GHANA

I had no idea what to expect from Ghana and was actually quite nervous for my travels.  As we walked off the ship we entered an unusual port, an industrialized shipping area lined with factories.  There were workers with masks and smells ranging from vinegar to chocolate to urine.  A large flat bed loaded with bags of sodium nitrate passed us as we walked along railroad tracks in the heat, lugging our big backpacks. It’s about a 15-minute walk to reach the gate of the port in which access to downtown is available through taxis.  Four of us jumped in a taxi and headed for the bus to Accra, the capital of Ghana.  I had no idea what this journey would entail; I was relying on Ferrah to lead the way.  She spent the past summer in Ghana and her best friend, who we were visiting, is studying abroad in Accra.  After about five hours of navigating public transportation we would finally meet her Banku Junction.  Using public transportation was quite the experience and memorable.  We met so many wonderful and friendly people who went completely out of their way to help us.   This is what made my trip in Ghana so great, the people and the smiles.  In every car, truck or bus I would look out the window and make eye contact with children, we would exchange eager smiles and waves.  Some kids would run after. There was one boy who was walking home with his father and as I waved to him from the back of the bus he paused and then walked in the opposite direction of his father, following the bus.  This boy must have been 4 years old and the cutest thing ever! I still have this vivid picture of him walking down the dirt road in his blue and white school uniform toward me.  His dad didn’t even notice that he had left him and the boy didn’t even care to look back.

Excuse me if I jump around like crazy.

While we were in Accra, we visited Dana’s homestay, which was a very nice house in an affluent area.  We went out for a Ghanaian meal of chicken, joolof rice, fried platains, and beer.  It was delicious and very filling.  I really enjoyed the food of Ghana, some of my favorites included fried plantains with roasted peanuts, fresh mangos, pineapple, and papaya, fan ice which is iced chocolate milk, chocolate, spicy rice, egg sandwich…yum yum yum.   One night, Dana took us to the University campus for dinner at a night market.  We walked along rows of open tents selling food and various things.  It was very dark for their only lighting was gas lamps.  It was a really cool setting, reminded me of a base camp but bustling with people and food.  There were tables loaded with fresh fruit and vegetables.  I got my dinner from a buffet line of rice, beans, meats, plantains, and so on.  For 2 Cedi ($1.43 US) I got a full plate of food that I could not finish even after stuffing my face!

            We spent hours at the art market and made soooo many friends!  I got lost in booths of artwork, clothes, crafts, jewelry, and woodwork.  It was not necessarily the things I saw but the people I interacted with.  I met one Ghanaian who had been to Berkeley before for drumming!  It was an instant connection; he called me sister and gave us drumming lessons.  The time flew by as we laughed and drummed with all our new friends.  This was one of my favorite memories thus far. 

I surprisingly felt very safe in Ghana.  They are very strict on crime and have a strong community.  They said if anyone tried to rob someone in public they would get caught and beat up by community members.  Everyone I encountered cared about my safety and wanted to make sure I was enjoying my time in Ghana.  Also, the people of Ghana love the United States, there was Obama stuff everywhere.  One woman said, “Ghana and American are one country, we are one people” another said “Nothing separates us, just the color of our skin”

The only time I did not feel safe was when we tried to get a bus back to Accra.  Our taxi cab driver took us to a bus station that was recommended from a man at the hotel.  We were driving through areas that were of deep poverty.  Our driver told us to hold tight onto our bags, it is not a safe area.  Immediately my heart beat a little faster and I clenched my bag. I rolled up my window as the road narrowed and more people roamed the streets.  Shacks, livestock, and trash lined the dirt road.  Next thing I know, the road narrowed and crowds of people surrounded us.  We reached the bus station and it looked nothing like the one we had come in on.  We completely stood out, four white girls with a lot of stuff.  People surrounded our taxi and yelled to try to get us to take their bus.  Every person stared into our taxi and then followed us.  It was complete chaos.  I was so nervous.  We tried to figure out what was going on as our taxi cab driver conversed with men.  Conversed is not the right word, argued, haggled, mediated.  I honestly don’t know how to describe this situation.  Thank God our taxi cab driver decided to turn around and take us to another bus station, he said that one was not safe for us.  He questioned why the man at the hotel told him to go there, it was obviously not a place for foreigners.

            I spent the last two days doing Semester at Sea trips.  I went for a hike in Anasaka National Park and got to swim in the ocean!  After the hike we went to a beach for lunch and with 8 minutes to get onto the bus my friend Austin and I ran down the dirt hill, jumped in the ocean, and sprinted back up the hill to the bus.  Whew! I sat in my wet clothes for the bus ride home but it was so worth it.   It felt so good to run into the ocean! The water was unbelievably warm and the sand was so soft.  The next day, I went to a hospital where I learned about women’s health and child birthing practices.  It was intense.  We spent a couple hours talking with a doctor and then got a complete tour of the childbirth clinic.  I didn’t see any live births but got to see women with their babies right after birth.