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 :)