I made it, I'm in Ghana!

YAY! I wanted to write much sooner than this, but I have had the hardest time with the internet here, but I think I've figured it out! I've been in Ghana only five days now and don't know what to say! It is wonderful, but a little scary! The flight(s) were fine, but long. I arrived in Ghana's capitol, Accra late Thursday night and was greeted by two of the volunteer coordinators. The airport arrival area is a crazy place! I wasn't sure where I was going at first and panicked for a moment thinking they had forgotten about me! But I found my Disaster Volunteers of Ghana (DiVOG) friends, Richard and Mypa outside waiting along with proabably 100 other people waiting for friends. People were everywhere outside waiting, some brought blankets and food. I guess with customs you never know how long it will take.

Stayed in a hotel that night in Accra. No running water, just a bucket of water for my bath! =) Welcome to Africa! Accra is a very busy place, with lots of people everywhere and people selling things all over the streets and yes, the women here carry everything on their heads! It is absolutely amazing!!! I saw a girl with at least 6 cases of soda on her head! Their strength and efficiency is unbelievable!

Made it to my town, the Ho District, by taking a tro-tro or bus (but is really like a winnebago) stuffed full of people for 2 1/2 hours. At all the villages along the way, women sell bread, water, oranges, all kinds of stuff on the side of the road; the bus just pulls over occasionally for the passengers to hand money out the window.

The country is beautiful! It is the dry season and it is very dry. They have a yearly event, the harmattan, where sand from the Sahara desert blows in a hangs in the air, forming almost a cloud of dust that lessens visibility and isn't fun to breathe, but it is almost over. Unfortunately, that means the sun will be that much more intense and it is getting hotter each day I am here.

While it is very dry and there really isn't any grass, the trees and other vegetation are beautiful! It looks more like a jungle intermixed with some Serengeti-like plains. And my town is surrounded by beautiful hills and trees. The people are wonderful, so friendly and welcoming! They do speak english but speak to each other in their local language, Ewe. They've tried to teach me the common greetings...but so far I haven't picked it up at all. All I know is the word for white person because I hear everywhere I go. They don't mean this is a bad way. The kids call it out when we walk by to get our attention and to wave at them.

I have one other volunteer staying in the same house as me, Katherine, she is part of a Danish group that has been here for almost 3 months. They leave next week though! Katherine has been a blessing. I ask her all kinds of questions and she shares what she has learned. A different group of Danish volunteers are also here and arrived 2 weeks ago but are all in a town an hour from here. I will be on my own soon, but I am staying with the coordinators aunt and the DiVOG office is next door, so I am in good company!

This place is extremely safe...much safer than home! People don't use locks and walking around at dark is no different than day time. Okay, I have much more to share, but this is already too long. I will write more this weekend. I have started my jobs already and that will have to be its own message! A few random things about Ghana, using your left hand to greet or hand someone something is offensive (I'm working really hard on that), many people have cell phones in town, they have absolutely no infrastructure in place for waste disposal, I do have running water in my house (though it is cold showers), they listen to some American music (a little taste of home), and there are goats everywhere!

I miss you all and would love emails to keep me company!
Alicia

Heading out

Well, the next time I update this site I will be in Ghana! The time is finally here! I'm about to head out on my journey and to my own amazement I think I am packed and ready with a little time to spare! The whole trip will take about 24 hours due to a lay over in Chicago and London. Upon my arrival in the Accra, Ghana's capitol around 9pm (their time, 6 hours ahead of CST), I'll meet the group's volunteer coordiantors. We'll stay in the capitol that night and then the next morning drive 2+ hours to the Volta Region. Everyone keeps asking if I'm nervous, which I'm not too much yet, but I'm sure the lengthy trip will give me plenty of time to get that way!


Thanks to everyone for their support to this point, I am extremely grateful to all of you! By the way due to all the great donations, I've have an extra suitcase filled solely with school supplies and other donations, so thank you to all who contributed in one way or another!!!