A few more pictures for your enjoyment!

Beautiful Mali...some children resting in the shade.

On the beaches of Senegal - too cold to swim - heaven!

Our sweet Henna we got in Bamako, Mali

Nuzzling giraffes in the Reserve du Bandia!

For more photos of my Backpacking Adventure check this out!

Backpacking Through West Africa!

I am sitting on my bed in my hostel writing this, and I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home. I’ve just returned from my 13-day adventure through West Africa complete with stops in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal!  Not quite the adventure I had planned on (we never made it to Timbuktu or Niger), but it was wonderful nonetheless.  I can’t fit nearly enough of our trip into the blog, but I will do my best to highlight the highs and lows.

I set out with four of my favorite ISEP travelers: Emily, Ali, Jayne, and Kendall on a Friday morning.  We had originally planned a different route, but halfway through Burkina Faso we decided to change route and head to the Westernmost Point of the African Continent – SENEGAL!  It took us five days of bus travel to get there, and not a single hotel along the way.  Instead we took advantage of prayer rugs in bus stops and 25 CFA (10cents) teapots of water for teethbrushing.  You may be thinking that sounds dirty and sketchy, and you would be thinking right!  But it was better than paying money so we embraced it with open arms.

My favorite bus ride was the one that took us from Bobo-Diablaso, Burkina Faso to Bamako, Mali.  Half of the bus consisted of the most beautiful, exotically dressed group of people I have ever seen.  We’re pretty sure they were from the deserted wastelands of Mali.  Every one of them was tall and skinny and robed in beautiful turbans, head coverings, intricate braids, and jewelry.  At one of our rest stops Kendall and I followed the group of brightly cloaked men to a chop stand of rice and groundnut paste so that we could be close to them.  They smiled and spoke to us in languages we couldn’t understand, and in return we smiled and responded in English.  I’m pretty sure they were just as fascinated by us as we were by them, so I didn’t mind so much that we were being total stalkers. All of the children had curly little Mohawks of hair, and the women even let us hold some of them.  They were so beautiful and kind I considered ditching our plans and following them to their homes…but we refrained.  Saying goodbye to them was a sad moment, but we parted with lots of smiles and hand gestures…I’m hoping God will smile on me, and one day our paths will cross again.

When we finally made it to Senegal we were pleasantly surprised by the weather – it was COLD! And by that I mean it was about 50 degrees. I didn’t even know that was possible in West Africa, but my chattering teeth can attest that it most definitely is.  For the second time during my stay in Africa I found a place I loved enough to settle forever – Dakar (the capital city).  Sadly I don’t speak French of Wolof so it may never happen for me.  Dakar is a city that literally hangs over the edge of the ocean and the center of the city looks out over cliffs falling into the sea.  Huge rounded spires of mosques dot the city skyline alongside their modern skyscrapers.  (I got to speak Arabic quite a few times as it was a predominately Muslim country and Arabic greetings begin almost every conversation!)  At one point while we were wandering around the beautiful city we made friends with a Senegalese man with a Southern accent – it was the most bizarre thing EVER, but he had learned to speak English in Alabama.  It was a nice little taste of home. 

Our second day in Senegal was spent about 60 Kilometers south of the city at the Reserve de Bandia.  It was there that we saw giraffes, zebras, rhinos, crocodiles, antelopes, wildebeests – it was awesome!! I tried to take a baby giraffe with me when I left, but they weren’t having that. That night we slept in another bus station and accepted that we had officially become rubber tramps – for those of you who haven’t read Into the Wild that means we were essentially homeless travelers who make our way from transportation to transportation anyway (or cheapest way) we can.  It made the rest of our trip feel a little glamorous, and that thought endured until about the forth day without a shower or toilet.

On our way back to Ghana we stopped for a while in Bamako, Mali.  Essentially, what we saw of Mali was a barren wasteland somewhere in between desert and sparse savannah…it was so burning hot there!  Bamako (the big city in the West) doesn’t take too kindly to women foreigners so we ran into quite a few issues…but we were able to have a few lovely experiences there.  We hit up the beauty section of the market and had our hands and arms painted with traditional henna. All the women in Mali wear it on both hands and feet.  The women were obsessed with my friends’ blonde hair, but sadly not mine.  I’m hoping my henna lasts a while because it’s so awesome looking, but I think two weeks will be stretching it. After the beauty district we found a Lebanese Patisserie and camped out in the air-conditioned pastry shop for about four hours.  It was a much-needed break from our journey, and it was the first time we had a real meal on a plate in over a week – it was HEAVEN!

Forgive me for not giving you a play by play of our time in Burkina Faso.  To put it simply it is the armpit of West Africa…at least in my as well as my friends’ opinions.  It’s hot, people are rude, there’s a lot of disrespect towards women, and the men are extremely eager to cheat the rich Americans.  With any luck at all I will be able to avoid the place for the rest of my life.

After thirteen days we finally made it back to Accra.  I never thought I would miss it as much as I did…when we pulled into the city I could have danced I was so happy to be home and in the presence of the wonderful Ghanaians!  I feel like I could travel anywhere now…and sleep absolutely anywhere. My first shower back in Ghana (we only had one the entire trip) was one of the most glorious moments of my life.  It was definitely one of those once in a lifetime experiences…that I won’t repeat for quite a while. We are finished with classes and only have exams left – three more weeks and then I’m headed home.  After our expedition I’m pretty traveled out for a while, and I’m looking forward to chilling here in Accra and soaking in my last days in Africa. I’ve loved my time here, but I’m ready for America and all its comforts….very soon I shall be home!

The Volta Region

I’ve gotten a lot of complaints that I don’t write about school here often enough. So I will try to fill you in. I do actually go to class! But only three days a week. I would say overall classes here are a bit of a disappointment. I don’t want to generalize all of Africa, but the education system here is very behind America. Quite a few of my classes consist of the professor reading his/her notes verbatim and having the class copy them down…which is pretty exhausting and not very conducive to critical thinking. We have assigned readings (photocopied books), which is where I feel I’m actually learning something. I have one more week of classes, revision week, and then our exams are spread out over three weeks. Our entire grade for the course is based on our final exam…also not the best system I’ve ever seen. That’s Ghana’s premier university for you!

This past weekend I traveled to the Volta region (mountains in the South Eastern part of Ghana). It was absolutely beautiful and hands down my favorite region in Ghana. It is soooo very green and colorful. Our first day there we climbed Mount Afadjato, which is the highest freestanding mountain in Ghana. I would like to say that it was beautiful at the top, seeing villages and Togo in the distance, but by the time I made it there I was so tired I didn’t care. There are definitely many moments where if I had fallen (which was pretty likely for me) I would have died. But overall I’m really glad I did it.

We also visited Wli falls – which was breathtaking and had me consider moving to that part of Ghana permanently. Thankfully that hike was relatively flat and easy. Our lodge for the weekend was heavenly and run by a friendly German couple. The views from out huts were breathtaking and complete with mountains and waterfalls in the distance. After my first day of climbing I wasn’t down for another mountain so I just relaxed at the lodge and took in the beauty surrounding it.

As we were traveling back to Accra we saw several processions through the streets of the villages we were driving through. Women and men singing, drumming, and marching with flowers and big braided palms fronds in their hands. It was Palm Sunday!! I wish I had taken a picture, because it was SOO Ghanaian. I was very tempted to get out of the trtro and join the parade – I’m sure they would have welcomed me with smiles and laughs.

Some pictures for your enjoyment

Here are just a few recent shots.  The waterfall I visited this weekend in the Volta region, my little Ghanaian friends, and the Black Stars Match!! 

Screaming Babies at the Black Stars Match

Good news! I’m not going to be deported!! Friday I took a day trip to Togo (country boarding Ghana to the East).  And after a roundtrip trotro ride of 8 hours and 40 Ghana Cedi ($30) I got my passport stamped for another 60 days in Ghana.  We also had lunch in the Lome, Togo which only means one thing: amazing food, at least in comparison to Ghana.

Saturday we set out for Kumase to attend the World Cup qualifier match between Benin and Ghana.  For the occasion I donned a lovely red, yellow, and green Ghana sweatband to support my country of residency. In order to actually get the tickets we had to wake up pretty early (granted, it was after a late night of celebrating my friend’s 21^st birthday) and wait outside of the stadium in the rain.  Rather than buying the tickets ourselves, we have to pass money and a small bribe through the front gates for someone to run inside and get out tickets. In the process I met two little boys (they called themselves John and Little John) who were sweet talking all of the obrunis into buying them tickets for the match. I’m assuming they finally got some because I saw them in the VIP section during the match…and then the older of the Johns walked me back to the hostel – it was very sweet.

 

The match was definitely a very Ghanaian experience.  The Black Stars (Ghana) scored the first and only goal within one minute of the start of the game, but the rest of the match was fun to watch…although I know very little about soccer.  I’ve never seen a crowd so loud and excited in my life. I think some of the most fascinating things about this country are the different sounds that Ghanaians make.  One of the best I’ve heard yet is their war-like cry at football matches. The first time I heard it I thought a child had been hit by a car. It sounds like a dying baby, and I pinky-swear I am not exaggerating.  It is the most intense and shrill thing I’ve ever heard.  Every time one of the Black Stars came anywhere near the goal the screams would burst from the crowd. It most definitely took some getting used to. 

One thing to be thankful for is no one I know was injured or hurt during or after the match.  For the last match in Ghana, the stadium sold twice as many tickets as they have seats, and the stadium was so packed 6 people died of suffocation.  That was not the case this time, but I haven’t heard the official death count yet.  I do know that there was a scuffle outside the stadium gates, and shots were fired, but I was back in my hostel by that time. It’s a little intense how crazy the crowds can be, but I’m so glad I was able to go.

I’m beginning to realize how much I’m going to miss Ghana when I leave.  Don’t get me wrong; I’m very excited to consistently have running water (it’s been off for four days) and air conditioning and all of the modern conveniences of home.  But Ghana has been kind to me, and it’s beginning to feel like home. Every time I start speaking Twi, Ghanaians get the biggest smile on their faces – like they are proud of my efforts.  During the few hours the game was taking place I felt very proud to call myself Ghanaian, at least for the Semester. 

Kokrobite and Basketballs of Hope

            I have officially been in Africa for about two and half months…and to be honest I feel like I’m having a mid-trip crisis.  My visa is expiring this weekend so I have three options: 1. Deportation 2. Leave the country and reenter or 3. Send my passport to immigration and wait forever to get it back.  For a few hours on Monday I was literally looking for cheap flights to Europe for the weekend…instead I’m going to be heading to Cote D’voire.  I think I could use a quick visit back to the states, and then I would be set to go for my remaining 7 weeks here.  Hopefully I will have recuperated soon because I still have so much to accomplish and experience here.   

            This past weekend a few friends and I traveled about 30 kilometers west of Accra to the beach resort Big Milly’s in Kokrobite.  I think it will rank among one of my smoothest weekend expeditions in Africa – at least no one screamed at me this time.  The beach was great and so typically African, with lots of colorfully painted fishing boats and children selling oranges on top of their heads, and of course tons of Rastas playing football on the beach.  Our room was a cute little hut with a functioning shower, mosquito nets included.  I swam and read and made friends with a 12-year-old Ghanaian named Cecilia.  When I shared my Disney princess gummies snack with her she wasn’t quite sure what to make of them.  She picked at them a bit and eventually ran home with them and promised she had eaten and enjoyed them. 

            Our first night at the resort a group of drummers and traditional African dancers preformed traditional African war and fertility dances for the villagers and tourists.  It was amazing and so entertaining! There was lots of pain and beads and headdresses.  I will not stop being amazed by how expressive the dancers are with their movements. In between performances random locals would mosey onto the dance floor and break out into synchronized dances.  Apparently, all the locals know the traditional dances. I was content to simply witness the festivities.

            On my second night at the beach I met a fellow American who had moved to Ghana to start his own NGO.  He had even gone to seminary in Atlanta and heard of my hometown…the whole conversation made the world seem very small. But it was also very encouraging because he is doing something that I would like to do in the future and I felt I could learn a lot from his experiences. I also met a Rasta named Jesus (or Thomas) who was my age and very sweet. At one point in our conversation I asked why he didn’t have dreads, and he told me his mom had come for a visit and made him shave them off. She said, “What is this? No one in our family is a Rasta!” He explained that he respected his mother and didn’t want to upset her, so he settled for wearing a bandana and looking like Tupac instead.  He also offered to take me to Mali and Niger, but I respectfully declined.

            Sadly another girl in my ISEP group is going home tomorrow. I wish she could finish out the semester, but she has been sick for quite a while and is ready to just feel well again. Once again, I feel very thankful that I haven’t been hospitalized or seriously ill like many of my friends.

            A friend of mine is trying to raise money for a village school here in Ghana.  The school is also a home for a good portion of the children who attend the school.  However it’s very under funded, and there are no activities to speak of once school is finished for the day/week.  So, my friend is trying to raise money to build a basketball court on campus that can be used while school is in and out of session.  She needs at least a hundred votes on the website www.givemeaning.com/proposal/basketballsofhope in order to get the funding for her project. So, if you have the extra time please log on and vote for her proposal!

Food Poisoning, Lake Bosumtwi, and Marriage Proposals

I know it’s been a while on my blog updates. So sorry. I have officially had my first bout of sickness here in Africa. I think it was food poisoning or a bacteria infection from some food or water. Either way, it wasn’t fun but thankfully it was short lived and didn’t involve a hospital stay. It did keep me here in Legon for a weekend but my friends were very kind and stayed with me. As my time is dwindling here I’m realizing my weekends to travel are becoming fewer and fewer…I’m going to be back in the states before I know it.

This past weekend a few friends and I headed up to Lake Bosumtwi located in central Ghana, which is the biggest natural lake in Ghana and was made by a meteor that hit the earth. Before we made it to the lake we spent some time in Kumasi (the huge market town). On Saturday morning we decided it would be fun to wander through the market which is the Biggest in West Africa and not for the fair-weather traveler. Not the best idea we’ve ever had. It was crazy crowded – think the day after thanksgiving shopping (Africa style of course) on crack. We somehow made it into the meat section of the market, which you can only imagine, smells to high heaven and made me consider a vegan lifestyle. Not to mention we could barely keep sight of each other because of how crowded it is. After wandering, completely lost, for about an hour we made it out. Amazingly enough only Jayne was pick-pocketed, and thankfully it was only her phone. She was at the end of our line of obrunis, so she was definitely a target.

After our eventful morning we took a series of trotros and taxis to get to the Lake Point Guest House. Which is right on the lake shores and has these cute little huts and everything is eco-friendly. We swam in the lake and just chilled at the lodge. It was a nice break from the crazy noise and trash of Accra. After dinner we headed back to our hut and found the lovely family of ridiculously large spiders that happened to be staying in our hut too. Of course it turned into a thirty-minute ordeal of trying to kill the spiders with shoes and bug spray while we screamed and jumped on the bed every time they moved. One escaped but the other was not so lucky. At one point in came running at my foot and scared the crap out of me, but I finally got it. Of course Jayne and Kendall, rather than trying to kill it, spent their time standing on the bed capturing all the chaos on video…should make a hilarious facebook video.

The next morning we hiked along a dried-up stream through the mountains surrounding the lake. Amazingly enough I did not twist my ankle on the river rocks…it was a great morning and so beautiful - Lots of bamboo and butterflies and beautiful views of the lake. When we got back we decided to check out early and save some money heading back to university a day early. Man was that a disaster. The Austrian lady who owned the lodge and her Ghanaian husband were not having any of that. They insisted on us paying for our second night (33cedi, which in Ghana is A LOT for a hotel room-even a nice one)…and we of course, said absolutely not. They told us that anywhere in the world when you make reservations to stay you pay for those nights. Which is absolute bullocks, and I told them so because I myself have worked in the hotel industry. They said, “This is Ghana” but we informed them that we live here too and always check out early. Anyways, it turned into a two-hour stare down of us trying to reason and insist upon fairness while they yelled and made a few racial comments along the lines of “This is Africa, these white people don’t belong here.” The woman who said it was Austrian for God’s sake!! At one point both Jayne and Kendall were crying from frustration with these ridiculous people. In a perfect world we would have paid for the services we HAD received and walked away. However, we were in the middle of nowhere with no transportation and an angry owner threatening to call the police for trying to destroy his business. So we paid them and vowed to write every travel book and review about their blatant disrespect and terrible business. My friend Max kept saying, “I have backpacked all over the world, and this is just not how business is done.” I walked away from the whole ordeal thinking “only in Africa!” My friends and I are pretty excited to write four separate letters of complaint to travel books – especially those based solely on independent travelers’ reviews…

I keep encountering situations with Ghanaian men that I find pretty hilarious. I’ll tell you a few of my favorites. When I was traveling in Wa (northern Ghana), my friends and I were bartering for some fabric. At one point I was very kindly telling the man to be a good Christian and give us poor students a fair price and he looks to my friend Alli (who is very petite and little) and says to me, “Okay, I give you 5 cedi and you give me your daughter.” Apparently a good deal on fabric is equivalent to selling my daughter to this man! Not to mention she’s about four years older than me…of course no one ever believes me that I’m only 19 – they literally laugh in my face when I tell them. Whatever…I still got a good deal on the fabric ☺ Yesterday in Kumase when we were surrounded by men trying to get us on their bus (it’s like a game – who can snag the obrunis), this 40-year-old Ghanaian man decided it would be a good time to propose to me. The conversation went something like this:

Man: “I like you.”
Me: “I’m not getting on your bus, it’s too expensive.”
Man: “No, I like you.”
Me: “Okay then.”
Man: “Where are you from? Britain?”
Me: “America.”
Man: “Obama!!!!! I love you, take me home to your country.”
Me: “Sorry, but I’m living here right now.”
Man: “Let me have your phone number.”
Me: “No.”
Man: “Let me have your email address.”
Me: “No.”
Man: “Why don’t you like me?”

I feel like I have one of these encounters at least twice a week. I have my first test this week, and I think it’s going to be pretty painful, seeing as how I never have any idea what the professor is talking about...although my friends have mentioned that they rarely even grade the exams, especially in this class because it’s about 800 students. And I’m beginning to actually barter in Twi – I feel it’s very effective because the Ghanaians love it and this it’s hilarious when the Obrunis try to speak their language. They usually just lower the price because they think we’re so funny and appreciate how hard we’re trying.

That’s all for now! Good news – I got the camp job this summer, so I will be heading to Wisconsin for a few months. Gramps and Grammy – I got your letter and there should be one coming your way soon. Love and miss you all!