It’s good to be back in Ghana. London was beyond amazing. I have missed hugging, talking with, and simply being with all of the wonderful people I got to see. We saw the infamous changing of the guards, big ben, went on the eye, indulged ourselves at pubs, and froze in London. Okay, well maybe it was just me that froze. Ghana is as hot as ever, so going back to the cold shower was really no problem. It has been great to see Sophie and Katie again. I missed them a lot. It’s so weird to think about not living with Sophie. Classes are coming to the end soon. I have 5 more days!! Woo hoo, of course that’s over the course of the next 2.5 weeks but still. This semester has flown by, but at the same time I can’t believe I’ve done all the things I’ve had and gotten this close to Sophie.

EGYPT and back to GHANA

Wow-how to capture Egypt! So since I last updated here’s what’s happened. We went to Dahab on a night bus which was on the Sinai Peninsula. Technically that’s Asia, so I have checked another continent off my list. We went snorkeling which cost about 2 dollars and was incredible. I felt like I was in Finding Nemo. Awesome coral and really bright fish. We spent the day eating and reading and then at 11 left for Mt. Sinai on a mini-bus. We arrived around 1:30 or 2 in the morning and began our dark climb to the top. It was incredible—there were thousands of people all walking up the mountain. There were tons of people offering camel rides and the silent night was broken up by the camel groans, the prayers of travelers, and the songs of worshipers. The stars were absolutely gorgeous and I saw tons of shooting stars. The closer we got to the top, the colder it got and in true Sarah fashion I began shivering uncontrollably. Ghana just doesn’t do cold and apparently neither do I. We reached the top at 4 am and I couldn’t wait for the sun to rise and bring some warmth with it. It was really beautiful though despite my shivering and the sunrise was gorgeous. It was incredible to be at the site where Moses supposedly received the Ten Commandments and in the presence of so many who view the mountain as a religious holy ground. The hike down the mountain was quicker and we got a glimpse of the monastery. After the bus back to Dahab we ate, read, and napped a little. That night we took the night bus back to Cairo. It was the 5^th night without sleeping in a hotel. Craaazy. When we got back to Cairo Katie and I were both hardcore grouchy and didn’t feel like doing anything. Luckily after a delicious croissant and cappuccino we convinced ourselves not to waste the day and went to Islamic Cairo. Early in our trip there we ran into this guy Ahmed, who goes to AUC and he offered to show us around. He took us into this awesome little shop where a man was making wooden boxes by hand that were decorated with camel bone and abalone. They were absolutely beautiful and I was dumbfounded by the amount of precision it would take to create the pattern on the boxes. Then he took us to a spice, perfume, and medicine shop. As Katie said, it seemed like a potion’s shop. This adorable little man proudly showed us articles where he was mentioned in the newspaper and letters from individuals who had used his herbs to cure illness while Ahmed translated. We sniffed and tried on various spices and perfumes. Then Ahmed took us to his father’s Papyrus shop. The paintings were beyond gorgeous and we got to see Ahmed’s work too. He made us tea and he talked to us about all the stories behind the paintings. After leaving Ahmed we entered the Al-Ahazar mosque where we were required to take off our shoes and cover our heads. We got to see all of the architecture pointing towards Mecca and learn about the history of the church. We also got some really interesting Islamic tracts telling us why Islam was correct. Then we did some shopping in the market. It turned out to be a wonderful day.

Monday we slept in and then met up with Linda, women I knew from church who has been living in Egypt for 5 years. She showed us around Coptic Cairo and gave us great information on the situation for Christians in Egypt who are at times discriminated against. She explained that Christians in Egypt have their own Pope and Saints which was something I had never heard of. She also explained some of the roles of Mennonite Central Committee in Egypt. Then she took us to an area where the people collect the trash from the city and sort through it for recyclables. It reminded me so much of Guatemala. The women in this community also use the trash to make cards and other paper products as well as cloth to make incredible bags, rugs, and even stuffed animals. It was such a different side of Cairo then we had seen before. Linda explained that Egyptians are very concerned about how Egypt appears to outsiders and make attempts to hide anything that would not be seen as developed. Egypt is clearly far ahead of Ghana, but this helped point out some of the areas that it still has to work on. Poverty is still prevalent. For me I think that is one of the reasons being in Egypt felt relaxing, the desperation was not so ever-present. In Ghana, when you go to the market your choice to buy from one person rather than the other literally can be life or death. In Egypt there is a little more breathing room. I don’t know at all how you get Ghana there though. I wish I did. Tuesday we ate our way through Cairo. Croissants, Foul with Tahina, Falefel, hummus, bread, ice cream, Koshiri, chocolate cake. Yeah, we are fatty’s. I definitely gained weight in Egypt but the food was just so delicious and cheap!

Some fun things about Egypt:

Here are my favorite people we met

1. Mustafah-he was a hotel worker at our hostel and not only was he super cute, but he had the best attempts at English. When he found out it was Katie’s birthday he looked down for some time concentrating, and then pulled his head up in excitement and said “Happy Birthday”. We loved him

2. Fake Italian Guy- our 2 encounters with this Egyptian were hilarious. Ask me for the details, but suffice to say it was classic.

3. Mohammed from the dessert-Our guide the night in the sand dunes was fantastic. He made us laugh more than I have laughed in years. He taught us hilarious games, Bedouin dancing, and created one of the best nights ever.

4. Ahmed-The fun Egyptian who led us through Islamic Cairo

5. “Ramses” (as Katie and I refer to him but actually named Mohammad.) He worked at the hotel and was always making every attempt to help us and now we are face book friends!

6. Ramses II- Also worked at the hotel and always said things were “more better”. Katie’s hair without braids, no boys in the room

7. Another Mohammed, who told me I was an angle. Ha-ha, I finally realized he meant angel.

8. There were so many more!

The luxuries of Egypt

1. Hot showers

2. Sheets on the bed

3. Air conditioning

4. Soap/Hand sanitizer

5. Food variety

6. Tissues

7. Street lights

8. Real stores

9. Refrigeration

10. UNDERGROUND SEWAGE AND DRAINAGE!!

As fun as Egypt was though, I am glad to be back home in Ghana. I had a blast telling Sophie about our trip and this morning we had a pillow fight. I am going to miss her so much. I wish I could take her with me back to the US. Today she asked me if I would come to her wedding if she got married. I hope that I will be able to. She is so special to me and always will be J She is a huge part of my life in Ghana and I am so grateful for all that she has taught me.

Yesterday definetly goes on the list of best days of my life. First off it was katie's 21st birthday!! we woke up in the white dessert and watched a gorgeous sunrise. Then we had breakfast with 4 other people on tour and our 2 guides Osam and Mohammad. By the end of breakfast Osam had professed his love for me. It was hilarous. He had it all planned out how our marriage would work and introduced me as his girlfriend when we stopped at the black mountain in the black dessert. We also got to see crystal mountain which was gorgeous. The dessert is incredible. So vast. It was crazy to see nothing but dessert for hours. I am amazed that life can be sustained there. We got back to the oasis and showered, ate, and then headed back out with a new guide Mohammad to the sand dunes. We went along with 3 austrailans (mom and 2 daughters) who were so much fun. We toured around the oasis a bit and then set up camp in the sand dunes. We had a delicious dinner of a pasta/tomatoe/potatoe mix and tea. we sang happy birthday to katie in english and arabic. THen we sat around a candle and talked and laughed. Then mohammad got out is drum and sang some traditional songs in arabic. Then he told us he would dance if we promised not to smile. but we couldn't do it. WE were all almost crying from laughter. then we sang some kids songs like old mcdonalad and old susanna in both arabic and english. so cool. we played a bunch of clapping games and then mohammad taught us some dessert games which I can only describe as indescribly hilarious. the pictures will make you laugh. then we fell asleep under the most beautiful stars your mind can imagine. i woke up later in the night and the moon had gone down and i could see even more. ahhh sooo cool.
Unfortunately, sand flies apparently are not my friend. they were not in the white dessert, but they were in the sand dunes. i look like a 13-year old with the worst case of acne ever, or else just diseased. my hands are also covered. its so upsetting. i'm so itchy and i look horrendous. at least i don't have to worry about any more marriage proposals haha! its really all good though, it was worht it. hopefully they will go down soon. tonight we are getting on a night bus for dahab! yay for more travel! i just hope ic an sleep on the bus!
i miss you all!
2 weeks til london!

saw the pyramids today and it was indescribable. i am in awe of the history here. there are 8000 thoughts running through my head. about ancient egypt. about the muslim culture. about the difference between a second world and 3rd world country. its crazy. i can't imagine what london will feel like. i am so overwhelmed but life here. streetlights are so amazing! restaurants have menus and have those items. there are no people selling food off of their heads. its so strange! the area is beautiful though and i feel so lucky to have seen an ancient wonder of the world. i mean, i've been inside the great pyramid, ridden a camel and seen the sphinx and climbed on the pyramids. ahhh

Egypt is amazing! So different than Ghana. It is quite clear that the Sahara dessert really acts as a dividing. line. We went to the Egyptian Musuem today and It was probalby one fo the coolest experiences of my entire life. I was like 4 inches away from Rasmes. The jewels and extravagant art that was placed in the tombs was incredible to see. wow
life here is already different. They have real restaurants, and whats more than that, they have the food taht is on the menu! There is hot water!!! We have sheets on our bed!! The museum had labels on the objects not handscrawled explanations on torn sheets of paper! Strange though. Katie and I both feel really overwhelmed with how quicly everyone is moving and the pace of life. I didn't even realize how much I had adjusted to Ghana pace. Crazy!!!

ROCK THE VOTE

So I voted in my first presidential election!! I sent in my absentee ballot and I am praying that Obama wins. Even from Africa Palin and McCain scare the bejeezers out of me. Weird not to be able to watch the VP debate. I hope Biden does amazing!

So I leave for Egypt tomorrow and I am beyond excited! What a cool place in the world to see! There is so much history in that country. We are going to see the Pyramids, climb Mt. Sinai, see the Nile and so much more! How amazing is that! I am really glad that we went to Togo last weekend because it feels like good practice for being in a country where we do not speak the language. Shane gave us some advice on life in Egypt and also a handbook of Arabic.

Today Katie, Shane and I had lunch with Araba. I cut up a yam with Katie and we boiled the yams and plantains. The yams in Ghana are sort of like regular potatoes although they are more like 16 inches long. Araba had made a stew ahead of time. Vegetable stew with fish and of course bones. IT was actually pretty good, and I really enjoyed the yams. So weird to eat with your hands though. Another thing to add to my diet!! My new favorite dish here is Jollof Rice with Fried Plantains and a little bit of this tomatoe-ish sauce. So delicious! We had so much fun with Araba—she is a crack up! The discussion of how Ghanaians don’t pee was brought up. She says she pees once a day. That’s insane! She thinks its ridiculous how often Americans go. I wonder why that is? We had a lot of ideas, but someone needs to do some research! Random Ghana fact. Wheneverr Ghanaians have any food of any type and they see you, they say “your invited.” At first, we were so confused. Apparently it would be socially unacceptable to be eating in front of someone and not welcome them to have some. Pretty cool.

So many of Ghanaian foods are eaten with the hands. Banku, yams and stew, kenke, fufu… It’s a really interesting cultural difference. Silverware is just not used a lot. It’s a pretty obvious place that the more basic and simple lifestyle here comes through.

Tuesday was a Muslim holiday, and it was cool to be in a country with a large Muslim population. Many shops were closed and in the market barely any stalls had food. I love that being Muslim here does not bring to mind thoughts of terrorism ect. As intensely Christian as so many people are here, I am amazed that the Vice Presidential candidates are almost always Muslim to win the Islamic vote. Can you imagine that in the US? I tried to explain to Sophie how people are in the US about Muslims, and she was baffled by the ignorance. I told her that I am too. People think that Americans have a lot to teach 3^rd world countries, but I think maybe we have a whole lot more to learn from them. Like acceptance. Tolerance. Forgiveness. Openness. Maybe if we learned some of those qualities are country wouldn’t be in the mess it is.

So my hair is driving me insane! It is so itchy and the braids feel heavy and I can’t take it anymore! Ah! I think sophie is going to help me take it out because quite frankly, I might rip them out if we don’t!

Egypt is in 1 day.

London is in 22 days.

Classes end in 35 days.

I feel like I’ve been here forever and at the same time like I just arrived. Sort of how I feel like I have so much of the semester left, but then other times feel like its ending so fast! I guess I need to focus on living in the moment. Now. That’s the important time.

TIA THIS IS AFRICA

TIA THIS IS AFRICA

On Friday Katie and I watched Blood Diamond and it was striking how different it was to watch that movie here as opposed to in a cozy family room in the US. The streets in the movie look like the streets here. You see people on the brink of devastation all day, and you begin to understand how tragedies like the diamond crisis or even genocide can happen here. In the movie Danny Archer says, “You come here with your laptop computers, your malaria medicine and your little bottles of hand sanitizer and thank you can change the outcome, huh?” This really got me thinking, because frankly that describes me. But I guess maybe I think I can change the outcome, in small ways. I can become aware and better understand the culture and lifestyle here which is essential to creating a plan to effectively fight poverty. I can find joy and love in the people here and try and build bridges between people to remind us that we are all one humanity. Yes, this is Africa, but we are one people. In the movie they also say “My heart always told me that people are inherently good. My experience suggests otherwise.” Sometimes I feel like that, but often I feel like my experience tells me they are good. People sometimes do awful things but usually it’s an act of desperation or they are lost in life, that doesn’t make them not good. I feel like we are often too quick to jump at calling someone “bad” because it makes it easier to understand why they have done something. I think maybe if we remembered that we are one people, one world, one love we might try to help those people instead of casting them off as evil and no longer a part of the society we want.

By far the most applicable statement in the movie to my everyday life was this:

TIA THIS IS AFRICA

Such a simple statement, yet I can’t even tell you the amount of times it goes through my head throughout a normal day here. When the only option for dinner is again, rice in a bag. This is Africa. When I take my cold shower every day. When you are 1 of 24 people shoved into a tro tro (about the size of a van). When people begin to fight over whose taxi you are going to get in. When you see people going to the bathroom all over the street. When children are taking bucket showers outside. When someone tries to sell you pants, toys, food, phone credit, or artwork through the window. When the power goes out. THIS IS AFRICA. When children run up to you shouting obruni. When adults excitedly tell you about how they want to go to America. When someone proudly shows you their one room shop, which would appear to be a shack if you didn’t know. When you see women carrying 50 loaves of bread perfectly balanced on their heads while balancing a child on their back. THIS IS AFRICA.

THIS IS AFRICA and I realized I am calling it home. We went to Togo for the weekend and as we were returning I had the overwhelming feeling of “I just want to be home, in my room, in my bed” And I didn’t mean Elon or Ephrata Pa, I meant room 133 International Students Hostel Legon, Accra, Ghana. So cool. So this weekend we went to Togo. Here’s the details:

Left at 4 am Saturday from the hostel to get an STC bus to Aflao, a border city. We got there around 10 and began the process of getting a visa and crossing the border. It was quite the system. Basically we all clumped around a desk outside of a building, filled out a form, paid money, and they gave us a stamp. I don’t think it hit me until we were actually in Togo that, oh yeah, these people don’t speak English. Haha, fun times. Using a series of charades and attempts at French we managed to get a cab to a restaurant. This was by far one of the sketchiest restaurants I have been at yet. I stuck with the plain rice, always good. On our walk back into town (Lome) we found a delicious ice-cream store and I got caramel ice-cream on a cone. Again through pointing and acting out we got a cab to a town about an hour north. From there we got a canoe across a lake to Togoville. The canoe ride was a big scary but at the same time very pretty and cool. I like that this is the only way to get there. We arrived in Togoville and the town “guide” greeted us. We said we wanted to find a hotel, but the 2 options were over priced and not very nice so we decided we would just do the tour and go back to Lome. Togoville is supposedly the home of voodoo which is pretty cool. The town has 8000 people and 6000 practice voodoo and the rest are catholic or a mix of both. The people are extremely proud that the Pope visited in 1985 because the Virgin Mary was spotted there. It was interesting to see a bit how Voodoo played a role in everyday life, although since our guide only had broken English and we had zero French it was a little tricky. We got back on the canoe and it was amazing. Sunset, on a fisherman canoe on a lake, looking at mountains, in Togo. Yeah, it was amazing.

We made it back to Lome and found a decent hotel (we had to ask them to turn the water on every time we wanted it and the bed was by far the most uncomfortable thing I have ever slept on in my life). We were about to look for a restaurant when we met this guy wearing a UNC t-shirt. He introduced himself and we told him that we go to school near there. He has studied in London, is from Accra, and was doing some sort of research in Togo. His name was perfect. Rich Gold. He told us he would call us, and he has, twice. We are totally going to hang out with Rich Gold. He got us a cab and paid for it and we ate at a pretty nice Chinese restaurant. I didn’t really sleep at the hotel, so I was exhausted in the morning when we were heading to Kplime. Since my knee was hurting and I was tired I just slept in our hotel there and Katie and Shane went to explore the mountain. I napped and when they got back we went to dinner at a really nice place that turned out to be cheap. I had really yummy French fries and fruit salad and they gave us free French bread. French bread is pretty much the best part of Togo. Ordering food is hilarious, the menu is in French, and the waiters don’t speak English. Luckily Spanish is similar enough to french that on a menu I can usually figure out close to what something is and just point. I have never felt so much like an ignorant American though. These people in little villages in the middle of Togo often knew a little bit of English. They speak their indigenous language, French, and then some English and they’ve probably never left their village. I however, have all the opportunities in the world and I can’t manage to learn more than English and Spanish. We had a nice night’s sleep at our hotel which had a double bed and a single bed! First time in forever we haven’t had 3 in the bed. We woke up early and went to the waterfalls. We had to pay 2000 cfa’s to get there which was kind of upsetting, but they were beautiful and then we started exploring. We found a path to take us into the falls and we got in and played and it was so fun!

To get home we had to take taxi-motos—basically motorcycles which are the common form of transportation in Togo. You just hop on the back and go. We road for probably 30 or 40 minute and it was beautiful. It’s a bit of a balancing act to have your backpack, your side bag, and a bag full of French bread while holding on to your driver. But it works. We got to the border, they checked our visas gave us another 60 days in Ghana and we were good to go! It was funny at first we forgot they could speak English and were trying to mime things. I can’t imagine how Egypt is going to be. Oh boy.

Caught multiple tro tros to make it back to Accra. It felt so good to shower and unpack. Katie and I made a giant fruit salad and had our bread. We also made hot chocolate, our new favorite treat. I can’t believe we leave for EGYPT on Friday!!!!!! So exciting!