A Weather Update

Volta Region vegetation

The North during dry season. Notice how grey the
sky is

When you think about weather in Africa, two things come to mind. The first is that it is extremely hot and the second is heavy rains. Ghana is located close to the Equator and thus there isn’t the dramatic differences in temperatures that are experienced in Canada which is much further from the Equator. Depending on whether you are in the North or the South of Ghana, the seasons are different. The North has only two season with the dry season lasting from November to April and the wet season from May to October. The South experiences four seasons with the dry seasons lasting from July to August and from December to April. The wet seasons are from May to June and September to November. So currently we are nearing the end of the dry season known as harmattan. The dry season does provide some relief from the humidity of the wet season however the dust has become unbearable at times as the harmattan has become more intense. The rains have started again despite it being the beginning of April and it has brought some welcome relief from the heat. Western Region in particular seems to get rain fairly frequently as it rained briefly on the drive to the project site a few weeks ago and it rained as I returned from a trip there last weekend. 

The vegetation is very different than the
tropical South

The South and North also differ dramatically in climate. Tamale can often reach up to 37° during the dry season while Accra is usually around 31°-33° (a ‘cool’ day in Accra is around 28°). The North is very dry compared to the moist tropical heat of Accra. I found the heat less oppressive in Tamale despite the actual temperature being higher because it wasn’t so moist. I did notice that my skin was cracking from the lack of moisture in the air. The vegetation is different too. The lush, green forests of the South are replaced with savannah in the North.

Limited visibility in Cape Coast (Fort Victoria)

I have been really suffering from asthma in the last few months. I am coughing a lot more and getting short of breath. This is not completely related to the weather because the fumes from cars on the road are horrible and I’m breathing those in on my walk to and from the office everyday. I’ve noticed my throat is dry a lot and my skin gets quite dry and itchy. Trying to prevent dust from covering everything in my room is a losing battle also. I’m diligent about cleaning the fan in my room to reduce the dust being blown about.

Normally you would be able to see this Church
from Fort Victoria

The harmattan was fairly mild this year from what I have been told. There was only a week where the dust clouds were so thick that you couldn’t see things at a short distance. It was really unfortunate that I visited both Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle during the dry season because under normal conditions, the buildings are visible from one another. As you can see from the pictures, the sky is really grey and the visibility is limited. I wish I had taken a picture of the dust clouds when it was really bad because it was remarkable to see. It is similar to fog in Canada except that it is dust. 

View of Cape Coast from Elmina Castle. You should
be able to see Cape Coast Castle from here but
because of the harmattan you can't

Now that the rains have started again, it is a welcome relief from the dry season. The power should be more consistent as there is more water flowing through the hydroelectric dams. The sky is more blue than it was during the dry season. Predicting the weather in Ghana is fairly easy (most days are the same), yet predicting rain is quite difficult. The days where the clouds look like it will rain never actually rain. 

I Spoke Too Soon.. Malaria Part 2

I blogged two weeks ago about my desire for a problem-free last month of placement. I discussed some of the health problems I have experienced including having malaria 6 weeks ago and falling in a gutter. Personally, I don’t recommend doing either however both seem to be a right of passage of being in Ghana. 

As I wrote the post, malaria was brewing again in my liver and the day after I posted, I started feeling horrible at work and left work early to go home and rest. Just like last time, I had recently returned from a week field trip (this time in Western Region), and I noticed that I was sleeping more than usual and chalked it up to being exhausted. Unlike last time, I listened to my body and didn’t wait three weeks before seeking treatment. I decided against going back to the doctor and chose to buy the medication and rest. I didn’t have the time or feel the desire to go see a doctor again and spend money when I could treat it myself. 

Yet again, I appeared to be the healthiest person with malaria as I wasn’t throwing up or having difficulty moving around. I was suffering from muscle pain, muscle weakness, general discomfort, a headache and stomach pains. It’s hard to describe how malaria ‘feels’ but having gone through it once, I recognized the discomfort and crabby attitude. I knew as soon as I sat down at my desk that Friday that something wasn’t right with my body.

Because I have wonderful friends, a friend went to the pharmacy for me and picked up the malaria treatment and brought it to my room when I got back from work. She spoke with the pharmacist about my symptoms and that I had malaria within the last 6 weeks. Last time the doctor prescribed Coartem but it didn’t work very well for me. When I told my co-workers that I had been prescribed Coartem they all told me that it wasn’t an effective medication and that the parasite has developed a resistance to it and to try a different medication. The Coartem made my symptoms worse and it took me well over a week to bounce back and feel mostly back to normal after completing the three days of medication. All things considered, I’m not sure why I was prescribed Coartem however it seems like everyone is given Coartem the first time they have malaria.

This time I took Lonart which was half the price of Coartem and worked amazingly well. I wasn’t prepared for the nausea which was pretty bad during the first two days of treatment however eating soda crackers and drinking lots of water seemed to help. By the last day of Lonart I was feeling much better and I was able to move around and eat normally. I decided to take the Monday off work and work from home to allow my body to heal a bit more as I was still feeling mentally fuzzy and simple tasks were taking me longer than usual to complete. Tuesday morning I was back at work and feeling much better.

The weirdest part of malaria for me is the emotional chaos that seems to follow taking the treatment. Both times I’ve experienced emotional breakdowns and I struggle to control my emotions and mood swings for about a week after I finish the treatment. Someone told me that this isn’t uncommon in the recovery process however I couldn’t find any resources online about what to expect after completing malaria treatment.

I should point out that I have been taking my anti-malarial medication as directed by my doctor since I arrived in Ghana. I decided that after two rounds of malaria, that it wasn’t worth continuing the anti-malaria medication for the last few weeks. It is true that the anti-malaria medication doesn’t guarantee that you won’t contract malaria but it was a sound investment.

I found this video on youtube about malaria. It provides a general overview of malaria and the lifecycle of the parasite. 

FUN FACT: Did you know that malaria was common in North America? Malaria has since been eradicated.

It is true that malaria isn’t something to mess about with and seeking prompt treatment is key to a successful recovery. Most Ghanaians (and indeed, most Africans), have developed a resistance to the parasite and many adults don’t take the malaria medication and instead treat it the same way we in North America treat the common cold (lots of rest and fluids). It seems to affect small children and the elderly more than the average healthy adult because they have weaker immune systems. If you present with any of the usual symptoms (fever, headache, muscle pain), doctors assume that it is malaria and will treat for malaria before exploring other possible causes for the symptoms. Prevention is important and sleeping under a mosquito net is the first line of prevention. Avoiding mosquito bites altogether is virtually impossible if you are someone who tends to get bitten at home. 

Staying healthy is not so easy.

30 Days Left

It was odd to wake up this morning and realize that today was March 22nd which means 30 days remain of my field placement in Ghana. Looking back on when I first arrived in Ghana, I didn’t have any idea how much I would learn about myself, life and international development. I was also completely clueless about how to do everything from getting dinner to navigating Accra. There have been some pretty horrible lows and some incredible highs throughout this experience. On a personal level, I’ve learned how to cope in a foreign place without my friends and family (although I’ve made a new family here). I’ve mastered getting around on my own by tro tro and I know where I’m going in Accra now. I’m getting over my shyness and I will bargain for taxis to make sure I’m not getting “Obruni priced” (overcharged). I feel more independent than I ever have before and I know that I can function and establish a life in a foreign country. This gives me a sense of confidence I didn’t know I had.

I have also gained a greater appreciation for the comforts of home. Things like knowing that when I turn on a faucet, water will come out of it (cold and hot water), and that I can find a flushing toilet when I need it are small things I appreciate a lot more. Unreliable power and unreliable or slow internet make life all the more interesting (and at times extremely frustrating when you are trying to get something done). I will point out that even within Ghana, things at Legon are much better than elsewhere in Accra and indeed much of the country. I’ve learned that getting upset about such matters is not good and although sometimes it might be hard, laughing about it is always the best way to deal with it. Education is another thing that I am more appreciative of in Canada. So many kids can’t afford to go to school in Ghana and many of them sell water and other items on the road. Kids in Ghana (generally speaking) are required to buy a school uniform and pay school fees to attend school. It is not uncommon to meet children who have never gone to school which is really heartbreaking, especially when they tell you that their dream is to be a doctor, teacher, nurse etc.

Ghana hasn’t been all good though. ‘Ghana tummy’ as it is affectionately known has plagued me on and off this entire trip and at times it gets really painful. Thankfully my wonderful parents brought me some Pro-biotics and that seems to help. I have also contracted malaria (thankfully only once), and I have fallen in a gutter. These sorts of things are a badge of honour and make you feel like you’ve had the real Ghana experience. I’ve also broken electronics (laptop and cellphone) but was amazed at how easy it was to resolve these issues. Ghana does get really overwhelming sometimes but I try to focus on the good days and forget the not so good days.

As the end grows near, I can now appreciate the beauty of Ghana. It is hardly a secret that I truly can’t stand Accra because it is busy, noisy 24 hours a day, crowded, smelly etc. I feel more justified in my feelings when I travel outside and talk with other Ghanaians who echo my dislike for Accra! Living in Accra does have major perks like having access to a wide range of restaurants and it is really convenient to travel to many parts of Ghana from Accra. As much as I think I would love to live in other cities like Tamale, Cape Coast or Takoradi, I’m content with where I am. I have loved spending time in Tamale, Kumasi, Cape Coast - Elmina, and Takoradi where people are really friendly and kind - especially when you look lost. I really like that people take a moment to greet me when I’m walking around, it is such a small and simple gesture but it can make my day.  Ghana itself is naturally beautiful. The lush and green Volta Region is stunning, as is the savannah-like Northern Region. 

Veronika, me and Lisa at Nzulezu - village on stilts

I reflect on some of the crazy yet hilarious adventures I have had over the last 7 months. Some of the more memorable ones include the trip to Nzulezo where the driver was driving extremely dangerously. On the plus side, I made new friends (Lisa and Veronika) who were wonderful to have around. 

At the top of Mount Afadjato

Another entertaining trip was to Volta Region to visit the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary and climb Mount Afadjato - the highest peak in Ghana. Despite the crazy rainstorm that turned descending the mountain into a muddy water slide, we had a fantastic day and had another story to tell. 

Busia Beach

A more peaceful weekend was Western Region where Sarah and I went to Butre and Busia and got to visit a Fort and hang out on a beautiful beach. In hindsight, this was probably our most simple overnight trip, despite planning it in an hour on Friday morning. 

Kevin and I in Kokrobite

I have been really lucky to have had visitors over Christmas break. Having my boyfriend planning a trip to Ghana while writing exams and then getting on a plane within 36 hours of finishing his exam meant the world to me. What a fantastic Christmas present. I know he really enjoyed his time in Ghana.

With the parents at Mole

Vanesa, my Mom, me and Peter in Aburi

My parents also came for a visit and it was so nice to have my Mom and Dad around since I’ve never gone that long without seeing them before. It felt really strange being the ‘parent’ in that situation because they had no idea where they were going but I did. What a change from all previous family vacations where my parents were firmly in charge of the plans and the money. I was so excited to go to Mole National Park and we got to see elephants up close in their natural habitat which was an incredible moment. 

I’ve met some really cool people along the way as well, probably my most favourite people are Peter and his wife Vanessa who own and operate Peter’s Pizza in Aburi. I have eaten lunch several times at Peter’s and each time is yummier than the last! They are such wonderful people and I love talking with them and learning more about their life experiences and how they ended up in Aburi. I really hope I can visit them once more before I leave.

I hope that this last month doesn’t fly by but I know it will. It’s still rather strange to actually be planning to return home in 30 days and return to my regular life in Canada. It took me a long time to be comfortable and happy in all aspects of my life in Ghana but I’ve finally succeeded in doing so and I’m sad to see this experience come to an end. I've made incredible friends throughout this experience and I am going to miss them all terribly. Part of me wishes I could extend to continue working but I know that this isn’t possible. I must admit, I’m excited about seeing my family and my fellow classmates who I haven’t seen since September. I’m also REALLY excited for some homemade macaroni and cheese and tacos! I’ve promised myself to make more time to write on my blog once I return to Canada because I have lots of stories to tell but due to being busy at work, I haven’t had the time to dedicate to my blog as I would have liked. 

Here’s to hoping Ghana will be kind and there will be no catastrophes for the last month. 

(How hard can it be?)

Another Tale of Broken Electronics

Having a cellphone while in Ghana is very important to me. Really, it’s my lifeline. I use it to communicate to people at home and in Ghana in addition to using it for e-mails, internet, homework and work documents. 

You might remember me discussing my great used Blackberry purchase at a special place in Accra called Kwame Nkrumah Circle (locally known as Circle). In my first post I mentioned how overwhelming Circle was on the first day I was in Ghana - in hindsight, perhaps not the best choice to go to Circle while jetlagged and absolutely clueless but we managed. Circle is essentially a central transportation hub with a huge tro tro station (and at least 3 auxiliary stations that I have stumbled upon), STC and VIP buses have stations here, there is a Post Office and several markets. Circle is also a great place to buy used things like cellphones and bicycles. 

The purchase of my used BlackBerry Bold 9000 for what I thought was a pretty reasonable price was amazing. I couldn’t ask for more from a phone. It was pretty banged up when I bought it and it was quite remarkable that it worked perfectly despite its age. I will admit that it was very big and heavy and often got dropped but I tried to take care of it. I was hopeful that it would last the 8 months of my placement. Sadly, that was not meant to be, as it died forever on Sunday February 26. I couldn’t believe that it was dead dead even though it resetting itself constantly over the weekend. This was a bit of a problem because I had been working on an assignment for work on the phone and lost all the work. A reminder that relying so heavily on electronics is perhaps not the smartest thing (eventually I will learn this).

I had to do a great deal of soul searching about what kind of phone I would purchase for the remainder of my placement. I had two options: buy another used BlackBerry and run the risk of getting a garbage phone or buy a cheap, disposable phone to text and call without all the fancy extras. In the end, I decided the BlackBerry was the best option for me despite the fact that I will only be in Ghana for another 52 days. Could I have survived without the fancy phone? absolutely, but I didn’t want to.

So decision made and with my budget in mind, off I went with a friend to Circle Tuesday morning to once again buy a phone. I promised myself that this time I would shop around and not buy the first phone I saw like last time. I promised not to buy on impulse and make sure it was worth buying before handing over my Cedis. Ian and I hadn’t gone too far down the road before we saw a guy with nice looking BlackBerrys in his little glass case. We stopped to talk to Isaac and saw a BlackBerry in good condition that looked alright. Bargaining is like a sport and it is quite addictive. Within a few minutes we got him to cut the price from 200 to 150 and we quickly tried making a phone call and making sure all the buttons and camera worked.

I lost my desire to shop around and handed over the money and became the owner of my new BlackBerry. I didn’t realize until I got on the tro tro to come home that the buttons have what looks like Arabic characters in addition to the regular characters on the buttons! woops!! Never mind, I replaced an ancient Bold 9000 with a Tour 9630 2009 model.

So far, the Tour has been alright. It seems to be a cross between the Curve and the Bold. Having owned both models before, it seems to combine the features of the Bold in a smaller, lighter handset. So far the Tour is alright, it isn't my favourite model and I miss the bigger screen of the Bold but really, I can't complain.

My wonderful little purchase will only be mine until the day I leave as I’ve decided to return to Circle and sell it back to one of the boys on the street so that someone else can enjoy it. Right after buying it one of the other boys asked me if I was interested in selling it. I’ve got a better idea of how much I can get for it so we’ll see what happens when the time comes!

Sand Winning & Property Damage in Elmina

The beach in Elmina

You don’t often think about sand as being a commodity worth stealing, however sand winning is a growing problem along the beaches of Ghana. Enterprising individuals are collecting sand to sell or to make into cement blocks. The impact of this activity is very pronounced on some of the beaches I have visited in Ghana. Some beaches are worse than others while some, particularly Bojo beach (which is inaccessible without taking a canoe from the coast), are pristine. A quick internet search provided several newspaper stories of reporters investigating situations of sand winning going unstopped by law enforcement and also by local communities who self-regulate many other economic activities like fishing. From my research and from talking to a hotel owner currently dealing with this problem, it seems the responsibility for stopping this activity lies with traditional leaders and also with individual property owners. A case study in Odumasi indicated that this formerly productive area of farm land is barren and can no longer be used for agriculture because much of the top soil has been ‘won’ or removed. The reporter visited the area and witnessed a truck being filled in the presence of a community leader which indicates that the leader was aware of their activities despite his insistence to the contrary. Similarly in James Town in Accra, fishermen went about their daily activities ignoring individuals removing sand from the beach or bringing supplies to the beach to make cement blocks with the sand.

The hotel is taking steps to protect their property
 however it is unlikely to resolve the issue

The restaurant building at the hotel in danger of being
damaged from the erosion

I stayed at a hotel in Elmina over the holidays and the erosion from the sand winning that continues on this beach was extreme. The hotel is no doubt going to lose their restaurant as the foundation is being eroded due to the lack of beach sand protecting it. They were busy constructing some barriers however their efforts are going to be in vain.  I have never before seen a beach with such a significant lack of slope. It was very obvious where the dump trucks had been backed up to collect sand. The hotel said they had been battling with local government officials to take action against the sand winners because of the property damage it was causing and also the environmental costs of destroying the shoreline. Sand winning contributes to coastal erosion. It took three years to get government to take their concerns seriously and even after they had blocked the paths the dump trucks had taken, the trucks had simply gone around the barriers to reach the beach. The hotel is new and is still under construction however the damage to the beach will severely impact their property. They are quite limited in their options to remedy the situation. Short of having armed guards patrolling the beach and running the risk of the sand winners bribing the guards, not much can be done. 

You can see the efforts of the hotel to try to protect their property. Hi Mom!

Illegal ‘entrepreneurs’ is a very common problem in Ghana which I have previously written about in the case of illegal miners. People are willing to take drastic and even deadly measures to keep people off their land. This response is hardly unusual and sadly, government seems to lack the capacity and will to take action against illegal entrepreneurs. On the other hand, it seems grossly unjust to prohibit people from earning an income (albeit illegally), when there are no other jobs available in the area. There seems to be a lack of education about protecting the environment and indeed alternative materials in construction. Poverty plays a major role in encouraging people to engage in illegal activities because there are few alternative employment opportunities. Perhaps if there was increased investment in creating jobs for people they would be less inclined to engage in illegal enterprises.

Apple Disaster Averted

It is no secret that I am extremely tough on electronics. I have managed to break most electronics that I own to some extent. It is also no secret that I adore my MacBook but I have also broken pretty much everything on it at least once, some people might remember the time I drowned my laptop but Apple durability won and my laptop worked perfectly fine within 24 hours. Or the time the fan broke or the time I managed to break the harddrive or the time the power cable had to be replaced (among other things).

Being unable to repair my beloved MacBook when the inevitable happened was of concern to me while on placement. The dust and heat have not been kind to my laptop despite my best efforts. I found it really exciting that an Apple store opened at the Accra Mall which would make ordering new parts easier than having them shipped from the UK or North America.

The real story began yesterday morning when I yanked on my power cable while packing my bag to go to work. I didn’t think much of it until I went to plug my laptop in to the wall and the battery wasn’t charging. As my laptop was dead and thus I couldn’t do any more work that day, I went home to try and fix it. This isn’t the first time I’ve had trouble getting the cable to work but this time, none of the usual tricks could get it to work again. Time for Plan B.

I went in search of one of my new ISH friends because I didn’t want to deal with this problem alone. Luckily Collin was around and he offered to go with me to try and track down a new charger. There was two options; either the store at the Mall had one or we could go to a store at Circle that carries Apple accessories. I was expecting to have some difficulty trying to find this because it has been my experience in Ghana that things are easy to find until you really need to find something specific. Ghana took pity on me this particular day. The sales associate at the Apple store said that yes, they had a new charger in stock and within five minutes I had it in my hand. I was really really surprised at how easy that was! I was really expecting to have a bit of a tough time finding one, assuming the Apple store didn’t have one in stock. The fly in the ointment was that it was quite pricey costing 250 cedi or approx 170 USD. In theory we could have gone to Circle to see if it was possible to get the cable for less but I decided to spend the money and avoid the possibility of not being able to get one at all. 

So thank you Ghana, I really appreciate your kindness on this occasion.

Welcome to 2012

Having a full month break at the holidays was exactly what I needed to feel refreshed and excited to go back to work. I don’t think anyone would dispute the fact that being a tourist in a country is far easier than trying to set up a life and work. Only once you are immersed in a place you begin to appreciate and understand it. Being in a country for two weeks or even a few months isn’t enough time to really understand what is going on in the particular country. Traveling to tourist areas in the country also means that you are likely interacting with people who are accustomed to hosting tourists.

Traveling with my parents and with my boyfriend made me appreciate how much I have learned about Ghana in such a short period of time and I don’t assume for one second that I know all that there is to know. I was really proud of myself that I was able to navigate without getting lost or needing to ask for directions. I was also really proud of myself for being able to bargain for taxis and get a good price with confidence I didn’t know I had. I had some serious concerns that this experience was not bringing out the best in me, however I know I will be going home a more confident person and that I need to worry less and enjoy the remainder of this experience more.

I am excited to make new friends in the coming weeks as all of my friends on campus have returned home. I wasn’t expecting to make such great friends and they really made this experience a lot of fun. Whether we were celebrating small victories or getting over our problems by eating ice cream in the parking lot, there was never a dull moment. 

I really hope to spend more time at work and also working on my blog for the remainder of my placement. I think my body has had enough of traveling for the time being and I am not opposed to saving some money by staying close to Accra.

I have also compiled a brief list of the things I want to accomplish by the time I leave Ghana. I am quite amazed at how much I have accomplished in only a few months. Hopefully I will continue to grow and learn in the coming months.

The Ghana List:

• Fall asleep on every beach I visit
• Learn a bit of the local language (Twi) (done)
• Take a tro tro by myself (done)
• See a hippo in the wild
• Take a safari through Mole National Park (done)
• See an elephant in the wild (done)
• Ride on a motorcycle (done)
• Ride on a tractor (done)
• Visit a witches camp in the north (done) 
• See one of the historic mosques in the North (done)
• Visit Kejetia market in Kumasi (done)
• Tour at least 10 forts/castles
• See monkeys (done)
• Climb a mountain (done)
• Learn how to negotiate for a taxi (done)
• Do some African dance (done)
• Master cooking one Ghanaian dish
• Make a charitable contribution in some capacity

Peace and Tranquility at Bojo Beach

Sarah and I decided to take a bit of a break from the big trips we have been taking for the last couple weeks and decided to take a day trip to Bojo Beach. This place was not included in our guidebook however everyone who has been there has highly recommended going. Getting there wasn’t too difficult - we followed the same route we take to Kokrobite but simply get off the tro tro at the Bojo Beach road. For once traffic was in our favour and it took about an hour to get there. This little trip also served as a lesson to be cautious about allowing someone to serve as your ‘guide’ and to be cautious about telling people where you are going because people can and do follow you. We were fortunate that it was only a small boy who followed us, and thanks to the taxi driver who brought us to the beach, we were able to stop him from following us. The boy was going to ‘show’ Sarah and I to the Kokrobite tro tro station which is a short walk away from the main station. It was pretty clear he didn’t really know where he was going. Somehow he got on the same car as us. Sarah asked him if he was going to meet friends or family because he told us he was going to the beach. He didn’t seem to sure about what he was doing. When we got off the tro tro and walked to a nearby taxi to ask him to take us to the Beach the boy was there, holding the door open saying we should get in. I said very clearly to him that we were saying goodbye and that he should go on his way. That didn’t seem to do any good. Luckily the cab driver told him to get lost. Turns out the boy took the next taxi to the beach entrance and was begging for money so he could go to the beach. Our taxi driver told him to go home and to stop causing trouble. 

The beach itself is stunningly beautiful. It is essentially a sand bar across a small lagoon. You do have to pay to enter the beach which pays for your passage on the small motorized canoe across the lagoon. Really, they should get around to building a bridge because the boat ride is less than 30 seconds. The beach was so empty with maybe 30 people in total on the beach. There was no hawkers and nobody to disrupt our day. The food at the restaurant was of reasonable value and the pizza was quite tasty. The beach was safe and we were not concerned about having our bags stolen while we were in the water. The beach was spotless with no garbage in sight. The water was wonderfully warm and clean. There was minimal floating plastic garbage in the water, compared to some of the other beaches we have been to. I would highly recommend going to Bojo Beach for anyone who enjoys a beautiful beach. 

I think Bojo will rival Kokrobite once the accommodation is finished because as of right now, the rooms are still being completed. 

A Day At Kokrobite

This weekend (October 29), my friend Sarah and I were ambitious. She invited me to go to Kokrobite as one of the other Canadians in our building was celebrating her birthday on Saturday. Everyone who has gone to Kokrobite seems to love it so I thought a day at the beach was what I needed. We left for Kaneshie Station around 5pm on a Friday. We knew traffic in Accra is bad at the best of times and I anticipated that the journey would take longer seeing as this was the busiest time of the week to travel. Kaneshie struck me as being straight out of an old market neighborhood in India. All of the buildings were old and covered in a thick layer of dust and dirt. As we approached Kaneshie, the taxi driver told us to put up the windows as “they boys here are criminals”. Theft is common in these areas and this wasn’t unexpected. This was another place (similar to Circle), where the best precaution is to keep all valuables in your bag and to wear your bag on your front. As silly as this sounds, you see locals doing it as well which tells you its probably a good idea. A nice man told us he was going to the Kokrobite tro tro station and we followed him through a sketchy poorly-lit road. The line up was long despite tro tros arriving frequently. 

After some messing around we ended up jumping on one of the big Metro buses. There were no seats but we decided we could stand for the 25km journey. Wrong. The trip took almost 4 hours (I wish I was exaggerating), and after a while your legs start to hurt. Knowing the likelihood we wouldn’t arrive in time to get dinner, I was glad I brought snacks and that we could buy food while on the bus (a huge bonus of Ghana). The road leading to Kokrobite was quite steep and very bumpy but eventually we made it to Big Milly’s Backyard. I was so exhausted from the week that I elected to go to bed early so I would be rested enough to enjoy the beach.

Kokrobite Beach

The beach was perfect and the water was warm. We had a great breakfast, bought some things from vendors at the beach and played in the water. Kokrobite beach is very different from Labadi Beach in that you go to the vendors, they don’t come and hassle you every 5 minutes. Dresses and scarves are huge there and I got a cute little African sundress for 7cedi. The usual tourist trinkets and beads are also available.  We had a wonderful lunch at Kokrobite Garden in an outdoor dining area. The pizza was truly delicious and I think it was a close tie between that pizza and Peter’s Pizza in Aburi. The service was great and the food was amazing. Well worth the money!

Some of the fishing boats on the beach

After our lunch, the tide was coming in so the waves were bigger and stronger. You can’t really go out far enough into the ocean to swim because even when you are knee deep in the water, the undertow is quite strong. We continued to enjoy the beach before our dinner. One wave caught me by surprise and I was swept under and almost lost my hat and sunglasses. 

Walking along the beach at sunset

In summary, the weekend was wonderful and Big Milly’s Backyard was a really nice place to stay. We didn’t stay for the Saturday night reggae but I still had a blast. The food was delicious and well worth the money. Kokrobite is more expensive than I was anticipating but you are paying to be right on the beach. The low cost of transportation and proximity to Accra made it well-worth the trip. For what you get at Kokrobite, the price is reasonable. 

Ghana Driving Rules

A friend of Veronika's drove us to the Accra Mall last night and on our way we reflected on the Ghanian rules of the road. We came up with six humorous rules of the road that are not included in the Drivers Manual! We don't recommend trying this

1. Lay on your horn pretty much the entire time. Honk if you see an Obruni, honk if you see a friend, honk if the light turns green, etc etc.

2. Drive FAST. Because the traffic moves so slowly when you have room just put the pedal to the metal and go for it. Who obeys the speed limit (or who knows what the limit actually is?) anyways?

3. Don’t give way. You might lose your spot in the lineup. If you end up in the middle of the intersection after the light turns red, no big deal. Just ignore the onslaught of horns you will get. If you can see road between the front of your car and the bumper of the car in front, you’re leaving too much of a gap. Tighten up!

4. Drive in all of the lanes, don’t pick just one, that’s just boring.

5. After dark, either drive with no lights at all (you’ll wear them out), or only with your high beams on. Who drives with their regular headlights anyways? Much better to blind oncoming drivers.

6. Traffic lights are not the law, just a suggestion. If you are a motorcycle this really applies. The police won’t bat an eye in your direction if you choose to blast through an intersection on a red light. Don’t try to avoid pedestrians, they’re soft or they’ll get out of your way.

I'd like to think I'm a competent driver however I don't know if I could drive in Ghana in Accra during busy traffic times. Unreal. 

Tema-Accra Flooding

This was one of my school submissions but I thought it was a really interesting topic so I reposted it here

The rains should have stopped in Accra in September, however we are still experiencing heavy rains at the end of October. The flooding that resulted from the heavy rain from Monday to Thursday of this week has claimed the lives of 9 people in the Tema-Accra area in addition to the destruction of homes and many businesses. 

During a trip to the Volta Region this weekend, we endured incredibly violent rains as we climbed to the top of Mount Afadjato. The rain made descending the mountain very dangerous and we could tell that the village was going to experience some flooding as the sewers couldn’t cope with the water. The remainder of the trip was sadly called off due to the weather. The long drive back to Accra was slowed because the water had flooded or washed away the road in many places. Some of the small villages we passed were flooded after only a few hours of rain. It was obvious they would have major clean-ups to do once the rain had stopped.
Accra and the surrounding areas have been pummeled with heavy rain and thunderstorms this week. One severe storm on Monday was literally on top of my building, I’ve never been woken up by such a loud storm in my life. Despite being located on top of a hill, campus has been flooded with water and the sewers, clogged with empty sachets and black plastic bags, couldn’t drain the water resulting in a wonderful smell coming from overflowing gutters. If the existing sewers were clear of debris, the flooding would not have been so severe. According to the Daily Graphic newspaper, this is a reminder that efforts to improve infrastructure and planning in Accra are greatly needed in addition to educating the public of the need for insurance to help people recover from such a disaster.

There are three issues at play here. First, the changing of the seasons. People at work have repeatedly commented that we shouldn’t be experiencing rain at all in October and that this is a prime example of the effects of climate change (I couldn’t agree more). People here seem to be able to identify changes in the rainy season as being a direct, observable result of climate change. The link between the unbelievable car emissions and climate change doesn’t seem to resonate as much. I still find it puzzling how nobody finds it as appalling as I do! I like that people are able to identify what they are experiencing as a result of climate change however they don’t propose any actions to limit it. Secondly, there is a huge lack of infrastructure in Accra. The open gutters and sewers are incapable of coping with such a large amount of water. Smell aside, overflowing gutters present a huge health problem for people including a higher risk of malaria (from standing water where mosquitos breed), to the unsanitary conditions of having waste and garbage floating around. The biggest issue is flooding, as experienced this week. The newspaper indicated that many businesses had to close in areas where the flooding was severe. The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) did respond and helped people pump water from their homes however many in areas like Santa Maria spent the night on their roofs in the rain to avoid the flooding. Thirdly, the victims of the flooding are hard-pressed to find a doctor as the doctors strike has yet to be concluded here. Doctors have now been told to stop providing emergency care to force the government to meet their demands.

After seeing the pictorial and news articles in the Daily Graphic, I am reminded that although the rain inconvenienced me this week, it could have been much much worse. Hundreds of people lost their businesses, personal property, even vehicles that were swept up in the flooding. My office remained open during the flooding as Legon is not a low-lying area and other than getting quite wet on my trip to and from work, things were normal. I know people in the office were very upset by this newspaper yesterday when it was published, now I know why. Some suggestions proposed by government officials in the newspaper are to change people’s behaviour when it comes to waste disposal. All of the discarded plastic waste clogs up sewers and hinders an already overextended system from operating optimally. The other aspect, which relates to city planning which seems to be completely lacking in most parts of the city, is to prevent people from building on water courses. 

6 Months Left

I wrote this post on October 21st but due to Ghana internet - I haven't been able to post.

As of this week, I only have another six months left of placement. I can’t believe I’ve been here in Ghana for a month and a half. Some days it feels like time is flying by, other days it feels as though it is dragging on endlessly. In honour of having six months remaining, I have assembled a list of my six favourite things about Ghana.

Food: I was expecting a diet including a LOT of rice however I wasn’t prepared for how good the food is here! Most of the food here is high in carbs but I know I am healthier now because nothing is really made with any preservatives - everything I am eating is made fresh that day with fresh Ghanian produce. My first love when we got here was jollof rice (think regular rice cooked with tomato sauce with some vegetables thrown in and a generous portion of chili peppers!!) which I eat at least twice a week. Red red is another popular thing here - plantains fried in palm oil (yes this is very bad for you) with beans (I think?). It’s quite tasty but I try to limit myself to prevent stomach issues later on. My new love is fufu with groundnut soup! Fufu does take a bit to get used to, you’re not supposed to chew it, simply swallow it. Considering we are so used to chewing everything, my first attempt at fufu was very slow as I consciously had to remind myself not to chew. Groundnut soup is wonderful and a bit spicy and I’m sure it will become one of my favourite dishes. In Ghana you won’t be going hungry. There is lots of food that is delicious.

The morning: I love the five minutes I spend every morning just contemplating life on my balcony while watching the world go by. It’s usually less noisy in the morning than it is later in the day so I like to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet - a unique thing in Accra! 

Countryside: Accra give little indication of the beauty of Ghana. Accra is dusty, busy, and noisy. Once you leave Accra and head east towards the Volta region, the natural landscape is beautiful and lush. The tree covered mountains and the green landscape are stunning. Sometimes I really wish I could pack up and move somewhere else in Ghana. But that is what weekends are for, I really enjoy getting out of Accra.

Beautiful scenery at the top of Mount Afadjato

People I work with: I really am growing to love my co-workers, quirks and religion and all. I am amazed with how kind they are to me and how much they enjoy telling me all about Ghana and helping me to get my footing here in Ghana. They love hearing about Canada, especially about snow and the Inuit which doesn’t surprise me much. I find it very interesting to compare things like health care and school here in Ghana to what I have experienced in Canada. They have been helping me with my trip planning also and are keen to hear about what adventures I get up to on the weekends.

Music: I am starting to hear more Ghanian music and some of it is really good! Some of it is quite inappropriate and some is borderline offensive - especially the song whose chorus is “Thank God I’m not a Nigerian”. It is rather shocking that such blatant discrimination is allowed on the airwaves. I like how even the music is laid back and relaxing (not that Ghanians are in need of relaxation). It is challenging to work when Ghanian music is being played in the office because when you’re hot and listening to tropical music - all you want to do is sit on a beach somewhere. Ghanian movies are also something else. I got my first taste of Ghanian movies this week on the bus to Volta region. Boy some of them are really badly acted and very very low budget. Some of them aren’t so bad though. I do understand why people complain about how loud they play the movies - it is very difficult to sleep with a movie blaring. 

My friends: While it took a couple weeks to start making good friends - I am now thoroughly enjoying traveling with friends that I have made here in Ghana both foreign and local. Even if our trip doesn’t go well or bad things happen (Nzulezo), we always seem to manage to have a blast and make the most of it. I am going to really miss those who are leaving in December. I also appreciate that we can talk about some of the challenges we face being outsiders in a completely different culture and some of the frustrations we experience. I also enjoy learning about other people’s life experiences in their home countries. It’s pretty cool how you make friends from around the world when you are overseas.

With friends Veronika and Lisa at Nzulezo

It’s quite amazing how time flies when you’re away. It feels like I’ve just arrived but that I’ve been here my whole life. I am finally mastering simple daily tasks like feeding myself and getting around. I’m very proud of myself that my geography has improved tremendously. I have a good grasp on East Legon, Madina, Haatcho, and the University campus. Simply knowing where I am at all times makes me feel a lot more comfortable. My Twi is improving a bit. I can say the words however my accent is not correct (I seem to revert to a French accent for some reason). I can say the days of the week and tell you what day of the week it is and what tomorrow is, I can ask your name and tell you mine, and I can greet you in the morning. I have started learning how to count which I hope to master this week.

Dude I'm Totally Married

For the record: I am not married. I have a boyfriend I love very much but we are not married. In recent weeks I have adopted this ‘party line’ to make it easier for me to deal with men who approach me when I’m out and about and it is a perfect reason why I can’t take them to Canada with me, or go for dinner with them, or give them my phone number etc etc. I’m not a liar and thus it has taken me several weeks to get better at repeating this storyline.

The amount of hassle I get greatly depends on where I am in Accra and within the country. Madina I found particularly bad for this type of thing. A two hour shopping trip resulted in many requests for me to either get them a Visa to Canada, send them a plane ticket to Canada, or simply for me to take them back to Canada with me. One man was so bold that when I told him I was taken he asked to see my ring! (that was a first)

The main road leading to Madina Market

Some shops in Madina - you can buy pretty much
anything here from food to cellphones to shoes
you name it - someone has it

Madina is a very busy place and it is a bit
disorienting. Be careful to not get hit by a car

This morning I know I was not in the greatest of moods and I was also quite late getting to work. A boy selling phone credit at Okpongolo Junction said Good morning to me and after I greeted him, he told me he loved me. I just kept walking, having a little laugh on the inside. I don’t think I had walked more than 500m before a guy about my age said “wait, come talk to me for a minute” I gave the usual song and dance that I was late for work (which I was) and that I couldn’t stay and chat. That didn’t deter him and instead of having a conversation I just came right out with “dude I’m totally married”. I repeated this twice before he got the hint and walked away. I mean, it is completely possible that he just wanted to have a friendly chat with me. This having been said, I feel like most times I do have a chat with men here, it ends with them asking me for my phone number or asking to date me or again, asking me to take them home with me.

Another morning adventure to work last week was equally amusing as a mate of a broken down tro tro on Madina Road flat out said “good morning, can I have your phone number” I of course said no to which he asked “can I give you my number? you call me?” Sometimes I really wonder if they do it just to mess with you. It’s pretty obvious you don’t belong (your skin colour might have been their first hint), and they know you will say no nine times out of ten. This does make me wonder if they get a kick out of ‘messing with the white girls’. 

On a more positive note, on one of my first solo missions to the Mall, I was having some trouble getting a tro tro home. I choose to go to the smaller platform instead of the main one because there are less people fighting to get into the cars. A boy around my age came up and asked me where I was going. He was really sweet and helped me get on the tro tro to Legon. He even paid for my fare (the equivalent of 20 cents), which he didn’t have to do. We parted ways at the roundabout on campus after he asked me (innocently enough) if I would go with him to eat fufu one evening. I told him no that I have a serious relationship back home and that Kevin wouldn’t be happy if I went for dinner with another man. Kevin found this whole encounter a bit amusing. I laughed really hard when he asked me “why did that guy pay for your tro tro?” - not a question I EVER expected to be asked!

Kevin & I Summer 2011

Sometimes though, men will just not get the hint as I discovered one afternoon I met up with some other Canadian volunteers for lunch. The guy would not leave us alone after inviting himself to sit at our table while we ate lunch. This young man couldn’t understand how he was being dishonest by saying he wanted to be friends when he wanted a whole lot more than that. At some point you have to be firm and basically say “get lost”. Being subtle or too nice (or ‘Canadian’ as my German friends say), doesn’t get you very far! I’m practicing being more firm - what an odd thing to have to practice.

It is a nice break to go places where you don’t stick out as much. I find wandering around campus is a perfect example of this. There are people from around the world who live on campus and by being a University campus, the number of non-student people who are there is pretty minimal.

One thing I was looking forward to was making local friends as a way to learn more about the culture and life here in Ghana. This is trickier than it sounds for several reasons. Firstly, women are less likely to come up to you and propose friendship (a quick survey of the foreign friends I’ve made have all said that they don’t have female Ghanian friends). Secondly, a lot of the time ‘friends’ doesn’t mean ‘friends’ the way we know it to be. Thirdly, no matter what  you do whether it’s learning the language or dressing Ghanian, you are always going to stick out to some degree. This is not to say that it’s impossible to make friends, however it does take longer than when you are making friends with foreigners. 

Don’t get me wrong, I greatly appreciate the fact that when I am going somewhere and I have the “I’m REALLY lost or confused” look on my face, someone will ask if I need help almost immediately. It’s truly wonderful and I greatly appreciate their assistance even if their directions are frequently wrong. You can make out pretty quickly what the person’s intentions are. Being friendly with people is good, just not too friendly.

As with pretty much everything in Ghana - patience is key.