance
teacher, he has arranged for a large group of local dancers and singers to
perform for us. I can hear the cadence of their voices before we have even
gotten off the bus. The show has already started! The first line of dancers
carry the welcoming letters “A-K-W-A-A-B-A.” This being Africa, there is no
chance that we will remain spectators. We quickly become part of the show,
dancing in a circle together. The song and dance goes on for about two hours
before segueing into the meal. We eat traditional Ghanaian food while the group
continues to sing. It seems that luck is on our side, because just as we finish
the meal the clouds crackle and the sky grows dark. A massive thunderstorm hits
just as we take shelter under a long veranda. Because it is warm, we are able to
socialize and enjoy ourselves as the storm rages in the background. On the ride back I realize that
it is almost time to leave. I must soon catch my flight home. The week is at an
end, and it has turned out to be a professional benchmark and a personal
revelation. I know that I will take the experience back home with me and
incorporate it into many aspects of my life in and out of the office. The
students will return to their positions with newfound professional skills and
insight. I will leave with rich memories of personal hospitality, caring, and
cultural beauty. The themes of globalization and human compassion have come
together to create new competencies and valuable personal connections. Back at
the hotel the students give me their personal farewells. With a collection of
hugs, kisses, shaken hands, and blessings I bid farewell to the group. My Host continues to take
care of my needs right up until I board the plane. He talks his way through
security, checks me in and makes sure I have everything I need. At the departure
gate we congratulate each other on the success of the class and resolve to stay
in touch. EPILOGUE
TO AFRICA I spend the flight to London
reflecting on the various aspects of the past week. Things such as learning
about the various countries, discovering the personalities and talents of each
student, and assisting them in building mastery as trainers. Leaving London, I
watch the sun rise over the Thames river. During the flight to San Francisco I
sleep like a bear in winter. My black necklace and colorful Kente now sit on my mantle at home as daily reminders of how cultural variety and personal kindness can play a role in international business. Symbols of globalization of the human kind. Some say that when you return
home your bags are lighter than when you started your trip. I disagree. More
often than not, the gifts you arrive with get replaced by others that are meant
for you to take home and cherish. In the case of my week in Africa, my bags were
even fuller than when I arrived.
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mastery as a
trainer. Being receptive to their wisdom and expertise allows you to better
relate and identify how you can give them what they need. A huge part of the
satisfaction I get from training comes from picking up the “nuggets of gold”
my students bring with them to class. Students give value to their fellow
classmates, and to a lucky trainer. 