my previous trip to Ghana

It occurred to me that perhaps not everyone who reads this blog knows that I have traveled to Ghana before. In January/February of 2010 I traveled to the Kokrobitey Institute in Ghana for about a month with a group from my college, the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). We were a group of about 20 students with two faculty members. Our stay there was for RISD's wintersession, a six week term after Christmas break but before the Spring semester. During wintersession RISD students enjoy a lighter course load and have more opportunities to venture into other majors, departments, and disciplines.

Our trip was technically a class in the Furniture Design department (if you don't know, I am in the Industrial Design department). However, the trip was dedicated to the design process overall. We collaborated with the staff, artists, and designers at the Institute to design products out of recycled materials. It was quite a challenge; we RISD students are used to a more structured environment... in Ghana we pretty much just grabbed some materials and started tinkering!

By the end of the trip I had completed my project: a pendant lamp made from recycled plastic water bottles. I even had the opportunity to teach some of the ladies in the Design Center how to make more of them. Here are some pictures of my lamp in progress:



We had an exhibition at the end of our time there, and it was very rewarding to see all that we had made. I really liked the fact that I could leave something behind for the people at the Institute. Overall the trip had a profound effect on me and has definitely influenced me as a both designer and a person.

I'm looking forward to the new things i'll learn on this upcoming trip!