Akwaaba

I flew from Nashvillle to Washington DC Dulles airport. At Dulles I was awaiting the flight to Accra, Ghana and spoke to several Ghanaians. They approached me wanting to know where I was going and why and then told me how much I was going to love Ghana and want to come back. I was hoping to get a window seat to take lots of pictures from the plane of Africa, but the man next to me said he had specially requested a window seat. L After we took off, United Airlines served dinner, and then told everyone to shut the window shade so people could sleep on the 10 hour flight. Between the noise, light, excitement and snoring, I got maybe 2 hours of sleep. About an hour before arriving in Accra we were served lunch. The man next to me awoke and noticed how I was leaning over him to look out the window and realized that I did not want the window to sleep, but to look out, so he switched seats with me. I got to take some pictures, but the clouds were thick in some areas.

Views from the plane. Somewhere in Ghana.

            We landed in Accra on a bumpy runway needing to be paved. There were broken down planes along the side and a US Airforce plane was parked as well. 

We exited the plane by way of staircase. The temperature on arrival  at noon was 89^oF and HUMID. The entrance to the airport building said “Akwaaba” meaning “Welcome” in Twi.

airport entrance

 Twi is the native language. Only those that go to school really learn and can understand English. The airport did not have good signs directing everyone nor was there good security. We filed into the appropriate lines to get our passports checked. Once through immigration we go through customs, which consisted of “what’s in your bags?” “Clothes.” Passed this was the exit where taxis were waiting and the Projects Abroad person, Nyame. He was a very jubilant man. He shook my hand about 20 times and kept welcoming me to Ghana. He told me after I got here I would be calling “mummy” asking for more money to stay longer. J We waited for 2 other volunteers to arrive. Elyse and Emily soon got there. They were sisters from Australia. I traveled with them about 20 minutes by way of tiny, cramped, hot Kia cab to the Projects Abroad office. 

the cab ride

We met the people working at the office and got our room for the night. The room had twin sized beds with just a sheet but as I soon found out the night is so hot that you end up not even needing the sheet. We also got some water. The water comes in square plastic pouches. You bite off a corner then squeeze and drink from there. 

bedroom in Accra and a water pouch

The water pressure in the shower is negligible and we needed a bucket to maximize the time in the shower. We went to bed around 7 o clock after eating spicy rice and ?chicken? which was  very good! 

Emily and myself

That night the Accra volunteers had a meeting right outside our screen window, which kept us awake most of the night. I awoke at 3am to be taken to the bus station by another Projects Abroad member, Kwami. Another girl, Katja, from Denmark arrived that night and came with us to Kumasi. We first ate breakfast at the office-toast  with peanut butter and orange marmalade. The orange marmalade tasted like orange rind…At the bus station I was expecting to be on an uncomfortable hot stinky bus, but instead we rode in a charter bus with comfy seats, A/C, TV, etc! We drove about 5-10mph most of the way there because about 85% of the roads were not paved! So I got no sleep…again…The movie on the bus was a Ghanaian film-terrible acting and production. We arrived in downtown Kumasi. Women carry EVERYTHING on their heads, babies are tied around the waist, and everyone is trying to sell something, and I am being stared at. Another Projects Abroad member, Enoch, took me to my host family. I met Rosalyn and her baby, Ben. Ben is 3 months old. My bedroom has 2 queen size beds a closet and a fan. 

my bedroom

 I got some water to drink from a filter, which is rare, and then was off to tour Kumasi. My host family’s house is in Atonsu, which is south Kumasi. I was shown where and how to ride tro-tros and taxis. Tro-Tros are busses that run a specific route with stops on the way. They hold about 15 people. There is a “mate” who rides next to the door and collects money and riders. He is usually a teenager or younger. I then got a SIM card for my phone and minutes as well as exchanged money. The exchange rate that day was 1:1.43.  Enoch then took me to eat authentifc local Ghanaian food. We sit outside and the food is prepared on site. There are chickens and goats running around. Under a netted tent the food is cooked. Here we bargain for a price. The food is a rice ball and meat. The rice is soft and fried in a ball then dropped in a bowl of spicy soup. A piece of cow meat is also dropped in. You then rinse your right hand in the bucket on the table and eat with your right hand. Only after the rice and meat are gone do you use the spoon to drink the soup. The soup is sort of peanutty tasting/fishy tasting…it’s interesting. The meat tastes like dried cured steak. Enoch then told me all about Ghana and the Ghanaian customs. He was raised in Cape Coast and has lived in Ghana his whole life. Then we went to the Projects Abroad office in Kumasi. The other 25 or so volunteers in Kumasi were all there as well. We meet every Wednesday at 330. We played some games and talked about planning trips around Ghana. Some people were new like me and others had been there for 2 or 3 months. Afterwards most of us went to eat at a restaurant called “My Kitchen” which serves western food. I got chicken fried rice and a pineapple Alvara-a carbonated fruit drink. I also met my housemates. Delphine (Delf) is from France and speaks a little English and Christine is from Sweden and understands most English. The 3 of us rode a taxi back to our house. I met Agnes, the homeowner, her son, Benjamin-Rosalyn’s husband, Ben-Rosalyn and Ben's son, and Junior- a friend of the family. I was able to call home and finally get some sleep!

me with baby Ben

            I woke up Thursday at 7. Breakfaast was toast with cherry jam and nutella and tea. I then walked with Delf and Christine to the tro-tro station. We rode separately, however, once there. I take a tro to the KSTS junction and met Enoch where I got a t-shirt and my picture made for my ID. I met the other projects abroad workers for the area as well-Chief and Anthony. Anthony, Enoch and I took a taxi to Sofo-line where we met other volunteers in medicine. We then all took a tro to the entrance of the school and the school bus took us the rest of the way. Goats and medium-sized skinny dogs are everywhere. When we arrived the kids were so excited and the scream “obrini” which means “white person.” We set up all the medical supplies-gauze, tape, cotton balls, saline, iodine, band-aids, cortisone, and ring worm cream. Then the kids line up and one by one come in to see one of the volunteers, get treated, then go back to class. Most kids had a fungal infection or ring worm all over their heads. Others had minor cuts and scrapes, which for them could turn into something worse if not treated. Some, however, had terrible cuts that would have warranted stitches in America. Afterwards we walk through the school to get to the headmasters office. He gives us a drink-coke or water, and some food-graham crackers and oranges. As we left the kids chanted in unison, “obrini, obrini, obrini.” They like to shake our hands and wave to us.  After leaving the school, Iona from Scotland, Sydney from California, and myself went to their host family’s house. They were making fufu for dinner. To make it they put the corn/rice mixture in a large mortar and a man uses a large pole to beat it as the woman turns it over and over with her hands. 

making fufu

We then went to Adum to the Internet Café where I bought internet time. Afterwards I met up with my roommates and we went to the supermarket. We then came home for dinner. We had rice and stew which was basically rice and vegetable soup. It was very good. We added Maggi, which is soy sauce, to our rice as well. After dinner we hung out with Junior. Junior is Agnes’s other son who is 19. Delf and I brought our computers out and we all shared music taste. Junior and I both like rap…he LOVES Lil’ Wayne. We asked him to show us how they dance in Ghana. He showed us the traditional dance. That is where you move your hips and step then swing your arms towards yourself, but you then have to push your fists away from yourself, otherwise you could be sent to jail! If you did not move your arms again away from yourself it means that all the world and all the city is yours…only the chief can do that. You have to push it away and give it to the chief. 

            On Friday we went again to a school. Anthony’s, one of the Projects Abroad workers, mom work at this school. 

Anthony's mom outside her classroom

We set up our table outside. The kids are so excited to see us coming and want to walk with us and hold our hand. Many of the kids have the same injuries and ailments as Thursday but this time some had boyles on their legs and one girl had one in her ear. It was sad that all I could do for them was put hydrogen peroxide on the wound and wrap an iodine soaked bandage across it. The bandage however was soon to fall off and the dust and dirt would refill the wound only to make it worse…

me with kids from the school

they love to have their pictures taken

more kids with some other volunteers

 We went to the Kajetia Market today. It is the biggest open air market in West Africa. I have never been so overwhelmed and lost in all my life. 

we finally found a bathroom...that is rare!

view from the upstairs of a shop in Kumasi

The market is shops right next to and across from each other with an aisle down the center about 3 feet wide. We then spent 2 hours trying to find our tro-tro to get home, waiting in a 75 person line, deciding to get a taxi, then finally getting one and getting home! It was so crowded this afternoon.  

street view in downtown Kumasi

Christine and I in Kejetia

walking through the market

Delphine and I waiting on the tro-tro...you can see the line behind us.

crowded and people with baskets on their heads filled with water.

woman selling her item in Kejetia

For dinner we had yams with stew.

On Saturday we went to Kejetia with Junior. It rained very hard that night and morning so everything was muddy. He took us to a jersey shop where we got Ghana football jerseys with our names put on the back! We then went to find fabric for making dresses. After walking through the market in the mud and puddles, our legs and shoes were covered in dirt. We also went to the culture center where we saw crafts being made, saw a wedding taking place, heard music, and could buy paintings, jewelry and just about anything. For lunch we went to Dimlites. We had the BEST fried rice with salad and chicken. The salad dressing they prefer is a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise. We then headed home. There was a man on the street walking through everyone carrying a cows head. It had just been chopped off because it was dripping and things were hanging from the back. Never would I see that in America! 

tro-tro station in Kejetia

part of the market

fabric shop in Kejetia

On the way home we stopped near the house at a clothing shop to have dresses made. We look at a poster with designs then draw what we want and get measured. We will pick it up on Wednesday. For dinner we had fried plantains, which were sooo good, and some type of stwew that smelled very fishlike and I even discovered a bone in mine. I doused the food in soy sauce and held my nose to eat it.  That night we went with Junior and his brother, who does not live with us, to Banatama. We met up with about 10 other volunteers and some of their host brothers. We went dancing in a club. It was air conditioned which was great. Junior’s brother started talking to me then after telling me a little about his life he decided we should plan our wedding!! Hahaha He said he poured his heart out to me and I was rejecting him..yes…I finally pawned him off on another volunteer. At the end of the night he said he could fill out the paperwork and we could be married in December. At this point it was very frustrating. Ghanaian men want to marry white women because they think we have money. I guess relatively speaking we have money, but they do not understand the American process of dating, and are very stubborn when it comes to things like that.

On Sunday my roommates and I went to the internet café. I was able to skype with my family!!! 

sleeping baby on the tro-tro on his mother's back

view from the tro-tro

the roads...

Hopefully every Sunday I will be able to update the blog! I miss seeing my friends and family, but most of all I miss being understood…only a few volunteers speak English well enough for me to speak normally. With my host family and roommates I must speak basic English and slowly with hand motions. Welp…its almost one week now and other than a slight cultural barrier I LOVE Ghana!!!