It was an amazing, life-altering experience. I love to review my photos and film clips from the trip! I think we were well advised to pack our patience although I never experienced what I thought of as an excessive wait for food or services. The food was amazing - I cannot take a lot of spice/heat but at every buffet I tried a teaspoon of everything just to be able to say I had it. Some things I loved, others I could easily pass on. The excursions and recommended dining spots were all enjoyable and/or educational. We had an enjoyable meal on our own at Bella Afrik. Our guide/representative - Wendi - provided a treasure trove of useful information, Angelina, Paul and our the bus driver were on top of their game. Overall, the various tours we took and the atmosphere was just so powerful. I could just be me, surrounded by my beautiful people both Ghanaian and African-American. It was beautiful. Making our own batik fabric was another worthwhile experience. Unfortunately, after my trip, I contracted Covid - either at the braid shop that I went to on the last morning or on the airplane. The part that is my fault as my masks remained inside my backpack in both of these situations - I cannot say why!

TO: We Travel TRIP: Ghana Trip 18-28 March 2024 SPONSORS: Maximum Impact Travel Sew Creative Lounge Unfortunately, this experience was not the trip I envisioned and expected per the itinerary. Initially, I was told the trip would entertain approximately 20+ people. There were more than 100 participants. This proved to be logistically cumbersome throughout the entire course of the journey. Before leaving the US we were notified that a portion of the planned trip (flight to Kumasi and overnight stay) was pre-empted. However, we were not compensated for this portion of the canceled trip. I signed up for the trip primarily for the Kumasi excursion. It was highly, highly disappointing to me for this not to occur! So much so, that had I known this at the onset, I would not have traveled at all. Kumasi was the key for me. Day 1 of the trip was absolutely horrendous! My bags did not make it to Accra. After hours of waiting, the Lancaster Hotel did NOT have a room for me and approximately 19 other guests. My room was paid for and confirmed almost a year ago! I and 4 other guests were carted off to another local hotel while 15 other guests were housed at a local Embassy Suites. I only had the clothes on my back and the room I was given had active black mold on the outside of the bathtub at the floor seal. I was so tired from the long flight, the long wait at the Lancaster Hotel, and the long ride to this local hotel that I simply closed the bathroom door and fell asleep in the chair. The next day was hectic as hell. The tour people rushed us everywhere!! I was not allowed to sign in to the Lancaster Hotel until later in the day. The "black and white" meet-up was scheduled that night and I had no clothes. I was told that "Regina" would be assisting me with dealing with my bags and the airport. To date, I have yet to hear back from Regina and received no assistance from the group. A gentleman who overheard my situation arranged transportation for me to get to the airport and retrieve my bags on Day 3 of the trip. I was so grateful and tipped both him and the driver exceptionally well. We were told that "Regina" was our Maximum Impact Team Leader. Throughout the entire trip, we never saw her!! This was disappointing in that we all wanted options to go on excursions with other group members and this was not afforded to us. When a group of us chose to stay and eat lunch at the Lancaster Hotel we were told by Paul that the bus would return to the hotel to pick us up for the planned outing to Oxford/Art Center. The damn bus never returned to the hotel to get us. This was most upsetting to us because just the day before, they came back to the hotel to pick up another group who chose to stay and eat. Let’s talk about the bus. The bus I was assigned to had practically no air conditioning. The access step to enter onto the bus was steep and dangerous, especially for the "mature" people. The seats did not recline. There was velcro sewn to the headrests and attached to our hair and pulled on our clothing. The seat cushions were torn and/or slashed, and the back of the seats was also visibly damaged. One of the safety arms actually fell off! On day 7, the helpers found a large concrete brick that they then used to help us with egress in and out of the bus. These young men and women were most accommodating and improvised their very best to assist us and we all appreciated them, tipping them at every turn. It was noticed though, and many of us did not appreciate how Paul treated the young women. He was very abrasive and disrespectful in my opinion and it didn't fare well with the majority of the people on my bus and the impression he made on Maximum Impact Travel. I found the trip to be somewhat educational, emotional, historical, and cultural but just minimally so. It was simply not enough! Being shuttled back and forth and rushed through every single event was not what I signed up for. I would have enjoyed the trip more if we had time to breathe, to immerse ourselves, and not be hurried and rushed throughout the entire week. A visit to an indigenous tribal area was an unrealized expectation. I was quite perturbed to learn the Design School had suggested a 2-day sewing event but that MIT decided on a one-day program from 1-6 pm. Even with that, we did not get transported to the school until approximately 3 pm. For a sewing group to travel the entire distance to Ghana and only get approximately 2.5 hours of sewing time is just unheard of! We were really looking forward to this! We answered surveys from MIT and SCL regarding our sewing preferences and identified our choices from your listed selections. Not only were my and other members' selections not provided, but the school indicated they were not told of the selections. What a total letdown!! We were rush-driven to GTP only to be told we could not purchase the fabric at GTP. What was the purpose of going there? While at the Makola Market we were left in the beaming sun for an exceptional amount of time waiting on the bus. With NO WATER. I suffered a heat rash. I can go on and on, but I won’t. This was to be the trip of my lifetime, a reconnection to my ancestral roots. At 70+ years of age, I will probably not get this opportunity again. I feel as if my people have used me and I certainly realize that I did not get what I paid my hard-earned money for. Certain entities (Maximum Impact Travel and Sew Creative Lounge) profited extremely well from this, once again, off their people. Did I learn anything from this trip? Yes, I have. The most important thing I have gained during this "trip" is the gift of discernment. I now know that capitalism is the new slavery and that profits come before people. If there is anyone I want to thank, it would be Bridget, George, the bus driver of our ghetto bus, Kojo, Hakim, and the special ladies I formed a bond with along the way (they each know who they are). "Pi-oau"!!! Joyce Henderson JoyceEHenderson@gmail.com 702.767.0406 We went to GTP only to be told we could not purchase the fabric at GTP. This was to be the trip of my lifetime, a reconnection to my ancestral roots. At 70+ years old, I will probably not get this opportunity again. I feel I have been used by my people and I certainly feel that I did not get what I paid my hard-earned money for. It seems that certain entities profited extremely well, once again, off their people. The one thing I have learned during this "trip" is that capitalism is the new slavery and I've gained the gift of discernment. If there is anyone I want to thank, it would be Bridget, George, the bus driver (of our ghetto bus), Kojo, Hakim, and the special ladies I formed a bond with along the way (they each know who they are). "Pi-oau"!!!! Joyce JoyceEHenderson@gmail.com 702-767-0406

a very good experience with great people,good food. learned a lot of my forefather.