Home Again.

I have been home now for a few days. I haven't journaled at all which makes me feel like a failure. But I have baked a lot! Pumpkin pie, Magic Bars, Breakfast...yummy. I missed cooking.

It's so weird to be home. It's really cold, for one. And it's exhausting. I have been having incredible spurts of energy that last a few hours (usually when I'm seeing someone I haven't seen in 4 months) and then I crash and feel like I'm going to fall over. So far, I've been able to time the crashes with being close to my parents couch. This is good.

I feel incredibly blessed to have such amazing people who want to see me despite my roller coaster of emotions and energy. I'm grateful.

I think about Ghana all the time. I'm reminded of people, conversations, and experiences every few minutes. All this thinking makes me tired.

While thinking is overbearing at times, answering people's questions is easier than I thought it would be. I guess I generally don't have a hard time talking... :)

Remember when I felt really unproductive in Ghana and felt like I only accomplished one thing per day? Well, that seemed to follow me back here. It seems like I do nothing all day but I'm still exhausted by the end. Next semester is going to kill me if it keeps going at this pace. The United States doesn't like this pace even though I'm used to it...ah!

Trying to take this cultural readjustment day by day!

Love you all.

Quick Update

Free travel was amazing. I spent a full week in Ada Foah, a little fishing town in South East Ghana. We stayed at Maranatha, a little beach camp--accesed by wooden canoe--on a sandy point. All of the proceeds of this beach camp go to the community that is situated directly besdie it. About 750 people live in the community and about half are children. Our money mostly goes to continuing to build a school that was set up 3 years ago becuase of this beach camp.

It was breathtaking and peaceful. On one side of our palm-branch-walled, thatched-roofed, sandy-floored beach hut was the wavy Gulf of Guinea and on the other side was the calm, fresh Volta River. They met at the end of the point and we walked all the way around every day. We swam, built sand castles, had heart to hearts, skinny dipped, walked, played, read, and basked in the sun. It was beautiful, relaxing, and a great time to reflect. I love Ghana and I love beaches.

On Thanksgiving, our whole group met at Maranatha for a wonderful evening of food, reflection, love-bucket-filling (A tradition our group has done throughout the semester where we go around the circle and tell one person what we love about them. It was my turn on Friday morning and truly made my bucket overflow with love.), and fellowship. We had cokolokos--local rum, coconut milk straight out of the coconut, and Coke. The staff caught wind of our holiday and group renion and made us a bonfire. We enjoyed being together so much. I was ever thankful that day. For the fact that I'll see family and friends so soon. For the amazing trip that is now almost finished. For the way Ghana has changed me because of it's beautiful people, culture, and land.

It was so odd to come back to campus after truly "roughing it" for a week. I got used to having no running water, electricity, sink or toilet. I got used to bathing in a river. I got used to being awake when the sun was awake. I got used to eating only three little meals a day (no snacks) and drinking liters and liters of water.

A complete difference from ISH which is a complete difference from where I will be on Thursday--home.

When we got back to campus, ISH looked like it had been repainted, my bed was incredibly comfortable, the shower seemed squeaky clean. I hadn't looked in a mirror for a week and that was really weird too. I am tan and blonde and skinnier. Eating on a budget and endless beach walks will do that to you.

I am so grateful for this semester. So much so that I feel torn or ripped or just strange. I can't start saying goodbye yet, but I'm thinking about it all the time. Part of me is ready to leave now. Another part of me is dreading that last day. I'm trying to enjoy every last moment of being in Ghana. And I'm stressing the fact that my bags will undoubtedly be overweight on the way home. Ah!

More when I get home...

A Wonderful Weekend

A few days ago, on Friday, I had the best day.

Grace, Miranda, Anica and I got on tro tros after breakfast to downtown Accra. We met a really nice dude from Wisconsin (random!) on the trotro! It was a super hot sunny day and we spent it exploring and gallivanting all over the colorful, busy city. Bumming around with my girlies made me very excited for free travel in a few days. We're gonna have such a wonderful time.

First we went to the Cultural Center--a touristy market with all kinds of art, fabric, drums, crafts, jewelry, etc. We had fun finishing our Christmas shopping and bargaining with everyone and thier brother.
Exciting purchases of the day (that aren't gifts, I can't give away the other things I bought):
--A really great djembe bag!
--A rattle like instrument (the first instrument in Ghana, before the drum) that you play in your hand. It helps develop polyrhythm and I LOVE practicing. :)
--A Ghanaian painting (I had yet to purchase one since I've been making my own!)

We met up with some friends (Amy and Naomi) and then tro troed over to Osu for a delicious smoothie/chicken wrap lunch. Very infrequently do I eat food like that!

Then we took another tro tro to "Circle" (a huge and busy roundabout in Accra) and went to the post office to pick up a mysterious package. I was notified that I had a package over a week ago but because of exams and the hours the post office was open, I couldn't go pick it up until Friday. I had no idea who it was from...

When they brought it out from the back room, I freaked out becuase it was HUGE. I ripped it open while the lady behind the counter stared at me like I was crazy :)

Here are the contents of my package! (P.S. I did most of the paintings on the wall while I've been in Ghana!)

Otherwise known as heavenly joy. My CICW friends sent me love in a package!! I have the best job EVER. Candy, cookies, Cheez-its, candy, the Chimes, tea, EASY MAC, candy, a CD, candy, and the nicest notes of encouragement were inside. I think the packing slip said it was 5 pounds worth of snacks. HA! I don't think I stopped smiling for hours. I feel so loved and valued. AND I LOVE M & Ms!

Me, Grace, and Sneeky. SO EXCITED! (Notice the Chimes. One of my friends was so excited that she wanted to cut out articles to keep!)

Let's just say that in the course of two days, my friends and I did a number on the contents of the package. I think we've eaten at least half of what was in there. And it was a lot. We didn't eat the letters, surprisingly. This junk food has soothed my soul. Oh, and I think everyone in our group has read the Chimes already (and eaten the Skittles). We have just been giddy about this package!

CICW--THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Anyway, back to Friday night. When we got back, exhausted and experiencing sugar highs from Twizzlers, we got ready for an evening of fun to follow-up our day of fun.

Miranda's roommate Seguah organized a "quinciple" (Grace's way of saying quadruple for the number five) date to a Ghanaian movie (called A Sting in a Tale) premier on campus. All the girls had to find dates. We basically took all of our close guy friends which made it so much fun. The movie was so weird but incredibly entertaining. It could probably be categorized as a dramatic comedy? With a little horror and romance tossed in. All the main characters ended up as ghosts by the end. But it was so fun to see scenes filmed in chop bars and houses like we've seen all over Ghana! So great.

Nana Addo and Miranda, Benjamin and Seguah (Boys don't smile much for pictures in Ghana. They're actually very happy people even if they look angry in the pictures!)

Me and Jibro, Yonni and Grace (Anica and Daniel came a few mintues later). Jibro and Yonni are roommates in ISH and live right above us! Such great guys.

While I'm talking about my friends in Ghana, I'll show you more pictures of people I love.

This is Anica, Samuel (Papa 70 is his nickname, I don't think I've ever called him Samuel!), and me. Papa 70 has the best laugh of anyone I know. I can hear him laughing from across campus :)

THIS IS GENEVIEVE!!!! I know you've all been dying to see her beautiful face. Here it is! She is the best roommate I could have asked for and I'm so grateful for her. I will miss her too much. When I come back to Ghana, it will be for her wedding day, whenever that is!

Yesterday, Saturday, I was creative and lazy all day. I sewed patches of fabric onto my djembe case and watched Gilmore Girls. In the evening, our whole group got together in my room and watched Love Actually (I've actually already watched in twice already since being here). This means that Christmas time is here!! I love that movie so much and could watch it over and over.

Because LOVE ACTUALLY IS ALL AROUND. It's here in Ghana. It's at home. It's all over the world!

The scenes in the beginning and the end of the movie (at the arrivals gate at the airport) made me tear up in anticipation of hugging all my Ghanaian loved ones goodbye and all of my American loved ones hello. It's gonna be so bittersweet. I am blessed.

(P.S. I'll blog all I can, but tomorrow until Wednesday our group is going to Kumasi. Then Friday until the next Friday, Miranda, Grace, Anica, and I are going to Ada Foah for free travel!! The adventure continues!)

School's Out for Summer

Today was our last day studying at the University of Ghana. My exams have been taken, my papers have been turned in, and I walked out of the building glowing like it was summer break. FREEDOM!

The fact that our last drumming class was today makes me very sad. I have loved learning to play the djembe in every way. My ability to feel and create polyrhythm is ever improving and developing. Exciting!

Miranda, Christopher (one of our dance instructors), Christopher (our drumming teacher who is apparently drumming on my head), Me and Gracie!

My excitement after drumming class turned to concern when I realized how just how little time I have left in this beautiful country. We leave in less than three weeks.

Our group celebrated the end of our hectic week with Castle Beer and Curried Vegetables at Tyme Out, an outdoor restaurant/bar on campus that we discovered in our first month in Ghana and then forgot about.

Tyme Out!

After dinner we went to a benefit concert on campus in an outdoor venue at the dance studio. A few different bands made up of both Ghanaians and Obrunis (foreigners) played music for us to enjoy. The second band played had guitars, drums, piano, and SAXOPHONES!


Listening to talented alto and tenor saxophones under the cloudy night sky in Ghana was wonderful. Annica was a happy camper (crappy hamper?). I contemplated finding the saxophonist after the show and asking him if I could touch his saxophone. I thought better of it, but I wanted to hold that gold piece of goodness so bad!

When I got back to my dorm, I got sad again because I felt a strong desire to go home. I just keep going back and forth. It’s really strange. I really miss my parents, sister, and friends. I have never been away from home this long and I’m beginning to feel needy for those I love in Grand Rapids/Miami/Wichita Falls/Portland/Choma/Gallup. Is this what homesickness feels like? It’s a really strange, torn feeling.

Now I shall give you a feel for how well my friends here know me in the short time we’ve been together. Back at the dorm, as soon as I got the sad feeling inside, though I said nothing, Miranda gave me a hug and said “you need a hug don’t you.” “Yes, yes I do.” Genevieve immediately followed with “you miss your daddy don’t you.” “Yes, yes I do.” Genevieve, my dear roommate who I will miss so much, jokingly gives me grief about missing my mom and my dad. Her dad died when she was young and obviously has a much stronger relationship with her mom. Actually, most Ghanaians are closer to their moms because most Ghanaian women stay home with the children and Ghanaian men work full time. Anyway, she thinks it is funny that I miss my parents equally ☺.

I want to live in the moment here. The next three weeks will be gone before I know it. I don’t want to spend my time dwelling on my desire and my dread of getting on that plane.

Please pray that I always see the cup half full in these next weeks.

Sodom and Gommorah

Oops. I forgot for a few days to update my blog.

Currently, I am trying to do some research. However, I am extremely warm, limp, and sticky and am having trouble concentrating (obviously). It is finally cooling down since the sun has set (it's 6:30pm). May I remind you that "cool" means it is only 83 degrees F with 75% humidity. Michigan's cold is gonna kill me if this heat doesn't. Oh, extremes.

Anyway, I'm writing a paper about the biggest slum in Accra. It is called Sodom and Gommorah. Currently, the Accra Municipal Area is trying to evict the 400,000+ people who live in the small area. Yeah right people. I'll give you a few links to articles that I found interesting. It's a terrible situation really, but I'm pretty sure evicting 400,000 people by force ain't gonna work very well peeps.

Photos of Sodom and Gommorah:



When I have a conclusion (or "clunclusion" as I like to say), I shall enlighten you.

Peace!

Articles to Check Out:

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=28249

http://www.newsfromafrica.org/newsfromafrica/articles/art_827.html

http://www.theghanaianjournal.com/2009/10/21/decongesting-sodom-gomorrah-must-be-done-properly/

A School Visit and a Good Movie

Yesterday was our last day of class. Weird. Time for exams, papers, etc. Slash procrastination.

Today, our group went to Ga West, a sister city to Grand Rapids. We looked specifically at their school system and visited a number of different primary schools and junior high schools.

This is a typical (less crowded) classroom in the public Primary Schools in Southern Ghana.

We had a great time mingling with kids, asking them about their favorite subjects, answering questions about America, and being interested in their lives. In each classroom the man who was leading our group from school to school would yell "TIME TO GO!" after five minutes of interaction. It really started to bother me that we waltzed into these classrooms, spent five minutes with children and teenagers who we were genuinely interested in getting to know, and then got up and left them mid-conversation. I sort of felt ripped out of the room every time. Not a good feeling.

Immanuel, the boy crossing his arms in the front was incredibly smart and outspoken. I loved talking to him!

This evening, my friends and I went to see a movie at the mall. (It is a brand new mall...the only one in Ghana and is just like Woodland. Smaller, but similar. The movie theater upstairs is just like Celebration. It even has the psychodelic carpet.)

Seeing a movie here is like a vacation from Ghana--a two hour break. And, it is sometimes much needed for my sanity. I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but it is true.

We saw Julie and Julia--a wonderful movie all about the joy of food and the importance of loving relationships. It not only made me want to get married and live with my husband in an adorable loft apartment with a cute kitchen, but it made we want to eat food from home. Mom, Dad, and friends, go see this movie. You will love it.

I'm tired and am going to bed. While I'm on this subject, I suppose I'll inform you that I am exhausted most of the time here in Ghana. I don't really ever sleep straight through the night, which is very abnormal for me. There are two main reasons.

Reason One: ISH 2, where I live, for some reason has rooms that resound noise like no room I've been in before. And I don't sleep well with noise. If my roommate wakes up, does anything, or leaves, I wake up. Dear Genevieve is often up very early on the phone or people knock on our door pre-7am. There's not a whole lot I can do about it unfortunately, but I do get tired a lot. I'm trying not to let it inhibit my ability to enjoy every moment...every last day. P.S. Sleeping in doesn't exist in this country. So, there are days when Genevieve isn't around that I go to bed at 8pm...oops!

Reason Two: I am incredibly uncomfortable in my bed. I sleep on a foam "mattress" with a pillow that I call "the rock" based on it's hard, lumpy, painful characteristics. Because I sleep on fluffy cloud heaven at home and here I sleep on hard rocky ground, I have developed quite severe knots in my neck. I toss and turn a lot trying to get comfortable, which wakes me up at night. However, I refuse to buy a new pillow at this point. I can suck it up.

Sorry this post was a bit complainy, I'm sure I'll feel more positive tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

What does Annica eat for dinner?

To answer your (my) question, most evenings, I venture into the Night Market which is conveniently located next to my Hostel. When we first arrived in Ghana we were advised to avoid eating there because of sanitation or something, but that is clearly a thing of the past. It is pretty much the only place I eat on campus. Because it has everything. Bananas, Oranges, Pineapple, Coconut Clumps, Groundnuts, Mango, etc. Rice, Yam, Fufu, Banku, Kenkey, Plantains, etc. Kebobs. Egg Sandwiches. And a pocket full of HOT sunshine (during the day at least). What more could you ask for?

So, every day/night, we go from stand to stand. We get our Kebobs from one guy, our fruit from another lady, water sachet/plastic bags from Maame Fante, yams or rice from another stand, etc. Sometimes my friends and I divide and conquer and then meet at a table behind the food stands.

This is the Night Market during the day. I LOVE IT. Maame Fante and Papa Fante make the best Egg Sandwiches (An omlette on bread basically). And they are the cutest people ever.

A Typical Dinner from the Night Market: Exhibit A
-Vegetable Kebob Grilled to Perfection (Ingredients: Zucchini, Green Pepper, Tomato, Onion, Powdered Peppe)
-Chicken Kebob Grilled to Perfection (Ingredients: Chicken, Powdered Peppe)
-Fried Yam Chips (Ingredients: Really Sharp Fried Yams That Kindof Taste Like French Fries But Not Really)
-Ketchup (I think I have a mild obsession with ketchup since I actually eat fried food here like I never do at home.)

A Typical Dinner from the Night Market: Exhibit B
-Vegetable Kebob
-Vegetable and Sausage Kebob (Self Explanatory Ingredients)
-White Rice
-Tomato Stew (Mushed Up Tomatoes, Palm Oil, Onion, Hot Pepper)

This is the guy who makes our kebobs. I think I eat them at least once a day. We are friends.

Sometimes the gals and I (Miranda and Grace) eat on my bed. Like this:

Other times, we eat in the Night Market. Where it is dark. And therefore, pictures do not turn out well at all.

Some nights, we get homemade vegetable pizzas or banana chocolate chip muffins from Auntie Louise. She brings food in a basket from home and sells them next to our hostel. Last night, she was wearing A CALVIN SHIRT. I almost peed. Apparently students from last year gave it to her.
Anica, Me, Auntie Louise, and Miranda

YUMM!