A Month in Ghana

I arrived in Ghana looking ahead to a semester full of cultural differences, clashes, confusion, and just new experiences all around. I've been here just over a month and I have to say that I have experienced probably more than I bargained for. (This is just a recap blog since it has been a month since I arrived so I hope to expand on some of the points in later blogs.)

On the plane ride from Amsterdam to Accra, Ghana I sat with a man who grew up in Ghana but now lives in Oklahoma and sends money back to his family who still remains in Ghana (this is a very common practice). One of the things that we talked about was that most Ghanaian men want to marry an American woman to get the easy American citizenship. At the end of the conversations we exchanged email addresses and he told me to email him how many marriage proposals I receive when I'm here. I have had a couple marriage proposals and more conversations eluding to getting married.

I am apart of a organization called ISEP (International Student Exchange Program) with a group of about 30 persons from all over the US. ISEP has been very helpful with many things and for the first week here we were bused and guided to all the places we needed before we were to start classes and begin searching and learning on our own.

Ghanaian people have proven to be very helpful, to a fault at times, and always selling something for anyone to buy. I have gone to the markets a few times now and the first couple times we were so bombarded with people trying to sell us bracelets and paintings and carvings and shirts and footballs (soccer balls) and phone cards and fabric, whew...it's really a lot to look at. And I think they can tell who is a new Obruni (is what they call a foreigner or white person), and who has fresh money in the country for many people try to sell us many things. Recent trips to the market have been less obtrusive as I have become more accustomed to the ways of the market.

In most of my classes I am the only Obruni in the room which is nice in the way that many of my classmates have adopted me and helped me with the things I have needed for the day and semester. Also in classes it is not uncommon for the Professor to be up to a half an hour late in an hour lecture or an hour late in a two hour lecture. Since the semester is more settled in many classes start close to the time but there are some incidences of late professors.

Mainly, I am taking classes associated with the agriculture systems here in Ghana. The senior students (whom my classes are with) have experimental projects. Most of these projects are at the research farm and I have been able to go and assist and be a part of that community of people at the farm. It has been wonderful to work in the soil and around people learning about crops and desiring to better the agriculture systems of Ghana.

The length between the longest and shortest days is only 35 minutes. Ghana is located very near the equator and so once the sun sets it becomes dark quickly. Also, the southern part of Ghana, where I am staying, is very tropical, where the northern region is much more desert like. Right now we are coming out of the rainy season and many trees have gone to flower. It is very beautiful.

My living conditions include a two person bedroom with a screened porch and a shared bathroom. It is located on the outskirts of campus with security and a courtyard. A couple of lizard families live in the courtyard and as curious creatures they can come in close proximity with a human but will quickly run away to hide under a bush or down some holes into the sewer system. The alpha male has orange, gray, and black stripes.

Religion here, either Christianity, Islam, or Traditional is a part of most peoples lives. I have attended one church that is located near campus, Legon Interdenominational Church. The main part of the service is in English but a lot of the worship is spoken in their native language. (As a group we are all taking a course in Twi, a common native language.) Also, every time I have gone to church there has been a different speaker for the day, and every service has been different. They welcomed us with open arms and it has been nice to return.

I will hopefully elaborate or more in the future!

3 months left to explore!

Kara