Waterfalls, Mountains, and Rivers

I realized I never gave an update on what is happening with classes. The strike lasted for three weeks, but after the first week the professors continued to teach international students because we are on a separate contract with the University and the teachers. We weren’t sure if the Ghanaian students would continue classes, but thankfully the government agreed to pay the teachers what they were asking for and classes resumed. However, since they missed three weeks the school decided to extend the school year and the Ghanaians will not be done until the middle of January – meaning some will have to stay on campus over Christmas if they live too far away to travel home. For the international students who already have plane reservations, they extended classes for about two weeks, depending on the teacher, and then we will have our exams right before coming home.

This extension of the school year unfortunately means I have less time to travel the country than I originally planned. Now I am trying to squeeze in some trips on the weekends to see as much of Ghana as I can. This past weekend, myself and five friends traveled north a few hours to the Volta region; an absolutely gorgeous part of the country around Lake Volta and the Volta River. We left on Friday afternoon and took the fastest tro-tro I have ever been in (was scared for my life multiple times) to the town of Atimpoku. Some friends suggested we go kayaking down the Volta River so we decided to try it out. The day was gorgeous – not too hot but it was still a nice sunny afternoon – and we headed out up the river with two people in each kayak. Little did I understand the strength of the current on the Volta River. My friend Sam and I were in a kayak together and it took us 30 minutes to go just around the bend, paddling as hard as we could. I honestly don’t think I have worked that hard during my whole time in Ghana. The scenery was beautiful though, and going down the river to return the kayaks was a breeze. I didn’t even need to paddle once. Right after we returned, it began thundering, lightning, and pouring rain. We decided to stay at the kayak place instead of venturing out to wait for a tro-tro. Luckily, the place had some checkers boards so we remained entertained while waiting for the rain to subside. After a while, we headed out when it was still sprinkling, and then it began getting dark. Our original plan was to catch a tro-tro to a monkey sanctuary about two hours north but it was too late so we decided to stay in Atimpoku for the night. Dinner consisted of some delicious rice balls with groundnut (peanut) soup and then we stayed at a cute place called the Sound Rest Hotel. When we wandered out for the evening, we happened upon a very energetic church service with loud live music and got some drinks nearby.

Our group at the waterfall

In the morning we set out early and headed to the monkey sanctuary. We got off at the tro-tro stop and took taxis down a dirt road to the sanctuary – but these weren’t ordinary taxis. These were motor taxis that we squeezed two people on to the back of and it was definitely the most fun taxi ride I’ve ever had. After visiting the monkeys, the day was still young so we drove north to Ho-Hoe and went to see Wli Falls, supposedly the highest waterfall in Ghana. We just happened to pick a day to go see the falls on the same day as half of Ghana. Some bank was having a celebration and on the walk through the forest we encountered many of their employees and when we arrived at the falls, they were having a large party with a live brass band, food, and tons of people. It felt so good to dip in the water before heading back to town for the night. Back in Ho-Hoe, we walked through the town and found delicious banku and jollaf for dinner and bought bread, bananas and groundnut butter for breakfast.

Best Taxi Ride Ever

The next day, we left early to climb the tallest mountain in Ghana. While Mount Afadjato may be the tallest mountain in Ghana, it only took us about 45 minutes to climb. The hike was absolutely gorgeous and the view from the top was spectacular. We looked down at the small towns where we came from and we could see part of Togo in the distance. Accra is a great place to live, but it is a huge busy city and it felt refreshing to spend some time surrounded by trees, waterfalls, and animals. After finding some lunch, we got a tro-tro heading back to Legon, ended our adventure to this beautiful region in Ghana.

Almost to the top...

Things in Bags

Ghana has an obsession with bags. After living in the States where stores are trying to reduce waste by urging people to bring their own reusable bags, this has been quite an adjustment. I am used to going to a store with my backpack and loading up the groceries or simply carrying a few items in my hands without a bag. Ghana has a slightly different approach. If I buy a loaf of bread and some cut up pineapple from the market, I end up with usually 4 plastic bags – the bread in one, the pineapple in another, then an extra one just in case it leaks, and the two items then go in a larger bag.

Despite the negative impact of all the plastic waste on the environment, I have developed a slight obsession with some of these items that come in bags.  First, the fresh fruit bought off the street always comes in a bag and is amazing. The fruit sellers are experts at cutting pineapple, papaya, and watermelon without touching the inside of the fruit, and there is something so satisfying about squeezing the extra ripe fruit from the opening in the bag and drinking the juice at the end. Then there is pure water – sold in water sashays and available off the heads of many sellers all over town. These sashays are filled with 500 ml of clean, refreshing water that you drink from a corner after biting a small hole. It is so handy to be able to buy a small bag full of water on the street wherever you are.

But by far my favorite item in Ghana that is consumed from a bag is FanIce. This amazing creation is essentially ice cream in a bag, but it really is so much more. It is a cold, sweet treat that momentarily sends you to a place far away from the hot scorching African sun. The sound of the FanIce seller’s horn gives me a similar sensation to that of an ice cream truck from my childhood. For a while, this was a daily indulgence for me, although I have cut back now to just a few times a week. I’m really not sure what I am going to do back in America without FanIce - I have even considered starting my own FanIce business.

So delicious, so refreshing, so FANtastic

Ode to Mango

The season has finally arrived
     for the fruit of the gods.
My whole body comes alive,
     even through my quads,
when I first slice through the skin
     the smell circling up to my nose
and the sweet juice dribbles down my chin
     as the bite of mango, sweet as a rose,
satisfies my craving
     that this fruit has inspired.
And I can't help but sing
     for this wonderful moment that has transpired.

Halloween, Ghana Style

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. First of all, I'm allowed to dress up in a crazy outfit and not look out of place. And most importantly, I can eat tons of candy and feel very sick the next day. Myself and some friends decided that we didn't want to miss out on this important day so we carried the tradition to Ghana, even though most people here only know of Halloween through American movies they see or don't have any idea what it is at all.We decided to have a Halloween party in our room on Friday night and it was a blast. We decorated the room with Halloween plates and napkins that an American's dad sent her and bought TONs of candy at the supermarket - I had real snickers and twix for the first time in ages! For the first part of the night, we had mostly Americans in the room. I dressed up like a mermaid, and it was fun to just eat candy and listen to some Michael Jackson. After awhile, some Ghanaian friends arrived and one brought costumes for my friend Molly and I - we then became twin African princesses and she turned into Ariel from the Little Mermaid (our version of an American princess). Also included in our midst was Obama, Dianna Ross, FanIce (more about that later), a Rastafarian, a mummy, Dr. Doolittle, and a gypsy. We had the great idea of trying to trick-or-treat around the dorm and it was pretty hilarious. After knocking on some doors and saying "trick or treat", some people looked very confused, one girl screamed and ran to the bathroom, but we actually got a few pieces of candy from one startled Ghanaian.

Ghanaian Princesses and Mummy

On Halloween day (Sunday) we decided to go to this gorgeous beach about an hour and a half away and it was ideal. I have never been so warm on Halloween in my life. I'm used to to the drizzle of Washington State or even some snow in Minnesota. The day was so relaxing and a swim and a walk down the beach made me come to love Ghana even more.

The Markets of Accra

A lady carrying an overflowing container of papayas on her head weaves gracefully in and out of the stands selling assortments of vegetables, while another man attempts to call me over to buy a pair of slightly worn shoes.  My first experience at a Ghanaian market was quite overwhelming. At every turn, there was always someone wanting to sell anything from an electric hot plate to yards of fabric to freshly cut meat. I have discovered that it is always better to go to the market with a list of needed items, otherwise it can be stressful to simply browse through. But I have grown to understand and love these intricate webs of stands and sellers and I know a regular supermarket back in the US will not quite have the same vibe.

Fruit and Veggie Seller

There are a few main markets in Accra and I don’t exactly know how big any of them really are, since they seem to continue endlessly through many city blocks. The larger markets have different sections dedicated to food, clothing, appliances, beads, etc. My absolute favorite part of the markets is the fabric: the colors are vibrant and there are endless patterns to choose from. Seamstress shops are abundant and I have had one dress made and plan to have some more made soon. I have never been able to design a dress and have it fitted exactly to my size before and I have a feeling I may never be able to do it again. Another part of the markets that I love is the huge piles of clothing, which are usually from somewhere abroad, often the United States. There are some treasures buried within the mounds of tank tops and graphic tees, including a new favorite t-shirt that says Cherios on it. One of the best parts about the markets is bargaining, even though my bargaining skills need work. It often helps when I try to speak in Twi because they usually end up laughing at me then reducing the price. It's really amazing how busy these markets are all the time yet people still seem to navigate through them at ease. I know I will miss these chaotic centers of trading when I get home.