9-12-2008 Sunyani,Ghana

On Monday morning we were told the places we would be staying for the year. I guess i was supposed to go be in Accra, then i was moved to Nkoranza, then finally they told me i would be in Sunyani(which means slaughter elephants, i would later find out by one of my older host brothers.).

So the people going to Sunyani, Nkoranza, and Techiman had to get up at 3 am on tuesday morning. It wasnt to hard to wake up becasue i was pretty excited. It was me, Wess, Iris, Mari, and Amanda. And actually one of my host brothers,Adu, was going to ride with the people going to Sunyani, but i didnt know he was my host brother at the time. We arrived at the Intercity STC bus stop around 4 am or so. They weighed our bags, put tags on them, gave us our ticket and had to wait for our 5:30 am bus departure.

The bus left about 6am. It was a 9 hour bus ride to go 250 km!!!! I was about to kill myself in boredom. I slept a little, and listened to my zune for as long as i could before i got sick of listening to music. They played the worst Nigerian movies imaginable. I could compare it to going to see D-Wars with some friends, it was such a bad movie we left within 15 minutes of it starting and went to see another movie. When were on the outskirts of Accra,the roads were about the bumpiest things ive ever been on. It was a dirt road, and you would go up and down for atleast the first 45 minutes of the trip. I thought it wouldnt stop, but it eventually did.

The roads were pretty narrow the whole way. Every half an hour or so, youd see a semi-truck tipped over on the side of the road, with its cargo scattered over the road. I was surprised to see all the little towns there were. I also loved the blanks stares peolpe would give us, obrinis(whiteman), as we passed by them in the charter bus. we stopped at one point, and the driver got out and had to check something outside of the bus. And the poeple would just stare at us. Not in a lethal way or anything, but i just couldnt help but laugh. its like theyve never seen a white person.

We stopped at a rest stop/ restaraunt. We all paid our 10 peswas to go pee, and then tried to find some food. I wasnt all that hungry so i just bought a huge 53 oz bottle of water for 1 ghana cedi, which is a freakin deal if you compare it to buying a 20 oz bottle of water for the same price in the states. Then I bought some like oreo type things, which werent even made in ghana(they were made in China, where else?) and the lady charged me 2 cedis. But i guess that was my fault for not bartering with her. But it was my first time buying something in Ghana.

I sat down with adu at a table. he had bought some fufu. its made of casava and plantains smashed together, with some spiced soup and meat. Its pretty much like eating a huge ball of unbaked dough. and im not talking chocolate chip dough or anyhting like that. haha. Its not bad tasting, its just very filling and heavy. I think itll be an something ill have to get adjusted to.

We eventually arrived in sunyani after a stop in kumasi. We got our bags and jumped in a taxi. me wess and iris kept looking back at the trunk becasue it was open, possibly letting our bags falll out. luckily they didnt. Iris was dropped off at her host dads computer shop, then we dropped wess off at his house, which he'll be living with like 12 other people. Then we got to mine and Adus house. Its a nice gated home. with like 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living, kitchen and dining room. Its a bit creepy though becasue there are windows looking out to the hallway from my bedroom. and they hallways are very big. prob 50% larger than and american residential hallway. I have a father who is an anglican reverend. a mother who stays at home and works at the market selling kids shirts on wednsdays, and two lil bros. Kwasi is 12 and Junior is 8.

They fixed me fufu and stew. I ate my first fish with the head on it. it wasnt to nasty actually. its different though. AFter that i was just sitting around for about an hour. I was so depressed at that time. I just felt so home sick and really just wanted to go home. Homesickness is really a terrible feeling if youve never experienced it. you feel pretty helpless. I almost to the point of crying. But luckily Adu and i went to Wess' house before i felt any worse. his house is about a 10 minute walk away. But he and his host brother had already gone to town. But me and adu stayed there and talked with the family awhile. the mother offered her daughter to me to marry. and actually i thought she was serious, then she laughed. i jokingly declined.

When we got into town, i got my cell ghanaian cell phone which was about 80 cedis. Then we went to a bar. you only have to be 18 to drink. so Adu ordered himself a beer and told me i could get one too. and i was actually pretty close to getting one. Then my morals kicked me in the crotch, and i just ordered a coke. lol. I did take a sip of his ghanaian beer and it was pretty nasty, im glad i stuck to the coke. After that we went to buy a internet card so i can have internet access at home. But i noticed i wasnt to depressed while i was in town. I think the trick is to keep my mind away from thinking about Mt. Juliet.

I came to Ghana under the impression that they speak english, I was a bit wrong. It is the national language(english) but everywhere you go, Town, the taxis, restaraunts, at home, they speak there native language, in my case its Twi, pronounced chwee. So i feel pretty confused most of the time. but i think after awhile ill start picking it up.

I take advantage(and so do you) of my washer and dryer. Here, you do it with your hands. Its very time consuming. Me and Junior did it. you throw your clothes in a bucket of water, then take every clothes piece one by one and wash it, then rinse it, then repeat, then hang them to dry. Its hard work. I feel like im living the indigenous life as J Boog would say.
speaking of living the indigenous life. Yesterday Kwasi shot a bird with his slingshot, feathered it, and then cooked it. half way through it getting done he rubbed it down with salt. and when it was done, i tryied a piece of it. it was a taste ive never tasted before. hahahahaa.

Later that day me wess, and bb(wess' host bro) went to Adus work. he works for the National Patriotic Party, the democrats of Ghana. Its election year so he works very hard. The 3 of us went to the market. I had to buy a towel and a mosquito net. The market is very very very cool. I enjoyed to hustle and bustle of it. Everyone says "Obroni etesen!" which meens white man how are you?! And by the way, its not offensive to call some one a white man or a black man(obibini).

See the thing is, i dont hold hands with people at home. for one thing ive never really had a girlfriend, so i dont hold hands with females. Im not gay, so that crossed out men. and im not a child so i dont hold hands with my parents anymore. so its a new thing when Adu or any other guy tries to hold my hand. Its extremely akward. But i know its just the culture. But when a guy tries to hold my hand i just try and slither away and let them hold on to my pinky finger or something like that. hahaha. Even wess told me the same thing. LOL
Anyways im about to go to a internet cafe, so ill talk to you soon.
Take Care!!!!