LONG POST with random babbling by me sorry!

This weekend was Spent in the volta region. It was such a beautiful area and it was fun to get to see the area where the health care center is. We took an STC bus to Hohoe but for some reason I was just miserable. Then I lost/got my ipod stolen which was unfortunate, but I am sure that whoever has it needs it more than me. I know that I am very lucky just to have been able to have had an ipod. Its hard to get to upset about material object here when so many people are lacking basic needs, let alone luxuries. So after that slightly upsetting event we went to a bar called Virgin lips. Which would be a hilarious name anywhere, but every other store name in Ghana has God or Jesus in the name. haha. But anyway, we sat and talked which was fun. Again we had a queen/king sized bed and fiit the 3 of us in. We woke up early and got the most delicious egg sandwhiches ever. Then we got a tro tro “cab”, which was basically 6 ppl shoved into a falling apart taxi to Wli falls. We got a guide and we started our hike to see the falls. We decided to take the hard hike and see the upper and lower falls. Little did we know how hard it was going to be. I have never sweat so much in my life. And I was covered in dirt since I fell several times. It was worth it though. As we got close to the upper falls the sound was crazy. Then we started to feel mist and wind. When we could see the falls it if there were a helicopter overtop of the water. It was spraying out so hard and all the plants surrounding the area were blown over. Since we were soaked anyway, shane Katie and I got in. So fun. But then we had to hike down. Shannigans. It was way hard and my shoes kept coming apart and my knee hurt, but it was beautiful. The second falls were taller but not as forceful. Right as we finished our 4 our hike it started to rain. We went to a nearby hotel that had food and sat down. We were talking about our plans for the next day when a group at the next table came over. They were also planning to go to Mt. Afadajo (the highest point in Ghana) and were wondering if we went to share a tro tro since those are at times hard to find to that place. Another girl, Sarah, who was from Oxford and doing an internship in Accra came over and decided to join. So the next morning we all met up around 7 am. We found a tro tro, however it was the sketchiest tro tro I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, the roof was so low I kept almost hitting my head on the bumps. I think the best part though was that the gas tank was inside the car behind the drivers seat and the engine was between the drivers seat and the passenger seat. Also we periodically stopped and got water from ditches or puddles along the road and poured it on the engine since it was overheating. Luckily we made it there alive haha. We hiked the mountain which was a much easier hike, but very beautiful. One of the girls in the group we met really struggled with the climb so we went very slow. When we got to the top it was beautiful. We could see a ton of the Volta region, the volta lake, and we could see Togo! So cool!

Sunday night we arrived by tro tro to Tafi atome, a monkey sanctuary. We each paid 14 cedis for our own room, dinner, a guided monkey tour, and breakfast. A pretty sweet deal. When we got there they told us they were out of water and needed to order some but that the showers should be working shortly. Not to much later we saw women walking buy with giant bowls of water on their head. They were filling them across the using a water pump and then walking them over. Than a man was taking the water bucket by bucket up a ladder to pour it into a tank. I felt grateful for every drop of water we used! Before dinner we decided to go on a walk and not only did we meet up with adorable children who loved touching our skin and say hi, but we saw monkeys!! Then we had dinner in the Chiefs house. They had made rice and there was a tomatoe ish sause with hardboiled eggs. IT was really good and not too spicy! I finished my book at night and went to bed very early. We met at 6 am to go on our monkey tour. We had bananas and we got to feed the cute little monkeys. It was so cool to see them play and to have them eat the banana out of your hand. Sometimes they fought over it and there little hands would grab yours to use as a support. I can’t even count how many monkeys we saw. After the end of the tour we decided we didn’t want to pay for a taxi back to the junction, so we walked. It was 5 kilometers, but it was so hot! When we arrived we got a tro tro to Ho, where we were planning to just chill and then take the STC bus back Tuesday morning. But when we got there, I was just like, hey why don’t we just take a tro tro back today? So we hung out for a little, got lunch, and then found a really nice air conditioned tro tro. We went to shoprite and got some food, and I got an ipod shuffle to keep me going. I really need music in my life. Especially with all these long bus rides! We got home and made rice crispy treats!!! So exiting and our tuna-curry-vegetable salad. So good especially with shoprite bread. Katie and I watched some one tree hill and then went to bed.

So yesterday I got my hair braided. I look so African. Especially because I am way tan. But don’t worry, I know I’m married so I won’t accept any of these . A woman who works at the front desk of our hostel did it for Katie and I. We tro tro’d to a place near her house. But our tro tro broke down part way there! When we finally got another tro tro and got to the station. We tried to call her, but of course seeing that its Ghana, the cell phone network was down. So we just chilled for a while until we could finally contact her. We went to her family’s house and we started the process. She started to weave in the extra hair, but I could tell it was going to take a really long time. After about 3 hours we weren’t even halfway done, but we stopped for a lunch break. None other than kenke (a weird corn dough thing) and fish (bones, scales, eyes and all). It was all I could do to swallow and not gag. I barely made it through till I could escape to the bathroom and throw up. Haha, don’t worry I ate a ton later. It took another 3 and half hours to finish my hair. It hurt like hell, but it looked really cool. I was so exhausted and antsy, but we still had Katie’s hair to do. I got to play with a bunch of kids during her hair and that was really fun. It didn’t finish until 10:30. Came home and ate dinner. So good.

Life here brings so many questions to mind. About poverty. About what a good life is. About development work. I have so many questions about what the right thing to do is and who is to blame for all the problems in the world. If any one is. I have had a chance to read a lot of intellectual books like The End of Poverty and Shame of the Nation. The latter talks about the severe racial inequality in American Schools. It was sickening, I am ashamed of the part I play in keeping minorities segregated. This book made me even more angry at President Bush than I already was. And I especially hate how much his policies have contributed to discrimination—No Child Left Behind was a perfect way to make sure that poor minority children would indeed be left behind and more than that, it ensured that rich white people wouldn’t have to deal with them. What is wrong with our country? People here in Ghana think America is the best country in the world and would love to come. It makes me sad to realize that statistics for African Americans and other minorities show that the education they receive in the US is much less than failing. The drop out rates are through the rough. The buildings are decrepit. And the numbers don’t lie. As a country we spend thousands upon thousands of dollars less per child on minority students. And the sad thing is I think that maybe people want it that way. If we provide horrible education opportunities for minorities many will stay trapped in the poverty trap they are in and won’t move into the “white world.” Things have to change.

Classes are easy here but interesting to see what is talked about and the norms are for students here. It still baffles my mind that there is such a lack of books. It is impossible for students to compete outside of Ghana when they can’t get books. Elon just seems crazy right now. Everyone has lap tops. We buy hundreds of dollars worth of books ever semester! Humanity is very much the same everywhere but at the same time so different. Everyone loves, laughs, has pain, has curiosities and questions, gets sick, has relationships…but there is so much not the same in the lifestyles we live. It makes me sad to think about how quickly I will likely assimilate back into American culture and lifestyle. I wish I could say that I would constantly be grateful for my hot showers, books, paved roads…but those things are just expected in the US. And probably after a few weeks of excitement and confusion about being back, it will be almost as if I didn’t leave. But I really want to fight that. I have to. I have to make sure that I remember what I have seen and experienced, and more than remember change. Be the Change you want to see in the world, right?

Life has greatly improved since I have been feeling better. Who knew malaria could take it out of you so badly. Monday we decided to go to Kokrobite beach and go back to big milly’s. Clearly, an excellent decision. I read on the beach, had a delicious dinner, and celebrated my wife’s birthday from afar. Missing Katie’s 21^st birthday was so sad, but I tried hard to make it special for her even from Africa. We came back to campus Tuesday afternoon and just chilled out. Katie and I continued our marathon of One Tree Hill.

In class on Wednesday I received my first assignment!! I was actually excited. It just felt like I wasn’t in school because I haven’t had any work. I had to write a 2.5 to 3.5 page paper about Things Fall Apart. I was less excited once I actually started writing but it is finished and printed out! I had my social work class on human growth and development Wednesday night and the information is very easy. We were talking about conception, though, and my teacher explained that women release an egg for every orgasm they have during sex?? It was strange. Katie discovered that we can pick up internet in our room from the net café so if we have prepaid time we can use it!! Way exciting!! I have to sit in this ridiculous section of my room but it’s so worth it! Thursday I had my Psychology of Personality class which I really enjoy. It’s great to understand my teacher so well since he has a British accent, and he is very entertaining. My evening community entry social work class was hilarious. Our class rep informed us that if we want our teacher to give our class good grades we need to as a class provide him with orange juice every class. Haha, what in the world. I was sure I wasn’t understanding, but when I asked a friend she told me I had heard correctly. During the class I was struck by the sharp contrast and differences between what I was being taught here in Ghana and what I would be taught in the US. We were talking about questions to ask when entering a community and things like—where is the chief palace, what days are market days, what all livestock roam the streets, where do people go to the bathroom… would not be typical questions I would be taught to ask. I mean, they are important questions here in Ghana, but it made me start thinking a lot about the education system and lifestyle here in Ghana. How do you even begin to improve the education system. What do we want developing countries to develop into? Is modernization possible to separate from westernization? In general I would advocate that modern commodities such as running water, electricity, sanitation systems, computers ect. Could greately enhance the quality of life. But now that I am here I am not sure how those items can be implemented into society without losing so much of an amazing culture. What determines quality of life anyway? Is there anything innately wrong with the way many people live here? If improving public health and education comes with the cost of lowering people’s happiness and sense of culture is it worth it?? I think so, I just hope that I can see ways were partnering with people to improve their lives does not equate to changing their lifestyle into what “we” have decided is the right way to live.

Malaria

So I guess I need to catch up on the past week. Last Friday was full of adventures. I woke up and ran and then headed to circle to get tickets for our trip to Kumasi. Then my adventures started when I was walking back to get a tro tro to the autism center. I heard someone talking to me but I just pretended not hear. Then I was getting ready to cross the street and he grabbed my arm. I was like what the heck. He kept holding on as I walked across the street even though I was not into it. He got on the tro tro with me and then tried to tell the driver we were together and that I was paying for him. When I stood up for myself and said no, the tro tro driver stopped the vehicle and kicked him out. AWKWARD! Kuame, was like how will I get to see you again? People are so crazy persistent!!

The autism center though was well worth it though. We sang songs and tried to get the kids to participate and be active. I love how they dance and smile to the music. Then I worked for a couple hours with a boy named Sedam. He was so sweet. We practiced and practiced trying to get him to answer “Sedam” to What is your name. A couple of times he did it and I was so proud. We also worked on trying to understanding the basic 1, 2, 3. I left around 1 because I was so exhausted. I decided to walk to circle rather than taking a tro tro because the traffic was bad. Poor life decision. I met Vincent. Vincent wanting to talk to me but I faked a phone call and kept walking. He continued with me and when I could no longer fake talk anymore I said hi. I told him my name was Cindy and he asked for my number. I said how about you give me yours. He gave it to me but then was still insisting on mine. I just rattled off a fake number and walked quikly off. Not a few minutes later I hear someone shouting Cindy! Unfortunately he caught up to me and was like cindy, that number doesn’t work. So I gave him the number of this other guy and faked another phone call. Then I made it to circle crossed over the bridge and overpass and was about to find a tro tro when I heard CINDY CINDY. Apparently he tried the number and someone picked up and it wasn’t me. Gah! Ridiculous! He grabbed my phone and called himself and now I have received several calls from Vincent. Of course I don’t answer haha.

So this weekend was our trip to Kumasi. It was so much fun. We left at 3 from the hostel to get a 4 am STC bus. We were hoping to sleep but false. They played loud Ghanaian movies. Haha, so no sleep for us. We got to Kumasi and left our stuff at the hostel and went to the cultural museum which was actually just one room with hand written labels. It was still pretty interesting though. Then we went to see this sword that supposably has been stuck in the ground for 300 years. They say a bulldozer has tried to pull it out and so did Mohhammad Ali. The Ashanti people believe if it is removed the Ashanti state will fall. At this point we were exhausted and we walked and walked and could not find a restaurant. Finally we went to the filling station which is basically a gas station with a whole bunch of little restaurant like things in it. It was delicious and I ate way too much. We decided to walk back through the market and we managed to find a few things. Then we were not functioning we said we were just going to nap for a few hours. But that didn’t really work out. We slept from like 6-11. Then we tried to stay awake for an hour and then just slept till the morning. In the morning went golfing which was hilarious. Our caddies Prince and Ellison were very nice and helped us a lot. It looks like I don’t have a future in pro golf. After golfing we went to the most amazing Indian restaurant ever. It was exspensive but it was air conditioned and we got to watch cnn news and eat delicious food. After that we decided to go to Owabi wild life preserve. We got to see monkeys in the wild!! We had to be super quiet not to scare them off. Then we headed back to Kumasi, got our bags, ate, and went to Ejisu. We arrived in Ejisu and were trying to get a taxi to our hostel but we couldn’t seem to get one.

So the big news is that Thursday I started feeling really awful. I couldn’t even get out of bed enough to go to my second class. I just slept from like 5 pm until 7 the next morning. Except I woke up a bunch during the night with chills and generally not feeling goodness. Sophie took me to the health clinic and we had to wait 8,000 years, but they finally said that they thought I probably had malaria. I was so tired and exhausted and achy, but they gave me medicine and said I should go to the hospital to get bloodwork done just to check to make sure it was malaria. So we walked there and had a sketchyish experience. They used a fresh syringe though, but no band aid or anything. After we got back to the hostel I just laid around all day and could barely move. I’m finally starting to feel better although I had the tripiest dreams ever last night. So ridiculous!

TRIP TO CAPE COAST!!

Had an amazing weekend starting with my trip to the autism center Friday. The children are all non-verbal but so full of life and I am so excited to work with them. I plan to go every Friday since I do not have classes. After a failed attempt to get a bus to cape coast on Friday night, Shane, Katie and I left for Cape Coast from our hostel at 6 am. We got there mid morning and found our way to Sammo’s a place to stay. We had 2 double beds and a bathroom and shower in our room for 20 cedis a night. IT was really nice and the fans were crazy powerful. We started off our day heading to the castle, the main attraction at cape coast. This is the location where the British exported, sold, and killed 4 million Africans in the slave trade. Nothing in history books can compare to walking through the door of no return yourself and recognizing the fact that with the beginning of the slave trade came a society full of racism and hate that is yet to be resolved. It was horrible to see the conditions in which these humans were held. It was reminiscent of the holocaust museum and understanding concentration camps. Except when you go there, it’s the Nazi’s who inflicted this terrible hate. In this case, its our ancestors and the effects are still visible all around me. It was such an interesting persepective to be a white person in this setting. I now know what it is like to be treated differently because of my race since I have been in Ghana, but I am not treated badly. I can not imagine if instead of children shouting “obruni” with smiling faces and outstretched hands there were adults shouting N**** and displaying hate. I am affected each time I hear that shout of Obruni. I am just beginning to understand the results of centuries of racial discrimination in a negative way. It is strange to look around at the community and see church after church. The same people who enslaved and slaughtered a nation came promoting Christianity. In fact the first Church in Ghana was located on top of the Caste, the point of slave exportation. It seems counterintuitive to me that Christianity thrives here when it was brought in with such hate. Despite the horrors that the castle told, it was wonderful to look off into the ocean and have hope for the future. What a difference electing Obama could make in the hope of the African community.
On Sunday we went to a church in Cape Coast. I don’t think I understood a single word. The language switched constantly and the music followed a pattern I could not seem to catch. The enthusiasm was fun to see, but I was tired after the 2 and half hour service haha! We left church and headed to Elmina, the site of another castle. We were warned by our travel book that our arrival would be met with a bombardment of beggars wanting money, our names ect. We made it into the castle and completed the tour. The history was interesting, and the conditions seemed to be slightly better here than at Cape Coast. After a long walk, we caught a cab to the STC station to meet up with Dr. Amadhe and his wife. The took us to Hans Cottage, which was a place I was hoping to get to see anyway. This is a restaurant located at a lake full of crocodiles. So cool. We could see several large ones setting out that almost didn’t look real when we first arrived. We had a fun lunch discussing Kpoeta and our trip to the health care center amongst other pleasantries. After lunch Dr. Amadhe asked us if we wanted to go for a paddle boat ride and we decided it would be fun. So we got in, with Katie and I peddling. Things were going great until all of a sudden we were stuck. Apparently some underwater plant things had gotten us stuck. So there we were in the middle of the crocodile lake completely unable to move. Soon everyone in the restaurant was out of there seats enjoying the entertainment of 3 obrunis stuck in the water. The best part was when the waitress got in a paddle boat and came to save us. It was absolutely amazing. After many tries to bump us over the plants, we decided to get into her boat so the boat wouldn’t be weighed down. Then we pulled it off the plants and she got in our boat. All in all it was an awesome experience. Then we got some ice cream which was a perfect end to the event. Then Dr. Amadhe took us to his house which was really cool and then back to our hotel. After a nap and some reading we got dinner upstairs which turned out to be really delicious and really cheap. It was really loud at night but we managed to get some sleep. We woke up to pouring rain, but deside to head to Kankum park anyway. We went on a canopy walk above the rainforest which was pretty cool and then a nature walk with our guide Fred, who was hilarious. We eventually made it back to our hotel and we were exhausted. I wasn’t feeling so good. I ended up sleeping on and off from 2 until 6 am the next day. It was ridiculous. Today we just woke up and read on the beach and then got lunch upstairs. I had delicious pasta salad. Then we got the bus back to accra, and then suffered through an hour tro tro ride back to legon. Its good to be home. Strange that we will only be here 3 days!!