kekere kekere jo ja jo ja ja ja ja

Things are starting to get a little more exciting around here. Or at least I feel like I've been much more active in the past couple days than in the entire first week. Instead of our usual lectures we've had to sit through every day, on Friday we went to the dance studio at the university to go to a traditional African dance workshop. Even though dancing is not exactly my thing, I had a really great time! I looked like a fool of course, because I have no coordination, but so did everyone else and we all had a really good time. We did some singing as well, and learned about the significance of some of the songs and dances the guy was teaching us about. It was pretty great.

Then later in the day we went to have soccer practice game for our CIEE olympics.  My team lost, thanks to my lack of goalie-ing skills. But even though I normally hate soccer, to my surprise I had fun doing that as well.

Then later in the evening we went back to the dance studio to learn a dance that one of the Upals, Atsu, choreographed for us, so we can perform it at the international students' welcome dinner, which could be potentially embarrassing...  Afterwards, some of his friends came in to perform some music for us, and they were really talented. At one point, one of the guys started playing this wooden flute through his nose. Which was impressive, but also kind of gross.

Then, it was time for Keith's 30th birthday party! None of us knew who Keith was before we went (except for the fact that he sat near some of us at the orientation lectures and was making side comments about everything, and he may very well be the oldest student in ISH). But he posted signs all around both of the ISH buildings saying that everyone was invited and there would be free drinks for ladies from 10-12, so we figured why not? It was a good time. And I met Keith and told him happy birthday. Getting there was kind of a hassle though, because when you tell cab drivers where you are going and they don't know where it is, they'll act like they know anyway. Long story short, we got lost because we didn't know the way and neither did the driver, so we took a second cab, and the same thing happened again. We got there eventually, but that was a little annoying.

On Saturday we took a bus tour of Accra, which was interesting and nice to finally see most of the city, but we didn't get to get out and walk around much. We stopped for lunch in Osu, and then went to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum. It was really cool. Nkrumah was the first president of Ghana, and he's revered here as a great leader who brought lots of improvements to the country after declaring Ghana's independence from British colonialism. I guess toward the end of his reign he got to be pretty autocratic and he was taken out by a military coup, but in Ghana I feel like they kind of choose to ignore that part, so he's mostly remembered for the good things he did that helped improve the country. The mausoleum is shaped like a tree stump to symbolize how he died too soon and still had the potential to do more great things, or something like that. They explained it better than that, obviously. Then there was a museum with lots of pictures of him with other world leaders, and lots of things on display, like his possessions and stuff.

We were given a tour of the place, but I didn't hear a lot of the stuff that was said because I stepped away for a second to take a picture of something and I was ambushed by a group of like 10 little Ghanaian kids on a field trip that just started touching my arms and my hair and whenever I tried to ask them questions they all just started laughing hysterically. Eventually their teacher came over and made me pose for a picture with them. They were so adorable and funny. I wish I had gotten a picture on my camera too.

We went back to ISH and I made myself dinner, and sat in on the Ghana Black Stars game against Mali that was playing in the TV room. I found that watching soccer's a pretty good way to make new Ghanaian friends. I met a ton of new people yesterday just by watching the game for a little bit. I didn't stay for the whole game because my friend and I left to go to the market, but Ghana won 2-0. We were at the market when we heard on the radio they scored their second goal, and all of the vendors just went nuts while we were trying to buy fruit.

And yesterday, since we finally had a day off with no CIEE activities, a group of us went to the beach near Accra. I finally rode my first trotro to get there, which went alright. It's just like a really, really cramped bus. And I finally started to get some color in my skin. Mostly red, actually. I reapplied sunscreen a bunch but i guess SPF 50 still doesn't quite cut it here. The water was really nice and warm, and the waves were pretty big compared to what I'm used to seeing at the beach. I was trying to body surf for a while, but then I got saltwater up my nose and in my eyes, which was painful. But I want to go back again soon, because I had a really relaxing day.

And then classes started today. I went to my first lecture this morning only to find out that my professor is already on strike. Nice start to the semester.

Also, I start my internship tomorrow! Pretty nervous about that.

That's all I really have for now, but I will leave you all with this: it's called Azonto, and it seems to be huge in Ghana right now. I feel like I can't go a day without hearing it at least like 4 or 5 times on the radio or wherever. But I like the video for it. It's kind of cute. Here you go!

Some firsts...and some frustration

• Went to the mall for the first time without help--it was kind of terrifying. I went with my roommate, Erin, and we took a cab because we have yet to learn the trotro system and couldn't figure out how to successfully get one to stop for us.
• Got into my first shouting match with a cab driver while bargaining for the price of said cab ride. At least it felt like a shouting match to me because I hate being aggressive. There are no meters in cabs here so you have to negotiate how much you're going to pay. It stresses me out a bit, but it worked out alright!
• Took my first bucket shower because the water went out the other night. It was actually not too bad. It's admittedly not super convenient, but it's better than going to bed feeling sticky and gross.
• I was going to go to my internship yesterday just to meet my supervisor. Everyone in the development studies track was supposed to meet at 9am a little ways away from the hostel but Erin and I got lost on the way and were pretty late. I felt bad, but it turns out it didn't even matter because they only had enough staff at the office to accompany some people to their internships, and they left me and one other girl there to wait until somebody came back to take us. They never came back. We waited there for 3 hours. We both took a nap, and I stared at a painting on the wall for so long I could probably create an accurate reproduction from memory. I was only slightly annoyed though, because I got to sit in an air conditioned room and sleep for a while. Score.
• And I registered for classes earlier today! I'm taking a bunch of classes on development and one on African international relations, and then Twi and my internship.

So far things have been interesting, but a lot of things are super confusing and frustrating. Ghana is definitely much different from what I was expecting. Or it could be just what I was expecting, but actually experiencing the things I was anticipating feels different. I'm probably not making any sense. For example, I knew I would stick out as a foreigner, and I considered how that might feel, but it feels a lot more awkward than I anticipated when I'm walking down the street by myself getting stared at or being called an Obroni (white person). It's not upsetting by any means, and no one means offense by it at all, but it just makes me feel much more self-conscious than usual. It's just one of those things to get used to.

It's nice when I get alone time to think about everything, though. For me, just spending a little time by myself helps me let go of the frustrating things and enjoy the fact that I got to come here. Since I've been here, it's been really busy and I don't get much time away from the CIEE group. It's hard to find my way around without a group anyway so we've all come to sort of rely on each other. But the few times I've been able to get away and take a walk by myself or just sit on my balcony at night and think, it's been really pleasant. I love the fact that I have a balcony to sit on and ponder things. And watch little animals run around. I saw a little kitten out there in the field behind the hostel the other night. And a dog. And sometimes there are horses. I love it.

It's crazy that it's only been a week. It honestly feels like it's been so much longer than that.

Getting Adjusted

Sorry to have waited so long to write my second post, but I've been reluctant to pay for internet around here so I've been waiting until I had access to free wi-fi to post this.

I'm all moved into the International Student Hostel now, and it's pretty nice. There are communal bathrooms and kitchens and a laundry room (which is actually just an empty room of sinks--I'll be doing all of my laundry by hand) and balconies on all of the rooms. The rooms all open to the outside and there's a big open courtyard in the middle of the building. I like the set-up! It's just going to be a matter of getting used to all of the dust that settles everywhere and the fact that there's no toilet paper or soap in the bathrooms.

My roommate is really nice as well. Her name is Erin, and she's from Atlanta. I just happened to be paired up in a room with someone else from my program, but that wasn't the case for everyone. A lot of people are still waiting for their roommates to show up at school, because semester break hasn't ended yet. But classes start next Monday so everyone will be back sometime during the week. It'll be odd having a building full of people. It's really loud around here even with most of the people gone. A lot of people blast music at full volume, or I'll hear screaming coming from the TV room next door where a bunch of guys are watching a soccer game. Apparently the African Cup of Nations is going on, so everyone's really into that right now. We went to a bar the other night to watch Equatorial Guinea play Libya. Don't ask me who won, because I lost interest. But Ghana plays tomorrow, so I'm guessing the screaming will be at least ten times as loud next door.

Since it's still a little while until break ends, we've had a lot of orientation presentations, and then a lot of free time after that to explore the campus. So far I'm super confused and lost, but I'll get the hang of it soon.

I just realized today that there's a little restaurant thing and a store downstairs in the hostel that I had no knowledge of. Before that, Erin and I had only been eating at this place they call the night market that's down the road, but it's a little sketch as far as food goes. (Besides these really good egg sandwiches, which are still pretty sketchy but worth it.) So I'm happy now that I know there are other food options. I haven't been eating very much since I've been here. I don't know what it is, but I haven't had much of an appetite at all since I've arrived. I've been trying to eat well regardless, but I think my malaria meds have been making me nauseous so I just never feel like eating.

Other than that issue, things are going well. It's definitely a big transition though. I have to buy a bucket soon in case the water stops running and I have to take a bucket bath, and I've been provided with a mosquito net to sleep under. Although, the mosquitoes haven't been nearly as bad as I thought they would be. I got a few bites at the hotel one night when my roommate left the window open on accident, but since then it hasn't been a problem. Also, dealing with the heat here hasn't been that difficult either. Compared to Minnesota and Wisconsin, where 90 degrees and no air conditioning feels like death because of the humidity, 90 degrees here feels much more bearable (although it's still humid enough to make my hair explode with frizz). The hostel isn't air conditioned, but it feels much cooler than my non-air-conditioned house felt during this past summer's heat wave. It'll probably get worse when the rainy season comes though. I've heard it gets really, really humid. So pumped for that…

In other news, I got my internship placement today! I'll be working at the government-run police hospital in Osu. I don't really know what my job description is at the moment, but all I know is they told me that I have to go pick up a white coat from the Chemistry department, so that's pretty bad-ass. In all seriousness though, I'm really nervous considering I have zero experience working in a hospital or any sort of clinical setting, let alone in a developing country. The CIEE director here, Mr. Gyasi, was just like, "for those of you working in a hospital…get ready for an experience." Apparently there are a lot of issues there like insufficient supplies, or sometimes they run out of beds so people have to sleep on the floor, etc. Like I said, I'm nervous. But I'm grateful for a chance to learn about healthcare in a developing nation. It'll be difficult, I imagine, but definitely a learning experience.

I'm really excited to start classes though. Registration is manual instead of online so we'll see how that goes. They have a much different scheduling system that's a little more confusing and tedious. But it'll work out just fine because most of my classes will be through CIEE anyway.

I don't have much else to add so I'll end it here. But I miss everyone back home. Internet is not the best but I'll try to be on skype when I can!

Love you all!

Made it to Accra!

Well, I'm exhausted but I made it, and that's all that matters! It's about 7 AM here and around 80 degrees and cloudy this morning.
I got in last night around 9pm after a solid 24+ hours of traveling. I don't even know how long I was on buses and planes but it was all a big, sleepy blur. Everything went relatively smoothly though. Nothing too stressful except for finding out my luggage was like 16 pounds overweight and I basically had to unpack a bunch of stuff in my suitcase and hold up a line of people which was embarrassing. And I didn't accomplish my goal of speaking German to a real German person. I chickened out once I was personally addressed by someone who thought I spoke German and I realized that they speak much, much faster than I could understand and when I panic I can't remember a single word in that language. Thus, I spoke English to make it through the Frankfurt airport. :(  Got my kinder eggs though, and they were delicious.
On the flight to Accra I finally got a little sleep, but only an hour or two. I was so tired that I apparently passed out despite one very loud, screaming child. (The same child that caused me some further embarrassment when I got on the flight--people were laughing at me because I was unable to stand up to a four-year old child with a balloon that was holding up the line to get on the plane. She was standing right in front of me, not moving and I just tried to tap her shoulder quietly saying "go find your mommy!" but she wouldn't move. Finally some German lady just grabbed the kid and pushed her down the aisle for me. But all this time I was getting laughed at by other passengers so that was fun...)  Also, I made a new Ghanaian friend on the flight! I got really lucky to sit by someone close to my age who was really nice and easy to talk to. He was coming home from visiting his brother in London and it was his first time ever leaving Ghana. I don't think he had ever met an American before, so he was asking a lot of questions about American culture and if it's anything like the movies, etc. And he told me a lot about Ghana as well, so that was nice. He reassured me I would love it.
And so far, I do! Every Ghanaian I've met so far is extremely kind. Lots of people were really helpful to me at the airport. Also, the welcome sign to Ghana made it clear that "pedophiles and sexual deviants are not welcome, and if that is your motive, you should go somewhere else." I kind of wanted a picture of that sign but unfortunately there was a really intimidating security guard standing right next to it and I didn't want to offend him by laughing at the welcome sign.
So anyway, I was picked up by the very friendly UPals, the University of Ghana students that will be helping us out, and one of them brought me back to the hotel. I changed clothes and got ready to go meet the people in my program, but then I laid down on the bed to rest for just a few minutes, and woke up 2 hours later and no one was hanging out anymore. But I met my hotel roommate, and she's really nice. I'll meet everyone else today.
I have no idea what we're supposed to be doing today because we weren't given a schedule at all. I think there are still a few people who had delayed flights that they have to pick up today at the airport.
I don't have much more to add. I am finally here, and it is beautiful! The hotel has free wi-fi so I'll be able to access the internet more easily until Saturday I think, and then I'll be moving over to the University where I'll have to figure out my own internet. But until then, I will provide updates when I can!
I miss everyone and hope all is well back home!

Some things that are weird:

-Goodbyes. They always feel somewhat anticlimactic. They make me sad, but when the reality of something hasn't quite sunk in yet, it's hard to have those "goodbye" moments that make you feel like you're actually not going to see this person for a while and you should really appreciate this last time you see them.

-Packing. Fitting the next 5 months of my life into a box that I can carry around.
-The fact that I'm going to be in Germany tomorrow, by myself. And by Wednesday I'll be in Ghana. (By the way, a goal I have is to not leave Germany without at least a handful of kinder eggs. People will probably steer clear of the crazy person playing with the toys that came in her chocolate eggs...but hey, those things are in like my top 10 favorite things about Deutschland. Other items on that list include Spaetzle and the fact that words as long as "Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz" are legitimate. Also, another goal I have is to try and have a simple conversation in German with at least one person. I'm terrible though, so it's not likely they're going to tolerate my broken German and American accent).
-I'm also realizing that it's kind of weird that I've never been in a situation like this where I'm going in not really knowing anyone. Which is fine, but it's odd that even when I left home for college I wasn't even in that situation. I had my best friend here, I knew people in Madison from high school and I had family here. It's an odd feeling, having to fly somewhere completely foreign to me with a program full of people I don't know.

I'm just in a weird mental state right now. But the next time I post here, I will be posting from not-the-US! I may write an entry in Germany if I get bored, as I have a six hour layover there. Otherwise, I will definitely provide an update when I arrive in Ghana.

I'm leaving tomorrow! This is happening!

What I hope my life will someday be.

How to accomplish this, I am not quite sure. But I will find a way, damnit. Starting with West Africa. One week from today, I will be on my way!

Happy 4th of January

Someone wished me a happy new year this morning on my walk back to my apartment from moving my car. It made me smile, because I never say hi to random people on the street, let alone wish them a happy new year when it's January 4th. That guy probably has lots of really good karma.

So anyway, it's that time of year where I should maybe sum up the past year and list my goals for the new one. But I'm terrible at organizing my thoughts. All I really want to say about the past year is how thankful I am for the wonderful people in my life that made 2011 a year I'll remember. I think I found a nice balance in the past year between school and having fun, had a really great summer in the castlemansion, and I was able to have adventures like the road trip Aarushi and I took to Philly. I'm also really glad to have new people in my life, who have become some of my really good friends.
For the next year, all I can really hope for is to not be afraid to try anything new or meet new people, and I want see and learn as much about Ghana as I can. Simple enough goals, I think. Also, I'm really hoping I can keep this blog going while I'm there.

So anyway, being in Madison over winter break is pretty weird. It feels like a ghost town around here with everyone gone. Though it is pretty nice not having to hear all the usual stupid drunken conversations out my window, entertaining as they may be. Fratland on Langdon has been eerily quiet. And so has my building, except for whoever lives above me who stomps around a lot.
But I like winter break because it's nice to be able to have some time to just sit and read for enjoyment (I'm reading Catch-22 right now, my 3rd attempt. I always seem to start reading that book and then have to stop in the middle of it because I get too busy to finish it.) Its also nice to just leisurely spend time with people without having anywhere to be, and without worrying about having to go to work or class or anything. Winter break is always pretty wonderful. And while usually I have to dread going back to school, it's just an added bonus that in just 13 short days, I will be heading off into (what I consider to be) the great unknown. I still have some nerves in the pit of my stomach, but thanks to the wonderful christmas gift my mom gave me, I'm now more excited than ever to go. I don't really want to explain what the gift was. It's kind of hard to explain if you don't know my family very well. But all I know is that now I'm much more at ease.
I still don't really know exactly what to expect, but I guess if I did it wouldn't be nearly as much as an adventure.

I'm headed home again tomorrow, because my computer screen keeps throwing temper tantrums and stops working and flickers a lot and I need to get it fixed, and I also need to bring my car home so that I can stop moving it around every two hours. I got a ticket yesterday and I was not pleased.
I'm spending my evening in a coffee shop, because I was kind of bored. Didn't realize how many bible studies meet at barnes and noble on Thursday nights. Hm.