Merry Christmas to everyone. Yes I'm alive here in Ghana! So much has happened since I arrived here 3 weeks ago, time sure flies. I don't even know where to begin! Ill just have to go way back :)
So we first arrived in Ghana on the night of December 3rd! We got to spend a night in Montreal at a Youth hostel before we carried on our journey! It was a lot of fun, Teressa, Miles, Jacob, Kayla and I took the metro to old Montreal and toured around, it was so beautiful. The night got a little overwhelming however, Montreal is a really big city! I had forgotten my id at the hostel so Kayla and I ran back to get it, got lost, then I couldn't find my way back to the restaurant where we had dinner reservations! It was the last straw for me when i asked this lady in a booth which subway to get on and she said she was closed and couldn't help me (in a very rude way). That's when everything just crashed, the pressure of travelling, the sadness of leaving, the fear of going! It all came out with my tears in the middle of the subway station. I'm so happy Charles was there, he got me calmed down. I felt finally OK, being with him, he knew Montreal well! We just went for a long walk , ate McDonald's. He made everything OK!
At the Airport the next day things got a little scary. They booked all of the Canadians tickets backwards! With our first name as our last and our last name as our first! They got it all switched up just in time, for a while everyone was pretty convinced we wernt going o fly. Which would mean another night in Montreal, away from the Ghanaians!
The night we arrived in Accra, I cant even remember how I was feeling. Scared, excited, overwhelmed, sad, happy, and a million other things. The first impression i got, HOT. Oh my was it hot, and still is. Everyday, I don't remember how it feels to not be sweaty and stinky? Before going to Otuam, we spent 2 days in Accra at a hostel. Kind of like a country orientation I would call it. That was alot of fun ! Then came the day, the day to go to our new home. Note, by then I had already finished all my chocolate Lexi had advised me to bring. It took us over 3 hours to get there, all of us squeezed into a tro tro (Bus like thing). Arriving in Otuam, the most overwhelming experience of my life, honestly! We were greeted by over 200 people jumping a screaming welcomes! Kids EVERYWHERE just wanting to hold our hands and tell us their name. Then we went to meet our host families. It was basically a hug a whole bunch of fante, the local language, and then they told us lets go home! Before I could even grab my 50 pound suitcase, a girl named Comfort picked it up like it was a pillow and put it on her head. Amazing, I could hardly lift that thing myself let alone put it on my head.
I just realised if I give every single detail about every day Ill be here for a while, so here's the short version :)!
My host Family: So wonderful ! I have a host mom and 2 host brothers. Although my mom doesn't speak English both my brothers, Samuel and Emmanuel do! The first week we also had Pastor Dominic stay with us! He taught me fante every night, Ive got most of the basics down thanks to him! My Mother cooks such incredible food, My favorite being sweet potatoes and egg stew (Their definition of stew being tomato paste, vegetables and a kid of meat!). The only problem is that she really wants to make us fat. She gets offended if I tell her to only give me a little, and because I cant speak fante I cant tell her the reason I don't want alot ISNT because it doesn't taste good but because I physically cant eat it. Legit, I have never eaten so much food in my life. My oldest brother is Samuel, hes 18! He carried 2 buckets of water of his head the other day, one on top of the other, it was incredible. I couldn't even lift one off the ground. Hes very nice! My other brother Emmanuel is 14 and probably THE cutest 14 year old I have ever known. He loves to show me things and teach me fante. Hes quite the sweetie! No running water anywhere in the village. We wash everything by hand! Bathe out of a bucket. Outhouse. But its not bad at all, showering outside at night under the stars is actually very refreshing :)
The food: AMAZING. Everything is local, organic, delicious. The Pineapple MMMM the pineapple. about 25 cents for a whole pineapple, they peel it and cut it up for you and its the most amazing pineapple I've ever had. Mangoes are just coming into season, cant wait! I eat alot of yam, fish, sweet potato, tomatoes, and alot of Ghanaian food like banku, kinke, gari and gellof rice that is all carbs. Im always full!
The village: I cant compare it to anything to even give you an idea of what its like. Everything is outside, were a 10 minute walk from the ocean! There is one paved road that runs through the whole village, Everything else is dirt paths. The people in the village are for the most part wonderful! Greetings are very important in Ghanaian culture, so everyone you pass that looks like they could be older then you you need to try and greet them good morning, good afternoon, or good evening! Every kid when they see you yell obruni! and then repeat it over and over again. Obruni means white person. "Obruni how are you" I hear about 500 hundred times atleast in a day. There are goats all around! It must be goat baby season too, because I've witnessed 3 goats giving birth and there are babies all around! Goats, chicken, and sheep are everywhere.
The group: The group is amazing. A few people have been hit by culture shock just this last week, me included. Many of us have digestive problems of some kind. Me included. Poor Kayla and Charles were both horribly sick this Christmas eve. I was pretty sick last Friday. Were all doomed for it at some point! The diet is so much different than any of us are used to. I'm so incredibly happy to be here as part of our group. I don't know how I would get through alot of things without them there. My counter part Priscilla is helping me to survive, I don't know what i would do without her, I ask her a million questions in one day. And then I have Charles too. Ive broken down in tears a few times since being here and he helps me through it every time. Just to know I have him, and he cares means so much to me. You don't realize how much you depend on someone until your thrown into a place where you truly need them. Here, I need him and hes never bothered by it .
My work: Not much to say here! The schools are all on Christmas break and that's where I will be working. I got the lucky draw in that case, the school I'm working at is only one small building with 4 classrooms! I cant wait to see what Ill be doing there. We will also be beginning with the Malaria prevention project in the new year. Doing outreach in various communities! I was working in the health clinic last week also. That was an interesting experience. One I cant put into words, I apologize.
Its very hard to express alot of things through this blog. I fear saying something the wrong way, and then failing to explain it correctly. Its hard to explain alot of things Ive seen or done. I don't want anyone to take something the wrong way or give anyone the wrong impression. If there's certain things your wondering about hold onto the thoughts, and Ill be glad to explain everything in detail when I come home!
Im currently in Tema, not Otuam btw! We got to come home with our counterparts for Christmas! Christmas here is definitely not as big of a deal as in Canada! Christmas eve we sat around and ate and chatted! My dad and Robin called to recite "twas the night before Christmas" over the phone, that was wonderful. I went to the market yesterday which was also wonderful! Pretty overwhelming. I'm getting tired, I have been at this for a couple of hours now so I apologize if I'm not giving very many details! This has been the most Internet I have had access to since I arrived here. Once I get home to Otuam Ill be back to once a week at the cafe!
I think I must leave you with that for now, I don't know if I will be able to post again, but ill try my best! I'm going clubbing tonight with the group so I had better go get ready :)
I miss everyone and I'm thinking of you all every night.
Pumpkin Juice and Love
Jillian xo
