Discovering Ghana Continued...

Today was the last day in Ghana…sad. I spent some time in Accra walking around, but it was difficult because we have to take shuttles to Accra and it is an hour bus ride and when you arrive the vendor’s attack and you can barely move. Anyways the end to my time in Ghana is a complete misrepresentation of the two days before.

Wednesday I had a Semester at Sea trip to the Wli Waterfall & Mona Monkeys. Now this waterfall is the tallest in West Africa and it did not disappoint. After hours of bus riding and being told by the tour guide we actually drove so far we were 20 minutes from the Ghanaian border with Togo, we arrived at this waterfall. It was a forty-five minute hike there and we walked rapidly. It looked like an exhibit from the zoo, beautiful, lush green with the sound of rushing streams. The waterfall was obviously very large and we were able to swim in it. I was one of the first in and you could only walk so far before the power of the fall forced you to turn and walk backwards. The water pressure stung but it was so amazing to feel the sheer power of that much water constantly rushing. Prior to the waterfall we had spent a couple hours in a darling village where the monkeys come up to you and you can feed them. I didn’t get a chance to feed them, but they were extremely close to me and I got some cute pictures! So that was my second day in Ghana in a nutshell.

Thursday was the best day though. I woke up late and ran down to breakfast hoping to get a spot on a trip with the music teacher to a Ghanaian village where they did drumming and dancing. Ghanaian drumming is a really cool thing to hear. There are so many sounds that are happening and the dancing requires so much energy, the Ghanaians danced for almost two and a half straight hours. Americans train for years for that, the Ghanians are just born doing it! So the village was exactly what you would imagine and African village. Remote, dusty, and full of people interested to stare at you. The children would come running up to us at random asking to take pictures and holding our hands. They were so wonderful and everyone was beautiful. The whole village joined us to watch the dance. They were so enthralled by our reactions to what was happening. We spent all day with these people, getting to talk and love on them. It was so touching. They made us lunch that consisted of noodles, rice, beef and chicken, but for dessert they served the most wonderful pineapple, it literally tasted like candy it was so sweet. At the end of the day the “drum masters” had a workshop where they attempted to teach us Ghanaian drumming and dancing. I was so bad that the drum master took a personal interest in me and had to stand in front of me to keep me on beat. It was two beats, ba-ba, I went too quickly every time. Once we started to dance he went ahead and placed himself directly in front of me so I could see his dance moves. Thirty uncoordinated Americans doing West African dance in a circle is a sight, the village people were practically bent over laughing. At the end of the day the woman gave us hot, home-made plantain chips and embraced us before we loaded the bus. The men were quick to make sure we would return to Ghana and got our e-mails before we left. One twenty year-old named Samuel asked me if I could fly him to America because he didn’t have the money. Little does he know I’m using my dad’s frequent flyers mile to get home because I have zero dollars, Sorry Sam!

All in all Ghana was a huge success and for all who haven’t been or never intend to, change that. The people will warm your heart and you will be sure to be touched deeply. It’s amazing to watch love and communication in all nations and this is a nation where love abounds.

Tomorrow is Neptune Day, which means we don’t have class because we are having activities to celebrate crossing the equator! Woo Woo, life on ship….rough! Well I miss everyone and think about you all often, you are in my prayers. Love Love Love…


Carley