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Quotable Quotes Weeks 21 - 24: Theory is An Art, Decolonization is a Practice

I know I've been slacking with these lately, but it just means that I am busy and present enough to not write every moment down! These...

Quotable Quotes Week 19 and 20: If You Ever Date Here, Good Luck

wassa123

Jan 23, 20221 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 19 and 20: If You Ever Date Here, Good Luck

Week 20: “A culture which isn’t locally grounded is hardly a culture at all” "How can we reimagine social welfare, so that labor does not...

Quotable Quotes Week 17: You Can't Pin Joy Like a Moth

wassa123

Jan 9, 20221 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 17: You Can't Pin Joy Like a Moth

“The thrill of life is not about who we are but who we are in the process of becoming.” “Language isn’t all-encompassing, it’s only a way...

Quotable Quotes Week 16: Worrying is Like Praying for Things You Don't Want

wassa123

Jan 9, 20221 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 16: Worrying is Like Praying for Things You Don't Want

'‘I think you’re more beautiful than Lupita N’yongo. I know you think that’s a compliment but that’s strike one.” “My sister is 25, she's...

Quotable Quotes Week 15: We Are Who We Choose To Be

wassa123

Dec 25, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 15: We Are Who We Choose To Be

“Knowing love or the hope of knowing love is the anchor that keeps us from falling into that sea of despair” “Is this called a horse...

Quotable Quotes Week 14: I Call Every Place I Inhabit Home

wassa123

Dec 17, 20212 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 14: I Call Every Place I Inhabit Home

“You have your own dialect. Wassa African vernacular English” “The minute I see a Nigerian man, I turn and walk the other way”...

wassa123

Dec 13, 20213 min read

COVID-19 and CDI

I know I said that teaching English was the elephant in the room, but there's another one: our dear friend, COVID-19. I haven’t put off...

Quotable Quotes Week 13: You Only Acquire Language You Understand

wassa123

Dec 10, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 13: You Only Acquire Language You Understand

“Queen Elizabeth probably doesn’t even like The Avengers” “Did you hear that Camilla was president for a day? Do you mean Kamala Harris?”...

A Day in the Life of a Fulbrighter (3 Months In)

wassa123

Dec 7, 20213 min read

A Day in the Life of a Fulbrighter (3 Months In)

I honestly can’t believe it’s been three months! It took me the better half of that time to get into a routine, but here it is: a day in...

wassa123

Dec 7, 20213 min read

Teacher Reflection Two Months In

The overwhelming majority of my structured time here is spent preparing for and teaching English. I have very informal training in...

Quotable Quotes Week 12: It is Your Birthright to Explore This World

wassa123

Dec 3, 20212 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 12: It is Your Birthright to Explore This World

“It is your birthright to explore this world” “Having more Black people around increases opportunities to learn and evolve, but that...

Quotable Quotes Week 11: There Are More Things Likely to Frighten us Than There are to Crush us.

wassa123

Nov 26, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 11: There Are More Things Likely to Frighten us Than There are to Crush us.

“If I didn’t think the world needed saving, I would be an excellent housewife/hostess. I love crafting menus and decorating.” “I mean...

wassa123

Nov 21, 20213 min read

Banco National Park! 🌴

On Friday, K and I went on a short hike in Banco National Park, a huge national park in the middle of Abidjan. After spending our...

Quotable Quotes Week 10: Dropping Bombs and Achieving Goals are Two Different Things

wassa123

Nov 19, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 10: Dropping Bombs and Achieving Goals are Two Different Things

“I remind myself that there is no saving of people. They have to save themselves. You can only help” “If it is the privilege of the...

wassa123

Nov 19, 20213 min read

Abissa

In addition to celebrating R and B’s birthdays, we were in Grand Bassam for Abissa, an annual celebration of forgiveness, rebirth, and...

Hidden in Plain Sight: Observing Queerness in Abissa Traditions

wassa123

Nov 15, 20213 min read

Hidden in Plain Sight: Observing Queerness in Abissa Traditions

This blog post is adapted from a conversation with Esther Appiah, an additional member of the 2021 ETA cohort. Esther is a queer, Ghanian...

Quotable Quotes Week 9: Language is Like Music

wassa123

Nov 13, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 9: Language is Like Music

“I feel like adulthood is having a bedtime” “Say NO to Malaria!" “Language is like music. Once you know the rhythm, you have it” “I’m not...

Quotable Quotes Week 8: Africans Love Loudly

wassa123

Nov 5, 20211 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 8: Africans Love Loudly

“She lost her ever-loving mind” “A wise woman once said ‘god it’s brutal out here’” “Your Ivy League education allowed you to put on a Z...

wassa123

Nov 3, 20212 min read

🎃 Spooky Season in Côte d'Ivoire 🎃

In honor of Spooky Season, I had a Halloween-themed English Club this week. It kind of backfired a bit though; the kids were more...

Quotable Quotes Week 7: "Holy shit. Am I wasting this? Am I making this worthwhile?"

wassa123

Nov 2, 20212 min read

Quotable Quotes Week 7: "Holy shit. Am I wasting this? Am I making this worthwhile?"

“E’s been demoted from wife to sister” “Early Christianity is so cute” “Babies deserve respect automatically” “I love ambiguous emojis”...

wassa123

Oct 25, 20213 min read

Assinie: A Gem

This past weekend, some friends and I went down to Assinie, a famous beach town about two hours from Abidjan. Even though I’ve been here...

The Elephant in the Room: Teaching English Abroad...

wassa123

Oct 24, 20213 min read

The Elephant in the Room: Teaching English Abroad...

So, I am here, as an American, teaching English in Africa. On the surface, it feels icky and quite frankly, neocolonialist. Am I here...

Quotable Quotes Week 6: “Law doesn’t intervene unless there’s an issue”

wassa123

Oct 22, 20211 min read