To the Cape!

“The cure for anything is salt water – sweat, tears, or the sea.” – Isak Dinesen

Thursday morning I boarded a Metro Mass Transit bus for a weekend in Cape Coast with a fellow volunteer. Exactly what I needed to rejuvenate. Though I have visited Cape Coast before, it was a different experience as a return visitor and when it was simply a weekend getaway planned on my own versus part of a weeklong obruni (white person) tour.

I enjoyed the memories of my past visit and more thoroughly reveled in the beauty of it all this time around. Thanks to a national holiday on Monday, I was able to stay one extra day and do a little venting, a little eating, and a whole lot of sightseeing with the other Amy, who because she also has brown hair and white skin, everyone assumed was my twin. Oh Africa. Sigh…..A touch of American life creeped onto the agenda as well. Cocoa puffs with milk, grilled cheddar cheese sandwiches and yogurt. Oh yea.

Cape Coast is a bustling coastal community. Fish, fish, and more fish. Roaming the Kotokaruba market is an exercise in patience and alertness. Taxis get the right away in these parts, so get out of the way, or suffer the consequences. From shoes to bread to clothing to vegetables to books to ice cream….this market has everything anyone could possibly need. I half jokingly told the other Amy that I could have showed up in Ghana with an empty suitcase and very easily found everything I needed to live. In Cape Coast, you will find many white volunteers, and they like to hang out at the Oasis where a dose of familiarity is available with some good ole’ American cuisine. A view of ocean waves crashing the shore doesn’t hurt this place’s ambience either.

Saturday night included an African drum and dance show. The joy radiating from the musicians and dancers is contagious. It’s hard not to smile and tap your foot to the beat of the African drum. Love of the arts is strong in African culture. I dig it.

To escape the city, we ventured about twenty minutes east to a small piece of heaven-on-earth called Anomabu Beach Resort.

Upon arrival we happened upon beautiful sandy beaches, families frolicking along the coast, and delicious coconut shrimp and cheesy pizzas. Our accommodation for the night was a tent set up right near a lovely hut umbrella and two cushion covered lounge chairs. We strolled the beach, relaxed while listening to the sounds of the ocean, and enjoyed some delicious boxed sangria.

Can’t go wrong with that combination! Anomabu stole my heart. I’m totally mesmerized by the ocean and island life and messages in bottles and people living on deserted islands....I often get “Lost” in the idea of being a “Castaway” ;)

Our weekend culminated at Kakum National Park. We conquered the canopy walk, which happens to be about 120 feet above the ground and is ranked third in the entire world for excellence. Two Canadian fellas helped out some Ghanaians to construct this adventure about sixteen years ago.

It's amazing. Incredible. Breathtaking. As I walked across foot-wide wooden boards held in place by large bolts and intricately woven ropes, I couldn’t help but smile and marvel at the vastness of the dense, greenery of the rain forest below me. We even snagged some bottled pure honey along the trail. Delicious!Lunch followed at the Hans Cottage Botel which is a restaurant hovering above a swamp filled with friendly crocodiles!

I needed this weekend. I needed to see some beauty and enjoy Ghana. I haven’t had a very positive attitude about my time here thus far, but Cape Coast, you turned things around for me! Though this whole experience may not be all that I hoped it would be professionally, I am going to enjoy what Africa has to offer me and savor the freedom and opportunities to explore.

What Did You Just Say?

"Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye." - Grey Livingston

Fat. A word used to describe some women here. On several occasions, I have heard male staff members tell female staff members that they are getting too “fat”. And these men just came right out and said it in front of everyone. Did your jaw drop open in disbelief? Well, mine surely did! No thought was given to showing any ounce of sensitivity or concern for these particular women’s feelings. Also, several weeks ago while watching the students play soccer, a man sitting next to me said, “That fat girl really tries!” Needless to say, I was appalled hearing the word “fat” used so loosely. Who wants to get called out on their weight in front of colleagues!? In America, if someone were to go up to a woman and call her fat, why, she would be incredibly offended and would either start crying or screaming at the culprit for being so rude! However, these women in the staff room just brushed off the comment and continued on with their day. From what I’ve heard, being thick or “fat” is more socially acceptable in black culture than amongst whites. Apparently, this isn’t the preference for all black men. I’ve been told on several occasions that women are the most powerful people in Ghana. If that’s the case, these men and their “fat” should beware.

Speaking of getting fat…Eugene, the P.E. teacher, treated me to dinner yesterday evening. He drove me to a nearby hotel, The Orange Hotel. Though I jog with this man several mornings a week and see him often around campus, I initially questioned the choice of venue, but later came to find that it was rather delightful. Eugene ordered us two plates of fried rice and chicken, and rather than sit there and wait, we took a ride down the road to a town called Tepa. As we drove, I found the landscape stunningly beautiful. Rows and rows of plantain trees covered densely green rolling hills while the setting sun hovered in the background. Small villages were scattered all along the road as well, and each is filled with small fires of burning trash, pots over coal stoves, and people pumping at water wells which contain water that is safe for drinking. People bring large empty jugs to the well, fill them up, and drag them home. As we drove, men, women, and children spotted the road carrying their water jugs or goods for sale on their heads. No matter how many times I see people carrying things on their head, I am still always impressed. It is not uncommon to see a woman with a baby strapped to her back and a large load of yams, kenkey, or cloth in a large metal tin balanced on her head. Amazing. I mean, my arm gets tired from carrying a purse people. As we drove back to the hotel for dinner, I began to more fully understand all of the warnings that have been given about the dangers of traveling at night. Once the sun goes down, the roadways become scarily dark. No lines on the pavement and no streetlights to guide the way. In addition, there are no sidewalks for people, so they hug the side of the road when returning to their villages from the town. As everyone says here, “it’s not easy”.

Eugene and I safely returned to the Orange Hotel where our dinner was served. That chicken leg was absolutely delicious. The primary source of protein here is beans and an occasional egg, so having a chunk of poultry placed before me! Well, needless to say, I was ecstatic. We sat in a small restaurant area within the hotel lobby area. Next to my chair was a stereo with a stack of cassette tapes next to it. This gave me little chuckle. I can’t even tell you the last time that I saw a cassette tape, except in the movie Eat, Pray, Love where Julia’s man in Bali makes mixed tapes for his loved ones. It was nice to get out and see a new place with a new friend.

Today I will venture to the post office for the first time in the hopes that the care package my parents mailed is in fact there as I was told yesterday. Then, tomorrow I am off to Cape Coast for a much-needed getaway to visit a familiar face. I’m told they have cheese and yogurt in those parts. This brings me immense joy. J

A Road Trip to Home

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” –Lao Tzu

I have arrived to my home for the next 9 months….Bechem, Ghana! The trip here was long, bumpy, and full of intriguing African scenery. This morning was spent in Cape Coast with my principal’s driver taking me around town. Apparently having a driver is the thing to do here, which is interesting to me, but useful! Who wants to drive themselves 6 hours, why not just hire someone to do it? The driver, Steven, and I engaged in rather interesting conversation about America. He is completely fascinated and on a mission to move to California and marry a white American lady. Question after question was asked about every aspect of American society. That Puff Daddy and Jay-Z have bodyguards was shocking to him! To Steven, reaching America would be a dream come true. As I think about the state of affairs in America, my perception is so different. I see a country with, in my opinion, disturbing policies and somewhat wack priorities. I continually try to escape America, yet so many are working so hard to try to come to it.

Cape Coast is a bustling place. Full of markets, people, and fish. Cape Coast University guesthouses were where I stayed. Lovely indeed! Two slave castles also reside there, which I visited on my previous trip to Ghana in 2008. Simply glancing in the direction of the castles makes your heart skip a beat. Unbelievable and revolting history lies within those walls. The journey onward to Bechem was a mix of pristine roadways and terribly dilapidated roadways. Villages speckled the roadside every few miles or so. Women carrying containers of goods and foods on their heads move swiftly to stopped tro-tros and taxis along the roadway. Droves of children were seen walking home from school along the sides of the road or playing soccer in their schoolyards. Huts fill many villages with women and children manning the shops and men frequently repairing taxis and to-dos. The life looks harder here on these roads leading out of the city. Escaping Accra provides insight into a much different African life.

My new home is rather swanky. I’m temporarily staying in an apartment while my place is being renovated. Fridge, running water, and a television! And the internet connection is stronger than I was expecting. Not the Africa I’m sure most people have envisioned. All the comforts of home right here at my little fingertips. Sweet! I’m being very very well taken care of by my school and organization. Upon arrival at my school today, I was greeted kindly by various members of the staff and several students. Immediately, several gentlemen got right to work in my room hanging curtains, moving the bed, and checking the water. The pampering is new for me, and nonetheless, it’s happening in Africa of all places! So far, we’re off to a great start here with my first steps in Bechem.