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!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)