more excerpts from my morning journal... this sums up the end of my time in ghana.
march 16th.
monday morning. 7:58am. i sit at my large table, accompanied by nescafe and the daily bread.
too much sleep, last night. but it feels good.
today we'll stay at the orphanage, for the week. i am really excited to do this. i think i'll be challenged- but i think even a week will build a stronger connection with the kids, and house mothers. i want to be more involved, i want to be helping, and be a part of the orphanage family. and more importantly, i want to have more time with the children. i want them to learn my name, for sure, and to trust me and welcome me, as family, and not just a guest.
tomorrow is st. patricks day. i think. how strange.
march 18th.
living here, at the orphange, a different world. and its just day three. and already everything has changed. its so different to be here when they wake up, all the way to when they go to sleep. its so special to be a part of it all.
the children know us, already, so much better- and us them. the names come easier now, when before every day was a struggle. i know these days are very special.
last night, after the worst day in ghana so far, the stress and tension melted away as the children ate, sang, and danced. a dance competion, of sorts, was held outside- and their personalities came out to play. new sides of each of them, showed to us in bits and pieces. so special.
march 21st.
i have poison running through my blood. maliciously attacked, in the middle of the night. twenty-five bites, that i can count, can see. even two on my face. it makes me so uncomfortable. so itchy. can't sit still. and i just have to wait it out. my bite cream masks the itch for a minute or two, but then it always returns.
yesterday i thought i had malaria. convinced. but the blood test told me no. i almost wished i had. i needed an excuse to be lazy for a few days. to rest. to sleep- unbothered. to just take a time-out. no such luck.
but its better this way. i have just one month left, in ghana- and only three weeks actually with the kids. so much to do. so very little time. i have to get the sponsorship program up and running- i just do. its the smallest task- at home just one days work. but here, everything takes so long. everything is slowed down. its so difficult to accept.
today will be a productive day.
march 22nd.
i want to be home. today more than any other. so uncomfortable, so hot, so itchy, so uneasy, its becoming unbearable.
i wish i was home, in my own bed, dealing with this discomfort. the comfort of your own bed. its really something. but i can't be home, not yet. i have to wait it out, wait for the itch to subside. hope that my stomache calms, and that the fan works today. thats all i can do.
but today, i really wish i wasn't here. it feels like my body is rejecting all of this. and maybe it is. maybe its had enough. ready to go back to the cool comfort of the pacific nw. oh how i miss the pacific nw. it really is home.
i'm overheated now, and its just 9am.
march 23rd.
today i opened my eyes to a cool dark room. so comfortable in the cold. the comfort struck me- so unfamiliar and profound. and i laugh, because i have forgotten what comfort feels like.
but this is my home. in ghana. this room, this house, these people, this table. this is my home. and despite how completely different it is, i am used to it now. still not comfortabale, but used, to it. it is home in an unfamiliar sense. and its strange.
i feel ike i have so many homes around this earth. many places that i call my own. and i want this to be one more, i do. but its a home so unfamiliar and foreign. always foreign.
the other day i graduated. from "bruni" to "bruni with a tan". on the way in to kobby's house, the kids yelled at us, and called us the usual "bruni", but added something else on- and kobby told us that they were calling us white people who have been in africa for a while and are turning dark. i liked it. i want the locals to see time on my skin; see the committment. i want them to know that i live here- even if only for a few months, to know i'm not a tourist. this is importatnto me. and i'm not sure why.
yesterday at the pool some locals came over to talk. they tested my twi- which i semi-passed- and told me i was quick, and good at their language. they taught me some more, like how to say "she is my best friend", and how to say "i'm 24" and how to count to 5. i did my best, and i think they were happy. and i was happy to surprise them, and catch them off-guard with what i knew, and what i wanted to know.
i'm not sure why i feel like i have to prove myself. i know that ruins everything. it adds motive to otherwise genuine interst an joy. i need to be careful of this.
there is nothing to prove, anwyay. i am here, and i am who i am. i can't pretend or fake or fathom anything else. i need to just be.
learn to just be. sounds so simple, really. i know its anything but.
march 24th.
anxiety struck me last night. and i awoke to it again this morning. i can feel the time wind down, and its causing my head to spin and my heart to speed.
overwhelmed by how much more i want to do, need to do. my time here is too short-i knew it all along. and still i think i'll be ready. to go. i almost feel like i can be more helpful and effective if i remove myself. more focused. more driven. but to be here is so special, so remarkable. its difficult to be effective and driven when i'm constantly trying to simply take it all in.
this is such a gift, and i want to make sure i'm appreciating it, completely. and i think i am- but sometimes i worry. i get lost in thoughts of home. and i resent ghana for trapping me here in its heat box. pushed and pulled in so many directions by everyone- here and at home. so many expectations and demands put on me, here. its challenging to accept- and i'm not sure i can, or should.
march 25th.
the power just went out. i was in the middle of finishing up the project on the laptop, when a storm blew in, and the electricity blew out. no choice but to try again tomorrow.
i quietly head to my room, in darkness, and get ready for bed. its only 8:30, but without power, there really isn't much else to do. i light my candle, and shuffle through the dark as i brush my teeth and pee.
i know the power won't be back on until the morning. an annoyance i've gotten used to. no use in waiting for the line to be fixed. it won't be, until tomorrow. this i just the way it is. this is ghana.
march 27th.
it really is winding down now. in one week we go to the beach, and then just one more in kumasi before i head south to accra.
and i know i'm going to miss it. i'll miss the kids, and my family. my quiet nescafe mornings and the daily bread. i'll miss the people and the music, bantama and wine up. i will definitely miss my home in ghana.
yesterday i finished the project. six and half hours at the internet cafe- but its finally complete, and sent out. to everyone i know. i am so excited. i feel so accomplished and proud. i want everyone to meet these kids, and get on board with our cause- my cause. i'm just so excited to see what happens. and i loved working on this. it was challening, due to access issues... but i loved putting it all together. i loved being in control of what it would say, how it would look, what we would do. another clue towards my future perhaps.
march 30th.
strange dreams last night. a culmination of my life here, and my life back home. different people and places, tied togehter, made to fit.
i feel like i have a life here, now. an abnormal life. made to fit. but a life. friends an family, a job. birthday parties, beach trips, thirsty thursdays. its strange to have created a network of relationships around this experience. my time is so limited, and my reason is so particular- but somewhere in there a life came together.
and i enjoy this life, here in ghana. most of the time. i feel very limited in this life, very overwhelmed and hopeless. no where really to go. i feel like i'm awlays waiitng. always trying my patience.
always waiting.
march 31st.
the sky is overcaste today, and it suits my mood. i long for a cool autumn day in the city- grey skies, light drizzle, with a warm cup of coffee and soft music to sip on.
april 1st.
just 21 days. twenty-one. and i'll be gone. to a different world, it seems. a different place in time. i'll have a week to myself. to wander. to remember. bittersweet. always bittersweet.
april 15th.
this morning i wake to chaos in the house. the kids don't have school this week, so they are just hanging around. loud. loud. loud. they are playing music full blast- simply to show off their music taste to the visitors.
i'm at the end, now. i can feel it. ready to say goodbye to this house and the family. not ready to say goodbye to the orphanage or my friends yet. but maybe i will be in just a few days.
today is my last meeting. friday is my last day at the orphanage. and then i'm gone. so strange. so very strange.
three months time, sped up. it seems. too fast was my time here. such a gift. but i feel so good about what i've done. about being here. i've loved my time. i know i'll leave with a smile.
yesterday the sky seemed to blue. so clear and beautiful. it was as if i was seeing it all for the first time, again. it was like a warm bright blue summer day. and i felt at peace. so at peace with everything.
and its such a good feeling. haven't felt that in a while. maybe its peace. maybe its happiness. maybe its joy. not sure- maybe its everything. its nice.
april 17th.
my last day. at the orphanage. my last time with the kids. last time i'll see them- at least for a long while. and i can hardly belive it.
tomorrow i pack, and sunday i leave. and i can barely comprehend what it means to be leaving. to be leaving ghana after living here for three months. this is so much more different than rome. to live with a family, and work at an orphanage every day. this has become my home, even if for a short while.
and now, when i am enjoying it the most, i have to leave. i'm not sure i even want to be in italy anymore. i know i'll have fun, and that two weeks will go fast, but i want to either stay here for two weeks longer, or just go home.
and to go home- it will be like nothing changed- except i know that i have changed. i know that my world has changed, and me within it. i wonder if anyone will notice.
april 18th.
the ants are many and overwhelm me now. but i leave soon, so i try not to care. a giant cochroach in my room last night. i prepared for battle, but he ran away too fast for me to strike.
and as i prepare to pack and leave, i realize how familiar it all is , now. i feel finally adapted, and comfortable. perhaps three months i what it takes. my body is calm, and used to the heat. i still am covered in bug bites, but i've learnt how to deal with them. the abnormal of ghana has become normal, and i am loving it all so much.
last night, my last goodbye. the kids blew me away. my heart bursting for air. they all gathered together and sang goodbye to me, dancing and clapping. i almost cried, but i stopped myself- i just wanted to be happy. afterwards, they all swarmed me and hugged me, a giant pile of little kids on top of me. it was so amazing- and i realize how lucky i am. to feel such love, from cildren who come from such harsh worlds- genuine, unconditional, true blue love. and to feel it for them. i know that there is good in the world. and i do believe in love, in good, and in the future.
ghana has taught me the very harsh realities of our planet, but it has also shown me a reason to fight for a better future. these children deserve a better life- a life wihtout fear of famine or disease, without hate and hurt, a life with laughs and loves and a happy future. we all deserve happiness- i do belive in that.
april 21st.
at the airport now, and it all comes flooding in. all the emotion, the profoundness of what this means. the finality of it all. i can't believe i'm leaving, already. has three months really come and gone already? it doesn't seem possible. but here i am.
and all i want is to stay. one more month, week even. i'm not ready, even though i'm excited to see home. it hasn't been long enough, and i'm not ready to leave it all yet.
even now, as the song from the internet plays, i tear up. its all been home- really home. even though parts have been so hard, and so miserable- its still become home. so famililar and comforting.
to be leaving means that my dream is over. finished. completed. my promise finally fulfilled. which makes me so happy, but i'm also so not ready for that. sadness consumes me. deep-profound sadness.
and i'm not sure how, but it feels as though i haven't left- and also that i was never there. its as though i'll be back tomorrow, and that it isn't really over. but its also like i never went. the food, the plane, the feelings of all this. they seem so old and normal, familiar even though i haven't felt comfort like this in months. cold. cool skin. clean air. food- salad, cheese, chicken. i react like i had it all yesterday, but i didn't. i had ghana. i had all the challenges it offers, daily. so how can i act so normal now- as it all slowly changes back to home.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
morning reflections.
some excerpts from my morning journal.
february 16th.
surrounded by dust and dirt, flies swarm by my feet. i have to simply accept this state of discomfort and chaos and constant sweat. i have to let go of the familiar feelings called comfort, and find new ways to define that word. african ways.
this is my life in africa. one month seems ample time to adjust, but still i feel inadequate. my body tells me it needs more time, to catch up to my nimble mind. the elements are too intense, and my body is tired. the heat, the humidity, the food, the time, the patience required to accomplish anything. the disease and mosquitoes, the spiders that make my ankles and toes swell up and sting. my body was not born here. i am a foreigner, and am reminded every single day.
february 17th.
i am hushed by simply being a foreigner. a minority, based on the color of my skin. it is a humbling feeling, and one i choose never to forget.
its important to remember this experience. to learn from its challenges and emotional power, and apply those lessons through my life.
to be so lost, when i know exactly where i am, is a feeling incomparable to any other. to know no words, from a language so local, to aide me. to feel so many eyes upon me, just walking down my street. to be blatantly taken advantage of, simply because i don’t belong. these are all lessons, and i am wise to appreciate them, as best i can.
it is difficult, though.
february 24th.
morning confessions, over my cup and saucer of bitter coffee. the ants swarm the table; frantic and futile. and suddenly i realize that i am used to this. there is one on my arm, i feel its little feet rush over my skin. i simply brush it away. no reflex of panic or disgust. have i always been capable of this calm? or has it only been cultivated while living in africa?
adaptation. will i take these home with me, or will they slowly fade, over time. maybe i have a choice.
february 25th.
i swept away the trail of ants, hoping their friends will forget the way. get lost, and disappear. i doubt it, though.
what am i doing here. what am i looking for. all i am seeing is bigger problems, and more questions. i see more confusion than i did before. more sadness, more loss, more challenge. is this what i wanted? is this what i was supposed to find?
march 8th.
i suddenly realize how limited my time is. and i look around to see what i’ve done, what i’ve become. and i feel helpless and overwhelmed.
why am i always so consumed by the next step. why is it so difficult for me to just be, present. already i’m looking forward to the next phase, next chapter, next person place and thing.
i need to slow down, and take time to look around. i need to be present.
right now. right now. right now. rain is dumping from the sky and lightening crashes- a tune i’ve always loved. the trees dance wildly in the dark and i can barely make out their shadows. the thunder rumbles the earth and the house shakes. and when it cracks, it sounds like a gunshot piercing through the sky.
march 10th.
today i feel different. part annoyed, part angry, and part tired and lonely. this week back, after traveling, is tough. i didn’t think it would be. yesterday
i found myself counting down, the hours. i was annoyed by the children, and irritated with my host family.
and i don’t like this state i'm in. i want to feel the way i did my first week, again. excited and hopeful and full of energy and passion. but now i feel jaded and tired.
they’re everywhere now, the ants. they’re slowly taking over my life. this morning i actually had to brush them off of my bread, before eating it. i feel itchy and dirty and claustrophobic.
march 11th.
“one cannot divine nor forecast the conditions that will make happiness; one only stumbles upon them by chance, in a lucky hour, at the world’s end somewhere.” –willa cather
and for a moment i feel at ease. happy. calm. i feel cool and relaxed, sleepy and content. but i now that feeling will fade, again. and i’ll revert back to the uneasy, uncomfortable constant. the heat.
but for now, i'm okay. and i have just five weeks left. less than . i wonder how it will feel. to be on that plane. probably many mixed emotions, all jumbled together in a mess.
march 12th.
two months. since i left. its so strange. at points, time flew by- but at others it seemed to stand still. and now juts five weeks left. to make my mark, to accomplish something. i want to accomplish something.
i'm getting tanner now, and adopting this new person. natural, simple, calm and at peace. i'm nearly 25 years old, and i'm just now finding my peace.
but peace changes, with time and years. it shifts, just like the world. we all change, and move, and adjust. and i like that. always something new, to learn and see.
always something new.
march 13th.
the morning seems fresh, and full of life. birds chirping, squawking, singing. palm trees dance in the gentle morning breeze. and sunshine fills the sky.
and my thoughts scatter. maybe not fully awake. or maybe i'm distracted. always caught, miles away. my thoughts never cease to wander. nomadic thoughts.
nomadic thoughts. scattered, distant, and distracted. never present.
march 14th.
i wake up to a bright african morning, after a dark and dreary lonely night. i slept ten and a half hours- only because i didn't want to stay awake. but this morning brings new hope to my heart. and it amazes me how fast my mood can change.
i simply have to look around, and see this world. all around me. see its life, its love, its possibility. and i know that today will be a good day.
yesterday at the orphanage i felt love. i think i had been trying to force it, before. trying to feel something for these kids, just because they are orphans. but yesterday i just sat, while they climbed all over me. and i played with them, tickled them, sang with them, and held them- and i felt my heart grow. they are so special, all of them, and i want them to know that. to believe that.
but i worry that they don't. that no one tells them, because they are just one of so many. and they are forced to grow up so fast, so much is expected of them. when is there time to just let them, be them?
for our sponsorship program we are trying to ask personal questions of all the kids- like what is their favorite thing to do, what is their favorite color. and they have no answers. they don't know what to say, because their lives are so uniform and adult. it makes me so sad to think that they don't have a favorite color, or game- that they don't know they can be unique.
march 15th.
i can feel my body struggling. pushed and pulled and scrambling to keep up. so many changes thrown at it, into it, demanded from it. i can feel the constant roller coaster my body is stuck on. but i welcome this ride. i want to push myself to new limits, and see what i am capable of. never forced to push-really- never challenged in this way. and i like it. i enjoy seeing new strengths i never knew were there.
i feel a new strength. a new voice. a new me. i know that i'm growing and changing. and i am so glad for this.
february 16th.
surrounded by dust and dirt, flies swarm by my feet. i have to simply accept this state of discomfort and chaos and constant sweat. i have to let go of the familiar feelings called comfort, and find new ways to define that word. african ways.
this is my life in africa. one month seems ample time to adjust, but still i feel inadequate. my body tells me it needs more time, to catch up to my nimble mind. the elements are too intense, and my body is tired. the heat, the humidity, the food, the time, the patience required to accomplish anything. the disease and mosquitoes, the spiders that make my ankles and toes swell up and sting. my body was not born here. i am a foreigner, and am reminded every single day.
february 17th.
i am hushed by simply being a foreigner. a minority, based on the color of my skin. it is a humbling feeling, and one i choose never to forget.
its important to remember this experience. to learn from its challenges and emotional power, and apply those lessons through my life.
to be so lost, when i know exactly where i am, is a feeling incomparable to any other. to know no words, from a language so local, to aide me. to feel so many eyes upon me, just walking down my street. to be blatantly taken advantage of, simply because i don’t belong. these are all lessons, and i am wise to appreciate them, as best i can.
it is difficult, though.
february 24th.
morning confessions, over my cup and saucer of bitter coffee. the ants swarm the table; frantic and futile. and suddenly i realize that i am used to this. there is one on my arm, i feel its little feet rush over my skin. i simply brush it away. no reflex of panic or disgust. have i always been capable of this calm? or has it only been cultivated while living in africa?
adaptation. will i take these home with me, or will they slowly fade, over time. maybe i have a choice.
february 25th.
i swept away the trail of ants, hoping their friends will forget the way. get lost, and disappear. i doubt it, though.
what am i doing here. what am i looking for. all i am seeing is bigger problems, and more questions. i see more confusion than i did before. more sadness, more loss, more challenge. is this what i wanted? is this what i was supposed to find?
march 8th.
i suddenly realize how limited my time is. and i look around to see what i’ve done, what i’ve become. and i feel helpless and overwhelmed.
why am i always so consumed by the next step. why is it so difficult for me to just be, present. already i’m looking forward to the next phase, next chapter, next person place and thing.
i need to slow down, and take time to look around. i need to be present.
right now. right now. right now. rain is dumping from the sky and lightening crashes- a tune i’ve always loved. the trees dance wildly in the dark and i can barely make out their shadows. the thunder rumbles the earth and the house shakes. and when it cracks, it sounds like a gunshot piercing through the sky.
march 10th.
today i feel different. part annoyed, part angry, and part tired and lonely. this week back, after traveling, is tough. i didn’t think it would be. yesterday
i found myself counting down, the hours. i was annoyed by the children, and irritated with my host family.
and i don’t like this state i'm in. i want to feel the way i did my first week, again. excited and hopeful and full of energy and passion. but now i feel jaded and tired.
they’re everywhere now, the ants. they’re slowly taking over my life. this morning i actually had to brush them off of my bread, before eating it. i feel itchy and dirty and claustrophobic.
march 11th.
“one cannot divine nor forecast the conditions that will make happiness; one only stumbles upon them by chance, in a lucky hour, at the world’s end somewhere.” –willa cather
and for a moment i feel at ease. happy. calm. i feel cool and relaxed, sleepy and content. but i now that feeling will fade, again. and i’ll revert back to the uneasy, uncomfortable constant. the heat.
but for now, i'm okay. and i have just five weeks left. less than . i wonder how it will feel. to be on that plane. probably many mixed emotions, all jumbled together in a mess.
march 12th.
two months. since i left. its so strange. at points, time flew by- but at others it seemed to stand still. and now juts five weeks left. to make my mark, to accomplish something. i want to accomplish something.
i'm getting tanner now, and adopting this new person. natural, simple, calm and at peace. i'm nearly 25 years old, and i'm just now finding my peace.
but peace changes, with time and years. it shifts, just like the world. we all change, and move, and adjust. and i like that. always something new, to learn and see.
always something new.
march 13th.
the morning seems fresh, and full of life. birds chirping, squawking, singing. palm trees dance in the gentle morning breeze. and sunshine fills the sky.
and my thoughts scatter. maybe not fully awake. or maybe i'm distracted. always caught, miles away. my thoughts never cease to wander. nomadic thoughts.
nomadic thoughts. scattered, distant, and distracted. never present.
march 14th.
i wake up to a bright african morning, after a dark and dreary lonely night. i slept ten and a half hours- only because i didn't want to stay awake. but this morning brings new hope to my heart. and it amazes me how fast my mood can change.
i simply have to look around, and see this world. all around me. see its life, its love, its possibility. and i know that today will be a good day.
yesterday at the orphanage i felt love. i think i had been trying to force it, before. trying to feel something for these kids, just because they are orphans. but yesterday i just sat, while they climbed all over me. and i played with them, tickled them, sang with them, and held them- and i felt my heart grow. they are so special, all of them, and i want them to know that. to believe that.
but i worry that they don't. that no one tells them, because they are just one of so many. and they are forced to grow up so fast, so much is expected of them. when is there time to just let them, be them?
for our sponsorship program we are trying to ask personal questions of all the kids- like what is their favorite thing to do, what is their favorite color. and they have no answers. they don't know what to say, because their lives are so uniform and adult. it makes me so sad to think that they don't have a favorite color, or game- that they don't know they can be unique.
march 15th.
i can feel my body struggling. pushed and pulled and scrambling to keep up. so many changes thrown at it, into it, demanded from it. i can feel the constant roller coaster my body is stuck on. but i welcome this ride. i want to push myself to new limits, and see what i am capable of. never forced to push-really- never challenged in this way. and i like it. i enjoy seeing new strengths i never knew were there.
i feel a new strength. a new voice. a new me. i know that i'm growing and changing. and i am so glad for this.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
two months.
i have been in ghana for two months now, with just one left... and it feels very bittersweet. it feels so strange to be winding down, after waiting to be here for so long. it also feels very overwhelming because i feel like there is still so much to accomplish. my time here is so limited, and it took about a month to even adjust. now i have about five weeks left, and i know i have to make them count.
these last two weeks i've spent traveling, which has been amazing. it was so nice to take a break from work, from the orphanage, from my host family, and to be with friends and experience ghana independently. first we headed to the coast, to akwidaa beach. my roommate had to fly out of accra, so we went to the beach for a few days before she left for the airport. it was incredible. we stayed a little place called green turtle lodge, which supports conservation of the sea turtles. it was a little paradise; complete with white sand beaches, palm trees, hammocks, warm ocean with body-surfing waves, huts to sleep in, amazing cheap food (swordfish over rice with vegetables for $5), and even a happy hour. i loved it.
and last week we took one of our two allotted travel weeks to head east. i went with 4 other volunteers, and had a blast. we started out traveling east to lake volta, and paid .80 pesowees for a local fisher to take us across. we climbed in his long fishing boat, shaped like a canoe, and enjoyed the hour long trek across. From there we were lucky enough to hitch a free two-hour ride to the next ferry point in the back of a local mans 4x4. once we arrived, we learned that the ferry was broken, so we would be taking another fishing boat across the lake. we waited by the shore for the boat to arrive. the tiny village waited with us, and sat across from us, staring, as if they had never seen white people before. the kids bet each other to run up and touch us, and then ran away laughing. it was cute... but after 4 hours, we were ready to go. the second boat ride was exciting, because it was a much bigger fishing boat, and there were other passengers. also, the boat was sinking. slowly. but there were two men bailing water out, the entire time.
but, we survived, and walked into the village and found a taxi to take us to our hotel in wli. we crashed in rooms crawling with large spiders and other unknown creepy things. in the morning, we relocated to another hotel, owned by very nice germans, with cheaper coffee, and less creepy crawly things. after some food, we headed to wli waterfall, the tallest waterfall in western africa. it was about a 45 minute hike away, into the mountainous rain forest. it was beautiful, and the waterfall was wildly impressive. the water was safe, so we swam in the pool below, and stood as close to the huge waterfall as we could. we were surrounded by mountains, and cliffs with thousands of bats. it was so amazing. after an hour playing in the falls, we decided to attempt the trek up the mountain to the upper falls. this was supposed to be semi-trecherous, but it was mid-afternoon, so we figured we had time to investigate. after an hour of strenuous, up-hill climbing, one girl opted out. we left her on the tiny trail, and continued on, assuring her that we'd be back as soon as we saw the upper-falls. well, after another 20-30 minutes of more sheer cliff climbing, i decided to turn back too. it was starting to get dark, and i knew we still had a long way home, with no lights, in the mountains, alone. the other two pressed on, determined to make it, with an agreement to head home as fast as possible. so i turned back, and started my half hour downhill climb back to hannah, who we had left behind to wait. this was not smart. as soon as i could no longer see my friends, my mind started to play tricks on me, and i was absolutely positive i was being stalked by a lion (which live in the mountains and are seen at nighttime ... we found out later). so, needless to say, i hauled ass back down to hannah, and was very glad to see her, as she was me. together we hiked back down to level ground, just as dusk set in, and all of the bats took off. we were doing good, making our way back to the village, until we heard a gun shot... and then another. this was beyond scary. we walked a little bit faster after that, and made it back to our lodge in record time. the others arrived back about 45 minutes later, looking just as panicked as we had. after much needed showers, we ate, and then immediately crashed. a very long day.
the next day we attempted another mega-hike, this time to a nearby village in the hills called likpe tadome. the village was known for its bat caves and a waterfall. we signed up for the hike with "boss", the senior tour guide, of the village, and started our long trek up the mountain. after about an hour of following "boss" up the hill, stopping periodically to point out neat things (like frankensence, and big bright red bugs), we reahched the tops of rolling green hills scattered with wild flowers, and trees. it felt like a different country. there was a rustic rope swing tied to one tree, so we all stopped for a play break. from there we scaled down the cliffs to six different bat caves, each one more exciting than the last. crawling into tiny holes, into the pitch black caves, infested with tons of bugs, and crouching on layer upon layer of bat shit... was quite an experience. not to mention all of the bats that flew out once they woke-up from our voices. not sure i ever need to do bat caves again...
after that, we climbed back up the cliffs, clinging onto ropes that were somewhat solidly placed from point a to b, to c and so on. eventually we made it, and then had another hike down the other side of the mountain into the rain forest jungle, where the waterfall hid. the waterfall was less impressive than the one before, but the water was cold and clean, so it was perfect. we had to hurry down the mountain after cooling off, because it was starting to get dark, and we were starving after our five hour hike. we made it back to our lodge, and enjoyed dinner, complimented by boxed sangria and cheap gin... which made for an excellent night...
...followed by a less excellent morning. we awoke at 7 to get ready to hop a tro tro to our next destination. feeling fairly hung-over, all of us, and immediately soaked from the humid heat of the day, we made our way to fume. our tro tro dropped us at the base of yet another mountain, and took off, leaving us alone in a small village, starving and still wickedly hungover. we bought some local street food (boiled egg for .20 pesowees, and water sachets for .05), and began our trek. we were given the option to take a taxi up the mountain (in theory only a 4k hike), but it was 3 cedi per person, and we figured 4k wasn't so bad. we were wrong. not only was it much further than 4k, it was 2 in the afternoon (the hottest time), in direct sun, hiking up a huge mountain, on an abandoned dirt road, running on empty, and still fairly nauseous from all the sangria and bad gin.
somehow, we made it. although there were many points of near breakdown, and delirious dehydrated panic. it took about an hour and a half, but we finally crawled up to our new home- paradise lodge. and it was a paradise. the eco-lodge was situated on top of the mountain, overlooking the hills and jungles below. there was even an adorable puppy named jack for us to play with. it was perfect. we spent the next two days relaxing, and soaking up the scenery. we did laundry, ate snickers bars (which they cleverly sold for 2 cedi... rip off, but so worth it), and walked a bit, here and there.
on thursday we headed back down the mountain (this time in a taxi), and hit the road to tafi atome- home of the monkeys. we checked into the guesthouse of tafi atome, the monkey sanctuary. the small village protects about 300 mona monkeys, that roam the village and the rain forest surrounding it. the guesthouse included meals, and an early morning monkey walk, so the next morning we woke at 5am, for a 6am walk to feed the monkeys. our guide called them from the trees, using secret monkey talk that only africans can do (seriously), and gave us all bananas to hand-feed the monkeys. it was awesome. they came right up to us, and would each break off a piece and then jump back up to their tree to eat it. after our monkey walk, we were fed breakfast in the queen mothers house. the queen mother is the wife of the chief- a big deal. she was out of town, sadly, but we still were hosted in her sitting room, and given bread and milo. this room was by far the creepiest room i have ever spent any time in, in my life. it was covered in mirrors, and weird pictures of monkeys and chiefs. and from the ceiling hung tons of old beanie babies and miniature sponge bob squarepants dolls. it felt like a room straight out of blair witch- no joke. so, we ate fast, and hit the road asap.
from there we headed down to ho, a big city on the east, and checked into a nice hotel to treat ourselves to a little luxury. we swam in the pool, ate club sandwiches with coke for lunch, and then took the best showers in ghana to date- it had warm water, and NO spiders, ants or lizards!!! afterwards, we all crawled into the king sized comfy bed, turned up the ac, and watched crappy movies from the 80's. it was a very nice afternoon.
the next day we caught a tro tro into accra, and then an stc bus back to kumasi. long day. we got back home around midnight, and let the stc manager drive us home (a little sketchy, but we were desperate), for free.
the travels were awesome, but exhausting. good to be back in kumasi, with just 5 weeks left before flying out. since my camera was stolen, i don't have any of my own pictures anymore... but i will snag some of my friends and post them as soon as i can. i finally finished uploading the rest from mole national park, so check those out if you want to see elephants!!
i will update more soon about richmond and our hep b project... and thanks for all your support and well wishes:)
these last two weeks i've spent traveling, which has been amazing. it was so nice to take a break from work, from the orphanage, from my host family, and to be with friends and experience ghana independently. first we headed to the coast, to akwidaa beach. my roommate had to fly out of accra, so we went to the beach for a few days before she left for the airport. it was incredible. we stayed a little place called green turtle lodge, which supports conservation of the sea turtles. it was a little paradise; complete with white sand beaches, palm trees, hammocks, warm ocean with body-surfing waves, huts to sleep in, amazing cheap food (swordfish over rice with vegetables for $5), and even a happy hour. i loved it.
and last week we took one of our two allotted travel weeks to head east. i went with 4 other volunteers, and had a blast. we started out traveling east to lake volta, and paid .80 pesowees for a local fisher to take us across. we climbed in his long fishing boat, shaped like a canoe, and enjoyed the hour long trek across. From there we were lucky enough to hitch a free two-hour ride to the next ferry point in the back of a local mans 4x4. once we arrived, we learned that the ferry was broken, so we would be taking another fishing boat across the lake. we waited by the shore for the boat to arrive. the tiny village waited with us, and sat across from us, staring, as if they had never seen white people before. the kids bet each other to run up and touch us, and then ran away laughing. it was cute... but after 4 hours, we were ready to go. the second boat ride was exciting, because it was a much bigger fishing boat, and there were other passengers. also, the boat was sinking. slowly. but there were two men bailing water out, the entire time.
but, we survived, and walked into the village and found a taxi to take us to our hotel in wli. we crashed in rooms crawling with large spiders and other unknown creepy things. in the morning, we relocated to another hotel, owned by very nice germans, with cheaper coffee, and less creepy crawly things. after some food, we headed to wli waterfall, the tallest waterfall in western africa. it was about a 45 minute hike away, into the mountainous rain forest. it was beautiful, and the waterfall was wildly impressive. the water was safe, so we swam in the pool below, and stood as close to the huge waterfall as we could. we were surrounded by mountains, and cliffs with thousands of bats. it was so amazing. after an hour playing in the falls, we decided to attempt the trek up the mountain to the upper falls. this was supposed to be semi-trecherous, but it was mid-afternoon, so we figured we had time to investigate. after an hour of strenuous, up-hill climbing, one girl opted out. we left her on the tiny trail, and continued on, assuring her that we'd be back as soon as we saw the upper-falls. well, after another 20-30 minutes of more sheer cliff climbing, i decided to turn back too. it was starting to get dark, and i knew we still had a long way home, with no lights, in the mountains, alone. the other two pressed on, determined to make it, with an agreement to head home as fast as possible. so i turned back, and started my half hour downhill climb back to hannah, who we had left behind to wait. this was not smart. as soon as i could no longer see my friends, my mind started to play tricks on me, and i was absolutely positive i was being stalked by a lion (which live in the mountains and are seen at nighttime ... we found out later). so, needless to say, i hauled ass back down to hannah, and was very glad to see her, as she was me. together we hiked back down to level ground, just as dusk set in, and all of the bats took off. we were doing good, making our way back to the village, until we heard a gun shot... and then another. this was beyond scary. we walked a little bit faster after that, and made it back to our lodge in record time. the others arrived back about 45 minutes later, looking just as panicked as we had. after much needed showers, we ate, and then immediately crashed. a very long day.
the next day we attempted another mega-hike, this time to a nearby village in the hills called likpe tadome. the village was known for its bat caves and a waterfall. we signed up for the hike with "boss", the senior tour guide, of the village, and started our long trek up the mountain. after about an hour of following "boss" up the hill, stopping periodically to point out neat things (like frankensence, and big bright red bugs), we reahched the tops of rolling green hills scattered with wild flowers, and trees. it felt like a different country. there was a rustic rope swing tied to one tree, so we all stopped for a play break. from there we scaled down the cliffs to six different bat caves, each one more exciting than the last. crawling into tiny holes, into the pitch black caves, infested with tons of bugs, and crouching on layer upon layer of bat shit... was quite an experience. not to mention all of the bats that flew out once they woke-up from our voices. not sure i ever need to do bat caves again...
after that, we climbed back up the cliffs, clinging onto ropes that were somewhat solidly placed from point a to b, to c and so on. eventually we made it, and then had another hike down the other side of the mountain into the rain forest jungle, where the waterfall hid. the waterfall was less impressive than the one before, but the water was cold and clean, so it was perfect. we had to hurry down the mountain after cooling off, because it was starting to get dark, and we were starving after our five hour hike. we made it back to our lodge, and enjoyed dinner, complimented by boxed sangria and cheap gin... which made for an excellent night...
...followed by a less excellent morning. we awoke at 7 to get ready to hop a tro tro to our next destination. feeling fairly hung-over, all of us, and immediately soaked from the humid heat of the day, we made our way to fume. our tro tro dropped us at the base of yet another mountain, and took off, leaving us alone in a small village, starving and still wickedly hungover. we bought some local street food (boiled egg for .20 pesowees, and water sachets for .05), and began our trek. we were given the option to take a taxi up the mountain (in theory only a 4k hike), but it was 3 cedi per person, and we figured 4k wasn't so bad. we were wrong. not only was it much further than 4k, it was 2 in the afternoon (the hottest time), in direct sun, hiking up a huge mountain, on an abandoned dirt road, running on empty, and still fairly nauseous from all the sangria and bad gin.
somehow, we made it. although there were many points of near breakdown, and delirious dehydrated panic. it took about an hour and a half, but we finally crawled up to our new home- paradise lodge. and it was a paradise. the eco-lodge was situated on top of the mountain, overlooking the hills and jungles below. there was even an adorable puppy named jack for us to play with. it was perfect. we spent the next two days relaxing, and soaking up the scenery. we did laundry, ate snickers bars (which they cleverly sold for 2 cedi... rip off, but so worth it), and walked a bit, here and there.
on thursday we headed back down the mountain (this time in a taxi), and hit the road to tafi atome- home of the monkeys. we checked into the guesthouse of tafi atome, the monkey sanctuary. the small village protects about 300 mona monkeys, that roam the village and the rain forest surrounding it. the guesthouse included meals, and an early morning monkey walk, so the next morning we woke at 5am, for a 6am walk to feed the monkeys. our guide called them from the trees, using secret monkey talk that only africans can do (seriously), and gave us all bananas to hand-feed the monkeys. it was awesome. they came right up to us, and would each break off a piece and then jump back up to their tree to eat it. after our monkey walk, we were fed breakfast in the queen mothers house. the queen mother is the wife of the chief- a big deal. she was out of town, sadly, but we still were hosted in her sitting room, and given bread and milo. this room was by far the creepiest room i have ever spent any time in, in my life. it was covered in mirrors, and weird pictures of monkeys and chiefs. and from the ceiling hung tons of old beanie babies and miniature sponge bob squarepants dolls. it felt like a room straight out of blair witch- no joke. so, we ate fast, and hit the road asap.
from there we headed down to ho, a big city on the east, and checked into a nice hotel to treat ourselves to a little luxury. we swam in the pool, ate club sandwiches with coke for lunch, and then took the best showers in ghana to date- it had warm water, and NO spiders, ants or lizards!!! afterwards, we all crawled into the king sized comfy bed, turned up the ac, and watched crappy movies from the 80's. it was a very nice afternoon.
the next day we caught a tro tro into accra, and then an stc bus back to kumasi. long day. we got back home around midnight, and let the stc manager drive us home (a little sketchy, but we were desperate), for free.
the travels were awesome, but exhausting. good to be back in kumasi, with just 5 weeks left before flying out. since my camera was stolen, i don't have any of my own pictures anymore... but i will snag some of my friends and post them as soon as i can. i finally finished uploading the rest from mole national park, so check those out if you want to see elephants!!
i will update more soon about richmond and our hep b project... and thanks for all your support and well wishes:)
Sunday, February 15, 2009
the down side.
after a month living in ghana, i have come to see some of the down sides. its as if i've passed this point, when i'm no longer a tourist, and am shown the other side of africa; a side that i don't love, and makes me sad, frustrated, and angry.
i don't love the crime, the constant threat of pick-pocket-ers and out-right forceful theft. i don't love the attitude about africa's future; the sad hopeless opinion that change is un-obtainable. i don't love the pollution, thrown out on the streets, the neighborhoods, the villages, and left to stain the beautiful landscape of africa. i don't love the corruption; the police perpetuated corruption that robs you only to feed their pockets. a system so far-gone that even i'm not sure it is fixable. and i don't love the health system, or lack of one. the concept of nutrition is absent, and the mis-information surrounding disease and illnesses breed a stigma so strong, i don't know if education could equally combat.
i'm frustrated after a month, because each of these hidden truths have crept out from the cracks, and been blatantly brought to light. and maybe thats good, and in some way i'm glad, because i'm getting to know the real ghana, the real africa. but its still so difficult to see all the room for improvement, and feeling so helpless to create it. and i know that change starts slowly, and starts from small ideas. i know that even one person can help. i do know that. but its difficult seeing how much help is needed; it makes me feel so insignificant and so very helpless.
at the orphanage there are so many projects that are being discussed, with us. a list of priority improvements that need to happen soon for the childrens future. within the year they will buy new land and build a new orphanage, equipped with a school, that they own instead of rent. this will enable the owners, cherubs foundation, to design a new orphanage that has everything they need to be sanitary, safe, and a positive environment for the children to grow. the foundation will also buy 60 acres of farm land, a couple of hours south of kumasi, from which they'll harvest food for the orphanage, as well as to export and sell to generate a profit. the farm is a necessary step for the sustainability of the orphanage. it will ensure that they never run out of food, and to always have an income to help support the orphanage. i am so impressed with the plan, because it shows insight, progress, and real hope for the children's future.
still, i feel so overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done. the owners of cherubs orphanage, nicholas and felicia (who are my host parents), are asking us (the 6 volunteers) to help. we want to help, i want to help, but i'm not sure how much i can actually do. i get the impression that they expect us to all have an excess of money that we don't know what to do with. we all have magic wands that we can just wave and produce a new orphanage, complete with running water, electricity, and toilets. but we don't. there is so much need, and so much desire to help, but i don't know where to start.
i have two more months here in kumasi, and in that time i plan to take on a project, and help get it off the ground. the problem is that the list of projects is so long, and they are all important. however, the first project is abundantly clear, and takes immediate precedence over the rest: hepatitis b vaccinations.
richmond, who is 11 years old, was diagnosed with hepatitis b. i was with him when he got tested, and when the doctor read him the results, and explained in twi what that meant. afterwards, i delivered the news to nicholas and felicia, and to the orphanage mother, atta. i told them that it is so important to screen all of the children for hep b, because some of the others may be infected too. they all share food, water, and toothbrushes and the chances of other children having it is very high. i explained that vaccinations are also important, for the children that don't have it, because they can prevent it from spreading any further. they looked at me with profound sadness and hopelessness. felicia asked me "how will we pay?" i told her i didn't know.
the other volunteers and i have told felicia and nicholas that we want to help with this project, first and foremost. the screenings and vaccinations are pertinent for the children's health and safety. we have started brainstorming ways to get donations, from doctors or organizations or anyone, to help... but it's difficult to access information from here. if anyone has any ideas, or contact information that could aide us in this project, i would very much appreciate it.
ghana is an amazing place, and i am so honored to be here, living in it's ups and downs. i just hope that my time here can help, with some of the downs, even if in a small way.
i don't love the crime, the constant threat of pick-pocket-ers and out-right forceful theft. i don't love the attitude about africa's future; the sad hopeless opinion that change is un-obtainable. i don't love the pollution, thrown out on the streets, the neighborhoods, the villages, and left to stain the beautiful landscape of africa. i don't love the corruption; the police perpetuated corruption that robs you only to feed their pockets. a system so far-gone that even i'm not sure it is fixable. and i don't love the health system, or lack of one. the concept of nutrition is absent, and the mis-information surrounding disease and illnesses breed a stigma so strong, i don't know if education could equally combat.
i'm frustrated after a month, because each of these hidden truths have crept out from the cracks, and been blatantly brought to light. and maybe thats good, and in some way i'm glad, because i'm getting to know the real ghana, the real africa. but its still so difficult to see all the room for improvement, and feeling so helpless to create it. and i know that change starts slowly, and starts from small ideas. i know that even one person can help. i do know that. but its difficult seeing how much help is needed; it makes me feel so insignificant and so very helpless.
at the orphanage there are so many projects that are being discussed, with us. a list of priority improvements that need to happen soon for the childrens future. within the year they will buy new land and build a new orphanage, equipped with a school, that they own instead of rent. this will enable the owners, cherubs foundation, to design a new orphanage that has everything they need to be sanitary, safe, and a positive environment for the children to grow. the foundation will also buy 60 acres of farm land, a couple of hours south of kumasi, from which they'll harvest food for the orphanage, as well as to export and sell to generate a profit. the farm is a necessary step for the sustainability of the orphanage. it will ensure that they never run out of food, and to always have an income to help support the orphanage. i am so impressed with the plan, because it shows insight, progress, and real hope for the children's future.
still, i feel so overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done. the owners of cherubs orphanage, nicholas and felicia (who are my host parents), are asking us (the 6 volunteers) to help. we want to help, i want to help, but i'm not sure how much i can actually do. i get the impression that they expect us to all have an excess of money that we don't know what to do with. we all have magic wands that we can just wave and produce a new orphanage, complete with running water, electricity, and toilets. but we don't. there is so much need, and so much desire to help, but i don't know where to start.
i have two more months here in kumasi, and in that time i plan to take on a project, and help get it off the ground. the problem is that the list of projects is so long, and they are all important. however, the first project is abundantly clear, and takes immediate precedence over the rest: hepatitis b vaccinations.
richmond, who is 11 years old, was diagnosed with hepatitis b. i was with him when he got tested, and when the doctor read him the results, and explained in twi what that meant. afterwards, i delivered the news to nicholas and felicia, and to the orphanage mother, atta. i told them that it is so important to screen all of the children for hep b, because some of the others may be infected too. they all share food, water, and toothbrushes and the chances of other children having it is very high. i explained that vaccinations are also important, for the children that don't have it, because they can prevent it from spreading any further. they looked at me with profound sadness and hopelessness. felicia asked me "how will we pay?" i told her i didn't know.
the other volunteers and i have told felicia and nicholas that we want to help with this project, first and foremost. the screenings and vaccinations are pertinent for the children's health and safety. we have started brainstorming ways to get donations, from doctors or organizations or anyone, to help... but it's difficult to access information from here. if anyone has any ideas, or contact information that could aide us in this project, i would very much appreciate it.
ghana is an amazing place, and i am so honored to be here, living in it's ups and downs. i just hope that my time here can help, with some of the downs, even if in a small way.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
mole national park.
this last weekend i traveled north to mole national park, the largest national park in ghana. i went with my roommate, and two other volunteers who work at the orphanage with me. our journey began friday morning at 2:00 am, and quickly became quite an african adventure.
we woke at 2, on the sound advice of our projects abroad leader, gabby. he guessed that the bus from kumasi to tamale left around 3:30am (no one ever knows the exact bus schedules in ghana. there is no posted schedule, no website, no phone number. nothing. you just guess, go early, and hope you're lucky).
he was wrong. the bus didn't actually leave until 6:00am. and so we were very, very early, to a dark and shady bus depot in kumasi. four white tourists, with bags... looking very sleepy and un-alert. we sat together, and tried to stay awake, for 2 hours. finally we bought our tickets, and boarded the metro mass bus, direct to tamale. the bus ride is about 7 hours, stopping half-way in kintampo for bathrooms and snacks. the goal was to sleep the entire way there, but due to the extreme heat from the rising sun to my right, and the uncomfortably close quarters i shared with some man who smelled, it was difficult. smelly man did offer me a banana though, which improved matters immensely.
we finally arrived in tamale around 1:00, to 104 degree temperatures beating us down. the station was extremely chaotic, and we were immediately bombarded by locals demanding to know where we were going, and by a profound aroma of salted fish baking in the sun mixed with toilet. we quickly walked to the ticket booth, and asked for tickets to larabanga (the closest village to mole national park). they were sold out. all three buses for the day were already sold out. we did not plan for this.
we started to ask for help from locals, and were directed to the taxi station. there, i asked a driver how much it would cost to drive us to larabanga. he told me 100 cedi ($100). i laughed, and told him "debi debi debi!" (no no no!). he was impressed by my twi, and asked me how much i would pay. my friends and i quickly discussed our bargaining limits, and i started at 25 cedi. this went on and on for about 20 minutes, and eventually the driver said, "ah sista, fuel is 45 cedi, i have to make money!" i gave in a bit, because he called me sista, and settled on a price of 85 cedi, to take us all the way into mole national park, to our hotel. split four ways, it wasn't terrible... but it was much much more than we bargained for.
we get in the taxi, we leave the station. our driver stops a mile down the road to get a spare tire. not a good sign. we leave again. we stop again, this time to get water to cool the engine. again, not a good sign. we have already paid the driver, in hopes that he wouldn't try to ask for more at the end of the journey. in retrospect, not a good plan. but, we start to leave tamale, and hit the road to larabanga. we pass a junction, about half-way, and turn onto a very bumpy, very dusty road. we ride along on this road for an hour or so, literally dripping sweat, and getting coated by red dust, when slowly the car rolls to a stop. not a good sign. the driver asks for some water to cool the engine again, we comply. he comes back and tries to start the engine, no luck. i ask "should we get out and push?" in jest... he says "yes". so... i get out, and cecilia get out, and we try to push the heavy heavy taxi, along a bumpy dusty road. it barely budges. alexa and erin get out to, and we all push, the car moves, but it won't start. we try again and again, but nothing.
we are now broken-down, in the middle of a deserted dusty road, somewhere between tamale and larabanga, surrounded solely by acacia trees and emptiness. this is the point where i should have demanded some of our money back. however, i didn't think of that until much later, when it was too late.
down the road, we see a large, yellow, rv-type vehicle, blazzing down the road towards us. the taxi driver tells us to make it stop. we face it, and start to wave, but it doesn't seem to slow down, at all. finally, about 10 yards before hitting us, they brake. we quickly see fellow "brunis", and smile because we are sure they'll help us. they stop, and a dad, mom and son get out to greet us. they are from austria, and are driving from ghana to austria. they try to charge the battery, but have no luck, so they offer us a ride into the park. we abandon our driver, he wishes us well, and we board the massive camper that resembles one from jurassic park 2. its another hour before we finally arrive to mole national park, and then to mole motel.
we check in, and meet the absolute worst customer service representative, ever. after a verbal battle with her, we get to our room. we change into swimsuits, and have a quick dip before eating dinner by the poolside, overlooking the beautiful african savanna, showcased by the slow setting african sun. we crash, early.
we awake, early, and had planned to go on the morning safari walk, but due to extreme hunger, we headed to breakfast instead. complimentary coffee, egg and toast. perfect. we sit at the lookout, and watch as the other tourists walk down into the savanna. then, out of nowhere, i spot an elephant. a single elephant, started to walk from the north, towards the water hole. i bust out my binocs, and we all start snapping photos, of the large grey mass, moving across the grass. we watch, from above, as it gets into the water, and starts to bathe. the tourists catch on, and we watch as they get amazing photographs of the elephant from the shoreline. the guides let the people get close, very close. its very different from safari in tanzania, where a respectful distance was maintained.
a while later some fellow volunteers showed up, and we pooled until lunch. during lunch a swarm of hungry baboons showed up, and began stealing toast, crackers, and eventually a box of sangria from the tables. highly entertaining, a bit terrifying, and hilarious to watch, as they actually drank the sangria.
we joined the afternoon safari walk, hoping to see the elephants that were still by the water hole. our guide took a look at my shoes (new keen's i got for the trip), and said "you need closed toe shoes," to which i said "no, these are closed toe. look, my toes are closed. they're fine." i was absolutely not going to miss my safari walk, due to shoe dress code. i think he heard the conviction in my voice, because he said "ok". and that was that.
we headed down the rocky hill towards the water hole, following our trusty guide. he was really old, and carried a riffle "in case of aggressive animals". when we got down, the elephants were gone. our guide led us on a wild chase, to track them. finally we spotted the group, and we headed toward them. i think the guide wanted us to get close enough to snap photos, but it felt like chasing to me. we got fairly close, but they never turned around, so we only saw their backside. eventually we gave up, and headed back toward the water hole. the hike was so so so hot, but so so so awesome. just to walk around, on savanna ground, and feel the african feel all around, it was incredible.
that evening we ate dinner with our large group, and mingled a bit before an early night, for an early rise. our bus leaving mole left sunday morning at 4:00am, and delivered us to tamale around 9:00. we successfully bought tickets from tamale to kumasi, and had an hour to enjoy a cheap breakfast of scrambled eggs on buttered bread, with nescafe for 1.50. the ride south was longer, 8 hours, and hotter than the ride north. but we got home to kumasi, in the afternoon, and immediately showered, ate, and looked at our pictures from mole.
it was a fabulous weekend, and seeing the animals made all of the sweat and exhaustion worth it.
we woke at 2, on the sound advice of our projects abroad leader, gabby. he guessed that the bus from kumasi to tamale left around 3:30am (no one ever knows the exact bus schedules in ghana. there is no posted schedule, no website, no phone number. nothing. you just guess, go early, and hope you're lucky).
he was wrong. the bus didn't actually leave until 6:00am. and so we were very, very early, to a dark and shady bus depot in kumasi. four white tourists, with bags... looking very sleepy and un-alert. we sat together, and tried to stay awake, for 2 hours. finally we bought our tickets, and boarded the metro mass bus, direct to tamale. the bus ride is about 7 hours, stopping half-way in kintampo for bathrooms and snacks. the goal was to sleep the entire way there, but due to the extreme heat from the rising sun to my right, and the uncomfortably close quarters i shared with some man who smelled, it was difficult. smelly man did offer me a banana though, which improved matters immensely.
we finally arrived in tamale around 1:00, to 104 degree temperatures beating us down. the station was extremely chaotic, and we were immediately bombarded by locals demanding to know where we were going, and by a profound aroma of salted fish baking in the sun mixed with toilet. we quickly walked to the ticket booth, and asked for tickets to larabanga (the closest village to mole national park). they were sold out. all three buses for the day were already sold out. we did not plan for this.
we started to ask for help from locals, and were directed to the taxi station. there, i asked a driver how much it would cost to drive us to larabanga. he told me 100 cedi ($100). i laughed, and told him "debi debi debi!" (no no no!). he was impressed by my twi, and asked me how much i would pay. my friends and i quickly discussed our bargaining limits, and i started at 25 cedi. this went on and on for about 20 minutes, and eventually the driver said, "ah sista, fuel is 45 cedi, i have to make money!" i gave in a bit, because he called me sista, and settled on a price of 85 cedi, to take us all the way into mole national park, to our hotel. split four ways, it wasn't terrible... but it was much much more than we bargained for.
we get in the taxi, we leave the station. our driver stops a mile down the road to get a spare tire. not a good sign. we leave again. we stop again, this time to get water to cool the engine. again, not a good sign. we have already paid the driver, in hopes that he wouldn't try to ask for more at the end of the journey. in retrospect, not a good plan. but, we start to leave tamale, and hit the road to larabanga. we pass a junction, about half-way, and turn onto a very bumpy, very dusty road. we ride along on this road for an hour or so, literally dripping sweat, and getting coated by red dust, when slowly the car rolls to a stop. not a good sign. the driver asks for some water to cool the engine again, we comply. he comes back and tries to start the engine, no luck. i ask "should we get out and push?" in jest... he says "yes". so... i get out, and cecilia get out, and we try to push the heavy heavy taxi, along a bumpy dusty road. it barely budges. alexa and erin get out to, and we all push, the car moves, but it won't start. we try again and again, but nothing.
we are now broken-down, in the middle of a deserted dusty road, somewhere between tamale and larabanga, surrounded solely by acacia trees and emptiness. this is the point where i should have demanded some of our money back. however, i didn't think of that until much later, when it was too late.
down the road, we see a large, yellow, rv-type vehicle, blazzing down the road towards us. the taxi driver tells us to make it stop. we face it, and start to wave, but it doesn't seem to slow down, at all. finally, about 10 yards before hitting us, they brake. we quickly see fellow "brunis", and smile because we are sure they'll help us. they stop, and a dad, mom and son get out to greet us. they are from austria, and are driving from ghana to austria. they try to charge the battery, but have no luck, so they offer us a ride into the park. we abandon our driver, he wishes us well, and we board the massive camper that resembles one from jurassic park 2. its another hour before we finally arrive to mole national park, and then to mole motel.
we check in, and meet the absolute worst customer service representative, ever. after a verbal battle with her, we get to our room. we change into swimsuits, and have a quick dip before eating dinner by the poolside, overlooking the beautiful african savanna, showcased by the slow setting african sun. we crash, early.
we awake, early, and had planned to go on the morning safari walk, but due to extreme hunger, we headed to breakfast instead. complimentary coffee, egg and toast. perfect. we sit at the lookout, and watch as the other tourists walk down into the savanna. then, out of nowhere, i spot an elephant. a single elephant, started to walk from the north, towards the water hole. i bust out my binocs, and we all start snapping photos, of the large grey mass, moving across the grass. we watch, from above, as it gets into the water, and starts to bathe. the tourists catch on, and we watch as they get amazing photographs of the elephant from the shoreline. the guides let the people get close, very close. its very different from safari in tanzania, where a respectful distance was maintained.
a while later some fellow volunteers showed up, and we pooled until lunch. during lunch a swarm of hungry baboons showed up, and began stealing toast, crackers, and eventually a box of sangria from the tables. highly entertaining, a bit terrifying, and hilarious to watch, as they actually drank the sangria.
we joined the afternoon safari walk, hoping to see the elephants that were still by the water hole. our guide took a look at my shoes (new keen's i got for the trip), and said "you need closed toe shoes," to which i said "no, these are closed toe. look, my toes are closed. they're fine." i was absolutely not going to miss my safari walk, due to shoe dress code. i think he heard the conviction in my voice, because he said "ok". and that was that.
we headed down the rocky hill towards the water hole, following our trusty guide. he was really old, and carried a riffle "in case of aggressive animals". when we got down, the elephants were gone. our guide led us on a wild chase, to track them. finally we spotted the group, and we headed toward them. i think the guide wanted us to get close enough to snap photos, but it felt like chasing to me. we got fairly close, but they never turned around, so we only saw their backside. eventually we gave up, and headed back toward the water hole. the hike was so so so hot, but so so so awesome. just to walk around, on savanna ground, and feel the african feel all around, it was incredible.
that evening we ate dinner with our large group, and mingled a bit before an early night, for an early rise. our bus leaving mole left sunday morning at 4:00am, and delivered us to tamale around 9:00. we successfully bought tickets from tamale to kumasi, and had an hour to enjoy a cheap breakfast of scrambled eggs on buttered bread, with nescafe for 1.50. the ride south was longer, 8 hours, and hotter than the ride north. but we got home to kumasi, in the afternoon, and immediately showered, ate, and looked at our pictures from mole.
it was a fabulous weekend, and seeing the animals made all of the sweat and exhaustion worth it.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
the daily grind.
a typical day.
i wake up initially to intense sunshine, the sound of chickens on the roof, a rooster in the neighbors yard, and the hustle and bustle of break of dawn chores. i doze, until everyone leaves for school/work, and then fall back asleep under the silly comfort of my mosquito net. my roommate's alarm goes off an hour or so later, and i get up.
anti-maleria pill, vitamin, water from a plastic bag delightfully named "skywalker water". i bite off the corner, and squeeze the water into my mouth.
we boil water, and wait for nescafe mixed with milo, a wonderful concoction i named coffillo, that somewhat resembles a mocha. we smother our fresh bread with local groundnut (peanut butter) and jam. breakfast is good.
we have a couple of hours before work, so we do our wash. we gather 3 buckets, a bar of soap, and our clothes, and head outside. soak in one bucket, and scrub with soap. rinse in bucket number two, and then rinse and wring out, and put in bucket number 3, ready to dry. this chore usually takes an hour and a half.
then we get ready for work. we pack our cameras, sunscreen, money and water, and head down the street to sentasi roundabout. we get honked at and asked "where are you going?"from every direction, and called "obruni" from everyone on the street. from there we hail a line taxi, or a tro tro if we're lucky. taxi costs about 30 pesowes (equivalent to .30), tro tro cost's about .10. the difference is a comfy taxi, stuffed with only driver plus 4 passengers, versus a crowded stuffy van stuffed with driver plus 10-15 passengers. we arrive at apire junction 2 minutes later, pay, and exit. from the junction, we take a line taxi to ampetia, a small village about 20 minutes down a very bumpy, very dusty road. well known as the "best road in ghana", which sarcastically means the worst. this always costs .50 pesowes. we are instantly covered in red dust.
we arrive. the children are at school, so we greet atta, the orphanage mom, and ask how we can help. typically, we help make lunch, which consists of mashing tomatoes in a bowl, until they are paste. lots and lots of tomatoes. we usually mash a bucket full of tomatoes, which takes an hour or so, because we're not as good at this as africans. as simple as this sounds, it is not easy. sometimes we wash dishes, and if we're lucky, we are asked to scrub out the fish fridge.
around 1:00 we eat our lunch, and then wait for the children to get home from school. they start to arrive within the hour, usually the older girls first, then the older boys, and last are the little ones. they come to greet us, and say "good afternoon, good afternoon, how are you?" we help them change out of their uniforms, get ready for lunch. they eat, on our laps, and smile and laugh all the way through. after lunch, we help them do their wash, and other chores that atta has assigned. after a couple hours of chores, we are finally allowed to play.
sometimes we take the children to the park, a few minutes away, and play soccer, and skip rope, sometimes we just stay at the orphanage and draw. the children are so polite, and so well behaved, we don't really have to do much. the older ones take care of the little ones, even though the little ones pretty much take care of themselves.
around 5:00 we get ready to leave, and say goodbye to everyone. they smile and wave, and say "see you TOMORROW!", and walk us out to the road where we wait for a taxi. we wait, and wait, and finally one comes down the dusty road, and we head back to our homes.
once home, we shower, and attempt to get all the red dust off. its difficult. if it's a good day, there is running water, and the shower is nice. if we are unlucky, the water is not working, and we have "bucket baths". this is exactly what it sounds like. and really, it's knot that bad, but it can be tedious after a very long and very hot day. our host sister cooks for us, and brings us our dinner to our table in the back of the house, and we eat alone. our family never eats with us, unless we ask them to. after dinner, we usually watch tv with our family, they are particularly fond of american idol, or watch a movie with our host brothers, or walk to the internet cafe, or read books. we try to stay up, as long as possible, but we are always so exhausted from the day, and the heat, that we fall asleep around 9:30, every night.
the daily grind in ghana is easy to get used to. its slow paced, relaxed, friendly, and full of good music and interesting food. i'm constantly finding myself surprised, and baffled, but i'm learning to love everything about my home away from home.
i wake up initially to intense sunshine, the sound of chickens on the roof, a rooster in the neighbors yard, and the hustle and bustle of break of dawn chores. i doze, until everyone leaves for school/work, and then fall back asleep under the silly comfort of my mosquito net. my roommate's alarm goes off an hour or so later, and i get up.
anti-maleria pill, vitamin, water from a plastic bag delightfully named "skywalker water". i bite off the corner, and squeeze the water into my mouth.
we boil water, and wait for nescafe mixed with milo, a wonderful concoction i named coffillo, that somewhat resembles a mocha. we smother our fresh bread with local groundnut (peanut butter) and jam. breakfast is good.
we have a couple of hours before work, so we do our wash. we gather 3 buckets, a bar of soap, and our clothes, and head outside. soak in one bucket, and scrub with soap. rinse in bucket number two, and then rinse and wring out, and put in bucket number 3, ready to dry. this chore usually takes an hour and a half.
then we get ready for work. we pack our cameras, sunscreen, money and water, and head down the street to sentasi roundabout. we get honked at and asked "where are you going?"from every direction, and called "obruni" from everyone on the street. from there we hail a line taxi, or a tro tro if we're lucky. taxi costs about 30 pesowes (equivalent to .30), tro tro cost's about .10. the difference is a comfy taxi, stuffed with only driver plus 4 passengers, versus a crowded stuffy van stuffed with driver plus 10-15 passengers. we arrive at apire junction 2 minutes later, pay, and exit. from the junction, we take a line taxi to ampetia, a small village about 20 minutes down a very bumpy, very dusty road. well known as the "best road in ghana", which sarcastically means the worst. this always costs .50 pesowes. we are instantly covered in red dust.
we arrive. the children are at school, so we greet atta, the orphanage mom, and ask how we can help. typically, we help make lunch, which consists of mashing tomatoes in a bowl, until they are paste. lots and lots of tomatoes. we usually mash a bucket full of tomatoes, which takes an hour or so, because we're not as good at this as africans. as simple as this sounds, it is not easy. sometimes we wash dishes, and if we're lucky, we are asked to scrub out the fish fridge.
around 1:00 we eat our lunch, and then wait for the children to get home from school. they start to arrive within the hour, usually the older girls first, then the older boys, and last are the little ones. they come to greet us, and say "good afternoon, good afternoon, how are you?" we help them change out of their uniforms, get ready for lunch. they eat, on our laps, and smile and laugh all the way through. after lunch, we help them do their wash, and other chores that atta has assigned. after a couple hours of chores, we are finally allowed to play.
sometimes we take the children to the park, a few minutes away, and play soccer, and skip rope, sometimes we just stay at the orphanage and draw. the children are so polite, and so well behaved, we don't really have to do much. the older ones take care of the little ones, even though the little ones pretty much take care of themselves.
around 5:00 we get ready to leave, and say goodbye to everyone. they smile and wave, and say "see you TOMORROW!", and walk us out to the road where we wait for a taxi. we wait, and wait, and finally one comes down the dusty road, and we head back to our homes.
once home, we shower, and attempt to get all the red dust off. its difficult. if it's a good day, there is running water, and the shower is nice. if we are unlucky, the water is not working, and we have "bucket baths". this is exactly what it sounds like. and really, it's knot that bad, but it can be tedious after a very long and very hot day. our host sister cooks for us, and brings us our dinner to our table in the back of the house, and we eat alone. our family never eats with us, unless we ask them to. after dinner, we usually watch tv with our family, they are particularly fond of american idol, or watch a movie with our host brothers, or walk to the internet cafe, or read books. we try to stay up, as long as possible, but we are always so exhausted from the day, and the heat, that we fall asleep around 9:30, every night.
the daily grind in ghana is easy to get used to. its slow paced, relaxed, friendly, and full of good music and interesting food. i'm constantly finding myself surprised, and baffled, but i'm learning to love everything about my home away from home.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
hospital.
hospitals in ghana. terrifying.
i was forced to go my first week, for mild nausea and inability to stand on my own two feet. it wasn't so bad, i thought, just a little chaotic, and rustic. however, my second experience proved much much more terrifying.
on monday we arrived at the orphanage at 8 am, and were asked to take 3 boys to the hospital. two had problems with their feet, and one was very sick. my roommate piled the three boys into an already crowded taxi, and trekked back across town to the hospital. we got dropped off on the main road, and then walked the rest of the way. the walk was painful, due to the extreme heat, the dust, the lack of water, and the foot injuries which caused the boys to limp in an exaggerated degree the entire way there.
we finally arrived, got the boys signed in, and sad on the bench in the open air waiting area. there were about 5 people waiting in line before us. as we waited, more and more people kept arriving, and cutting in line because their illness was deemed more severe than ours. we waited for over an hour to be seen, but they put "Cool Runnings" on the tv, so it wasn't so bad.
once we got into see the doctor, he quickly assessed the foot issues, and diagnosed them both with what they call "cellulitus" which is not equivalent to ours. it is an infection in the skin on the foot, and causes swelling and extreme pain. both boys were given a prescription for antibiotics. the third boy was sick, and needed a blood test to determine if it was malaria. the woman who handles lab work was the scariest woman i have ever encountered. she was huge and stern, and did not smile. ever. she took the boy, richmond, into the "lab" room, which was a small room behind a curtain, and sat him down. i went in too, because the boy is only about 7, and i thought he might be scared. he was. i was scared. the woman abruptly whipped out a needle, and prepped his vein with a scowl look across her face. richmond got scared when he saw the needle, and started to whimper. she gave him a horrible look of i told him not to look, and to look at me instead. she went to draw the blood, and he tried to stop her with his hand. this made her angry, and she yelled at him again. he cried more, and i told him again to look at me. he finally did, and i held his hand while she took the blood. it was absolutely awful.
as we waited for the results (another hot hour), the other two boys had to get a shot of to prevent infection. this was similar to the blood draw, only they took each boy to the back of a different room, and sat them in a chair, and told them not to cry. they actually said "you are pathetic if you cry. you are a bad bad boy. you are not strong, you are weak". how you do you sit through that, and not say anything. this was an extremely challenging experience; trying to understand the cultural differences, but being so frustrated that this is really how it is, here.
after 4 and a half hours, we got the two boys with "cellulitus" taken care of, and meds to take back to the orphanage, and the other boy was diagnosed with malaria, and most likely hep b. we were told he has to be tested an another hospital for hep b, because they can't test for that there.
overall, i am extremely frustrated by the health system here, and with the treatment of children. i just have to keep reminding myself that this is probably a vast improvement to what is was, years ago, and that there is always room for improvement.
i was forced to go my first week, for mild nausea and inability to stand on my own two feet. it wasn't so bad, i thought, just a little chaotic, and rustic. however, my second experience proved much much more terrifying.
on monday we arrived at the orphanage at 8 am, and were asked to take 3 boys to the hospital. two had problems with their feet, and one was very sick. my roommate piled the three boys into an already crowded taxi, and trekked back across town to the hospital. we got dropped off on the main road, and then walked the rest of the way. the walk was painful, due to the extreme heat, the dust, the lack of water, and the foot injuries which caused the boys to limp in an exaggerated degree the entire way there.
we finally arrived, got the boys signed in, and sad on the bench in the open air waiting area. there were about 5 people waiting in line before us. as we waited, more and more people kept arriving, and cutting in line because their illness was deemed more severe than ours. we waited for over an hour to be seen, but they put "Cool Runnings" on the tv, so it wasn't so bad.
once we got into see the doctor, he quickly assessed the foot issues, and diagnosed them both with what they call "cellulitus" which is not equivalent to ours. it is an infection in the skin on the foot, and causes swelling and extreme pain. both boys were given a prescription for antibiotics. the third boy was sick, and needed a blood test to determine if it was malaria. the woman who handles lab work was the scariest woman i have ever encountered. she was huge and stern, and did not smile. ever. she took the boy, richmond, into the "lab" room, which was a small room behind a curtain, and sat him down. i went in too, because the boy is only about 7, and i thought he might be scared. he was. i was scared. the woman abruptly whipped out a needle, and prepped his vein with a scowl look across her face. richmond got scared when he saw the needle, and started to whimper. she gave him a horrible look of i told him not to look, and to look at me instead. she went to draw the blood, and he tried to stop her with his hand. this made her angry, and she yelled at him again. he cried more, and i told him again to look at me. he finally did, and i held his hand while she took the blood. it was absolutely awful.
as we waited for the results (another hot hour), the other two boys had to get a shot of to prevent infection. this was similar to the blood draw, only they took each boy to the back of a different room, and sat them in a chair, and told them not to cry. they actually said "you are pathetic if you cry. you are a bad bad boy. you are not strong, you are weak". how you do you sit through that, and not say anything. this was an extremely challenging experience; trying to understand the cultural differences, but being so frustrated that this is really how it is, here.
after 4 and a half hours, we got the two boys with "cellulitus" taken care of, and meds to take back to the orphanage, and the other boy was diagnosed with malaria, and most likely hep b. we were told he has to be tested an another hospital for hep b, because they can't test for that there.
overall, i am extremely frustrated by the health system here, and with the treatment of children. i just have to keep reminding myself that this is probably a vast improvement to what is was, years ago, and that there is always room for improvement.
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