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?)

A truly WILD trip to Nzulezo

In hindsight, I should have KNOWN that something wasn’t quite right when the 3am departure time came and went with no sign of the vehicle to take us to Nzulezo. In the end due to poor planning on the trip organizer’s part, I went on the trip without my friends. Visiting Nzulezo - the only stilt village in Ghana - was one of the top things on my list after the Bradt Guide highly recommended going. I was amazed how awake the city was at 4am, with tro-tros and people starting their day. After a couple of hours, we ended up in Cape Coast and our guide took us past the castle and fort and through the boat yard and market place. It was still quite early in the morning and thus the market was very quiet however, the castle was beautiful and I can’t wait to go back to Cape Coast and visit.

Road to Beyin (near Nzulezo)

Once we passed Takoradi in the Western Region, the road rapidly got worse and the bumps and holes became bigger and more frequent. The last hour of the trip was on a dirt road (I’m being generous), that was more bumps than road. Again, all of us on board were realizing that our driver was not taking necessary precautions to ensure the safety of all of us on board. Driving too quickly, making minimal effort to avoid holes and laughing when he hit bumps, this driver was not being careful enough.
Once we arrived at the Ghana Wilderness Society building, the skies opened up and heavy rain began to fall. We were concerned that we would have come all this way to not be able to see the village. Luckily the rain let up once we finished a rather bland and cold lunch of beans and red red and we set off towards the canoes. 

Walking to the canoes

Me looking quite scared on the canoe to
the village of Nzulezo

Unlike the dugout canoes which the villagers use, our canoes were made out of wood planks. The village has an outboard motor which they attach to a canoe in case of emergency as it takes a full hour to paddle from the dock to the village. One website I found about Nzulezo says that they villagers are not allowed to use the motor but this simply isn’t true. We eventually reached the village after being rained on (again) in the canoes. In hindsight - I wish I had brought rain gear!

The loo

As you can imagine, the houses were quite small and clustered closely together. Most of them were plain wood (except for the pink house - my favorite), and simple houses of one room. I can’t imagine living there let alone having children and living there. The walkways often had holes or boards missing leaving gaps big enough for children to fall through or at least get their foot stuck. I would be terrified to let my children go out and play here! The most beautiful building in the whole village was the Pentecostal church in the rear of the village. For such a small village, they had two churches that we saw. The best part was the loo. Can you imagine having to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and having to walk to this outhouse? One thing in particular that surprised us was that the villagers were proud to drink the ‘cleanest water’ which they drew from one side of the village while the waste water and all of their garbage was dropped into the water on the other side of the village. The chief was adamant that the water was cleaner than bottled water and that because the water was ‘swift moving’ their waste was carried far from the village. Somehow I doubt that this is the case. I’m sure that over generations people have developed immunity to whatever is in the water but I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable drinking the same water that people use as a toilet and garbage dump. It really surprised me how much garbage there was in the water and on the walkways. Many walkways were littered with pieces of wood and other things while the water behind the village was littered with plastic and containers.

Garbage. This is the 'waste dump' side of the village
water for drinking is drawn from the other side of the village
maybe a few hundred feet apart

I enjoyed hearing the chief talk about how his people came to settle in Nzulezo which means, not surprisingly, living on water. The original inhabitants were originally from Mali and were chased from their land by Senegalese people. The originally walked to Wenchi in Brong-Ahafo region however they were told to keep moving south, eventually finding the area which is now Nzulezo. They chose this area as the water protected them from their enemies in addition to their deity who protects the village from invaders. Every year, the descendants of the people who sought refuge in Nzulezo perform a ritual sacrifice to appease the deity. It is unique how they are able to maintain their traditional beliefs while most also attend church every sunday. There was a few troubling things at Nzulezo that deserve mentioning. We were told that the village is not hooked up to electricity, however, there was music playing and people on cellphones in the village while we were there. It was frustrating that all of the children persistently asked for either money or a pen. We respected the wishes of our tour guide and did not take pictures of the locals without asking (a huge reason why most of the pictures don’t have people in them other than us), however they really hurried us along and seemed reluctant to let us take pictures. I did enjoy the trip, however I would have liked to know more about the daily lives of the people who live in the village.

View of the Ocean from
Apollonia Fort

After the visit to Nzulezo, we were taken to Fort Apollonia which was nearby. This restored fort is now a museum dedicated to the history of the tribe who live in the area - the Nzuma people. Basically the entire tribe belongs to one of seven clans all of whom play a vital role in local leadership in the area. The Fort was beautifully restored in the last couple years and I got some great pictures of the ocean in the background. I wish I had been more awake because the guide was really trying to inform us however we were all exhausted (we’d been awake for over 16 hours at this point). 

Photo from inside the fort. Front entrance
is the door in the background

The trip back to Accra was a bit hair-raising to say the least. Again, the driver ignored our requests to slow down and there was a few times I almost hit my head off the roof because he was speeding and hitting holes or speed bumps. Eventually after a really stern talking to at a bathroom break stop, he did slow down somewhat between Takoradi and Cape Coast. Between Cape Coast and Accra though, the speeding resumed. Driving here is very dangerous, especially at night where the roads are not lit the way they are in Canada. Speed only adds to the danger. I’ve never had as scary a car ride here in Ghana.

All in all, I did enjoy the trip. Had the trip been better organized and the driver been more responsible and the car actually comfortable, I think I would have come away with a better memory of the trip. The scenery was beautiful and I hope to return to the Western Region for a trip again.