So this is my new reality...my new home. Laurel (a west sonoma county bred chica)and I will be living together for the next 4 months of our lives. We have very easily and quickly become good friends. Our room is actually quite large for the two of us. We are on the 3rd floor of an all girls hall with a beautiful night view of the city.
My feet are constantly stinky and I feel as though I will never be fully clean! I have blisters on the tops of my fingers from washing my cloths by hand (I may really treat myself and pay for the landry matt every once and a while). The nights are warm (even though we are in the rainy season)and I sleep with only a sheet. I greet each new day with a cold shower and a fried egg sandwich (apx. 25 cents). In the bathroom there is a "Priority Check" sign reminding us to pray before we start our day.
A lot of the food here is deep fried and the only vegitables available are cabbage and carrots. The fresh fruit however, is devine! Mango, pinapple, and papaya have become a regular part of my diet, along with ground nut(peanut) butter and grilled plantain sandwiches. Mmmmm! On tuesday nights many of the Obruni's (white people) gather at the local Mobil station for 2 for 1 pizzas and ice cream... A little tast of home.
For those who heard of the conservative dress code here...it was Bull ***! Everyone wears fancy sandals/highheels, and jeans. And yes,all the girls wear tank tops. The only difference is that people dress up to go to school here. What young adults wear to go out to clubs at home is what the young Ghanaian wears on an average day. I was miss informed and came compleatly unprepared. What I would give for my jeans and some tank tops!
Ohh...the men! It is hard to go out as a white woman here because the men are quite agressive. If you tell them that you have a boyfriend the common responce is "You don't have a Ghanain boyfriend!" I think I will start wearing a ring...marrage is taken a bit more seriously.
I am beginning to feel a bit more comfortable here. I think the rutine of school helps. I am taking traditional dance(soo fun!), African drumming ensalmbo, Intro to Twi ( the local and traditional dialect), religion and human rights, and a Soc class that I'm going to drop due to the professors archaic, inmature, and sexist teaching style. The courses are impacted here so at the beggining of most classes there is a stampeed of students fighting for seats. Also, when the professor is late, which happens quite often, anyone can get up in front and teach. This usually takes the form of evangelical preching. All and all I am happy and (as ghanaian's say) by the grace of God still healthy.
If I had to pick one word to describe this place it would be thick. The air, the food, the scedual, and the culture...Thick.
love and light*
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