The past few days have been awesome! CIEE took us to Ho for the weekend. We saw Wli Waterfall on Saturday. The falls, estimated to be the highest in West Africa, are in eastern Ghana very close to the border with Togo. It took about a 45 minute hike to get to the falls, and we were able to swim underneath them for a while. The water was REALLY cold, but considering everything else in Ghana is always ridiculously hot, it was amazing. On Sunday we went to Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, walked around for a bit, and got to feed bananas to monkeys! I think this was my favorite CIEE-sponsored trip thus far - it was the perfect way to relax before exams begin.
Yesterday I ran errands all over the city with Sarah. I was picking up gifts for people and getting visas for upcoming trips. The semester is winding down really quickly. I have my first exam today and another one on Saturday. I don't have another one till the 13th of May so I'm going to go on a long trip for a few weeks. I still don't have the exact itinerary all planned out, but I'm leaving next Tuesday with a few friends. We're going to see Togo and Benin together, then they will come home for an exam while I go visit a friend in the Peace Corps in Togo, and we'll all meet up again in Burkina Faso for a few days. I realized yesterday this means out of my time left in Africa, I actually will spend less time in Ghana than in other surrounding countries. That's a really scary thought! It's weird enough to leave DC for the summer and not see most of my friends for 3 months . . . I've just started to think about what it will be like to leave Ghana, knowing it will be several years before I see these friends again, if ever.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Easter + more
Happy Belated Easter! Another week has gone by here in Ghana, and has been fairly uneventful. I went to church with my friend Natalie. The church she's been attending joined up with a few other churches in the area for a big Easter extravaganza. I sat through FOUR AND A HALF HOURS of the service . . . and we weren't even there the whole time because our ride had picked us up a little bit late. It was . . . interesting, to say the least. The sermon was over an hour long, and the minister quoted over 15 scriptures (none of which were from the gospels and all were about first fruits & harvests . . . I think he just looked up "first fruit" and "harvest" in a concordance and spouted out what it said.) So it was quite different from what I'm used to. I had sort of expected that . . . that's what all of the church services I've been to here have been like, except for the Ash Wednesday Catholic service. I guess I was just hoping Easter would be a really big deal and that it would be more familiar to me.
Sunday afternoon was great fun. Pretty much the entire campus cleared out because everybody went home for the weekend, except for us oburuni. So after church my friends and I painted Easter eggs and then threw together the most fabulous Easter feast we could muster . . . chicken and jollof rice (quintessential Ghanaian meal), Jelly Belly jelly beans from somebody's Easter package, apple juice, and cheese that Natalie's mom sent from the U.S. (I will admit, I was a little skeptical about the cheese. But Natalie swears it doesn't need to be refrigerated until it's been opened, I haven't eaten real cheese in 3 months, and I figure I've eaten weirder things since I've been here so why not? And it was amazing.) And that was about it for the week. The rest was the same as usual - classes, internship, etc. Tomorrow and Sunday CIEE is taking us to the Volta Region in eastern Ghana. We're going to see Wli Falls (highest waterfall in West Africa) and a monkey sanctuary. Then next week I begin exams, so I need to start studying!
I find myself making comparisons to the U.S. too much. To some extent it's unavoidable, since life in the U.S. is the only other thing I know. But I also know I'm diminishing my own experiences when I set expectations. One of my American friends said something the other day that seems so obvious, but also is so easy to forget: "Reality is just different here." I like how she said that - not things are different or life is different. Reality is different. What is real, what I experience, how I feel, it's just not the same.
It's been funny to me the ways in which I have realized the truth in that statement. On Wednesday of this week I had a guest lecturer in one of my classes. She was an African American woman who has been in Ghana for several years working on community development. She briefly mentioned the challenge of overcoming her bias against police officers because she has often had to teach and interact with groups of them here. She did not elaborate on specific experiences as that wasn't the point of her talk, but I did hear her say that at home she doesn't trust police officers and here she has been able to overcome that. This struck me because as a white woman in the United States, I have confidence in the justice system and know I can turn to police officers and others when I need help, whereas somebody else may not be able to do that. But here, I actually feel more uncomfortable around and get more unwanted attention from police officers and security guards than I do average Ghanaian men.
I didn't really understand what "culture shock" was until I actually experienced it. I couldn't grasp why it would apparently be so hard to remember things like only eat with your right hand, always start conversations by asking somebody how their family is, etc. But that's only one teeny tiny part of culture shock. Culture shock means maybe not trusting the same people I can trust at home. It means always feeling like an outsider. It means getting laughed at even when I try my hardest to ask for something in Twi. And it means having to reexamine on a daily basis who I am, who I want to be, how others see me, and what my decisions mean for those around me.
Sunday afternoon was great fun. Pretty much the entire campus cleared out because everybody went home for the weekend, except for us oburuni. So after church my friends and I painted Easter eggs and then threw together the most fabulous Easter feast we could muster . . . chicken and jollof rice (quintessential Ghanaian meal), Jelly Belly jelly beans from somebody's Easter package, apple juice, and cheese that Natalie's mom sent from the U.S. (I will admit, I was a little skeptical about the cheese. But Natalie swears it doesn't need to be refrigerated until it's been opened, I haven't eaten real cheese in 3 months, and I figure I've eaten weirder things since I've been here so why not? And it was amazing.) And that was about it for the week. The rest was the same as usual - classes, internship, etc. Tomorrow and Sunday CIEE is taking us to the Volta Region in eastern Ghana. We're going to see Wli Falls (highest waterfall in West Africa) and a monkey sanctuary. Then next week I begin exams, so I need to start studying!
I find myself making comparisons to the U.S. too much. To some extent it's unavoidable, since life in the U.S. is the only other thing I know. But I also know I'm diminishing my own experiences when I set expectations. One of my American friends said something the other day that seems so obvious, but also is so easy to forget: "Reality is just different here." I like how she said that - not things are different or life is different. Reality is different. What is real, what I experience, how I feel, it's just not the same.
It's been funny to me the ways in which I have realized the truth in that statement. On Wednesday of this week I had a guest lecturer in one of my classes. She was an African American woman who has been in Ghana for several years working on community development. She briefly mentioned the challenge of overcoming her bias against police officers because she has often had to teach and interact with groups of them here. She did not elaborate on specific experiences as that wasn't the point of her talk, but I did hear her say that at home she doesn't trust police officers and here she has been able to overcome that. This struck me because as a white woman in the United States, I have confidence in the justice system and know I can turn to police officers and others when I need help, whereas somebody else may not be able to do that. But here, I actually feel more uncomfortable around and get more unwanted attention from police officers and security guards than I do average Ghanaian men.
I didn't really understand what "culture shock" was until I actually experienced it. I couldn't grasp why it would apparently be so hard to remember things like only eat with your right hand, always start conversations by asking somebody how their family is, etc. But that's only one teeny tiny part of culture shock. Culture shock means maybe not trusting the same people I can trust at home. It means always feeling like an outsider. It means getting laughed at even when I try my hardest to ask for something in Twi. And it means having to reexamine on a daily basis who I am, who I want to be, how others see me, and what my decisions mean for those around me.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Man oh man, another week plus some has flown by. The days feel very long, but it seems like every time I turn around another week has passed and I'm that much closer to being done with my time here. I leave 5 weeks from today, and I'm going to be traveling for a few weeks so I actually only have about 3 weeks left in Ghana. While I definitely have gotten settled in to a routine and generally know how to do what I need to do, every day is still a combination of excitement, frustration, challenges, insight, discovery, and a million other things. I have said it from the beginning, and I still say it: every day is an adventure. That's the only way to explain it.
Not a whole lot has happened in the last ten days. I've spent time with friends, been to the beach, and been wrapping up classes and my internship (I have one week left of those). Last Sunday I went to church, and was really disappointed because the church did nothing special for Palm Sunday. I had figured it would be outrageous here since church is always a huge production anyway, but there was nothing special. Hopefully Easter tomorrow will be a big deal! I'm going with my friend Natalie to the church she's been attending. They had a big pot luck today that we went to, and we're both expecting tomorrow to be big.
I also went to see the play The Prince of Egypt at the National Theater in downtown Accra this week. It was just like theater on campus with audience "participation" (peanut gallery, more like) - but it was hilarious, and the show itself was VERY impressive. Then on Wednesday my Development Studies class went on a "field trip" to help build a library for a school in a very impoverished area. It was a little bit frustrating because we realized that nobody is working on this building except for the CIEE students in development studies who go once a semester . . . meaning it will take a really long time for this building to be completed. But, I figure something is better than nothing and I know that eventually it will be finished. It was also interesting to see how buildings are constructed here, because they're all almost identical. The group I was in was responsible for mixing concrete, so I stirred and shoveled concrete and carried buckets of water on my head (with my hands, of course - I haven't been here long enough to be a pro head-carrier yet!) And the kids at the school were SO excited to see us and have us help, so it was a frustrating but rewarding day.
Oh oh oh! And also . . . I found out this week that I got the summer internship I applied for with Disciples Peace Fellowship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every week this summer I'll work at a different Disciples church camp somewhere in the U.S. My role may change a fair amount from camp to camp, but generally I'll be an extra counselor and will be discussing peace and social justice with high school youth. It's going to be crazy because I start 4 days after I get home, and then I'll go directly back to school for RA training at the end of the summer . . . but I know it's going to be an immensely rewarding experience and I could not be more thrilled!!
Before I sign off, I have a book recommendation for anybody who's interested: Somebody's Heart is Burning by Tanya Shaffer. Shaffer spent a year volunteering in Ghana and traveling through West Africa. Her book details people she met, funny/awkward/unsettling/frustrating/confusing encounters she had, and her reflections on what it means to be an American in a different environment. It's phenomenally written, and my own experiences have so closely mirrored many of hers that I can't help but think it's one of the most brilliant books I've ever read. So, if you find yourself with some free time, I highly recommend picking up a copy :)
Not a whole lot has happened in the last ten days. I've spent time with friends, been to the beach, and been wrapping up classes and my internship (I have one week left of those). Last Sunday I went to church, and was really disappointed because the church did nothing special for Palm Sunday. I had figured it would be outrageous here since church is always a huge production anyway, but there was nothing special. Hopefully Easter tomorrow will be a big deal! I'm going with my friend Natalie to the church she's been attending. They had a big pot luck today that we went to, and we're both expecting tomorrow to be big.
I also went to see the play The Prince of Egypt at the National Theater in downtown Accra this week. It was just like theater on campus with audience "participation" (peanut gallery, more like) - but it was hilarious, and the show itself was VERY impressive. Then on Wednesday my Development Studies class went on a "field trip" to help build a library for a school in a very impoverished area. It was a little bit frustrating because we realized that nobody is working on this building except for the CIEE students in development studies who go once a semester . . . meaning it will take a really long time for this building to be completed. But, I figure something is better than nothing and I know that eventually it will be finished. It was also interesting to see how buildings are constructed here, because they're all almost identical. The group I was in was responsible for mixing concrete, so I stirred and shoveled concrete and carried buckets of water on my head (with my hands, of course - I haven't been here long enough to be a pro head-carrier yet!) And the kids at the school were SO excited to see us and have us help, so it was a frustrating but rewarding day.
Oh oh oh! And also . . . I found out this week that I got the summer internship I applied for with Disciples Peace Fellowship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Every week this summer I'll work at a different Disciples church camp somewhere in the U.S. My role may change a fair amount from camp to camp, but generally I'll be an extra counselor and will be discussing peace and social justice with high school youth. It's going to be crazy because I start 4 days after I get home, and then I'll go directly back to school for RA training at the end of the summer . . . but I know it's going to be an immensely rewarding experience and I could not be more thrilled!!
Before I sign off, I have a book recommendation for anybody who's interested: Somebody's Heart is Burning by Tanya Shaffer. Shaffer spent a year volunteering in Ghana and traveling through West Africa. Her book details people she met, funny/awkward/unsettling/frustrating/confusing encounters she had, and her reflections on what it means to be an American in a different environment. It's phenomenally written, and my own experiences have so closely mirrored many of hers that I can't help but think it's one of the most brilliant books I've ever read. So, if you find yourself with some free time, I highly recommend picking up a copy :)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Next Semester
Totally unrelated to anything about Ghana, but I'm very excited as plans have been coming together for next year so I felt like sharing those. I found out yesterday that I got the SIS Freshman Mentor position I applied for. This means every week I'll meet with a group of new School of International Service freshmen and help them make the transition to college life, specifically in SIS at AU. Having been abroad this semester and being confused about 95% of the time reminded me just how challenging it was trying to figure everything out freshman year. So, I want to help freshmen get things figured out on campus next year! Also, I was able to register today for my classes and I have THE MOST AWESOME SCHEDULE EVER!!!!!
*ECON 300: Intermediate Microeconomics (OK so I'm not so excited about this, but it's a requirement for my econ minor)
*SIS 319: US Policy Toward Weak States
*SIS 419: Health and Development
*SIS 419 (different section): Rethinking US Foreign Aid
*ANTH 431: Taboos (REALLY cool sounding Anthropology class taught by one of my favorite professors . . . course description: "Exploration of those persons, items, experiences, and acts which so frighten and repel humans that they try to prohibit them. Includes discussion of subjects rich in taboo and sensitivity including sexuality, witchcraft, cannibalism, human-animal relations, madness, and death. Why taboos emerge, how they are enforced, and when they are violated.")
*PERF 113: Guitar (yes, I have decided to start learning guitar . . . Mom & Dad don't worry, I can rent one really cheaply from the professor)
*PERF 209: African Dance (I'm having trouble registering for this one actually but hopefully my advisor will get it worked out)
So not only am I taking a bunch of really awesome courses, I also will have NO CLASSES ON TUESDAYS OR FRIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wednesdays will be a bit long, but I think overall this will be a phenomenal schedule!
I've finally gotten more pictures uploaded. I've run out of time to get the pictures up from Togo, but at least I've added tons more from Ghana. The link to my second Ghana album is here: http://community.webshots.com/album/570771148LsAsRG
*ECON 300: Intermediate Microeconomics (OK so I'm not so excited about this, but it's a requirement for my econ minor)
*SIS 319: US Policy Toward Weak States
*SIS 419: Health and Development
*SIS 419 (different section): Rethinking US Foreign Aid
*ANTH 431: Taboos (REALLY cool sounding Anthropology class taught by one of my favorite professors . . . course description: "Exploration of those persons, items, experiences, and acts which so frighten and repel humans that they try to prohibit them. Includes discussion of subjects rich in taboo and sensitivity including sexuality, witchcraft, cannibalism, human-animal relations, madness, and death. Why taboos emerge, how they are enforced, and when they are violated.")
*PERF 113: Guitar (yes, I have decided to start learning guitar . . . Mom & Dad don't worry, I can rent one really cheaply from the professor)
*PERF 209: African Dance (I'm having trouble registering for this one actually but hopefully my advisor will get it worked out)
So not only am I taking a bunch of really awesome courses, I also will have NO CLASSES ON TUESDAYS OR FRIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wednesdays will be a bit long, but I think overall this will be a phenomenal schedule!
I've finally gotten more pictures uploaded. I've run out of time to get the pictures up from Togo, but at least I've added tons more from Ghana. The link to my second Ghana album is here: http://community.webshots.com/album/570771148LsAsRG
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