lately

After last weekend, I can now say that I have been to two african countries!
After hearing of the frenchness that is Togo, we decided we had to see for ourselves. Heather, Grace, Andi and packed our backpacks (we have become experts at packing light), boarded a tro-tro and set off for the border town of Aflao. We arrived at around 8 pm, and had to apply for Visas at the border office. We paid the 48 cedis for a week-long visa to Togo, got some really cool-looking stamps on our passports, received marriage proposals from all of the immigration officers, and crossed the border to Togo!

Immediately as we stepped into the new country, we were surrounded by motorcycles, baguettes and french-speaking people. We made our way to a hotel, had dinner and slept well until the next morning.

We heard rumors about the motorcycles-as-taxis, so we decided to see if they were true. Indeed, when we stepped out of our hotel the next morning the streets were bustling with motorcycles; the drivers all Togolese, and each moto with room on the back for one passenger. We hailed four taximotos (we are getting good at hailing -cabs now- and also at negotiating the price) and told them- in french, no less- to take us to a busy market. We figured from there we could get a feel for the capital city of Lome and find a restaurant. We all held on for dear life as our taxi drivers weaved through the car traffic, cut close corners and yelled for pedestrians to get out of their way. (don't worry, mom, i am alive and that's all that matters!) That's something universal about Africa: cars DO NOT stop for pedestrians, even if they are in the middle of the road. Coming from a place like California where pedestrians can walk out in the middle of oncoming traffic and cars will screech to a stop, it's quite a shock to learn that's not how they do things here.

We pulled up to a bustling market where people sold goods like huge, straw hats, leather belts, fruit, vegetables. We walked for a long time through this market, and as we walked, the vendors yelled "Ca va?" at us.

The rest of the day was spent in a similar fashion. We discovered the beach, a beautiful, sandy expanse of land right on the outskirts of Lome. The water was a picturesque azure blue. We felt a little disoriented in this new place. It was so different from Accra. It felt very European: wide streets, french-style street signs (they actually have street signs!) and french everywhere. It was exciting to be able to communicate with people and actually use my french!

that night, we went to a restaurant where we could watch the football game: under 20 world cup finals, ghana vs. brazil. Even in Togo, everyone was rooting for ghana! As the game came to an end, and there were two intense rounds of shoot-offs (no idea what they're called) and finally ghana won! The entire place erupted in screams, chanting and songs. It was such a cool thing to witness: the first time an African country has ever won a world cup, and we were there! We all felt a swell of Ghana Pride as we watched the game, and it occurred to me that Ghana has become my home away from home. We were all homesick for Accra, and wanted to return soon.

The next morning we got up early and took taximotos to the Fetish market. In Togo, something like 60 % of the population practices the Vodun religion, which is basically Voodoo. It's not associated with "black magic" and creepy things like that. It's a legitimate religion that many Togolese practice. One aspect of Vodun that is unique is its use of fetishes for cures to diseases and other ailments. we pulled up to the market, which was a large dirt patch lined with stalls. In front of the stalls were tables filled with dead, dried out animals. Some were skeletons and skulls: horses, lizards, birds, cats. Some were entire animals: huge snakes, whole bugs, birds with wings still on them. Other tables had parts of animals: elephant tusks, cow horns, gorilla feet. Everywhere I looked there were parts of animals dried out by the african sun. A man from the market took us on a short tour, explaining what each animal part was used for (ground up elephant tusks were used to cure elephantitis, similarly dog is used to cure rabies from dog bites)- all in french. So he told me in french, and then I translated to my friends. After our tour, we went into the hut of the fetish priest to be blessed by him. After he blessed us with good health, happiness and safe travels, he explained the various fetishes and what they are used for. There is a talisman used to ward off evil spirits, one to protect travelers, and another to bless the family home. It was one of the coolest experiences I've had and unlike anything I've ever seen. It was all very mystical and spiritual.
On the way home from Togo, after we crossed the border and were three hours into
We left Togo with a different taste of Africa. I am so lucky that I am able to experience all these new places and meet amazing people, but I was equally as happy to return to Accra.

the best things in life are free

it's been awhile!

lately, my life in ghana has consisted of: a much-needed movie night at the Accra Mall to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs; classes becoming much more interesting- even got a few paper assignments; got and then promptly quit an internship at the University Hosptial, which consisted of me sitting around for three hours, watching the nurses of the empty children's ward watch the television, got an internship at the New Horizon Special School; began volunteering at the Beacon House Children's Home; found a hot dog stand called Hot On Wheels- YES; reading A LOT- currently on The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (for the second time); saw pentecostals roaming the fields at night speaking in tongues; went to a dance performance on campus, very good!; movie nights in our room where six of us crowd around a tiny computer screen just to get some american entertainment; traveled spontaneously to Kokrobite, a charming and beautiful beach town where we discovered a great Italian restaurant and hung out with amazing people and slept in tents; picked up an entire funeral party on our bus on the way back to Accra; found a great market with unique crafts and paintings; made great Ghanaian friends and had them over for burrito night- they were confused, we talked them through the constructio and consumption of the enigmatic burrito; bought a world map, a Ghana map and an Accra map to document our past and plan our future travels; embarked on a failed trip to Benin to see a soccer game- we were rejected at the Togo border; fed the messiest baby ALIVE at the children's home, came home with rice-covered clothes...

Needless to say, life moves fast here! This weekend, we are planning on traveling back to Togo, this time to the capital Lome. Apparently it is quite french! I've heard rumors of baguettes, covered sewers and motorcycles as public transportation.

It's amazing to be able to pick up and travel wherever and whenever we want. I've never experienced this kind of freedom and it is invigorating! School is not that demanding (a 65 percent is an A) and there is just so much to see...how can I not travel?

Peace and love from ghana.