asomdwee

Maaha! Tomorrow we leave Accra, after an amazing and exciting five days. I’ve already seen too many things I want to bring home with me. My new best friend Isaac, for one. Also a drum. Also the botanical gardens, which, obviously, will not fit in a carryon. Thus, the title. So the botanical gardens were gorgeous. They were created by the British as a place for relaxation and fun time when they were in Ghana. Today they are carefully and beautifully preserved as a nature park. We had there what was, in my mind, the best meal we’ve had on our trip so far. I had my first taste of red-red (beans) with chicken and plantains. That same day I took my first picture with a school boy who was very eager to be photographed. Somehow I’ve been named the official group photographer, a role I’m rather pleased to have. So I’ve been taking plenty of ridiculous photos of funny poses and every single meal we eat, etc.

Today, though, was the best picture day of all. First we went to a Methodist church. This was a really interesting experience for me, because I was raised Catholic and I noticed a lot of similarities. The patrons of the church were extremely welcoming and helpful. I took communion and was able to put donations in the “Sunday” donation box, because that’s the day I was born! That’s something we learned in our culture class earlier in the week: the importance of your DAY of birth. This day even gives people here a name, based on their day of birth and gender. The church was really pretty and actually rather European in its architecture. We had to leave early to head off to Bojo beach and there was an intense soccer/football game going on across the street from the church. I always want to join in such games, though I lack the skills to make it remotely competitive at all.

The beach was very fun. All I will say is that I collected some shells, took some pretty exciting pictures, did not get sunburned, etc. The highlight of the afternoon was definitely the groups’ two favorite people: Charles and Nathaniel (our guide and our bus driver). Charles and Nathaniel are the best of friends and very entertaining. Nathaniel had some of the best swimming trunks I’ve ever seen, and don’t worry, there will be many photos of him in these shorts to come.

All in all, Ghana has entirely outlived my expectations. I absolutely love it here. The people are the some of the sweetest I’ve ever known and I’m already learning more about the rest of group, and myself in turn. Tonight we had a conversation with Isaac, a local boy of 13 who lives an hour away (walking). He shared all his knowledge about Ghana and I really enjoyed his perspective on his homeland. Tomorrow we’re off for more excitement. Kyle what is the name of your band? I’m being pressured to wrap this up and I’m having a panic attack about it. bye!
love, terren

The floor of my room is currently in complete disarray: there is a tiny patch of uncovered carpet, surrounded by a mess of Ziploc bags and lists and Luna bars. An overflowing suitcase is piled high with many outfits I do not need, and will probably end up leaving at home once my Mom inspects my packing. Tomorrow is the packing deadline given to me by my family, though I’ve done just about everything to avoid it. I even watched all four hours of Ben-Hur today, because it was on TV! It was very good though. My feelings about the trip change from excitement to anxiety constantly. Sometimes I’m counting down the days until we leave, and at other times I worry I will miss so much while I’m away for a month. Despite these feelings, I know that this trip will be entirely life-changing and I have more to be excitedly anticipating than fearing. Our group of fifteen has definitely come together, which I think can be seen by all the hard work we put into fundraising! We came very close to our goal, and in the process we all grew to know one another much better. I am excited to spend more time with everyone on the trip, as we all experience Ghana together.

There are so many different things I have to look forward to. I cannot wait to try the different foods! We got a delicious taste of what we can expect at the lovely Bon Voyage party hosted by the Uwazies, and I am now even more excited than I was before. We did watch Anthony Bourdain in Ghana, and although he is one of my favorite gray-haired men on television (after Anderson Cooper), his program was not nearly as exciting as really tasting the food was. I want to taste foods from restaurants as well as the home-cooked meals that we will have the pleasure of trying at our home stays. The home stays are something that I really look forward to, because I really want to meet and interact with Ghanaians; to see and experience everyday life firsthand. I can’t wait to take tons and tons of pictures! I really enjoy photography and hope this trip will provide me with an opportunity to improve my skills. Several people have questioned my sanity when discussing the amount of memory I should bring. As of now, I have 5 GB of memory, though I feel panicky because I know this will not be nearly enough. I guess this is a warning to the group (and anyone else around me) that I will be taking an excessive amount of photos, and though at times it may seem that I am invading your privacy, well, I am. I apologize in advance. But this is a month of my life that I feel I must document every second of, plus I want to make Explore on flickr.

Aside from photos and food, I know the most important thing that I will gain is a better understanding of the world. I hope to change my mindset about life and what really matters; to learn what role each of us play in revolutionizing this new generation in hopes of bettering our community. I’m not certain that I will ever stop caring about the Gosselins or random Swedish fashion blogs, but perhaps I will delete the file off my computer called “things i want/must have.” In any case, I am very excited to see what changes a month may bring!

love, terren