Daily Life
I got to try another new food today called bofrot. It is made of sugar, flower, and it is fried very similar to a donut, but less sweet.
Some details about my daily life that I feel people should know:
1. The ground is made of red clay and everywhere we walk we get filthy with red dust. Our shoes are all falling apart; we need to buy new ones constantly. The roads are uneven and it is difficult to walk without tripping. Not only are our shoes ruined, but most of us have feet that are all torn up. My feet are always full of cuts and bruises and dirty beyond belief.
2. The bathroom situation is sketchy and finding somewhere to use the washroom is always a challenge. On campus the washrooms are always locked so you first need to find the person with the key and then if you don’t have hand soap and toilet paper you are out of luck. But this is not the big issue. The issues emerge when you are off campus. On the way to Cape Coast our director said let me know if you need to stop to use the washroom, we will pull over and you can do nature outside. Also when we travel and stop at rest stops you have to pay 30 peswas to use the female urinal, which translates to smelly hole with no door. People are just expected not to look and if someone does everyone around scolds them. This only pertains to women because everywhere you go you will witness men using the Earth as their personal toilet. The gutters are a fine place to relieve yourself and it is perfectly acceptable to go wherever you please. I have never seen so many men in full before in my life.
3. Breastfeeding is the norm here and everywhere you go whether on a trotro or buying something at the market women will just be sitting there with one breast out trying to get a child to simmer down. I had an entire conversation with a woman with her breast out not anywhere near the mouth of her child.
4. Women never wear shorts here, they always cover their legs with jeans or where skirts and dresses to their knees. Men do not wear shorts either they wear pants about 60% of the time and jeans the remainder of the time. And about 99% of the men wear collared shirts everyday; they never wear workout clothes or plain t-shirts. Although when the electricity is out you will witness men wearing football outfits that have matching shirts and shorts because they are unable to iron their shirts so they refuse to wear them.
5. There are signs on almost every wall that say Please don’t urinate here, which is quite entertaining due to the fact that the signs are always ignored.
6. Ghanaian men (not all of them just the few I have addressed the issue with) like to date American women because not only are they easy, but they are also cheap. When they date Ghanaians they have to take them out, buy them clothes, and food. However, when they get with Americans they are just willing to go straight to at least kissing with no cost incurred to the men.
7. The villages are so impoverished; the families wash their bodies, their clothes, and drink from the same body of water. The way that the people find settlement is by looking for a water source and when they find one that can be sustained they build houses there. Some of the families live a good distance from the only source of water, so they are forced to walk a long way before they reach an essential part of their daily living, the water. The houses are made of clay and almost completely bare inside. The kids never have shoes and rarely have sufficient clothes. They eat off the floor and beg you every time they see you. They get so excited when they can see themselves on the camera and they love to just get the opportunity to hold the hand of the white people walking through. I look at the families and am petrified for the future of the young children. I am not sure if there is hope for their futures, knowing that the only schooling they receive is from teachers who are not certified and they are teaching the entire village in one room. How can they ever strive and be successfully if there are no opportunities available for them. The old women sit in front of their homes and cook all day just to feed their many children, the fathers walk on the streets in hopes of selling some materials or food to the cars passing buy, but the families will remain in the poor villages for years to come. When their homes crumble because of the weather conditions the families are forced to start over and reconstruct their homes. It is incredible how homes are so replaceable and the family values are so strong. With all of the poverty the love in the communities still remains. Each day I wonder what needs to be done in Africa in order to make it prosper. The land has potential, there are natural resources and oil and the people have the will power and the intelligence. Despite all of those aspects leadership is missing and a government system that suits the needs of the people. I am not sure what can be done to improve the conditions, but something needs to be done soon in order to allow for good people to live the lives they deserve.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – February 17- 20 2011
This weekend we traveled to Mole, the journey was long about twenty hours and we hit several bumps in the road- quite literally. The street conditions in Accra are heavenly in comparison to the conditions of the roads up North. Mole is the biggest National Park in Ghana and it is located about twenty hours North of Accra the capital city. Our journey began at five thirty on Thursday morning; we left campus waited for about thirty minutes for a trotro that we were never able to get on. We decided to take taxis to avoid being late; however, when we arrived we soon learn that the STC bus that we had bought tickets to leave for at 8 would not leave until around 9:30. This estimate was quite accurate. While we were waiting I met the cutest little boy who came up to me and scooted onto my lap. It was shocked that he was so comfortable with me. I had to leave to attempt to find a stand that sold cell phones because mine had broken two days before when the power went out and I was using the light to finish my laundry. The phone fell in the water and got ruined. I handed the little boy to my friend and went off to find the cell phones. In about twenty seconds the little boy was grabbing my hand in an attempt to walk with me. I asked Kayla why she didn’t keep him and she said he jumped off her lap and ran to me. I decided to bring the little boy with me, we bought a phone and when we returned his mom came over and brought him on a bus. We again saw the boy while I was walking to the washroom and he ran up to my and jumped up, his mom had to carry him away from me it was the cutest thing.
We finally made our way onto an agonizingly hot bus that we soon learned had assigned seats. When we were directed to the correct area we made ourselves comfortable, as comfortable as we could be with our baggage under our feet and no air conditioning or breeze to keep us cool. Once the bus got turned on we discovered the luxury of air conditioning and we had great hope for the adventure we were about to embark on. Our dreams were crushed about twenty minutes later when we departed and a small TV screen turned on. The entire bus was infiltrated with roaring Nigerians that were characters on a soap opera that we would watch for the entire leg of the journey. Additionally, the air was on so high we were all freezing and did not bring proper entire to keep us warm. Our journey lasted for about fifteen hours, were we spent the night in Tamale. On our journey we stopped at “rest stops” where we could get over priced food and use the washroom (a hole) for twenty to thirty peswas. We survived on crackers and bread the entire way up and when we arrived it was just about eleven thirty.
Luckily we found a man that was available to help us find our way to a nearby hostel that we could spend the night in. We were all exhausted so we told him to point us to the nearest location. We had preselected the hotel from the guidebook, but we were unable to make reservations because apparently that doesn’t exist here. On our long walk to the hostel Caesar the man who not only pointed us in the right direction, who actually physically walked us to the residence we would be sleeping at informed us that the hostel is in fact a night club and a brothel. We made the decision to stay there anyway since there were seven of us and we would have a hostel all to ourselves. Unfortunately, when we arrived we were surprised to find out that there were no beds available and we would need to try a different location. Caesar once again led us to a new hostel, this time we had to follow him down a dark alley that looked to be deserted. Many of the girls were worried so they stayed back. He was extremely offended that after he has taken his time up to be nice and show us around we would accuse him of doing something wrong. In the end he got over his anger and the girls got over their fear and we proceeded to the main road where we got a taxi. Caesar hailed us taxis and we said goodbye and thank you for all of his generous help. However, Caesar had different plans, he replied “oh no I will come with you”. He jumped in the taxi and we were off, with some fear in our heads. We traveled to three more hostels until we made the joined decision that we would attempt our last resort. The guidebook said that the final Central Hostel was located through windy dark roads and is difficult to locate. But we were out of options and all we wanted to do was sleep. We got in another taxi and found our way to the last location where we were able to find lodging for ten cedis each. Although by the time we arrived we only slept two short hours before we had to be up at four AM to get to the bus station in time to get tickets to Wa.
The hostel was filthy; the sheet on the bed looked as if it hadn’t been washed in months, and when you used the sink the water would spill straight out of the bottom. Not only water, but also the soap we used, and anything else that passed through the pipes. We were not given toilet paper and the fan made so many different noises it was hard to sleep. There was a TV, but it did not turn on and we were to exhausted to know the difference. We did make it to the bus station in time to get tickets although the process was more difficult than predicted. Luckily a man was extremely helpful and found us when it was time to sell tickets, so we were the first seven tickets sold and we were able to get on the bus with minimal pushing and screaming. This bus, run by Mega Mass, does not have air conditioning and the seats are much closer together allowing for more people to fit into a smaller area. However, we would soon learn that the bus would go quick enough to make us freeze while the sun was still down and the wind gusted in through the broken window we were sitting behind. Also the dust would whip through the bus and blow into our faces and noses, making it a difficult journey for those with allergies. Fortunately, this bus ride was only four hours long and we would arrive in Larabanga by around ten AM.
As our guidebook predicted immediately after exiting the bus we were bombarded by people and harassed from every direction. The oldest Mosque in Ghana is located in Larabanga and kids were walking around trying to convince us to go and see it with them as tour guides for a small fee. We were informed before arriving that there is actually no fee for seeing the mosque, but a donation could be made to go towards the community if we so wished. So we denied all of the requests form the students and made the wonderful decision to walk the ninety minutes to Mole National Park. We had two options; either we road on motor bikes for four cedis each or we walked 6 km up the dirt road. We chose the latter not only because of the overpricing of the motorbikes, but also because we had been idle for so many hours, we were in need of some exercise. We were in the park by eleven thirty, we secured one hostel where four of us stayed and one hotel room where the remaining three slept, and ordered lunch that would be served in about three hours. We changed into our bathing suits and swam in the dirtiest pool I have ever been in and just relaxed until around 3 when we would leave for a walking safari. While we were eating lunch monkeys jumped up on the table and started stealing the mangos and pineapples, they were adorable with babies clinging to their bellies.
We ventured off to the tour where we would be guided by an armed guide. Although he was not as personable as Samuel, our tour guide in the Rainforest, he was superb at spotting animals. We were able to see every animal that is possible on the walking tour. First we saw kob antelope, then crocodiles, bush antelope, green monkeys, baboons, and warthogs. The hike took about two hours and we retuned greatly satisfied. For the first time in Ghana it was mandatory to tip because Mole is one of the largest tourist areas in Ghana. We returned to the pool where we had placed an order at three, before we left for the tour, to be served at seven for dinner. Three of us decided to go over to the canteen, which is the restaurant that is used for the staff to get dinner as opposed to the over priced restaurant food. When we arrived we quickly learned that the word restaurant is an over statement, it was more of a stall that sold rice, banku, and fufu. We ordered rice, beans, and chicken and the woman told us it would be a while because they needed to go buy a chicken to cook! They were going to go to the market and get a live chicken to kill and cook for us to eat. We opted against chicken and just got rice and beans and called it a meal.
The next day we woke up for the seven o’clock driving tour that was phenomenal. We were permitted to sit on the roof of the car while we drove through the safari and we saw a gigantic elephant that sadly only had one tusk. Then we saw a herd of six elephants that was made up of females and babies. However, we were not allowed to get off of the car to get a closer look at the herd because the females are not friendly and could easily attack. We caught a glimpse of many different types of antelope from relatively small species to humungous ones. At one point an entire pack crossed right in front of us. The tour was excellent and the driver was kind enough to take us to Larabanga after the tour, so we could visit the mosque. We had obtained a phone number for a nice young boy who was willing to tour us through the village and allow us to take photos with the mosque. We arrived at around eleven and our tour began by visiting the dump – the local water source is known as the dump. There were families bathing, some washing clothes, children playing, and women collecting water that they stored on their heads to carry back to their huts. Everyone was kind and the children all begged for us to take their photos so they could see themselves, some of them for the first time. A simple gesture of giving them a pen or taking a photo with them makes them all so happy; the look on their faces is indescribable and certainly priceless. Although some of the moms came up to us and yelled at us for giving young children pens, when they aren’t in school and they have older children that have nothing to write with and need them more. By that time we were all out of writing utensils so there was nothing we could do.
We were able to go into the community and taste gari, which is ground up cassava, it did not taste great but it was an interesting experience. The kids really seemed to like it; it is widely used to feed children because it can be cooked in a variety of ways. We were able to see the entire village from the roofs of the hut that we climbed up. The locals sleep on the roofs when it gets to hot because the breeze is stronger where there are no huts to block it. We learned how the huts are build and we saw how the locals cook food. We witnessed children playing amongst themselves banging on things in a rhythmic way while others danced in circles. We found out that on the seventh day of a child’s life their faces are cut to indicate when tribe they are from and black lines are worn under their eyes to help them with their eye site. We were also informed how the houses are marked on the outside to indicate the birth dates of the family members and we were shown how the goats are marked to ensure that the community knows whom they belong to. We saw the small school building where all of the children in the tribe go to learn by teachers who are neither qualified nor certified. The village was similar to those that we passed on our travel North, but it was mind boggling to witness the atrocious conditions so close up and to touch the hands of the dirty children who are striving to learn English and become educated when all of the odds are against them. I wanted so badly to stay in the community and do what I could to help, but our tour was coming to an end. We were able to donate but nothing we gave would be able to change the circumstances the families are forced to live with.
Later on in the day we went for a canoe tour in Magnori, one of three eco friendly environments in Ghana. We were under the impression that we would be canoeing through a safari, which would take place on the White Volta. In reality two individuals paddles us down the river and through the safari. It was interesting nonetheless, but there were many bugs and I got eaten alive. We did get to see a beautiful Wedding Bird and three different species of a different type of bird that were extremely colorful. At Magnori we also went on a short tour where we saw the Chief of the village and once again witnessed women cooking gari and cassava while there children picked at the finished product. We went inside the palace of the Chief, which was quite small and not decorated the way in which you might assume. After our adventures in the village we left the eco village and went back to Mole Restaurant. The park is government ran so there is only one hotel that you can stay in because there are no other facilities available. This results in minimal accommodations, terrible facilities, and high prices. We did not have water the entire time we stayed at the hotel and the water reserve was questionable, but we made the best of the stay with few complaints. All in all the trip was amazing, we greatly enjoyed ourselves and we would return again instantly if we were given another opportunity to do so.
We headed out on Sunday morning at four am and we arrived in Tamale before ten o’clock. We immediately got on another bus that was headed to Kumasi and it was here that the trip from hell began. We were in the last row of the bus, squished in like sardines. Sitting next to us was a man that had two live chickens in a box on his lap and the lack of air conditioning, space, and ventilation was a terrible combination. We were all tired and hungry, but to compressed to eat and to sweaty to sleep. There is nothing we could do, but try an entertain ourselves. We played every game we could think of and when we got board we just sat with some people leaning forward and some back to try and get some space between our legs and arms that were constantly swapping sweat with the appendages closest to them. When we finally got off that bus everyone was so frustrated and no one was in the mood to get on another bus, but we had no choice. We were forced into a taxi that brought us to an Accra cross stop and men picked up our things and brought them to a bus unbeknownst to us. We were again pulled and pushed like animals in different directions until we made a decision about which bus to get onto. The mate told us that the bus had air conditioning, but as we suspected it did not. When we finally made it back to Accra we were all ready to pass out and never wake up again. The first thing I did was hop in the shower and just stand there for about fifteen minutes, letting the cold water pour over me so I could cool down. I was so thankful that the water was on because upon arrival we discovered that there had been no sign of water all day. After my shower I climbed into bed and fell asleep right away.
Monday, February 21, 2011
I woke up early this morning at around eight o’clock with no difficulties. We have been getting up so early lately that eight almost seemed late, I never thought my body would adjust to waking up early, but I have been proven wrong. I started my laundry right away because my clothes from mole were so disgusting after hiking through swamp areas and sweating profusely in different transportation vehicles. I also had plenty of laundry to do from the beginning of the week. It took me over four hours to finish all of my clothes and in the end I had five bloody fingers. I was told earlier on that when you have bloody knuckles you know you are washing your clothes correctly, so although my fingers hurt terribly I was proud of myself for improving in my washing skills. I had Twi class, I went to dance, and did nothing else for the remainder of the day.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, February 22-24, 2011
Nothing very eventful has happened, I haven’t been going out as much in an attempt to become closer with my roommate and other Ghanaians. My roommate took me to the market to get a dress made for the wedding I am attending in a few weeks and I went to salsa lessons that were only a half hour long and to basic for me to get much out of them. I am going to go again next week and do the more advanced class so hopefully it will help me to improve my skills. I also had my internship for the first time and I really liked it. It is Women in Law, so it will be helpful for my field and I should get a better handle of the law system within Ghana.
It torrential down poured on Wednesday and the boys had a blast slip and sliding in the hallways on the bare floors. Thankfully the power only went out for a short while and cell phone service was only slowed down, but not brought to a halt. Pieces of the roof starting breaking off and landing in the grass in the center of the dorms and my room and many others were flooded. It typically doesn’t rain that hard in Ghana so the gutter system does not work adequately during the few times rain does pour down for hours.
I have several goals while I am here one of them is to make true friends that I will stay in touch with when I get home and they must be Ghanaian. I am working very hard at achieving this goal and I have definitely taken strides in the right direction. I have the nicest roommate and she has been so sweet and helpfully every time I ask her for something. We have begun to get closer and not allowing myself to go out every night has helped because I am able to wake up earlier and see her more often. This morning we both woke up at around seven thirty and did our laundry until it was time for me to leave for my internship and I hope to spend more time with her this weekend because I will not be traveling.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Weekend at Cape Coast
Saturday, Sunday, Monday- February 12, 13, and 14 2011
Cape Coast
This weekend we took a five-hour trip west of Accra to Cape Coast, which was absolutely beautiful. We had to be up at eight so we were exhausted because we didn’t get to bed until after five. I am so glad that I have gotten used to the heat because I was able to sleep for all three hours without waking up sweating halfway through the night. Although I still sweat constantly it doesn’t faze me unless it is extremely hot with the sun beaming down on us.
We slept most of the way to the coast, but when we got closer I made sure to stay awake to admire the view. It was gorgeous with palm trees all along the coast, but on the opposite side there were small houses made of just clay. Many of the homes were falling apart and the area was so impoverished. We were informed that Cape Coast is the largest tourist area in Ghana and the cost of surviving there is as high as Accra, which is the capitol. However it is one of the poorest towns in Ghana. The way in which the people live is mind boggling when considering that we stayed in a hotel that had both air conditioning and hot water. The first thing we did when we arrived was go to Cape Coast Castle where slaves were stored before they were shipped through the door of no return into the new world. The emotions that flowed through my mind as we were being toured around were extensive. We learned about how a thousand women were held for three months in two rooms, while men would come in daily to pick the women he wanted to rape. They would use the bathroom and eat from the same floor. The pregnant women were ripped away from their children and once again forced into the rooms of the slaveholders. The rooms are pitch black and there were white marks drawn on the walls to show how high the waste was piled on the ground. To see how the men and women were raised was so difficult and hard to comprehend some of the aspects we were shown at the facility. There was a church built over the slaves, the people upstairs praising the Lord were able to here the slaves below screaming in pain. Also men that rebelled were thrown into a small room and they were forced to stay there with no food or water with all of the dead bodies around them until everyone is dead. If a woman refused to follow a guard to their room they were put in a dark room for three days with no food or water and then they were raped.
We then traveled back to the hotel and were given about an hour before dinner. A couple of us walked about ten minutes to the beach and it was beautiful. We stayed on the beach until the sun went down and we still did not want to leave. But dinner was amazing; we had cabbage and carrots (it resembled a salad without dressing of course). We then went out to a “night club” Oasis that clearly was not a nightclub and it was all tourists. It was terrible for the first two hours, but at eleven the music changed from Sweet Caroline to modern American music. The dancing began and I ended up having a great night. I danced with Atsu and he salsa danced with me, which always puts a smile on my face ☺
The following day we went to Kakum National Park were we got the opportunity to complete something that is on my bucket list. We went to a rainforest and it was gorgeous. We hiked up to the top of the park and then went on a phenomenal canopy walk that had seven different bridges. We found out that you could spend the night in a tent and go on a night tour to see nocturnal animals, so four of us decided we would stay the night. First we went to lunch at a restaurant that had crocodiles. There was a huge sign that said the owner is not liable for the behavior of the crocodiles, but we were given permission to pet them if we felt so inclined. And if you are reading this you probably know we well enough to realize what I did next. I found the largest crocodile I could find and pet it. I wasn’t afraid at all at the thought of touching such a large animal. However, when it came time for me to actually climb down and pet him, I was petrified and I am willing to admit it. When he stated to move, I freaked out and ran away like a little girl.
From lunch our program left for the dorm and we stayed behind to travel back to the rainforest. On the way we stopped at an ostrich farm, which is nothing like you may be picturing. There were tons of signs, so we followed them into the middle of know where. We kept walking to eventually find nothing! We continued on our travel, through a dirt path, and around in a large circle. We finally saw a small hut and there was an extremely fit old man inside. He pointed to a sign that indicated that Ghanaian students pay 2 cedis and non- Ghanaian students pay 3 cedis (completely not acceptable in America, but the norm in Ghana). The old man picked up an ostrich egg and waved his hand for us to follow him. He traveled quicker than any Ghanaian I have ever seen and he was bear foot. When we finally discovered the farm it was literally ten ostriches in a fenced in area. You couldn’t do anything with them and the man spoke no English. It was quite an experience; we ended up attempting to pet them, which resulted in the animals biting our hands. It was painless, they have no teeth, and they enjoyed trying to bite our fingers off. We stayed for some time just laughing and making the best of the hilarious situation that occurred. When we finished with the animals the old man pointed to a small path through a field that we had no idea where it led, but we decided to follow it anyway. The path veered of several times, so we were unsure if we were headed in the right direction. In the end we ended up back at the hotel where we started and the 3 cedis were well worth it.
We then went back to the rainforest and hiked up to the campground. We had the best tour guide that came into our tent and told us folk stories until it was about nine thirty and time for the tour. We saw a Bush Baby, a green poisonous snake, huge rats, snails, geckos, and other interesting creatures. Although we did not see large mammals the night was a great experience that was well worth the trip. We hiked for over two hours and learned about the different trees and the healing powers some of them have. We also got to use the washroom that is provided at the campsite. The toilet is a raised hole and when I say raised I mean raised. I could not even mount it; it was about six inches above my waist level. Plus there was a gigantic rat that we were sharing the facility with. In the end we ended up making our own hole outside to make use of. We woke up at five am and continued our journey back to the dorm. We took four different forms of transportation, one of which broke down on the way and ended up back in the dorm by eleven, two hours before schedule. I did my laundry and then went to dance practice for Atsu’s piece.
We ended up having a great practice because the dance moves we are doing are not African steps, but modern steps. The title is Hybrid so he is attempting to mix both the American culture and the African culture in one dance. We all bonded for a while before dancing and learned the differences between the ways we dance. The Ghanaian dancers performing poorly when attempting ballet, while I fail when attempting the traditional African steps.
After dance I went to the pool for a Valentine’s Day party, which is celebrated to a great extent in Ghana. When I arrived I found Abdul who was able to get me in for free, but I soon discovered that I did not want to be there. I was attacked like I have never been before; we are always harassed, but never physically grabbed. This time I couldn’t get the boys to go away even through I was with Nigerians. I left after about ten minutes of being inside and continued to a different party, which was also a fail. I ended up just going back to the room and we all hung out for the remainder of the night.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Today I went to class than to dance and nothing else happened for the rest of the day. I had to interview a local for one of my classes and we went over to Pizza Inn to get pizza. Although I didn’t eat any, I took the ride over anyway. The electricity is back and when I went to the bathroom the toilet actually flushed!!
I was doing laundry and using the light from my phone and it fell in the water, so now I do not have a phone until I can make it back to the mall to buy another one.
Just to inform you about some details of everyday life here. The bathrooms are always interesting, they don’t have toilet paper in any of the bathrooms, no hand soap, or paper towels. The faucets only have one handle since there is only cold water never hot water. The doors in general don’t lock so as you are sitting they just swing opened. Also no one follows the boys and girls signs since there are no urinals it doesn’t make much of a difference. The bathrooms are always locked so you need to find the person with the key before you can get into the washroom. Also the toilets almost never flush, when they do I am always amazed. There are no hooks in the bathroom or garbage cans in individual stalls. However, we can always find a bathroom, so it isn’t that big of a hassle.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
This morning I was out of my dorm by 4:30 to go the bus station to buy tickets for tomorrow. We had to go to three different stations, we walked for about two hours, but in the end the morning was a success. We got our tickets for a reasonable price and we were back at the dorm by 7:00. We will be leaving for Northern Ghana, Mole tomorrow at 5:45 and we won’t return until Sunday night. I only have to skip one class, which is very unlike me, but this is the largest national park in the country. It is a twenty-hour trip so it is necessary to have four days in order to see all of the animals and go on the safari.
I am sitting in the IA Center because we walked here to use the Internet. Unfortunately, the power went out on our walk here, so the Internet is also down. We are hoping that the power comes back on within the hour so we can get online. I traveled to the IPO office and they have both electricity and the Internet ☺
Cape Coast
This weekend we took a five-hour trip west of Accra to Cape Coast, which was absolutely beautiful. We had to be up at eight so we were exhausted because we didn’t get to bed until after five. I am so glad that I have gotten used to the heat because I was able to sleep for all three hours without waking up sweating halfway through the night. Although I still sweat constantly it doesn’t faze me unless it is extremely hot with the sun beaming down on us.
We slept most of the way to the coast, but when we got closer I made sure to stay awake to admire the view. It was gorgeous with palm trees all along the coast, but on the opposite side there were small houses made of just clay. Many of the homes were falling apart and the area was so impoverished. We were informed that Cape Coast is the largest tourist area in Ghana and the cost of surviving there is as high as Accra, which is the capitol. However it is one of the poorest towns in Ghana. The way in which the people live is mind boggling when considering that we stayed in a hotel that had both air conditioning and hot water. The first thing we did when we arrived was go to Cape Coast Castle where slaves were stored before they were shipped through the door of no return into the new world. The emotions that flowed through my mind as we were being toured around were extensive. We learned about how a thousand women were held for three months in two rooms, while men would come in daily to pick the women he wanted to rape. They would use the bathroom and eat from the same floor. The pregnant women were ripped away from their children and once again forced into the rooms of the slaveholders. The rooms are pitch black and there were white marks drawn on the walls to show how high the waste was piled on the ground. To see how the men and women were raised was so difficult and hard to comprehend some of the aspects we were shown at the facility. There was a church built over the slaves, the people upstairs praising the Lord were able to here the slaves below screaming in pain. Also men that rebelled were thrown into a small room and they were forced to stay there with no food or water with all of the dead bodies around them until everyone is dead. If a woman refused to follow a guard to their room they were put in a dark room for three days with no food or water and then they were raped.
We then traveled back to the hotel and were given about an hour before dinner. A couple of us walked about ten minutes to the beach and it was beautiful. We stayed on the beach until the sun went down and we still did not want to leave. But dinner was amazing; we had cabbage and carrots (it resembled a salad without dressing of course). We then went out to a “night club” Oasis that clearly was not a nightclub and it was all tourists. It was terrible for the first two hours, but at eleven the music changed from Sweet Caroline to modern American music. The dancing began and I ended up having a great night. I danced with Atsu and he salsa danced with me, which always puts a smile on my face ☺
The following day we went to Kakum National Park were we got the opportunity to complete something that is on my bucket list. We went to a rainforest and it was gorgeous. We hiked up to the top of the park and then went on a phenomenal canopy walk that had seven different bridges. We found out that you could spend the night in a tent and go on a night tour to see nocturnal animals, so four of us decided we would stay the night. First we went to lunch at a restaurant that had crocodiles. There was a huge sign that said the owner is not liable for the behavior of the crocodiles, but we were given permission to pet them if we felt so inclined. And if you are reading this you probably know we well enough to realize what I did next. I found the largest crocodile I could find and pet it. I wasn’t afraid at all at the thought of touching such a large animal. However, when it came time for me to actually climb down and pet him, I was petrified and I am willing to admit it. When he stated to move, I freaked out and ran away like a little girl.
From lunch our program left for the dorm and we stayed behind to travel back to the rainforest. On the way we stopped at an ostrich farm, which is nothing like you may be picturing. There were tons of signs, so we followed them into the middle of know where. We kept walking to eventually find nothing! We continued on our travel, through a dirt path, and around in a large circle. We finally saw a small hut and there was an extremely fit old man inside. He pointed to a sign that indicated that Ghanaian students pay 2 cedis and non- Ghanaian students pay 3 cedis (completely not acceptable in America, but the norm in Ghana). The old man picked up an ostrich egg and waved his hand for us to follow him. He traveled quicker than any Ghanaian I have ever seen and he was bear foot. When we finally discovered the farm it was literally ten ostriches in a fenced in area. You couldn’t do anything with them and the man spoke no English. It was quite an experience; we ended up attempting to pet them, which resulted in the animals biting our hands. It was painless, they have no teeth, and they enjoyed trying to bite our fingers off. We stayed for some time just laughing and making the best of the hilarious situation that occurred. When we finished with the animals the old man pointed to a small path through a field that we had no idea where it led, but we decided to follow it anyway. The path veered of several times, so we were unsure if we were headed in the right direction. In the end we ended up back at the hotel where we started and the 3 cedis were well worth it.
We then went back to the rainforest and hiked up to the campground. We had the best tour guide that came into our tent and told us folk stories until it was about nine thirty and time for the tour. We saw a Bush Baby, a green poisonous snake, huge rats, snails, geckos, and other interesting creatures. Although we did not see large mammals the night was a great experience that was well worth the trip. We hiked for over two hours and learned about the different trees and the healing powers some of them have. We also got to use the washroom that is provided at the campsite. The toilet is a raised hole and when I say raised I mean raised. I could not even mount it; it was about six inches above my waist level. Plus there was a gigantic rat that we were sharing the facility with. In the end we ended up making our own hole outside to make use of. We woke up at five am and continued our journey back to the dorm. We took four different forms of transportation, one of which broke down on the way and ended up back in the dorm by eleven, two hours before schedule. I did my laundry and then went to dance practice for Atsu’s piece.
We ended up having a great practice because the dance moves we are doing are not African steps, but modern steps. The title is Hybrid so he is attempting to mix both the American culture and the African culture in one dance. We all bonded for a while before dancing and learned the differences between the ways we dance. The Ghanaian dancers performing poorly when attempting ballet, while I fail when attempting the traditional African steps.
After dance I went to the pool for a Valentine’s Day party, which is celebrated to a great extent in Ghana. When I arrived I found Abdul who was able to get me in for free, but I soon discovered that I did not want to be there. I was attacked like I have never been before; we are always harassed, but never physically grabbed. This time I couldn’t get the boys to go away even through I was with Nigerians. I left after about ten minutes of being inside and continued to a different party, which was also a fail. I ended up just going back to the room and we all hung out for the remainder of the night.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Today I went to class than to dance and nothing else happened for the rest of the day. I had to interview a local for one of my classes and we went over to Pizza Inn to get pizza. Although I didn’t eat any, I took the ride over anyway. The electricity is back and when I went to the bathroom the toilet actually flushed!!
I was doing laundry and using the light from my phone and it fell in the water, so now I do not have a phone until I can make it back to the mall to buy another one.
Just to inform you about some details of everyday life here. The bathrooms are always interesting, they don’t have toilet paper in any of the bathrooms, no hand soap, or paper towels. The faucets only have one handle since there is only cold water never hot water. The doors in general don’t lock so as you are sitting they just swing opened. Also no one follows the boys and girls signs since there are no urinals it doesn’t make much of a difference. The bathrooms are always locked so you need to find the person with the key before you can get into the washroom. Also the toilets almost never flush, when they do I am always amazed. There are no hooks in the bathroom or garbage cans in individual stalls. However, we can always find a bathroom, so it isn’t that big of a hassle.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
This morning I was out of my dorm by 4:30 to go the bus station to buy tickets for tomorrow. We had to go to three different stations, we walked for about two hours, but in the end the morning was a success. We got our tickets for a reasonable price and we were back at the dorm by 7:00. We will be leaving for Northern Ghana, Mole tomorrow at 5:45 and we won’t return until Sunday night. I only have to skip one class, which is very unlike me, but this is the largest national park in the country. It is a twenty-hour trip so it is necessary to have four days in order to see all of the animals and go on the safari.
I am sitting in the IA Center because we walked here to use the Internet. Unfortunately, the power went out on our walk here, so the Internet is also down. We are hoping that the power comes back on within the hour so we can get online. I traveled to the IPO office and they have both electricity and the Internet ☺
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
No Internet because of the rain
Monday, February 7, 2011
I did not do much today. I washed my underwear and bras and brought the remaining clothes to a woman that will wash them for me. Hopefully they are returned to me cleaner than they were after I washed them myself. I also had my first Twi class and I found out I got the teacher that I heard is the best. That was an exciting moment, because this is going to be the most important class we take while in Ghana.
I also got to spend some quality time with my roommate. She gave me new things to try like Sobolo, which is a spicy drink with ginger, lemon, and hibiscus flower. I also tried a very spicy sauce that I could not handle at all. She made dinner for me also, rice and fish. It was very good and very kind of her to share with me. The rest of the night we spent just hanging out and getting some homework done.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 – polo
Today I had three classes one of which was Twi; I am definitely getting better at the language and picking up on some of the words. I also had dance class, which wasn’t as much fun today because they broke us up into four groups so we only danced a quarter of the time. So I decided to join a dance group that Astu is choreographing. This way I will be dancing at least three days a week, although I am hoping to dance four. The problem is, is that the fifth day is on Friday and we will be traveling most Fridays because we do not have classes. After dance I went to Atsu’s room where he gave us palm wine (we drank out of a glass instead of a calabash this time) that has been fermenting for three days, so the alcohol content has increased greatly. He also gave us coconut cookies, which were surprisingly good.
It was one of the girls from the programs birthday, Jordan, so one of the boys, Stone, had a “drink up” in his room for her. They played music and everyone danced and drank right in the dorm. It was very interesting.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Today I tried so many different foods. First my professor gave everyone polo (fried wheat, sugar, and eggs) and Nkati cake which translates to ground nut cake (peanut brittle). Then when we got back from class someone gave me a fried yam, which tasted very similar to fried yucca. I also tried kelewele (fried plantains with spices) and Kontomere (spinach, ground egg – egg plant, and spices that you put on top of boiled yams). Nothing exciting really happened all day, but at night we went out to salsa. I have been doing pretty well with spending money because I haven’t been drinking at all. And food here is so cheap, if you eat at the night market or Bush Canteen.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I’m in Ghana and I’m Cold !!
It rained today for the first time since we have been here and it was intense. It rained harder than it ever rains at home and all of the halls were flooded due to the fact that everything is outside here. Also it was cold out, I actually wanted to wear pants! Since there is no hot water here, the shower was not fun at all. Plus I got to shower with more bugs than usual. I am lucky this is the third week because three lizards, ten moths, and tons of other bugs in my shower would not have been okay week one, on top of the fact that it was freezing. Sometimes I find myself waiting outside the water for it to get warmer and then I remember the temperature is never going to change.
I had dance class again today, we have begun learning our first dance and I look like a complete white girl. But I have been getting extra help from Astu so hopefully I improve at a steady pace. I have never been taught dance in such a chaotic manner. There is no mirror and no real instruction. Each TA is given about forty students, so they cannot actually critique each student.
After dance we walked over to the amphitheatre and watched a play production “I Will Marry when I Want’” which was about how white people corrupted Africans. Besides being uncomfortable at times, it was a great production with phenomenal singers and instrumentalists.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Nothing exciting today, I went to dance and then out to Wheezy Lounge where there were only three people there besides us. We ended up having a nice time because we didn’t have to deal with the harassment of all the men.
I am becoming much more acclimated to the culture. The people are so friendly and always willing to help us get around. I am used to the way that the people dress and the food is becoming more tolerable. We are beginning to travel more often, so we are getting different perspectives. We have come into contact with little kids who count the abrunis or who have never seen a white person before so they are confused and think we are ghosts. Sometimes we will be walking around and I forget everyone is black and I am white until someone makes a comment and then the realization sets in once again. I will never truly fit into the culture, but everyday life is becoming more simplistic. We know how much things should cost, the trotros are getting easier to use and my internship has finally begun filling up more of my time.
The classroom situation is also becoming more familiar and I have gotten more conversational with some of my classmates. It is intimidating at times, but people are very kind and understand that sometimes I need extra guidance in some aspects. The teacher will mention extra classes, places to find books, and additional readings without actually explaining how to obtain the materials because everyone in the class is a third year at the university besides me. At first I would become frustrated and overwhelmed at the fact that I would never be able to complete the courses properly, but now I am more accustomed to the buildings and to asking for guidance when necessary.
I did not do much today. I washed my underwear and bras and brought the remaining clothes to a woman that will wash them for me. Hopefully they are returned to me cleaner than they were after I washed them myself. I also had my first Twi class and I found out I got the teacher that I heard is the best. That was an exciting moment, because this is going to be the most important class we take while in Ghana.
I also got to spend some quality time with my roommate. She gave me new things to try like Sobolo, which is a spicy drink with ginger, lemon, and hibiscus flower. I also tried a very spicy sauce that I could not handle at all. She made dinner for me also, rice and fish. It was very good and very kind of her to share with me. The rest of the night we spent just hanging out and getting some homework done.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 – polo
Today I had three classes one of which was Twi; I am definitely getting better at the language and picking up on some of the words. I also had dance class, which wasn’t as much fun today because they broke us up into four groups so we only danced a quarter of the time. So I decided to join a dance group that Astu is choreographing. This way I will be dancing at least three days a week, although I am hoping to dance four. The problem is, is that the fifth day is on Friday and we will be traveling most Fridays because we do not have classes. After dance I went to Atsu’s room where he gave us palm wine (we drank out of a glass instead of a calabash this time) that has been fermenting for three days, so the alcohol content has increased greatly. He also gave us coconut cookies, which were surprisingly good.
It was one of the girls from the programs birthday, Jordan, so one of the boys, Stone, had a “drink up” in his room for her. They played music and everyone danced and drank right in the dorm. It was very interesting.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Today I tried so many different foods. First my professor gave everyone polo (fried wheat, sugar, and eggs) and Nkati cake which translates to ground nut cake (peanut brittle). Then when we got back from class someone gave me a fried yam, which tasted very similar to fried yucca. I also tried kelewele (fried plantains with spices) and Kontomere (spinach, ground egg – egg plant, and spices that you put on top of boiled yams). Nothing exciting really happened all day, but at night we went out to salsa. I have been doing pretty well with spending money because I haven’t been drinking at all. And food here is so cheap, if you eat at the night market or Bush Canteen.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I’m in Ghana and I’m Cold !!
It rained today for the first time since we have been here and it was intense. It rained harder than it ever rains at home and all of the halls were flooded due to the fact that everything is outside here. Also it was cold out, I actually wanted to wear pants! Since there is no hot water here, the shower was not fun at all. Plus I got to shower with more bugs than usual. I am lucky this is the third week because three lizards, ten moths, and tons of other bugs in my shower would not have been okay week one, on top of the fact that it was freezing. Sometimes I find myself waiting outside the water for it to get warmer and then I remember the temperature is never going to change.
I had dance class again today, we have begun learning our first dance and I look like a complete white girl. But I have been getting extra help from Astu so hopefully I improve at a steady pace. I have never been taught dance in such a chaotic manner. There is no mirror and no real instruction. Each TA is given about forty students, so they cannot actually critique each student.
After dance we walked over to the amphitheatre and watched a play production “I Will Marry when I Want’” which was about how white people corrupted Africans. Besides being uncomfortable at times, it was a great production with phenomenal singers and instrumentalists.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Nothing exciting today, I went to dance and then out to Wheezy Lounge where there were only three people there besides us. We ended up having a nice time because we didn’t have to deal with the harassment of all the men.
I am becoming much more acclimated to the culture. The people are so friendly and always willing to help us get around. I am used to the way that the people dress and the food is becoming more tolerable. We are beginning to travel more often, so we are getting different perspectives. We have come into contact with little kids who count the abrunis or who have never seen a white person before so they are confused and think we are ghosts. Sometimes we will be walking around and I forget everyone is black and I am white until someone makes a comment and then the realization sets in once again. I will never truly fit into the culture, but everyday life is becoming more simplistic. We know how much things should cost, the trotros are getting easier to use and my internship has finally begun filling up more of my time.
The classroom situation is also becoming more familiar and I have gotten more conversational with some of my classmates. It is intimidating at times, but people are very kind and understand that sometimes I need extra guidance in some aspects. The teacher will mention extra classes, places to find books, and additional readings without actually explaining how to obtain the materials because everyone in the class is a third year at the university besides me. At first I would become frustrated and overwhelmed at the fact that I would never be able to complete the courses properly, but now I am more accustomed to the buildings and to asking for guidance when necessary.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Best Day !!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Today we went to the Accra Museum, where we learned very interesting things. It was much smaller than a museum at home and there was essentially no regulation. There were no security men to be seen and you could touch everything that you wanted to. Most of the museum was photos with captions that explained different things about the history of Ghana. I didn’t bring a camera, but someone else did so when she puts pictures up I will take them and put them up on my facebook too.
We then walked over to White Bell, which was in the guidebook we all got as the authors favorite restaurant. Although it was more expensive then what we usually eat it was delicious. I have never had fried rice that tasted so good. The service here is extremely slow, it takes forever for a waitress to come so you can order, and then the food takes even longer. I think they go and kill the cow in between orders! We though we would have plenty of time before we had to be back for the Durba, but we didn’t we ended up running late. When we got back the bus was already outside waiting to take us to the Great Hall, so we ran inside got changed and made it to the bus right in time.
The Great Hall was decorated beautifully and there were great performers. After the real band performed, student performances began, and then it was our turn. One of the girls messed up the counts at one point, but it all ended up working out. Now we are famous everyone that was there recognizes us, probably because we looked like fools : D, but we had a great time performing. After the Durba we went to Galaxy for the after party. At first it was all white girls inside, so we didn’t go in for a couple of hours. After people started arriving we went in, and the night turned out successfully. Most of the u-pals came out, which was a first. We usually don’t see them at night.
Health Update:
Three people have malaria- but everyone is okay
Kyle was admitted over a week ago into the hospital. Five days ago he was flown to South Africa to a better hospital and now his father and brother have flown in to see him. He is doing okay, but we don’t know if he will be returning.
Several of the girls have very swollen feet and have begun to get fevers, but the hospital said they don’t have malaria.
We all have more mosquito bits than you can imagine
All in all I am fine and most of the students have had no health issues.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Best Day Yet
Today is the best day I have had so far and it is all because one of the u-pals, Atsu, that brought me to church. The day began by going to a Charismatic church that has some Pentecostal members in Abecca. When we arrived everyone knew that we didn’t belong, but everyone was extremely kind greeting us in every way.
Close your eyes and picture a church! Now let me describe this church for you. There was no alter, no crucifix, and no pews. There were plastic chairs laid out in lines and a stage at the front where a man spoke into a microphone. There is also a full band with drummers and singers. It was a beautiful place where the room was decorated with ribbons and the people were all dressed in gorgeous dresses that reached the floor. The children were all dressed nice also and they were very well behaved. It was different from home because people would wonder the rows and move around and parents would all help a child if they were getting fussy. The mass was also not in English because most of the members don’t speak any English. They also speak in tongues, sing, dance, and yell out in prayer. They didn’t receive communion and when it was time for collection you had to get up and bring your money to the front instead of them passing around a basket. After mass we stayed for a while and everyone was so hospitable. A little girl asked to take a picture with me and Atsu’s brother brought us all soymilk and sat with us for some time. We also had to go to the front of the church during mass and say our names and how long we would be going to church for. When I spoke everyone laughed, I later found out they had no idea what I was saying.
Next we went to a traditional Ghanian restaurant to get lunch where there was a sign that said spaghetti, sandwiches, and fast food. We asked what kind of sandwiches they had and they explained that they only make spaghetti and sandwiches for big parties and since we were only five people we could only get fast food. Atsu explained to us that fast food in Ghana does not mean that the food will come quickly like at McDonalds or Burger King it means fried rice and chicken is the only meal available. Therefore, we all ate fried rice and chicken! And it was delicious.
This is when the true excitement began. We traveled to Jamestown where Atsu grew up, but has not been back too in quite awhile. We walked through his neighborhood (which is not what you would expect) to find his aunt. It was so impoverished I do not know how to explain it, but the sight of so many naked children and the dirty environment at first brought tears to my eyes. However, I soon observed the children around me and they were having a blast. First, many of them spoke English although most of the adults only spoke the local language. This demonstrates that they are trying to improve the lives of there children. Second, the kids were content entertaining one another. They were pouring water on each other, wrestling, and dancing to try and impress the abrunis. The kids loved to pose for the camera and look at the picture on the camera and they got so excited when we picked them up or just spoke to them. Although they have no toys, running water, electricity, doors on their homes, or sanitary playing grounds they appeared to be extremely happy. Atsu’s aunt was making fufu, she let us help pound it, which was really exciting, we didn’t think we would have the opportunity to do that. She also served us all palm wine, which as fresh from earlier that day, in gourds that you drink from. The first thing she did was drink a gulp before we were able to drink. They do this so if there is poison in the food or drink only the owner gets sick. We saw someone else making banku and there were so many families just hanging out outside. The homes do not have kitchens; the women cook outside using coal and fire that a pot sits on top of. There were flies all over and piles of garbage between each home. The way in which Ghanians dispose of their garbage is by burning it when the piles get large. There were many dogs, a goat, rabbits, and chicken just walking around the community along with over fifty young children. We took many pictures and we truly got to see a real Ghanian community that is outside of the wealthier Accra area.
We continued to a restaurant names Osekan where a band was performing. It is located right on the water, and the view was breathtaking. Before the band began we spent an hour just climbing the rocks and taking photos. Atsu and Emily were posing like models for pictures and a huge wave came and drenched them. This was much funnier than you would first expect because Emily was in a white dress that you could completely see through. So Atsu was kind enough to lend her his shirt until she dried off. The water was gorgeous, but there were piles of garbage that washed up onto the rocks. We were also watching the crabs that were all over, from really small ones to tremendously large ones.
We returned to where the band was performing and they began soon after. They were amazing; hopefully I will be able to upload a video of there performance. However, I do not have the best part on tape. After the band played for a while, three of the drummers changed costumes and became the dancers. The performance was fabulous; they could all truly dance to the beat of the music. Then two acrobats performed by tumbling, juggling, and using fire in accordance with dancing. I do not believe I have ever seen someone with such genuine talent, who is also a fabulous performer. They kept everyone’s attention and entertained the audience the entire time.
By the end of the day I was exhausted, but my eyes were much wider and my perception of the country much fuller.
Later that night we went over to champs for the Super Bowl, although I could barely stay awake for the entirety of the game because it did not begin until midnight in Ghana. In addition, it was live streamed off the Internet so we didn’t get to see any of the commercials, which is such a vital part of the game.
Monday, February 7, 2011
I did not do much today. I washed my underwear and bras and brought the remaining clothes to a woman that will wash them for me. Hopefully they are returned to me cleaner than they were after I washed them myself. I also had my first Twi class and I found out I got the teacher that I heard is the best. That was an exciting moment, because this is going to be the most important class we take while in Ghana.
I also got to spend some quality time with my roommate. She gave me new things to try like Sobolo, which is a spicy drink with ginger, lemon, and hibiscus flower. I also tried a very spicy sauce that I could not handle at all. She made dinner for me also, rice and fish. It was very good and very kind of her to share with me. The rest of the night we spent just hanging out and getting some homework done.
Today we went to the Accra Museum, where we learned very interesting things. It was much smaller than a museum at home and there was essentially no regulation. There were no security men to be seen and you could touch everything that you wanted to. Most of the museum was photos with captions that explained different things about the history of Ghana. I didn’t bring a camera, but someone else did so when she puts pictures up I will take them and put them up on my facebook too.
We then walked over to White Bell, which was in the guidebook we all got as the authors favorite restaurant. Although it was more expensive then what we usually eat it was delicious. I have never had fried rice that tasted so good. The service here is extremely slow, it takes forever for a waitress to come so you can order, and then the food takes even longer. I think they go and kill the cow in between orders! We though we would have plenty of time before we had to be back for the Durba, but we didn’t we ended up running late. When we got back the bus was already outside waiting to take us to the Great Hall, so we ran inside got changed and made it to the bus right in time.
The Great Hall was decorated beautifully and there were great performers. After the real band performed, student performances began, and then it was our turn. One of the girls messed up the counts at one point, but it all ended up working out. Now we are famous everyone that was there recognizes us, probably because we looked like fools : D, but we had a great time performing. After the Durba we went to Galaxy for the after party. At first it was all white girls inside, so we didn’t go in for a couple of hours. After people started arriving we went in, and the night turned out successfully. Most of the u-pals came out, which was a first. We usually don’t see them at night.
Health Update:
Three people have malaria- but everyone is okay
Kyle was admitted over a week ago into the hospital. Five days ago he was flown to South Africa to a better hospital and now his father and brother have flown in to see him. He is doing okay, but we don’t know if he will be returning.
Several of the girls have very swollen feet and have begun to get fevers, but the hospital said they don’t have malaria.
We all have more mosquito bits than you can imagine
All in all I am fine and most of the students have had no health issues.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The Best Day Yet
Today is the best day I have had so far and it is all because one of the u-pals, Atsu, that brought me to church. The day began by going to a Charismatic church that has some Pentecostal members in Abecca. When we arrived everyone knew that we didn’t belong, but everyone was extremely kind greeting us in every way.
Close your eyes and picture a church! Now let me describe this church for you. There was no alter, no crucifix, and no pews. There were plastic chairs laid out in lines and a stage at the front where a man spoke into a microphone. There is also a full band with drummers and singers. It was a beautiful place where the room was decorated with ribbons and the people were all dressed in gorgeous dresses that reached the floor. The children were all dressed nice also and they were very well behaved. It was different from home because people would wonder the rows and move around and parents would all help a child if they were getting fussy. The mass was also not in English because most of the members don’t speak any English. They also speak in tongues, sing, dance, and yell out in prayer. They didn’t receive communion and when it was time for collection you had to get up and bring your money to the front instead of them passing around a basket. After mass we stayed for a while and everyone was so hospitable. A little girl asked to take a picture with me and Atsu’s brother brought us all soymilk and sat with us for some time. We also had to go to the front of the church during mass and say our names and how long we would be going to church for. When I spoke everyone laughed, I later found out they had no idea what I was saying.
Next we went to a traditional Ghanian restaurant to get lunch where there was a sign that said spaghetti, sandwiches, and fast food. We asked what kind of sandwiches they had and they explained that they only make spaghetti and sandwiches for big parties and since we were only five people we could only get fast food. Atsu explained to us that fast food in Ghana does not mean that the food will come quickly like at McDonalds or Burger King it means fried rice and chicken is the only meal available. Therefore, we all ate fried rice and chicken! And it was delicious.
This is when the true excitement began. We traveled to Jamestown where Atsu grew up, but has not been back too in quite awhile. We walked through his neighborhood (which is not what you would expect) to find his aunt. It was so impoverished I do not know how to explain it, but the sight of so many naked children and the dirty environment at first brought tears to my eyes. However, I soon observed the children around me and they were having a blast. First, many of them spoke English although most of the adults only spoke the local language. This demonstrates that they are trying to improve the lives of there children. Second, the kids were content entertaining one another. They were pouring water on each other, wrestling, and dancing to try and impress the abrunis. The kids loved to pose for the camera and look at the picture on the camera and they got so excited when we picked them up or just spoke to them. Although they have no toys, running water, electricity, doors on their homes, or sanitary playing grounds they appeared to be extremely happy. Atsu’s aunt was making fufu, she let us help pound it, which was really exciting, we didn’t think we would have the opportunity to do that. She also served us all palm wine, which as fresh from earlier that day, in gourds that you drink from. The first thing she did was drink a gulp before we were able to drink. They do this so if there is poison in the food or drink only the owner gets sick. We saw someone else making banku and there were so many families just hanging out outside. The homes do not have kitchens; the women cook outside using coal and fire that a pot sits on top of. There were flies all over and piles of garbage between each home. The way in which Ghanians dispose of their garbage is by burning it when the piles get large. There were many dogs, a goat, rabbits, and chicken just walking around the community along with over fifty young children. We took many pictures and we truly got to see a real Ghanian community that is outside of the wealthier Accra area.
We continued to a restaurant names Osekan where a band was performing. It is located right on the water, and the view was breathtaking. Before the band began we spent an hour just climbing the rocks and taking photos. Atsu and Emily were posing like models for pictures and a huge wave came and drenched them. This was much funnier than you would first expect because Emily was in a white dress that you could completely see through. So Atsu was kind enough to lend her his shirt until she dried off. The water was gorgeous, but there were piles of garbage that washed up onto the rocks. We were also watching the crabs that were all over, from really small ones to tremendously large ones.
We returned to where the band was performing and they began soon after. They were amazing; hopefully I will be able to upload a video of there performance. However, I do not have the best part on tape. After the band played for a while, three of the drummers changed costumes and became the dancers. The performance was fabulous; they could all truly dance to the beat of the music. Then two acrobats performed by tumbling, juggling, and using fire in accordance with dancing. I do not believe I have ever seen someone with such genuine talent, who is also a fabulous performer. They kept everyone’s attention and entertained the audience the entire time.
By the end of the day I was exhausted, but my eyes were much wider and my perception of the country much fuller.
Later that night we went over to champs for the Super Bowl, although I could barely stay awake for the entirety of the game because it did not begin until midnight in Ghana. In addition, it was live streamed off the Internet so we didn’t get to see any of the commercials, which is such a vital part of the game.
Monday, February 7, 2011
I did not do much today. I washed my underwear and bras and brought the remaining clothes to a woman that will wash them for me. Hopefully they are returned to me cleaner than they were after I washed them myself. I also had my first Twi class and I found out I got the teacher that I heard is the best. That was an exciting moment, because this is going to be the most important class we take while in Ghana.
I also got to spend some quality time with my roommate. She gave me new things to try like Sobolo, which is a spicy drink with ginger, lemon, and hibiscus flower. I also tried a very spicy sauce that I could not handle at all. She made dinner for me also, rice and fish. It was very good and very kind of her to share with me. The rest of the night we spent just hanging out and getting some homework done.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Art Center
Friday, February 4, 2011
This morning we got up early to head over to the Art Center, which is a large market that is designed for tourist purposes (very similar to something you would see on an island) right next to Tema Station (one of the base stations for the trotros). The market was hectic as usual, but I was able to get a dress for church and a small drum, which I had been looking for for the last week. Finding a dress was intense; every seamstress that was lined up in the maze of dresses threw different items at you and was trying to help you pull them on. We just wanted to get out of the isles of clothes so I chose a dress quickly, which actually ended up looking rather nice.
Later that day we practiced for the last time for the Durba. We heard our music, got positions, and prepared for the performance, which happened the next day. We were supposed to arrive at eight, but when we got there we were informed that we weren’t going to start for thirty minutes. So we went over to Bush Canteen and got something to eat. When we returned the dance hall was still occupied so we went outside and started to mark the dance. We then decided to play some games like telephone and ninja, until around nine thirty when the dancers terminated practice. We practiced until about eleven and then we went back to our rooms to get ready to go out.
We went to Duplex, which is a place I would not suggest. It was really small with such American music, but we made it fun by bringing all of our friends their and invading the entire bar. We danced all night and it turned out successfully ☺
This morning we got up early to head over to the Art Center, which is a large market that is designed for tourist purposes (very similar to something you would see on an island) right next to Tema Station (one of the base stations for the trotros). The market was hectic as usual, but I was able to get a dress for church and a small drum, which I had been looking for for the last week. Finding a dress was intense; every seamstress that was lined up in the maze of dresses threw different items at you and was trying to help you pull them on. We just wanted to get out of the isles of clothes so I chose a dress quickly, which actually ended up looking rather nice.
Later that day we practiced for the last time for the Durba. We heard our music, got positions, and prepared for the performance, which happened the next day. We were supposed to arrive at eight, but when we got there we were informed that we weren’t going to start for thirty minutes. So we went over to Bush Canteen and got something to eat. When we returned the dance hall was still occupied so we went outside and started to mark the dance. We then decided to play some games like telephone and ninja, until around nine thirty when the dancers terminated practice. We practiced until about eleven and then we went back to our rooms to get ready to go out.
We went to Duplex, which is a place I would not suggest. It was really small with such American music, but we made it fun by bringing all of our friends their and invading the entire bar. We danced all night and it turned out successfully ☺
Back to the Beach
Thursday, February 3, 2011
I woke up this morning at the perfect moment, as I was walking to the bathroom I saw Hannah and she told me she was going to the beach. So I got change and tagged along. We went all day and it was beautiful out. Although there were annoying Chinese men bothering us so we had to move our seats to avoid getting into a confrontation the rest of the day was enjoyable. We worked the tro tro system like never before, and we did not get lost once.
Another night of dance, class began at six and ended at seven thirty. After class we had practice at nine for the Durba, so about five of us stayed around to practice for two hours before the rest arrived. I got to tumble which felt great and dance ballet for a long period of time. David and I practice our duet and we were exhausted by the time the u-pal arrived to continue with the chorography. We practice for almost two hours and when we arrive back at the dorm we decided we would go out anyway. We showered and got ready and then an hour later everyone decided they were too tired so we called it a night.
I woke up this morning at the perfect moment, as I was walking to the bathroom I saw Hannah and she told me she was going to the beach. So I got change and tagged along. We went all day and it was beautiful out. Although there were annoying Chinese men bothering us so we had to move our seats to avoid getting into a confrontation the rest of the day was enjoyable. We worked the tro tro system like never before, and we did not get lost once.
Another night of dance, class began at six and ended at seven thirty. After class we had practice at nine for the Durba, so about five of us stayed around to practice for two hours before the rest arrived. I got to tumble which felt great and dance ballet for a long period of time. David and I practice our duet and we were exhausted by the time the u-pal arrived to continue with the chorography. We practice for almost two hours and when we arrive back at the dorm we decided we would go out anyway. We showered and got ready and then an hour later everyone decided they were too tired so we called it a night.
Flabbergasted
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
I don’t know how to write today’s blog without bringing anger and disgust to most of you. Today I had a lecture that I am not sure I will be able to continue on with. I may have to drop the class because it is extremely anti-western and the professor is so ignorant. It is titled Africa in the Global System, but the only thing we discussed was how American’s (not all American’s just those that have contributed to destroy the Earth: George Bush, Condi Lisa Rice, and others) are blood sucking, money grubby people. Putting politics aside, everyone out there who agrees and does not look fondly on George Bush, please continue reading because your opinion of this professor will soon change. He explained that socialism is the best system and in order to have a Democracy there must be no poverty and everyone should be economically equal. He seems not to grasp the concept that Democracy is when all people have equal voting rights and basic freedoms. He exclaimed that the west has destroyed the rest of the world, especially Africa. The reason that Africa has failed as a continent is because America has refused to step in and has condoned terrible leaders. He leaves no fault for the leaders of the individual countries and the atrocities they have committed against their people. He made no reference to the oil, coco, or gold resources that exist in Ghana, but bring no wealth into the country because the government is corrupt. He truly believes that if it wasn’t for the west wasting money on the military and paying the police officers Africa would be thriving because America could step in more often.
I haven’t mentioned Ghanian police earlier, but now it seems imperative that you understand the system. When someone gets stopped they don’t get a ticket, they just go immediately to jail. However, this never happens because the taxi driver (in our case) just offers the cop a couple of cedis and he leaves. There is check points where the cops are suppose to look into the car and ensure nothing illegal is taking place. There were seven of us in one taxi we got stopped at a checkpoint, the cop looked in and grabbed one of the girls hands. He proceeded to kiss her hand and ask which one of us would be his girl friend; he made no comment on the fact that we were jammed into the vehicle like it was a clown car.
The professor of the Global System class had the audacity to compare the Ghanian police force with the American police force, when anyone who has been to both countries realizes there are vast differences. He proceeded to say that soldiers are worth nothing and do nothing to help our country. Whether you agree with the war or not, whether you agree with the privileges given to soldiers or not, whether you agree with the income of the soldiers or not, no one has the right to say that our soldiers are worthless. Without men willing to fight for the good of the people, AMERICA WOULD NOT BE THE COUNTRY IT IS TODAY. My insides boiled the entire time he spoke, I just can’t believe some of the things he claimed to be fact.
Later we went to Madina, which is one of the larger markets. This was the first market we went to that was not aimed at tourists, but was average Ghanians doing their weekly shopping. It was extremely intense with people asking us constantly to go look at their shops. You can’t really take photos in the market because cameras are a hot commodity in Ghana. It is different then anything I have ever seen, I have never had so many different people pull me in so many different directions.
Later on the day improved. We practiced again for the Durba and I was given a duet with David, one of the other CIEE members, although I think I am just going to look like a fool. After we went to Reggae night, which I was very disappointed with because I really wanted to go to Salsa Night. But by the time we finished practicing it was to late for salsa, which begins at seven and ends at eleven. Although I did not want to go to the beach for Reggae I went anyway and it turned out to be a lot of fun. We danced the entire night until the last taxi was leaving and forced us to leave the dance floor because the boys we hangout with are over protective and always worry we can’t figure things out on our own.
When I got back I discovered that my roommate had left the key in the lock on the inside, so my key wouldn’t work. Thankfully Sarah’s roommate wasn’t around and I was able to sleep in her room for the night.
I don’t know how to write today’s blog without bringing anger and disgust to most of you. Today I had a lecture that I am not sure I will be able to continue on with. I may have to drop the class because it is extremely anti-western and the professor is so ignorant. It is titled Africa in the Global System, but the only thing we discussed was how American’s (not all American’s just those that have contributed to destroy the Earth: George Bush, Condi Lisa Rice, and others) are blood sucking, money grubby people. Putting politics aside, everyone out there who agrees and does not look fondly on George Bush, please continue reading because your opinion of this professor will soon change. He explained that socialism is the best system and in order to have a Democracy there must be no poverty and everyone should be economically equal. He seems not to grasp the concept that Democracy is when all people have equal voting rights and basic freedoms. He exclaimed that the west has destroyed the rest of the world, especially Africa. The reason that Africa has failed as a continent is because America has refused to step in and has condoned terrible leaders. He leaves no fault for the leaders of the individual countries and the atrocities they have committed against their people. He made no reference to the oil, coco, or gold resources that exist in Ghana, but bring no wealth into the country because the government is corrupt. He truly believes that if it wasn’t for the west wasting money on the military and paying the police officers Africa would be thriving because America could step in more often.
I haven’t mentioned Ghanian police earlier, but now it seems imperative that you understand the system. When someone gets stopped they don’t get a ticket, they just go immediately to jail. However, this never happens because the taxi driver (in our case) just offers the cop a couple of cedis and he leaves. There is check points where the cops are suppose to look into the car and ensure nothing illegal is taking place. There were seven of us in one taxi we got stopped at a checkpoint, the cop looked in and grabbed one of the girls hands. He proceeded to kiss her hand and ask which one of us would be his girl friend; he made no comment on the fact that we were jammed into the vehicle like it was a clown car.
The professor of the Global System class had the audacity to compare the Ghanian police force with the American police force, when anyone who has been to both countries realizes there are vast differences. He proceeded to say that soldiers are worth nothing and do nothing to help our country. Whether you agree with the war or not, whether you agree with the privileges given to soldiers or not, whether you agree with the income of the soldiers or not, no one has the right to say that our soldiers are worthless. Without men willing to fight for the good of the people, AMERICA WOULD NOT BE THE COUNTRY IT IS TODAY. My insides boiled the entire time he spoke, I just can’t believe some of the things he claimed to be fact.
Later we went to Madina, which is one of the larger markets. This was the first market we went to that was not aimed at tourists, but was average Ghanians doing their weekly shopping. It was extremely intense with people asking us constantly to go look at their shops. You can’t really take photos in the market because cameras are a hot commodity in Ghana. It is different then anything I have ever seen, I have never had so many different people pull me in so many different directions.
Later on the day improved. We practiced again for the Durba and I was given a duet with David, one of the other CIEE members, although I think I am just going to look like a fool. After we went to Reggae night, which I was very disappointed with because I really wanted to go to Salsa Night. But by the time we finished practicing it was to late for salsa, which begins at seven and ends at eleven. Although I did not want to go to the beach for Reggae I went anyway and it turned out to be a lot of fun. We danced the entire night until the last taxi was leaving and forced us to leave the dance floor because the boys we hangout with are over protective and always worry we can’t figure things out on our own.
When I got back I discovered that my roommate had left the key in the lock on the inside, so my key wouldn’t work. Thankfully Sarah’s roommate wasn’t around and I was able to sleep in her room for the night.
Dance Class
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I have my first Traditional African Dance Class today. Yes I am taking African Dance with Ghanians who have been dancing the choreography for the past three years. So needless to say, I am definitely not the best in the class. I always say people never change, well I am in Africa and I still can’t seem to take the back seat. Some people from the CIEE program are performing at the annual Durba. It is an event held every year for the international students to perform any talents they may have. However, our group is not talented in African dance, but we are performing anyway. The person who choreographed for us is not only a u-pal, but a forth year dance major. He is so talented; he can play two drums at the same time, sing, and dance. Yesterday he told me that if a drummer cannot do those three things, they are not truly a drummer! To revert back to my original point, in our group I pushed myself to learn the moves and attempted to practice in front of people that would help me master the moves in at least a decent way. The chirographer told his roommate that I was a leader and everyone in the group will listen to me. Hearing comments like this make me miss dance so much. Nutcracker was always that way for me, I felt like I was able to bring good things to the group. Every time the teacher’s assistants performed during our class I could picture being in the Galleria trying to perfect Disney Dances and Spring Shows. Although I have not learned much in the dance class yet far, I had a blast attending the class and the Durba practice that proceeded it.
At first I though I was the worst in the class because I feel like I got corrected more than most people. However, I would look around and there are some white people in the class that are so upside down I couldn’t imagine being worse than them. I remembered back to when I was younger and how Mrs. Evelyn always used to correct me, and I would go home upset because I felt like I was always messing up. After a while I realized that she didn’t correct me because I was the worse, but because she saw potential in me, making it worth her time to try and improve my skills. I would like to believe that is what is going on in the African Dance Class. Although I happen to be white they will still take their time to demonstrate to me my flaws, so I will improve. Although I have no proof that this is true at all, for the sake of my pride I will continue believing it. I know I mess up most of the steps because so far they haven’t been teaching us anything, they just do something on the stage that the sixty student in the class replicate. Many of the students have been performing these steps for years, so they know exactly how to move their bodies. However, the white people in the class including myself are left in the dusk when the movements speed up and positions get jumbled causing us to no longer have a clear view of the TAs.
I was most excited about dance class that is why I began today’s blog attempting to explain the experience. To regress back to the beginning of the day I had my first Political Methods class and it was a true eye opener. There were literally four hundred people in my class and I was the only white person. The teacher watched me as he spoke and the students all seemed to notice. However, out of sure luck I accidently sat in the middle of a group of friends. When I realized what I had done I apologized and went to move my seat. One individual stopped me and told me I could join their small group. I was jumping up and down inside, but I attempted not to show my great pleasure on my face. As the class went on I learned a couple of things about the class structure. The professor is always right; you listen, laugh, and take notes. But the students almost never listen unless the teacher repeats something twice or writes something on the board. It is difficult to understand the accents of the Ghanians, so I already have some difficulty concentrating on the task at hand. It added to my frustration when the entire class would hold their own conversations when they were suppose to be listening. The u-pals say that people will start paying more attention when it is closer to exams, but in my eyes that seems like it is already to late to catch up.
We decided not to go out because we were exhausted, so we just went over to Chukes room, one of our Nigerian friends and hung out for a while. It was extremely interesting finding more out about the culture of the Nigerians. Although both Muslims and Christians are present in the country, they both take their religion seriously and respect the views of one another. All in all it was a good day, but the next days lecture proved to be a very different experience.
I have my first Traditional African Dance Class today. Yes I am taking African Dance with Ghanians who have been dancing the choreography for the past three years. So needless to say, I am definitely not the best in the class. I always say people never change, well I am in Africa and I still can’t seem to take the back seat. Some people from the CIEE program are performing at the annual Durba. It is an event held every year for the international students to perform any talents they may have. However, our group is not talented in African dance, but we are performing anyway. The person who choreographed for us is not only a u-pal, but a forth year dance major. He is so talented; he can play two drums at the same time, sing, and dance. Yesterday he told me that if a drummer cannot do those three things, they are not truly a drummer! To revert back to my original point, in our group I pushed myself to learn the moves and attempted to practice in front of people that would help me master the moves in at least a decent way. The chirographer told his roommate that I was a leader and everyone in the group will listen to me. Hearing comments like this make me miss dance so much. Nutcracker was always that way for me, I felt like I was able to bring good things to the group. Every time the teacher’s assistants performed during our class I could picture being in the Galleria trying to perfect Disney Dances and Spring Shows. Although I have not learned much in the dance class yet far, I had a blast attending the class and the Durba practice that proceeded it.
At first I though I was the worst in the class because I feel like I got corrected more than most people. However, I would look around and there are some white people in the class that are so upside down I couldn’t imagine being worse than them. I remembered back to when I was younger and how Mrs. Evelyn always used to correct me, and I would go home upset because I felt like I was always messing up. After a while I realized that she didn’t correct me because I was the worse, but because she saw potential in me, making it worth her time to try and improve my skills. I would like to believe that is what is going on in the African Dance Class. Although I happen to be white they will still take their time to demonstrate to me my flaws, so I will improve. Although I have no proof that this is true at all, for the sake of my pride I will continue believing it. I know I mess up most of the steps because so far they haven’t been teaching us anything, they just do something on the stage that the sixty student in the class replicate. Many of the students have been performing these steps for years, so they know exactly how to move their bodies. However, the white people in the class including myself are left in the dusk when the movements speed up and positions get jumbled causing us to no longer have a clear view of the TAs.
I was most excited about dance class that is why I began today’s blog attempting to explain the experience. To regress back to the beginning of the day I had my first Political Methods class and it was a true eye opener. There were literally four hundred people in my class and I was the only white person. The teacher watched me as he spoke and the students all seemed to notice. However, out of sure luck I accidently sat in the middle of a group of friends. When I realized what I had done I apologized and went to move my seat. One individual stopped me and told me I could join their small group. I was jumping up and down inside, but I attempted not to show my great pleasure on my face. As the class went on I learned a couple of things about the class structure. The professor is always right; you listen, laugh, and take notes. But the students almost never listen unless the teacher repeats something twice or writes something on the board. It is difficult to understand the accents of the Ghanians, so I already have some difficulty concentrating on the task at hand. It added to my frustration when the entire class would hold their own conversations when they were suppose to be listening. The u-pals say that people will start paying more attention when it is closer to exams, but in my eyes that seems like it is already to late to catch up.
We decided not to go out because we were exhausted, so we just went over to Chukes room, one of our Nigerian friends and hung out for a while. It was extremely interesting finding more out about the culture of the Nigerians. Although both Muslims and Christians are present in the country, they both take their religion seriously and respect the views of one another. All in all it was a good day, but the next days lecture proved to be a very different experience.
Classes
Monday, January 31, 2011
Today classes started, my class was so small only about twenty people showed up. It was interesting nonetheless, Pentecostalism In Ghana. I did not do much else for the rest of the day, but my roommate moved in, she is extremely friendly, I am so happy with the way things turned out. She rearranged the room and the new set up is much better than the way I had it before.
It was an interesting night, because we decided to go out with some of our Nigerian friends. In the past the have done a sufficient job in bringing us to nice places; however, they utterly failed this time. We got to a night club that looked really small from the outside and as we went to walk in these boys came out and start talking to the boys we were with. The Nigerians immediately took us by the hands and told us to get back in the car. Apparently this club is the place where prostitutes go to sell their trade! The boys didn't know because they aren't locals, but as soon as they heard they assured we left right away.
We decided to go to Epos next. Although I wouldn't refer to it as a failure, it is difficult to explain how the night went. We arrived and the club was closed. So they unlocked the room, turned on the music and told us to go in. There were about ten people and they opened the club for us! We ended having a good night, but I was very different from what would have happened at home.
Today classes started, my class was so small only about twenty people showed up. It was interesting nonetheless, Pentecostalism In Ghana. I did not do much else for the rest of the day, but my roommate moved in, she is extremely friendly, I am so happy with the way things turned out. She rearranged the room and the new set up is much better than the way I had it before.
It was an interesting night, because we decided to go out with some of our Nigerian friends. In the past the have done a sufficient job in bringing us to nice places; however, they utterly failed this time. We got to a night club that looked really small from the outside and as we went to walk in these boys came out and start talking to the boys we were with. The Nigerians immediately took us by the hands and told us to get back in the car. Apparently this club is the place where prostitutes go to sell their trade! The boys didn't know because they aren't locals, but as soon as they heard they assured we left right away.
We decided to go to Epos next. Although I wouldn't refer to it as a failure, it is difficult to explain how the night went. We arrived and the club was closed. So they unlocked the room, turned on the music and told us to go in. There were about ten people and they opened the club for us! We ended having a good night, but I was very different from what would have happened at home.
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