If you thought 27 hours on a plane is hard, then you haven't been stuck in a tro tro in the middle of a 4 hour traffic jam. Add 35 degrees, add no air conditioning, no bathroom, and then throw 16 other bodies in the one 'mini bus' (better known as a tro tro). There's nothing like bonding when you're sharing sweat with the people you met yesterday.
Cue heat stroke. A dashing side effect from the 35 degree sweltering heat that is Ghana. BUT nothing cools you down faster than a swim a Krokobite beach. Proving obruni's have no rhythm, we all partook in an african dance class by the beach. Fortunately our drumming skills were marginally higher than our d-floor moves so maybe all wasn't lost. We let the waves wash the layers of grit, grime and sweat from our faces and spent much of the time dodging the Ghanaian seaweed - the black plastic bag. Calling it quits when none other than a weave floated pass, we headed back for another day.
The next day put our haggling skills to the test at the Accra Arts Centre. Let's just say there's room for improvement for many of us but at least we picked up some art and crafts (I hope I didn't just spoil the Christmas presents for families reading this). A novel meander through the Koala supermarket also filled the day and for chocoholics alike, the Ghanaian chocolate goes down a treat. many of us have tried the local cuisine - maze, yams, smoked rice... but a standard dinner meal is rice or spaghetti with a spicy tomato sauce. Mind you, I think they're easing us into the food so it's not too much of a shock to the system. Stay tuned on that case...
Today was the first day of our placements and second day with our host families. We've all got a buddy with us but we're split all over the central region so I can't report on behalf of everyone about host families and placements. I'm sure they'll all say 'it's very different'! Tomorrow we'll be reunited when we travel to the Volta region for the weekend. It's a farmers' holiday tomorrow so we'll take the day to travel west.
Despite the trials and tribulations, we're absolutely loving it here!
Will send another update with pictures next week.
Love to all at home,
Akua Laura on behalf of the Antips obrunis
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