Accra: Day 4!

Today was probably the most 'academic day' so far. In the morning we went to the University of Ghana, Legon to get a lecture by Dr. Godson Ahortor about Religion and Disablility. The topic was very interesting. The major religion in Africa is Christianity, however there are very traditional views as well. For example, if a person is disabled, people will look at that person as if he is cursed. Or if a baby is born with a disability, people will think his/her mother did something awful in the past to have that happen to him/her. It was interesting to me because in the states, whenever I've heard someone with a disability who is also religious, they would say something like, 'this is what what has planned for me' or believe it is part of 'God's plan'. So here for people who practice Christianity to look at people with disabilities as 'cursed' seems still very traditional to African culture. Maybe Ghana (and pretty much all of Africa for that matter) has just been so colonized over history that everything starts to mix eventually. There is definitely a hint of Karma and Buddhism in this way of thinking and to 'heal' people, often a ritual will be performed or special ceremonies will take place. So the religion and views seem to be very mixed and infulenced by not only other cultures but by old traditions as well.

The University campus! It was really big and spacious and actually reminded me a lot of the UCSD campus!

Our class with Dr. Ahortor!

After the lecture, we stopped at the Accra Mall. The mall is like a typical American mall and very small. There was a Shoprite (grocery store) in the mall where we got food for our weekend trip. I bought some chips (the Lays actually tasted a little different), dried mangos and granola bars. I still had some cookies from my roommate (shoutout to Harmony aka Bone Thugs) so I thought I'd pack some of those so I didn't really have to buy much! I also went to the bank and then back on the bus!

We didn't have much of a break so I went back to the hotel and ate a delicious avacado and tomato salad for lunch and then the bus picked us up to go to class!

At class we had a guest lecture from Ibrahaim Mahammad who is a local artist.  He used to do art therapy with children at the Autism Center in Accra and now is a full time artist! He has done many exhibits and is currently in talks to exhibits overseas! He does what he calls 'art insulations' which are these pieces of recycled material sewn together and he covers large buildings with them. For his masters project he covered a museum in Accra and it looked really cool! He also talked about other artists from Africa who have disabilities. It was very interesting!

After the lecture we had dinner at Sunshine and then ice cream accross the street that was so delicious on the hot night! 

Here are some random pictures that I don't know where else to put!

Our hotel. It is actually a lot nicer than it looks! And it is very typical for buildings to have barb wire around them!

Sunset from our hotel!

Ghanian money or Cedis. Currently one Cedi is about 42 American cents. 

 

Accra, Day 3

Today we went to the city center (Accra's financial district), had our first non-group lunch and then presentations for class! One of our assignments was to assess the accessibility of places for people with disabilities. We practiced measuring and assessing during our first class but were told to also measure steps  and ramps to see if they would make code. So we were to that during our first stop at the business center!

This is the post office in the center of the business district. I bought some post cards and stamps!

While we started to measure, some people came out and ask us what we were doing. It got a little uncomfortable and I realized that I didn't want to measure anymore. I was a little concerned with coming off as a 'typical American'coming to a different country and trying to fix things. So we just kind of eyeballed things from there. But the business center was not wheelchair friendly and some places like the post office and banks had counters that were high and big steps.

While we went back to the bus, we were parked on a hill overlooking the ocean. It was really beautiful and we could see the fishing boats! 

So many boats! It was amazing.

After we got on the bus we went to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. Kwame Nkrumah was the first president of Ghana. The park stands on the same sight that used to be a Polo field that Ghanians were not allowed access to. When Ghana won their independence, Kwame Nkrumah gave his fist speech there! It was very interesting to hear about his life and some of the politics in Ghana.

The final resting place of Kwame Nkrumah. The statue is of him doing his party's symbol which means, 'Always Forward, Never Back'

A statue of Kwame Nkrumah that was destroyed. They didn't find the head until 2009!

After the park we were to have lunch on our own. I wanted to go back to Makola Market to get some fabric. Darci also wanted to go and get fabric along with some other girls. So we had the bus drop us off at the market and all split up. Darci and I were able to find some fabric and the market was much less overwhelming the second time around. I think I knew a little more of what to expect and I did some great bargaining as well! I was able to bring my purchases down by half! Darci and I then successfully negotiated a taxi to take us back to the hotel for 5 Cedis (about 2.50 USD)! We ate lunch at the hotel, uploaded pictures and then got the bus back to class! At class we had presentations of what we have learned so far and showed each other our pictures! My group talked about how we weren't sure what our roles have been and how awkward it has been to measure things and try to change them. But we also talked about what we have learned so far and showed some pictures! Then we had dinner at Tante Marie and a seamstress was there to take our designs and measurements!

After dinner, a group of us (me, Darci, Mehir, Liz, Alyssa, Christina, Clarita and for a while, Ethan, Sheila and Olympia) went to a bar called The Republic. There was a live band and it was a lot of fun! I had a drink called 'weozar' and it was verry very sweet! I also tried ginger beer but after a while I switched to regular beer! There may or may not also be pictures somewhere on the internet of us using the measuring tape to measure shot glasses, my mouth and being used as a limbo poll. Good times! 

Darci, me and Alyssa enjoying a weozor!

Accra, Day 2: Going to the market!

On the second day, we went to two very overwhelming and popular places: Makola Market and the Arts Center. Makola Market is a huge place where people not only sell goods, but can buy pretty much everything. It's like a swap meet and Walmart made a baby and that baby was Makola Market. We were mostly on the lookout for fabric because it is very common to see a seamstress and get things custom made. And there were lots and lots of fabrics to choose from! Something else I should mention is that bargaining is something that is very common here. So whenever buying something hand made or goods, or even a taxi, you most always bargain to get a good price. But we were told that fabric was usually sold at the right price, so we shouldn't bargain for that in Makola Market.

This is the outside of Makola Market. 

More Makola Market. People were everywhere!

Inside (where it's all dark) is where we went to get fabric. 

The outside of the market.

Going into the market was very small spaces, darker and extremely hot. It was easy to get lost. A lot of people were a little unsure to let us take pictures (Africa in general has gotten a bad rep because when tourists have taken pictures, they have been used in in a context that doesn't put them in the best light. So the people are very cautious of where their pictures are ending up) so I didn't get many pictures inside the market. Plus, it was extremely busy and pretty overwhelming so I was more focused on getting what I needed to get. 

Some of the fabric in the market. This is not even close to a fraction of how many fabrics there were. 

After Makola Market we went to the Arts Center. The arts center was much more spread out and in more open space, however was even more overwhelming then Makola Market! As soon as the bus pulled up, people were already waiting for us, greeting us, wanting to know our names and see their shops. One girl, Alex, had met some people who worked there and they had agreed to give drumming lessons and let us look (buy) drums. So a swarm of guys took us to the section of the arts center where they carve wood and make drums. We got a drumming lesson (where I found out I more rhythmically challenged than I thought) but after, they would not leave us alone until we bought something. And every time I asked a price, he would change the subject and show me how he makes drums. It was also a little uncomfortable because the men would say "come to my shop and see what I do" which would mean I would be alone with them (side note: the people are extremely friendly and have offered us to stay in their houses and use their phones, so I'm sure it was very innocent but I still had to keep my guard up). So I stayed in the open and had my eye out for my friends because it was really overwhelming and I did not want to get into a strange place with a strange man. After the drumming encounter, I went back to the bus and just wanted to leave! Also, I didn't take any pictures at the arts center because so much attention was already drawn to us and I really didn't want to stand out even more!

It was a strange experience in the markets, especially haggling the prices. It actually reminded me a lot of Tijuana where you have to bargain to get a fair price. In Makola Market, at least they let you shop and browse, but at the Arts Center it was really hard to shop. I definitely want to go back to the Arts Center and get other things and look more, but I'll have to be better prepared! 

After the markets, we went to lunch at Melting Moments (really good with a NYU discount!) and then class. We had a guest lecturer who was a mid-wife and she explained the family structures in Ghana. Basically, in rural areas, there is a lot of extended families living together and they all help each other out. In the city, it is more common for people to live with people who are not their families. She also said that when someone has a disability, it is the family's duty to take care of the person with the disability. So it was interesting to hear what roles the families play and how different it is in the city and in rural areas. 

We then had dinner at Sunshine which was also interesting because they served some Chinese food! So I can say I ate Chinese food in Ghana! Then we went back to hotel, drank some wine and went to bed! A pretty overwhelming day, but still enjoyable!

Accra, Day 1

Hello friends! First off, I'm alive. It was a crazy journey and it feels like it took me forever to get here! But it was worth the journey! I left Paris early (a little early than planned actually). And I got to buy some small souvenirs at the airport! Even though I was barely in Paris, it was still not a bad place to get stuck. As the plane left, I had the most amazing view of the city, it was actually heartbreaking. I definitely want to go back and explore the city. After Paris, I got to Amsterdam and really only had just enough time to get to the plane. It was little strange because I scanned my boarding pass, went through a door and then had to go through security. Then I was on my way to Ghana! When I landed (about 7 hours later), I saw someone from my program, Isi, literally in the row next to me. I followed her to the bus and it was nice to see someone familiar and to go find our hotel with! We got through customs, which was kind of intense. As soon as we got off the plane, we had to show our vaccine card to prove we had the yellow fever vaccine, even though I had to get it to get my visa. Ghana does not mess around with yellow fever. Then I had to wait in a line for about 45 minutes to get my picture taken and finger prints as I was let into the country. For those of you who don't know, I have the tackiest luggage ever. My bag is leopard print and pretty much the size of me. It got ripped over Christmas break (Thanks American Airlines!) so there is also bright pink duct tape on the side. It really is hard to miss. So when I didn't see it on the carousel, I wanted to cry. We had to go to lost and found, fill out a form and they said they would call the hotel at 8:30 am the next day. We went to leave the airport and saw someone from NYU Accra (he was wearing an NYU shirt and had a sign) and we said "Hi" and he told us to sit on some seats. We did and waited for another 45 minutes before we left. When we were on the bus, Kingsley (who was in the NYU shirt and told us to sit in the back) didn't realize who we were and thought we were missing! So we waited for 45 minutes for people who were with us the whole time! Kingsley felt really embarrassed but we were glad just to be going! We got to the hotel and I immediately smelt salt and humidity. We were right by the ocean! I met my roommate, Sheng, took a shower and went to bed very soon after that! I think I went to bed around 12:30 am, I was exhausted from all the traveling!

NYU Accra! Where we will be having class

The next day, we woke up and ate some breakfast and then went to orientation! We met some other students from NYU Abu Dhabi who were also studying abroad. They were taking an economics class that gave me a headache just from hearing the name! At orientation we toured the campus, saw our classroom and learned some of the customs in Ghana. The campus is very small since it only houses about 100 students per year. Most of the students are from other NYU campuses and are doing some type of study abroad program. We learned some cultural references such as: how to hail a taxi, how to say please, how to say come here, and some terms that you should never say (for example, shut up is considered to be the most rude thing you can say). We also got our official itinerary and then went to lunch! We had lunch at Headlines Hospitality and ate "official" food from Ghana! I ate peanut soup, plantains, rice, fried red snapper and fresh orange juice! It was very good, but the peanut soup was very spicy. When we got back to campus, we talked about disabilities and "assessed" the campus for someone with a wheelchair. Spoiler alert: NYU Accra is not most wheelchair-friendly place. There are a lot of uneven sidewalks and small pathways. Also the stairs are very steep and would require a very long ramp to be accessable. After class we went back to the hotel where I could not get a hold of the baggage claim. Ethan (who was also in my art class so I knew him a little before) also got his luggage lost by the same airline (KLM who is also operated by AirFrance and Delta). So we decided to go to the airport later that night (along with Abigail who is our guide from NYU Accra and the nicest person I have ever met) and see what was happening. At the hotel, I went down to the beach to take of picture of the sunset. It is extremely humid here and very muggy. So the sun was very red behind the clouds. I went with some others in my program to dip our feet in the water. I was amazed by all the trash in the ocean. There were literally two tires in the sand. I don't think I would want to swim in the water because there is so much trash. Lots of plastic bags and bottle and even dog poop were around us. The water felt nice, but I don't think I could go in past my ankles ( even though in about 5 posts I will probably talk about how I went swimming in the ocean). It also made me kind of sad because it was so beautiful but just surrounded by trash. After that we went to dinner at Tante Marie and pretty much had the same dinner as we did lunch! It was very good though. After dinner, Ethan, Abigail and I went to the airport and successfully got our luggage! I have never been so happy to have clean underwear!

Headlines Hospitality; where we had lunch!

A typical Ghanaian meal: peanut soup, red snapper (fried), rice, plantains!

Overall the only way I could describe the first day was surreal. When we pulled away from the hotel for the first time, it was strange to see all the people on the side of the roads and the houses. There are no sidewalks and a lot of the roads are bumpy and narrow. The people have been incredibly welcome and it is considered rude not to make eye contact or say hello to people on the street (pretty much the opposite of New York City!). Also, one of the administrators at NYU Accra had told us that "patience" is going to be our new middle name and she is very right! The people are very laid back and take their time (especially when it comes to food service). There are long gaps in our days to not only have enough time to eat, but also that is how life is around here.

An American in Paris

I may or may not have had some freak outs in the last 24 hours. The first one was when I realized my flight to leave the US was at 7:50. Not 9:50 like I had thought it was. I was flying to Paris, connecting to Amsterdam and then I would go to Accra, Ghana from there. A lot of traveling in one day! But I made it to JFK almost 3 hours early and ready to go! And it turns out I might as well have thought it was at 9:50 because we were delayed. I kept telling the attendants that I was worried about my connecting flights but they first told me they didn't know when we would board so there was nothing to do but go to the bar and have a drink (ok they didn't tell me that but that is what I did). Then they said I would be fine since we boarded at 10:30. But the plane didn't take off until mid-night. So I would definitely miss my connecting flight. And there was nothing I could do about it. So I slept. And by the way, AirFrance planes are extremely nice! Even though I pretty much slept upright, I had a tv to myself, a 3 course meal and plenty of room! I've been flying United and American Airlines for the holidays home and let me tell you, they can learn a thing or two from AirFrance. Anyway, when I landed in Paris, the people at AirFrance were extremely nice and I got a hotel voucher and a meal voucher. They definitely took care of me. The only bad thing is that I booked a hotel in Accra for the first night and it was non-refundable. So I lost $250. Super bummer. But I have a roof over my head, meals paid for, free wifi and I will get to Accra tomorrow! I may miss the welcome dinner or arrive fashionably late, depending on the time. 

This is all the airline tickets currently in my possession. Only 2 are valid. 

As I was hit with my unfortunate travel luck, I kept thinking in the back of my mind, 'how would a person with a disability handle this?' Living in New York City has taught me how to use my resources and fend for myself so I was fine. But what about someone without legs? There were elevators and escalators in the airport, but I had to go around the entire terminal to get out. I also thought about some of the children I work with (who are diagnosed with Autism) and rely on reidigity and schedules. Whould they be alright with spending the night in a strange room with a tv that only played shows in French? What about someone who is blind? I was able to follow signs and ask for help, but without those signs I would probably still be in that airport. And they were written in English as well as French so that helped me a lot. I'm a pretty patient person and can usually take things as they come, but for a person with disabilities this journey could possibly not end well. 

Being in a foreign country and traveling can be overwhelming but I'm already learning new things! Like to not book non-refundable hotels and that a smile and a thank you really can get you far. I was hoping to be in Ghana by now, but I will be there tomorrow! 

Janelle

The Prep

Hello! And welcome to my blog! As part of my class, I will be blogging about my adventures in Ghana! So to start off, I will talk about the preparation. And let me tell, you, it was a lot of preparation! First up: shots!

In order to get my Visa, one of the requirements was to get a yellow fever vaccine. Luckily NYU has a whole department in health services about international travel in accordance with Global Programs offered. The nurse was able to give me tons of information (and was a little scary to be honest, telling me that one student did come back with a type of micro bug in his eyeball due to getting water in his eye. Which made me never want to shower in Ghana. Which I will probably get over soon.) But I also got pills for preventing Typhoid Fever and Malaia. And super fun pills in case I get traveler's diarrhea.

This was a reminder to take my typhoid fever vaccine on my mirror. I'm sure everyone has one. And I realize the days were wrong on the reminder, but I still took them on the correct days!

This folder completely full of vaccine information! Also, my vaccine card that I had to turn into the Ghana Consulate to prove I had my yellow fever vaccine.

After I had my shots, I went to the Ghana Consulate in Mid-Town to get my Visa. It was a fairly easy process thanks to my checklist form NYU! In a week I got my Visa (On my new passport, I had to renew it earlier this year!). So I was pretty excited to get my first stamp!

My Visa! I am officially allowed in Ghana!

After I had gotten my shots and visa, I felt like all I needed to do was go! I also had to read a book called "The Broken Cord" before I got to Ghana. I'll admit, I'm only half-way done and plan to finish the rest on the plane ride over. And I'm pretty sure I will be crying on the plane full of strangers while reading it, because it is very powerful. It is about an American-Indian man who adopts a 3-year-old boy named Adam. He later finds out Adam's mother drank very heavily while pregnant with him and as a result Adam has fetal alcohol syndrome. I have read books about parents with children with disabilities before but I was really compelled to hear a father's side. Especially a single father who is a minority. Mostly I have read from a mother's perspective so it is really interesting to me. 

I've also been packing for 90 degree weather which is a little surreal to me. Last night was a huge snowstorm and the streets are covered in snow! I think the high was 9 degrees today. I'm also sure I over packed which is not news to me, since I ALWAYS over pack! And I hope I don't have to pay extra for my luggage since we are also taking books over to the children of Ghana for my professor! 

Well that is mostly what I have done to prepare for my trip! I leave soon and will be in Ghana before I know it! I am extremely excited and still cannot believe I am able to have this amazing opportunity. Next time I blog, it will be in Ghana!

Janelle