Sunday Ghanaian Presidential Elections and guess what I'M DONE!

This past Sunday voting was held for the next Ghanaian president as well as for the members of parliament. At this point just over 80% of the votes have been counted and it looks like the New Patriotic Party, the current ruling party's candidate, Nana Akufo Addo holds the lead with 49.3% of the vote. If neither candidate passes the 50% threshold, which will be announced at 2:00 pm today, then there will have to be a run-off

This election has been flagged as a test for African democracy after there have been flawed polls with violence in Kenya, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. The election has been closely watched by African democracy activists, as well as by the Ghanaian people, who have only hoped for a peaceful process. For days on end I have seen Ghanaians glued to their blasting radios, listening to any information they can get about the election, and it has been with out a doubt the main topic of discussion among both Ghanaians and foreigners here.


Well in other news, I am done. I finished my last paper and turned it in this morning. Does is feel good? Hell yes. I sure have had a lot of work these past couple weeks, but luckily I have been able to keep my mind pretty on track to finish strong. Also, I didn't fail Twi and that is also wonderful. My brain is currently packed full of new African knowledge and I feel that since this experience has been framed from within the continent my retention of that knowledge will be quite good. I have actually loved writing some of my final papers which have included The Effects of Cell Phones on the Developing World, Major Historical Influences on the Architectural Development of Accra, The G8 Africa Action Plan in Relation to Africa’s Development, The Failed State Syndrome and Africa, and The Globalization of African Music. Interesting eh? Though it was difficult at times to get everything done in a timely manner, I thoroughly enjoyed researching and really digging into all of these topics.

Now that I have completed my work, do you know what this means?
Paaaaaaacking time! (and a little bit of fun in the sun while I still can! It was of course just 9 degrees back home yesterday.)

xoo Ellie

Mepaakyew!

Dear friends and family,

I am currently sitting in my academic center listening to the rain pound down on the roof. It is my second to last Friday night here in Ghana and the different emotions which have been hitting me in waves are catching me off guard. While I have been looking forward to coming back home for the past month, I am now facing feelings of hesitation towards my return(don't worry loves my ticket is still solidly booked).

As my friends and I have been discussing, it is approaching the unknown which seems most daunting. How exactly will we face our transition back to life in the States? Will we just be too busy catching up with our friends and loved ones to think about it? We haven't really been able to process our time here- our last weeks are being spent wrapping up our classes and finals. When do we really take that moment to step back and how will it then effect us?

How will we face the questions from our friends... consensus being- how can you possibly sum up this kind of experience in a passing conversation or even an hour long one? It wasn't a trip, it was 4 months of my junior year of college living, breathing, tasting, smelling, touching, understanding, questioning, and experiencing life in Ghana, a small but highly influential piece of the continent of Africa. Here is a classic cliche, I wouldn't change my decision to come here for a second, from hours spent getting lost in colorful crowded markets, to traveling in cramped stinky trotros, haggling with taxi drivers(no meters in Ghana), getting led in the right direction by strangers, to getting led in the total wrong direction, and undoubtedly becoming a more complete student of the world. I have not only been able to learn about Ghana academically but I was given the amazing opportunity to live it, and for that I am so thankful.

xxo Ellie

ALSO
Here is my shameless plug... As I know if you are still reading this blog you must be interested a bit in my life and of course a part of my life back in the States is rowing and the boat I was in this past year is one of the top ten finalists in the Crew of the Year poll for 2008. So your job? Vote. :)
Here is the link.
This is our blurb:
Trinity Women's Openweight Varsity 8+ - Won the Head of the Charles, New England Championships, and NCAA DIII Varsity 8+ Championship. Was the first DIII school to attempt to qualify for the Henley Women's Regatta and ended up winning the Senior 8+ event. Also nearly qualified for the Remenham Challenge Cup event at Henley before breaking an oar.

THANKS
back to paper writing!

Wli Falls

Well I probably had some of the best fun I have had all semester this past Saturday. It was our last big trip and it was to the tallest waterfall in West Africa, Wli Falls. It lies close to the border of Togo, in the Eastern Region, and let me say--- just takes your breath away. We were able to go directly under the falls and feel the the water pound over our bodies like hail. The rushing of air is so strong and the sound is powerfully deafening. So of course since our group consists mostly of girls, it almost goes without saying that there was a lot of screaming going on.

My Thanksgiving was wonderful... we had a very nice group dinner in our courtyard.... And there was a stellar full-stomached dance party which followed...

OK! Back to finals.

The End is in Sight ( trip to the Northern region recap.)

Dear friends and family,

I have been working to bury my head in the books... Finals time has truly commenced here. I have been trying not to fall back into my typical procrastinator habits but I knew I could no longer neglect my loyal blog followers.

(How have I been spending my past few weeks here in good ol Ghana? Shall we photo montage? Yes I think we shall.......)

From the 6th to the 9th of November we took a trip up around the Northern region of Ghana. It has a predominately Muslim population with many different tribal groups intermixed. I know that my trip to the north really helped to round out my experience here in Ghana. It is pretty unbelievable to see how visiting a region just a couple hundred km north can transform a view of a country.



Why of course I will share the trip highlights, which are as follows:


Dr. Abdulai's clinic

We visited a free clinic which was started by a local Ghanaian surgeon, Dr. Abdulai(he is wearing white in the picture). He shared his story with us about how he was working in Germany making a very comfortable living and made the decision to start his clinic based off of the success of two unpaid surgeries he performed in Ghana. He felt that their successes were a direct message from God to start the clinic and today it runs completely on donations both foreign and local. He is a man who simply exudes light and joy. Within seconds of meeting him it was impossible not be thankful that people like him exist in this world.


Mosque

Allahu Akbar

Diviner

I was able to meet with a Diviner. The Diviners basically tell you of your future or anything which may interest you. To insure things go the way you want in your life they always present a prescription at the end. My prescription included purchasing cola nuts and giving them to the mother of twins, while on the other side of things one of my friends was asked to slaughter a cow.

Pikworo Slave Camp

The Pikworo slave camp was a location in Paga used to hold slaves before they were brought down in chains to the castles and forts along the coast of Ghana.

My friend Joy holds a rock once used by female slaves who had to grind and cook food on the rocks in the scorching heat.

This is the punishment rock. When certain slaves behaved very badly they were made an example of and were chained to this rock at their feet and were beaten to death. Their struggle is represented in the erosion that their chains had created at the base of the rock.

Widow Basket Weavers


We visited with widowers who have been able to find a steady source of income through basket weaving. Female widows are typically out casted in tribes of northern Ghana. When their husbands initially die, the wives are firstly accused of killing him either by their own hand or through fetish(voodoo or witchcraft). They are then frequently forced to walk through their villages completely exposed when they go to bathe and are publicly humiliated or shunned. These women have been able to ban together and find happiness in their unity, though widows across northern Ghana continue to face hard times within their communities.

Aburi Gardens on the First of November

This past Saturday we took a trip to Aburi Botanical Gardens in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.
At first our guided tour consisted of literally a stop at one tree after another with a long winded explanation of the tree.... Most of the group, still recovering from Halloween the night before were feeling some regret for taking this trip... Until it got a little more hands on.

We ventured on into the more sensory intensive activities which included chewing on the inner bark of a cinnamon tree, smelling all spice leaves and menthol leaves, eating berries, and star fruit.

Here is some of the group pulling off bark from the cinnamon tree.
This is my friend Madeline standing in front of a monstrous tree covered in leaves. (sorry I don't remember the name of it)

The biggest treat of the tour? Getting the opportunity to try the miracle berry or miracle fruit. Once you eat one of these berries it makes any of the food you eat taste sweet. I was caught off guard because I didn't realize how strong its effects would be, but it was pretty amazing. I had a nimble of the miracle berry and then a bite of my not so ripe star fruit which had previously tasted extremely bitter... and miraculously it now tasted so very sweet. Pretty unforgettable.

Tomorrow morning we head out on a four day trip to the Northern Region of Ghana. It is predominantly a Muslim population and very different from all other areas of Ghana so I am quite excited.

all the best from Ghana.

Pictures

Green Turtle Lodge Pictures from fall break are all up with captions.

Kumasi Trip Pictures from early October.


I forgot to mention that I had a kick bottom Halloween in Ghana Friday night. A bunch of us pieced together some costumes then headed over to the other dorm for my first success and then failure at jello shots---- the heat really took it to them on my walk over to the other NYU dorm.
We made a stop at a Halloween party being thrown at the University of Ghana---kind of lame but good to see some people dressed up in costumes. We then made our way to a club called Aphrodisiac. They were throwing a Halloween party of their own... but they were charging 20 dollars per person to get in. Crazy? yes. My friend who is constantly working on a budget proceeds to bargain our way into this club. She gets a price of 60 dollars for our entire group of 12 girls, impressive right? We then proceeded to dance the night away. At points I found myself working to corral my over-served friends away from the closed off sections which were for private stripper parties... hmm I left around 2am to see my friends off to bed.

There is still a bit more left to my Halloween story. You see in Ghana there are police check points along the roads to make sure that everyone is safe in their vehicles. Well, before we arrive back at the dorm we are stopped at a check point. The police officer, with quite a big gun might I add, checks in to make sure we are all right. I am thinking since I am the most sober of the bunch should handle the conversation. I will present my side of the conversation with said policeman "Hello officer, yes we are fine. Where are we going? To our dorm, NYU, yes we are students, yes here in Ghana."..............."No I will not marry you."

Just a reality I 'spose.

My Halloween in Ghana.
Melted jello shots... sketchy club... dancing... marriage proposal.


All for now, go vote.

-Ellie

Ghanaaaa Obaaaama

First off. Let me tell you how I was thrown into a bit of a fussy fit on Sunday afternoon when some news was revealed to me... Ghana does not need to have day light savings time.... hmm so do you know what that does for the time difference? Now it is five hours ahead versus the 4 that it use to be. Not a big deal in the big scheme of things but I had not mentally prepared myself for a bigger gap in my ability to communicate with family and friends. Luckily my roommate quickly pacified me with some chocolate and I had an almost immediate recovery out of my fussy boots attitude.

You may not believe the amount that Ghanaians follow the US presidential elections... Which at this point they might be following even more than their own, which are coming up in December. They LoveLoveLove Barrack Obama. When they aren't blasting slogans of the Ghanaian presidential candidates through the streets on speakers, it is quite common to hear the catchy Obama song they have created. "Barack Barack Barrrrrack Obama!" There isn't much to it but its the thought that counts.

How are we as students abroad in Ghana following the elections? There will be an election party starting Tuesday night at 10:30 Pm... who knows how long it could last 4 am? It is being thrown by our NYU program and there will be other students from the University of Ghana, Ashesi University, and hopefully people from other study abroad programs. We will have a lot of media coverage, including all of the major public TV stations in Ghana as well as live radio coverage and more. It might turn out to be a pretty tremendous event. The majority of Ghanaians are very interested in US politics and this election is no different so it is quite easy to see why our event would get so much media attention.

I wish everyone all the best in the voting process if you have not done it yet!

-Ellie

I have uploaded some new pictures from my fall break, I am hoping to add captions and more pics soon.... Bed time for now--- I will be up very late Tuesday evening.

A Photographic Intro to the Green Turtle Lodge Lifestyle

My home for the week.

Teaching about turtles at the local primary schools in the morning.Lounging on the beach in the afternoon.
Watching the Akwidaa fishermen from the beach.

Watching the sunset change colors with every passing moment.Patroling the beach for nesting turtles by night.
Making sure the momma turtles make it back to the sea.

Mission fall break: Accomplished.

Fall Break Ghana

Greetings all!

I have reached the halfway point and I am alive and well. Time for my fall break where I will get some much loved doses of fun in the sun. I promise to wear sunscreen, if i remember ;)... Kidding I would still fry like a tall goofy lobster if I hung around too long on the beach without it. I will without a doubt be thinking of you family as I get thrown around in the waves. Oh here it comes, this is a good one, its definitely a good one, oh no its too big, too late to run away, smash, crash, tumbletumble,water up the nose, sand in the bathing suit, oh where's my bathing suit? wheres up? wheres down? where am I? crawl to shore with little dignity...ok who's ready for another one? I can not wait! No worries, I will be mindful of riptide, float float float-swim parallel-counter intuitive-don't panic- am I panicking? gaaaah stay calm-oh oh-)

Saturday morning I will depart from Accra to travel an estimated 5 hours to Akwidaa where the Green Turtle Lodge awaits us in the Western region of Ghana. I along with two other girls from my group plan on staying for the week doing turtle conservation(not turtle conversation GC). At this point we are signed up to do some night patrols to monitor nesting activities and teach at a school in the local fishing and farming village.

(Green turtle going up for air, photo credit Wiki)

A little bit about the project from the Green Turtle website follows.

Turtle Conservation
There are three types of sea turtle nesting on the beaches in Ghana: the Olive Ridley, the Leatherback and the Green Turtle. All of these turtles are endangered species. It is very important that we protect these fascinating creatures from the dangers they face. Ghana Wildlife Society is worried that “given the current rate of killing the turtles, they will soon be extinct.” Fishermen and other members of the local community who may come across the turtles are not aware of the importance of protecting them. This unfortunately means that sea turtles are killed and the meat is sold or the eggs are poached from their nests. Therefore, as a volunteer, you are extremely important. You play a vital role in the protection of the sea turtles and thus in the conservation of the wildlife of Ghana.




Green Turtle Lodge: The Importance of ECO-Tourism

http://www.modernghana.com/news/179898/1/green-turtle-lodge-the-importance-of-eco-tourism.html



So if all goes according to plan we will be doing conservation of endangered turtles in a palm-lined beach paradise in Ghana. Hmmm... need I say much more?

All the very best,
Ellie

Mepe Kumasi Papaapa!

FIRST OFF- HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! LOVE YOU.

This past weekend we had a trip to the city of Kumasi. Here is my story.

(View of the Kumasi Market from above)

We departed Saturday morning around 5am to traverse 6 hours up to the southern part of the central region of Ghana. We arrived at our hotel located in the second most populated city in the country, the capital of the Asanti Kingdom, and the location of the largest open air market in West Africa....Akwaaba Kumasi!

(Manhyia Palace)

Headed to the Kumasi National Culture Centre where we had a buffet of the typical grease drippin' finger lickin' stomach stickin' traditional Ghanaian cuisine. AAAh.yum. We saw many different kinds of crafts which included weaving, brass sculpting, wood carvings, and beads. Next we went to the Manhyia Palace and Museum which gave a good narrative of the history of the Asante Kingdom and it's people. We had a pretty amusing tour guide who kept us on our toes as we waited with bated breath for the next moment where he would put the oddest emphasis on the most random syllable of just about any word. (Example.... "This is the adinkra symbol which represents the idea of tit for tat. TIT FOR TAT!" pronouced *TEET FOR TAT* ... also each time when explaining something relating to the king it went like this... "This was the pen for the king, see how big the pen is? The king was a big man, this was the pen of the king, OF THE KING!"pronouced *KEENG!*)

(Man with cacoa fruit)

After the tour some of us were treated outside the museum when a man decided to explain the history of cacoa tree in Ghana. We were standing under one and he pulled a fruit down and passed it around for us to try. Most of us had no idea that the cacoa fruit tasted like that--- delicious--- sweet, soft, and a bit tart. That was probably one of my favorite surprises of the day.

(Cacoa Tree)


Headed to a strip of craft shops next where we took our turn at bargaining up a storm. So much fun, I am going to have a hard time coming back to the states and paying the price on the tag.. TE SO! REDUCE IT! I even impressed our Ghanaian resident assitants with the prices I got for my things.

A big group of us headed to an Indian/continental restaraunt for dinner. By a big group, I mean 11 and when I mean headed I mean all 11 of us smooshed into a 5 passenger taxi together. (Sorry mom, I had a person as a seatbelt though.) Including the taxi driver it was 12 people plus a bunch of plantains. I had a yummy veggie burger and beer for dinner.

(Plantain seller in Kumasi Market)

Sunday morning was spent in the very extensive market. It was too bad that we visited it on Sunday(since the people of Ghana are very religious) so the market wasn't as bustling because of church but it was still pretty busy. The sights, sounds, and smells created a fantastic sensory overload that I just soaked in. Red red tomatoes, some ripe, some rotting-- piles of stinky dried, fried, or raw fish,---raw cuts of beef covered in flies-- boiled cow head--- live chickens in boxes--- yellow green spicey peppers--- fumes of spicey peppers being cooked that made your eyes water--hundreds of soil covered yams-- piles of every style of sandal, new and used, brown, yellow, black, orange, silver----fabric galore, colors and patterns to drool over. It was fantastic as you could image, makes any mall of the US seem tame, sanitary, overpriced, and boring. I loved the market.

(Fabric being carried through the empty alleyways of the tame Sunday market)

(Selling vegetables in the Market)

Trip back.
We gazed upon the scenery passing by our windows as the big equatoral sun was sinking down in the distance. Even getting caught in the heavy traffic was fun as we were able to slow down and watch village life a little closer, seeing the market people interact, smiling and joking, people dressed up walking home from church, a wedding, or a funeral. I think I fell for Ghana a little bit more during this trip.

(Crates being carried outside the market)

Want to come back with me?!

---------

Sidenote for the day.
My addiction: Cauldren fried spicey plantains from a street over. I collect whatever coins I have from my bag, hand it over and then get a load of plantains wrapped in a piece of scrap paper.
heaven.

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Women of Kwamoso

Janet, Agnes, and Mary the women from Kwamoso, our Habitat build location, preparing fish.

I have posted some pictures from the build. The internet was fussy, so I just posted all that I had and didn't sort through them yet....

Crash course entitled Ghana: Lessons in Patience.

“How little we know, how eager to learn”

Being a foreigner in the continent of Africa brings along many questions regarding your motives for being here, not necessarily just from locals but from other foreigners. Many of the historical and present day conflicts and problems are effects of foreign interference. These vary all the way from the transatlantic slave trade to border creations to the Bretton Woods system. Nowadays the different philosophies of NGOs and independent volunteers in Africa seems to be a matter unto itself.

One question that arises about international involvement of course pertains to the issue of money. The question being "Will money solve Africa's developmental problems?"
The topic of development seems to be the dominating theme in the social and political sectors of Ghana. Most of what you read or see on the news has some aspect of it. I would go so far as to say it is almost an obsession. Therefore I see this question appear in most of my classes.

The following website contains a commentary directly answering:
"Will money solve Africa's Developmental problems?"

.......................................................................................................
Kwamoso Habitat Build

I had an AMAZING day today. Without a doubt one of the best times I have had here in Ghana so far. Under the direction of a handful of local men, our group aided in the construction of a house for the village of Kwamoso. Tasks included making mortar, carrying bricks(on your head of course), laying brick, making clay mixture for bricks, and molding bricks. I tried a little bit of everything but spent a majority of my time mixing the clay for the bricks. Picture the grape stomping, wine making I Love Lucy episode. Well now imagine the stomping of wet clay in a big hole in the ground. Heaven. Mushy, wholesome, dirty work heaven.

We took a short break for lunch under the trees and then headed back to work. We were greeted with fast approaching rain clouds. Well what we got was rain, as Forest Gump would say, "Big ol fat rain." They were the biggest rain drops I had ever seen or felt. It was too bad that work was cut short but it was a wonderful reprieve from the heat and a refreshing natural shower to wash away the clay and dust from our bodies. I sure did enjoy being surrounded by the lush environment of the eastern region of Ghana and a great group of people who were just appreciating every moment that came our way. I am very thankful for today.

Yawda Yawda Yawda.

Yawda=Thursday in Twi. how fun.


A week as gone by. Hi mom, Hi dad! Hi friends, family! (Brother are you reading this? here is your test)

Last Friday had an interesting day at the Liberian Refugee camp. It was about a 2 & 1/2 hr tro tro trip away with a transfer at Kaneshi Market halfway. Kaneshi is a crazyfest of a marketplace. I think I will try and bring my camera tomorrow to pass on some images for you all. Kaneshi is a very large yellow three story building. All along the sides of the building and nearby streets are mostly females selling a wide range of goods. Everyone is tightly packed together, yam sellers next to yam sellers, fish sellers packed next to fish sellers etc. Top pick of interesting foodstuffs I saw last time were raw pigs feet in a basket. I wonder how much they were going for. In the actual building of Kaneshi the first floor is food products, second floor is a big mix from Tupperware to weaves to bras, and the third floor is fabric and seamstress heaven. No real way to understand how to get around the place, no hallways, just twists and turns through the sellers.

Spent a few hours at the refugee camp meeting people. The actual camp is a pretty established village, pretty big, and most of the people I talked to had been there since the 90's. There are both children and adult educational and vocational schools. It truly is a living community. I head back there tomorrow to listen and document stories from former child soldiers.

Moving along, last Friday night our group headed out to Chez Afrique, a wonderful restaurant, bar, and great place for live music. It was a bit more upscale than the other places we have been to so I was finally able to dance alone to my heart's content without being constantly bombarded by too many potential dance partner/creepers.

Last Saturday night. Eight of us went out for another birthday celebration to a great Thai place. We were welcomed very warmly and they had great live music--- the birthday girl had a wonderful serenading of the Ghanaian version of the happy birthday song along with a bottle of wine on the house. After I enjoyed some prawn pad Thai and my dessert of fried pineapple and chocolate ice cream we proceeded to a popular Obruni(foreigner) night spot called Champs. It is nice big sports bar with an open kitchen, bar, and pool tables.... Cover charge of 10 dollars and the bar is open to your disposal after that. So of course there has to be-- a karaoke stage, phenomenal. I played(attempted to learn) some pool with two middle aged South Africans who are here on business. Then I documented my friends tearing up the karaoke stage. Lovely time.

Today! I secured my reservations for my fall break in mid October which will include living on the beach doing turtle conservation and teaching at a local school. This will all take place five hours west of Accra in Akwidaa at Green Turtle Lodge. I hope to take some canoe trips through mangrove swamps and hike a bit- do the nature touristy thing etc.

African Popular Music class today was revealing to my extreme lack of musical talent. Half of our class time was spent doing a practical drumming lesson. I was given what was suppose to be the easy instrument. I was told that it was the dancing beat, so you should be able to do it if you could dance well. Hmmm well I found out that it is one thing to find the beat with your hips but something completely different to make the beat with your hand.... consistently. Who would have thought "tap tap tap tap tap tap" could be so hard. Kudos goes out to those musically inclined folk.

This upcoming Saturday Habitat for Humanity build in a village about 2 hours away.
Looking forward to it.

(Brother you still reading?)

xxoo
All the very best,
Ellie

It's a calabash, duh.

Greetings,
I had my African Popular Music class today. First music class I have taken in a very long time so it is a good change of pace, not saying I follow too much but I find bits to enjoy about it. Then spent my afternoon doing some reading in the sun outside. This evening celebrated a friend's birthday with some coconut cake and a movie.

I thought I would pass along this op ed piece entitled News Good Enough to Bury from the NY Times that was written this past August.
If you don't have time to read it I thought there was a pretty revealing quotation I will share with you.

While I was in Ghana, I read a paper called The Daily Graphic. One day,
it had two ads on successive pages, the first about broadband Internet becoming
available in the central city of Sunyani from a company called Care 4U, the
second about the “high incidence of open defecation in Ghana.”
“Most
affordable! Feel the speed!” said the first ad. The second, from a Ghana
sanitation monitoring agency, estimated that “more than four million people in
Ghana defecate in the bush, open drains, water bodies, or fields” and suggested
means to stop the practice.
Two images of an African nation — modernizing or
primitive: I know which comforts the continent’s stubborn stereotypes. Africa
Ascendant is not yet a slogan that sells. It will be.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/opinion/21Cohen.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


It is a very common for people to defecate in open areas but also to relieve their bladder quite publicly. At the same time, as the article mentions, there is a strong trend of modernization occurring. I believe that Africa will undoubtedly be the region to watch in the coming years in the international scene.


Anyways have to get to bed semi early. I am headed off to a Liberian Refugee camp tomorrow. It is about a two hour tro tro ride away. If I have not yet explained a tro tro I apologize. I must take a picture soon. It is a means of ramshackle public transportation in sketchy vans with about 30 people smooched in. Plus side? They go about everywhere and a 1 hr trip on average cost 85 cents. Nice.

Bedtime.

-Ellie

"Looks like somebodys got a case of the Mondays" (thats why I obviously had to write this on Tuesday)

Hello Hello,
I have decided to smuggle this baby into the states. This is baby Emerald from my homestay and I just had to post this picture.

Sidenote: baby Emmie took a poopie in the bath moments after this picture was taken.

Monday is always my busy day so I am glad this past Monday was filled with some wonderful and just intriguing classes and discussions.

9-12 am Globalization and the African Continent. Everyday more and more the teacher reveals her extreme anti Western mindset. I believe that everyone has a right to their own opinion and obviously there are a lot of problems with the Western world's involvement in developing nations and elsewhere but sometimes her statements are contradictory or not based in fact. Simple examples range from her saying that a McDonalds should never and would never survive in Ghana because Ghanaians do not understand the concept of putting something inbetween two pieces of bread and thats just silly. Within the same class period she discussed how her family ate sandwiches for lunch most times and didn't have time for traditional Ghanaian food. Well I may be biased because I am an avid supporter of sandwiches but I think locals could grasp the concept of meat sandwiches and I do believe I see it in many restaurants already(Ghana really isn't closed off from the outside world.) She also felt that the concept of land being seen as a commodity could never occur in Ghana because it has always been communal element in their lives. She then went on to describe some people selling land for ludacris prices around the country. It is so important to be exposed to these types of opinions to know that they exist, even among the educated professionals. Analyzing why these ideas occur is just as meaningful to our education as anything else and it definitely spurs on great conversations and arguments.

12:30- 2:00 Twi Class. A struggle.
Here's a little taste of some tribal language lessons. I am providing an example of the bargaining process that is very much so an element of day to day life in Ghana.
Ankaa wura bra! Orange seller come here!
Mepe ankaa paa. I like oranges a lot.
MepaakyEw, wei yE sen? Please, how much is this?
Ne bo>(letter that doesn't exist on keyboard but looks like half circle facing left) yE den. It is expensive.
Te so! Reduce the price!
EyE dE? Abere? Are they sweet? Are they ripe?
Ma me sidi mmienu. Give me 2 cedi worth.
Sikanoni. Here is the money.
Madaase pii. Thank you very much.

The bargaining, buying, and interaction that is involved is a conversation unto itself. Lets just say that giving people the benefit of the doubt in most cases is a habit I have had to break since coming here. It is a sad truth that most times when interacting with a stranger you are either concerned of an ulterior motive or being cheated in some way. At times you wonder is this conversation genuine or is it just occurring because I look like an opportunity to cash in on? Many students share the same sentiments but it is just a reality you learn to deal with.

3:30- 6:00 Global Connections: Accra. My normal teacher who is actually the former mayor of Accra was in Germany on business so our substitute teacher was a fantastic Harvard professor. She taught a very thorough class discussing histories of many different tribes and villages in Ghana including her own families history(her father is Ghanaian and mother is African American). She also talked about many of the intricacies and quirks of the Diasporian relations in Ghana. Many stories are preserved through an oral history and she felt it was important to take note of where there might be alterations in the truth. In the case of her family history she mentioned how a stigma was developed in Ghana during the time of the civil rights movement of the US about having ancestors that were involved in the slave trade. This triggered her families' oral history to transform from having her ancestors be people who freed the slaves instead of actually being the people who captured them.
She believed that there is something behind every belief and that fact at times is overrated.
"Sentiment is a clue to deduce further cultural history."
"Never underestimate the impact of your own identity in the history or narrative you are extracting"

Phenomenal class and again more great viewpoints to understand and learn from.


6:00- 7:30 Screening of documentary analyzing the experience of bringing a multi ethnic group to Elmina Slave Castle(made by the associate director of the NYU in Ghana program). A heated discussion of course followed.
There is a lot to be said about how race plays into my time here in Ghana. Is this my first time truly being a racial minority of a country? Yes. First time being seen as a minority in almost every situation I encounter? Yes. Seeing my role as a white female here puts a whole different perspective on top of everything else.
A new context is needed for understanding our identities here. But it is so much more than that. Our identities in the States come into play as well. We are a diverse group of 41 students trying to figure out how we exist not only in this country with Ghanaians but with each other.

Every one's racial baggage may not get checked on the plane but it definitely chooses to come along for the trip whether you like it or not.

All for now.
Attempting to figure out plans for fall break in October ideas range from a trip to Kenya or Mali or adventures in Ghana. Maybe turtle conservation on a beach along the Western coast? Sounds like heaven.


All the best,
Ellie

How Domestic.

Back from the homestay.

I stayed with a family that consisted of a grandma named Auntie Augie, 24 year old mother named Patience, her 10 month old baby girl Emerald. The family was wonderful. They were very kind and welcoming. We made a lot of food, ate a lot of food, met some of the neighbors and neighborhood children, ate a lot of food, bathed Emerald, did some of my Twi homework(one of my tutors was a 7 year old), oh and we ate some more food(with our hands of course).

So I don't really know what I was pounding since it doesn't have a translation for English but it was a type of vegetable and pepper I believe. The mash was then added to water then strained so that the paste was kept for the base of a stew which had fish and snails in it. BIG SNAILS.

Yes you do just crave to get into it and mash it up but do believe that it gets to be tedious work.

This is my friend Joy being taught how the women here wrap there babies around them with fabric. Baby Emie with Joy on the are on the left and Patience and Auntie Augie to the right.

I have not put up the homestay pictures yet but I have added some more pictures to my September album from last weekend.

http://picasaweb.google.com/wheresbowski/GhanaSeptember

Now I am off to write some papers for my classes tomorrow. No more cultural exchanges to help me procrastinate. Blast.

Best,

Ellie

Off to weekend homestay

Hey All,
I will be staying with a Ghanaian family for the next three days. I am hoping to get some help with my Twi homework. It should be an interesting experience. The director was stressing that it may not be enjoyable, but it will be "maturing". mmm Well prepare for rain, pray for sunshine.

Added some new pictures of the canopy walks.

-Ellie

Ignorance Wrapped Inside of Innocence

Just a quick update while my internet is fast before I head to my African Popular Music class at the University of Ghana.

This past weekend was a whirlwind of emotions for our group. We took a trip to Elmina and Cape Coast, two towns about 2 and half hours west of Accra on the coast. On Saturday we toured the Elmina Castle which durring the time of the transatlantic slave trade held slaves captive before they were shipped off for the Americas. I was able to upload some pictures of this experience and the sights that we saw. It is quite hard to articulate all of the emotions that a place like that can evoke for people. http://picasaweb.google.com/wheresbowski/GhanaSeptember

Saturday afternoon we visited Kokum National Park to do a canopy walk which consisted of suspended rope bridges through the tops of the trees. It was very beautiful and interesting to see the fear some people had to overcome just to get out onto the bridges. I will post the rest of my pictures as soon as I can because again, so hard to describe that experience. When departing the Park we went to a restaurant that was suspended on stilts above a crocodile pond. Awesome. I took video of that and will pass that along at some point.

Saturday night stayed at Coconut Grove Beach Resort. BEAUTIFUL. Palm wine tasting and a bonfire to cap off the day.

Sunday lazed around the pool and ocean and did some much needed homework.

Fantastic weekend.

Miss you all.
Hope to write again soon.

Flip Flops and Blood Tests

Hello hello,
It has been a week. A week filled with some splendid experiences, stories to follow of course.

My first impressions of my courses, now that I have gone to all of them, is good. The average class size is literally 5 students per class with some pretty great Ghanaian professors. My Twi language course is going to be a toughie, my language learning skills are, um, I just wouldn't say it is a strong point of mine. All apart of the learning experience eh?

My Politics of Sub Saharan Africa class is taught by the head of the Political Science department at the University of Ghana. He is content to talk on matters concerning anything that we may be curious about in our new home of Ghana. Our last class ran an extra 30 minutes (mind you the classes are already 3 hours long... so....ya.) A student debated with the prof about how the traditional family structure of Africa is based around taking care of the whole community and how it has had to transform into the Western way which consists of taking care of the nuclear and maybe some of the extended family. I believe she was trying to convey that with this transition of motives within society the whole community is now unable to rise up together and individuals have succumb to the dog eat dog system of the Western world. It was a viewpoint which had not considered before and I decided I would send it along to my readers in the 'Western world' to chew on. Now I don't want to get too political on this one but since it is my blog I thought I would quote a little Sage Francis on this one, " The rich get richer till the poor get educated."

Controversial discussions tend to rise up in most classes quite often, which can get difficult but it allows for people to definitely think about other perspectives.

Last Thursday night was a little birthday celebration for one of the boys and most of our group went out for some live music and dancing. Sweaty crowded fun. I met a 20 something year old girl from Holland who is staying in Ghana to teach for a year or so. She was very nice and introduced me to all of her Ghanaian friends. Then apparently one of her friends had eyes for me and my dimples(? which I really do not have.) Then the whole group just had to dance and so I couldn't decline my new friends. Ever been set up with a 40+ Ghanaian man with a pot belly? Good times. Then I left.

Friday night we had a "social mixer" which involved our group mingling with some students from Ashesi U and U of Ghana at one of our dorms. The music got bumpin and yet another dance party began. I wore my new dress that was handmade just for me. Loverly. I went home around 12:30.

The next 48 hours was an experience of sorts. I didn't sleep at all Friday night--- chills and stomach pains. Saturday morning I decided not to head to the beach with my friends for fear of my symptoms getting worse even though I wasn't really concerned----yet. If it was only certain health issues without a fever and dizziness I wouldn't have gotten worried but this didn't seem like a normal bout of developing world dietary change.... After some convincing late Saturday night I called our nurse who thankfully is on call 24/7. Headed to the hospital- taxi driver got lost on way to hospital-felt like I was going to lose the contents of my stomach on said taxi driver. Arrived at the hospital proceeded to vomit on a nice grassy spot outside of a nurse's office(because the hallways are really outside....try to imagine not pretty cement wrap around porches along strips of one floor buildings with waiting rooms and office doors along the sides.)

I really don't know how to describe the hospital. Breezy? Casual? Chill spot? Yes I think those descriptors could work just fine for an outdoor bar as well. Anyway I don't think Ghanaians frequent the hospitals all too much either but I know that there ended up being 14 or so students from my program who had to make a visit there this weekend. Are you still reading? Well here is where the subject line comes into play. I had to get my blood drawn and it was definitely the first time I had that done by someone in flip flops. Diagnosis? They couldn't rule out malaria but signs pointed to a bacterial infection(bad food/water poisoning.) I got some prescriptions and was on my way in one piece. Sunday and Monday morning were still pretty rough on my body but I am on the other side now and feeling fabulous. I hope to not do that again but hey I thought I should share that great weekend. Hope yours was great :)

Where'sBlogski?

Hello Friends,
It's been a while eh? I've been caught up in some things which have seemed to deter my blog posting abilities - both internet connectivity frustrations (hmm more like realities of the developing world) and just the laid back way of life around here. Ah just my speed, sllllooow. Side note, but completely relevant, when they want you to not show up late for something here they say, "Please try to be a little bit on time, you know not too much." Time is important but the way in which you use it seems to be at one's own pace.

Another difference I have noticed is cell phone usage. Hey your cell phone rings during your lecture, yup pick it up, you are leading a tour through a wildlife reservation and your friend calls, yes you are picking it up, traditional drumming performance? no problem- that phone wants to be answered. I have almost never seen a call ignored. What I try to imagine is what those few people who get ignored are thinking, now that seems like rejection in Ghana.

Saturday was pretty eventful. We headed off in the morning to Torgorme village where we were shown around a different side of Ghana. As we arrived about 20 of the village children were all clustered together as curious about us as we were about them but still too shy to really come close at first. (It was almost the exact same situation you can image from middle school where the boys and girls were on separate sides of the gym floor. Silly and harmless.)

The day included a welcoming drumming and dance, getting introduced to the elders and the chief, a naming ceremony(mine is Yaa Lor Lor, meaning love always), another dance party, and then either learning about bead making, weaving, or fishing. While waiting to go out in the fishing boats we had time to sit and interact with the children and people of the village. The main language of the region is Ewe and the children primarily speak that but most of the villagers spoke English as well. As we spent time in the village no matter where you were a child wanted to hold your hand. They weren't asking for anything, they just wanted to stand or sit with you and hold your hand. It was an enjoyable morning and good to get out of the city.

Hmm little did most of us know what we were in for after we left Torgorme... Dressed in flip flops and jeans we had a two and a half hour hike in front of us. Luckily I think that most people who choose to come to Ghana have the "sure why not?" kind of attitude. So we set out for the Shai hills through an expanse of grassy savannah and woodlands to see some caves which use to serve as the cheif's palace until the Shai people were ejected by the British. These caves were filled with bats and the smell was reminiscent of hampster cage. In this wildlife sanctuary we ventured through we were able to spot a herd of antelope, lots of birds, and some olive baboons. The wildlife is pretty sparse in the southern region of the country and many of us hope to visit a more expansive park called Mole National Park in the north.

Well Sunday was exciting because my roommate and I went to the dressmaker. I picked out some awesome fabrics and am getting 2 dresses made so far. We then took a little walk through the market in our town. Working through the second week of classes now and some prove to have pretty controversial topics to discuss. I guess not too much dozing off...

all for now....

My love,
Ellie

posted some new pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/wheresbowski

Popcorn and Pythons

Good afternoon all,

Just finished up my first week of classes. It looks like I will have a good mix of topics all quite interesting to be studying while I am in this country. I am taking Politics of Sub Saharan Africa, Globalization and the Developing World, African Art: Past and Present, Africa in the International Setting, and I have yet to decide on my 5th course. It seems as though with the African Art class we will get to meet with the actual artists in their element and get many hands on experiences ourselves. Although I am a Political Science major I will be looking forward to that a lot.

Popcorn and Pythons you ask? Oh well I got to experience both yesterday at Reggae Night on Labadi Beach. Freshly made popcorn is served right next to the dance floor(the sand) and I took full advantage of that. Pythons... Well they don't serve them fresh, but my group was actually befriended by a rasta with two quite friendly pythons.

A good amount of dancing was done and a fun time all around even when one must constantly be turning away some sketchy creepers. More dancing coming our way...

Give the people what they want.

Pictures of some of my adventures thus far.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/wheresbowski

Sunday was a wonderful day. We had a group brunch followed by a traditional Ghanaian drumming and dance performance. All the students were invited to dance along afterwards. Many many dance parties in Ghana. I was told today since it is an election year that those events only increase the dancing and songs throughout the country. Exciting.

In the afternoon we headed out to Labadi beach which is a hot spot on the weekends for locals. The beach was strewn with bars, vendors, and pick up soccer games(with no out of bounds). Players of the soccer games would dodge around people and sometimes have to retrieve the ball from between a horse's legs, a skill unbeknownst to even the most talented soccer player.

Along the beach people were selling bags, shoes, hardboiled eggs, ciggarettes, popcorn, meat sticks(animal product: unknown), bags of water, and more. It was definitely a site to see. I would go back to people watch again but the water was pretty unswimmable considering that it is a city beach with strong undertow. I think we were just getting our feet wet in the beach scene, so to speak. Many more beautiful beaches to be visited along the coast of Ghana.