So after three weeks in Ghana and numerous emails I have decided to start a blog. This is not only for those of you who want to see what crazy adventures and trouble that I will get into in the next eight months but I’m hoping it will also be something that I can look back on later in life and see what a wonderful experience this is. However, I am not sure how often I will be able to keep on top of this but I promise to do my very best. Also, this is my firs blog, so please be patient! I’m not quite sure how it works but I am going to do my very best! Please feel free to leave comments or send me emails, I would love to hear what people think! So, with that in mind….let’s go!  |
| Map of Ghana |
I guess an explanation of why I am in Ghana is always a good first start. I am in Ghana as part of a program called Trent in Ghana where there are 16 Canadian students from various universities across Canada as well as 4 Ghanaian students. We are from various programs but the majority of us are International Development Majors. We are in Accra (the capital) for 2 months, and then we move up north to a place called Tamale to do a field placement for a month. After Christmas Vacation we resume but not at the University of Ghana. We all choose an organization to work for anywhere in the country and for four months we intern there. The aim is to see development first hand while also experiencing Ghanaian culture as much as we possibly can.
Well, the last three weeks in Ghana have been a whirlwind. My weeks have been filled with orientations, tours of the city, classes and most importantly immersing myself into the culture as much as possible. A lot has happened so I won’t fill you in with the boring stuff but here are some of the highlights:
-Bead Factory in the Eastern Region where I made my own beads
-Volta Lake and Dam- gorgeous view
-Football Game: Ghana vs. Swaziland
-Football Game: Ghana vs. Swaziland
-Getting to know my classmates and making some new Ghanaian friends
-African Dancing and Drumming Class
With those out of the way I guess the next thing is to explain about where I am living. I am living in a part of Accra called Medina with Mama Hette, her daughter, Caroline and her four year old grandson, Emmanuel. There are a few other people who live in the compound as well but they aren’t part of the main family. I am living with Nadine, a Peace and Conflict Studies Student from the University of Waterloo. The neighbourhood is great; the people are all very friendly! I am very lucky to be a 30-45min walk from school as well so we have been able to get some cardio in as well. The group of people that I am with are wonderful! I couldn’t have asked to be a part of a greater group.
This weekend, Amy, Brigitte (the Nova Scotian’s) and I decided to get out of Accra for a day. Accra is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. Organized chaos at its best and sometimes, just plain chaos. There are markets on every corner, people everywhere you look and traffic from hell. It puts the 401 to Toronto at rush hour to shame. There are driving rules of course but rarely anyone follows them. You would be much worse off if you did. The trotros (big vans will rows of seats that carry about 20-25 people driving throughout the city with the aim of packing as many people into them as possible) replace the bus system we have in Canada and along with the taxi drivers here have made their own rules for the road. We decided to go back to Kokrobite on Saturday and spend the night. We had been there two weeks before with our class but only for the day. Kokrobite is a small fishing village on the coast that is popular with the rasta’s and ‘obrunis’(white people). Getting to Kokrobite was much easier than I thought. We rode two trotro’s to the main station where we eventually caught the trotro to Kokrobite. Everyone in the market was really friendly and helpful, continuously pointing us in the right direction. As I mentioned before though, the traffic in Accra is brutal. The trotro avoided the main road but by doing that we had to drive down the back dirt roads that are filled with bumps and holes. The three of us bounced in the back of the trotro the whole way there. I was also sitting next to a man who upon hearing me say ‘meda ase’ (thank you) attempted to have a conversation to me in Twi. Having only been here for three weeks and only taken about twelve hours of Twi class, I was of course unable to communicate very well. Luckily though, everyone here speaks English. I try to speak Twi as much as possible because I would love to learn the language and get to the point where I can hold a conversation with someone. I know the basics, such as how are you, what is your name, I want to go to medina, how much and the second most important one after thank you, reduce the price. I have found that when I attempt to speak Twi to someone at the market while trying to buy something they often assume that I have been here for a while and as a result know the actual price of something, not the ‘obruni’ price.
This weekend, Amy, Brigitte (the Nova Scotian’s) and I decided to get out of Accra for a day. Accra is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. Organized chaos at its best and sometimes, just plain chaos. There are markets on every corner, people everywhere you look and traffic from hell. It puts the 401 to Toronto at rush hour to shame. There are driving rules of course but rarely anyone follows them. You would be much worse off if you did. The trotros (big vans will rows of seats that carry about 20-25 people driving throughout the city with the aim of packing as many people into them as possible) replace the bus system we have in Canada and along with the taxi drivers here have made their own rules for the road. We decided to go back to Kokrobite on Saturday and spend the night. We had been there two weeks before with our class but only for the day. Kokrobite is a small fishing village on the coast that is popular with the rasta’s and ‘obrunis’(white people). Getting to Kokrobite was much easier than I thought. We rode two trotro’s to the main station where we eventually caught the trotro to Kokrobite. Everyone in the market was really friendly and helpful, continuously pointing us in the right direction. As I mentioned before though, the traffic in Accra is brutal. The trotro avoided the main road but by doing that we had to drive down the back dirt roads that are filled with bumps and holes. The three of us bounced in the back of the trotro the whole way there. I was also sitting next to a man who upon hearing me say ‘meda ase’ (thank you) attempted to have a conversation to me in Twi. Having only been here for three weeks and only taken about twelve hours of Twi class, I was of course unable to communicate very well. Luckily though, everyone here speaks English. I try to speak Twi as much as possible because I would love to learn the language and get to the point where I can hold a conversation with someone. I know the basics, such as how are you, what is your name, I want to go to medina, how much and the second most important one after thank you, reduce the price. I have found that when I attempt to speak Twi to someone at the market while trying to buy something they often assume that I have been here for a while and as a result know the actual price of something, not the ‘obruni’ price.
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| Big Milly's |
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| Reggae Night=Dancing/Fun |
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| The three of us |
When we got to Kokrobite about two hours later we decided to hit the beach. We lay there all day. Unfortunately, the one bad thing about Kokrobite is the amount of garbage that is around. Trash lines the beach and is in the ocean. There aren’t proper disposal methods in place and as a result people throw their trash on the beach or into the ocean because they have no where else to put it. Sometimes they burn the trash here but it is equally bad for the environment. This however, isn’t a problem that is faced just by Kokrobite but I have seen it in every place I have been to in Ghana. Accra and Kokrobite though are by far the worst. It is hard to see such a beautiful place littered with garbage. It is something though that you just have to get used to and not let it put a damper on your day. I was in and out of the ocean and I had brought my football that I had managed to purchase in Twi. I played football all afternoon with some little kids and then some more people my age. (I was also the only girl!). It really was a wonderful afternoon. It was the first time I had played since my ankle surgery and I realized how much I actually missed playing. I am going to take a look into seeing if I can find a team while I am here that will let me play with them. Fingers crossed because after all the starch I have been eating, I will have to watch the waistline. Plus, it would just be a great way to meet some more people. After playing on the beach all day, we ate dinner and then crashed in our room for about an hour, in preparation for reggae night. We also managed to make some friends who gave us each a free bracelet! Every Saturday night at the place we stayed at, Big Milly’s, there is reggae night where they leave the gate open. This makes for a great party filled with local Ghanaians and people from all over the world. We met a Greek Professor who was teaching Politics at Legon (my university), a Nigerian couple on their honeymoon, some British volunteers and numerous Ghanaians. Before the music though, there was a group who did some crazy acrobatic acts. Stood on top of each other, swallowed fire and did some juggling. The most disturbing act involved a snake. A man had a snake and put it into his mouth. The snake was still alive and it was the snake’s head that went into his mouth! They also managed to recruit a volunteer from the audience to do the same. It was disgusting. I couldn’t watch. Brigitte, on the other hand likes snakes so she held it. Too much for me to handle. After the act though, the party began! The music was by a live band and after no time at all everyone was up dancing. It really was a great night-had a few drinks and listened to Bob while surrounded by some incredible people. We left this morning so that we could miss the traffic (everyone was in church).
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| Star Beer and Amy's hand |
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| Brigitte and the snake |
All in all, a great weekend. It was just amazing to get out of Accra, even if it was only for a night. Ghana is a beautiful place and I want to see as much of it as possible. Well, that’s the end of the first blog. I’m hoping there will be plenty more and that I will be able to keep on top of it. That will be the hardest part.
Until next time,
Joc xxx
PS. There is a guy who lives in our compound who blasts music late at night and as soon as he gets up. So far I have heard a collection of rap (Eminem, TI, Kanye, Jay Z), some Ghanaian artists but a few surprising ones as well; Justin Beiber, Miley Cyrus, Brad Paisley, Abba, Celine Dion. Nadine and I have decided to call him DJ. Overall, his taste in music is quite good. Once in a while I might post the “song of the day/week” along with the quote of the day or week.
Song of the weekend: I'm A Barbie Girl-Barbie
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