Camp Life

My VOLU Experience: An interview with Alex Krenzer,

One Day at a VOLU workcamp: Journal Entry, Sasha Leznev

My VOLU Experience:
An interview with Alex Krenzer,
A VOLU workcamper from August 2000

What was the project?
Our project took place in the Central Region of Ghana, in a village near Assin Foso. The project was to build a new school building and to teach the locals about the risks and spread of AIDS. In addition to the school, our group decided to donate some more money to buy blocks, cement and tools to build a toilet for the school-complex. We saw that there was no toilet for more than 500 schoolchildren.
Tell us more about the workcamp and the volunteers.
The camp lasted three weeks and was made up of 43 people. 9 were from France, 3 from Germany, 3 from the USA, 2 from Canada, and one each from Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey. The other 23 participants were from Ghana, so the camp was made up of half foreign and half Ghanaian volunteers. The age of the local volunteers ranged from 18 to about 28 years, while the "white" workcampers were between 18 and 40, with the majority between 20 to 22 years old. The camp was about 2/3 male, but females certainly felt welcome and worked hard on the projects.

Painting the School near Assin Foso
"Both Ghanaian and international volunteers worked on the school project. The Ghanaians had many skills that we didn't have, and we knew some things that they didn't, so we all learned a lot during the project. Although we oftentimes had different ways of doing things, we made use of both cultural methods, and the project was a success."

What were some of the problems of the camp?
There were no really big problems for the group. Some of the French had problems speaking and understanding English, so they sometimes spoke only French with each other and thus they separated themselves a bit. Only one American got ill and had to go home early. Other than this, however, the camp functioned well as a group.
What do you feel that you accomplished?
First of all, I got a lot of impressions and ideas that I couldn't get at home or from a book or television. I got a deep look into the Ghanaian culture and way of life, as well as the problems and trouble living in very poor conditions. Things which are very normal to me, like electricity, going to the doctor when I am ill, etc., are not as common in Ghana, especially in the rural areas. One can certainly get adjusted to these conditions, however, with an open and flexible mind. I also made a lot of new friends, especially among the Ghanaians.

How were your expectations different from the realities of Ghana and the camp?
I'm probably not the best person to ask, as Assin Foso wasn´t the first workcamp that I have taken part in in Africa. I participated in one in Zimbabwe in the summer of 1998, and thus had realistic expectations about the conditions. Compared with Zimbabwe, however, the camp in Ghana was much better. But back to your question, if you go to a camp like this and are not flexible and open-minded, you won't have much fun. Normally things will be a bit different from what you expected, some only a bit, others completely. If, on the other hand, you have a free spirit and accept things and people how they are without losing your own opinion and identity, you will certainly have a good time and a valuable experience.

What were your greatest challenges and difficulties?
To tell you the truth, the biggest challenge for me was leaving Ghana! Some of the local food was quite different and a bit difficult to get adjusted to, but usually it was quite delicious. Also, the sanitary equipment was of a rather low standard, but you can get used to this after a short time. One difficult for me as a person without English as mother-tongue was to understand the strange English of the Ghanaians. But even the native English speakers had some trouble with this. Another problem was my being diabetic. There are no diet-products at all in Ghana! But you even can handle this with the a real spirit of adventure and enough insulin.