I'm Here!

It is fabulous here! We arrived a week and a half ago to Kakota Airport which is not a grass landing in contrast to popular belief. It is about half the size of the Albany airport. I will title the following paragraphs so you can skip over what you dont feel like reading because this will probably be a long entry. Quite a lot has happened!

HOSTELS:
We spend the first 4 or 5 days staying in hostels with 4 people to a room. I really like our group, everyone is very chill and we all get along so far. The bathroom in our hostel was the best part of our stay. Allow me to describe:
1) lizards seemed to enjoy our bathroom
2) yay for bucket showers! there was actually a shower head but it didnt work
3)the toilet leaked and so the floor was perpetually covered in water
4)the shower didn't exactly...'drain'
5)and finally, there are no doorknobs on the inside or bathroom doors, and so getting in to the bathroom is easy, but getting out requires knocking. I have found this to be true of my current home as well. It's interesting when there's no one who can hear you knocking.

CAPE COAST:
Cape Coast is great. There are people everywhere carrying things on their heads and babies on their backs. The most impressive feat I've seen so far is a woman carrying about 120 eggs on her head in crates, but i also see suitcases and televisions regularly defying gravity. The market is swarming with cars, workers, and fruit stands. Everything is used and rundown. Gutters line the streets with sewage and the smells are less than pleasant. It's very dusty and the city seems permanently hazy and very hot. But, the slave castle is eerily beautiful and right on the coast. We went to the beach which looks as if it is out of a movie with hundreds of palm trees!
We also went to a national park rainforest where we crossed a 40 meter high rope canopy bridge aboves the trees. It was beeeaautiful!

AFRICA CUP!!:
Right now there is a HUGE football (soccer) tournament in Africa which is comparable to the superbowl. It is being held this year in Ghana's capital: Accra and Ghana made it to the quarter finals which are tonight! People get SOOOOO excited for the Africa cup. Everyone wears Ghana flags around town and we had a field trip cancelled because of tonight's game. Ghana's team is called the Black Stars because of their flag and so people yell it on the street. A recent news headline was:
"2008 Games Causes Shortages of Alcoholic Beverages in Accra"

MY HOME:
My host mother is named Victoria. She is a fashion designer and her shop is right next to her home. She lives with two apprentices named Elizabeth and Rose. Also, Elizabeth's daughter, Kiki, lives with us. She is 5 years old (adorable) and enjoys calling me 'obrunyi' or 'white girl' (There is also a song that accompagnies this comment that children sing to me on the street). Kiki enjoys 'doing my hair' which involves knotting it and wrapping it with a ribbon. I live in a very nice home and have my own room. The running water is on and off and the toilets flush when they are in the mood. The stoves are lit with matches and I am hoping to learn some cooking. Yesterday I was taught how to do bucket laundry which is harder than it looks! The first few nights in my new home I heard a man talking all night outside of my window. I asked and was told that we have watchman named Edouwin who comes at night and stays outside. When we watch tv he watches through the window and talks to me, but he doesn't speak much english. He is very old and not all there in the head so its funny that he is 'protecting' our house.
I was born on a Saturday and so my Fantse name is Amma. Sometimes my host mother calls me that. It will take me a while to get used to the food here. Things are very spicy and a food staple is "kenkey" which is fermented cooked corn. People who like kenkey often like the taste of very sour milk if that gives you an idea. Fish and rice are also staples. The pineapple is AMAZING. It is totally different from what we're used to. It is white and it tastes like candy. Also, you can even eat the core because it is so ripe.

SCHOOL:
I walk about 20-25 minutes to school everyday along the chicken's and goats on the streets. I am hoping to make a photojournal of my walk to school to put online for you. I am beginning to learn Fantse which is difficult because we are going so fast but I am getting it.

CUSTOMS:
In Ghana, like in India, it is very rude to use the left hand. Being left handed I have found this quite difficult as I usually eat and gesture with my left hand. When I was doing my homework my little 'sister' told me that I was not allowed to write that way and that my mother would be angry.

KEEP UPDATED WITH HOW I LOOK:
I cut my hair! That's not true. My friend cut it. After two days here I decided it was too difficult to wash my long hair in the bucket showers and i've been meaning to donate it to Locks of Love so my friend cut 10 inches right off. I hope customs doesn't ask about the ponytail in my suitcase when I go home...


I miss you all!!!! Internet is on and off here so I will write again as soon as i can!

Love,
Danielle