In an attempt to procrastinate for my final, I have decided to write one last blog post while I am in Ghana. I will be on an airplane on my way to the USA in 6 days 3 hours and 45 minutes (not that I’m counting down). Am I excited? Yes. I have never been away from home for this long, and in a place where day to day living is so difficult. Am I terribly sad to be leaving Ghana? Of course. Ghana is officially my other home, I suppose. I have never spent so much time in a country that was not my own, and I feel that I truly do understand the culture and the people. Has my time in Ghana changed me? Yes, I have seen things that I never expected to see – both good and bad. I think I am most scared about leaving Ghana because I don’t know what is next. Since high school I have been looking forward to studying abroad in Africa – what do I have to look forward to now! I do know that my desire to travel has not been satisfied, I am probably not going to settle down for good in America any time soon.
I am excited to do so many things in America – see my family and friends, eat all the food I have missed, and even lay on a couch and watch TV (something I didn’t think I would miss). However, I am going to miss all of the things that make Ghana what it is to me, the things I can’t find in America – markets, being able to buy anything I want from the window of my tro-tro (seriously, I’ve seen people selling birds), Fanice (delicious ice cream in a bag), the music, the colors, and the very rare thunderstorm. I am not looking forward to this Friday, when I will say goodbye to my kids at Hope Community, I am absolutely sure that I will be crying when I walk out of the gates. I know that I will have to come back to Ghana at some point in the future, and no matter how many countries I travel to, Ghana will always be special to me. I hope that when I come back I retain some of the great things about Ghanaian culture – the language, the general friendliness, and maybe I’ll even break out with the slight accent I use when I talk to Ghanaians (it’s funny, I swear).
I have to say that this has been the best semester of my college career – I wish I could live it over and over again. However, it is time to go home and get on with life!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Ten best things about Ghana
My last post was sort of negative, so here are my top 10 best things about Ghana.
1) My internship. The people I met and worked with at my internship at Hope Community have, by far, had the greatest impact on me. I am actually really surprised at how attached I have become to the boys that I work with, and it really upsets me that I may never see them again after I leave. While I used to not look forward to going to my internship, I now get excited every time I get to go in and spend time with the boys (and a few girls). They really are great kids who have just had sad lives, and are a bit rough around the edges (which makes me love them even more).
2) The people. I have made so many new friends in Ghana, whether it be Americans or Ghanaians. While I do have to admit that most of my friends here are from America, they are friendships I will continue when I return. The people of Ghana are some of the greatest people I have ever met. From my security guard “best friend” Jacob to random women I have met in the market, most of the people of Ghana have been nothing but kind to me.
3) Learning the tro-tro system. I said in one of my first blog posts that I wanted to a tro-tro pro by the time I left Ghana. While I may not be a pro (sometimes I still have to ask), I know how to get where I need to go. I know which tro-tro goes where, the hand symbols the mates make to show which way they are heading, and the fares. Understanding the public transportation system of a place is certainly a sign that you know your way around, and I guess I can say that I have learned to navigate the city of Accra.
4) Learning how to bargain. I have actually gotten pretty good at it. I know what a fair price is, and if I use my limited knowledge of Twi, I can usually get the price that I want. I have to say, bargaining is an art, and while I have not completely mastered it, I have gotten pretty good.
5) Seeing elephants in the wild. Just an awesome thing I can check off of my “to-do” list!
6) Not getting seriously sick. While I did have a serious respiratory infection, and a few stomach issues, I have managed to make it through my time in Ghana without having to go to the hospital! Let’s hope that I didn’t just curse myself.
7) Traveling. Through trips planned through CIEE and trips that I have planned myself, I have managed to see quite a bit of Ghana. I have been to Kumasi, Volta Region, the North, Takoradi, Akwidaa Village, and Cape Coast. Next week I am hopefully leaving the country for the first time since I have been here and heading to Togo for a few days! All of the trips I have taken have shown me different aspects of life in Ghana, and have certainly left me with a few great stories.
8) The exchange rate. Things in Ghana are cheap, which is great for my bank account. I haven’t had to spend my time here counting my money and budgeting myself, which makes me very lucky. I have been able to live life in Ghana as I wish, and sometimes spoiling myself with nice meals out or days at the pool.
9) The lack of classes. The classes that I did have were terribly boring, but they met only once a week for 2 hours (and we usually got out early). I had very little class time, which allowed me to have a lot of free time to do things that I would rather be doing. Like travelling, and going to the beach and generally enjoying life.
10) The food (well, some of it). While I do complain a lot about the massive amounts of rice that I eat, there are certain foods that I will seriously miss when I go home. Groundnut soup with rice balls (my favorite Ghanaian dish, by far), red red, and especially fried plantains! I bought a cookbook, but who knows if I will be able to cook it like the Ghanaians do!
1) My internship. The people I met and worked with at my internship at Hope Community have, by far, had the greatest impact on me. I am actually really surprised at how attached I have become to the boys that I work with, and it really upsets me that I may never see them again after I leave. While I used to not look forward to going to my internship, I now get excited every time I get to go in and spend time with the boys (and a few girls). They really are great kids who have just had sad lives, and are a bit rough around the edges (which makes me love them even more).
2) The people. I have made so many new friends in Ghana, whether it be Americans or Ghanaians. While I do have to admit that most of my friends here are from America, they are friendships I will continue when I return. The people of Ghana are some of the greatest people I have ever met. From my security guard “best friend” Jacob to random women I have met in the market, most of the people of Ghana have been nothing but kind to me.
3) Learning the tro-tro system. I said in one of my first blog posts that I wanted to a tro-tro pro by the time I left Ghana. While I may not be a pro (sometimes I still have to ask), I know how to get where I need to go. I know which tro-tro goes where, the hand symbols the mates make to show which way they are heading, and the fares. Understanding the public transportation system of a place is certainly a sign that you know your way around, and I guess I can say that I have learned to navigate the city of Accra.
4) Learning how to bargain. I have actually gotten pretty good at it. I know what a fair price is, and if I use my limited knowledge of Twi, I can usually get the price that I want. I have to say, bargaining is an art, and while I have not completely mastered it, I have gotten pretty good.
5) Seeing elephants in the wild. Just an awesome thing I can check off of my “to-do” list!
6) Not getting seriously sick. While I did have a serious respiratory infection, and a few stomach issues, I have managed to make it through my time in Ghana without having to go to the hospital! Let’s hope that I didn’t just curse myself.
7) Traveling. Through trips planned through CIEE and trips that I have planned myself, I have managed to see quite a bit of Ghana. I have been to Kumasi, Volta Region, the North, Takoradi, Akwidaa Village, and Cape Coast. Next week I am hopefully leaving the country for the first time since I have been here and heading to Togo for a few days! All of the trips I have taken have shown me different aspects of life in Ghana, and have certainly left me with a few great stories.
8) The exchange rate. Things in Ghana are cheap, which is great for my bank account. I haven’t had to spend my time here counting my money and budgeting myself, which makes me very lucky. I have been able to live life in Ghana as I wish, and sometimes spoiling myself with nice meals out or days at the pool.
9) The lack of classes. The classes that I did have were terribly boring, but they met only once a week for 2 hours (and we usually got out early). I had very little class time, which allowed me to have a lot of free time to do things that I would rather be doing. Like travelling, and going to the beach and generally enjoying life.
10) The food (well, some of it). While I do complain a lot about the massive amounts of rice that I eat, there are certain foods that I will seriously miss when I go home. Groundnut soup with rice balls (my favorite Ghanaian dish, by far), red red, and especially fried plantains! I bought a cookbook, but who knows if I will be able to cook it like the Ghanaians do!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ten things that I haven't had or done since I have been in Ghana
10 things I haven’t done/had since I have been in Ghana:
1) Had hot water. Okay, sometimes during the day the heat from outside heats up the pipes and we have warm water, but that doesn’t really count. However, the thought of taking a hot shower in Ghana makes me cringe because it would just be a terrible experience.
2) Had running water for more than 5 consecutive days. Actually, 5 days might be a stretch. Needless to say, I am very resourceful with a bucket of water.
3) Worn a seatbelt. Sorry Mom! Most cars don’t have them.
4) Felt completely clean for longer than 30 minutes. It’s dusty and hot here, what can I say.
5) Drank tap water. Seems unimportant, but it is getting annoying having to go to the gas station every time I need water.
6) Felt cold. Despite the fact that it is super hot, it is kind of nice knowing that I will never need a sweatshirt, and I will never have a chill (unless of course I am in air conditioning).
7) Blend in. No matter where I go, I stick out like a sore thumb. It is not necessarily a bad thing, everyone should know what it feels like to be a minority, but it’s just completely different from what I am used to, I get attention wherever I go.
8) Had real cheese. There are some sorry attempts for cheese in this country, but I miss cheddar and feta.
9) Had an interesting or mentally stimulating class. This may be nerdy, but I love most of my classes at American. The classes here, with professors reading word for word from their notes, expecting you to write everything down have been, by far, the biggest disappointment of Ghana.
10) Been to a gym. This may be an amazing statement to all of you, but I miss exercising. I tried to go running, but it is just far too hot (even at 5am) and the Ghanaians give me weird stares.
Many of these things are the negative aspects of being in Ghana. I don’t mean to sound like a negative Nancy, just thought I would let you all know! I really do love Ghana, and as my time in this country ticks down, I have such mixed feelings about going home. On the one hand, I miss living a comfortable life with my friends and family. On the other hand, Ghana has been one of the most amazing and educational experiences of my life.
1) Had hot water. Okay, sometimes during the day the heat from outside heats up the pipes and we have warm water, but that doesn’t really count. However, the thought of taking a hot shower in Ghana makes me cringe because it would just be a terrible experience.
2) Had running water for more than 5 consecutive days. Actually, 5 days might be a stretch. Needless to say, I am very resourceful with a bucket of water.
3) Worn a seatbelt. Sorry Mom! Most cars don’t have them.
4) Felt completely clean for longer than 30 minutes. It’s dusty and hot here, what can I say.
5) Drank tap water. Seems unimportant, but it is getting annoying having to go to the gas station every time I need water.
6) Felt cold. Despite the fact that it is super hot, it is kind of nice knowing that I will never need a sweatshirt, and I will never have a chill (unless of course I am in air conditioning).
7) Blend in. No matter where I go, I stick out like a sore thumb. It is not necessarily a bad thing, everyone should know what it feels like to be a minority, but it’s just completely different from what I am used to, I get attention wherever I go.
8) Had real cheese. There are some sorry attempts for cheese in this country, but I miss cheddar and feta.
9) Had an interesting or mentally stimulating class. This may be nerdy, but I love most of my classes at American. The classes here, with professors reading word for word from their notes, expecting you to write everything down have been, by far, the biggest disappointment of Ghana.
10) Been to a gym. This may be an amazing statement to all of you, but I miss exercising. I tried to go running, but it is just far too hot (even at 5am) and the Ghanaians give me weird stares.
Many of these things are the negative aspects of being in Ghana. I don’t mean to sound like a negative Nancy, just thought I would let you all know! I really do love Ghana, and as my time in this country ticks down, I have such mixed feelings about going home. On the one hand, I miss living a comfortable life with my friends and family. On the other hand, Ghana has been one of the most amazing and educational experiences of my life.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Volta Region
This past weekend I spent two days in the Volta Region of Ghana. I had no idea, but I think this may be the prettiest part of Ghana. It is very rural, but full of beautiful green jungles and hills and mountains. We drove up on Saturday morning and the first stop was Tafi Atome monkey sanctuary. It is some sort of local, eco-tourist project run by the people that live in the area. The monkeys there are Mona Monkeys, and they are super cute. We got to feed them bananas which was pretty cool!
The next stop was Mount Afadjato, which is the highest freestanding mountain in Ghana. Is it really that high? No. Was the hike up it terrible? Yes. It took hiking to a whole new level. Practically vertical, super rocky, and it took about an hour. It was the sweatiest I have ever been in my entire life, and the most exercise I have gotten since I’ve been in Ghana. But, the view from the top made it totally worth it. There were more green mountains and a small town at the bottom. We could see the Togolese border and a waterfall in the distance!
The next day we trekked to Wli Falls, which is a gorgeous waterfall in the jungle. It is not necessarily a big waterfall, but it is very tall, and you can go swimming in the lower pool. The water was pretty cold, but we had a lot of fun anyways. That’s really all for that weekend; it was pretty low-key but still a great time! More blogs coming soon :)
The next stop was Mount Afadjato, which is the highest freestanding mountain in Ghana. Is it really that high? No. Was the hike up it terrible? Yes. It took hiking to a whole new level. Practically vertical, super rocky, and it took about an hour. It was the sweatiest I have ever been in my entire life, and the most exercise I have gotten since I’ve been in Ghana. But, the view from the top made it totally worth it. There were more green mountains and a small town at the bottom. We could see the Togolese border and a waterfall in the distance!
The next day we trekked to Wli Falls, which is a gorgeous waterfall in the jungle. It is not necessarily a big waterfall, but it is very tall, and you can go swimming in the lower pool. The water was pretty cold, but we had a lot of fun anyways. That’s really all for that weekend; it was pretty low-key but still a great time! More blogs coming soon :)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Mole Mole Mole!
My trip to Mole National Park, up in the North of Ghana was an adventure by every definition of the word. Here’s a breakdown of the trip!
Thursday: Planned on leaving Pentagon at 7am to get to the bus station by 7:30-8:00 to get our bus tickets. As usual, we have all gotten onto Ghana time (late for everything) and left around 7:20, and it took longer than usual to get a cab. One thing we did not count on was the incredible amount of traffic heading into Accra that morning. So, it took us over an hour to get to the bus station, which we got to at about 9:00. I had reserved tickets for a 10am bus to Tamale (a city in Northern Ghana, and the departure point for Mole) so I thought we were set. But, travel in Ghana is never so simple. Apparently, while I was on the phone with the woman who booked my 10am tickets, the 10am bus actually filled up. So, she reserved us five tickets on the 8:30 bus, but failed to tell me this small detail. There were two tickets left on the 10am bus, and there were more on a 3pm bus. We didn’t really want to split up, but decided this was the only way that we were getting there. It was decided that my friend Brittney and I would go on the earlier bus because I booked the hotel, and it was Brittney’s birthday. So, Brittney and I got situated on the bus (in a very cramped seat in the back of the bus) and, by some miracle, there were three open seats and all of my friends got onto the bus! So, we got situated for our 12 hour bus ride up to Tamale. Mind you, Ghana is about the size of Oregon, and driving the distance that we did should not have taken 12 hours, but the roads are bad so it takes much longer. The bus ride was pretty bad, but I slept a lot because I had been out until about 3am the night before. We made some friends on the bus, two American guys who are working in Ghana, and they ended up hanging out with us all weekend. By about 10pm we made it to Tamale, and got to our hotel and passed out.
Friday: We had to leave for the bus station at 7 to make sure that we got tickets on the 1:30 bus to Mole. We got the tickets no problem, and proceeded to walk around Tamale to try to find somewhere to eat. We had completely forgotten that it was Good Friday, and despite the fact that Tamale is a largely Muslim city, everything was closed. The people were also much more hostile towards us than in Accra. One of my friends made a comment about a man that was following us, and he just started yelling at us and calling us “fucking stupid oburonis”…so that was interesting. We decided to just go back to our hotel and eat at the restaurant, which was good and cheap. By 1:00 we were back at the bus station, which was PACKED. The bus was late, as usual, and we found some seats in the shade. The bus finally arrived and we piled on. As I got on, I realized that I had the same seat number as one of my friends, so I just decided to sit in another seat. When the boy who actually had the ticket for the seat I was in got on the bus, he threw a fit. He wanted me to get off the bus and take another one because there was no seat for me. But, there was no way that I was getting off that bus. I figured he could just stand for the ride, but he absolutely refused and threw a little hissy-fit. Well, one of our American friends that we met on the bus ride up gave up his seat and offered to stand so that I could sit, which was super nice of him. The bus ride was pretty terrible, four hours on dirt roads with no AC. The bus was packed with people and luggage and there was no real room to move. About half way to Mole, my friend Molly had to go to the bathroom really bad. They ended up stopping the bus and throwing Molly out the window (because all the doors were blocked) so that she could run across the street and pee in the bushes. Everyone on the bus thought that this was just the funniest thing ever. We finally got to Larabanga, a small Muslim village near Mole where we were staying and got situated at our guesthouse. The guesthouse was pretty simple- no running water, and a pit latrine (a concrete hole in the ground for the toilet). We actually ended up sleeping on the roof because the rooms were so stuffy, which was really nice, especially because the stars were so pretty.
Saturday: Woke up at about 5am to the sound of morning prayers and goats. We decided that we were going to ride bikes to get to Mole because it was only about 6k away. We left for the park around 5:45 and saw some antelopes and warthogs on the bike ride over! When we got the Mole, we decided to pay for a car to take us on the Safari instead of walking. We had an awesome driver named Abu who was dead set on us finding the elephants. The safari was really fun, and Abu let us sit on the roof of the car once we got into the park. At the beginning all we were really seeing were wart hogs and antelope, and I was pretty sure we weren’t going to see any elephants. Then we saw an elephant footprint and started trekking by foot into the bush. This search wasn’t very fruitful, but then we got a phone call saying that the elephants were at the water hole. So, we booked it over to the water hole and there were three elephants chilling in the water (and a crocodile)! It was super cool to get that close to elephants, and I got a lot of good pictures. After that we headed back to another hotel actually in Mole National Park to have lunch. It was way too hot to ride out bikes back to Larabanga, so we just chilled at the hotel all day and swam in the pool. There is an observation deck to look at another watering hole and I saw even more elephants, and these ones were actually out of the water and walking around! Around 5 we biked back to the village (which was much harder than the ride there) and got some dinner and pretty much passed out for the night.
Sunday: Woke up at 4am to get a bus back to Tamale. The bus came by 4:45 and we made it back to Tamale by 8:30 and went back to our hotel. We got bus tickets home to Accra for 5pm that day, but we decided to get a hotel room to relax in and shower. We didn’t do much, but we did go out to eat at a great Indian food restaurant down the street. Then we got back on the bus and headed back to Accra. This bus ride was possibly the most miserable bus ride of my life. They played some Twi-language movie until 1am at full volume (with the worst sound effects I have heard in my life). We drove through a huge thunder storm and past a huge fire in a town. We finally got back to Accra at 3am and got a taxi back to campus. I was glad to be back, and also glad for a great weekend up North!
Thursday: Planned on leaving Pentagon at 7am to get to the bus station by 7:30-8:00 to get our bus tickets. As usual, we have all gotten onto Ghana time (late for everything) and left around 7:20, and it took longer than usual to get a cab. One thing we did not count on was the incredible amount of traffic heading into Accra that morning. So, it took us over an hour to get to the bus station, which we got to at about 9:00. I had reserved tickets for a 10am bus to Tamale (a city in Northern Ghana, and the departure point for Mole) so I thought we were set. But, travel in Ghana is never so simple. Apparently, while I was on the phone with the woman who booked my 10am tickets, the 10am bus actually filled up. So, she reserved us five tickets on the 8:30 bus, but failed to tell me this small detail. There were two tickets left on the 10am bus, and there were more on a 3pm bus. We didn’t really want to split up, but decided this was the only way that we were getting there. It was decided that my friend Brittney and I would go on the earlier bus because I booked the hotel, and it was Brittney’s birthday. So, Brittney and I got situated on the bus (in a very cramped seat in the back of the bus) and, by some miracle, there were three open seats and all of my friends got onto the bus! So, we got situated for our 12 hour bus ride up to Tamale. Mind you, Ghana is about the size of Oregon, and driving the distance that we did should not have taken 12 hours, but the roads are bad so it takes much longer. The bus ride was pretty bad, but I slept a lot because I had been out until about 3am the night before. We made some friends on the bus, two American guys who are working in Ghana, and they ended up hanging out with us all weekend. By about 10pm we made it to Tamale, and got to our hotel and passed out.
Friday: We had to leave for the bus station at 7 to make sure that we got tickets on the 1:30 bus to Mole. We got the tickets no problem, and proceeded to walk around Tamale to try to find somewhere to eat. We had completely forgotten that it was Good Friday, and despite the fact that Tamale is a largely Muslim city, everything was closed. The people were also much more hostile towards us than in Accra. One of my friends made a comment about a man that was following us, and he just started yelling at us and calling us “fucking stupid oburonis”…so that was interesting. We decided to just go back to our hotel and eat at the restaurant, which was good and cheap. By 1:00 we were back at the bus station, which was PACKED. The bus was late, as usual, and we found some seats in the shade. The bus finally arrived and we piled on. As I got on, I realized that I had the same seat number as one of my friends, so I just decided to sit in another seat. When the boy who actually had the ticket for the seat I was in got on the bus, he threw a fit. He wanted me to get off the bus and take another one because there was no seat for me. But, there was no way that I was getting off that bus. I figured he could just stand for the ride, but he absolutely refused and threw a little hissy-fit. Well, one of our American friends that we met on the bus ride up gave up his seat and offered to stand so that I could sit, which was super nice of him. The bus ride was pretty terrible, four hours on dirt roads with no AC. The bus was packed with people and luggage and there was no real room to move. About half way to Mole, my friend Molly had to go to the bathroom really bad. They ended up stopping the bus and throwing Molly out the window (because all the doors were blocked) so that she could run across the street and pee in the bushes. Everyone on the bus thought that this was just the funniest thing ever. We finally got to Larabanga, a small Muslim village near Mole where we were staying and got situated at our guesthouse. The guesthouse was pretty simple- no running water, and a pit latrine (a concrete hole in the ground for the toilet). We actually ended up sleeping on the roof because the rooms were so stuffy, which was really nice, especially because the stars were so pretty.
Saturday: Woke up at about 5am to the sound of morning prayers and goats. We decided that we were going to ride bikes to get to Mole because it was only about 6k away. We left for the park around 5:45 and saw some antelopes and warthogs on the bike ride over! When we got the Mole, we decided to pay for a car to take us on the Safari instead of walking. We had an awesome driver named Abu who was dead set on us finding the elephants. The safari was really fun, and Abu let us sit on the roof of the car once we got into the park. At the beginning all we were really seeing were wart hogs and antelope, and I was pretty sure we weren’t going to see any elephants. Then we saw an elephant footprint and started trekking by foot into the bush. This search wasn’t very fruitful, but then we got a phone call saying that the elephants were at the water hole. So, we booked it over to the water hole and there were three elephants chilling in the water (and a crocodile)! It was super cool to get that close to elephants, and I got a lot of good pictures. After that we headed back to another hotel actually in Mole National Park to have lunch. It was way too hot to ride out bikes back to Larabanga, so we just chilled at the hotel all day and swam in the pool. There is an observation deck to look at another watering hole and I saw even more elephants, and these ones were actually out of the water and walking around! Around 5 we biked back to the village (which was much harder than the ride there) and got some dinner and pretty much passed out for the night.
Sunday: Woke up at 4am to get a bus back to Tamale. The bus came by 4:45 and we made it back to Tamale by 8:30 and went back to our hotel. We got bus tickets home to Accra for 5pm that day, but we decided to get a hotel room to relax in and shower. We didn’t do much, but we did go out to eat at a great Indian food restaurant down the street. Then we got back on the bus and headed back to Accra. This bus ride was possibly the most miserable bus ride of my life. They played some Twi-language movie until 1am at full volume (with the worst sound effects I have heard in my life). We drove through a huge thunder storm and past a huge fire in a town. We finally got back to Accra at 3am and got a taxi back to campus. I was glad to be back, and also glad for a great weekend up North!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Trip to Kumasi
This past weekend, CIEE took us on a trip to Kumasi, which is the capital of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The Ashanti people are actually the Asante (in local dialect), but they are often called the Ashanti because it was easier for the colonists. Anyways, the Asante people are one of the most culturally intact ethnic groups in Ghana. They are also led by the Asante hene, or the Asante king, seeing as (way back when) there was actually an Asante Kingdom that covered most of Ghana and parts of Togo and Cote D’ivoire. The Asante king actually holds a great deal of political power, not only in the region, but also with the national government. Essentially, if the Asante hene has something to say, people listen. For this reason, due to the king’s initiatives, Kumasi is a much cleaner city than Accra. The king has also created a national education fund that puts a lot of kids in need through school (not just Asante children).
Anyways, Kumasi is about five hours north and we left bright and early on Friday morning. When we got there we checked into our very nice (and air conditioned) hotel and had lunch. Then, we went to Manhyia (pronounced Manshia) Palace, which is the former home of the Asante King. It was pretty much a museum with a lot of stuff that the king used way back when.
After that we went to Kumasi Central Market, which is the largest open-air market in West Africa, and (I think), the second largest in Africa. The market was MADNESS. There were more people than you can imagine- selling and buying just about anything that you could think of. The smells and sounds were a total sensory overload, but I still managed to have a good time. I bought a necklace and batik (a type of dying) fabric for really cheap. I also got to practice my Twi with some of the women in the market! As we were leaving the market, the sky started to get really dark and we all realized that it was going to rain, very soon. But, since we all split up in the market, we had to wait for everyone to find their way out in order to get the bus. In this period of waiting, the sky just opened up on us. Just as a side note, rainstorms in Africa are different than America. In the US, everyone is prepared with umbrellas and raincoats and rain boots- not the case in Ghana. When it rains, everyone gets off the street and finds shelter. So, we sprinted across the street into some sketchy building where there were hundreds of other people waiting for the storm to pass. Eventually, the rain slowed down enough for us to go outside and get on our bus.
The next day we started off at the Kente weaving village. Kente cloth is a type of cloth that is culturally tied to the Asante people. It is woven, and it comes in all different colors and is very pretty (and also pretty expensive). We got to see how the cloth is made, and also the different meanings behind the patterns. I also bought some for myself and as souvenirs for people at home.
After that we went to the Adinkra cloth village, which is another type of artwork. Adinkra symbols all have a different meaning, and they are often stamped onto fabrics. So, we learned how they make the black dye used to stamp the Adinkra symbols and also got to stamp our own fabric with the symbols of our choice!
Next, we drove about an hour to Lake Bosumtwe, which is a huge lake made by the impact of a meteor a long time ago. It is in a huge crater and a lot of villages are situated around the lake. We had a delicious lunch and then got to canoe and go swimming. The water was super warm (warmer than Marlborough Lake), so I didn’t really want to go swimming because it wouldn’t have been at all refreshing. But, I did take a nice canoe ride around the lake.
We went out to dinner that night at a very nice Chinese food restaurant, which was a nice change of pace in food. The next morning they gave us some free time to explore on our own, but I took the change to sleep in the air conditioning, which was wonderful! After that we headed home to Accra.
Anyways, Kumasi is about five hours north and we left bright and early on Friday morning. When we got there we checked into our very nice (and air conditioned) hotel and had lunch. Then, we went to Manhyia (pronounced Manshia) Palace, which is the former home of the Asante King. It was pretty much a museum with a lot of stuff that the king used way back when.
After that we went to Kumasi Central Market, which is the largest open-air market in West Africa, and (I think), the second largest in Africa. The market was MADNESS. There were more people than you can imagine- selling and buying just about anything that you could think of. The smells and sounds were a total sensory overload, but I still managed to have a good time. I bought a necklace and batik (a type of dying) fabric for really cheap. I also got to practice my Twi with some of the women in the market! As we were leaving the market, the sky started to get really dark and we all realized that it was going to rain, very soon. But, since we all split up in the market, we had to wait for everyone to find their way out in order to get the bus. In this period of waiting, the sky just opened up on us. Just as a side note, rainstorms in Africa are different than America. In the US, everyone is prepared with umbrellas and raincoats and rain boots- not the case in Ghana. When it rains, everyone gets off the street and finds shelter. So, we sprinted across the street into some sketchy building where there were hundreds of other people waiting for the storm to pass. Eventually, the rain slowed down enough for us to go outside and get on our bus.
The next day we started off at the Kente weaving village. Kente cloth is a type of cloth that is culturally tied to the Asante people. It is woven, and it comes in all different colors and is very pretty (and also pretty expensive). We got to see how the cloth is made, and also the different meanings behind the patterns. I also bought some for myself and as souvenirs for people at home.
After that we went to the Adinkra cloth village, which is another type of artwork. Adinkra symbols all have a different meaning, and they are often stamped onto fabrics. So, we learned how they make the black dye used to stamp the Adinkra symbols and also got to stamp our own fabric with the symbols of our choice!
Next, we drove about an hour to Lake Bosumtwe, which is a huge lake made by the impact of a meteor a long time ago. It is in a huge crater and a lot of villages are situated around the lake. We had a delicious lunch and then got to canoe and go swimming. The water was super warm (warmer than Marlborough Lake), so I didn’t really want to go swimming because it wouldn’t have been at all refreshing. But, I did take a nice canoe ride around the lake.
We went out to dinner that night at a very nice Chinese food restaurant, which was a nice change of pace in food. The next morning they gave us some free time to explore on our own, but I took the change to sleep in the air conditioning, which was wonderful! After that we headed home to Accra.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Independence Day, church services, and more
I apologize for not updating my blog for so long. I suppose I didn’t think that I had been doing anything too exciting, which is sort of true, but I will update everyone anyways! March 6th was Independence Day in Ghana. On the Friday before there was a reggae concert at the national stadium. The vast majority of the people there were rastas, with the exception of a few oborunis . This essentially meant that there was an unbelievable amount of marijuana there (don’t worry, I didn’t smoke any). I kid you not, there was a man walking around with a platter of weed, just rolling joints and selling them for one cedi. Mind you, marijuana is also illegal here- with a prison term of up to 10 years! I supposed there was just no point in enforcing the laws because then they would have to arrest just about everyone in the entire stadium. As for the concert, the main performance was a Jamaican reggae artist named Sizzla. There were a lot of openers, and by 1am we were pretty tired of waiting for him to come on, so we just left. After that we went to Epo’s, which is a bar in a neighborhood called Osu. We didn’t actually go into the bar, but there is a stand outside of Epo’s that sells possibly the best noodles I have ever had in my entire life. There were so many fresh vegetables in them, which is (surprisingly) hard to come by in Ghana.
On Independence Day some friends and I went to the national trade fair. This was pretty much a huge fair where vendors paid for a booth, and they could sell their goods. You could buy pretty much any cool African souvenir that you were looking for, so I went a little crazy. I actually spent all of the money that I had in my wallet. I bought some gifts for people at home, a beautiful painting, and a drum (that I have no idea how to use properly). On our way home our tro-tro broke down. As it was rolling backwards, the mate (the person who sits with the rest of the passengers and collects the money) jumped out and threw a rock under the wheel to stop it from moving. This is the type of thing that happens here in Ghana that has just become regular, or unsurprising to me, which I guess is actually a good feeling. I have actually realized what a different type of travel study abroad is. All of the past times that I have traveled, I am constantly trying to fit in all of the things that I want to do and rushing around and going nonstop. But, my time in Ghana is just life, not necessarily travel. When I first got here, I felt the need to constantly be on the move, doing things and keeping myself active because I thought that if I didn’t, I would be wasting time. However, I have found that I have to take time for myself, to just relax and lay in bed, and that is totally okay.
My week days here are pretty routine- class, internship, neglecting my pile of reading, and sleeping. One thing that I do not think I have written about is the church services. Every Sunday morning (and sometimes on weekdays too) there is a church service in the dining hall next to my dorm. It is directly below my window. These church services can start as early as 5am and they aren’t nearly as quiet as our services in America. No, there is drumming and singing and tambourines and people periodically screaming in unison (why? I have no idea). Now, I have finally gotten used to this inevitable noise in the morning, and I can usually sleep through it. But, the church service on Sunday night really takes the cake. From what I have gotten from some Ghanaian friends, the group is called Militia (I find that a strange name for a church) and they are Charismatic. Every Sunday night, at about 7pm their service starts. They proceed to speak tongues into a microphone for HOURS (or until about 10pm). There is no way to escape this noise in my room. The only thing to get away from it is to blast music in my headphones. I really wish that I could accurately describe the sounds that come out of this church service, but they are sounds that were so foreign to me that I cannot even describe them. I would really like to attend an actual service (maybe just to get some video footage of it), but I can’t imagine sitting through at least 3 hours of it without getting a serious migraine.
I have lots more to say but I’m going to stop here because the power had gone out. This means that a) my computer is about to die, and b) my computer screen is the only light in the room and giant bugs keep attacking me because they are drawn to the light. More later!
On Independence Day some friends and I went to the national trade fair. This was pretty much a huge fair where vendors paid for a booth, and they could sell their goods. You could buy pretty much any cool African souvenir that you were looking for, so I went a little crazy. I actually spent all of the money that I had in my wallet. I bought some gifts for people at home, a beautiful painting, and a drum (that I have no idea how to use properly). On our way home our tro-tro broke down. As it was rolling backwards, the mate (the person who sits with the rest of the passengers and collects the money) jumped out and threw a rock under the wheel to stop it from moving. This is the type of thing that happens here in Ghana that has just become regular, or unsurprising to me, which I guess is actually a good feeling. I have actually realized what a different type of travel study abroad is. All of the past times that I have traveled, I am constantly trying to fit in all of the things that I want to do and rushing around and going nonstop. But, my time in Ghana is just life, not necessarily travel. When I first got here, I felt the need to constantly be on the move, doing things and keeping myself active because I thought that if I didn’t, I would be wasting time. However, I have found that I have to take time for myself, to just relax and lay in bed, and that is totally okay.
My week days here are pretty routine- class, internship, neglecting my pile of reading, and sleeping. One thing that I do not think I have written about is the church services. Every Sunday morning (and sometimes on weekdays too) there is a church service in the dining hall next to my dorm. It is directly below my window. These church services can start as early as 5am and they aren’t nearly as quiet as our services in America. No, there is drumming and singing and tambourines and people periodically screaming in unison (why? I have no idea). Now, I have finally gotten used to this inevitable noise in the morning, and I can usually sleep through it. But, the church service on Sunday night really takes the cake. From what I have gotten from some Ghanaian friends, the group is called Militia (I find that a strange name for a church) and they are Charismatic. Every Sunday night, at about 7pm their service starts. They proceed to speak tongues into a microphone for HOURS (or until about 10pm). There is no way to escape this noise in my room. The only thing to get away from it is to blast music in my headphones. I really wish that I could accurately describe the sounds that come out of this church service, but they are sounds that were so foreign to me that I cannot even describe them. I would really like to attend an actual service (maybe just to get some video footage of it), but I can’t imagine sitting through at least 3 hours of it without getting a serious migraine.
I have lots more to say but I’m going to stop here because the power had gone out. This means that a) my computer is about to die, and b) my computer screen is the only light in the room and giant bugs keep attacking me because they are drawn to the light. More later!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Life Updates!
I haven't blogged in a while, so in an attempt to procrastinate from doing my geography homework, I have decided to update my blog.
Life has been pretty low-key this week, just hanging around Accra, going to classes and such. On Friday I went to a neighborhood called Osu, which is a huge obruni hot-spot. But, that also means that people sell a lot of cool stuff. I bought my self a Ghana flag, and I went to this awesome store called Global Mama's. It's a fair trade store that sells stuff mainly made by Africa women. I bought a Ghanaian cookbook (so I can cook you all my favorite foods when I get home!), some jewelery, and some other trinkets that I can give as gifts. Friday night I went out to a place called the Purple Pub, which is just a really chill outdoor bar near Osu. Most of the bars in Accra are outside, which is awesome, except for the few occasions that it rains. Ghana doesn't have rainy days like we do in the states- just super intense storms and only last for a little bit. The thunder here is louder than I have ever heard in my life- and the lightning is amazing.
Anyways, a bunch of CIEE people showed up at Purple Pub and it ended up being a really good time! Towards the end of the night, however, I saw a man get hit by a car. As the man was lying in the road, the taxi that hit him just backed up and drove away. That was really horrifying to watch. I was aware that hit-and-runs happen all the time here, but I never expected to see one. I was going to go help the man, but I realized I would have no idea what to do- and then some Ghanaians came to help him, and I figured they would know what to do.
Saturday was a pretty exhausting day. Me and the other intern at my orphanage, Sarah, decided to take the kids to play soccer at the University. We show up, and there are 32 kids (most of whom I have never seen) waiting to play soccer. So, we go get a tro-tro and stuff all of them into just one. Let me tell you, that tro was PACKED, with three kids stacked into one seat. Thankfully, the tro made it there safely and the kids had a pretty good time! Then, Saturday night we had a Purim party (because my roommates are Jewish). On Purim you are supposed to wear costumes, so I broke out my lifeguard bathing suit. It was actually a really fun party with a lot of friends.
Sunday was CIEE olympics at Bojo Beach, so they bused us out there and we had some competition. It was nice spending a day on the beach, and my tan is definitely coming along nicely. I am actually wondering if I will hit a point where I will stop tanning, because I am pretty much will have been in summer weather from January-August.
This weekend I was going to travel with some people to Togo and Benin, but its independence day in Ghana on Saturday, and I think that is something that I do not want to miss!
Okay, I suppose it is time for me to get my homework done. Ghana has made me (and everyone on our program, I think) a serious slacker. There is really very little initiative to put much effort in to school. Also, some of the professors are pretty disrespectful, which has been very frustrating. Peace out!
Life has been pretty low-key this week, just hanging around Accra, going to classes and such. On Friday I went to a neighborhood called Osu, which is a huge obruni hot-spot. But, that also means that people sell a lot of cool stuff. I bought my self a Ghana flag, and I went to this awesome store called Global Mama's. It's a fair trade store that sells stuff mainly made by Africa women. I bought a Ghanaian cookbook (so I can cook you all my favorite foods when I get home!), some jewelery, and some other trinkets that I can give as gifts. Friday night I went out to a place called the Purple Pub, which is just a really chill outdoor bar near Osu. Most of the bars in Accra are outside, which is awesome, except for the few occasions that it rains. Ghana doesn't have rainy days like we do in the states- just super intense storms and only last for a little bit. The thunder here is louder than I have ever heard in my life- and the lightning is amazing.
Anyways, a bunch of CIEE people showed up at Purple Pub and it ended up being a really good time! Towards the end of the night, however, I saw a man get hit by a car. As the man was lying in the road, the taxi that hit him just backed up and drove away. That was really horrifying to watch. I was aware that hit-and-runs happen all the time here, but I never expected to see one. I was going to go help the man, but I realized I would have no idea what to do- and then some Ghanaians came to help him, and I figured they would know what to do.
Saturday was a pretty exhausting day. Me and the other intern at my orphanage, Sarah, decided to take the kids to play soccer at the University. We show up, and there are 32 kids (most of whom I have never seen) waiting to play soccer. So, we go get a tro-tro and stuff all of them into just one. Let me tell you, that tro was PACKED, with three kids stacked into one seat. Thankfully, the tro made it there safely and the kids had a pretty good time! Then, Saturday night we had a Purim party (because my roommates are Jewish). On Purim you are supposed to wear costumes, so I broke out my lifeguard bathing suit. It was actually a really fun party with a lot of friends.
Sunday was CIEE olympics at Bojo Beach, so they bused us out there and we had some competition. It was nice spending a day on the beach, and my tan is definitely coming along nicely. I am actually wondering if I will hit a point where I will stop tanning, because I am pretty much will have been in summer weather from January-August.
This weekend I was going to travel with some people to Togo and Benin, but its independence day in Ghana on Saturday, and I think that is something that I do not want to miss!
Okay, I suppose it is time for me to get my homework done. Ghana has made me (and everyone on our program, I think) a serious slacker. There is really very little initiative to put much effort in to school. Also, some of the professors are pretty disrespectful, which has been very frustrating. Peace out!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Hope Community Chapel
Hello everyone!
I just have a quick request from all of you. As you know, I intern at an orphanage. One of my projects is to get the kids covered under the national health care program. Once I get these kids registered, they will have health insurance for life, which will have a huge impact on these kids because health is always an issue at the orphanage. BUT I need your help, because registration is not free. It is very cheap (less than $10 per child, and there are only 15 of them). There is also another girl I intern with who is working on this too. So, if you would like to donate any money to the kids, please let me know. We can work out a system where you can give money to my Mom and she can put it in my account so I can take it out and use it for the project. Thanks everyone!
I just have a quick request from all of you. As you know, I intern at an orphanage. One of my projects is to get the kids covered under the national health care program. Once I get these kids registered, they will have health insurance for life, which will have a huge impact on these kids because health is always an issue at the orphanage. BUT I need your help, because registration is not free. It is very cheap (less than $10 per child, and there are only 15 of them). There is also another girl I intern with who is working on this too. So, if you would like to donate any money to the kids, please let me know. We can work out a system where you can give money to my Mom and she can put it in my account so I can take it out and use it for the project. Thanks everyone!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Weekend in Paradise
So, this weekend five of my friends and I decided that it was time to get away from Accra. We had heard about Green Turtle Lodge, and so we decided to go. We were planning on staying there and then doing a day trip to the stilt village. The trip to the stilt village didn't end up working out because it was a lot farther and more expensive than we anticipated. But, the Green Turtle Lodge was AMAZING. We got up really early to get to the bus station, and we get there and find out that all buses that we need to take (to Takoradi, a city in the Western region) are full until 2:30pm. We were not pleased, so we whipped out a guide book in the middle of the bus station trying to figure out somewhere else we could spend the weekend. The woman selling tickets seemed to feel bad for us because we looked stranded and somehow, 6 seats, right next to each other, on the 9am bus opened up. We have no idea why we couldn't buy those tickets to begin with, very strange, but we ended up being lucky.
When we got to Takoradi we caught a taxi that was going to bring us the next hour and a half to the lodge. Our taxi driver was awesome, him name was Champion and he shoved 6 of us into his taxi (we had to pay a little extra to pay off the police when we made it to the checkpoint). Driving to the Green Turtle was AMAZING. Most of the ride was on dirt roads and through very rural villages on the ocean. Each village we drove through, tons of children just ran after our taxi yelling "obruni, obruni!" I really wanted to stop and get out and play with the kids, but we didn't.
We finally got to the Green Turtle, which was pretty much a beach paradise. We got the last two tents available and spent the rest of the day on the beach. The area was really remote, and there was a village of about 4,500 at the end of the beach called Akwidaa. Another great thing about the lodge was that it was entirely environmentally friendly. They used very little electricity and the toilets were self-composting. There wasn't much too the place, some little huts to stay in, the tents, a bar, showers, and bathrooms. The beach was probably the prettiest one I have seen in my entire life, completely remote and no one trying to sell you stuff (like a lot of the beaches in Accra), white sands and pretty blue water.
The first night we had some great food (stir fry with locally caught swordfish), and then laid under the stars, which were amazing. Trying to sleep in the tent, on the other hand, was terrible. Three of us were jammed into this little tent that was filled with sand, and I felt like I was suffocating. I ended up just going outside and laying on the beach for a while in the middle of the night. The next morning we woke up at 6 to take a canoe ride in a river in Akwidaa. The village was really cool, and the canoes we took seemed really unstable (rocking all over the place, and also filling up with water because there were holes in them), but it was still pretty fun. We saw some cool birds, mangrove trees, and heard some monkeys in the forest. Our guide on the boat was Emmanuel, who was 20 years old, and super nice, he even came to hang out with us at the hotel later.
After the canoe ride we spent the day on the beach relaxing, had an amazing french toast breakfast, and took some pictures. That night we brought our sheets out to the beach and slept on the beach under the stars- which was wonderful. Unfortunately we got woken up at 3:30 because it had started to rain, so we went back to the tents. In the morning we had breakfast and then headed back to Accra. I already miss the beach, and definitely plan on going back to the Green Turtle again.
When we got to Takoradi we caught a taxi that was going to bring us the next hour and a half to the lodge. Our taxi driver was awesome, him name was Champion and he shoved 6 of us into his taxi (we had to pay a little extra to pay off the police when we made it to the checkpoint). Driving to the Green Turtle was AMAZING. Most of the ride was on dirt roads and through very rural villages on the ocean. Each village we drove through, tons of children just ran after our taxi yelling "obruni, obruni!" I really wanted to stop and get out and play with the kids, but we didn't.
We finally got to the Green Turtle, which was pretty much a beach paradise. We got the last two tents available and spent the rest of the day on the beach. The area was really remote, and there was a village of about 4,500 at the end of the beach called Akwidaa. Another great thing about the lodge was that it was entirely environmentally friendly. They used very little electricity and the toilets were self-composting. There wasn't much too the place, some little huts to stay in, the tents, a bar, showers, and bathrooms. The beach was probably the prettiest one I have seen in my entire life, completely remote and no one trying to sell you stuff (like a lot of the beaches in Accra), white sands and pretty blue water.
The first night we had some great food (stir fry with locally caught swordfish), and then laid under the stars, which were amazing. Trying to sleep in the tent, on the other hand, was terrible. Three of us were jammed into this little tent that was filled with sand, and I felt like I was suffocating. I ended up just going outside and laying on the beach for a while in the middle of the night. The next morning we woke up at 6 to take a canoe ride in a river in Akwidaa. The village was really cool, and the canoes we took seemed really unstable (rocking all over the place, and also filling up with water because there were holes in them), but it was still pretty fun. We saw some cool birds, mangrove trees, and heard some monkeys in the forest. Our guide on the boat was Emmanuel, who was 20 years old, and super nice, he even came to hang out with us at the hotel later.
After the canoe ride we spent the day on the beach relaxing, had an amazing french toast breakfast, and took some pictures. That night we brought our sheets out to the beach and slept on the beach under the stars- which was wonderful. Unfortunately we got woken up at 3:30 because it had started to rain, so we went back to the tents. In the morning we had breakfast and then headed back to Accra. I already miss the beach, and definitely plan on going back to the Green Turtle again.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
More about life in Ghana
I figured I would give everyone an update on my daily life in Ghana. It’s strange, because the things that a lot of you would probably be fascinated in hearing seem so normal to me now because I experience it every day. So, I am going to try to fill you all in on some things that are going on in my life, and some more fun facts about Ghana.
I go to class Monday-Thursday, and it is still super boring. The professor just reads directly from their notes and I copy everything down word-for-word. I definitely do not think that I will be learning much in the classroom this semester, but just being in Ghana has already taught me so much.
The men here do not understand the word “no”. I stupidly gave someone my phone number and he proceeded to call me about 3 times a night for 4 days, why didn’t he just get the hint! Also, I continue to get some hilarious pick-up lines. For example, in class on Thursday a student sitting next to me, after a long conversation of me lying to him and telling him that I had a boyfriend, asked if I had ever “tasted a Ghanaian man”…excuse me, WHAT! Very inappropriate, but also hard not to laugh at.
Last night I went to a party, and when I got there I discovered that it was at an orphanage. The party was hosted by a group of Germans who work/live there. Despite the fact that the children were asleep, it still felt a little wrong to be at a party at an orphanage.
Some of the people here have insane internships. One person in our program (who is an international relations major) got an internship at a hospital. On the first day he gave blood transfusions, put in IVS, and stitched up a girl’s bleeding head. He, of course, has gotten a new internship since then, but it is terrifying to think of the standards of medical care in this country. People just assume that anyone in a white lab coat is a doctor, but that is not actually the case.
We are apparently experiencing severe water shortages at my dorm. There is construction on the road right outside my dorm and they keep hitting the pipes that carry water to my building. We have heard a rumor that we will not have a consistent source of water for about a month, or until the construction is done. One thing is for sure; my bucket will never be empty.
Today I went to Makola Market, which I believe is the biggest market in Accra. A lot of people here don’t like the markets, but I have so much fun when I go. There are so many smells and sounds and things to look at, I get a sensory overload. I met some very nice women who work in the market, and even practiced some of my Twi with them, so hopefully I am getting better.
Next weekend I am traveling to a village called Nzulezu, which is completely on stilts in the water. We have to travel to a town called Benyin first, and then take an hour long canoe ride to Nzulezu. I tried to upload pictures from google, but it didn't work...so google it yourself!
I go to class Monday-Thursday, and it is still super boring. The professor just reads directly from their notes and I copy everything down word-for-word. I definitely do not think that I will be learning much in the classroom this semester, but just being in Ghana has already taught me so much.
The men here do not understand the word “no”. I stupidly gave someone my phone number and he proceeded to call me about 3 times a night for 4 days, why didn’t he just get the hint! Also, I continue to get some hilarious pick-up lines. For example, in class on Thursday a student sitting next to me, after a long conversation of me lying to him and telling him that I had a boyfriend, asked if I had ever “tasted a Ghanaian man”…excuse me, WHAT! Very inappropriate, but also hard not to laugh at.
Last night I went to a party, and when I got there I discovered that it was at an orphanage. The party was hosted by a group of Germans who work/live there. Despite the fact that the children were asleep, it still felt a little wrong to be at a party at an orphanage.
Some of the people here have insane internships. One person in our program (who is an international relations major) got an internship at a hospital. On the first day he gave blood transfusions, put in IVS, and stitched up a girl’s bleeding head. He, of course, has gotten a new internship since then, but it is terrifying to think of the standards of medical care in this country. People just assume that anyone in a white lab coat is a doctor, but that is not actually the case.
We are apparently experiencing severe water shortages at my dorm. There is construction on the road right outside my dorm and they keep hitting the pipes that carry water to my building. We have heard a rumor that we will not have a consistent source of water for about a month, or until the construction is done. One thing is for sure; my bucket will never be empty.
Today I went to Makola Market, which I believe is the biggest market in Accra. A lot of people here don’t like the markets, but I have so much fun when I go. There are so many smells and sounds and things to look at, I get a sensory overload. I met some very nice women who work in the market, and even practiced some of my Twi with them, so hopefully I am getting better.
Next weekend I am traveling to a village called Nzulezu, which is completely on stilts in the water. We have to travel to a town called Benyin first, and then take an hour long canoe ride to Nzulezu. I tried to upload pictures from google, but it didn't work...so google it yourself!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Cape Coast
This weekend CIEE took us to Cape Coast, which is about three hours away (give or take a few hours for traffic). We left bright and early at 7:15 am on Saturday and drove to our hotel. Then we got to choose between visiting Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle. Both of them served as departure points for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. I chose Cape Coast Castle, which I believe is the bigger of the two castles, while Elmina is the older one. It was certainly an experience. The castle is white washed, and it does not look like a castle in the way anyone from America would expect, it is more of a fort. It overlooks a beautiful ocean and a beach that has now become what seems like a huge fishing area. There are cannons facing the ocean, used to attack any invaders, and stacks of old cannonballs.
On the tour they took us into the male and female slave dungeons, which was pretty terrifying. These areas were underground, with about three tiny slits in the walls for ventilation. I was feeling claustrophobic with the 20 people on the tour, but there were hundreds of people cramped into these small, almost completely dark, spaces. The punishment cell was even worse because there was no ventilation at all, I was having trouble breathing in there, and there was not a single bit of sunlight. People were sent to this room for about 48 hours with no food, water, or even light, and many people died there. We also went through the door of no return, which was the door that the future slaves walked through to get on the boats to be shipped across the ocean. Basically, being at Cape Coast Castle, you realize how little we are actually educated about the trans-Atlantic slave trade in American schools, there is so much that went on that we really have no idea about.
On Sunday we went to Kakum National Park, which is a rainforest near Cape Coast. We hiked into the rainforest and did the canopy walk, which was really fun. I was expecting the canopy walk to be secure bridges in the rainforest, but that was not really the case. They were more like swinging suspension bridges, walking on just a plank of wood, above the rainforest. There was no way that I could fall out because the ropes went up so high, but it was still pretty terrifying at first. You couldn’t see the ground; all you could see was the tops of the trees. We didn’t see any animals either, but it was still an awesome experience, being on top of a rainforest.
As for life back in Accra, we haven’t had running water for about two days, so I am coping with bucket baths. I am staying in Accra this weekend, hopefully going to Makola market, which is a huge market that I haven’t been to yet. Next weekend I am trying to plan a trip either to a village that is on stilts, but I have no idea where it is, or to a lodge on the beach down the coast a bit.
On the tour they took us into the male and female slave dungeons, which was pretty terrifying. These areas were underground, with about three tiny slits in the walls for ventilation. I was feeling claustrophobic with the 20 people on the tour, but there were hundreds of people cramped into these small, almost completely dark, spaces. The punishment cell was even worse because there was no ventilation at all, I was having trouble breathing in there, and there was not a single bit of sunlight. People were sent to this room for about 48 hours with no food, water, or even light, and many people died there. We also went through the door of no return, which was the door that the future slaves walked through to get on the boats to be shipped across the ocean. Basically, being at Cape Coast Castle, you realize how little we are actually educated about the trans-Atlantic slave trade in American schools, there is so much that went on that we really have no idea about.
On Sunday we went to Kakum National Park, which is a rainforest near Cape Coast. We hiked into the rainforest and did the canopy walk, which was really fun. I was expecting the canopy walk to be secure bridges in the rainforest, but that was not really the case. They were more like swinging suspension bridges, walking on just a plank of wood, above the rainforest. There was no way that I could fall out because the ropes went up so high, but it was still pretty terrifying at first. You couldn’t see the ground; all you could see was the tops of the trees. We didn’t see any animals either, but it was still an awesome experience, being on top of a rainforest.
As for life back in Accra, we haven’t had running water for about two days, so I am coping with bucket baths. I am staying in Accra this weekend, hopefully going to Makola market, which is a huge market that I haven’t been to yet. Next weekend I am trying to plan a trip either to a village that is on stilts, but I have no idea where it is, or to a lodge on the beach down the coast a bit.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Hope Community
Wednesday was the first real day of my internship, and I really do love it. The orphanage houses about 24 boys (I have yet to see all of them), and they also support about 13 girls who live in foster families in the community. I have only met one girl so far, and the ages of the boys range from 6-14. Depending on the week, the kids go to school in either the morning or the afternoons, so I come in when they are actually there. The first day was a little rough because there is no real guidance as to what the interns are supposed to do. It kind of seemed like they threw us in a room with a bunch of kids and told us to just do whatever we wanted. After spending time with each of them I have gotten a bit of a grasp on their skill levels in math and English, so I know who needs help in what. On Wednesday I wrote out a lot of math problems for them to practice. Today the kids had a spelling bee at school, so I helped them practice spelling. The orphanage is run by a man named Pastor Ashley, and he told me that a lot of the kids actually do have parents but they are disabled and can't take care of their kids. I also think that some of the people who work at the orphanage also do outreach work in the community with disabled people.
A random fun fact about Ghana: you do not need a prescription to get medicine at a pharmacy. I have been sick with a pretty bad chest cold, and I just self-medicated myself (with antibiotics and a new inhaler) without actually consulting a doctor here in Accra. I have no idea why it is this way, but it makes things easier for me. But, it is not uncommon to go to a pharmacy and for certain drugs to have run out. For example, I went to two pharmacies two times each in one day just to find the right inhaler for my asthma.
This weekend I am going to the Cape Coast region. We are visiting Cape Coast Castle, which was used as a shipping point in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, so it should be interesting. I am also going to Kakum National Park, where there is some sort of rainforest canopy skywalk which should be awesome. That's all for now, miss you all!
A random fun fact about Ghana: you do not need a prescription to get medicine at a pharmacy. I have been sick with a pretty bad chest cold, and I just self-medicated myself (with antibiotics and a new inhaler) without actually consulting a doctor here in Accra. I have no idea why it is this way, but it makes things easier for me. But, it is not uncommon to go to a pharmacy and for certain drugs to have run out. For example, I went to two pharmacies two times each in one day just to find the right inhaler for my asthma.
This weekend I am going to the Cape Coast region. We are visiting Cape Coast Castle, which was used as a shipping point in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, so it should be interesting. I am also going to Kakum National Park, where there is some sort of rainforest canopy skywalk which should be awesome. That's all for now, miss you all!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The night I fell in a gutter
So, last night I sustained my first real injury in Ghana. I was going out with some friends to a birthday party and we got lost so we were all standing out in the street trying to figure out where we needed to go. A quick explanation about the gutters here: they are essentially giant concrete open-air drainpipes that collect all sorts of water, trash, mud, etc that run the length of most roads. They generally smell bad, and vary in size and depth, and contents. We constantly have to step over them in order to cross the road, and I thought I had been getting more aware of my surroundings.
Continuing on with the story. My friend who was driving, ended up driving his car into a gutter, which I thought was funny. So, I turned around to laugh, and I started walking backwards. Well, I ended up walking backwards straight into a gutter. I caught myself before I completely fell in, but this was a very deep gutter. If I had fallen in all the way, it probably would have been chest deep. Also, this was not a clean gutter, it was full of sewage (hopefully not human waste). I ended up seriously cutting my little toe and foot, and bruising my knee. Also, I am pretty certain that my little toe is actually broken.
We finally got to the party and I washed out my toe, and luckily someone had a band-aid so that I could cover it. When I got back to my dorm I cleaned it out even more, because I have absolutely no idea what was in that gutter and what effect it might have on my body. I have been limping around all day, but there isn't really anything that I can do for a broken toe. So, I will just have to deal with it until it heals.
Other than that, I am dealing with some other health issues, I think I have bronchitis. I started antibiotics today, so I should be getting better in a few days, I hope. Besides that, everything else is swell!
Continuing on with the story. My friend who was driving, ended up driving his car into a gutter, which I thought was funny. So, I turned around to laugh, and I started walking backwards. Well, I ended up walking backwards straight into a gutter. I caught myself before I completely fell in, but this was a very deep gutter. If I had fallen in all the way, it probably would have been chest deep. Also, this was not a clean gutter, it was full of sewage (hopefully not human waste). I ended up seriously cutting my little toe and foot, and bruising my knee. Also, I am pretty certain that my little toe is actually broken.
We finally got to the party and I washed out my toe, and luckily someone had a band-aid so that I could cover it. When I got back to my dorm I cleaned it out even more, because I have absolutely no idea what was in that gutter and what effect it might have on my body. I have been limping around all day, but there isn't really anything that I can do for a broken toe. So, I will just have to deal with it until it heals.
Other than that, I am dealing with some other health issues, I think I have bronchitis. I started antibiotics today, so I should be getting better in a few days, I hope. Besides that, everything else is swell!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Health care, Classes, and Football
So this was my first week of real classes, and I think I have finally figured out which classes I will be taking. They are: Population and Development, Issues in International Relations in Africa, Economic and Political Reform and Democracy in Africa, and African Drumming. As far as I can tell, they will be decent classes. I have one class per day Monday-Thursday (only 2 hour classes) and then no classes on Friday. One of the more frustrating things is that many of the books required for readings are not really available, or there is only one copy in all of Accra, which means I have to go to the library and read it all there, or make copies. Among other things, I found out where I will be interning, Hope Orphanage. I am going there for the first time tomorrow morning, but I have been told that I will be tutoring the kids in English and Math, and also working on a project to get all of the children under a health care plan.
I also got sick this week. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but I figured that when I did get sick it would be a stomach issue. Not the case, it seems that I have a chest cold of sorts. A few people in my building had similar symptoms as me, and they went to the hospital and got prescribed medicine, so I figured I would go and get myself checked out in case it was something more serious. Well, I got to the University hospital across the street, only to be turned away and sent to the on-campus clinic. I got to the clinic and preceded to wait in line for two hours in order to be seen by a doctor. When I finally got to see the doctor, I described what was wrong with me. This doctor (if she even was a real doctor) did not even touch me. She didn't look down my throat, take my temperature, or listen to my breathing. She simply prescribed me pain killers, allergy medicine, and Vitamin C pills. I have yet to take any of the medicine she gave me, and I will not be returning to that clinic if I get sick again. Needless to say, there is definitely a shortage of qualified doctors in this country.
Finally, the African Cup of Nations is going on right now, which is a continent wide football (soccer) tournament being played in Angola. And, exciting news, Ghana made it to the finals! I just watched the end of the Ghana v. Nigeria game, and Ghana won 1-0. No matter where you are, whether or not you are near a TV, you always know when Ghana scores a goal because EVERYONE starts screaming. When Ghana won, the city pretty much exploded. People were running around with their flags, cars were honking their horns, and one car (trying to make noise) crashed into the gutter. I don't know when the final game is, but we are playing either Egypt or Algeria- and I can't wait!
I also got sick this week. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, but I figured that when I did get sick it would be a stomach issue. Not the case, it seems that I have a chest cold of sorts. A few people in my building had similar symptoms as me, and they went to the hospital and got prescribed medicine, so I figured I would go and get myself checked out in case it was something more serious. Well, I got to the University hospital across the street, only to be turned away and sent to the on-campus clinic. I got to the clinic and preceded to wait in line for two hours in order to be seen by a doctor. When I finally got to see the doctor, I described what was wrong with me. This doctor (if she even was a real doctor) did not even touch me. She didn't look down my throat, take my temperature, or listen to my breathing. She simply prescribed me pain killers, allergy medicine, and Vitamin C pills. I have yet to take any of the medicine she gave me, and I will not be returning to that clinic if I get sick again. Needless to say, there is definitely a shortage of qualified doctors in this country.
Finally, the African Cup of Nations is going on right now, which is a continent wide football (soccer) tournament being played in Angola. And, exciting news, Ghana made it to the finals! I just watched the end of the Ghana v. Nigeria game, and Ghana won 1-0. No matter where you are, whether or not you are near a TV, you always know when Ghana scores a goal because EVERYONE starts screaming. When Ghana won, the city pretty much exploded. People were running around with their flags, cars were honking their horns, and one car (trying to make noise) crashed into the gutter. I don't know when the final game is, but we are playing either Egypt or Algeria- and I can't wait!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Accra
I was talking to my parents last night and they said something that was very true. The pictures that I have posted do not really show what Accra is actually like. Sure, I have taken pictures of the beach or Aburi Gardens, but downtown Accra? So, until I get some pictures I figured that I can tell you what it is really like here. Ghana is supposed to be the "rising star" of Africa, and I have noticed that it is a bit more developed than Zambia. But, I still feel like I am in the developing world every single day. There is a ton of traffic, the air is full of exhaust, and there are people everywhere. The roads are full of potholes, and the sidewalks are not much better (if there are sidewalks). Many of the time, there is no real distinction between where pedestrians are supposed to walk and where cars are supposed to drive, so I often find myself within inches of being hit by a car. The sewers are usually not covered, so there are giant holes in the ground that you have to watch out for (I am convinced that I am going to fall into one eventually). Because of these open air gutters/sewers, the smell in Accra is not very pleasant, basically a mix between sewage, garbage, and body odor. People also tend to burn their trash piles, which does not seem very environmentally friendly to me. Not as many people beg for money as did in Zambia, but the unemployment rate is still very high, 25%. At an street corner there are people selling a variety of things, from cell phone minutes, to food, to shoes or bras. I believe there is a community of women in Accra who are from Niger, and they tend to stand on the street and send their children out to beg for money, which is always heartbreaking. So, Ghana is not just beaches and gardens and resort hotels. Poverty and underdevelopment is very much present, which makes for a challenging life. However, these challenges are really the reason that I decided to come to Ghana in the first place, and it makes every day an adventure.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Classes (or lack thereof)
So, I am nearing two weeks in Ghana, and classes started Monday. Or, so they told us. I registered for all my classes last week and expected them to start on Monday. However, that is not really the case. Registration continues all week, and many of the Ghanaian students are not even here yet. Therefore, the professors feel no need to show up for class because no one comes. So far, I have been to three classes and no professor has shown up. As a student from America, paying a lot of money to have my professors show up to class, I find this very frustrating. But, when in Ghana, do as the Ghanaians do. So, I will continue to go to class this week, and I will probably not see any professors, oh well. Among other things:
I took my first bucket bath the other night (no water, again). It really wasn't that bad, I felt totally clean after. However, it is a little tricky washing your hair haha.
I hand-washed my clothes for the first time too. Now, this was a lot more difficult than I expected. You essentially buy a bar of laundry soap and a brush and you have to scrub your clothes in one bucket, rinse them out in the sink or shower, wring them out, and then hang them on the clothesline. Let me tell you, it was a serious work out. I was sweating profusely and my back was killing me from bending over the bucket. I need to manage my laundry and just do a few articles of clothing at a time, 2-3 times a week. Also, because of the humidity, it takes about two days for your clothes to dry, so you really have to plan it out.
There are so many lizards here. I would say that they are the equivalence of squirrels in America.
We got a fridge for our room, however, it seems to have only one setting...frozen. EVERYTHING is frozen solid.
I am learning Twi (a local language). Here are a few words/phrases:
Ete sen? (How are you?)
Eye (good)
Na wo nso e (and you too?)
It is a really tricky language because you can't necessarily sound things out, for example Twi is actually pronounced something like Chwi. There are also words that have multiple meanings, and depending on how you say them or in what context, you are supposed to know what they mean. But to me, all the pronunciations usually sound exactly the same. For example, Papa can mean father, good, or hand-fan. I have a test tomorrow, should be interesting.
I went to the beach on Sunday and it was really nice! A few of us managed the tro-tros all by ourselves (well, with the help of some nice Ghanaians). There were a lot of hecklers and people trying to sell us stuff, but the weather was beautiful and the water was warm. Definitely not like the beaches in America (there was a lot of trash in the water), but still a nice way to escape from the heat.
The fruit is delicious here. You can buy a full pineapple and have it cut up for less than $1. I don't think I will be able to eat the pineapples in America after tasting the ones here.
That's all for now! More updates to come later.
I took my first bucket bath the other night (no water, again). It really wasn't that bad, I felt totally clean after. However, it is a little tricky washing your hair haha.
I hand-washed my clothes for the first time too. Now, this was a lot more difficult than I expected. You essentially buy a bar of laundry soap and a brush and you have to scrub your clothes in one bucket, rinse them out in the sink or shower, wring them out, and then hang them on the clothesline. Let me tell you, it was a serious work out. I was sweating profusely and my back was killing me from bending over the bucket. I need to manage my laundry and just do a few articles of clothing at a time, 2-3 times a week. Also, because of the humidity, it takes about two days for your clothes to dry, so you really have to plan it out.
There are so many lizards here. I would say that they are the equivalence of squirrels in America.
We got a fridge for our room, however, it seems to have only one setting...frozen. EVERYTHING is frozen solid.
I am learning Twi (a local language). Here are a few words/phrases:
Ete sen? (How are you?)
Eye (good)
Na wo nso e (and you too?)
It is a really tricky language because you can't necessarily sound things out, for example Twi is actually pronounced something like Chwi. There are also words that have multiple meanings, and depending on how you say them or in what context, you are supposed to know what they mean. But to me, all the pronunciations usually sound exactly the same. For example, Papa can mean father, good, or hand-fan. I have a test tomorrow, should be interesting.
I went to the beach on Sunday and it was really nice! A few of us managed the tro-tros all by ourselves (well, with the help of some nice Ghanaians). There were a lot of hecklers and people trying to sell us stuff, but the weather was beautiful and the water was warm. Definitely not like the beaches in America (there was a lot of trash in the water), but still a nice way to escape from the heat.
The fruit is delicious here. You can buy a full pineapple and have it cut up for less than $1. I don't think I will be able to eat the pineapples in America after tasting the ones here.
That's all for now! More updates to come later.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Earthquake!
Just kidding, there wasn't really an earthquake...BUT there were rumors of one. At about 4 am this morning, someone started pounding on my door. I was told not to open the door in the middle of the night, so I was afraid it was someone coming to murder me. But, it was my suite-mate telling me that an earthquake was coming so we needed to evacuate the building. Now, the idea of an earthquake seemed pretty horrifying to me, especially after reading about what is going on in Haiti right now, so I booked it out of my room. Well, after sitting outside for about 45 minutes waiting for an earthquake, we found out that it was just a rumor. What kind of sick person spreads a rumor about a natural disaster coming?! Needless to say, life in Ghana is always full of surprises.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Akwaaba Ghana
I decided to make a blog so that I could record my next four months in the lovely country of Ghana. Since I have been here for 8 days, I can't possibly say everything that I have done in one blog post- but I will fill everyone in on the basics.
I am attending the University of Ghana in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The university has over 30,000 students and it is HUGE. I am used to tiny little American, so walking 30 minutes to class is an adjustment for me. I am living in a dorm that is suite style- so there are three rooms (2 people in each) with a common room, a kitchen (but the kitchen is just some counters and a sink), and two bathrooms (that occasionally lose water). My roommate and two of my other suite-mates are from the program that I am on, and apparently two Ghanaian girls are moving in too. The building that I am in has a good amount of Ghanaian students, so I hope to make some friends!
I am taking 16 credits while I am here, but I have not decided which classes I am taking. Because of the way that registration is set up, it is smart to sign up for more classes than you can actually take because the times of the classes are not always up when you register. So far, I know I am taking an internship for credit, a Twi class (the local language), and African drumming.
There is a lot to do here, but it requires a knowledge of the public transportation system. The cheapest way to get around is by tro-tro, which is a type of mini-van that takes you pretty much anywhere in the city for less than 50 cents. But, it is SO confusing because I usually have no idea where I am going in the first place, and you don't really know the stops when you get onto a tro-tro. So, i am trying to figure it out- I plan on being a pro by the time that I leave Ghana.
Culturally, Ghana is a big adjustment, but definitely in a good way. First of all, everyone is super friendly, and it is very important to say hello to people that you plan on needing help from, because if you ignore them, they will ignore you right back. Also, shaking hands is really important- and they have a special handshake that involves a snap, and I am still trying to figure that out. Everything here is very slow-moving, and there is no point in making a checklist because you won't get everything you need to done in one day. The weather is HOT, in the 90s every day. It would be slightly bearable, except the humidity is like nothing I have ever experienced. I have already gotten used to being covered in sweat all day every day. I also have to get used to being called an "obruni", which means white person or foreigner. You hear it pretty much everywhere you go, and its not necessarily considered offensive- they are simply pointing out a fact. Also, women are constantly cat-called by men, which is flattering at first (I got called an empress twice in a day), but it also gets annoying.
As far as what I have been doing since I got here, I will fill everyone in! The first few days I was in a hotel just doing orientation stuff. On Sunday (a week ago) I moved into my dorm at the University. On Wednesday, orientation started, so I ran around trying to sign up for some classes. On Thursday we took a field trip to the first cocoa farm in Ghana, a wood carving village, and Aburi Gardens. The cocoa farm was really cool, they let us taste the inside of a cocoa bean and its tastes like a fruit, I have no idea how they make chocolate out of it. The wood carving village was also really awesome. It is basically a line of shacks along a street, and each wood carver has their own little hut where they sell their goods. It was absolutely amazing woodwork, and some of the carvers were really young, I bought some stuff from a 15 year old boy! Aburi Gardens is just a huge garden with lots of trees and different types of spices. We got to smell Allspice, Cinnamon, and a bunch of other ones. It was nice to get out of the city for a day too, because the air in the city is so heavy, dusty, and full of exhaust fumes (which does not feel good on my lungs).
That is about all that I have for now- it's getting late and I start class tomorrow at 9:30. I am having a great time, and I know that I am going to fall in love with Ghana during my time here.
I am attending the University of Ghana in Accra, the capital of Ghana. The university has over 30,000 students and it is HUGE. I am used to tiny little American, so walking 30 minutes to class is an adjustment for me. I am living in a dorm that is suite style- so there are three rooms (2 people in each) with a common room, a kitchen (but the kitchen is just some counters and a sink), and two bathrooms (that occasionally lose water). My roommate and two of my other suite-mates are from the program that I am on, and apparently two Ghanaian girls are moving in too. The building that I am in has a good amount of Ghanaian students, so I hope to make some friends!
I am taking 16 credits while I am here, but I have not decided which classes I am taking. Because of the way that registration is set up, it is smart to sign up for more classes than you can actually take because the times of the classes are not always up when you register. So far, I know I am taking an internship for credit, a Twi class (the local language), and African drumming.
There is a lot to do here, but it requires a knowledge of the public transportation system. The cheapest way to get around is by tro-tro, which is a type of mini-van that takes you pretty much anywhere in the city for less than 50 cents. But, it is SO confusing because I usually have no idea where I am going in the first place, and you don't really know the stops when you get onto a tro-tro. So, i am trying to figure it out- I plan on being a pro by the time that I leave Ghana.
Culturally, Ghana is a big adjustment, but definitely in a good way. First of all, everyone is super friendly, and it is very important to say hello to people that you plan on needing help from, because if you ignore them, they will ignore you right back. Also, shaking hands is really important- and they have a special handshake that involves a snap, and I am still trying to figure that out. Everything here is very slow-moving, and there is no point in making a checklist because you won't get everything you need to done in one day. The weather is HOT, in the 90s every day. It would be slightly bearable, except the humidity is like nothing I have ever experienced. I have already gotten used to being covered in sweat all day every day. I also have to get used to being called an "obruni", which means white person or foreigner. You hear it pretty much everywhere you go, and its not necessarily considered offensive- they are simply pointing out a fact. Also, women are constantly cat-called by men, which is flattering at first (I got called an empress twice in a day), but it also gets annoying.
As far as what I have been doing since I got here, I will fill everyone in! The first few days I was in a hotel just doing orientation stuff. On Sunday (a week ago) I moved into my dorm at the University. On Wednesday, orientation started, so I ran around trying to sign up for some classes. On Thursday we took a field trip to the first cocoa farm in Ghana, a wood carving village, and Aburi Gardens. The cocoa farm was really cool, they let us taste the inside of a cocoa bean and its tastes like a fruit, I have no idea how they make chocolate out of it. The wood carving village was also really awesome. It is basically a line of shacks along a street, and each wood carver has their own little hut where they sell their goods. It was absolutely amazing woodwork, and some of the carvers were really young, I bought some stuff from a 15 year old boy! Aburi Gardens is just a huge garden with lots of trees and different types of spices. We got to smell Allspice, Cinnamon, and a bunch of other ones. It was nice to get out of the city for a day too, because the air in the city is so heavy, dusty, and full of exhaust fumes (which does not feel good on my lungs).
That is about all that I have for now- it's getting late and I start class tomorrow at 9:30. I am having a great time, and I know that I am going to fall in love with Ghana during my time here.
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