Life in Accra

Ma Ha! Good Afternoon! I have been in Accra for about a week now. I am much more comfortable getting around the city and using the tro-tros, although it still always an adventure. We have been taking classes at the University of Ghana in Legon. We are working on out Twi- learning the most useful and basic terms and phrases. Honestly I am really bad at it. When I speak, I am either getting laughed at by the locals or just stared at blankly. Either way, not so good. People do get really excited though when they see a "stranger" trying to communicate in Twi.

My home stay family is really great! I have been having a great time getting to know them, and the life of a typical Ghanain family in Accra. I went to church with them this past Sunday which was definitely an interesting experience. (I know that was a long time ago by now). But, it was in a huge dilapidated, unfinished building. Yet, when you walked in the main space was decorated really nice. Flowers, carpet, lots of color! Sunday school classes were held upstairs in unfinished cement rooms. I went with my home stay sister to the teen class. They were taking about drawing Moses out the the water. It was cool being half way around the world, in a church, and knowing the story that they were discussing. One thing that really struck me as odd though was how they teach their kids not to say anything if they feel that they have been mistreated by a teacher, but instead to pray to G-d that everything will work out for them. Very different from the lessons that we teach our children in America. It is just a different value system.

The other day we were walking through a market with a group of people. Someone stopped at a stand to buy something, and I decided that a soda sounded really nice. I asked how much, agreed and the woman opened the bottle. I was reaching for it to leave and the lady told me to sit down. The whole group was waiting and I was confused. She told me here in Ghana you are not allowed to leave the store with a glass bottle. "Umm.. ok..." She asked me if I wanted it in a bag. "Umm, sure.." so into a plastic bag my soda got dumped. Learning experience :) It is just funny learning the small differences in culture and practice in new places.

Yesterday, we went to a workshop and got to make our own Batik cloth. It was sooo much fun!! You wax out areas that you do no want the dye to penetrate and then dye the rest, put on more wax and dye it again. Every one's turned out really well!! I am hoping that we get time to do a few more!

I think that is about it for now. We will be in Accra until Tuesday, and then we move on to Kumasi. The home of the Ashanti. Love and hugs!