peeing in gutters (ah ghana!)

Boy did I have experiences today. Gillian and I slept through the University of Ghana orientation, because we figured it’d be more of the same we’ve heard from everyone- no drinking the water, take your malaria meds, wear bug spray, etc. And from what I heard from those who went, that’s exactly what it was. So I’m not to bummed that I got to sleep in until 10 to miss that. Gillian and I then encountered our first bit of bartering as we hailed a taxi to take us to the post office in Cantonments, the next neighborhood over. In Ghana, taxi fares aren’t like in the states. You tell the driver where you’re going and then barter for the price before you even get in. He said it’d cost two Cedi, and we said, no, 1 Cedi and 50 pesewas (cents). He said no he can’t do that, so we said okay, and moves on our merry way. He called beckoned us back and said that he’d take us for 1.50! So it works! The key to bartering, according to my CRA, Naa, is to just walk away if they won’t take your deal or won’t even cooperate with you, and most of the time they’ll call you back to haggle. So we made it to the post office which is like a 5 minute drive away. It costs $1.50 to mail a letter to the U.S. and 90 cents to mail a postcard. You put the letters in a bag labeled “United States” that just kinda hangs off the side of a counter. Again, I have full faith that my letters will get to where they need to be, but only because this is how to country operates. In America, forget it, I’d never just drop my mail in a sack and expect it to get anywhere. We decided to walk back to our dorm from the post office because we didn’t figure it’d be that far. Well, it took us about 30 minutes in the heat, but we didn’t get lost and we made it! We each had a 1.5 liter water bottle and we each drank almost all of ours on the walk, so we stayed hydrated and healthy. On the way home I bought another phone card for my cell phone, and when I said thank you to her in Twi, she got so excited and started clapping and hollering. They get SO excited here when you know even a phrase in their language. It again makes you see how stubborn us Westerners are. If a Ghanaian, Mexican, German, whoever, came to our country, it’s expected that they will know your language. Them getting “hello” or “good morning” right in English doesn’t impress us at all. These people are so gracious and so excited when you try to relate to them on their native level. We also stopped into a drug store to buy some mosquito repellent cream that our director, Christa, recommended, and the guy laughed at us when we tried to buy it. Maybe it’s for black skin or something, but he seemed amused that we wanted some.

After we got back we went to Kaneshi market which was incredible but entirely too overwhelming. I can only go there like once a month, otherwise I’d pull my hair out. Before we got there though, we waited for the other vans at this school playground. Their playgrounds consists mainly of dirt and soccer nets (they LOVE soccer here and are SO good), but outside the playground were men cooking pigs. Like stick an entire pig on a metal spoke and turn over hot coals it kind of cooking. It was kinda creepy at first but Leigh and I got out and talked to the man who cooks the pigs. He said he cooks these pigs for one of the 5 star restaurants here in Accra. He said they serve the pig as is (head, tongue, eyes, feet, everything except the intestines, which some people do eat) and put it on a platter. I guess some places like Hawaii do this, but it was really foreign to me. While we were waiting for the other vans, I realllly had to pee, and there weren’t any bathrooms around. So one of the CRAs directed me to this alley way where there are two stalls, one for girls and one for boys. These stalls are LITERALLY just walls in an alley way. No toilet, no nothing. Just a slanted ground that drains all the urine into a little gutter. So needless to say I practically peed, squatting, in the street, but it was really funny and I guess what these school children do. By the way, there’s not toilet paper in any of the UG bathrooms, I guess they just don’t believe in it.
The locals roasting pigs

So then we went to the market. It is three levels, indoors and outdoors. The outdoor portion surrounds the perimeter of a large, three story warehouse, and is where all the vegetables and meat is sold. The ground floor is all food, too. Mostly vegetables and sauces and spices and such. The second floor is where all the household goods are sold. Everyone has a little stand and sits outside their stand, waiting for people to walk by. They sell everything from crackers to toilet paper to pots and pans to kitchen knives to trashcans. I tried bartering with a woman for some rice, but she wouldn’t even begin to bargain with me. Naa said that at the markets, bargaining is the name of the game, but this one woman would not budge, so I just walked away. The third floor was AMAZING- Mom, you would’ve died. There are stands set up much like on the second floor, but it’s only full of fabrics. Every color and design you could imagine, and most of it is printed here in Ghana. Mallory and I walked around that floor for an hour or so, and each bought three different fabrics to have dresses made from. Marjorie, the dress maker, is coming to our dorm tonight, so I can give her the fabric I bought and hopefully soon I’ll have a Ghanaian dress or two! ***IF ANYONE WANTS A DRESS/SKIRT/TOP MADE, PLEASE EMAIL ME YOUR MEASUREMENTS AND WHAT COLOR FABRIC YOU’D LIKE!*** Browsing through fabric

All the women here wear these authentic dresses with these very distinct patterns, and I’m so excited to have a few to wear here! We went then went back downstairs to the first floor where all the food is. It is customary here to ask someone if you can take their picture before you take it. This being said, I’d asked everyone I’d taken pictures of if I could take their picture, and everyone had obliged. As I was walking down the stairs to the first floor, I had a perfect view of part of the market, and decided since there was no one in particular to ask for a picture, it wouldn’t be a problem. I took a picture without flash and Mallory took one after with flash, and all of a sudden an old man came up to me with a closed fist, shaking it at me and screaming at me asking me why I would take a picture. All these women at their stands, and even some men, got between me and him and pulled him away from me. I was so rattled and frightened and just overwhelmed.

The picture that caused great havoc.

Mallory and I then proceeded to get separated from our group and couldn’t find them when it was time for us all to meet back up, which was also overwhelming. We finally got Chris, one of the CRAs, and he led us back to the bus where I could finally breathe again. I don’t know how often I can go to that market, it’s so intense and crazy. But very fun and I am sooo glad I got fabric BECAUSE…

Marjorie, the dress maker, came by our dorm tonight and took our measurements and our dress designs and is making our dresses for us! Each dress/outfit costs 5 Cedi!!! That’s it. I’m having two dresses made right now, but know I will get MANY more made in the coming months. She’s incredible and so inexpensive, I almost feel bad for giving her so little money. Again, if anyone wants anything made, send me your measurements! Oh, and she said she’d have our dresses made by TUESDAY! It’s Saturday night! A bunch of us are hopefully volunteering at the Obama inauguration festival here, and we will get to wear our dresses to that! I am SO excited!

Now Gillian and I are resting and just got off Skype with Charlie!! So good to see him- he brought much laughter to the dorm room. I’m heading to bed relatively soon- another exhausting day. Tomorrow we’re having brunch made for us at a restaurant, then going to the beach!!! Hope all is well!

love love love