Akwaaba to Ghana!

After ten hours of flight, I landed in Amsterdam yesterday (or something- three time zones in one day is a little confusing!). I walked off the plane and watched my friend pay 4 euro for a ten ounce cup of coffee. Oh, those Dutch! Anyway, the airport was clean and very easy to navigate. I was amazed at how American media has really infiltrated their media. I walked in to the terminal and saw Larry King on every TV! I hoped back on another plane two hours later and made friends with a Ghanaian named Felix. He was very kind and taught me a few words in the native language, Twi. I slept for most of the flight, but woke up in time to eat some interesting Dutch food (I flew KLM, the Dutch airline). We landed in Accra at dusk (helloooo, mosquitos!). Flying over the city was incredible. It was absolutely huge! Huge mansions interspersed with tiny shacks dotted the landscape and the ocean whipped across sandy beaches all along the exterior of the city. It was simply beautiful. My bags all made it, which was a huge relief. I would up traveling with three others from the program, and one guy's bags didn't make it. We spent another two hours in the airport filling out his paperwork and getting through customs. We were greeted outside by cheers- did these Ghanaians think we were celebrities? Little did we know, three giant plasma flatsceens sat behind us, showing the "African Cup of Nations" football (soccer) tournament. One little boy danced around my feet, thrusting his head around like a chicken chanting "Yeah, yeah, Ghana in yo' face!", only Ghana wasn't playing. These people have such national pride! We were accosted by men trying to carry our luggage, but luckily the director of the program was there to fend off their advances. After loading our enormous suitcases, we climbed into a huge Land Rover and rambled through the city. The streets were crowded with cars, motorcycles and people peddling fruit, t-rolls (toilet paper), giant floaties for the pool and anything else you could imagine. As our director said, you can do a lot of shopping right from your window on your way to work! We took a "shortcut" to our house that involved jumping over red-dirt hills in the huge gas guzzling SUV (gas is $5.50/gallon) and splashing through a large puddle created by the downpour a few hours before we arrived. We finally arrived in our neighborhood, and did we ever stick out like a sore thumb. Even in the dark, people waved and yelled, "Welcome Obroni (white person)!" Small shacks with broken tin roofs lined the red, dusty street. Advertising hung above each and every doorway: "Loving, Caring Ministry"; "God's Faith Hair Parlor"; "Faith in Him Grocer"--needless to say, this is a very Christian country. Our house is beautiful. We walked through a huge gate, where our two security guards welcomed us. I picked out a bedroom--I am rooming with Jessica and Molly, both girls in another sorority. We took a tour of our huge house, complete with five showers, three toilets, two sinks, a kitchen, numerous bedrooms and closets, a large kitchen and a nice dining room/sitting room. We also have a huge courtyard with pink blossoming flowers. After a quick shower and TONS of bug spray, we met up with the other six students who were already here at the Chez Afrique, a local restaurant and bar. There was a live band, and the whole place was completely packed. We ordered some of the local faire--I ordered redred and chicken, a mixture of beans and spices that was easily more spicey than my stomach needed after 17 hours of travel. After dinner, we danced like there was no tomorrow. After all that travel, I was exhausted but somehow, the music and energy gave me new life. We danced with a few Ghanaian women, who have more rhythm than anyone I've ever known. The band played Bob Marley but mostly jammed to local beats I'd never heard. It was so easy to dance there, and though we probably looked like fools we sweated and shook it on the dance floor for hours. Needless to say, we all crashed after arriving back at the house. We woke up this morning at about nine to a flawless day. Palm trees swayed outside my window as I took a freezing cold shower--honestly, I've never been more grateful for that cold water. After showering, we ate a little breakfast, coated ourselves in sunscreen and headed to town. Taxi drivers begged for our business, and we finally bartered with a plump, dark fellow for 2 cedi, or about $1.50. He drove us the few miles to town on red dirt roads, past small children in dirty clothes who waved to us and shouted "Obroni! Obroni!" as we chugged down the road. Women balanced fruit, water and laundry on their heads as they walked gracefully down the "sidewalk," which are really just dirt paths flanked by 3' deep cement gutters. And here I am, writing to you from the heart of Ghana, a cool breeze drifting in through the open doorway; men and women wear mostly western clothes, but some wear bright, brilliant wax-printed fabric. I can't believe that I'm actually here- how strange it was to wake up in Africa! We have the next few days to explore. Sunday, our friend "Sunny" is taking us to the soccer game to watch the Black Stars play in the Africa Cup on Nations. Go Black Stars! On Monday, we'll start classes at the University of Ghana, where we'll learn about the history of Ghanaian media and the people who support it. It's still hard to believe that I'm here, but I know that it'll sink in soon. Perhaps today, shopping at the local markets for fabric to have a local seamstress sew into a dress. Medasi, everyone, and all my Ghanaian love!