ups and downs

The last couple weeks have been a little slower than the previous ones – which was quite a relief! I’ll start with two weeks ago and fill in sparingly…

We had a couple things to celebrate early last week: Max, one of my friends on the program, found out he got in to medical school – very exciting – and Wednesday was Jen’s birthday so we took her out to Champs then to Reggae Night at Labodi Beach. I hadn’t been to the beach in a while so it was fun to catch up with some of my friends that work there. However we were pretty worn out so relaxed the next couple days.

Friday was Ghana’s Independence Day and we had every intention of packing our bags for a day at Independence Square full of parades, street vendors, speeches and music. (Independence Square is this GIANT block of cement with a huge arch over it, reminiscent of the McDonalds arches. But the only time it is used for anything at all is on Independence Day). But then every Ghanaian that we mentioned our plans to told us we were crazy and that it would be a long, hot day of speeches we wouldn’t understand and people we couldn’t see. So we decided instead to spend Independence Day like a Ghanaian student: catching the parade on T.V. and enjoying the day off of classes. Natalie and I made guacamole and laid around all afternoon. It did prompt a lot of discussions about how we celebrate our Independence Day at home though, and it made me so excited for grilling out, neighborhood picnics, and fireworks!

Jack, Natalie, and I headed to Adafoa (Ada), a little beach town down the East coast of Ghana, on Saturday. It was only a few hours tro-tro ride away, and the worst part is waiting for the tro to fill up; which could mean hours waiting in the sun with no breeze to cool you down. We got off at Ada, somehow underestimated how long 2km would be, and proceeded to walk to our hotel. It ended up being quite a jaunt down the road – but we made it eventually and immediately relaxed at the site of our resort. It was called Dreamland, and very accurately so: it was very quaint, with only a couple cabin like rooms scattered around the complex, however in between them were palm trees, flowering bushes, and hammocks strung under thatch huts. We didn’t waste any time and Nat and I took off for the beach right away. I napped away the rest of the afternoon listening to the waves crash against the shore and watching little sand crabs skidding back and forth across the waterline.

Sunday morning we got up early to canoe out to Sugarcane Island. I don’t think I can accurately describe the peacefulness as we paddled down the White Volta, passing men and women scrubbing laundry along the shore or listening to the “plunk” as men chased fish in to their nets strung between the banks. After pulling the boat ashore and traipsing through some sugarcane fields, we were greeted by the “Little Chief”, Ebenezer, with a shot of the islands infamous rum. It was interesting learning about the process by which the rum is made and then we relaxed with Ebenezer for a while as he explained to us how the community functions as goats and children ran around between our legs.

We headed back then that afternoon and the whole way home were being chased by a giant storm cloud. It’s so funny when rain is coming, everyone on the streets begins running frantically, trying to cover whatever goods they had on their head and find shelter for themselves. Ghanaians always have a way of knowing when the rain is coming. It stayed an eerie yellow color until we got back to Legon, when it finally unleashed what it had in store. And it was quite a storm. So refreshing though, as long as you’re able to avoid the mud holes that inevitably will come of it.

This last week proved equally as relaxing as the one prior. Tuesday I did venture in to the Cultural Art Center to pick up some goodies. We kind of stick out there though so there is no way to spare myself from the haggling and pressuring. It has helped being here a couple months as I know the prices and how to read the vendors. As long as you maintain a light-hearted attitude the whole experience is rather enjoyable…to an extent :). Tuesday night Loren, Bethany, and I discovered this great little bar/restaurant on campus. They have amazing Chinese food and a huge projector screen where there is always a football (not American) game on. We’ll definitely be back!

Wednesday I went to the orphanage in Madina for most of the day. I taught and tutored the kids for the morning then helped Fati out in the shop for a couple hours. It was, again, a little bit frustrating teaching the kids. They are all at very different places in school but because of age or convenience they are often all thrown in to the same classroom or expected to perform at the same level. So while teaching fractions to the level 5 kids I realized there were a couple level 3 children in their that had no idea what I was talking about were trying to follow along regardless. It’s just a lesson in patience every time I run in to something like that and hopefully I’m able to make a little bit of a difference. It’s definitely interesting trying to go back and remember how I was taught fractions, or long division, or…anything math related really :).

I’ve been really worn out the last couple weeks, and subsequently a little homesick. I’m midway through my program and this week it was hard to decide if I was overwhelmed by having a whole nother half to get through or if I couldn’t believe it had gone so fast. I needed a break, a short period where I could be comfortable and familiar and away. And then I could dive right back in again. But, of course, that wasn’t possible. So I learned to deal in other ways; which I think is a major lesson I will take away from all of this. Learning how to adapt in a given situation without the comforts of home and family surrounding you. I think I may have said this before, but I believe that is when you truly grow…when you are challenged emotionally and do not have your physical comforts to soothe and calm you. Or the other way around – when you are out of your element physically but do not have your emotional wits about you to keep yourself under control. It’s in those times that you are given the opportunity to grow and learn.

This weekend was a blessing though and came at just the right time…but it’s time for bed so I’ll leave that for later…

love