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.