At Least I'm Not Married...

Bonjour tout le monde! Here we go again...

1) Makola Market Debauchery

2) Still No Consistent Classes

3) There is NO Azonto Cap in Ghana!!!

4) Other Random Points

1) Makola Market Debauchery

Lawd, where do I even begin with this one?! My friend Sydney’s roommate (Manna…sp?) offered to escort us to Makola to get fabric, sandals, and scarves last week, and the whole event was tastefully complex. We left ISH around 10am and headed off campus to catch the tro-tro. I don’t know why there was so much midday traffic going to Accra, but it took us forever (almost an hour) to catch the bus to the market. Once we got to Makola, the madness began. We made our first purchase with a man selling what seems like a Mount Everest sized pile of headscarves. He was really friendly, funny, and enthusiastic about his hustle. The scarves were dirt cheap…like…50 pesewas cheap. I got 6, and am thinking about braving the ratchetness to go and get more. They’re perfect for the New England fall….but I digress.

Our next stop is where everything got real—at the shoe vendors. My goodness! First of all, there was a creepy man giving me the eye from the time we got to Makola until we left the place. He was trying to get me to come look at whatever it was that he was selling. I couldn’t deal. THEN, once we found a seller who had decent shoes, we were engulfed in a circle full of people tugging at us, taking our shoes off and insisting on putting the shoes they thought we should buy on our feet (Think Cinderella and the prince finally putting her retrieved shoe back on…except not at all romantic lol). I wasn’t realllllly in need of sandals, so I stood to the side. Before I knew it, a very aggressive man came up to me, grabbed my arm, and kept repeating “Marriage me. Let’s go get marriage.” At first I was dying of laughter, because it was freaking hilarious! Bad idea. He interpreted that as “try harder,” and proceeded to pull (when I say pull, it was more like a drag attempt. I promise I’m not over exaggerating!) The Crew and Manna were too busy bargaining to realize I was about to be some random’s wife, so I started yelling “help!” Legit though, I’m cracking up right now, it was just too much! These people are bold. Shelbie finally realized what was going on, put on her Superwoman cape, and came to my rescue, and at that point I was too through with the market and wanted to get out! We made a few more stops, I got sandals, kente cloth, and earrings. Let’s just say I’ll be waiting a while to visit any market again!

2) Still No Consistent Classes

Not too sure of what’s going on with the lecturers at UG, but a lot of people’s classes have not been meeting. The semester has officially started, and still professors aren’t showing up, students aren’t showing up, and administrative employees aren’t doing their job. I was talking to my roommate (who is a fourth year student) and she said it has never been this bad. Usually I’d be jumping for joy at the fact that I don’t have class to go to, but in all honesty, I miss the academic grind. I’ve been out of a classroom for almost two months, and these sporadic classes aren’t cutting it. I’m really not trying to be bored in Ghana. It is only Monday though….maybe things will change?

3) There is NO Azonto Cap in Ghana!!

So due to the International Students’ Durbar Celebration, our Cape Coast trip has been moved to this coming weekend. Therefore, we were able to go out on Friday and Saturday night, and this Ghanaian highlife/hiplife music lives on. They do not get sick of Azonto music at all!! It’s actually impressive (but redundant). Friday night was OK—just OK. I refuse to be out all night Azonto-ing, not really into that. I definitely miss parties back home with a variety of familiar music. I know, I know—this is Ghana. But DAMN!! We were all joking that if we heard one American song, we’d go HAM. Supposedly, the music at this club called “Twist” usually plays more hip-hop and such once the night goes on, but we were there until almost 3, and not one familiar song was played. Saturday night was cool. Highs and lows, but definitely more highs! As a “crew” we always seem to laugh in the face of madness, and that’s pretty much what was done all weekend hahaha. Butttttttt, the music is catchy. Here are my two favorite Ghanaian songs at the moment:

4) Other Random Points...

a. Little known fact—an Okoh designed the Ghanaian flag. #boss (I wonder if we're related. If so, I'm going to need a cut from all the profit Ghana flags make. Just sayin')

b. Ghana’s Black Stars soccer team is doing really well in the Africa Cup of Nations. Whenever there’s a game, it’s as if Jesus himself has arrived. It’s cute. *Eric voice*

c. I think my body has PTSD for the Night Market food. I tried again last night since the whole city was shut down for church/soccer. Epic fail. My tummy was not amused.

d. Hand washing your clothes really does get them cleaner than a machine does. Try it sometime.

e. On Friday, Shelbie and I introduced Ghanaians to tacos. They loved it. Sunday has been designated as “American” delicacy night. You can only eat red-red so much…I miss food from home.

f. My roommate is standing over me and has requested I tell you all hello on her behalf lol. She’s really quiet, but when she speaks, it’s nothing but hilarious punch lines. She’s a mess.

T’is all for now.

xoxo

It's 3am in Ghana...

BUT THE GIANTS WON!!!!

...I'll be the first to admit that I'm no avid (American) football fan, but when it comes to my city...

It's so silent in GH right now. No one cares about the Superbowl. I'll be singing this tune for a few days:

Life is Good!

Wo ho te sen? (How are you for you non-Twi speakers)! Here are a few updates :-)

1) First REAL Weekend Out in GH

2) Tour of Accra

3) Registration and Classes

4) This Coming Weekend

1) First REAL Weekend Out in GH

Last weekend I had an absolute blast! A few friends and I were starting to get a little cabin fever because we’d been confined to ISH (….maybe confined isn’t the right word choice, no one forced us to stay in lol. You get the point though!) for so long. We decided to go with the masses to this guy Keith’s 30^th birthday party. Now a little back story on Keith…

Keith looks exactly like Richard Simmons to me! Regardless, he was at our IPO Orientation last week acting all kinds of crazy. He would literally yell at the speakers whenever he had a comment/question/suggestion, and I wrote him off right then and there. As many of you know, I like to utilize my pending Psychology degree and diagnose people with personality disorders—he got Aspergers hahaha. Fast forward to the bulletin boards in ISH, and we see tons of hand written signs that are invitations to Keith’s 30^th birthday party (what he’s doing at UG at age 30 is beyond me. I’m done asking questions) at this bar/restaurant/lounge called Appetite in East Legon. There was no way “the crew” (Blog about those ladies in another post. We’re all a mess!) and I were going to go…until everyone in ISH said they were definitely going since it was free for ladies.

Anyway, we got to Appetite and had a blast. The music was great, the very crowded crowd was live, and everyone was having a great time. The people there were so varied, so it was cool to meet new people. We stayed there for about two hours before making our way to another part of Accra called Osu. There, a few friends took us to this club called Bella Roma. It was SOnice! Reminded me of the very upscale bougie lounges and clubs in NYC. The crowd there was very different. They were definitely older, more sophisticated patrons. A lot of the guys were business men from Ghana, Nigeria, the Middle East, and so on. Again the music was great, the dancing was great, and everyone had a good time. Ghanaians can surely dance! And they party ALL NIGHT LONG (Seriously. Until sunrise! But last Friday, we checked out around 4am. #lightweight)

Saturday we just “chilled” in true Ghanaian fashion. Students in ISH 1 are very social, so there are always people hanging out and socializing. It’s a gift!

(Birthday boy Keith and The Crew. I wish you could read his shirt. It says "My name is not Obruni!" #classic)

[Quick edit: Totally forgot to mention the Ghana vs. Mali football match we watched on Saturday night. Everyone went over to Tyme Out in Pentagon to watch it. I was so bored at first, but once Ghana scored their first goal, the whole lounge was turned up! I was DYING because as soon as we hit the first goal, Azonto started blasting, and everyone was jumping up and down, turning chairs over, picking each other up, and dancing. It was amaze. Ghanaians are the funniest to watch the games with! The pidgin tops it all off. T'was a great time, especially since we won 2-0]

2) Tour of Accra

Our program spent Saturday on a tour of Accra. We drove around, and were pointed out the major tro-tro stops, monuments, markets, etc. Our first major stop was Makola market. I thought Madina was packed….mannnnnnn! It has nothing on Makola. You can seriously get EVERYTHING imaginable there. I wanted to get these amazing backpacks made of Kente cloth, but the Mr. Gyasi said I could get it for next-to-free once we head up to Kumasi, so I’ll hold out. We passed by a few of the impoverished areas of Osu/Greater Accra/fishing regions, and it was rough! Very very rough! It’s hard/sad to think that some people have to live the way many in Ghana do. Our last stop was the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. The actual structure where he and his wife are buried is beautiful (I’ll add photos). The sky got really gray as we were entering, and it was clearly going to downpour, so people weren’t really interested in listening to the tour guide. She was pissed about that, and had the worst attitude for the rest of the tour. It was kind of funny, but y’all know my sense of humor…

(The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial)

(Dr. and Mrs. Nkrumah's burial sites)

(boss.)

3) Registration and Classes

Registration is very tedious. Although we signed up for our courses online, we still need to go to each department and make sure we’re registered properly. This could be putting my name in a book, signing forms, submitting a passport photo, or handing over my first born child for sacrifice (-_-). I spent almost 3 hours registering for two classes. I’m sure it would’ve been faster any other time, but the administrative staff is on strike because the University owes some workers over 24 months of overtime pay. To be honest, I would’ve gone on strike wayyyyy before they hit month 24! Classes have officially started, but it seems like most people won’t be going until next week. I have no problem with that at all, because after not being in a class room for almost two months, I’m not in an intellectual mindset. Our Twi class has started though! Professor Kofi is hilarious! After everything he says “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.” It warms my heart.

4) This Coming Weekend

This weekend our group will be traveling to the Central Region of Ghana. Here’s what we’ll be doing:

• Batik Tye Dye Workshop at Cape Coast
• Visit the Cape Coast Castles
• A debriefing conversation (I don’t know what that means)
• Visit to the Kakum National Park
• Lunch at Hans Cottage
• Beach
• Back to Accra.

I’m excited for all of this! As always, I’ll keep everyone posted!

xoxo

A Few (Very Random) Photos. I Promise I'm Trying!

View of the yard in ISH (my dorm)

International Programmes Office (IPO)

Outside of IPO

The CIEE Office :-)

It's very strange being an international student...

UPal Gideon, Students Jeremy and Sydney UPal Evans, and Mr. Gyasi...the program director!


Student Bilal, UPals Kweasebia and Ohene :-) Kweasebia and Julia!

Bilal, Julia, Kweasebia, Yvonne, and I

How Conveniently Inconvenient...

Hello everyone J It’s time for another update…hope you’re excited about it. A lot has been going on since my last blog post, so to keep my thoughts organized, I’m going to stick with making lists of topics to be discussed. Here we go:

1) International Student Hostel & Day-to-Day Living

2) International Programmes Office Orientation

3) Random Shenanigans

4) An Interesting Observation

5) Ghana is Conveniently Inconvenient

6) This is Ghana!

7) What’s Next?

1) International Student Hostel & Day-to-Day Living

As mentioned in my last post, I have moved into my room for this semester on campus. It’s a pretty standard dorm room, with a armoire, desk, chair, end table, bed, and bookshelf. I’ll add photos to show you all what it looks like:

My roommate still has not moved in, but according to the porters, all other students will be moved in by Sunday. I liked the solitary feel of my room at first, but I think I’m ready for someone to move in. I live right below one of the lounges in ISH, so almost every night I hear people raging upstairs. It’s crazy how thin the walls are.

ISH definitely has its pros and cons. All of the people on the program live here, so it’s really easy for everyone to hangout or get in contact with each other whenever we want. There are tons of international students living here (I swear there’s an equal amount of Nigerians as compared to the Ghanaians.) We have a small convenient store downstairs, as well as a very very mini kitchen that serves food. They have the best red-red and it’s very reasonably priced. ISH is also by the Night Market…and I must say I’m not a big fan. Now in my mind, I thought it would be like a Pathmark or something (ok, maybe not that modern) but I was shocked when I first went there. Imagine a bunch of wooden carnival booths bunched together in an abandoned parking lot…that’s the Night Market. You can find almost everything there, but the fact that the food stays out all day, unheated, and unsanitary makes me choose other options. I had jollof rice, plantains, and chicken from there the other day, and never again! EVER! ISH is also quite far from the main part of campus. To get to the academic buildings we have to walk at least 20-30 minutes, and then more time to your specific department. May not seem like a long time, but in the heat of Accra, it gets rough L. We’ve also been without water for two going on three days now. I’m currently typing this blog post after my bucket water bath, drinking water out of a plastic bag, sitting under a mosquito net. No one can EVER call me high maintenance again! I know it sounds a lot like I’m complaining, but I’ll make my point towards the end of the post.

2) International Programmes Office Orientation

YES! We had to go through a second series of orientation meetings this week. UGH has an international students orientation, and to be honest, slept through 80% of it lol. I really did try to stay awake, but they repeated EVERYTHING CIEE so eloquently outlined for us last week. Maybe I’m a jerk for it, but the fatigue won. It’s over now, so I can finally register for courses tomorrow morning (or whenever…depending on when I publish this post).

3) Random Shenanigans

Something I’m really excited about is the fact that Shelbie and I got our hair braided today in Madina! To get there we took a tro-tro (similar to NYC dollar vans, but cheaper. Our 15-20 minute ride was only 40 pesewas/ 25 US Cents!) into Madina, and it was completely bizarre. The only semi equivalent comparison I can think of is Chinatown—but even that’s not busy enough. Madina is so incredibly crowded. People were selling electronics, appliances, food, shoes, “obruni clothes” (think Goodwill), and of course hair. We were lead down some sort of back street, and got to the shop that sold packs of Kanekalon (all you black girls know I’m sure! HAHAHAHAHA) I got 4 packs of hair for 12 cedis. We then made our way to the braiding salon. Once we got there, it was like all eyes were on Shelbie, Kweasibea (our UPal), and I. It was very strange…but I’ll elaborate on why later. Kweasibea got us situated, and translated how we wanted our braids to the Madame of the shop. It took about 6 hours, seven women, and experiencing the ratchetness of Madina to get my hair finished. Would I do it again? Absolutely! My braids only cost 25 cedis/~15USD. When I usually pay 100-150 USD, I’ll take Ghanaians price any day!

4) An Interesting Observation

Here’s something a few friends and I have noticed about Ghanaian women. In general, when in the presence of Ghanaian women, one can feel a very cold vibe. I find myself completely frustrated and confused when with them because they have such a blank/intense stare that makes you feel as if they either don’t care/understand/both what you’re saying, which is so frustrating. But here’s the catch! Once they begin to speak to you, they’re some of the nicest people ever! It’s very strange, and I have to keep reminding myself that it’s just what they do. The NYer in me wants to black on them…but I quickly remember where I am and have a seat.

5) Ghana is Conveniently Inconvenient

Another student said this last night at dinner, and I thought it was so funny and so true. It describes how I’m feeling about GH at the moment. A love/hate relationship—with love greatly outweighing hate. While I’ve been having such a great time here, I get so annoyed at some things that are just 100% inconvenient for everyone. For example, it’s convenient to spend the afternoon walking with friends, catching up, taking your time, and enjoying the outdoors, but the open gutters alongside the road make doing so very inconvenient. The sachets of water quench thirst, but the bags are utterly ridiculous! OMG this is the one that bothers me the most---Ghanaians NEVER have change. I know it sounds crazy, but understand me here. It’s as if any bill over 10 cedis can’t be used in stores due to their lack of change. We get looked at CRAZY when trying to pay for things with larger bills, and then the attitude kicks in. I just don’t understand it. Everyone pays for everything in change/small bills, but owners never seem to have change. As I re-read this, I sound so crazy, but if you were here you’d definitely understand (at least I hope so!) The concept of time is very foreign here and it takes forever for things to get done. Daily productivity is definitely not a focal point here.

6) This is Ghana!

I feel as if this post is full of all the negatives I can think about in GH. If taken at face value, then yes, it is! But, while all the aforementioned frustrate me at times, they’re also the reason why I love Ghana. A few of us were hanging out with one of the UPals the other night (Atsu), and he put it all into perspective for me. As one of Ghana’s most admired dancers, Atsu has managed to stay grounded, humble, and simple. To him, it’s all about interpersonal relationships, doing well for yourself and others, and putting positive energy into the world! I wish I had the time to detail EVERYTHING Atsu talked to us about, but I’m going to keep that a secret. Just know it was beautiful, and made me appreciate the smaller things in life (ex: The water was one for about 20 minutes tonight, and it’s the first time I got to shower in two days lol. I was in the shower singing and dancing praises to the gods! Who would’ve thought someone could miss showering so much. I’m telling y’all…it’s a luxury.) The Dean of International Programmes also stated something that I put things into prospective for me as well. She said “The system may not always work, but the people of Ghana do!” Studying in a third world, developing country is not nearly as easy as I thought it would be. I often times find myself comparing Ghanaian ways with what I’m used to back in New York, and I’ve found that it only leads to more frustration. Whenever things don’t go as planned, we now just say “this is Ghana.” No water? This is Ghana. No electricity? This is Ghana! Mean faced women and pushy old men? This is Ghana! Black Star Football craze? This is Ghana! This mindset has helped me to manage the stark differences between GH and the US, and I’m really learning, loving, and laughing more than I ever have before! The convenient inconvenience of day-to-day doings complicates living in Ghana, and I thoroughly appreciate it.

7) What’s Next?

Classes start on Monday, and I’m so excited! As of right now, it’s looking like I’ll be taking Traditional African Dance, Ghanaian Dance Forms, Twi for Beginners, Textile Design (the one I’m most looking forward to), Abnormal Psychology, and The History of Western Medicine in Ghana. I might be auditing Medical Sociology, but let me see how I feel about these other classes before I add on another one. I still need to get the modem to have constant internet, but going to the mall is holding me back. Not really trying to venture out there again soon, but it’s kind of becoming dire. Maybe tomorrow…

Thanks for reading J