First Few Days in Ghana

Wow! I can't believe I'm finally here. After months of preparation and a long, strenuous flight I made it to Ghana. As we walked of the plane, we were greeted by the moist Ghanian air. As a group of multi-ethnic American exchange students, we were bombarded by porters and airport personnel eager to get tips from us. After locating missing luggage and clearing customs, our program coordinator recieved us and took us to the Miklin Hotel. I learned a lot about Accra through our ride back. The streets were filled with the hustle and bustle of any metropolitan area. Taxis, cars, buses, motorcyles and tro-tros whizzed past. As far as its structure is concerned, Accra reminds me a lot of Mumbai, India. While both cities are modern in their posh malls, restaurants, and homes, abject poverty and inequality persist. It blew my mind to see poor children in tattered clothes playing outside fancy mansions. When we reached the hotel, we checked into our rooms, freshened up and ate at the hotel's restaurant. Never in my life did I think I would be eating so much Chinese food in Ghana! Since there aren't many vegetarian options here, I find myself eating lots of fried rice and sauteed vegetables. Later on in the evening, a seamstress measured us for dresses. She will sew us dresses made from traditional fabric for a cultural dance on Tuesday. I'm so excited for my dress, which will be a short, one-shoulder dress made from orange block print Kente fabric.

 We went to a nice supermarket today, located at the Accra mall, where I managed to find some pita bread and hummus to satisfy my protein intake. For the most part, people here are so nice and helpful. Everyone from the hotel staff to our Ghanian peers at the University of Ghana-East Legon seem genuinely interested in our well being. After touring the university campus (which was beautiful!), we toured the city in our tour bus. Everything from the parliament buildings and the gardens to the homes by the coast provides Accra with so much character. We exchanged money at a local bank where we met Ghanian neighborhood children as we waited outside. They pointed at our group, smiled at us, and called us obrunis (foreigners).  I got the most adorable picture of two young children carrying water buckets on their heads! I'm looking forward to visiting the beach on Saturday and buying souveniers from the street vendors and Culture Centre there. In addition to the experience of being in Accra, my group members are great. It is a great bonding experience for all of us as we explore Ghanian culture together. It has only been two days and I feel like I know everyone much better. Overall, my experience has been great. I can't wait for all the exciting adventures that await me throughout the next month!