We're in Kumasi again -- leaving for Enchi in the wee hours of the am. There is no internet there so you'll not hear from me for two weeks. Assume that I am safe, happy and healthy because I anticipate being all those things. And cool as we are going to a rain forest which makes me a little sad as I adore the heat, but it might be a nice break.
Thanks for all your support and encouragement. I love reading your comments - especially after I have had a particularly difficult day.
Love Ashley
Friday, February 25, 2011
{this moment}
{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
*** *** ***
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Septic Surgical Ward
We drove a couple hours to Mole (moe-lay) National Park this weekend to go on a Safari and we saw absolutely nothing! I was so disappointed that we didn't get to see elephants. The best part of the weekend (aside from the dirty pool) was when we were leaving the park and some baboons ran across the road. Lame.
Yesterday I was on the septic surgical floor here in Tamale. When I asked the nurses what their morning priorities were they told me that they spent the first couple hours dusting. Yes, I did just say they dust. For a couple hours. Every morning. It's very important. No patients were assisted until all the morning dusting was completed.
The next priority was dressing changes. The doctors usually come in sometime in the late morning to assess their patients, but this doesn't happen every day. And nurses do no assessments so the patients go without being assessed if the doctors don't show up. We saw nobody do any vitals and no medications were administered at all in the time we were on the floor (for six hours).
We watched many dressing changes and each one left us feeling physically ill. They were absolutely brutal - inhumane even. The patients are given no analgesic prior to wound care and the nurses are merciless. For starters, old dressings were torn off without being moistened so new granulation tissue was ripped off along with them. After the dressings were removed patients were instructed to soak their injured body part (most of them were feet and legs on this floor) in a bucket of water with laundry detergent added to it. They typically soak for 20 - 30 minutes, but if they are forgotten about it can be over an hour.
I just need to quickly say that wounds here are horrendous! They all started as simple surgeries, but they do not heal properly and they become large and deep. I cannot even begin to explain them. We did see bone and tendons in them though because they were so extensive. It was unbelievable! Many need to be cut open to allow for the swelling - they were gaping! One went all the way from the bottom of the foot to up past the knee and the entire leg was raw. They are so painful!!
Back to dressing changes though. After the laundry detergent, wounds are scraped dry with cotton balls. Patients were in unbelievable pain at this point, but none of them expressed it. They were all very stoic and were told to be strong. It was awful to watch!
Hydrogen peroxide was poured over the wounds to clean them. Hydrogen Peroxide. On a huge, gaping, deep, sore, open wound. On wounds that covered entire legs. Hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen. Peroxide. It would fizz and sizzle and it was absolutely excruciating.
Next the wounds were again scraped dry. I use the word "scraped" intentionally because the Ghanaian nurses would push so hard on the wound. They would literally scrape it raw. I had a difficult time remaining quiet as I watched the patients writhe in agony. It was horrifying.
All the wounds were dressed the same way - gauzed soaked in iodine covered with dry gauze and taped.
I will never forget watching one man get his dressing changed. He was about my age and he injured his ankle playing soccer. I have never seen anyone in so much pain in my entire life -- it was traumatizing! He was writhing in pain and trying to remain stoic, but it was impossible. The poor man was begging the nurse to stop pouring the hydrogen peroxide on his foot. He was desperately trying to control himself, but he could not sit still. He was beside himself and the nurse kept telling him to be a man. When the nurse began scraping out the hydrogen peroxide the man could barely contain himself. Kelsey moved to his side and rubbed his back and he just cried and shook in agony. His mouth was moving in a silent scream and he was forcing himself to not push the nurse's hands away. He kept grabbing his leg prepared to pull it away and then he would withdraw his hands and writhe. My heart ached and I had to crouch down and cover my gaping mouth. I had tears in my eyes as I silently prayed for him. It took all my self control to refrain from hitting the nurse's hands away and telling him off. I felt helpless and so frustrated with the health care system here. Words are not enough. I would have done anything to help that poor man. And things like this happen every day here in Ghana. That man gets his dressing changed every single day. It's unbearable.
There were some children on the surgical floor. One little girl had burns over most of her body. She was about 9 years old and Kelsey and I fell in love with her. She could not move her arms and her entire chest and abdomen were covered in burns. She was sweating profusely and she could not wipe her face so we did it for her. We gave her water and made her a puppet out of our gloves and stickers. She seemed to appreciate that. She thankfully spoke English so we were able to have a little conversation with her. She was absolutely beautiful.
I found the patients on the surgical floor to be the most friendly. There were 11 men at the back who made me laugh and made us feel so welcome. They asked me to take pictures of them and all smiled when I showed them the pictures afterward - it was a lot of fun.
We poked our head in again today because we were hoping to watch the dressing change of a man with burns on 90% of his body. They weren't doing his dressing today though, but they were doing a little boys dressing. He was three or four years old and he had burns on 50% of his body. That was difficult to watch as well. He had to stand up for most of the dressing change so I held his hands to support him as he cried and cried. It was awful! He was such a beautiful little boy! I don't know what the nurse was thinking, but he put a gauze dressing over the little boy's bum so he would be unable to defecate without soiling his dressing. I politely pointed this out and asked him to move the dressing aside so it would stay clean. The nurse looked frustrated with me and he said, "put on some gloves and do it yourself". I asked him if he could do it as I would be wasting a pair of gloves and he defiantly took his gloves off in front of me. I was so angry with him. I was furious!!! I could not believe he would care so little for his patient or that he would be so offended that I was just trying to help. Could you imagine feces all over a burn??? Stuck in the dressing? It would be absolutely awful! I grabbed a pair of gloves and moved the gauze over so there was a clear pathway. I asked the little boy's grandmother for her approval and she nodded and thanked me. The nurse then proceeded to put plaster (aka tape) directly onto the boy's burn to secure the gauze - and the poor boy howled! I almost lost my cool. But I didn't. I helped the boy lay back down and spoke softly to him even though he could not understand me. He calmed down quickly and his grandmother returned to his side.
My experiences in the hospital here have made me so outrageously thankful for health care in Canada. We are so blessed to have access to such fabulous care!
I hope you are all well.
Love Ashley
Yesterday I was on the septic surgical floor here in Tamale. When I asked the nurses what their morning priorities were they told me that they spent the first couple hours dusting. Yes, I did just say they dust. For a couple hours. Every morning. It's very important. No patients were assisted until all the morning dusting was completed.
The next priority was dressing changes. The doctors usually come in sometime in the late morning to assess their patients, but this doesn't happen every day. And nurses do no assessments so the patients go without being assessed if the doctors don't show up. We saw nobody do any vitals and no medications were administered at all in the time we were on the floor (for six hours).
We watched many dressing changes and each one left us feeling physically ill. They were absolutely brutal - inhumane even. The patients are given no analgesic prior to wound care and the nurses are merciless. For starters, old dressings were torn off without being moistened so new granulation tissue was ripped off along with them. After the dressings were removed patients were instructed to soak their injured body part (most of them were feet and legs on this floor) in a bucket of water with laundry detergent added to it. They typically soak for 20 - 30 minutes, but if they are forgotten about it can be over an hour.
I just need to quickly say that wounds here are horrendous! They all started as simple surgeries, but they do not heal properly and they become large and deep. I cannot even begin to explain them. We did see bone and tendons in them though because they were so extensive. It was unbelievable! Many need to be cut open to allow for the swelling - they were gaping! One went all the way from the bottom of the foot to up past the knee and the entire leg was raw. They are so painful!!
Back to dressing changes though. After the laundry detergent, wounds are scraped dry with cotton balls. Patients were in unbelievable pain at this point, but none of them expressed it. They were all very stoic and were told to be strong. It was awful to watch!
Hydrogen peroxide was poured over the wounds to clean them. Hydrogen Peroxide. On a huge, gaping, deep, sore, open wound. On wounds that covered entire legs. Hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen. Peroxide. It would fizz and sizzle and it was absolutely excruciating.
Next the wounds were again scraped dry. I use the word "scraped" intentionally because the Ghanaian nurses would push so hard on the wound. They would literally scrape it raw. I had a difficult time remaining quiet as I watched the patients writhe in agony. It was horrifying.
All the wounds were dressed the same way - gauzed soaked in iodine covered with dry gauze and taped.
I will never forget watching one man get his dressing changed. He was about my age and he injured his ankle playing soccer. I have never seen anyone in so much pain in my entire life -- it was traumatizing! He was writhing in pain and trying to remain stoic, but it was impossible. The poor man was begging the nurse to stop pouring the hydrogen peroxide on his foot. He was desperately trying to control himself, but he could not sit still. He was beside himself and the nurse kept telling him to be a man. When the nurse began scraping out the hydrogen peroxide the man could barely contain himself. Kelsey moved to his side and rubbed his back and he just cried and shook in agony. His mouth was moving in a silent scream and he was forcing himself to not push the nurse's hands away. He kept grabbing his leg prepared to pull it away and then he would withdraw his hands and writhe. My heart ached and I had to crouch down and cover my gaping mouth. I had tears in my eyes as I silently prayed for him. It took all my self control to refrain from hitting the nurse's hands away and telling him off. I felt helpless and so frustrated with the health care system here. Words are not enough. I would have done anything to help that poor man. And things like this happen every day here in Ghana. That man gets his dressing changed every single day. It's unbearable.
There were some children on the surgical floor. One little girl had burns over most of her body. She was about 9 years old and Kelsey and I fell in love with her. She could not move her arms and her entire chest and abdomen were covered in burns. She was sweating profusely and she could not wipe her face so we did it for her. We gave her water and made her a puppet out of our gloves and stickers. She seemed to appreciate that. She thankfully spoke English so we were able to have a little conversation with her. She was absolutely beautiful.
I found the patients on the surgical floor to be the most friendly. There were 11 men at the back who made me laugh and made us feel so welcome. They asked me to take pictures of them and all smiled when I showed them the pictures afterward - it was a lot of fun.
We poked our head in again today because we were hoping to watch the dressing change of a man with burns on 90% of his body. They weren't doing his dressing today though, but they were doing a little boys dressing. He was three or four years old and he had burns on 50% of his body. That was difficult to watch as well. He had to stand up for most of the dressing change so I held his hands to support him as he cried and cried. It was awful! He was such a beautiful little boy! I don't know what the nurse was thinking, but he put a gauze dressing over the little boy's bum so he would be unable to defecate without soiling his dressing. I politely pointed this out and asked him to move the dressing aside so it would stay clean. The nurse looked frustrated with me and he said, "put on some gloves and do it yourself". I asked him if he could do it as I would be wasting a pair of gloves and he defiantly took his gloves off in front of me. I was so angry with him. I was furious!!! I could not believe he would care so little for his patient or that he would be so offended that I was just trying to help. Could you imagine feces all over a burn??? Stuck in the dressing? It would be absolutely awful! I grabbed a pair of gloves and moved the gauze over so there was a clear pathway. I asked the little boy's grandmother for her approval and she nodded and thanked me. The nurse then proceeded to put plaster (aka tape) directly onto the boy's burn to secure the gauze - and the poor boy howled! I almost lost my cool. But I didn't. I helped the boy lay back down and spoke softly to him even though he could not understand me. He calmed down quickly and his grandmother returned to his side.
My experiences in the hospital here have made me so outrageously thankful for health care in Canada. We are so blessed to have access to such fabulous care!
I hope you are all well.
Love Ashley
Friday, February 18, 2011
{this moment}
{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
*** *** ***
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
*** *** ***
sorry no pictures
I have been trying to upload pictures for over an hour, but it doesn't sem to be working. Now I have no energy to post. It was apparently 48 degrees today. I had sweat dripping into my eyes when we were reading outside. I was absolutely drenched!!! It is lovely though.
We're going on a Safari tomorrow so you won't hear from me until Monday. Have a good weekend!
We're going on a Safari tomorrow so you won't hear from me until Monday. Have a good weekend!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Coasting
I feel like I am just coasting. Nothing has really bothered or "affected" me here yet and this is a little perplexing to me. Maybe this is what culture shock is like for me, but I wish it would stop.
I feel nothing. I have no strong emotions or visceral reactions to anything I see -- it just is what it is. After all, this is Africa. I know many things are wrong, but I don't feel any reaction to them. I watched a baby struggling for her life who was left to pull through or die alone and I wasn't even saddened. This is not typical for me! I am usually a very emotional person and I can cry at the drop of a hat... but I feel nothing. I'm not even disturbed by the fact that I lack emotion, I cannot muster that much emotion. I want to, but there's nothing there.
I seem to be merely existing, but I'm not really present. No matter how much I try, I feel no emotional response or connection to things. I want to understand why and I want to know when this will change. I feel like I am in a constant daze. Or that I am seeing my life from somewhere else or through the eyes of someone else.
Has anyone else ever had this? Please tell me it's normal and that it goes away. I'm really not a fan of this. I'd like to start feeling again.
I feel nothing. I have no strong emotions or visceral reactions to anything I see -- it just is what it is. After all, this is Africa. I know many things are wrong, but I don't feel any reaction to them. I watched a baby struggling for her life who was left to pull through or die alone and I wasn't even saddened. This is not typical for me! I am usually a very emotional person and I can cry at the drop of a hat... but I feel nothing. I'm not even disturbed by the fact that I lack emotion, I cannot muster that much emotion. I want to, but there's nothing there.
I seem to be merely existing, but I'm not really present. No matter how much I try, I feel no emotional response or connection to things. I want to understand why and I want to know when this will change. I feel like I am in a constant daze. Or that I am seeing my life from somewhere else or through the eyes of someone else.
Has anyone else ever had this? Please tell me it's normal and that it goes away. I'm really not a fan of this. I'd like to start feeling again.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Just Some Thoughts.
I have been talking so much about what I have been doing, but I feel as though there is so much more that doesn't come across when I do that. I think it's easiest to talk about the things I have done because I cannot even begin to put into words the things that I have seen. I find it's the same when I journal -- I don't know how to express everything I am living and experiencing. I have decided to just write down some random tidbits that you may or may not be interested in.
- Crossing the street is such an adventure. It is a calculated risk that we take many times a day. Pedestrians do not have right of way, which I understand because traffic would never move if they did.
- Everyone here in Tamale rides motorcycles... but no body wears helmets. unless you're white -- you'll be fined if you are white and not wearing one. I have seen entire families on bikes without helmets. Papa, Mama and up to three kids. It's bizarre!!! I've seen many mothers with their babes tied to their backs cruising down the street. And they don't drive slowly either - they are flying in and out of traffic. I cringe every time.
- The toilet paper here is stretchy. It just stretches rather than tears when you try to break it apart. I laugh every time.
- I have started to enjoy warm water. Ok, it may be a bit of a stretch to say enjoy, but I appreciate it and feel refreshed. The water is sometimes even hot. It makes the few cold beverages I have so delightful!!!
- It was 35 degrees in my room last night as I was going to sleep. That was with the fan on. It's quite warm here... and only getting warmer.
- The men here hold hands all the time. As do the women. But I have yet to see a man and a woman holding hands. Homosexuality is illegal here so it is just a sign of friendship unless it it between a man and a woman -- then it is a sexual act.
- The dirt here is red.
- I stepped on a thorn thingy that went through my sandal and punctured my foot. It's a little bit swollen. I'm keeping an eye on it, but I'm not too worried about it.
- I had diarrhea for twice. It was not accompanied by cramping or urgency so I don't think it's bacterial. It's probably just a reaction to the heat and/or food and/or massive amounts of water I consume (typically 4-5 litres a day).
- We went to Kintampo Waterfalls yesterday. It was so refreshing! We were the only ones there for about an hour so we slid down the rock slides and climbed through the falls and sat behind them. It was lovely.
- I love sleeping under a mosquito net.
- I have been proposed to on multiple occasions. Each time I politely say no thanks.
- There are no lanes in Ghana -- vehicles are constantly squeezing between each other. And honking is just a friendly form of communication.
Village Tour and Shea Butter
On Thursday we had the pleasure of going on a village tour. I find it so difficult to explain the villages here... words cannot describe them. Africa is something you need to see for yourself (and I highly recommend that you do).
In the villages we had the opportunity see how they make pottery and shea butter. The villagers were so welcoming and they let each of us try each process of the production. I am amazed by the woman here in Ghana. They are such strong, hard workers and they are so dedicated to their families. They do most of the work in the village and they mind the children. In fact, they are usually doing the work with at least one child tied to their backs. They are incredible!!
The children are always my favorite. They are trusting, loving, and absolutely beautiful! We played "round and round the garden" with them. That pretty much means we tickled them and they loved it! They giggled incessantly and kept holding their hands up so we could keep playing with them. We even taught them how to do it and they would do it to us and all attack us with tickles. I wanted to scoop up all of them and take them home with me!! I don't know how Erik would feel about me bringing home an entire village of children though. And they have loving families who would miss them dearly... But I do adore them.
At the end of the tour the villagers put on a dance for us. On the way to the dance I was holding this little girls hand. She was six years old and she was carrying her younger sister on her back. She had fallen in love with me (and I obviously fell in love with her). The back of her jersey said "doula" on it, which made me smile. Anyway, on the way to the dancing she dragged me into a little commune of huts and walked me right into her home. Her mom, auntie and grandma were all in there and they welcomed me in. I was so touched that she brought me into her home. She was so proud to introduce me to her family and to show me where she slept. I was teary eyed as she gazed up at me with her big, trusting eyes. Again, I felt so privileged to be loved and welcomed so openly.
When we turned the corner after our little hut tour I saw my nursing friends sitting on benches and kids were on the other side of the circle. As we walked up, however, the kids swarmed towards the girls eager to have their attention. It is such an amazing experience to be welcomed and surrounded by an entire village. I felt so blessed to be there and so thankful for being genuinely welcomed. We were pulled into the circle part way through the dancing and we attempted to learn one of their dances. It involved a lot of shaking and twisting that none of us were very good at. The Ghanaian's were loving it though! They laughed and laughed because we have no rhythm and our bodies do not move the way theirs do. It was so much fun to be a part of the dancing though -- even if we were awful at it.
One of the old ladies asked me to take her picture. When I turned the camera around to show her she was so delighted! She laughed and laughed and raised her arms and danced around. Then she asked me to do it again... and I got the exact same response. It was so funny!
After the dancing we went to see where the villages water source. It was about a fifteen minute walk, but many of the kids joined us as we made the trek in the hot hot sun.We skipped and danced our way to the water hole. I was at the back of the pack and at one point I heard a little voice calling behind us -- a little girl was running after us as quickly as she could, but she was so dehydrated and exhausted that she could hardly walk. I went back, scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way. She just rested her head on my shoulder and enjoyed the ride.
The little kids are such troopers! Small children were carrying slightly smaller children tied to their backs. And they do this all day!! I could not imagine a three year old carrying a one year old on their back in Canada. But that is what their lives are like. It's unbelievable.
On the way back from the water I had six kids holding my hands. On each side I had one child holding my thumb, one holding my pointer and middle fingers, and one holding my ring finger and my pinky. The two holding my thumbs had to walk behind me, but they were so excited to just be with us. Our hands got so sweaty!!
It was to climb on the bus and leave all the beautiful children behind. It is hard every single time we have to do it.
That night our African brother's mother made us all Fufu and Groundnut Soup. It was delicious. And very filling. We had to eat it with our hands which ended up being a bit of a disaster, but that didn't make it any less tasty.
More coming...
In the villages we had the opportunity see how they make pottery and shea butter. The villagers were so welcoming and they let each of us try each process of the production. I am amazed by the woman here in Ghana. They are such strong, hard workers and they are so dedicated to their families. They do most of the work in the village and they mind the children. In fact, they are usually doing the work with at least one child tied to their backs. They are incredible!!
The children are always my favorite. They are trusting, loving, and absolutely beautiful! We played "round and round the garden" with them. That pretty much means we tickled them and they loved it! They giggled incessantly and kept holding their hands up so we could keep playing with them. We even taught them how to do it and they would do it to us and all attack us with tickles. I wanted to scoop up all of them and take them home with me!! I don't know how Erik would feel about me bringing home an entire village of children though. And they have loving families who would miss them dearly... But I do adore them.
At the end of the tour the villagers put on a dance for us. On the way to the dance I was holding this little girls hand. She was six years old and she was carrying her younger sister on her back. She had fallen in love with me (and I obviously fell in love with her). The back of her jersey said "doula" on it, which made me smile. Anyway, on the way to the dancing she dragged me into a little commune of huts and walked me right into her home. Her mom, auntie and grandma were all in there and they welcomed me in. I was so touched that she brought me into her home. She was so proud to introduce me to her family and to show me where she slept. I was teary eyed as she gazed up at me with her big, trusting eyes. Again, I felt so privileged to be loved and welcomed so openly.
When we turned the corner after our little hut tour I saw my nursing friends sitting on benches and kids were on the other side of the circle. As we walked up, however, the kids swarmed towards the girls eager to have their attention. It is such an amazing experience to be welcomed and surrounded by an entire village. I felt so blessed to be there and so thankful for being genuinely welcomed. We were pulled into the circle part way through the dancing and we attempted to learn one of their dances. It involved a lot of shaking and twisting that none of us were very good at. The Ghanaian's were loving it though! They laughed and laughed because we have no rhythm and our bodies do not move the way theirs do. It was so much fun to be a part of the dancing though -- even if we were awful at it.
One of the old ladies asked me to take her picture. When I turned the camera around to show her she was so delighted! She laughed and laughed and raised her arms and danced around. Then she asked me to do it again... and I got the exact same response. It was so funny!
After the dancing we went to see where the villages water source. It was about a fifteen minute walk, but many of the kids joined us as we made the trek in the hot hot sun.We skipped and danced our way to the water hole. I was at the back of the pack and at one point I heard a little voice calling behind us -- a little girl was running after us as quickly as she could, but she was so dehydrated and exhausted that she could hardly walk. I went back, scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way. She just rested her head on my shoulder and enjoyed the ride.
The little kids are such troopers! Small children were carrying slightly smaller children tied to their backs. And they do this all day!! I could not imagine a three year old carrying a one year old on their back in Canada. But that is what their lives are like. It's unbelievable.
On the way back from the water I had six kids holding my hands. On each side I had one child holding my thumb, one holding my pointer and middle fingers, and one holding my ring finger and my pinky. The two holding my thumbs had to walk behind me, but they were so excited to just be with us. Our hands got so sweaty!!
It was to climb on the bus and leave all the beautiful children behind. It is hard every single time we have to do it.
That night our African brother's mother made us all Fufu and Groundnut Soup. It was delicious. And very filling. We had to eat it with our hands which ended up being a bit of a disaster, but that didn't make it any less tasty.
More coming...
Friday, February 11, 2011
{this moment}
{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
*** *** ***
Sinbad's Village
Sinbad calls Muriel, our instructor, Mama. She is giving him financial assistance and she is very respected by the people in his village. We were invited to visit the village to watch drumming and dancing and to meet the chief. They wanted to welcome us to Ghana and to their village.
His village is a little ways outside of town so we rented a bus to take us there. We arrived to find a village of little mud huts and some villagers milling around. It was a little awkward because nobody came to greet us so we got off the bus and stood there awkwardly waiting to be introduced. Sinbad eventually came out and invited us to sit on the benches that were out for us. The chief came out and sat in his seat in the shade and the dancing soon began.
More and more people congregated as they came in from farming and as they came home from school. There was soon a crowd of villagers surrounding us and enjoying the dancing. And there were children -- always children. They are all so beautiful and all so excited to see us and to sit with us. They bring me so much joy... and make me miss my own babies at home. I was the baby queen as two little ones fell asleep on me. They nestled their little faces in and drifted off.
I love seeing tribal dances. I love the expression of history, culture and passion. I was so honoured that the villagers put on the performance just for us. I wish our communities were more like that. It was incredible to see how proud the African people are of their culture and to see how they can move their bodies and be so expressive. Their costumes are beautiful and elaborate and everyone in the village is involved in some way. Little old ladies would join in whenever they pleased and women danced with their babies tied on their backs. It was amazing to be a part of such an experience.
After the dancing we blew bubbles and gave out stickers. The kids were so excited!! We also gave water to everyone in the village. Then we went to meet the chief. He was in a little round hut and Sinbad told us that we needed to kneel or sit and we had to clap and say some word I now forget. I was a little bit nervous (didn't want to embarrass ourselves or offend anyone) but I was excited and honoured to meet the Chief.
We entered his hut to find a horse, chickens, and a raised cement perch with a lazy boy sofa on it -- the throne. There were seven or eight men sitting in the hut as well. We barely fit the 17 of us in and we were pretty much sitting on each others laps. It was nice and cool in the hut and, again, it was such an honour to be there. The chief welcomed us and thanked us for coming. Sinbad was interpreting for us, but the chief repeatedly expressed his thanks.
We piled into the bus with all the drummers and then dancers and made our way back to Tamale. It was loud as we were all chatting and getting to know each other a little bit. At one point one of the drummers shushed us all and our bus pulled over to the side of the road. Some of the Ghanaians stood as a funeral procession passed us by. Their respect for their elders is incredible! It was touching to see young people respond and show respect in that way. We could learn so much from the Ghanaians.
His village is a little ways outside of town so we rented a bus to take us there. We arrived to find a village of little mud huts and some villagers milling around. It was a little awkward because nobody came to greet us so we got off the bus and stood there awkwardly waiting to be introduced. Sinbad eventually came out and invited us to sit on the benches that were out for us. The chief came out and sat in his seat in the shade and the dancing soon began.
More and more people congregated as they came in from farming and as they came home from school. There was soon a crowd of villagers surrounding us and enjoying the dancing. And there were children -- always children. They are all so beautiful and all so excited to see us and to sit with us. They bring me so much joy... and make me miss my own babies at home. I was the baby queen as two little ones fell asleep on me. They nestled their little faces in and drifted off.
I love seeing tribal dances. I love the expression of history, culture and passion. I was so honoured that the villagers put on the performance just for us. I wish our communities were more like that. It was incredible to see how proud the African people are of their culture and to see how they can move their bodies and be so expressive. Their costumes are beautiful and elaborate and everyone in the village is involved in some way. Little old ladies would join in whenever they pleased and women danced with their babies tied on their backs. It was amazing to be a part of such an experience.
After the dancing we blew bubbles and gave out stickers. The kids were so excited!! We also gave water to everyone in the village. Then we went to meet the chief. He was in a little round hut and Sinbad told us that we needed to kneel or sit and we had to clap and say some word I now forget. I was a little bit nervous (didn't want to embarrass ourselves or offend anyone) but I was excited and honoured to meet the Chief.
We entered his hut to find a horse, chickens, and a raised cement perch with a lazy boy sofa on it -- the throne. There were seven or eight men sitting in the hut as well. We barely fit the 17 of us in and we were pretty much sitting on each others laps. It was nice and cool in the hut and, again, it was such an honour to be there. The chief welcomed us and thanked us for coming. Sinbad was interpreting for us, but the chief repeatedly expressed his thanks.
We piled into the bus with all the drummers and then dancers and made our way back to Tamale. It was loud as we were all chatting and getting to know each other a little bit. At one point one of the drummers shushed us all and our bus pulled over to the side of the road. Some of the Ghanaians stood as a funeral procession passed us by. Their respect for their elders is incredible! It was touching to see young people respond and show respect in that way. We could learn so much from the Ghanaians.
Hello from Tamale!
We spent two days in Kumasi on our way to Tamale. I feel like there isn't much to write about Kumasi, but that may be because we were there a couple days ago -- and we pack a lot into our days.
We have been in Tamale for two days now and it already feels like home. I considered it 'home' before we even got here because I have been looking forward to settling down for a while. We are going to be here for another two weeks before heading to Enchi and I am so excited to get to know a city a little better.
I am really enjoying Tamale so far -- it is much poorer than the other cities we have been to and there is far less traffic (though still a ton of traffic). We grabbed a taxi from the bus station and drove to the Catholic Guest House with our trunk open and our bags left untied. Kelsey and I had to hold onto our bags to make sure they didn't fly out the back!
Kelsey and I are sharing a room here in Tamale and we got to work right away making it feel like home. We taped pictures to the wall, pushed our beds together, and set up our mosquito nets. We set up a clothesline above the foot of our beds from one window to the other so that we can finally do our laundry. It was nice to finally unpack some of our things rather than keeping everything in our bags. It was a pain to have to dig through everything each time you needed to find something.
I even woke up because I was cold our first night here in Tamale. I checked my thermometer and it was 28 degrees -- I have acclimatized that quickly. It was so refreshing to want to put my covers on!
I have been feeling healthy thus far. No diarrhea yet! And I have pooped every single day -- same as at home. I think most of the other girls have had diarrhea at least once, but nothing serious yet. Kelsey and I are are boiling our tap water because buying bottled water is a pain and there is much more waste. I haven't gotten sick from it yet and I'm really hoping it stays that way.
I called Erik yesterday morning and it was so nice to talk to him!! I haven't even emailed him yet so I'm sure he was excited to finally hear from me. I wasn't even sad afterward, but I thought I would be. There are too many things happening here and it's all still so exciting and new -- I haven't gotten to the point where I have "needed" him yet. I have wanted him here every moment of every day, but that is because I wish I could share all my experiences with him. He would love everything I am doing and seeing and I wish we could be doing it together. That being said, I also love that I am doing this on my own. I like being independent :)
We have an African brother here who takes care of us and I am so thankful for him!!! I don't know where we would be or how much money we would have wasted if he wasn't here. I feel safe with him because he would do anything to make us feel at home. He constantly tells us that he wants us to be happy and that he wants us to remember Ghana and to speak highly of it to our friends and families when we return home -- he really is absolutely lovely.
Now I will quickly write about a couple of the interesting things we have done in Tamale thus far. For simplicity sake I'm going to do it in a separate post for you!
love, love, love
We have been in Tamale for two days now and it already feels like home. I considered it 'home' before we even got here because I have been looking forward to settling down for a while. We are going to be here for another two weeks before heading to Enchi and I am so excited to get to know a city a little better.
I am really enjoying Tamale so far -- it is much poorer than the other cities we have been to and there is far less traffic (though still a ton of traffic). We grabbed a taxi from the bus station and drove to the Catholic Guest House with our trunk open and our bags left untied. Kelsey and I had to hold onto our bags to make sure they didn't fly out the back!
Kelsey and I are sharing a room here in Tamale and we got to work right away making it feel like home. We taped pictures to the wall, pushed our beds together, and set up our mosquito nets. We set up a clothesline above the foot of our beds from one window to the other so that we can finally do our laundry. It was nice to finally unpack some of our things rather than keeping everything in our bags. It was a pain to have to dig through everything each time you needed to find something.
I even woke up because I was cold our first night here in Tamale. I checked my thermometer and it was 28 degrees -- I have acclimatized that quickly. It was so refreshing to want to put my covers on!
I have been feeling healthy thus far. No diarrhea yet! And I have pooped every single day -- same as at home. I think most of the other girls have had diarrhea at least once, but nothing serious yet. Kelsey and I are are boiling our tap water because buying bottled water is a pain and there is much more waste. I haven't gotten sick from it yet and I'm really hoping it stays that way.
I called Erik yesterday morning and it was so nice to talk to him!! I haven't even emailed him yet so I'm sure he was excited to finally hear from me. I wasn't even sad afterward, but I thought I would be. There are too many things happening here and it's all still so exciting and new -- I haven't gotten to the point where I have "needed" him yet. I have wanted him here every moment of every day, but that is because I wish I could share all my experiences with him. He would love everything I am doing and seeing and I wish we could be doing it together. That being said, I also love that I am doing this on my own. I like being independent :)
We have an African brother here who takes care of us and I am so thankful for him!!! I don't know where we would be or how much money we would have wasted if he wasn't here. I feel safe with him because he would do anything to make us feel at home. He constantly tells us that he wants us to be happy and that he wants us to remember Ghana and to speak highly of it to our friends and families when we return home -- he really is absolutely lovely.
Now I will quickly write about a couple of the interesting things we have done in Tamale thus far. For simplicity sake I'm going to do it in a separate post for you!
love, love, love
Monday, February 07, 2011
Kumasi
We arrived in Kumasi yesterday. We were expecting a 6 or 7 hour bus ride, but the roads have improved so we got here in three. I don't really feel like posting anymore today, but I did want to say that I am enjoying this stage of the trip -- the part where everything is still new, fresh and exciting. I am looking forward to settling down in Tamale tomorrow, but this part is a lot of fun too! I'm excited to see how things goes and look forward to every single day.
I don't have time to check my email, but I did manage to squeeze in time to read comments on the blogs so thank you!!
Charisa and Stewart -- Congratulations!! I am so excited. I am so sad that I won't get a chance to come visit you while we're on the same continent. We'll have to wait until the summer.
Erik - I love you.
Love from Kumasi.
I don't have time to check my email, but I did manage to squeeze in time to read comments on the blogs so thank you!!
Charisa and Stewart -- Congratulations!! I am so excited. I am so sad that I won't get a chance to come visit you while we're on the same continent. We'll have to wait until the summer.
Erik - I love you.
Love from Kumasi.
Cape Coast - Canopy Tour and Dance Performance
One our second day in Cape Coast (Feb 5) we went to Kakum National Park and did the Canopy Tour and a Nature Walk. Erik would have loved the canopy tour. We walked across rope bridges 125 feet in the air. The forest was simply amazing! It was a cooler day too (about 30-35 degrees) so we weren't uncomfortable. The landscape was so lush and refreshing. We did the nature walk after the tour, but there were over 25 of us doing the tour so we could barely hear what was being said.
We headed back to the botel to relax by the pool after the tour. It was nice to just relax for a bit because we'd been moving around so much and seeing so many things. It wasn't hot enough for my liking though and the sun was already behind the building, but we did enjoy relaxing by the pool.
We took a little walk around the Botel and saw how run down it was. That's just what happens in Africa. I'm sure it was so majestic in it's prime, but things aren't kept up so they just fall apart and no body really cares. Well it may not be that they don't care, they just don't have the resources to fix things.
We see it all the time when we are driving through - abandoned houses that look like they were once lovely, but nobody lives in them. There are mud huts being lived in 10 meters away but nobody goes into the cement house. I don't understand it, but then I haven't asked anybody yet.
I am most excited for meeting people and actually learning about the culture and the customs rather than just observing. I'm excited to get a new perspective on things rather than just making assumptions and having so many questions! I'm sure not all my questions will be answered and many of the answers won't make sense, but it will be interesting to learn and experience.
We were invited to a restaurant to watch the dancers from the previous evening put on an actual show. Our cab driver brought along his 2 year old daughter when he picked us up so I got to snuggle with her the whole way to the restaurant. She was adorable!! And so little.
The dancers and drummers were phenomenal! I enjoyed the first night more because they had their families and villagers watching them and at the restaurant it was just tourists. By the way - it is so strange to see white people. I actually don't like it. It's fun being the only white people around!
Back to the dancing. It was amazing. And the men were so good-looking! Seriously. Every single one of them. During their final dance the power went out and it was pitch black. People were pulling out their cell-phones in an attempt to illuminate the dancers. I thankfully had my head lamp with me because I pulled it out and we could all see! Sinbad (our ghanaian brother) mounted it where the spotlight had been and we were all able to enjoy the rest of the show. One of the drummers came and borrowed it afterward so he could see what he was doing while he was cleaning up the drums. It was pretty cute to see him wearing it proudly and seeing a couple of his buddies coming to inspect it. It is much stronger than I thought it would be, but then I have never tried it somewhere that there is no light source. I was impressed.
One more quick update for today - Kumasi!
We headed back to the botel to relax by the pool after the tour. It was nice to just relax for a bit because we'd been moving around so much and seeing so many things. It wasn't hot enough for my liking though and the sun was already behind the building, but we did enjoy relaxing by the pool.
We took a little walk around the Botel and saw how run down it was. That's just what happens in Africa. I'm sure it was so majestic in it's prime, but things aren't kept up so they just fall apart and no body really cares. Well it may not be that they don't care, they just don't have the resources to fix things.
We see it all the time when we are driving through - abandoned houses that look like they were once lovely, but nobody lives in them. There are mud huts being lived in 10 meters away but nobody goes into the cement house. I don't understand it, but then I haven't asked anybody yet.
I am most excited for meeting people and actually learning about the culture and the customs rather than just observing. I'm excited to get a new perspective on things rather than just making assumptions and having so many questions! I'm sure not all my questions will be answered and many of the answers won't make sense, but it will be interesting to learn and experience.
We were invited to a restaurant to watch the dancers from the previous evening put on an actual show. Our cab driver brought along his 2 year old daughter when he picked us up so I got to snuggle with her the whole way to the restaurant. She was adorable!! And so little.
The dancers and drummers were phenomenal! I enjoyed the first night more because they had their families and villagers watching them and at the restaurant it was just tourists. By the way - it is so strange to see white people. I actually don't like it. It's fun being the only white people around!
Back to the dancing. It was amazing. And the men were so good-looking! Seriously. Every single one of them. During their final dance the power went out and it was pitch black. People were pulling out their cell-phones in an attempt to illuminate the dancers. I thankfully had my head lamp with me because I pulled it out and we could all see! Sinbad (our ghanaian brother) mounted it where the spotlight had been and we were all able to enjoy the rest of the show. One of the drummers came and borrowed it afterward so he could see what he was doing while he was cleaning up the drums. It was pretty cute to see him wearing it proudly and seeing a couple of his buddies coming to inspect it. It is much stronger than I thought it would be, but then I have never tried it somewhere that there is no light source. I was impressed.
One more quick update for today - Kumasi!
Cape Coast Castle and Dancing
We visited the Cape Coast Castle on our first day in Cape Coast. We first ate lunch along the ocean in this little restaurant. There were little kids playing in the waves and then they gave us a gymnastics show (before asking for money). It was wonderful to sit along the ocean and to enjoy the breeze and the smell. It didn't smell quite like the ocean at home, but it was beautiful too.
The Cape Coast Castle is 345 years old. I couldn't understand everything the tour guide said and I was planning on looking it up and sharing it all with you, but that will take too much time. I'll do it for myself when I get home, but for now I'll give you what I understood. Cape Coast Castle was used to hold Africans who were going to be traded as slaves. They were held in cells that were way too small for three months. During those months they have three small windows way up the wall that gave them ventilation. Water came pouring through these windows when it rained. They had no bathroom facilities so they ate, pooped, vomited and slept in the same building. The filth was four feet deep at times and it would only be washed away when the rain came. Women were held in a different part of the castle in similar conditions. They were punished if they refused to sleep with their captors. The tour guide was careful to withhold blame and said that Ghanaians and Europeans were both responsible for the slave trade. Some Africans caught their own people and brought them to be traded as slaves.
There was another cell called the Condemned Cell where men were sent to die. They would go into the cell that had no ventilation with 30 shackled individuals and they were left there to suffocate to death. The guards would not retrieve the dead bodies until all 30 men had perished. We didn't even have the door closed and we were all having difficulty breathing -- I could not imagine how terrifying that would be for the people who died in that very cell.
The church in the castle was built right over one of the cells so the men could hear their captors worshiping God while they were screaming and fighting for their lives below. It is hard to imagine that human beings are capable of being so cruel. It was really haunting to stand in the very place where such intolerable acts took place. I felt sick to my stomach and so heart-broken. It is unbelievable to think that anyone can think such things are ok. I don't understand how things like that can happen and that the human race is capable of such incredible acts of injustice. The worst part is knowing that things like that still happen all the time. It is horrifying! Standing where so many men and women died or were sold into slavery made me feel so ashamed and humiliated. It was a very difficult experience, but I am so glad we went.
As we were leaving the castle we heard drums and singing and saw a crowd of people by the restaurant. We headed over to see what was going on and watched a dance practice. We sat and watched for about 45 minutes while a group of drummers and dancers performed for a crowd of villagers. It was amazing!!! They are such beautiful dancers! They have so much rhythm and passion -- it was incredible! I was taking pictures of the dancing when some kids came and asked for me to take a picture of them. Right after I took the picture they all crowded around to see it. So we spent about 30 minutes taking pictures of the kids and them showing them on the back. They were howling and laughing and delighted to see themselves. They were adorable! They were all so animated and wanted to point out their brothers and sisters who were dancing. It was so much fun to finally get a chance to connect with the actual people here. After all, that's really why I came!
I'm going to finish off this post with a quote that was on a plaque at the castle. It was put there by some of the Ghanaian Chiefs after the castle was no longer used for the slave trade.
The Cape Coast Castle is 345 years old. I couldn't understand everything the tour guide said and I was planning on looking it up and sharing it all with you, but that will take too much time. I'll do it for myself when I get home, but for now I'll give you what I understood. Cape Coast Castle was used to hold Africans who were going to be traded as slaves. They were held in cells that were way too small for three months. During those months they have three small windows way up the wall that gave them ventilation. Water came pouring through these windows when it rained. They had no bathroom facilities so they ate, pooped, vomited and slept in the same building. The filth was four feet deep at times and it would only be washed away when the rain came. Women were held in a different part of the castle in similar conditions. They were punished if they refused to sleep with their captors. The tour guide was careful to withhold blame and said that Ghanaians and Europeans were both responsible for the slave trade. Some Africans caught their own people and brought them to be traded as slaves.
There was another cell called the Condemned Cell where men were sent to die. They would go into the cell that had no ventilation with 30 shackled individuals and they were left there to suffocate to death. The guards would not retrieve the dead bodies until all 30 men had perished. We didn't even have the door closed and we were all having difficulty breathing -- I could not imagine how terrifying that would be for the people who died in that very cell.
The church in the castle was built right over one of the cells so the men could hear their captors worshiping God while they were screaming and fighting for their lives below. It is hard to imagine that human beings are capable of being so cruel. It was really haunting to stand in the very place where such intolerable acts took place. I felt sick to my stomach and so heart-broken. It is unbelievable to think that anyone can think such things are ok. I don't understand how things like that can happen and that the human race is capable of such incredible acts of injustice. The worst part is knowing that things like that still happen all the time. It is horrifying! Standing where so many men and women died or were sold into slavery made me feel so ashamed and humiliated. It was a very difficult experience, but I am so glad we went.
As we were leaving the castle we heard drums and singing and saw a crowd of people by the restaurant. We headed over to see what was going on and watched a dance practice. We sat and watched for about 45 minutes while a group of drummers and dancers performed for a crowd of villagers. It was amazing!!! They are such beautiful dancers! They have so much rhythm and passion -- it was incredible! I was taking pictures of the dancing when some kids came and asked for me to take a picture of them. Right after I took the picture they all crowded around to see it. So we spent about 30 minutes taking pictures of the kids and them showing them on the back. They were howling and laughing and delighted to see themselves. They were adorable! They were all so animated and wanted to point out their brothers and sisters who were dancing. It was so much fun to finally get a chance to connect with the actual people here. After all, that's really why I came!
I'm going to finish off this post with a quote that was on a plaque at the castle. It was put there by some of the Ghanaian Chiefs after the castle was no longer used for the slave trade.
In Everlasting Memory
of the anguish of our ancestors.
May those who died rest in peace,
May those who return find their roots.
May humanity never again perpetrate
such injustice against humanity.
We, the living, vow to uphold this.
Cape Coast
We stayed in Cape Coast for two nights (Feb 4 and 5). I had the pleasure of using my mosquito net for the first time while we were there. I've heard that they can be annoying to sleep under, but I slept just fine. I have actually slept fine every single night. And I luckily didn't have any jet lag -- I think the extra night in London helped with that.
We got to drive through some of Western Ghana on our trip from Accra to Cape Coast. It was absolutely stunning!! The west is a rain forest so we saw a lot of vegetation even though it is the dry season here in Ghana. It was incredible to see. I didn't want to fall asleep because there was so much to take in. There were random little clusters of houses along the road and people where selling things all along the streets. I don't know how they manage to sell anything because they all sell the same merchandise -- old cellphones and nick knacks.
At one point I saw these four little boys playing in a little pool of water. They were all naked and jumping on a pipe that was across the water. It was adorable! They were pushing each other off and having so much fun.
I seriously love seeing people constantly in the streets. And seeing them outside of their homes -- entire families work together all day. Children are free to roam wherever they please because everyone keeps an eye on them. It's incredible to think that each of these little villages were created entirely through manual labour -- without the help of any sort of western technology. That is so much work!!
We also saw plenty of garbage dumps along the way. That was difficult to see as kids were wading through it. Some were playing and others were looking for food or anything remotely salvageable. I could not imagine living that way and needing to go to such extreme measures to survive. Seeing it first hand really made me wish I could do something - anything - to make life easier for people here. Where do you start though? How do you help?? Who do you start with? It's a lot to take in and work through.
We got to Cape Coast after a few hours of traveling and checked in to our motel -- the Botel, which is built over a crocodile swamp. We were in a dorm room which was actually a lot of fun. There was a pool right outside our door which was absolutely divine!! It was so nice to swim and relax by the pool. So nice.
At the Botel I got to touch a crocodile! It felt like I expect any reptile would - hard. I touched his leg too to see if that felt any different, but it didn't. It was pretty cool though. Sleeping at the botel was ok too, even though our fans didn't produce much relief. It wasn't too hot - about 30 degrees at night - so we managed just fine. It was really humid so our skin was constantly moist and sweating. I really enjoy the heat though -- in fact, I wish it was a little hotter. I hear Tamale is warmer so I am trying to enjoy the "cooler" temperatures.
I'm going to do another post right away, but I figure it is easier to take things in smaller doses so I didn't want to try pack it all into one. There is more on its way though!
xoxo ashley
We got to drive through some of Western Ghana on our trip from Accra to Cape Coast. It was absolutely stunning!! The west is a rain forest so we saw a lot of vegetation even though it is the dry season here in Ghana. It was incredible to see. I didn't want to fall asleep because there was so much to take in. There were random little clusters of houses along the road and people where selling things all along the streets. I don't know how they manage to sell anything because they all sell the same merchandise -- old cellphones and nick knacks.
At one point I saw these four little boys playing in a little pool of water. They were all naked and jumping on a pipe that was across the water. It was adorable! They were pushing each other off and having so much fun.
I seriously love seeing people constantly in the streets. And seeing them outside of their homes -- entire families work together all day. Children are free to roam wherever they please because everyone keeps an eye on them. It's incredible to think that each of these little villages were created entirely through manual labour -- without the help of any sort of western technology. That is so much work!!
We also saw plenty of garbage dumps along the way. That was difficult to see as kids were wading through it. Some were playing and others were looking for food or anything remotely salvageable. I could not imagine living that way and needing to go to such extreme measures to survive. Seeing it first hand really made me wish I could do something - anything - to make life easier for people here. Where do you start though? How do you help?? Who do you start with? It's a lot to take in and work through.
We got to Cape Coast after a few hours of traveling and checked in to our motel -- the Botel, which is built over a crocodile swamp. We were in a dorm room which was actually a lot of fun. There was a pool right outside our door which was absolutely divine!! It was so nice to swim and relax by the pool. So nice.
At the Botel I got to touch a crocodile! It felt like I expect any reptile would - hard. I touched his leg too to see if that felt any different, but it didn't. It was pretty cool though. Sleeping at the botel was ok too, even though our fans didn't produce much relief. It wasn't too hot - about 30 degrees at night - so we managed just fine. It was really humid so our skin was constantly moist and sweating. I really enjoy the heat though -- in fact, I wish it was a little hotter. I hear Tamale is warmer so I am trying to enjoy the "cooler" temperatures.
I'm going to do another post right away, but I figure it is easier to take things in smaller doses so I didn't want to try pack it all into one. There is more on its way though!
xoxo ashley
Saturday, February 05, 2011
time is flying
Time is flying!!! I never have any idea what day it is or what time it is, but I feel as though time is going so quickly! We have done so much in our few days here. We spent the last two in Cape Coast. We visited Cape Coast Castle, did the canopy tours, and stayed at the Botel -- which is built over a crocodile swamp. Tomorrow we head up to Kumasi.
I'm just quickly updating so you all know I am safe and so very happy. I will hopefully get a chance to do a real post tomorrow when we arrive at our destination. We have a six or seven hour bus ride, but you can never really expect the bus to come as scheduled.
love, love, love
I'm just quickly updating so you all know I am safe and so very happy. I will hopefully get a chance to do a real post tomorrow when we arrive at our destination. We have a six or seven hour bus ride, but you can never really expect the bus to come as scheduled.
love, love, love
Friday, February 04, 2011
{this moment}
{this moment} - A Friday Ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
*** *** ***
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Accra, Ghana.
After quite a few detours we are finally in Accra, Ghana!! We missed our flight from London to Accra so we got to spend an evening and a morning in London. We quickly toured central London and enjoyed our last bit of cool fresh air. We were expecting to be in Africa so we only had thin long-sleeves and we were all quite chilly, but we embraced it because I don't know when I will feel chilly again.
Then we had to get off our re-scheduled flight just after boarding because something on the plane was broken -- leading to another 3 hour wait. I'm told we will get good at waiting so that was just a little taste.
And now Accra. We got in at 2:00am and didn't get settled to bed until 4:00am... after carrying all our luggage up four floors! We didn't get much sleep either -- we were up by 8am.
My first thoughts of Africa.... It's hard to say. I can now say that I have gone from being chilly and having goosebumps to sweating in an instant. It was a blamy 29 degrees when we landed, with 92% humitidy. Goodbye fresh air!! I had a man try to teach me the language for 20 minutes while waiting for taxi's. He was talking so fast that I had no idea what he was saying, but I played along and tried to repeat all the words he said to me. He thought it was hilarious. Getting taxi's from the airport was an adventure in and of itself. There was a lot of yelling and pushing and commotion.... and we weren't doing any of those. We thankfully had a Ghanaian friend helping us out.
We just spent the morning walking around Accra. We've dodged through traffic, sweated our rear-ends off, bought a cell-phone, exchanged our American money, went to the post-office, met a Canadian man from Kelowna, and are now at the internet cafe cooling off. I have never been so bombarded. People just grab your arm and force you to stop because they want money or they want you to buy something from them. The worst is when it is little kids who come rest their hand on your arm -- that breaks my heart.
One thing I have struggled with in my four hours here is taking photos. I love taking pictures and want to take them of everything, but I don't want to offend or anger anyone. And I don't want to pay people for photos. There is so much to take in though and so much beauty and sorrow and joy all at once. I really don't know how to describe it (I have a feeling I will be saying that often!).
I have never drank so much water in my life! I went through 1.5 litres in the first 2 hours of our adventure. I do not want to get dehydrated though and I am sweating from every pore in my body. Speaking of sweat, it actually feels good to sweat. I'm sure the novelty will wear off, but I am really enjoying the heat for now. And the humidity. It feels so good!
I love the noise and the constant bustle. I love the smells -- not because they are particularly pleasant, but they are different and just part of the whole experience. I love being in the minority. I love seeing so many people outside. I love having no idea where I am or what is going on. So far I love everything about Africa. But as I said, it has only been four hours. I don't mean to say that it is all good, but it is lovely and unique.
I've decided to not get stressed out or be scared. I will be cautious, but I feel like you could be scared about everything. It's all a little bit terrifying, but isn't every new experience?? I'm just going to take things as they come and go with the flow. Things have a way of working themselves out.
We've already met a Canadian! From Kelowna no less! He was born in Ghana, but he now lives in Canada -- just down the road from me actually. We exchanged numbers and he may come visit us when we are in the north.
I feel like there is so much I am feeling, but I have no idea how to articulate it. I think it will take time to figure out how to process everything. These posts will be a bit jostled until I get in a groove and figure things out. It is still surreal to me that I am in Ghana, Africa. I boarded a plane and I am now halfway across the world from my husband, my family and my friends (except those Reimers... Hello from next door!!). It's just amazing that you can even travel from there to here. How bizzare.
I am so excited for this trip. I hope to update as often as possible, but the next few days will be spent traveling up north. I have no idea what kind of access we will have to the internet, but I'll write as often as possible.
Hey Erik, I listened to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse on the plane!! It was one of the few albums they had, which made me smile.
Love from Accra!
Then we had to get off our re-scheduled flight just after boarding because something on the plane was broken -- leading to another 3 hour wait. I'm told we will get good at waiting so that was just a little taste.
And now Accra. We got in at 2:00am and didn't get settled to bed until 4:00am... after carrying all our luggage up four floors! We didn't get much sleep either -- we were up by 8am.
My first thoughts of Africa.... It's hard to say. I can now say that I have gone from being chilly and having goosebumps to sweating in an instant. It was a blamy 29 degrees when we landed, with 92% humitidy. Goodbye fresh air!! I had a man try to teach me the language for 20 minutes while waiting for taxi's. He was talking so fast that I had no idea what he was saying, but I played along and tried to repeat all the words he said to me. He thought it was hilarious. Getting taxi's from the airport was an adventure in and of itself. There was a lot of yelling and pushing and commotion.... and we weren't doing any of those. We thankfully had a Ghanaian friend helping us out.
We just spent the morning walking around Accra. We've dodged through traffic, sweated our rear-ends off, bought a cell-phone, exchanged our American money, went to the post-office, met a Canadian man from Kelowna, and are now at the internet cafe cooling off. I have never been so bombarded. People just grab your arm and force you to stop because they want money or they want you to buy something from them. The worst is when it is little kids who come rest their hand on your arm -- that breaks my heart.
One thing I have struggled with in my four hours here is taking photos. I love taking pictures and want to take them of everything, but I don't want to offend or anger anyone. And I don't want to pay people for photos. There is so much to take in though and so much beauty and sorrow and joy all at once. I really don't know how to describe it (I have a feeling I will be saying that often!).
I have never drank so much water in my life! I went through 1.5 litres in the first 2 hours of our adventure. I do not want to get dehydrated though and I am sweating from every pore in my body. Speaking of sweat, it actually feels good to sweat. I'm sure the novelty will wear off, but I am really enjoying the heat for now. And the humidity. It feels so good!
I love the noise and the constant bustle. I love the smells -- not because they are particularly pleasant, but they are different and just part of the whole experience. I love being in the minority. I love seeing so many people outside. I love having no idea where I am or what is going on. So far I love everything about Africa. But as I said, it has only been four hours. I don't mean to say that it is all good, but it is lovely and unique.
I've decided to not get stressed out or be scared. I will be cautious, but I feel like you could be scared about everything. It's all a little bit terrifying, but isn't every new experience?? I'm just going to take things as they come and go with the flow. Things have a way of working themselves out.
We've already met a Canadian! From Kelowna no less! He was born in Ghana, but he now lives in Canada -- just down the road from me actually. We exchanged numbers and he may come visit us when we are in the north.
I feel like there is so much I am feeling, but I have no idea how to articulate it. I think it will take time to figure out how to process everything. These posts will be a bit jostled until I get in a groove and figure things out. It is still surreal to me that I am in Ghana, Africa. I boarded a plane and I am now halfway across the world from my husband, my family and my friends (except those Reimers... Hello from next door!!). It's just amazing that you can even travel from there to here. How bizzare.
I am so excited for this trip. I hope to update as often as possible, but the next few days will be spent traveling up north. I have no idea what kind of access we will have to the internet, but I'll write as often as possible.
Hey Erik, I listened to Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse on the plane!! It was one of the few albums they had, which made me smile.
Love from Accra!
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