It is crazy to think I have already been here two weeks and am starting my third already... Life here continues to be good, full of adventures...
My biggest adventure perhaps was this past Friday when some friends and I decided to go to the National Museum. We took a taxi(slightly terrifying; I might stick to tro-tros as much as possible and not just for financial reasons...) They let us off several blocks away at the National Theatre which we had heard was only a short walk away... We got lost, but then we asked for directions, multiple times... We found it and the museum itself was really interesting. It had this one section which had all these finds from archaelogical digs showing just how old civilization in Africa goes back. In Ghana alone there were multiple Empires and throughout all of the West Africa region.
From the museum we decided to venture off the beaten track and hunt down a restaurant nearby mentioned in somebodies guidebook. The restaurant was fun; I got to eat with my hands again... And after the restaurant we had to find a tro-tro station and navigate our way back to campus at night, being the only abrunis(white people or foreigners). Ok, maybe not very exciting sounding, but it was pretty adventuresome feeling... people were very helpful to point us in the right direction and we kept a close hold on our bags for those who would be helpful in relieving us of our wallets
In other news, I went to the beach yesterday and got sunburned... but it was really fun and the ocean is very pretty and quite warm. I had my first academic class today and got assigned my first homework; I have a feeling that school here is going to be a far cry less demanding than a semester at Whitworth which quite frankly I feel quite happy with.
That's that for now!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
week two...
Greetings from Ghana,
So here is an update on life on the other side of the world. This was the first week of class, but while I attended all of mine, only my drumming class actually happened. Apparently professors rarely show up the first week, and on top of that, there was a strike. They resolved the strike Tuesday afternoon, but all of my classes are on Monday and Tuesday, so I got off easy this week.
Fun and exciting things of this week. I went to an Obama rally Tuesday night put on by American supporters here in Accra(mainly expatriots although the student community definitely made a showing too). We took the tro-tros and everything which is the authentic way to travel, and I got to pick up a form to request an absentee ballot so I can vote!
Wednesday I went to the Madina market with a friend, again taking the tro-tros. We wanted to buy cooking supplies, and last night we made fried plantains(which took and hour and a half on our rusty hotplate in the hostel kitchen). I love the markets; they are crazy. People are everywhere, trying to sell you things, and the sounds and smells bombard you.
Also, I ate with my hands for the first time last night, which was a lot of fun and I enjoyed probably more than is completely rational. I had sticky rice and groundnut stew. I really enjoy Ghanaian cuisine and Ghanaian fruit!
Yep, so thats that, and now I can enjoy my long weekend. I hope all is well back home and everyone is enjoying life in general as much as I am!
So here is an update on life on the other side of the world. This was the first week of class, but while I attended all of mine, only my drumming class actually happened. Apparently professors rarely show up the first week, and on top of that, there was a strike. They resolved the strike Tuesday afternoon, but all of my classes are on Monday and Tuesday, so I got off easy this week.
Fun and exciting things of this week. I went to an Obama rally Tuesday night put on by American supporters here in Accra(mainly expatriots although the student community definitely made a showing too). We took the tro-tros and everything which is the authentic way to travel, and I got to pick up a form to request an absentee ballot so I can vote!
Wednesday I went to the Madina market with a friend, again taking the tro-tros. We wanted to buy cooking supplies, and last night we made fried plantains(which took and hour and a half on our rusty hotplate in the hostel kitchen). I love the markets; they are crazy. People are everywhere, trying to sell you things, and the sounds and smells bombard you.
Also, I ate with my hands for the first time last night, which was a lot of fun and I enjoyed probably more than is completely rational. I had sticky rice and groundnut stew. I really enjoy Ghanaian cuisine and Ghanaian fruit!
Yep, so thats that, and now I can enjoy my long weekend. I hope all is well back home and everyone is enjoying life in general as much as I am!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Hello from Ghana
Hello from Ghana,
I have been here a week and am having a great time. My trip here went smoothly and this past week we received an extensive orientation getting registered as students and lectured on how things work here(ettiquette, politics and religion in the life of the everyday Ghanaian). We also got to see the city and go to the beach. The university is located in a part of Accra called Legon, but there are affordable ways to get anywhere from tro-tros(vans with lots of people) to taxis which are considerably cheaper than in the united states. Around campus there is the old standby of walking.
The campus is big, sprawling and rather beautiful. It is definitely more tropical here than back home with lots of humidity but it hasn't been too hot yet(it's the rainy season so I've heard it gets hotter but also a little less humid later on). You constantly have to watch yourself walking around though because unlike back in the states, pedestrians really have no right of way. THe first few days we all walked in the roads, but I think we've learned to hug the shoulder pretty well.
The program I am studying through is called ISEP, and there are 32 ISEP students from America this semester. There are also several other programs with students from America here. Orientation was a good opportunity to get to know the other ISEP students at least, and they are overall a fun group of people and quite eclectic coming from all over the US.
Today was the first day of classes and the last day of registration, meaning that I went to class this morning but because registration wasn't over the prof didn't see the need to come to class. After waiting for 30 minutes the students who had come decided to . Oh well, maybe next time... I am hopefully going to be taking seven classes; a Twi language class, an AFrican drumming class, a class on the Politics of International Economic Relations, a class on the International Politics of Refugees, a class on Peacebuilding in Post-conflict society, a class on the History of Colonialism in Africa and maybe a class on the Sociology of Law. I also hope to volunteer somewhere while I am here, but that is still in the works.
Anyways, that is life here so far and probably more than anyone has time to read. Now I will cross my fingers and hope the slow and tempremental internet will allow me to actually publish my post:) I hope all is well back in the States!
I have been here a week and am having a great time. My trip here went smoothly and this past week we received an extensive orientation getting registered as students and lectured on how things work here(ettiquette, politics and religion in the life of the everyday Ghanaian). We also got to see the city and go to the beach. The university is located in a part of Accra called Legon, but there are affordable ways to get anywhere from tro-tros(vans with lots of people) to taxis which are considerably cheaper than in the united states. Around campus there is the old standby of walking.
The campus is big, sprawling and rather beautiful. It is definitely more tropical here than back home with lots of humidity but it hasn't been too hot yet(it's the rainy season so I've heard it gets hotter but also a little less humid later on). You constantly have to watch yourself walking around though because unlike back in the states, pedestrians really have no right of way. THe first few days we all walked in the roads, but I think we've learned to hug the shoulder pretty well.
The program I am studying through is called ISEP, and there are 32 ISEP students from America this semester. There are also several other programs with students from America here. Orientation was a good opportunity to get to know the other ISEP students at least, and they are overall a fun group of people and quite eclectic coming from all over the US.
Today was the first day of classes and the last day of registration, meaning that I went to class this morning but because registration wasn't over the prof didn't see the need to come to class. After waiting for 30 minutes the students who had come decided to . Oh well, maybe next time... I am hopefully going to be taking seven classes; a Twi language class, an AFrican drumming class, a class on the Politics of International Economic Relations, a class on the International Politics of Refugees, a class on Peacebuilding in Post-conflict society, a class on the History of Colonialism in Africa and maybe a class on the Sociology of Law. I also hope to volunteer somewhere while I am here, but that is still in the works.
Anyways, that is life here so far and probably more than anyone has time to read. Now I will cross my fingers and hope the slow and tempremental internet will allow me to actually publish my post:) I hope all is well back in the States!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Two days
Hi, so I'm leaving for Ghana in two days on Sunday to study for the semester and I was informed that I should get a blog to keep people up to date on my time there. After much resistance and a lot of urging, I finally agreed(it seemed easier than update emails because this way I don't have to keep track of people's email addresses). This is for my friends and family to keep track of me, so if you don't actually know who I am, don't read this because that would be kind of creepy... If you do know me, this does not mean that you can read this and call it good. While this may keep you updated on my life, I would appreciate periodic emails about yours(otherwise its way too one-sided and that would be lame for me because I know how my life is...) So yes, I leave Sunday, and will keep this periodically updated(with pictures too if I can master the technology...) I will miss you all, but too much because I will be having grand adventures on the other side of the world!
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