Ghana

Ghana
Day 1: We arrived in Accra on Thursday afternoon. Dee Dee, a friend of mine has relatives in Ghana who picked us up at the airport and brought us to their lovely home right nearby. The welcomed us with a water ceremony. Irene told us a story about how long ago after a long walk through the Sahara Desert, people would arrive at the door of a house. Before letting them in, they would be given water to wash up because they were so dirty from the journey. In symbolism of this, we were given water to drink in cute little glasses and everyone in the room shared what they were thankful for. It was Thanksgiving Day, so this was very fitting. We had a wonderful dinner and I felt very welcomed. I couldn’t figure out the long distance on their phone and my calling card wouldn’t work, so I went to sleep exhausted and feeling sad that I had not been able to call home on Thanksgiving.


Day 2: Dee Dee had been to Ghana before, so mainly shopping was on her to do list. I met up with some other friends, Jimmy and Amanda on the morning of the second day so we could be tourists. They had hired a driver named Emanuel. Emanuel meet us at their hotel at 7:00 and we left Accra and headed toward Elmina. The rainforest was first on our list, and on the road up there we were stopped because of a parade. It turns out that the president of Ghana was in town and they were having their big yearly celebration. It was amazing!!! There were tons of people and they were carrying their 9 chiefs above their heads in things that were like thrones or beds. Then, the president with several protection vehicles drove through.

From there, we continued up the road to Kakum National Park: Ghana Rainforest. We didn’t see any animals beside lizards and butterflies, but it was a nice change to relax and hike. Well, relax until we got to the canopy rope walk. We walked across seven rope bridges that were hanging high above rainforest. It was interesting, but I will definitely NEVER do it again. Once you go on the first bridge, there is no turning back. I’m really glad I did it, but unless I hear that Ghana follows the US safety regulations it’s not happening again.




Day 2 Continued: Yes, day 2 was a very long day. We let the rainforest and headed to the Elmina Slave Castle. It was a very moving experience. The castles had once been a Portuguese mission but were taken over and used as a holding house for the slave trade.




Day 3
Shopping! Prices were much cheaper. After shopping we headed to my hotel where I met up with Dee Dee again. It was a relaxing evening and next day before heading back to Lagos. Ghana is so different from here...they don't have nearly the naturaly resources but they are struggling do much less. The second we hit the airport we could feel the difference.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
The Sunday before Thanksgiving we had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner with all of the teachers that live in the flats. It even included turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, and pretty much any other traditional Thanksgiving item. Even with all of the good food, it didn't seem like Thanksgiving without family around. Then, on Thanksgiving day we had school until 11:00. Right after school a group of us quickly headed off to the airport to catch a 3:00 flight to Ghana.

Turkey Tennis Tournament

My tennis partner Jim and our matching lucky wristbands.

Marine Ball

Inyan (pounded yam)

My class had African Studies today and we all learned how to pound yams.

Epe Fish Market/Beach

Today was one of the best days since I’ve been here. I joined the field society and went on a trip to the Epe fish market and to the beach afterwards. I’m going to let the pictures do most of the explaining for this one. We met at the conservation center and caravanned to the fish market. From there we took a boat trip. Our drivers dropped us off at the boat. When we got out of the boats we walked for awhile, met up with our drivers and then finished off the day at a beautiful beach.

The hardest thing for me here is seeing how so many people live and then returning to my flat where everything is provided for me. This trip was a good example of that. On the way and at the fish market we saw so many people in need…we even saw a truck that had burned up. Yet then we went and relaxed at a beautiful beach…In many ways it just doesn’t seem right.

A Little Bit of Rain

Brain Slater gets full credit for this picture. There was a storm last night and it came out of nowhere. I was on my way back from going out to dinner and I was scared to death! Just walking to the car I was soaked, and then the entire ride home I could feel the thunder and the lightning was way too close for comfort. The Slaters were watching the storm from their flat and this is one of the pictures that they took.

SWEAT

I was just starting to get used to and almost enjoy the thunder and lightning but
the rainy season is coming to an end. Now, the heat is arriving and with that comes:

SWEAT
perspiration
moisture
dampness
wetness
swelter
glow
swelter
transudation
diaphoresis
the feeling of the first drip starting to form
water sitting on your eye lids
unimaginable

You get the point and apparently it isn’t even hot yet! I’ve been enjoying taking tennis lessons and almost every lesson I see stars because I get so tired. I bring a whole jug of water out there every time. I also just started Tai Bo this week. I’m not good yet, but the punching and kicking is fun.

Dressed up for church!

Another Sunday at the beach. Cute kid! The suit didn’t stay on for long. :)

Wow!

So all of this runs my TV! It’s a surge protector, a voltage regulator, a UPS and a step down. At least I think that's what they're all called. The step down was only added after two DVD players blew out and no one knew why. So, the step down somehow became the solution to the problem. The UPS is pretty cool because it keeps the TV on when the power goes out.

Visitor

Check out my visitor! So, I don’t sleep very much here. I’m not sure why…it could be the mephloquin I’m taking to not get malaria. I guess it could also be that my bedroom is right over the garage or that the mosque next door has a very loud PA system. It could also be that I live right at the school and there are kids everywhere or that the generator makes a very loud beeping noise. But anyways, I was sound asleep the other night and I heard a crash! I went into the bathroom to find that this little lizard had pushed his way through the molding by the sink. He pushed the molding all the way to the floor and was scared to death. I wasn’t about to catch him so I went back to bed and I’m not sure if he’s moved out yet.

Not Lost :)

They came!!! My stuff that was sent in August arrived! It was a happy day at AIS.