Hello! Sorry for my absence from the internet (and unresponsiveness to Facebook messages/emails). I love, love, love hearing from you all (so keep em coming!) and yes, I’m alive and well over here :) We've been having frequent power outages, usually right when I am planning to go on the computer.
Overall, I’m feeling really happy about life here. Sometimes I step out of my body for a second and just laugh at how crazy it is that I’m in GHANA, pounding fufu or squishing between two "obolo" (big, fat) ladies on the way to school or marching back and forth for an hour with a wooden fake rifle in the sun (more about that below). This week was week two of school and the first week of classes (apparently it’s normal here for no teachers to come for the first week haha). New experiences and learning about Ghanaian culture have been keeping me really busy – here’s a little of what I’ve done in the past week: I went to a couple different markets (THAT is an experience...they're a little different from Eastern Market), wandered around downtown Accra with some other exchange students, went out for milkshakes in Osu with my sister and a couple of her friends, played soccer with the guys from my class, learned how to make banku, helped my little host cousin Kofi learn his ABC's (by using old charcoal as chalk to write them on the ground), and much much more! I've also finished two really good books since I got here (The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears), and I started a third today (The Millionaire Teacher). I was so worried before I left that I would be bored here in my first few weeks but actually I've been staying super busy. Last Wednesday we didn't do much to celebrate my birthday because most of the family went to Cape Coast for a funeral, so it was kind of sad being away from friends and family in DC for that. I'm 18 now though, woo hoo! :) Last Saturday I spent the day with some friends at an awesome mostly deserted beach, which was really cool.
There really is no typical weekend day, though I think my routine for Saturday mornings will be waking up early to do my laundry then going downtown to the AFS office for Twi lessons and Sunday mornings will be spent at a loooong church service.
On a typical week day I wake up at 5:15 or 6:00, depending on whether I am going for a jog on that day or not. Then I get my things together for school, take my bucket shower, put on my uniform, and eat breakfast. Even on weekdays, my host family makes awesome breakfasts like french toast or omelets.
At 7:00 my neighbor, Eko, comes over and we get a tro tro together to school (tro tros are big vans that are used here instead of buses). He is in Form 3 at my school (which is the equivalent of being a senior – I’m in Form 2), studying business. Depending on the day of the week we either go to mass, have class meetings, or line up in front of the school once we get there. I’m in school every day from 7:30 – 3:00 with a 40 minute break at 10:30 and a 15 minute one at 1:20. We have five classes per day, with plenty of free time in between because teachers are often late. There is a canteen that sells all of the typical Ghanaian food (banku, fufu, wakye, rice, stew, fish) as well as packaged cookies and chips and fresh fruit. Usually I’m not too hungry, so I get a pineapple or a couple bananas and a bag of peanuts (called “groundnuts” here). The fruit lady peels and cuts up whole pineapples while you wait, then gives you all the fruit in a bag with a little fork to eat it with. It’s awesome.
At about 3:30 I go to cadets practice, which is the junior Air Force training at school. We spend most of our time practicing marches and learning commands. I’ve gotten the basics down now – attention, at ease, about face, fast march, etc. – so now I’m practicing with the rest of the squad for a parade that is coming up. I never pictured myself marching and saluting for fun, but it’s basically the only extracurricular activity the school offers (besides choir, and I don’t think anyone would want me to join that haha) and it has been a good way to get involved and make new friends. And I actually, amazingly, enjoy it!
After cadets practice I walk home, which takes about 30-45 minutes. Once I get home I’m usually hot and tired. Sometimes, I take another bucket shower (then slather on the bug spray!). By this point it's about 6:00 and I have some time to do homework or go on the computer or help cook or play with my little host cousins. I eat my dinner at around 6:30 or 7 (meals here aren’t served family style and everyone eats at different times). After dinner my family likes to watch their soap operas and my host cousins and I usually just hang out and talk. Recently, the power has been going out every other night, which leaves not too many options for things to do after it gets dark. Perfect opportunity for my cousins to give me Twi lessons! I’m in bed by 8 or 8:30 because I have to start it all over again early the next day.
Twi word of the day:
On a typical week day I wake up at 5:15 or 6:00, depending on whether I am going for a jog on that day or not. Then I get my things together for school, take my bucket shower, put on my uniform, and eat breakfast. Even on weekdays, my host family makes awesome breakfasts like french toast or omelets.
At 7:00 my neighbor, Eko, comes over and we get a tro tro together to school (tro tros are big vans that are used here instead of buses). He is in Form 3 at my school (which is the equivalent of being a senior – I’m in Form 2), studying business. Depending on the day of the week we either go to mass, have class meetings, or line up in front of the school once we get there. I’m in school every day from 7:30 – 3:00 with a 40 minute break at 10:30 and a 15 minute one at 1:20. We have five classes per day, with plenty of free time in between because teachers are often late. There is a canteen that sells all of the typical Ghanaian food (banku, fufu, wakye, rice, stew, fish) as well as packaged cookies and chips and fresh fruit. Usually I’m not too hungry, so I get a pineapple or a couple bananas and a bag of peanuts (called “groundnuts” here). The fruit lady peels and cuts up whole pineapples while you wait, then gives you all the fruit in a bag with a little fork to eat it with. It’s awesome.
At about 3:30 I go to cadets practice, which is the junior Air Force training at school. We spend most of our time practicing marches and learning commands. I’ve gotten the basics down now – attention, at ease, about face, fast march, etc. – so now I’m practicing with the rest of the squad for a parade that is coming up. I never pictured myself marching and saluting for fun, but it’s basically the only extracurricular activity the school offers (besides choir, and I don’t think anyone would want me to join that haha) and it has been a good way to get involved and make new friends. And I actually, amazingly, enjoy it!
After cadets practice I walk home, which takes about 30-45 minutes. Once I get home I’m usually hot and tired. Sometimes, I take another bucket shower (then slather on the bug spray!). By this point it's about 6:00 and I have some time to do homework or go on the computer or help cook or play with my little host cousins. I eat my dinner at around 6:30 or 7 (meals here aren’t served family style and everyone eats at different times). After dinner my family likes to watch their soap operas and my host cousins and I usually just hang out and talk. Recently, the power has been going out every other night, which leaves not too many options for things to do after it gets dark. Perfect opportunity for my cousins to give me Twi lessons! I’m in bed by 8 or 8:30 because I have to start it all over again early the next day.
Twi word of the day:
Maakye – Good morning (pronounced mah-chay)
