Travels

Throughout the year, my PCVL position gave me a good opportunity to travel around Ghana and visit various volunteer sites in Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Western and Ashanti regions. Our main job is to find a good site for health, education or agriculture volunteer, talk with a community about expectations and inspect the housing. We would meet with school headmasters, chiefs, nurses, students and farmers.

Kwahu Mountains in the distance.

Afram Plains.

We would wake up early in the morning to use bumpy bush roads among cashew groves or go on the top of the Kwahu mountains. We even went to my village where I happily discovered that people still remembered me.

Uncle Sam chatting up a counterpart.

We took a smoky ferry to a remote Afram Plains area, and stayed at seedy hotels where the only things that matched were my pair of shoes. We drove through scary rains and during glorious sunsets.

It's coming!

Rain and logs - double jeopardy.

We would eat fufu and bread-and-egg sandwiches at chop bars (a canteen, which is just a wooden shack on the road), took schnapps with village chiefs and danced with a group of Ivorian refugees.

Chop bar

Local church.

Ooops -- this happens a lot.

Street sellers in a traffic jam.

"Be Nice to Me" spot -- love the name.

Tractor peeps giving directions.

Breakfast on the road -- kosi bean cakes.

An inquiring look.

Play ping pong!

Everywhere we went, people helped us to get around, and asked me to talk to them in Twi. I am not fluent by any means but I can actually tell them a bit about their future volunteer – that it can be anybody – “bebya”: a man or a woman, tall or short, young or old, shy or confident. A volunteer may like to eat fufu or not, they may want to fetch water by themselves or ask for help, and they may or may not know the local language well. A volunteer may also tell about America – not the America from movies and music videos, but the America of their family, home town and state. Their America may be hot or cold, urban or rural, religious or non-religious, stressful or relaxing.

Our stalwart driver Aikens in front of Bui dam.

A volunteer's kitchen.

Once we got a live turkey as a thank-you gift! It is now living in our compound in lieu of a peacock.

Below are some random pictures from different villages I visited.

Shade is essential during the dry season.

Teachers' lounge.

Chief's entrance.

Fish market.

Talking about Peace Corps.

If you look closely, the saying on this tro is "Control your mouth." :))

A successful talk

Biking and moto-ing.

This volunteer extended!

Mosquito net - an important part of a housing decor.

Our brave car taking a break.

Dancing with Ivorians between site visits.

Drumming

At an opening of an ICT lab.

Z and his counterpart.

Going, going, gone...

Habits

Well, well, well – looks like my time in Ghana finally comes to an end! I have been here nearly 3 years, and in about 3 months I will be wrapping up my service. This is all very exciting, scary, overwhelming and cathartic. I have a lot of thoughts and ideas of what to do next, lists of things I will and will not miss, and so on. One question I was particularly pondering on --- what habits will I retain after I leave Ghana?

Eating with my hands: when I was little eating with my hands was impolite and un-cultured – a real lady always used a fork. While in US, I discovered the finger-food culture --- french fries, sandwiches, chicken strips, quesadillas…. But never in my life have I thought I could learn to eat a hot soup with my hand (and enjoy it). But I did. I also learned to love fufu – a staple of Ghanaian cuisine. You either love it or hate it. I like everything about it – the feeling of fullness, the dipping of fufu morsel into a flavorful savory soup, the chewing of a goat skin. And that comes from a girl who came to Ghana during the Ebola scare who sanitized everything in her path and who was a glorified vegetarian... So, the habit of eating food with my hands (or better say, my palms) will stick around for a bit. I can already see myself immersing my palm into a bowl of salsa at a party and getting weird looks. Kafra (sorry)!

Finger-licking good.

Two-yard state of mind: while packing for Ghana, I was thinking ‘camping’. Swiss army knife, quick-dry towel, sturdy boots, travel-sized shampoos, Nalgene bottle and anything I laid my eyes on at REI and EasternMntSports were neatly packed in my orange duffel bag. Turns out most of things I could be lived completely without (or find a cheap alternative through recycling and reusing). If during my first 6 months I would take with me most of my gear to any tro trip (including toilet paper, Imodium, Crystal light packets), now it is literally just a two-yard, a toothbrush and change of clothes. Even before Ghana I was a light packer and a wanna-be minimalist, but the two-yard concept pushed me even more towards a no-stuff paradigm.

A two-yard is a just that – a two-yard piece of bright calico clothing that is sold everywhere. Women wrap babies with it, men use it as a towel and a shower curtain when they take a morning bath. It is turned into beautiful dresses and shirts by numerous tailors and dressmakers. I was given a two-yard by my home-stay mother almost immediately after I moved in (along with Charlie-watsies and a bar of soap – my welcome gifts). People use it when it is chilly in the evening, or raining, or too hot or dusty. Gradually it becomes your essential tool for living.

Two yards galore.

I wrap myself in a two yard at least twice a day --- in the morning and at night. It is my towel, my pajamas, and my yoga mat. I know that I will continue to use it in US, at least in the summer time. I will also continue the light packing idea ---- even as a Peace Corps volunteer without too much stuff I still felt I have too many things. My Swiss army knife will definitely find a new home.

Usage of energy – physical, mental, emotional, social, monetary.... Peace Corps service is not easy sometimes, so you had to prioritize whether or not to worry or to care about certain things – within reason. For example, I used to worry what my fellow trainees would think of me. Or what the staff may say of my project idea, or whether or not I will get harassed at a taxi station. This frame of thinking is changing --- I know that I cannot do whatever I please but I at least don’t obsess about things that haven’t happened yet. As one PC person said – “Do things first, ask for forgiveness later.” As for harassment, I now can brush off unwanted attention without even raising an eyebrow (well, maybe with a flick of a hand as to swat a pesky mosquito). What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger – for sure.

A balancing act - hanging out with volunteers and non-volunteers.

I also know when to push myself physically. If the 1^st year was pretty physically draining (training, farming, running a marathon), the next 2 years were more relaxing (especially the last one, when I could chill in an air-conditioned space and eat leftovers from the fridge, ha). I do keep myself active and healthy but not to the point of total exhaustion. I also socialize with volunteers but only when I want to --- I do not feel this constant need to be surrounded with people from similar backgrounds all the time, but I like the fact that I live at a regional office when anyone can come anytime and keep me company.

The usage of energy became like a debit-credit system, a compensation for complete or incomplete actions: if I hike for several hours then I can also have a big meal. If I veg out all day – well, at least I can do some paperwork or listen to podcast. Ghana made me a budgeter ---- which brings memories of post-Soviet Kazakhstan when we could save several kopeks and choose – whether to go to a movie or buy a Snickers bar, or when our mom asked us to eat only half of a cutlet (because the other half could be used the next day, of course).I thought I was good with money here until I ran out and had to go into the bush to forage for food…

Overall, when I am back, I will continue to enjoy group jogs, hiking outdoors, biking, dining out, open mics and other things I’ve missed. But I think I will also be ok with…nothing. Nothing is happening tonight? That’s ok. Because something will happen tomorrow, and the balance of energy will come back.

Be an even-keeled chicken.

Kumasi, Kumasi, Kumasi….

Well, it’s time for another status/life update. I’ve been reading blog posts of newly arrived volunteers and felt a bit guilty to not post something every month (or even week) like they do. But, that’s what happens when you’re eased into daily life anywhere you go (even in Africa!) --- things stop seeming that exciting and new, you just kind of live here. Even seeing something crazy (like people whose entire bodies are painted like flags of local political parties or a burnt shell of a VIP bus on the side of the highway) are not worthy a diary entry but simply a shrug (or a gasp).

For the last five months I’ve been living in the city of Kumasi. Let’s just say that it is not the most favorite city in Ghana, at least for volunteers. It’s confusing to get around, its dirty, tro tro mates and sellers grab you everywhere. Every time I traveled through there when I lived in the village I felt harassed, dirty and tired. But now I live in a little oasis called KSO which I fell in love with since my first visit here back when I was a trainee.

“Kumasi” literally means “under a Kuma tree.” Legends say that during the Ashanti Kingdom times a king decided to build a city wherever a kuma seedling would survive and grow (he planted several). So, that’s why Kumasi is where it is (which is conveniently right in the middle of Ashanti Region, or Kingdom). Ironically, there is a town next to it under the name of Kumawu, which literally means “a dead Kuma tree” – that is where the seedling did not survive.

Kumasi is a big trading hub – all types of goods are brought from the North and South; people break their travel to stay here. The infamous Kejetia market is one of the biggest ones in West Africa. You do not want to go there by yourself for the first time. But you can find anything there – literally, especially famous kente cloth woven by local artisans, wax print cloth and any second-hand clothing (even diving goggles). The city also has hundreds of hotels and guest houses. And, of course, churches and mosques are rampant. One of my local acquaintances told me: “This is what people in Kumasi do – they trade and then they pray.”

So, as you can see, it is not a hub of style and night-life like Accra or a land of NGOs like Tamale (which is still my favorite city in Ghana). But slowly but surely I am finding my way around, navigating through circles, markets and stores and find some “gems” along the way. For instance, I found a great TJ Maxx-like shop which sells brand new clothing from Europe and US for very reasonable prices. If I told you that I have just found fantastic pair of ski pants for about 6 bucks there, would you believe me? Ha, but it’s true! Another question, of course, is why ski pants are sold here in the first place. But I’ll tell you – a lot of people drive motos here, and they use warm jackets, pants and ski gloves to protect themselves.

I also found several trails to run and walk on, as well as places to buy yogurt, Indian food and hummus. So, even though Kumasi is not on everybody’s list, it’s growing on me.

Now, what am I doing here? Per previous post, I have been promoted as a PCVL, and so now my life is very different. I literally work from home and on the road. One day I may be at the house doing paperwork or reading a book, and another day I may have to hop on a car and drive to pick up a sick volunteer. I am literally on-call 24/7, like a 911 response. I have to be “on” all the time – whether to answer a question, to reserve a bed for someone or to buy a plane ticket for a medical emergency. Things are not as peaceful and quiet as in Adu Pri, but I manage. Plus, the team here is great: Aikens the driver is hilarious (the other day he pointed at a weird mural depicting a chicken with a tie and a Bible saying: ‘Praise the Lord, and stop using me for a fried rice!’); the guards are helpful and Uncle Sam who is a program assistant is simply adorable. My current position is a strange combination of a volunteer and staff duties. Sometimes I also feel like a mom…or at least experience what every typical mom in America does every day – shopping, cleaning and worrying. And delegating the tasks, of course J.

In short, over the past several months I’ve done the following:

Successfully petitioned for and installed two brand new toilets (not more weird algae thingy);

Got two new fans and a new fridge;

Fumigated the entire building;

Started an accidental garden (I planted beans but instead I got pawpaw);

Visited sites for new and replacement volunteers to collect data on housing, GPS coordinates, potential projects and safety issues;

Successfully removed a couple of volunteers from their unsafe site and found a new one for them;

Met and greeted a new group of Ag trainees (such a weird feeling, to see them and remember myself two years ago, fresh off the plane);

Found a place with a trivia night;

Reorganized the library;

Painted the TV room.

Sounds like a lot… but there is still plenty to do.

A Ghanaian Graduation

 One fine spring day, Miki and Hannah, a married couple who took me under their wing, invited me to their graduation at the University of Winneba, Kumasi campus. Ghanaians are very proud of their educational accomplishments, and take any graduation ceremony very seriously. Getting a laminated certificate for any course is also significant and is considered a great resume-booster. That is very reassuring since, by the time I finish with my service, I will have so many laminated certificates that my resume will be boosted for sure. Now, whether or not I will be able to get a job is another story.

Because we left our market town a bit late, and because of the traffic to Kumasi, we did not reach the campus until about 1.5 hours since the start of the ceremony. But then we were told that it did not start on time (just like all other events in Ghana).

Overall, a graduation ceremony in Ghana is just like the one in the US. There are speeches, singing of the school and national anthems, announcement of graduates, dressed up guests, photo snapping and so on. The only difference is that the announcement of names is read from the list, and not at the exact moment when a graduate receives his diploma. Also, the commencement’s program printed names of graduates under their academic standing, clearly marking not  only those who was in excellent (summa cum laude) second upper (cum laude) standing but also satisfactory and passed standings. 

The most striking thing about the whole day was the fact that the campus was full of freelance photographers who were hunting after happy graduates and their relatives. They set up huge tents with backdrops, printing machines and laminating devices (laminating is the key in Ghana – everything is laminated here so it would last forever, or at least until the next rainy season). Once Miki and Hannah walked with their caps and gowns (blue, white and yellow, rented), we were promptly ushered into one of these tents. A photographer snapped our pictures, and then started to haggle over prices for various photo products, including a “calandar” (a laminated one, of course!). 

After the obligatory photo business, we sat down while Miki and Hannah went to submit their caps and gowns and pay their last remaining school fees in order to receive their real diplomas (the piece of paper tied with a ribbon they got during the walk was just that – a piece of paper). Waiting is the most common state of mind and body in Ghana. People wait for public transportation, church service, appointments and meetings for hours at a time. Being patient is very important – otherwise one can go crazy with all of this waiting. While waiting for Miki and Hannah, I read a book and played with kids. I also taught Gladys, Hannah’s sister how to play a string game – you know, when you pull a loop of string with your fingers and make different shapes. She seemed to enjoy that. Also, while waiting, you tend to buy snacks that are sold from vendors’ heads – seems like an appropriate passing of time. Thus we purchased some water, plantain chips and biscuit for kids and munched on them. A side note – when I travel I don’t usually eat, but when I do, I buy a bofrut, yam chips or crackers to sustain me.

After more than two hours of waiting (which, if it were to happen in America, would have caused a riot on any college campus), we found out that graduates could not get diplomas on that day. So, we headed back to Western Region. I asked Miki if they were going to have a celebratory fufu at home. He smiled: “Yes, maybe.” A restaurant-going practice in US would not have worked in Ghana – usually a home-cooked meal is much better welcomed (and much more affordable) than the food from either an over-priced “obroni” restaurant or a local chop bar where food is served in semi-clean plastic bowls.

Status Update

Yes, its been a while since I wrote in my blog. Shame on me – especially since I was keeping the blog more for myself…. Well, things have been happening left, right and center, and I’ve got a bunch of status updates that took part in my service.

First, and foremost, I got promoted. I became a volunteer leader (or a PCVL in a peace Corps lingo), and will start my duties in June. Basically, I will be a den mother for other volunteers and will look after our regional office in the city of Kumasi (Ashanti Region). My service will be extended until December 2017 (I know, seems like an eternity from now, but it is only one extra year)…  Besides, what am I going to do in America anyway? As far as I can tell, the elections are a big mess, and who know who will get elected – so let’s just stay put to be on a safe side.

Being a PCVL will have its perks too – I will live at our regional office with running water, fridge, air conditioning and other advanced products of civilization. Plus, Kumasi is halfway from Accra and Tamale. Besides, I will be traveling on a special Peace Corps vehicle for business (I remember complaining about a peace Corps bus which took us everywhere during training; well, let’s just stay that I’m very nostalgic about those good old days now every time I ride an overheated tro crammed with sweaty people).

Buh-bye, good old blue latrine. You will be missed. Sometimes.

Second, I am finally figuring out my meaningful work – basically, projects that I’m most interested in. Peace Corps is one big improvisation, there is no clear job description. You’re just thrown into this one community and gradually figure out what makes you happy and what your community needs your help with. Well, I am happy to report that throughout the last year I found my happy place. Or, more like, places.

1. I’ve been teaching GrassRootSoccer activities to local schools. It is an HIV- and malaria-prevention program originated in South Africa, which, to me, is a perfect project for any Peace Corps volunteer. I’ve reached out to four schools and taught some 200+ shy but scrappy teenagers about causes of HIV, the correct way to use a condom, and other interesting things (e.g. reasons why the US government allows gay marriages, or an origin of Groundhog Day).

Learning team work and dangers of malaria.

This project brought good memories of my own high school days and our celebration of a World AIDS Day where I played a call girl who sang (in an Alla Pugacheva’s fashion) on how you can get HIV through a kiss with elements of sadism (read: biting).

Beating HIV one football at a time.

We did it!

2.       I’ve taught many people how to make batik and tie-dye. It may sound like something silly, but it’s been super-fun, creative and educational. Every time you do batik or tie-dye, you get different results – and most of the time, they are pretty good J). I’ve taught students, tailors, farmers and their wives, and my village neighbors even urban expats. Definitely a success story (see some photos). 

My little criminals at their creative best.

Teaching local Presbyterian church members.

3.
       I collaborated with Eyes on Africa, a non-profit organization, which sends free reading glasses to Africa. We did three distributions, and now over 300 people in Western region of Ghana can read their Bibles or check students’ homework without too much strain on their eyesight. I also connected other volunteers with this organization, and now they are also keeping busy with helping their villagers. Hooray!

Lovely farmer ladies with their new specs.

So, here we are. Comparing to some other super-volunteers who are building schools, latrines and borehole in their communities, it is not much.  But I’m proud of what I’ve done. Every person experiences Peace Corps differently. For some it is a good opportunity to figure out if development work is for them. For others, it is a chance to escape a daily grind of American corporate life; to see the world; to live outside one’s comfort zone; to experience something different. And to have fun while traveling on a rusty tro, of course.

Well, this one is not too rusty...

(Un)stolen Memories

The other night while I was walking on the beautiful beach in Busya, a criminal snatched my phone and ran away into the darkness. This, by far, is the biggest blow that I’ve received while being in Ghana. And in some ways I’ve been fairly lucky. I was not held at a knife point, or beaten. I was not raped, strangled, or murdered. True, I was robbed, which is not a very pleasant experience either – your possession is taken, your personal space is violated, your privacy is in jeopardy, and your communication with others is hindered. Perhaps the biggest reason I became upset was the fact that all (literally, all) pictures and videos I’ve taken while in Ghana are now gone. Yes, I’ve been telling myself to back them up on my laptop, and I haven’t. Yes, I should have finally learned how to put my data on the cloud. So, lessons learned. I will be more watchful next time. Besides, after some thinking, I realize that most of the pictures I’ve taken….were not that good. I am neither Annie Leibovitz with her elaborate celebrity portraits full of special lighting and make-up nor am I Ansel Adams with his sweeping vistas of American splendor in black and white: my photos don’t stand a chance of being featured anywhere except on my friends’ Facebook  news feed. They were taken on an impulse because the scenery (to me) looked cool or cute, or they were taken for reports (so I could remember how many people showed up to my meetings).

Most importantly, my pictures and videos may have been stolen, but my memories were not! In fact, some of the best images were not in my phone - they were (and still are) in my head J. Here are several of them:

The day when I met my home-stay family in Anyinasin: my host brother Imma took my giant orange suitcase, put it on his head like it was nothing and walked to my new home, while his sister Effia ran along. Just picture them in the distance, framed by plantain trees and glorious sunset.

One evening I was very late for a Grassroots Soccer practice: I assumed the school kids left for their homes, but then I saw several girls still waiting for me. When they noticed me, they smiled and ran to me yelling “Madame, madame, you returned!” It was like they haven’t seen me in years. Just picture being surrounded by their smiling faces.

Riding the bus full of excited singing football fans to a friendly match.

Watching the downpour from a local spot, while old men next to me poured some apeteshie to appease to weather gods.

Walking in the bush in the morning, getting ready for the day, flooded with memories, emotions and sudden urges to stay here forever.

Riding a giant but rickety bus to Tamale, getting a flat tire, skidding off to the side, waiting in the darkness for the tire to be fixed, riding again, a person next to me offering his dinner.

Right before the rain, wind picking up dandelion-like fluff from oak trees; watch it float in the dark sky, just like snow…

My courtyard floor, covered with children’s Crayola drawings.

During one soap-making session, oil in a pot caught on fire. The fire created vortex in the pot and started shooting upwards, higher and higher! It was subdued, but I was really afraid it would spread and burn down half of a village. “This is how NOT to make soap,” I told villagers. They solemnly nodded. Later, still covered in soot, we finished making soap and started singing and dancing. Ghana – the country of contrasts….

Walking somewhere far away from my village, and all of a sudden being greeted by a friendly wave and “Sister Akua! Me huuwatche! (I’ve seen you long time!)” instead of the dreaded “Obroni! Ma me sika! (Give me money!)” Oh, the sweet relief of being recognized by your name and not by the color of your skin….

Getting an encouraging text from a friend thus making my day. True, the text is gone, but its effect is still with me!