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.