Traveling in Ghana

December 5^th, 2008

It doesn't seem like I've been in Ghana for a month now in terms of how quick each day is going by. But when I think of all I've learned and the things I've done it seems that I've been here longer than a month.

Let me start where I last left off... Thanksgiving I spent unlike any other Thanksgiving I've had before. It was hot as ever in Ghana so in my mind it didn't seem at all like Thanksgiving. Me, Sarah, and Fo Dela took a tro-tro into town and spent a little time at the Internet cafe before heading to our Thanksgiving feast (lol). We went to this restaurant that is (I was told) the spot where all the white people go. It has the most westernized food your gonna find in Ho. So we order their “pizza”, which is exactly like a pizza minus the cheese. So really it's not pizza at all. But it was probably the best thing EVER at that moment cause from my last blog you know I wasn't having too much of an appetite for the food here in Ghana. So after eating our Thanksgiving dinner we headed back to the village in a tro tro packed with 20 people in it. Imagine a small pickup with the topper on it, and 20 people smooched into it, for an hour, in the hot African sun. Okay, and then image two super fat women sitting together on the same side of the vehicle, as you drive down a road that already has you tipping from one side to the next. love it! When we got back Sarah and I shared the Reece’s cups I brought and had been saving. It was actually a pretty sad and pathetic sight to see us as we savored each bite. Haha.

Sarah, the other volunteer is gone now. She left Ghana on December 1st. Before she left, Me, her and Dela went to Accra for a couple days (the capital city in Ghana). We arrived in Accra on Saturday afternoon. One thing that I will say is traveling by tro-tro is taking years off my life (lol). Every time I get into a tro-tro I say a prayer because people in Ghana drive so dang crazy. They pass each other on a highway that there's one lane going one direction and one lane going the opposite but that are right next to one another. They do this in what would be consider a no passing zone in the U.S. Oh but don't worry, they indicate to the other vehicles, that might possibly be coming towards us, by honking the horn a few times (like this is going to prevent the head on collision). The taxi driver was laughing at me on Sunday when I was in the back seat quietly freaking out. He was like, “Are you okay?” I just told him with a smile on my face that his driving was out of control and I was a little scared for my life.

But anyways... We went to the slave castle in Cape Coast and the hanging bridges in Kakum National Park on Sunday. I was really happy to have had the opportunity to go to the slave castle although it was a sad place to visit. I felt it was a chance to pay respect to those who suffered in such a tragic part of our world's history. At the hanging bridges I was so scared. You are high up in the air, crossing over a hanging walking bridge, the width being the same width of one of your feet. Each step I took I heard “creeeeaak”, and each step the bridge shook, making me want to cry with fear. But the fact there was a 70 some year old man behind me made me feel like I needed to stop acting so scary.

On Monday we went to the ocean in Accra for a couple hours. Not my typical trip to the beach but it was still beautiful as ever. What I mean by not my typical trip to the beach is just that because of the standards of women here in terms of wardrobe, I wasn't able to put on my bikini and soak up the sun but I get plenty of sun here anyways, so I was fine with that. After the beach we took Sarah to the airport and saw her off. I really enjoy her company while she was here but know I feel I'm going to embrace the village life even more than before.

December 7^th, 2008

Today I went to a funeral with Dela. It’s kinda similar to one in the U.S. in that they hold a wake, then a funeral, and then the burial ceremony. But a difference is that at the funeral, the ladies of the deceased person's family and church dance around the casket to the beating of drums and people singing. Usually, the wake is held Friday, the funeral and burial is on Saturday and then Sunday the family and friends celebrate the person's life by dance and drinking all day long. I don't know exactly why they didn't do it like that this time but I think it's because the lady was older and she had been sick for a few months. I didn't like seeing everyone crying but I'm happy that I was able to experience this aspect of their culture.

Also, today was voting day. It was exciting to be here during their election, just to see how it's done in other countries. One thing I thought was real nice is that last night our village had a gathering at sun down. It was to pray for a safe election. It was probably between 200 and 300 people there and it was just really nice to see community coming together like that even though they weren't all voting for the same party. Dela almost didn't vote, but after I lectured him several times, he finally decided to go and rock the vote!

Each day I'm seeing new things, observing, and learning. The conversations I have with people everyday are helping me to broaden my thoughts and how I see the world. The relationships I am making are allowing me to embrace and love people that much more. I feel myself transforming into a stronger person and a better person and I know that this is all part of God's plan for me.