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.