Culture Shock

From going shopping in a mall, to going to chain restaurants, to driving a car to being heckled about my African clothing, coming home has been more of a culture shock than going abroad. It is strange to be thrown back into my own culture, where material things are important, where people only dance when they drink, and where people rarely go outdoors. And it is even more strange to feel as though I don't so much belong in this culture that I have always grown up with. I have trouble relating to the excitement of Express' 50% off sale right now and find myself forgetting that prices are NOT negotiable. Losing touch with friends and changing relationships is a part of day to day life and I find myself dreaming of Ghana the way that I dreamt of home when I first went abroad. I know that things will return to normal soon, but I also hope that I never lose touch with the lessons that I have learned or the person that I have become.

Home Again

Coming home has given me such mixed feelings. I had a great trip home and was surprised and elated to see my sister with Cheryl and Colleen in the airport. They had signs with streamers and all and were quite a sight combined with me in the loudest outfit ever. From the airport, we definately stopped for ice cream and sprinkles even though I was already freezing in the weather. I had to get into the car to stop shivering. I am way too accustomed to Ghana's hot weather, as much as I don't like the heat. After ice cream, we went home and called some Ghanaian friends to say hello before going to get food. Haha not that I missed American food at ALL. Best meal of my life. When we got back home, Miller, Alina, V, Tosan and Desiree came by to say hi and it was so nice of them to drive up. Got a kick out of doing African dance and drumming for them and talking about the random noises that people in West Africa make. Made me really glad to be home and showed what great friends I have. Parents came back today and had a small reunion with them. Sometimes I am so glad to be home but sometimes I look outside my window and can't believe that I don't see the lights of Accra anymore. Or that I can't just phone my Ghanaian friends and go over to see them. And that African dance classes are no more and the dances are beginning to already fade from my mind. It is a bittersweet thing to be back in Fredneck but I am excited to see what this summer has in store. Maybe some trips to the beach and a 21st birthday :)

TOO MANY OBRUNIS

I am sitting in Heathrow airport, yes on the internet because I am addicted and because I have six hours to kill. A rain storm knocked out our internet access in ISH so I'm just recapping my last few days in Ghana. Saying goodbye is hard. First to my American and Canadian friends as they went back home and then to my Ghanaian friends. Taking people to the airport and last hugs goodbye got to be so emotional, as they marked the end of such a great chapter in our lives. Ghana has been different things for all of us. Some people came for the pot, others to travel throughout West Africa, and still others to meet and bond with Ghanaians on campus and integrate into the University. Whatever brought us to Ghana, I know that my closest friends have been touched by the experience. From counting down the days until we came back to the US to ultimately sobbing at the airport while saying goodbye. Alix you know what I'm talking about. :) My last few days have been great and more relaxed than most of my trip. I went to dance classes, spent time with the Africana boys and even fit in a trip to see the crazy coffins in Teshie in my last hours in the country. It is hard to come home but exciting to see everyone too. I just wish that I could bring my Ghanaian friends home...or better still bring my Americans to Ghana. Being back in the West is already a bit strange. Bathrooms have soap, TOILET PAPER, hot water (well running water for that matter) and hand dryers. Obrunis are the norm and I again am one of the majority although I stick out in my patch pants and jacket. I know that I will be coming back to Ghana within the year so see some really great people and that they will come to see me too. Who wants to come? It is the experience of a lifetime I promise. I will be home in like ten hours or something. Crazy.

On my way...

So far most of my closest obruni friends have already left for the airport and it is just me and a few friends in ISH. So quiet here without them. No one to go by and harrass and trips to 37 for dance all by myself. I've been keeping busy studying for exams and my last one is today at 3:30 PM. Then I should pack and get ready to go I guess... Man I don't even have the internet to distract me anymore. Stupid crazy rainstorms knocking shit down. Thing is I feel like without my friends I don' belong here anymore, but maybe not in the US either. I don't know if things will just pick back up from where I left them or if I will feel out of the loop on everything. And we all know what bad shape I am in for rugby... This trip has been wonderful, life changing, and I am already making plans to come back. I'm looking forward to getting home and its great to hear about all of the things that we're going to do in the upcoming summer. But I can't even picture how it is going to be to say goodbye to my Ghanaian friends here...especially Junior. The trip back is one of anxiety, sadness, happiness and excitement. Just like when I came. This experience has finally come full circle. See you kids soon...I'm coming 4:30 on May 21st!

Greene Turtle

This past week I peaced out of Accra and headed out West to the beaches near Takoradi. My friend, Sarah and I decided to take along three of the dance boys: Junior, Soloman and Adams. The trip was great overall and was especially hilarious since the place was full of obrunis. These people were not ready for the boys, who catch crabs with their bare hands and proceed to play with them, sing and dance around the pool table, share tea with complete strangers and mash kenke for breakfast with their bare hands. The place was nice and we hiked to this beach of shells along a coast of rocks. It was great for the boys who got tons of cowries to make their jewelry and crafts that they sell. The hike was gorgeous and there was a slight drizzle which didnt keep us from playing in the pools made by rocks in the ocean. The boys are still learning to swim so sometimes when the ocean is rough, it is scary for them to come in. They are strong guys though and fare well with standing in the sand while the waves crash over them. We all made a sand castle one day and it was really pretty good until Junior jumped onto it like the 7 year old he is. These guys just exude a youth and happiness that I haven't seen in grown men in a long, long time. It is so refreshing. To save money, we went to get food in a nearby village, about 20 minutes walk down the beach. The kids were really sweet and just wanted to hold our hands and play with our hair. Even the guys got a kick out of it and had them teach us local language and dances. We played football with some of the young boys there and had women pound us fufu for lunch and dinner. It was a nice mix of beach resort and African village life. We had such a nice time that we decided to stay for one extra day and then came back to Accra on Thursday. By the time I came back, some of my friends had left and more left the following day. The place is really clearing out quickly. There's a mass exodus on Monday and Tuesday but I still have a full week and 3 final exams to go...

Wake Keeping and Winneba Deer Festival

Last night, we went to my friend's Aunt's wake with the Africana Dance Company to perform for a few hours. It was in a residential area of town, one that I have not been to before, and our friends greeted us at a nearby restaurant and walked us over. When we got there, there were chairs and tents set up and Africana set up their drums and bench and got ready to perform. While waiting, I met this young girl, Christine, who is a member of the group. From the way she shook her ass I thought she was at least 20, but came to learn that she was only 16. She laughed jokingly at my attempts to move like her and helped me to do some of the dances. She's such a sweetheart and I am eager to get to know her and keep in touch when I leave. The program was amazing because the obrunis were integrated as part of the group and we got to perform some of the traditional dances with them. Sure we got a few laughs but it was all in good fun. The best part of African dance is the eye contact that you make with the people that you're dancing with. Everyone has the biggest smiles and they look right into your eyes while singing and clapping and moving with you. It is so much fun! After the program, we rode back to campus in the back of a pure water truck with a driver that was absolutely nuts. He kept taking the truck down small alleys and stopped for food and to fill huge water jugs for his family. I thought I was going to fall out of the truck just sitting on the ground. Some of the dancers were standing, holding onto the sides and shaking their asses. I don't know how they managed to hold on... Anyways went to bed at 2 am for a 4:30 wake up...

Today, we went to this Deer Festival in Winneba where the people are put into 2 teams and sent out into the bush to catch a deer with their bare hands. Once one of the teams captures the first deer, they bring it back and parade it about, bringing it to the chief and doing all kinds of traditional dance. Tomorrow they will sacrifice it and have some sort of feast. I figured I could skip that...The festival was really busy and very interesting to watch. My favorite part by far was the people returning from the bush. People were covered with branches and leaves for camo, but then there were 2 guys with computers on their heads and another with a Rolling Stones flag, and a few crossdressers. I'm not sure how all of this fit into the festival but it was entertaining nonetheless. But it is now time to catch up on some sleep and prepare for a few days on the beaches in the West... :)

Two exams tomorrow and I can't focus...

So I have two exams tomorrow...which is kind of a big deal since they constitute 100% of my grade. Can't seem to focus at all...thinking about who and what I am leaving here, how things will be when I get back, what I still want to do in Ghana, if Cheryl's flight is in safely and the fun we will have when we're back together, picking up with old friends, staying in touch or losing contact with new friends, getting my favorite dance troupe to come perform in the US, wondering if it will really be possible, how to pack up my things and if my drum will fit on the plane...etc etc etc. I think dance class will be a good solution to all of this anxiety and thinking and then hopefully I will be able to hit the books...

May Day!!

May Day is the best holiday yet. Not exactly sure what it is or why we had it but it was on May 1st and I think that it was something like labor day back at home. So a bunch of us went with the Africana Dance Company to Cocoa Beach for the day for dancing, swimming and food. Not a bad day at all :) The best part was definately wrestling some of the guys in the sand (I did win some believe it or not...and these are buff men...) I was the only obruni to step into the ring after a bunch of the dancers were taking eachother on. I think that I hurt some guys sense of masculinity but they should recover soon. Had to keep ready for rugby and beating people up. After the wrestling competition, we went to swim and then began dancing. People from all over the beach came to dance with Africana and we were just mixed in with the rest of the people. I was so glad that I had taken some dance classes so I wasn't totally lost. We danced for hours and ate some banku and stew before heading back to ISH. The rides home were absolutely hilarious. We took the bus with the dancers to 37 station and caught another tro-tro to Legon. The first car was filled with drumming and singing the whole way through slow traffic. There were a few too many people on it so it seemed like forever. But people were just singing and smiling like the big family that they are. All of it was in languages that I don't know but it moved me to dance in my seat nonetheless. The final tro-tro was the funniest part though. We got on and after small conversation in Twi a random drum in the back started playing and the strangers in the car started singing: "Everybody everybody. Bring your calabashes. Bring your calabashes..." We knew the song and dance and were able to join right in to everyone's amazement. Laughing the whole time... Plans for the weekend include a trip to Winneba for a Deer Festival and then off to the beaches in the West. Last big trip of the semester.

Also WELCOME HOME CHERYL
Also Also...Found Lamartu...a little too late