(NOTE: I wrote this blog last week before Easter weekend so please excuse the awkwardness of a bit of it. I’ll post another about the Volta trip soon!)
Two and a half months in Africa…
Where has the time gone? I always know it goes quickly once you start getting busy and into the swing of things….and my, what an adventure it’s been. I feel like I’ve already been through so much…had so many crazy and new experiences, learned an incredible amount about others and myself, made some amazing new friends… I’m really happy to say I’m honestly loving life here…I’m finally at home, halfway around the world.
It’s funny how life works itself out. Even when you are experiencing a low point, when you are having a day where nothing goes right, where you feel like hiding away from the world for awhile…life has a way of handing you just what you need to bring you back.
Friday, I found myself just exhausted. It’s been incredibly hot here and it’s the dry season currently…the heat has truly been draining. And it doesn’t help that the power has been off more than on for the past few weeks. I think all of these things combined with a bit of tummy trouble just really had me down and out for the count. (I’ve even been going to bed around 9:00…before my 7 year old little brother…) I found that two of the other study abroad kids that got here the same day I did, were really feeling the same way; so maybe its just that halfway through the trip, I need a break phase we all were entering..haha. But I met Jordan at the beach and had a good chat with him and a few of our Rasta friends, and ended up staying in that night once I got home. But Saturday was the start of an amazing weekend 🙂 My older brother (Ben), two of our really good Ghanaian friends, and Rachel and Jordan and I all went to the beach on Saturday and played in the ocean all day. The waves were a little crazy and we definitely got knocked over a fair share, but we had SO much fun and so many laughs… Everyone in the group is so relaxed and easy going, and my brother keeps us in stitches every time we’re together… Rachel came over for dinner and we had fufu and groundnut soup, my favorite (:
[(Side note/lesson: Here is fufu! Hopefully the link works!
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I know it doesn’t look entirely appetizing, and I never thought it would end up being my favorite meal… but I can assure you, it’s amazing. It’s a mixture of cassava and plantain pounded for a reeeallyy long time together to form a kind of ball (looks like a dough ball). You pinch off a piece of it and dip it into the soup to soak it up. You’re not supposed to chew fufu but I do a little-I can’t get over that bit. Groundnuts are essentially peanuts, so the groundnut soup tastes a lot like peanut butter. It’s soo good and my Auntie is going to teach me how to make it before I leave (: )]
Anyways, we ended up going out to Goil-our ProWorld group’s favorite spot to dance and drink. We always have a huge table with Ghanaians and obroni’s and it’s always a good time (I’m sure I’ve mentioned this, but obroni means foreigner). Rachel, Ben and I laughed the entire way there and everyone danced the night away. Sunday, we ended up going back to the beach and played in the ocean all afternoon. I saw all my favorite Rastas, who always put me in a good mood. I went swimming with ATL and I beat-boxed for him while he freestyle rapped, which he is amazing at. You just can’t be sad around Rastas-they’re always full of good vibes and energy…
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I’ve just truly grown to love the people I share my time with here. Everywhere I go, I always say the same thing: it’s the people that do it for me…that make me fall in love with a place. Despite all the things that frustrate me about Ghana, I’ve found friends I adore, that truly make my time here amazing. I’ve finally gotten back to myself here; I feel like I’ve found myself in Ghana, and connected with people who really know how to make me smile… I’m so incredibly grateful I’ve been blessed all my life with such amazing friends and family. I know I will face more challenges throughout the rest of this journey, but I feel more ready than ever for them.
A few last notes:
We’re traveling to the Volta region this weekend! It’s our first real trip and I’m soo excited. I think it will be good to get out of Cape Coast for a bit. We’re going to a waterfall, a monkey sanctuary, a kente weaving factory, a bead factory and the dam (: We leave Friday morning really early, stop in Accra, travel all weekend and return home Monday. This will be the first Easter in a few years that I haven’t spent with my Momma in Boone at Elk Falls….but we’ll be together in spirit, as always (and since I know you’re reading this, you better go do something fun too!)
Sorry there have been no pictures from me! Every time I try to upload some, facebook won’t let me… I’ll keep trying though! I’ve been working on taking more too, since I realized a week ago I had barely taken any since I got here…
And I’m also sorry I’ve been sucking at blogging…I get so wrapped up in everything I’m doing here, which is honestly a really good thing! I’ve been journaling as much as I can remember/have time for/can stay awake for…haha. I’ve been trying to answer everyone’s messages and e-mails as fast as I can though! I know you all understand and know how bad at communication I am, which I’m pretty glad for… (try explaining to a Ghanaian that you hate the phone and don’t usually return calls or texts…) Just please know I’m thinking about all of you and I’m so grateful for all the love you keep sending me. It truly means the world to me: more than you probably know…it’s what pulls me through…I love and miss you all so much!!!
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So usually, I end with a quote….but today I’m gunna change it up and end with a little anecdote from Saturday morning…It wasn’t a big deal but I found it to be hilarious…one of those: Man, I love homestay family moments…
I was sitting in the living room eating breakfast on Saturday morning. My brother was opposite of me in the chair, my Auntie on the couch and Mame in the kitchen. All of a sudden, I notice this crazy bug flying around the living room. (The night before, I had a giant cockroach in my shower…I’m sad to admit I wimped out and had Ben come shoo it out for me… He thought it was pretty funny though!) I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want them to kill it-they ALWAYS kill any bugs in the house, while I run around gently putting ants and spiders that crawl on me, on the ground…
All of a sudden Ben is like,
“What the hell is that…”
I just started laughing and he’s like, Can I kill it? He knew my crazy hippie self would say No, just chase it outside! He was like, What if it doesn’t want to go outside? So, my Auntie goes and opens the door and starts waving at it with a towel…it tries to go into the kitchen and Mame starts waving at it with another towel. Finally, they both wave it outside together, safe and free. We all started laughing and Ben was like… “Together we stand….That should be our motto.” Oh, the adventures of living with an obroni…they even free insects for me (:
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