"T.I.A." is an acronym that was introduced to us by the CCS staff and is used a lot by the volunteers to refer to things that might be unusual, bizarre, or shocking back home, but are commonplace here. For instance, when the power goes out, our supply of running water is cut off (as it has been since last weekend--we've been taking "bucket showers" for a week), or someone arrives 30 minutes late for an appointment without apology because we're on "Africa time", we might shrug our shoulders and say, "T.I.A.". Well, I have a pretty good TIA story to share about myself.
A couple of weeks ago I was outside the home base talking on my cell phone (which I purchased here) with my Mom. I was standing on a large concrete block only a few feet from the house, filling her in on everything that I'd been doing, when I suddenly felt the ground break apart under my feet and felt myself falling down. Fortunately, for some reason my instinctual reaction was to stick my elbows out, so I caught myself on two concrete blocks, each beside the one that had just shattered under my weight. After a moment to collect myself, and figure out what had just happened, I realized that not only was I immersed in some liquid up to my knees, but I was also still holding the phone to my ear. I told Mom to hold on a second (I can't imagine what she was thinking at this point) and struggled to pull myself out of what I soon began to realize was a tank filled with not-so-clean water. I eventually put the pieces together--I'd fallen into the septic tank. One of the staff members hurried over to check on me and asked if I was okay. My response--"Alpha, that water is very dirty isn't it?" He responded, "Yes, Patrick, it is very, very dirty." I walked off in a daze to the shower, thinking about all the diseases I might catch.
As it turns out, something did come of the incident. Last weekend, the bottom of foot started itching very intensely. On a quick examination of it, I thought it must be a series of bug bites arranged in a line. By Sunday, it looked as if more bug bites were developing, and it was changing shapes. Last Monday, I had one of the staff members look at it. "Oh, that looks like a worm," he said. I said okay, and asked what we should do about it. He had someone take me to the pharmacist, who diagnosed it as "larvae migrans"--a migrating worm. As I discovered online, apparently it is a parasitic worm that burrows into the skin and then moves around as it grows, but it is not seriously harmful unless left untreated. She gave me 3 doses of pills to be taken once a day for the next three days. No prescription necessary. Two days later the itching was gone (meaning the medicine had worked and the worm was dead), and by this weekend so was the raised red mark in the shape of a haphazardly moving worm. For me, having a living worm under the skin of my foot is not something I'm used to. For everyone here, it was typical. I guess all I can say is TIA.
What else is going on here? I decided to stay in Hohoe this weekend instead of traveling. It was still eventful, and I'm really glad I did. Yesterday I was invited by a friend I met here to have lunch. We went to the market together and bought all of the fresh ingredients for Banku and Okra Soup. I wish I could say what all was in the soup, but I'm really not sure other than okra, smoked salmon (purchased already cooked and just sitting out at the market--I have no idea how I didn't get sick), garden eggs, some kind of greens, and various spices. As for the banku, it's hard to explain but it has the consistency of dough and tastes pretty plain. We went back to one of their one-room apartments and all of us prepared the meal together. All that was necessary was a stove and a small table for chopping. When the food was ready, we put it in two dishes on a table, and we all ate with our hands out of communal bowls, by gathering some banku in the right hand and dipping it in the soup. They all treated it like a feast, and I felt like the honorary guest. It was an incredible experience, even though I could hardly stomach the food because of the taste of the fish. One of them kept egging me on to eat more. He wanted to see my belly get very fat. The others were more compassionate--"It's his first time" they said to the other guy. One of the coolest things I've done here yet.
Last night we went out to watch the Ghana vs. USA game. It was a win-win for me, but I'm glad Ghana won. We walked back through the massive, city-wide celebration. It was hard to make our way through the crowds of people dancing, singing, drumming, parading. I've never seen anything like it. They play again on Friday--we'll hope for another good outcome.
I had so much more to write about last week, but unfortunately I have to go now. I'll catch up next time--until then, take care!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
More weekend travels
Greetings once again from Hohoe, a place from which I was absent again for a couple days this weekend. Our group of 11 decided to make the relatively long drive to Cape Coast this weekend and stay at a resort called Coconut Grove. Despite the van being air conditioned, the ride was as intolerable as always--an 8 hour drive, about 2 of which were spent in congestion surrounding the capital city of Accra. We did make a pit stop at the mall there for dinner, which was a welcomed dose of Western culture in the midst of Africa. I ordered a chesseburger and got a fried chicken patty with cheese--apparently a beef burger was too much of a stretch towards American. I didn't mind though, I've only been here 2 weeks and would feel ridiculous for not being able to go longer without a burger, so beyond my control the streak of non-American food continues. We arrived at the resort around 5 or 6 and had a bite to eat there and a quick walk on the beach. The beaches were beautiful: lined with palm trees and untouched by human hands, but there were huge rocks just into the shore, making swimming impossible. Anyway, we woke up Saturday morning and drove to a natural reserve nearby for a canopy walk, one of the few in the world (according to the guide). We walked on suspended wooden and rope bridges between giant trees which jutted out of the roof of the rain forest below. I think he said at the highest point it is 60 meters above the ground, but I can't remember for sure. I do know that he said it used to be higher but too many people said it was too high so they lowered it. In my experience, think it's high enough as is.
Later that day I watched Ghana play Australia in the world cup back at the hotel. Much to everyone's dismay Australia struck first, but when Ghana tied the game the celebration was almost like Wake beating Duke in basketball, except far fewer people. But they were that excited. And it wasn't even the end of the game. They ended up in a draw in the end--I can't imagine what I would have seen had they won.
We woke up the next morning and drove to Cape Coast Castle. It was originally a tiny fort built by the Swedes in the 16th century (I think), but after it was captured by England it was gradually transformed into a vast, imposing castle. Its most infamous, and tragic use was for trading and holding slaves before they were loaded into ships like cargo and sent to the New World. I stood in the dungeons where thousands of Africans perished from starvation and sickness before even seeing the decks of the ships. I walked through the wooden gate dubbed "the door of no return" where slaves exited the castle--and their motherland of Africa--to be sent to America, never to return. A placard is posted above the door on the exterior side that reads "the door of return", symbolizing the end of slavery and the freedom for those who wish to return to Africa. Needless to say, it was all really powerful stuff. My only complaint is that the tour was too long--I think it just become too much to take in all at once.
It's hard to believe that I'm already in my 3rd week here. This weekend, some of the volunteers I arrived with are leaving. When I signed up for this trip I thought 3 weeks seemed like a long time, and 6 like a lifetime. But now I think even 6 weeks will fly by. I'm glad to be staying that long. Of course it will be great to see everyone when I get back. Hope you're all doing well!
Later that day I watched Ghana play Australia in the world cup back at the hotel. Much to everyone's dismay Australia struck first, but when Ghana tied the game the celebration was almost like Wake beating Duke in basketball, except far fewer people. But they were that excited. And it wasn't even the end of the game. They ended up in a draw in the end--I can't imagine what I would have seen had they won.
We woke up the next morning and drove to Cape Coast Castle. It was originally a tiny fort built by the Swedes in the 16th century (I think), but after it was captured by England it was gradually transformed into a vast, imposing castle. Its most infamous, and tragic use was for trading and holding slaves before they were loaded into ships like cargo and sent to the New World. I stood in the dungeons where thousands of Africans perished from starvation and sickness before even seeing the decks of the ships. I walked through the wooden gate dubbed "the door of no return" where slaves exited the castle--and their motherland of Africa--to be sent to America, never to return. A placard is posted above the door on the exterior side that reads "the door of return", symbolizing the end of slavery and the freedom for those who wish to return to Africa. Needless to say, it was all really powerful stuff. My only complaint is that the tour was too long--I think it just become too much to take in all at once.
It's hard to believe that I'm already in my 3rd week here. This weekend, some of the volunteers I arrived with are leaving. When I signed up for this trip I thought 3 weeks seemed like a long time, and 6 like a lifetime. But now I think even 6 weeks will fly by. I'm glad to be staying that long. Of course it will be great to see everyone when I get back. Hope you're all doing well!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Wli Waterfalls, Lake Volta, and Afadjato Mountain
Hello again from Ghana! Since I last posted I've been busy exploring the country. The car rides are always intense--the roads are not exactly in great repair (biggest and most numerous potholes I've ever seen) and the cars people drive here are not built for the conditions. We usually take a van without air conditioning and cram about 14 people in it. The seats might as well be bare metal. BUT--when we reach our destinations it's always completely worth the ride. Last week we took a trip to the Wli waterfalls, from what I've told the tallest in West Africa. It was an easy 45 minute hike to the waterfalls, during which we passed over 7 different rivers. It's a really cool experience to walk through the jungle here. For those of you that are familiar I often feel like I'm a character in "Lost". Everything is just a little different than the woods back home: the plants and trees look tropical, the bugs are bigger, and the weather is hotter. The waterfall itself was stunning--it was a stream of water that dropped straight down the height of a small skyscraper to a large water hole at the bottom. We swam in it, and some of us stood right under the falling water (of course I had to do that).
Since we don't volunteer on the weekends they are free time, so our group decided to go to Lake Volta last weekend. We took a two hour ride to our hotel for the stay. I expected a Holiday Inn, but the Afrikiko was more like a resort minus the amenities. No little soaps in the rooms, no room service, no workout facility. But they had air conditioning, a pool, beautiful grounds, and a setting right on the Lake. We spent the weekend mostly relaxing. On Saturday night we went to another hotel for dinner, and then to the disco afterwards. Interesting experience in so many ways.
Yesterday morning instead of going to our volunteer placements we drove to Afadjato mountain, which they tell us is the tallest in Ghana. I was definitely not prepared for how intense the hike was. It only took an hour, but it was about 850 meters vertical, which I'm not accustomed to. The view from the top was incredible though--360 degree view standing from one point. I took some great pictures that I'll have when I get back. Although I couldn't sleep on the treacherous ride, I took a nap when I got back.
Briefly other things going on:
World Cup! Ghana won its first game, so everyone here is really excited. The whole town seems to watch all the matches--people even bought TVs and put them up in or in front of their shops on the street just for the World Cup.
Rain. Almost every afternoon it rains HARD for at least an hour straight. These are the kind of storms that might go on for like 5 or 10 minutes back home, but they last forever here. Today I was in town when the rain hit, so someone invited me into his shop for shelter until I could flag down a cab to get home.
Power outages. With the rain often comes widespread blackouts. The power is usually restored in a few hours, but a couple days ago we had to sleep through the night without fans because the power was out and our generator wasn't working. Not the most comfortable night I've had, and showering in the dark did prove very difficult.
My volunteering continues to go well. It's still really hard work--I appreciate elementary school teachers more than I ever had. After a few hours of teaching I feel exhausted, every day. But the kids are great, and the work makes me feel really fulfilled.
It's almost 9 here so It's time for me to make the walk back to the home base. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the "warm" weather back home.
Since we don't volunteer on the weekends they are free time, so our group decided to go to Lake Volta last weekend. We took a two hour ride to our hotel for the stay. I expected a Holiday Inn, but the Afrikiko was more like a resort minus the amenities. No little soaps in the rooms, no room service, no workout facility. But they had air conditioning, a pool, beautiful grounds, and a setting right on the Lake. We spent the weekend mostly relaxing. On Saturday night we went to another hotel for dinner, and then to the disco afterwards. Interesting experience in so many ways.
Yesterday morning instead of going to our volunteer placements we drove to Afadjato mountain, which they tell us is the tallest in Ghana. I was definitely not prepared for how intense the hike was. It only took an hour, but it was about 850 meters vertical, which I'm not accustomed to. The view from the top was incredible though--360 degree view standing from one point. I took some great pictures that I'll have when I get back. Although I couldn't sleep on the treacherous ride, I took a nap when I got back.
Briefly other things going on:
World Cup! Ghana won its first game, so everyone here is really excited. The whole town seems to watch all the matches--people even bought TVs and put them up in or in front of their shops on the street just for the World Cup.
Rain. Almost every afternoon it rains HARD for at least an hour straight. These are the kind of storms that might go on for like 5 or 10 minutes back home, but they last forever here. Today I was in town when the rain hit, so someone invited me into his shop for shelter until I could flag down a cab to get home.
Power outages. With the rain often comes widespread blackouts. The power is usually restored in a few hours, but a couple days ago we had to sleep through the night without fans because the power was out and our generator wasn't working. Not the most comfortable night I've had, and showering in the dark did prove very difficult.
My volunteering continues to go well. It's still really hard work--I appreciate elementary school teachers more than I ever had. After a few hours of teaching I feel exhausted, every day. But the kids are great, and the work makes me feel really fulfilled.
It's almost 9 here so It's time for me to make the walk back to the home base. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the "warm" weather back home.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
My first days
Hey all! I survived the trip safe and sound, and now it's my 5th day in Hohoe. The first few days have been a blur, but I've enjoyed almost every minute of it. It's hard to know where to start. The people are so friendly and welcoming that it's hard to believe. We truly stand out in the town: I've only seen one other group of Yevu (white person), and the town is not as small as I expected. The streets are lined for miles with shops housed in open-air shacks, and it is very busy with taxis, pedestrians, bikes, and mopeds during the day. Yet we are welcomed generously by complete strangers that we meet. My fellow volunteers are all good people as well. I think we'll have some good times together.
It's hard to even explain how hot it is here; a day does not pass that I am completely soaked in sweat at some point, and it is usually the majority of the time. It often rains hard in the afternoons and evenings, which brings much-needed relief from the heat. Surprisingly, most nights I've slept well. We have some serious fans in the bedrooms which provide a breeze that keeps it just cool enough.
Enough of the mundane details--let's get to the exciting stuff. My first day at my volunteer placement was a surreal experience. One other volunteer and I were dropped off from a taxi on the side of a street. A CCS employee led us through an alley and to the back of one of the wooden "shacks" as I call them that line the streets. We walked through a small wooden gate and to a corridor between an enclosed building and a long open-air "pavilion", which I began to realize composed the tiny "quadrangle" of the school. Out from one of the classrooms (which are really just areas of the open-air structure sectioned off by nothing but wooden blackboards) came Momma Suzzy, the founder of the school. With a beaming smile she hugged us and thanked us generously for "coming all the way from America to teach her children". We talked for a moment, and then walked out to see the children in their uniforms marching to the beat of the drums to their classrooms, singing hymns, as they do everyday. Suzzy ushered me into the 1st grade room, full of about 15 students. For the first day I observed the teacher, and my only contribution was to introduce myself and show some pictures. Since then, I've split time teaching with the Fred, the teacher, and occasionally stepped in to teach other classes. It's very challenging work. Not only do me and the children not understand each other very well, the education style here creates another hurdle. They are mostly taught through memorization. Trying to teach concepts is difficult, but I am determined to teach that way, as I think it is the only way to truly learn. It has been overwhelmingly fun and rewarding. 15 first-graders can get somewhat crazy, but they are good, loving kids and they can always bring a smile to my face. Recess is probably the funniest thing. Dresses and shirts come off, the playground becomes a toilet, everyone is running around chaotically, and without warning a group of like 10 of them will run over and start climbing all over me. Pretty funny.
Yesterday we walked to the Wli waterfalls--the tallest in western Africa--and swam in the waterhole at the bottom. It was phenomenal. I wish you could see what I saw, but unfortunately the connection here in the sole internet cafe in town is too slow to upload pictures. If I take a really great picture I'll try to upload it, but it might take up to an hour if it works at all. If you want to see you might have to wait until I get back home.
This weekend the new volunteers are going to Lake Volta, a large lake about 2 hours away. It promises to be a good time; we'll have air conditioning and warm showers! Hopefully we'll make some good stories for me to tell about.
Thanks for reading and take care..the day is good!
It's hard to even explain how hot it is here; a day does not pass that I am completely soaked in sweat at some point, and it is usually the majority of the time. It often rains hard in the afternoons and evenings, which brings much-needed relief from the heat. Surprisingly, most nights I've slept well. We have some serious fans in the bedrooms which provide a breeze that keeps it just cool enough.
Enough of the mundane details--let's get to the exciting stuff. My first day at my volunteer placement was a surreal experience. One other volunteer and I were dropped off from a taxi on the side of a street. A CCS employee led us through an alley and to the back of one of the wooden "shacks" as I call them that line the streets. We walked through a small wooden gate and to a corridor between an enclosed building and a long open-air "pavilion", which I began to realize composed the tiny "quadrangle" of the school. Out from one of the classrooms (which are really just areas of the open-air structure sectioned off by nothing but wooden blackboards) came Momma Suzzy, the founder of the school. With a beaming smile she hugged us and thanked us generously for "coming all the way from America to teach her children". We talked for a moment, and then walked out to see the children in their uniforms marching to the beat of the drums to their classrooms, singing hymns, as they do everyday. Suzzy ushered me into the 1st grade room, full of about 15 students. For the first day I observed the teacher, and my only contribution was to introduce myself and show some pictures. Since then, I've split time teaching with the Fred, the teacher, and occasionally stepped in to teach other classes. It's very challenging work. Not only do me and the children not understand each other very well, the education style here creates another hurdle. They are mostly taught through memorization. Trying to teach concepts is difficult, but I am determined to teach that way, as I think it is the only way to truly learn. It has been overwhelmingly fun and rewarding. 15 first-graders can get somewhat crazy, but they are good, loving kids and they can always bring a smile to my face. Recess is probably the funniest thing. Dresses and shirts come off, the playground becomes a toilet, everyone is running around chaotically, and without warning a group of like 10 of them will run over and start climbing all over me. Pretty funny.
Yesterday we walked to the Wli waterfalls--the tallest in western Africa--and swam in the waterhole at the bottom. It was phenomenal. I wish you could see what I saw, but unfortunately the connection here in the sole internet cafe in town is too slow to upload pictures. If I take a really great picture I'll try to upload it, but it might take up to an hour if it works at all. If you want to see you might have to wait until I get back home.
This weekend the new volunteers are going to Lake Volta, a large lake about 2 hours away. It promises to be a good time; we'll have air conditioning and warm showers! Hopefully we'll make some good stories for me to tell about.
Thanks for reading and take care..the day is good!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Less than 24 hours to go
Whew, it's hard to believe that this time tomorrow I'll be in the airport at Denver getting ready to fly over the great sea to Amsterdam en route to Accra, Ghana. After arriving there on Saturday around 7pm (2pm Eastern time), I'll take a 4 hour car ride to the Cross-Cultural Solutions home base in Hohoe, where I'll be staying for the next 6 weeks. After I'm settled, I'll be sure to write about how I'm adjusting to the Ghanaian culture and the lack of air conditioning in low-of-70 degree weather. Right now I'm excited, but a bit of nervousness is definitely starting to set in. I have almost everything I need (I'll get massive amounts of bug spray and sunscreen tomorrow), my first dose of malaria medication is coursing through my body, and I'm taking care of last minute chores before my journey begins! I'll be jumping right into a full day of orientation on Sunday. On Monday, I become a teacher of 6 to 12-year-old Ghanaian kids. Wish me good luck. I'll let everyone know how it's going as soon as things slow down a bit. Until then, take care, and thanks for reading!
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