This was Semester at Sea's first time ever (in all their 100 voyages) stopping in Ghana. Not only is our stop in Ghana historic for SAS, but it is also important for Ghana. We are the largest group of Americans EVER to enter Ghana at one time. The entire country seems to know we're here. And they are EXCITED. Ghana sees our voyage as an olive branch connecting the US with their country and they couldn't be more proud. How authentic did this make some of our excursions? Well, its not like they wouldn't know we were tourists--suddenly 900 white people descended on Ghana!
Our ship was docked in Tema, which is an Industrial City. In fact, there is nothing but industry. Nothing. Accra, the city we all thought we would be staying in, was only 18km away but with Ghanaian traffic that usually took about an hour. They had free shuttles from the ship to Accra, but of course those never came when they said they would! I didn't really have a chance to explore the little that there was in Tema, but I did get a lot of time in Accra.
Now, where to begin to describe Ghana? Words will fail. This country is unlike any I have been to or learned about. It was everything I expected and nothing I could've imagined.
Day 1: Bright and early we boarded the buses for a long day in Accra on a city tour. Although I probably spent more time on the bus than actually out of the bus (that Ghanaian traffic!!!), I had a blast! We went to the Nkrumah Memorial Park. Nkrumah was the first president of Ghana upon their independence from the UK in 1957. (On that note, English is the official language of Ghana thanks to that lovely institution called colonization.) Nkrumah was overthrown by rebels, but that apparently is not how Ghana likes to remember their first leader. This park was literally a shrine to the man who would have been 100 years old only but a few days ago. It was a rather new experience for me to see an elected president erected in a gold statue, and I haven't fully processed it internally.
After the park, we went to the "cultural arts center" which is the main drag of shops that have cloth, dresses, masks, drums, etc. I bought a beautiful dress and a really neat tie-dye top. We followed this with lunch at a hotel. I won't even attempt to explain the life-changing experience that is trying your first Ghanaian plantain.
Then, we hit the W.E.B. DuBois center. At 93, DuBois moved from his home in the US to Ghana in a fulfillment of the Back to Africa movement. I am very interested in DuBois' poetry and theory about double consciousness, so this trip to his Ghana home and his grave was rewarding. I plan to read his entire book (as I have previously only read excerpts) "The Souls of Black Folks."
After the city tour, I went to reception for Semester at Sea students and the local university students. It was so much fun to talk, eat, and hang out with Ghanaians my own age! When I told them I was a theater major, they all kept saying I should come back to Ghana to study traditional African theater. Let's just say I am SO not opposed to that idea! I headed straight to bed after this long day.
Day 2: I woke up at 6am (gross!) to, yet again, hop on the bus towards Cape Coast. The group of us visited the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles that once held hundreds of slaves in transit during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. The castles structures were so beautiful--all the more upsetting because of the ugliness those very structures supported. I would hope that everyone got the chance to visit these cites. Walking on the very same stones that have become fossilized with human remains, human waste, and human blood of people forcibly removed from their families and their countries is, well, it is hard to describe. Not overly sentimental, each tour ended with a stop to the gift shop! Since the Obamas had just visited Cape Coast in July, our tour guide proudly shared that he was the very guide who toured our President!
Day 3: At the crack of dawn (again!) we hopped on the bus towards a village outside of Accra and Tema. We thought we would maybe get a tour of the village and perhaps play with some kids for a few hours. But, NO, not in Ghana! In Ghana, a trip to a village means the entire village gathers playing music, dancing, cheering, and marching you around so you can shake hands with all the elders of the tribe! It was amazing, humbling, exciting, and heart-warming. "You are welcome" should be the national slogan. Then at the village, we participated in a traditional naming ceremony! All of us SAS students received African names. Ones first name depends on the day one was born, and I'm not quite sure how they get the second name, but I am not terribly concerned. When they called our name, we received a bracelet of amazing and hand-painting beads, along with a bowl that says our African and Christian names! My African name is Akosua Venunye. If I still remember this name in December, I will be expecting all of you to stop calling me Monica entirely. : )
After the village, we ate lunch at a picturesque hotel on the beach. The food was strange though! It was as if they were attempting to make American food. Let's just say they failed miserably.
Then, we drove to the Shai Hills Reserve where we bouldered through rocks into a cave where insect-eating bats live! It was so cool! There were flies and bat poop everywhere but I was standing among bats (!!!!) and I didn't have many complaints. We also tried to look for some baboons, but it was so hot outside that we only saw a few run by very quickly.
That night, some of my friends and I decided to go out into Accra and see the night life. We went to this fantastic bar that had live jazz and Ghanaian high-life music! After a fun-filled and peaceful and all together safe evening, we hopped in a cab to head toward the ship. That was until we were pulled over by a policeman yielding a machine gun. He accused my friend Vicki and I of not wearing our seat belts. We told him there were no seat belts. He told us to go into the police station, and upon our entering of the station demanded a bribe to be let go. I refused. It may have not been my most intelligent move, but I was livid. Ghana has been the nicest, most genuine country as of yet. The people are so proud of the progress their country has made, and seeing these government officials behaving in such a low and disgusting manner upset me. The people of this wonderful country do not deserve that. Finally, after some arguing with him, I convinced him to come out into the taxi to prove that there were no working seat belts. He just kept saying, "What will you give me? What will I eat?" Finally he believed us that we were not "refusing to wear seat belts," but were simply trying to get home to our ship. He let us go.
My taxi was one of the luckier ones. Everyone who went out into the town who came back late was pulled over and made to pay the police. Rumor has it that one guy was held up by those lovely machine guns they yield and was forced to give over every cent he had. Who knows if that is true, but I wouldn't be surprised.
I refuse to let this one incident damper my experience in Ghana. Corruption is, indeed, everywhere, even in the US. Still, it was not the best experience of my life to say the least. I hope Ghana can start to pay their policemen working salaries so that they can sustain themselves and not bribe people. Apparently, this happens all the time, though, and not just to tourists. Locals we told about it were not in the least bit surprised.
Day 4: Today I tried to put the end of last night behind me, because I still am resolute in my love for Ghana, and I went into Accra. We went to this store called "Global Mamas" (look it up--they have a website!). It is an NGO non-profit that helps women learn job skills, gain income and confidence by employing and training them. The products this little shop sells are the products of these women's labor. Let's just say I spent an insane amount of GhanaCedi (Ghanaian money) in Global Mamas! And don't be surprised if you end up with a gift from this amazing, wonderful, inspiring store.
After lunch at an awesome and upscale restaurant, I spent my last Cedi and headed for the ship!
My roommate Kelsey has a very high fever, so I've been taking care of her all this evening. Sickness goes around so easily when traveling and living in a contained environment all at the same time.
I know this entry was long and rather insufficient in explaining fully the country of Ghana. I would like to end here by saying, come to Ghana. You will love it. As the locals say, "I Love Ghana!"
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