I'm coming up to a month in Ghana. The time has flown past. So I'm staying a bit longer. This weekend I plan to go to Kumasi, Ghana's second town with one of the other volunteers. When she returns to Accra after the weekend I am heading North for a week. I'm planning to go as far as the border with Burkina Faso. And then come back. Which seems ridiculous, even to me but I have a couple of reasons.
I'm about to start doing computer training with one of the women's groups and I need to come back so that I don't just visit them once and then leave. Also I have got my Togo visa and it was not the most fun day getting it, so I intend to go there and not just straight to Burkina Faso. I am, however, cutting Benin off my schedule due to an outbreak of Cholera in the capital city.
We said goodbye to another volunteer today, leaving just three girls, who will be leaving Ghana about the same time as me, in another two weeks. It makes the thought of properly starting my travels that much harder for the fact that the last few weeks everyone has been gearing up for going home. Discussing what they will eat when they get there (Pork belly and olives are high on various lists), what they will do (watch sports, look for places to live) and who they will see (family, friends etc) has switched my thoughts in that direction. I have to keep reminding myself that when I leave I am not going to be going home but instead will be lugging my backpack around in the incredible heat, alone. Fortunately West Africa appears to be one of the friendliest places on earth, and my backpack is not really that heavy, the sun is (almost) always shining, and there's so many interesting places to go, things to see and people to meet.
The weeks have continued in much the same vein, training and taking repayments and even processing new loans. The only real difference is that I feel more confident, less like I'm working in the shadow of previous volunteers and the people who stop me in the street to say Hi, I've often spoken to before and know their names. The weekends are travel time. Last weekend Sam and I went to the Volta region, dominated by a large lake and therefore very lush and green. The lake is famous for the two hydroelectric dams instituted by former president Kwame Nkrumah. These appear to have made the region fairly wealthy. All the houses (actual houses, made of bricks, with roofs and windows) have satellite dishes, the roads are all paved and don't have potholes, the cars are very nice, and the Ghanaians all live in New York and London. We played tourists and went on a scenic ferry trip up the lake to an island which for the hour that the boat is docked is inhabited by pestering children who demand pens, or money for pens, or if you claim to have neither, call you a liar. The island part of the trip was not fun. For Sam, whose stomach was still adjusting to her travels, neither was the ferry trip. So we cancelled our onward travel plans to a very tall waterfall and stayed another night in the port town of Akosombo. Sam stayed in our bathroom all night whilst I chatted with the locals and visited a gospel church, which was disappointingly unstereotypical.
The previous weekend was the wedding of VPWA's director, Hayford, so the volunteers were all on drinks serving., balloon blowing up duty. The Sunday we spent being all Western and went to the mall which contains restaurants with beef, supermarkets with chocolate and vegetables, lots of air con and a cinema showing hollywood films. A nice break from the reality of Ghana, which I felt lucky (and a bit guilty) to be able to take.
Wednesday 27 October 2010
Monday 25 October 2010
A post I meant to post two weeks ago...
Well this was supposed to be an honest blog, so I'm about to vent some things. Please bear in mind however that I am very happy being here and feel absolutely safe and definitely would not rather be in England.
Things I am sick of after a week:
A wardrobe of 10 items
It being considered rude if you don't stop to speak to everybody who says Hi in the street
The same people wanting your phone number as if you were suddenly great friends
Rice, fried chicken, tomato paste
Dirt.
Things I miss already:
Vegetables
Make up
Hair conditioner and mousse (I look like I've been electrocuted. Brief interesting story - a bunch of volunteers were watching rip off DVDs one night last week and the owner of the laptop we were using went to plug it in an got electrocuted, comic style, literally went up in the air and back down onto the floor for quite a few minutes. He's fine.)
Personal space
Musical instruments I rarely touch.
I'm figuring that if these things are bothering me so soon that within another week or so I'll just become desensitised. I hope.
So other than that.... I had a great weekend. We somehow did not get on the nice comfy spacious and air conditioned ford 4x4 to Cape Coast but instead got on a two and a half hour tro tro ride. Some tro tros I've been in this would not bother me but in this case the space between the back of my seat and the seat in front of me was less than the measurement from my hip to my thigh. Which got beyond uncumfortable, to painful, to numb within about 30 minutes. But this was all made worth it by our arrival at a gorgeous guesthouse which was right on the beach, palm trees abounding, and even some other Obronis. Many of them were volunteers as well away for the weekend, and it turns out we have the best accomodation with electricity, ceiling fans and running water. Its certainly made the transition very comfortable.
We visited the castle. It was a bizarre experience. The holding cells still have a terrible stench about them. Its incredibly hard to grasp what went on there. I find it very hard to comprehend that people were able to behave the way they did, or even that it was considered acceptable for so long. the castle didn't upset me as much as a display at the Ghana national museum that we had seen during the previous week. In the cabinet was information about the slave trade, artists impressions and some pieces of elaborately decorated plates which the Europeans had. Somehow the shock of the life we were living off the backs of other people, when most Ghanaians now don't have plates like that made me angry. When I asked the guide if it made her angry she just shrugged, smiled, and said it was just part of their history which they shouldn't forget. To my surprise I just totally welled up right in the museum. What makes the castle even more bizarre is the parade of brightly coloured shops selling brightly coloured gifts made by bright and colourful and cheery and friendly Rastas right outside.
In the evening we had a lovely dinner at the guesthouse and watched an astonishing African drum and dance group. We met up with some of our new Rasta friends who tried to teach us to play African drums and a xylophone on the beach. When that failed they lined up the three Obroni (we had adopted a rather worse for wear Aussie), and facing us, tried to teach us African dances. I would have loved to have been an onlooker.
We got up early on Saturday to visit Kakum national park to walk through the forest canopy on a rope bridge 40m high suspended between 7 trees. I am usually happy with hights but this was so unstable that even when we were back on solid ground I felt dizzy and had sealegs. Pretty amazing sights though. We hopped in a taxi with some brits and went to touch crocodiles at a crocodile sanctuary, an experience I did not take much pleasure in and would not go out of my way to do again.
Having had enough of the touristyness and the amazing helpfulness of our new friends we escaped 15Km down the coast to Elmina, which hosts another slave trading castle. The town is a huge fishing town and walking around the castle there are long wooden fishing boats as far as the eye can see, all with brightly coloured flags and people being busy. We didn't want anymore busyness so we went to our new beach hut hotel - which we had to ourselves - and crashed in hammocks. We attempted a swim, but before we got knee deep got hit by pieces of wood with rusty nails sticking out of them so abandoned that plan. It was really fantastic to just get some peace and quiet, a sea breeze and clean air. I knew Accra was dirty and noisy and smelly and hot, but it didn't hit me quite how much until we weren't there.
We managed to get the nice, comfy, air conditioned 4x4 Ford back home.
Things I am sick of after a week:
A wardrobe of 10 items
It being considered rude if you don't stop to speak to everybody who says Hi in the street
The same people wanting your phone number as if you were suddenly great friends
Rice, fried chicken, tomato paste
Dirt.
Things I miss already:
Vegetables
Make up
Hair conditioner and mousse (I look like I've been electrocuted. Brief interesting story - a bunch of volunteers were watching rip off DVDs one night last week and the owner of the laptop we were using went to plug it in an got electrocuted, comic style, literally went up in the air and back down onto the floor for quite a few minutes. He's fine.)
Personal space
Musical instruments I rarely touch.
I'm figuring that if these things are bothering me so soon that within another week or so I'll just become desensitised. I hope.
So other than that.... I had a great weekend. We somehow did not get on the nice comfy spacious and air conditioned ford 4x4 to Cape Coast but instead got on a two and a half hour tro tro ride. Some tro tros I've been in this would not bother me but in this case the space between the back of my seat and the seat in front of me was less than the measurement from my hip to my thigh. Which got beyond uncumfortable, to painful, to numb within about 30 minutes. But this was all made worth it by our arrival at a gorgeous guesthouse which was right on the beach, palm trees abounding, and even some other Obronis. Many of them were volunteers as well away for the weekend, and it turns out we have the best accomodation with electricity, ceiling fans and running water. Its certainly made the transition very comfortable.
We visited the castle. It was a bizarre experience. The holding cells still have a terrible stench about them. Its incredibly hard to grasp what went on there. I find it very hard to comprehend that people were able to behave the way they did, or even that it was considered acceptable for so long. the castle didn't upset me as much as a display at the Ghana national museum that we had seen during the previous week. In the cabinet was information about the slave trade, artists impressions and some pieces of elaborately decorated plates which the Europeans had. Somehow the shock of the life we were living off the backs of other people, when most Ghanaians now don't have plates like that made me angry. When I asked the guide if it made her angry she just shrugged, smiled, and said it was just part of their history which they shouldn't forget. To my surprise I just totally welled up right in the museum. What makes the castle even more bizarre is the parade of brightly coloured shops selling brightly coloured gifts made by bright and colourful and cheery and friendly Rastas right outside.
In the evening we had a lovely dinner at the guesthouse and watched an astonishing African drum and dance group. We met up with some of our new Rasta friends who tried to teach us to play African drums and a xylophone on the beach. When that failed they lined up the three Obroni (we had adopted a rather worse for wear Aussie), and facing us, tried to teach us African dances. I would have loved to have been an onlooker.
We got up early on Saturday to visit Kakum national park to walk through the forest canopy on a rope bridge 40m high suspended between 7 trees. I am usually happy with hights but this was so unstable that even when we were back on solid ground I felt dizzy and had sealegs. Pretty amazing sights though. We hopped in a taxi with some brits and went to touch crocodiles at a crocodile sanctuary, an experience I did not take much pleasure in and would not go out of my way to do again.
Having had enough of the touristyness and the amazing helpfulness of our new friends we escaped 15Km down the coast to Elmina, which hosts another slave trading castle. The town is a huge fishing town and walking around the castle there are long wooden fishing boats as far as the eye can see, all with brightly coloured flags and people being busy. We didn't want anymore busyness so we went to our new beach hut hotel - which we had to ourselves - and crashed in hammocks. We attempted a swim, but before we got knee deep got hit by pieces of wood with rusty nails sticking out of them so abandoned that plan. It was really fantastic to just get some peace and quiet, a sea breeze and clean air. I knew Accra was dirty and noisy and smelly and hot, but it didn't hit me quite how much until we weren't there.
We managed to get the nice, comfy, air conditioned 4x4 Ford back home.
Monday 18 October 2010
Pokemon Women's Group
... Is actually called Kpobiman... but its pretty much pronounced as Pokemon, and that's vaguely entertaining.
I had an amazing morning this morning with this group. For the last two weeks we have been to provide bookeeping training but this coming Wednesday is their 10th anniversary celebration so they were too busy today. Instead we got an incredible insight into an exemplary group. I spent half an hour or so with their feisty leader, Julila chatting about the group. She told me that in the ten years they have existed each of the 42 members has increased their living standard so that they are now able to send their children to school, know their legal rights on marriage and divorce and are less dependent on men who are often less than dependable.
As a group these spectacular women ensure that teenage girls who get pregnant (often through bribery) are looked after and the parents given support and encouraged not to disown their daughters. Where these pregnancies are as a result of rape they ensure this is reported to the appropriate authorities. They keep their eyes open for child labour, orphans and children suffering neglect. They have set up a group savings scheme which they use to help each other out in times of difficulty, they have set up 4 similar groups elsewhere and they make use of local NGOs to get regular training to further their own skills.
Many of the husbands of members disapprove of the group, preferring to keep their women reliant on them. Julila's response is to invite them all to a group dinner to include them.
We joined them in learning a dance for the celebration, and I was invited to sit at the front with Hajia another powerful force who was offering information about the Rights of Spouses Bill that will hopefully provide some more protection for partners when a spousal relationship ends.
Its pretty amazing that these women want a pair of twenty-something girls to come and teach them... seems pretty backward to me.
I had an amazing morning this morning with this group. For the last two weeks we have been to provide bookeeping training but this coming Wednesday is their 10th anniversary celebration so they were too busy today. Instead we got an incredible insight into an exemplary group. I spent half an hour or so with their feisty leader, Julila chatting about the group. She told me that in the ten years they have existed each of the 42 members has increased their living standard so that they are now able to send their children to school, know their legal rights on marriage and divorce and are less dependent on men who are often less than dependable.
As a group these spectacular women ensure that teenage girls who get pregnant (often through bribery) are looked after and the parents given support and encouraged not to disown their daughters. Where these pregnancies are as a result of rape they ensure this is reported to the appropriate authorities. They keep their eyes open for child labour, orphans and children suffering neglect. They have set up a group savings scheme which they use to help each other out in times of difficulty, they have set up 4 similar groups elsewhere and they make use of local NGOs to get regular training to further their own skills.
Many of the husbands of members disapprove of the group, preferring to keep their women reliant on them. Julila's response is to invite them all to a group dinner to include them.
We joined them in learning a dance for the celebration, and I was invited to sit at the front with Hajia another powerful force who was offering information about the Rights of Spouses Bill that will hopefully provide some more protection for partners when a spousal relationship ends.
Its pretty amazing that these women want a pair of twenty-something girls to come and teach them... seems pretty backward to me.
Friday 15 October 2010
Briefly...
Hi,
I spent an hour typing a message earlier in the week then the internet cut out. So I'm going to skip an update on last weekend and try to post it again when I'm on that same computer.
This week I went to the rather understated Ghanaian Supreme Court (because I am a law geek). It's three flights up a back staircase with the words "Supreme Court" having a coat of paint over them. The law is just like English law. So we didn't stay too long.
The Director of VPWA is getting married today and having a reception tomorrow so that should be really fun and an interesting cultural experience.
The number of volunteers is slowly decreasing, and as I'm finding my feet in Ghana I'm beginning to feel that I will be ready to move on as planned in 3 weeks. I'm going to spend another fortnight on the project and then travel up to the North for a week before coming back to the coast to lie on the beach with the last of the volunteers for a weekend. Then Togo it is. I went to the embassy this morning to get my visa and am picking it up this afternoon, before heading to the pan African dance competition tonight. That should be amazing. I saw African dancers last weekend and was stunned. As I can't dance it really amazes me what people can do!
Anyway thats probably the most interesting thing to report for now so take care everyone.
XXX
I spent an hour typing a message earlier in the week then the internet cut out. So I'm going to skip an update on last weekend and try to post it again when I'm on that same computer.
This week I went to the rather understated Ghanaian Supreme Court (because I am a law geek). It's three flights up a back staircase with the words "Supreme Court" having a coat of paint over them. The law is just like English law. So we didn't stay too long.
The Director of VPWA is getting married today and having a reception tomorrow so that should be really fun and an interesting cultural experience.
The number of volunteers is slowly decreasing, and as I'm finding my feet in Ghana I'm beginning to feel that I will be ready to move on as planned in 3 weeks. I'm going to spend another fortnight on the project and then travel up to the North for a week before coming back to the coast to lie on the beach with the last of the volunteers for a weekend. Then Togo it is. I went to the embassy this morning to get my visa and am picking it up this afternoon, before heading to the pan African dance competition tonight. That should be amazing. I saw African dancers last weekend and was stunned. As I can't dance it really amazes me what people can do!
Anyway thats probably the most interesting thing to report for now so take care everyone.
XXX
Thursday 7 October 2010
Obrani!
Heeeyy!!
I love Ghana. I spoke to a woman in a shop yesterday ( I say shop, I mean tin hut by the side of the road, but that means shop here) and she told me she wanted to go to England. I quite honestly answered her that I didn't think she would like it. Its cold, and the people are rude. In Ghana the people are amazing. So friendly, everywhere you go people stop you and ask "How are you?". Or the children will run up to you yelling "Obrani! Obrani", meaning white person. But its totally friendly, they want to welcome you. One cabbage farmer in a tro tro (minibus service, very rickety, door held on by tape but I had the good seat up front where you don't get coated in dust) offered me the choice of his 23 or 25 year old sons as a husband. I let him write down the name of his church so I could contact him when I decide. I probably won't do that.
The Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa (VPWA) compound where I am living is owned by Numo, the chief of Greater Accra - a VERY important man. Who happens to be in England for 6 months, so I won't meet him. His wife (I think 3rd, but he takes them one by one and divorces them rather than accumulating, which seems sensible) Princess, lives there and demands chocolate from every volunteer who arrives. Her son, Prince, is about a year and a half old and just toddles happily around all day and gets hit by numerous footballs kicked by his older half brothers Nwabe (ADHD) and Papate (sweet little legend). There are 4 other volunteers here from UK, US and Oz. Its incredibly chilled out and the working environment is slightly surreal. I have been sat in the microfinance office for two days reading. On Monday, however, we visited a Women's group in a villiage north of here to give bookeeping training, and in the afternoon went to visit two ladies who are being given loans, Grace and Veronica, to check their books. They let me help (possibly hinder) make Banku which is a kind of stodgy sour staple eaten with a spicy fish sauce. It is mixed with a wooden spoon in a tin pot over a charcoal fire, and it is SO thick you have to hold the pot onto the stove with your feet using metal poles whilst you (attempt to) stir. I was a massive failure at this. I'm planning to go with some local government workers to visit some more women's groups to find out how they work and how we can help as there are now 4 microfinance workers which is more than is necessary.
This weekend I am going with an American girl to visit Cape Coast - an infamous slave trading port with a huge castle, we are staying in huts by the beach, and to Kakum national park where you can walk on a rope bridge through the canopy.
Will update soon. Miss you all, but having too much fun to really notice!
I love Ghana. I spoke to a woman in a shop yesterday ( I say shop, I mean tin hut by the side of the road, but that means shop here) and she told me she wanted to go to England. I quite honestly answered her that I didn't think she would like it. Its cold, and the people are rude. In Ghana the people are amazing. So friendly, everywhere you go people stop you and ask "How are you?". Or the children will run up to you yelling "Obrani! Obrani", meaning white person. But its totally friendly, they want to welcome you. One cabbage farmer in a tro tro (minibus service, very rickety, door held on by tape but I had the good seat up front where you don't get coated in dust) offered me the choice of his 23 or 25 year old sons as a husband. I let him write down the name of his church so I could contact him when I decide. I probably won't do that.
The Volunteer Partnerships for West Africa (VPWA) compound where I am living is owned by Numo, the chief of Greater Accra - a VERY important man. Who happens to be in England for 6 months, so I won't meet him. His wife (I think 3rd, but he takes them one by one and divorces them rather than accumulating, which seems sensible) Princess, lives there and demands chocolate from every volunteer who arrives. Her son, Prince, is about a year and a half old and just toddles happily around all day and gets hit by numerous footballs kicked by his older half brothers Nwabe (ADHD) and Papate (sweet little legend). There are 4 other volunteers here from UK, US and Oz. Its incredibly chilled out and the working environment is slightly surreal. I have been sat in the microfinance office for two days reading. On Monday, however, we visited a Women's group in a villiage north of here to give bookeeping training, and in the afternoon went to visit two ladies who are being given loans, Grace and Veronica, to check their books. They let me help (possibly hinder) make Banku which is a kind of stodgy sour staple eaten with a spicy fish sauce. It is mixed with a wooden spoon in a tin pot over a charcoal fire, and it is SO thick you have to hold the pot onto the stove with your feet using metal poles whilst you (attempt to) stir. I was a massive failure at this. I'm planning to go with some local government workers to visit some more women's groups to find out how they work and how we can help as there are now 4 microfinance workers which is more than is necessary.
This weekend I am going with an American girl to visit Cape Coast - an infamous slave trading port with a huge castle, we are staying in huts by the beach, and to Kakum national park where you can walk on a rope bridge through the canopy.
Will update soon. Miss you all, but having too much fun to really notice!
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