2009 and 2010 Educational Tours to
Ghana, West Africa, a Success

Accra and Cape Coast

Thanks to the excellent work of  CROSS CULTURAL STUDIES AND TOURS, both our 2009 and 2010 Ghana Tours were  great successes. We were blessed to have had no illnesses nor accidents.  Both tours included the historic city of Accra (Capital City) and Cape Coast (site of historic slave castles and dungeons).  We were fortunate to have had the same tour guide  as  President Barack Obama and his family had just a week earlier in 2009; Kakum Reserve (one of only two parks like it in the world); Kumasi-Home of the great Ashanti people of Ghana and their beautiful and rich culture; Bonwire (kente cloth-making); Palace and Museum,  where the Ashanti King (Asantehene) lives and works, and home of the great Ashanti stool; and Home, Museum and resting place of the great Pan-Africanist, W.E.B. DuBois.

Efutu Mampong

One of the highlights of both tours was a visit to the village of Efutu Mampong where my good friend Chief NANA KOW AMOASI III graciously received us and during a special ceremony, gave each of us a name. Official Ghana name certificates were then issued. We are now official members of the village of Efutu Mampong and tour members are presently assisting needy village students with their school fees.

Togo, Benin and Quidah

During our 2009 Ghana Tour, I left the group after 8 days and traveled alone by road through the country of Togo to the cities of Cotonou and Quidah in The Republic Benin. I had the pleasure to meet Martine de Souza, a Vodoun Priestess, whose great grandmother was a slave and her great-great-great-grandfather was the infamous Francisco Felix "Cha Cha" de Souza, a Brazilian-Portuguese slave trader. The city of Quidah is known as the home of Vodoun religion. I am most grateful to Martine for sharing her knowledge and increasing my understanding of the history and spirituality of her country. My understanding of the African spirituality of Vodoun is much clearer.

Members of Our 2010 Tour

Members of our 2010 tour traveled by road, after a week in Ghana, through Togo to Benin and we met Martine de Souza who enlightened us with the history and spirituality of her country. While in Benin, we visited the Sacred Forest of the Vodoun gods, which is now open to the public, The Gate of No Return, The Tree of Forgetfulness, The Tree of Hope and Ganvie, the town/village built on water.

In Martine de Souza's book REGARD SUR QUIDAH - a bit of history, she shares her regrets and knowledge of her country's past involvement in the slave trade. She also invites all to come and experience the rich history of her country.

Come to Africa with us next year (2011).
I personally invite you to join us on one of three different tours:
(1) Ghana (2) Ghana/Togo/Benin or (3) Ghana/Ivory Coast/Mali/Burkina Faso.