Ghanaian Journeys

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2010-08-01T19:20:00.000Z

Sixty-one days ago I arrived in Accra, Ghana unaware of the incredible people, places, and moments I would experience by the end of my time here. This has truly been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. While it would be impossible to select one single moment or aspect of this experience, I would have to say that the people I have met on this journey – from my fellow volunteers and the staff at the clinics to patients at the outreaches and random villagers in town – have touched my heart and my mind in ways that are hard to explain. I have grown immensely during these two months; I have learned so much about myself and what I want to do (or don’t want to do!) with my life. Part of me still can’t believe that I actually did this! I don’t think it’s really going to hit until I get back home (in less than 12 hours!!!). The time has gone so fast, and while I am very sad to leave, I cannot wait to get back to the places and people and food that I love! I have so many memories from my time in Ghana, but here are a few favorites:

• Feeding the Mona Monkeys at the monkey sanctuary in Kumasi
• Almost crashing in many car rides with Seth, Peter, John, and Lucas as the drivers
• Sitting under the waterfall in Kumasi
• Becoming a Ghanaian student for the day at the canopy walk in Cape Coast
• Almost getting into a fight at the art market with a guy who tried to sell me a vuvuzela for 45 cedis! (Can you believe that??)
• Meeting the Irish guys at a random bar on a random corner of a random street in Kumasi one night
• Salsa dancing with Frank at Coconut Groove
• Receiving my first marriage proposal at an outreach with Crystal (I said no)
• Breaking Zahid’s mosquito net after a game of kings during our last week at the Telecentre
• Staying out all night on my last night in Ghana
• Singing “Where My Baby Dey?” in the van on the way back from the Adansi overnight outreach
• Watching Peter get “drunk”
• Playing volleyball at Bojo Beach with that BAD (Big African Dude)
• Eating fufu with Sarah and her family in Kumasi
• Sing “Waving Flag” for days during the first couple of weeks in Accra
• Getting my dress and skirt made
• Watching the Ghana vs. US game at Citizen Kofi

These are only a few of the memories that I will never forget from Ghana. I hope that I will lucky enough to come back again one day, but until then my Ghanaian Journeys will be kept safely in my heart and my mind. I am so thankful for the opportunity to see this beautiful country and the beautiful people in it. I have become a better person because of them.

I love Ghana, and I’m coming home.

Welcome Back!

2010-07-25T09:50:00.000Z

I’m back in Accra for my last week in Ghana. We left Kumasi on a good note after saying goodbye to Sarah and Pastor Morrison and all of our other friends in Accra. Pastor Morrison is very much looking forward to us contacting him once we get back to the U.S., and he also wants us to look into getting Sarah to the States soon. This conversation never seems to end around here. One day, Linda and I were eating lunch at a nice restaurant in Kumasi and this random Nigerian man that saw us when we walked in just casually strolls to our table and asks us if he could have our contacts so that we could get him to the United States! I suppose that sometimes they get lucky and find an American or another Westerner who will give them what they want, but I can’t imagine it happens often. It’s the most disturbing part about being here – knowing that so many people want to come to the States but also knowing that you don’t have the money or the power to help them. And even more importantly, you just don’t know people’s intentions and motives for wanting to come to the U.S. Many of them expect their new American friends to set them up with a house, an education, a job, and a good life as if all of us are living the American dream. Sometimes I feel bad as if I’m not willing to help the people I’ve met here as much as I can, but I don’t think inviting them to come to America or promising that I’ll come back one day and rescue them is the right option either.

On a happier note, we are getting ready for our last Sunday in Accra and our last week at work. I’m going to the market again today to hopefully get my last batch of souvenirs and to try to exchange some of the items I don’t want anymore. I don’t know how well it’s going to work, but I’m going to try. I’m at Northwestern Eye Centre for my last week, so hopefully it’s not too stressful. It’s going to be sad to say goodbye to everyone, but I can’t wait to get home! It’s going to be a great week!

What the Heck is up with Fahrenheit?

2010-07-20T15:58:00.002Z

Our time in Kumasi is really flying by fast. We went to the same villages for outreach on Monday and Tuesday and saw about 80 patients in total for both days. The staff in Kumasi travels to the same village for two consecutive days for most of the villages it visits. I can’t say that I think this is an efficient policy when there are such a low number of patients present for both days. If there were 80 or more patients each day for two consecutive days, then I would say that coming for both days would be efficient and a good use of time and money spent by Unite for Sight. However, if only 80 people are seen in two days, I think that a lot more work could be done if the staff traveled elsewhere and came back when better publicity was done and more people knew about the outreach coming. Either way, I guess it’s best not to complain since some people are being seen at least. It’s a difficult to cater to all of the factors of why some people come to the outreaches and others don’t. Some of the villagers have other priorities, like going out to work in their farms or attending a funeral, and they can’t fit going to the outreach into their schedules that day. However, the ophthalmic staff can’t just wait around all day for the villagers to come out. Ernest from Crystal feels very strongly that the people must reorganize their priorities so that they can take advantage of the outreach services and get the help that some of them desperately need. Today, I performed a visual acuity screening for the chief of the local village. He had horrible vision and needed a cataract remove! Fortunately, he came to the outreach, but it is cases like these that convince me that locals should reevaluate their long-term priorities and take advantage of our eye clinics whenever possible.

So my roommate in Kumasi is Linda. She is a rising sophomore from Canada. Linda and I have gotten along very well since we met each other at the beginning of the month. However, one area that Linda and I tend to fuss about is the differences in words and pronunciations that people use in the U.S. versus Canada. For example, instead of saying flag with the same sound as the word cat, Linda says flag with the same sound as the word cage. It drives me crazy! Linda says pop instead of soda, and we pronounce lots of other words differently too. Despite my dislike for certain words and pronunciation of words that Linda uses, I have to agree with her on a few things. First, the U.S. should switch to the metric system. It doesn't make any sense for us to have to keep converting to different units so that we can be on the same page as the rest of the world. Secondly, the U.S. should use the Celsius temperature scale like the rest of the world instead of using Fahrenheit. I get so confused when Linda says that it's 30 degrees and that she's hot in the same sentence! And lastly, Americans should call soccer "football" like the rest of the world. Why do we call American Football "football" instead of calling soccer "football"? You don't really use your feet in American Football except for running and a few kicks during the game. Doesn't make much sense does it? Anyways, this is what Linda and I talk about when we're bored or when we want to get on each other's nerves. Despite our differences, however, we've become pretty good friends! :)

Our Weekend in Kumasi

2010-07-18T18:00:00.002Z

So far, our time in Kumasi has been pretty nice. We’ve visited a few bars, and even met a group of Irish medical students on Friday night. There were really a nice group of guys who were having a lot of fun and drinking a lot! I think we’ll meet up with them again before we leave.

On Saturday, we went to the Monkey Sanctuary in Kumasi. This is a village that lives next to a forest with two different species of monkeys. One species, the Mona Monkey, is very friendly and we got to feed it a few times. All we had were peanuts, and I don’t think they really liked them but they ate a few of them. The other species, the White Box Tail Monkey (or something like that), is very shy and doesn’t come close to humans. They are really pretty, and we got a pretty good look at a few of them. After that, we went to see two waterfalls nearby. At one, we pretty much just looked at it and hung around for about 20 minutes. But at the next one, we were able to swim and kind of slide down the big rocks. It was sooooooooooo much fun. There was so much water, and once you get under the big falls you can barely hear or see anything! One of my contacts got knocked out, but I didn’t really care. We eventually made our way to the top of the little cove where you could sit without getting pounded by water and that was really nice. It was one of the most relaxing environments I could imagine. That experience definitely made the whole trip worth it. We just kind of chilled for the rest of the night and waited for our shower to come on so we could get clean!

Today, I went to church with the 14-year-old (I don’t want to use here name, so I’ll call her Sarah) whose family lives next door to the hotel. The church service started around 8:15, and I had a translator since the whole thing was in Twi. The service was pretty nice and definitely more laid back and quieter than some of the other services I’ve heard since being here. The pastor there is also really nice. The service lasted for three hours and then I went out with and her sisters to meet some other people in the town. I think there was a misunderstanding with Sarah and one of the volunteers, and now I think Sarah thinks that she can come back to Accra with us and then maybe to America with us. She wants to go very badly, but of course it’s impossible for us to take her. I really feel like this is dangerous territory to be in because I don’t want to hurt her feelings or kill her dreams, but I don’t want to lead her on thinking that she can come back with us. Somehow we are going to have to break the news to her and make sure she understands that it’s just not appropriate for us to take her back with us. So many people think that they can just hop on the plane with us and we can set up their lives in America with a snap of our fingers. I wish it could work that way because I would love for Sarah to come to America and flourish. Unfortunately, now is not the time and I am not the right person for the job at this moment. Hopefully so doesn’t take it too hard…

Tomorrow starts my last week in Kumasi and my second to last week in Ghana! Where has all the time gone? I feel bittersweet about coming home so soon. I’m really going to miss Ghana and all of the wonderful people I’ve met here, but I can’t wait to get home and see everyone that I’ve missed so much! I’m gonna make this a great two weeks, and then I’ll come home happy!

Don't Make a Promise You Can't Keep

2010-07-15T13:38:00.000Z

Outreach on Monday and Tuesday were both pretty successful. We saw a combined total of about 125 patients and had maybe 16 surgery referrals. The staff at Charity Eye Clinic that accompanies us on the outreaches are so willing to help, especially when I need translators for my interviews, and all of us are having a good time getting to know them. I’ve recently found that the bananas in Kumasi are not only safe to eat, but they are delicious! They have quickly become my new favorite snack. I’m officially in save-as-much-money-as-possible mode until the end of my trip, so I’m trying to be as frugal with my meals and snacks as I can. I get 4 bananas for about 50 pesawas, which is really good! The hotel offers a lot of choices for dinner, but the prices at up over time, so I’m trying to avoid these dinners and eat more cheaply when possible.

If you’re wondering why I haven’t posted up many pictures in a while, it’s because my camera is acting very funny and not allowing me to snap a picture. I’m trying to get it to work, but unfortunately I’ve been unable to document my last couple of weeks with pictures. Hopefully, it will start working again soon!

There is a large family that lives right behind our hotel. Lots of the other volunteers have met this family during their times in Kumasi, so we were eager to meet them as well. There are lots and lots of girls in the family who are very smart and articulate and eager to meet us and become friends. One girl in particular is 14 and wise beyond her years. She speaks very good English, and wants very much to come with us back to Accra and then back to the United States. I don’t think she understands that we aren’t allowed to take her with us, and trying to explain this without crushing her dreams or hurting her feelings is a difficult task. She is much more articulate than any 14-year-old student I’ve met in Ghana and she seems to be very aware of her capabilities and the opportunities she would have as a student in America. I would love for her to able to come to the United States one day, maybe for college, so that her world can expand even more. I feel very confident that she would be very successful given the right opportunities. Maybe one day she’ll make it there.

This girl also introduced us to her pastor who lives in the very small community of Trede located right next to our hotel. He was very welcoming and friendly when we arrived at his home to meet him and his family. He immediately started reminiscing about the past UFS volunteers he has met and how some of them have stayed true to their promises of staying in contact with him, and how others have not. It is easy to think that when the people you meet in Ghana ask you to keep in contact with them after you leave, they aren’t really that serious and they will probably forget about you after you leave and they meet the new volunteers. However, I have found the exact opposite to be true. This pastor remembered the names of all the most recent volunteers he met and who kept their promises and who didn’t. Other staff members from Northwest Eye Clinic and Crystal also reminisce on past volunteers and remember with fondness those who chose to keep their promises. When we return home from Ghana to our busy lives as students in America, it may be very easy for us all to forget about the people we met in Ghana, the people whose lives we touched – if only for a short time – and to get caught up in our old routines and habits. But after hearing how sad this pastor was and seeing the disappointment in his face when he spoke of how sad it made him feel that the volunteers that promised they would keep in touch did not, I don’t want to be a volunteer that breaks her promises. You never know what kind of impact you may make on a 14-year-old school girl or the local pastor or anyone even after just a brief encounter. I hope to keep in contact with my friends from Ghana for a long time.

A Fun Day!!!

2010-07-13T14:33:00.000Z

Sarah and I had a wonderful day off on Wednesday! We started the morning early and headed to one of the markets. I had been to this market a couple times before, but I hadn’t realized how big it was until Wednesday! There were tons and tons of shops, and we got some good deals on some jewelry, scarves, shoes, and other souvenirs. I also finally found the fabric I wanted for the clothes I wanted to get made here! I want a skirt and a dress made, so I’ll see where I can get that done soon! We spent the rest of the day walking around and taking tro-tros (Ghana public transportation) to different places. We found the national theatre, a cool restaurant/bakery, and the post office! It was a great way to spend the morning and early afternoon.

All of us were planning to go out to Coconut Groove and Labadi Beach for reggae night, so Sarah and I went back to the Telecentre to get some rest and freshen up. We also watched Spain beat Germany and qualify for the final! It was such a good game, and I’m really glad that Spain won. We all went out after the game and headed to Coconut Groove. This is like the pre-party to reggae night at the beach, and they were having lots of salsa dancing by the pool at this hotel. This was so much fun! One of the locals offered to give me a couple of lessons and we danced for most of the night! Even though these weren’t exactly professional lessons, it was really fun to get some more salsa dancing exposure. After Coconut Groove, some of us headed to the beach for reggae night. This is essentially a mass gathering of Rastafarians and wannabe Rastafarians who come together to smoke weed, smoke some other stuff, drink, and enjoy the effects together. Needless to say, I was a little uncomfortable in this environment at first but we actually ended up having a good time. Also, two of the Northwest staff members were there with us, so that made me feel better. Anyways, it was a great day, and everyone had a lot of fun! Definitely one of my favorites so far! 

Goodbye Accra, Hello Kumasi!

2010-07-13T14:29:00.000Z

Four other volunteers and I arrived in Kumasi on Sunday afternoon. We will be here for the next two weeks and then I will spend my final week in Ghana back in Accra. The time has flown by so fast, and I’m really trying to savor this last few weeks. Kumasi is not nearly as busy and hectic as Accra is. The UFS partner here is Charity Eye Clinic, and the staff here is very friendly and well-organized. One of the volunteers, Rachel, has already been here once, so she is our official guide to Kumasi until we get the hang of it ourselves. We went on outreach today, but only saw about 30 patients. A lot of the people in this town go out early in the mornings to the farms, so that’s why only a few people showed up. However, no one goes to the fields on Tuesdays, so tomorrow we are going back to the same community and are expected A LOT of patients! We’ll see what happens, but it should be interesting. After work, we headed to the Kumasi market, the biggest in Ghana! We weren’t really looking for anything except fruit. When we finally ran across a fruit stand, we got pineapple, mango, and bananas! It was sooooooooooo good and pretty inexpensive. We waited in a long line to take a tro-tro back to our hotel and then relaxed for the rest of the evening.

I think it’s so strange that I’ve been confused for a Cuban and an Indian since I’ve been here. One of the volunteers even thought that one of my parents were white! I don’t see any evidence of any of these when I look in the mirror. I don’t know if it’s my hair that throws people off or what, but I just don’t get it.

Also, in case you didn’t know, Spain won the 2010 World Cup last night!!! It was a long game, and we were all scared the end was going to come down to penalty kicks, but Spain pulled it out in the final minutes and took the championship with them! We watched the game in a small bar (with a small TV!) in Kumasi after we arrived on Sunday. It was exciting to see the culmination of such an anticipated event, but it was a little sad to watch it all end. What will we watch on TV now??? It’s a question that will be answered sooner or later, but for now we will just keep celebrating Spain’s victory!

The Past Few Days...

2010-07-08T14:52:00.002Z

***So the Internet at the Telecentre has been less than ideal the past few days. I'm actually at an Internet Cafe right now! I'll try to keep my blog updated as much as possible despite the bad connections at the hotel. This post is a recap from Friday, July 2 to Tuesday, July 6. ***

Ghana suffered a heartbreaking loss in their final World Cup match. It was really sad to see everyone in streets so sad after being so hopeful that Ghana could make it to the next round of the tournament. A few of us watched the game at a little bar around the corner from one of the nearby restaurants after outreach on Friday, and we were all very sad after the long game ended in a loss for Ghana. So Ghana is out of the World Cup, and the games are not nearly as fun to watch as they were at the beginning. But Ghana represented for Africa the longest and we are so proud!!!!!!!!!!

On Saturday, three of us had to observe surgeries at Northwest. I’m not going to go into had much I am annoyed with this clinic or how inefficient they can be sometimes, but it can be quite frustrating sometimes. They didn’t start doing surgeries 5 in the evening and we didn’t finish until around 10 that night. Everyone at the clinic is very nice, but I think they could use a class in time management. Lots of us went to the beach on Sunday. This time we went to Labadi Beach; it’s a lot closer to the Telecentre, but it’s a lot busier and it has lots of locals selling stuff all the time. It’s was kind of annoying to have people always trying to get you to but something when you’re just trying to relax, but it was still a pretty good afternoon. Afterwards, we came back to our hotel to get freshened up and then headed out for what we thought was lunch but actually turned out to be dinner. We arrived at this Chinese restaurant at about 4:45 and ended up leaving at 7:30. I guess I can understand since we had about 20 people at our table, but we definitely were experiencing GMT (Ghana Man Time!). Overall, it was a pretty good weekend with a good mix of work and play.

I’m at Northwest again this week, and so far it’s been a pretty interesting week. On Monday, we had 150 people at our outreach clinic. Of course we got a late start, and we didn’t leave this place until almost 9:00!!! That’s by far the latest outreach I’ve ever been on. Everyone, especially the optometrist on duty, was exhausted by the end of the night. Once again the inefficiencies are apparent. Today (Tuesday), our outreach was canceled because not many people had showed up to the site. There was a communication issue with the local volunteer and the clinic (something that happens regularly at Northwest), and the doctor decided not to go. We ended up having a short day at the clinic, and got home early!

Tomorrow is my day off, and another volunteer, Sarah, and I are going out ALL DAY to have fun and cover as much of the town as we can. I’m soooooooooo excited! Can’t wait to tell you all about it!

So Happy, So Blessed

2010-07-04T20:43:00.000Z

I was walking to a little supermarket around the corner from the Telecentre one morning when I had a small revelation. It was a Sunday morning, and not many people were out in the streets yet. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining brightly and it wasn’t too warm or too cold – the perfect weather. I left the Telecentre alone and for some reason, I immediately felt a complete sense of happiness, satisfaction, peace, love, and freedom that I don’t think I had ever felt before. I think this was the moment when I finally realized that I was in Ghana; I was in another country on another continent in a world about which I knew very little. Everything I knew and loved was an entire ocean away, and I was alone. But I was not afraid. I was not lonely or homesick or sad. I felt empowered, alive, and so grateful that I was blessed with this opportunity to see the world so early in my life. I began to think about the next six months and my semester abroad in London. So many new things are coming my way, but I know that I’m ready to take these new experiences and challenges head on. My college experience has opened my eyes to endless opportunities and experiences that I want so much to take part of. It is very easy to let fear and doubt rule your thoughts, especially when thinking about things unknown to you. But on that Sunday morning, I decided that I would not let fear or doubt or intimidation rule my thoughts or the decisions that I make. God has blessed me with this incredible opportunity to see part of the world during the crucial years of my life when I am really discovering who I am. Not many people have this opportunity to begin with, and even fewer take full advantage of it. It’s funny to think that less than a year ago, I was not even giving Study Abroad a second (or maybe even a first) thought! The advantages of “getting away” were not apparent to me, yet. But after hearing Study Abroad reviews from so many other students and discovering that it was in fact a possibility for me despite my tight schedule of classes, I began to think about it more. I really don’t know what made me decide to apply. I think God just placed something in my heart and my mind, and I knew that I was supposed to go. While I can’t know exactly what is in store for me over the next six months, I know that I will grow and learn and become a better person in the process. I know this because that it what has happened to me in Ghana this summer. There is something transformative about removing yourself from your normal life and engaging in the lifestyle of a people unknown to you. I have learned what is really essential for living and that no matter how different people across the globe may seem to be, we are all essentially the same. We all need love and companionship, we are all seeking balance in our daily lives, and we are all trying to find our place in the world and to connect with the Higher Being who created it all. Maybe this little revelation was a little bigger than I thought… :)

I am so happy with my life right now. I have the most incredible family I could ever ask for, beautiful friends that I can depend on, and a life ahead of me that is full of adventure, excitement, challenges, and victories. I know that there will be many times when I am scared, confused, doubtful, and sad; but when these challenges arise, I know that good things are soon coming.

God is good, life is great, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

A Day Off!

2010-07-02T22:01:00.003Z

So today is a national holiday for Ghana, Republic Day. July 1 is the day that Ghana severed all ties with Great Britain and became its own republic nation. Because of the holiday, everyone had the day off from work, so we were able to spend another day exploring Accra. Some new volunteers also arrived today, so we were also able to take them out and show them around on their first day. After having breakfast and hanging out at the hotel for a while, we all left for the Accra Mall. Our first stop was the food court, of course, where I enjoyed another delicious, but expensive pizza. We all just walked around and explored the mall after that. Everything is so expensive there!!! The DVD version of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was selling for 45 Ghana Cedis (more than $30!). I thought about looking at some dresses, but I just figured there was no point since I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford them. Next, we went to see a movie! Ten college students all over the age of 19 went to go see Toy Story 3. I think we all looked pretty silly, but it was actually a pretty good movie. I was definitely entertained! One of the volunteers had mentioned another market that he found near the mall, so we all decided to go there next. This was a great market kind of tucked away off of the highway. They don’t get many visitors, so this is the place to go for good prices! We all had fun looking around in the shops and buying a few things. I got a pretty big painting for 5 Ghana Cedis!!! Overall, it was a great day and a good way to introduce our new friends to Accra. We’ve got another day at work tomorrow, but then it’s the weekend! Ghana also plays again tomorrow evening, so of course we will be watching that!

Halfway Home

2010-06-29T20:36:00.000Z

As you all may know, Ghana defeated the US in the soccer match last Saturday. About 14 of us headed to Citizen Kofi (a very classy sports bar/club/restaurant) in Osu to watch the game. We got some interesting reactions to our presence at such a heated match. Some of the locals joked with us about who was going to win the game. They laughed when we stood up to sing our National Anthem, but they also invited us to stand when they sang their own. Overall, it was a good time where I was sitting. However, some of my friends had some other less than pleasant experiences at the bar. Some of them said that they received some hostile looks from the men and women nearby and overall just didn’t feel welcome at the bar. I’m beginning to think that it’s a good thing that Ghana won because I can’t imagine what would have happened if the few Americans in the bar were cheering in the face of the over 100 Ghanaians in the bar who just lost to the U.S. and was now eliminated from the World Cup. It would not have been good. After the game, we walked on the streets of Osu and watched hundreds of locals celebrating, hanging out of cars, blowing whistles and vuvuzelas constantly, and just having a good time. We stopped to grab some food and then headed to another bar to see if we could join in on the party. Some people got some drinks, but almost immediately after we were served, two of the guys in our group had their wallets stolen! Some locals apparently just grabbed their wallets out of their pockets without them even noticing. We were all pretty disturbed at that point, so we decided to head back to the Telecentre. I think this was the only time I’ve ever felt somewhat unsafe since I’ve been here. Even though it is certainly safer to travel in groups than alone, I think the large size of our group made us an easy target for locals without the best intentions for us. We were easily distracted by the music, the vuvuzelas, and other locals randomly talking to us, so they were able to take advantage of this. Nothing else happened to me or to anyone else, and we all got home safely. Now we will all just be a little more careful anytime we go out in big groups like that.

In other news, I started work this week at Northwest Eye Centre. This is another UFS-sponsored clinic in Accra that volunteers go to. The staff there is a group of young professionals who are great at what they do but also like to have a good time while they’re at work. We traveled about two hours today to a community near the beach. We saw about 60 or 70 patients, and I really got to talk to Charlotte, one of the nurses, since there were only a few of us at this outreach. Overall, it was a pretty good day.

Many of the volunteers who arrived with me on June 1 are leaving within the next day or so. It is an interesting time for me because as so many are ending their journeys in Ghana, mine is only halfway done. I’m careful to listen to all of the things they wish that they had time to do so that I can be sure to have as few regrets as possible when I am preparing to leave. I’m very glad that I decided to stay for two months instead of only one because I am just not getting the feeling that I actually know this place fairly well. While I don’t feel completely at home yet (I doubt I ever will no matter how long I stay!), I’m glad that I have another month to live here and explore more things, see new places, and meet new people that have yet to come my way. It’s been a great ride so far, but I believe that there’s much more to look forward to. :)

It Feels Like Home to Me

2010-06-27T12:35:00.004Z

I never thought I would be so happy to get back to Accra and my room at the Telecentre. We left Adansi on Thursday afternoon after outreach. Overall, the trip was OK, but I will say that we were pretty bored at the hotel after outreach was finished. We didn’t really see that many patients, so that meant we got back to the hotel pretty early in the afternoon (around 2:00PM). We spent the remainder of our days reading, playing cards, watching hours upon hours of soccer matches, and turning in for bed pretty early. I won’t say that the trip was a failure, but I definitely think it could have been more productive had the local volunteers been more organized and if they had planned ahead a little bit more. Despite the setbacks, it was a good chance to see another side of Ghana.

Since this village is so far removed from any other villages, most people in the town don’t see many White people or Westerners. We received a lot of attention as we walked down the streets of Adansi. Many children asked us for money and were so excited to see us at the outreaches. They looked with amazement at the White skin of my fellow volunteers. It was hilarious to watch. However, not all the children were so excited to see us. Several children appeared shocked, frightened, and even began to cry when they saw some of the White volunteers. This just showed me how remote and far removed this community really was. Sadly, I didn’t receive as much attention from the children as the White volunteers since mine and the children’s complexion were so similar. However, I did spark some interest with an adult patient who was so confused when I didn’t understand her native language. I tried to tell her that I was from the U.S., not Ghana, and that I could not speak her language, but she just kept pointing at my skin and then back at hers with a look of confusion and shock on her face. It was pretty funny, and in the end she said that we were friends so I guess it all ended well!

We had an outreach scheduled for the Friday when we returned from Accra, but the tremendous amount of rain that the country has been receiving prevented us from going. Apparently, there was a lot of flooding in the place where we were supposed to be going. So instead of heading to work on Friday, we all headed to the market! More shopping and sight-seeing was done, and it was a great chance to explore some more areas of Accra that hadn’t had the opportunity to see yet. That was a great start to a great weekend.

If you haven’t heard yet, Ghana and the U.S. will be playing in the World Cup this (Saturday) evening! I can’t even describe how excited everyone is for this epic event. How cool is it that we are here in Ghana to watch the game?! We are all so excited and will be heading downtown to Osu to watch the match! I don’t really know who to cheer for, but I’m wearing my new Ghana jersey and I’ll probably cheer whenever both teams score a goal! It’s going to be great!

Give Us the Money!!!

2010-06-27T12:16:00.002Z

We arrived safely in Adansi on Sunday evening. The road getting here was very long and very bumpy. I think we all looked like gigantic bobble heads in the backseat as John tried his best to avoid the never-ending potholes and bumps. The place we are staying is basically just like an American motel. The doors to our rooms open to the outside where there is a cover patio. This is where we have all of our meals and watch the soccer matches (Ghana has a big game on Wednesday against Germany, and the US plays on Tuesday!). This is a very small village with very limited entertainment options, but we are trying our best to have fun anyways. Also, there are some serious communication issues within the community that could prevent us from reaching all the patients that we had planned to see. Today, traveled to a community about an hour and a half from our hotel, and no one was there waiting for the clinic. Apparently, many men and women leave their homes early in the morning to head to the farms for work. There was also confusion in which day we would be coming for outreach. Consequently, we only saw about 30 or 40 patients today. Ernest was especially disappointed on the low number of patients present. On the bright side, there were five cataract surgery referrals, which is a lot for such a small number of total patients. The need for eye health clinics is obvious in the communities we have visited. One man who came today was very close to being completely blind from advanced glaucoma. There is of course no cure for glaucoma and its damage is irreversible. There was really nothing we could do for this patient. However, if he had been seen earlier, his vision could have been saved or at least preserved for a little bit longer. It was a heartbreaking scene when the man started to cry because there was nothing we could do for him. There are undoubtedly more patients just like this man who need the help of eye doctors who can diagnose and treat conditions like glaucoma before it’s too late. Tomorrow we will be working closer to the hotel, and we are hoping for a better outcome.

Some of us decided to take a walk into the town after work. On our way, we came across a large of group of boys playing soccer in a big open field. Some of the other volunteers actually had some soccer skills themselves, so they kicked the ball around for a little bit. I have to say that the local Ghanaian boys were not too impressed with our moves, but we were in awe of theirs! We hung out for a little bit, and as we were leaving one boy shouted, “Give us the money!!!” Another boy asked one of the other volunteers for a pair of sneakers. The assumption that all White people and those from the United States are wealthy has definitely held throughout my time in Ghana. Children, especially, are in awe when they see the White and Asian volunteers casually walking through their villages. It’s quite a funny sight!

Adansi is great so far, and we’re all looking forward to a great week here!

Goodbye Accra, Hello Adansi!

2010-06-20T10:24:00.002Z

So today we are heading to Adansi, a small region at the southern tip of the Ashanti region. Six of us will be there for 5 days, until June 25. We will basically be doing the same thing we've been doing here in Accra - going to local churches and schools and having outreach clinics. I'm excited to go to another part of Ghana for a while. I think this place is supposed to be pretty rural, so that will be interesting to see how well we can manage out there. I don't think there will be any Internet access, so I won't have anymore posts for a while :( But, I'll be sure to keep track of everything that goes on so that I can update you when I get back!

To my dad and all the fathers in the world, Happy Father's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To my mom and dad, Happy 29th Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To Kojo, Happy 22nd Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you guys! Talk to you soon!

Oh, How I Love Cheese!

2010-06-18T19:07:00.001Z

Yesterday was a clinic day for me. Two other volunteers and I arrived at Crystal Eye Clinic around 11:00 AM and waited to be called to observe surgery. At least one Unite for Sight volunteers has to observe all UFS-sponsored surgeries that Dr. Clarke performs at Crystal Eye Clinic. The volunteers take turns rotating through the operating room. We get to ask questions and learn about the eye and cataract surgery from Dr. Clarke and the ophthalmic nurses. Today, Dr. Clarke also showed us a video on couching. Couching is a traditional way to remove cataracts and is still performed in rural parts of Africa today. The procedure involves inserting a thin blade into the sclera (white part of the eye) and then shaking the cataract loose from the behind the lens. The operation involves little anesthetic and very limited sanitation measures are taken. The whole process looked very uncomfortable to me. Serious and irreversible damage can be done to the eye when couching and other traditional techniques for cataracts are being used. One of the goals of Unite for Sight is to educate locals on the dangers and limitations of these traditional practices and encourage them to look into Western cataract surgery.

We had an unusual weeknight excursion last night to Reggae/Salsa/Some kind of dancing night near the beach. Seven of us arrived at Coconut Groove (sounds fun, right?) to take part in some fun dancing and a few drinks. This was an outdoor bar and club that was attached to both a hotel and a radio station! I also got a chance to meet up with some of my fellow Dukies who are also here for the summer! It was about 11:30 PM and we were just starting to get in the groove when everyone suddenly left the dance floor and headed to the beach! Apparently, the party at Coconut Groove was just the pre-party, and the real party was waiting a couple miles down the road. Of course, we didn’t know this so we were pretty disappointed when everybody left. We thought about heading to the beach ourselves, but I had a better idea! I suggested we head downtown, go to Frankie’s again, and order some PIZZA! We have all been desperately craving cheese for a while, and some good pizza would be a perfect end to the evening. Everyone agreed, so we headed to Frankie’s! Needless to say, we all stuffed our faces with bread, cheese, and various toppings. We headed back to the Telecentre with our bellies full and ready for bed. This was, by far, the best Wednesday night yet!

I was back on outreach today, but unfortunately we had a disappointing turnout. The place we traveled to was about two and a half hours away, and our outreach clinic was happening simultaneously with a large village gathering and performance show. Many of the locals were not there for the clinic, and those who did come did not bring money with them to buy medication. The ophthalmic staff, especially Earnest, was really disappointed and weren’t sure if we would be returning to this village in the future. This was definitely a logistical planning error on someone’s part, but hopefully it can be fixed so that Unite for Sight can still serve the people of this region.

So Game 7 is tonight, and I can’t wait to see what happens. Nothing would make me happier than to see Kobe Bryant sulking in a corner after the Celtics blow away the Lakers! It’s gonna be a tough game for both teams, but I’m rooting for the Celtics all the way!

2010-06-14T21:25:00.001Z

The craving for American food has already hit the next level. I’m craving chocolate cake like a mad woman, so I want to go ahead and put in my request for a very large chocolate cake (preferable the whole thing for me) when I return home. Also, anything with a lot of cheese in it would also be nice. There’s no cheese here! It’s crazy!!! I’ve made it to the two-week mark successfully, but I can’t believe these past 14 days have gone by so quickly. I’ve seen so many new things, and I still have ¾ of the trip left to go! It’s gonna be great!

Eight of us traveled to Bojo Beach again on Sunday. It was another relaxing day with a warm sun, huge waves, chicken and sausage kebobs, and a 5 cedi plate of French fries. We got to the club house just in time to see the Black Stars of Ghana score the winning penalty kick against Serbia in their first World Cup match! Let me just tell you…the sheer joy, excitement, and pride exhibited on the streets of Ghana after this victorious win is nothing like I’ve ever seen before. Even my fellow Cameron Crazies would have been outdone by this crowd (and we all know that’s saying a lot since we basically almost set ourselves on fire when we beat Carolina/win the National Championship!)! It was just crazy. Fans had painted themselves red, green, yellow, and black and proceeded to parade down the streets of Accra with those obnoxious horns everyone hears on TV, screaming, and just general chaos. We saw one man, and literally 60% of his body was hanging outside of a car that was speeding down the street!!! People were undoubtedly under the influence of some kind of drug, and I was a little worried that someone might actually get hurt; but in the end, all was well and we were all as excited as we could be over Ghana’s big win! We had dinner at Town and Country, a restaurant right around the corner from the Telecentre (Sunday is our big eating out day!). I ordered Red-Red, a traditional Ghanaian dish of fried plantains, beans, and friend chicken. You’re supposed to use the plantains as the “dipper” for the beans, if you will. I think the goal is to use your hands as much as possible and get as messy as you can without scaring the people at the other table. I went against the traditional eating methods and used my knife and fork in the proper American way, but the meal was absolutely delicious! I’m pretty sure the beans were black eyed peas with some kind of red pepper sauce mixed in. I’m not the biggest fan of fried plantains, but they were also very good. And the friend chicken was good, too! We stopped by a little supermarket around the corner on our way home, and I grabbed an individual serving of vanilla ice cream and some apple juice (yes!). Then we called it a day. I think the food we ate today was the best I’ve had so far. I could still use a piece of chocolate cake, but I guess I can wait.

We examined about 50 patients at the outreach clinic today (Monday). It was such a long drive up a winding mountain to the Church, and I wasn’t feeling to good for a while but we eventually made it back alright. This group of locals was very gracious to everyone, and all of the cataract surgery referrals were very willing to answer questions for the research study. My study is supposed to be identifying female barriers to cataract surgery and how Unite for Sight can get women better access to care. However, I have noticed that women are represented more at outreaches and at the clinic for surgery than males. I wasn’t expecting this at all, and I will be taking more data throughout the time I’m here, but that’s what I’m seeing so far.

I’ve had a lot of time to be by myself while I’m here, whether it’s during the long car rides to and from outreach, to relaxing by the shore at the beach, to lying in my bed before I go to sleep. I think part of me still hasn’t realized that I’m in Africa! I’ve been here for two weeks, and I’ll be here for seven more! I’m so thankful for this opportunity to see another part of the world and to take a step back from the daily worries of being a Duke undergrad. Life is so much bigger than college, or what internship you get, or your GPA, or your starting salary as a pediatrician or an investment banker. We live in so much luxury and excess in the United States that we don’t even understand how little we actually need. To return to the topic of food, I was very concerned about my diet when I first arrived in Ghana. I wasn’t sure if I would like the local dishes, so I felt like I should eat every meal that I enjoyed as if it were my last! Sometimes we get lunch during outreaches, and then sometimes we don’t. On those days when lunch is not provided, I cherish my Fiber One bars and my fruit snacks as if I won’t be eating for weeks when in reality I just have to wait a few more hours until dinner. Even though I know I’m overreacting to my “hunger” pains, sometimes when I’m here I feel like I’m eating just so that my body can function and survive, rather than because I’m bored or because the food is just so good. When I’m at home, I really don’t think of eating as the way to make sure body has energy and can keep working. I really don’t need three plates of collards, two servings of macaroni and cheese, and an extra large slice of sweet potato pie to keep my body working (in fact, all that food probably does the exact opposite!). I eat it because it’s available and it’s SO good! This isn’t exactly a profound concept, but it’s something I’ve thought a lot of while I’m here. I am so careful to not waste any food because I feel like either myself or someone else may really need it to make it through the day. It’s definitely a different way of thinking. Momma, I don’t want you to think I’m not eating at all here, so you don’t have to send two boxes full of food over here. I’m OK!

Tomorrow’s another outreach day. I’m thinking that one day I’ll do a mini documentary of a day in the life of a Unite for Sight volunteer and then post it for you all to see! I’ll let you know when it’s coming!

"Escuse me, my sistah!"

2010-06-13T09:56:00.003Z

It's the Weekend!

On Friday night we went to a club. Club Aphrodisiac. We arrived nineteen deep, and we were the first ones there at about 10:30 (I should have known better). We were waiting outside for a long time while our drivers/chaperones/party buddies tried to get a bulk deal for the cover charge. However, there was one small problem. We weren’t exactly dressed appropriately for Club Aphrodisiac’s standards. You see, the regulars at this club always dress classy, sexy, and ready to impress with girls wearing their high heels and skimpy dresses and the guys in their clean cut shirts and nice shoes. All nineteen of us showed up in t-shirts, sundresses, flip flops, and (get ready for this) dirty SNEAKERS!!! The ten very large security guards and bouncers were not really feeling our casual look. For a while, I didn’t think they were seriously thinking about not letting us in; no one else was there! They desperately needed are business, and we provided an instant nicely sized party. But they were serious. We did not fit the dress code, and they had an image to maintain. However, after some talking and negotiating from our lovely Ghanaian hosts, we got in (for only 6 cedis each I might add!). Club Aphrodisiac definitely has an image; it is both a bar, lounge, and club all in one. We hung out on the couches with the sequined throw pillows and the chandeliers with LED lights that changed colors all night. I may or may not have ordered my first drink from a bar, and it may or may not have been a rum and Coke. It may or may not have been pretty tasty. We all just kinda hung out, lounged around, and eventually took the dance floor for a while. I couldn’t help but notice a large number of middle-aged men who were seated in the private lounge areas located just off the dance floor. Several young women dressed in appropriate Club Aphrodisiac attire took a seat in their private lounge areas, and began having their own private dance parties. I couldn’t help but think I was witnessing several businessmen who were on a “business trip” and were also hours away from cheating on their wives with these women. I felt just a little uncomfortable, but I tried to just ignore that area of the club. We had a great time, danced until about 1:30 AM, and then came back and crashed into our beds at the Telecentre. It was the end of another great week.

I have a little announcement to make. For all of the Americans who believe that they are highly persuasive and successful salesmen, I invite you to come to Ghana and travel to a market. There you will find the most persistent, slick, persuasive, and successful salesmen that are in existence (at least in my opinion). We went to such a market today, and I have never received so much attention in my life. Every salesman from every booth in the market begged for me and my fellow shoppers to enter their shops and take a look at their merchandise. Some simply would not take, “No!” for an answer. When they first see you, they may say, “Escuse me, my sistah! Come have a look in here…I have da best prices in da whole market… don’t you need a Ghana t-shirt? What about your motha? This! This is da perfect gift for your motha!” I know that if I had not been warned many times about how to bargain with these salesmen, I would have probably spent about $200 on 5 items today. The pressure is so intense in this little outdoor market, and while IL don’t want to overpay for an item, I feel as if I’m insulting them by suggesting a price that’s less than half of their initial offer. But that’s how it works here. They try their hardest to get the tourists to pay as much as possible, but we have to be smart and realize that most items can be purchased for half of the initially offered price. I could be there for long. The pressure was just too much, not to mention the extreme heat and lack of food in my stomach. We headed back to the Telecentre and relaxed until the England vs. USA soccer match. Currently, the score is 1-1. I really hope it isn’t a draw. They’re already over the 90-minute mark, and I think everyone will be highly disappointed if it ended in a tie. My knowledge of soccer has steadily increased since the beginning of the World Cup. However, I still can’t get over how these men run around this huge field for an hour and a half with the hope of scoring one, maybe two goals. I mean I would think there would be a better strategy for getting that little ball in that huge net more than once in ninety minutes. But hey, what I do know about soccer? These are the best players in the world, so I guess a couple of goals for the game is as good as it gets. So, the match ended in a draw. How anticlimactic is that? Oh well. I think we’re staying in tonight; everyone is either exhausted from work or the late night we had last night. I think tomorrow we’re headed for the beach again!

Just Some Thoughts...

2010-06-11T18:27:00.003Z

This is for Lolo! Here's the alligator we saw at the restaurant last weekend. I'm pretty sure it was plotting it's attack to eat all of us as we were watching it, so I think it's best if you leave alligators in the wild instead of in your house! I don't know if they have domesticated alligators, but maybe a nice pet lizard or a garden snake would work better than an alligator! :)

We drove about two hours to our outreach clinic today. It was super hot inside the Church, and I was really hungry all day. We saw about 70 patients and had 5 referrals for cataract and pterygium surgeries. Everything went well, but the staff was so eager to get back so they could watch the World Cup! The games started today, and I'm watching France vs. Uruguay as we speak! I think France is favored among the group I'm in, but we'll see what happens! I wish I knew more about soccer and the World Cup so that I could somewhat follow along, but I'm learning as we go I think. At least I'm trying!

I just finished my second book since I've been here. First I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and then I finished The Firm by John Grisham this morning. Both were just great! I can't believe I've read this much in just 11 days! Next on the list is The White Man's Burden by William Easterly. I definitely think this choice is appropriate for the kind of work I'm doing and the experience I'm going through right now. So far (as in the first 20 pages), the book offers a very interesting view on why certain efforts to end poverty, hunger, and other social injustices in the developing world have failed despite $2.3 trillion given to these causes. I'm very interested in ready more about what this man has to say on such a controversial subject.

I think we're going out to a club tonight and hitting up the market tomorrow! Sounds like a fun weekend! Can't wait to tell you all about it! :)

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

2010-06-10T08:13:00.000Z

On Monday evening, one of Kojo’s cousins, Kofi, called me on my Ghana cell phone and asked if he could meet me and take me out to the Accra Mall on Tuesday. Evidently, Kojo’s father had given him my number and had asked their family in Ghana to kind of look out for me while I’m here. I’m so grateful that I am connected with people who have such loving and kind hearts. So on Tuesday evening, Kofi and his girlfriend picked up me and Rachel (another volunteer) from the Telecentre and took us to the Accra Mall located about 45 minutes from our hotel. The mall will remind you of a typical American mall with fewer stores and a grocery store that is attached to it. There are several restaurants and a bar/club that I’ve heard is really fun on the weekends. Kofi took us to a Chinese place where a lot of his and Kojo’s cousins work. After the wonderful meal, he told us that we could eat here and charge the bill to his account when we come back to the mall! Talk about generous, right?! I felt nothing but appreciation and gratitude for the warm welcome that the Owusu-Akyaw family has shown me since arriving in Ghana. Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday and Wednesday were both outreach days. On Tuesday, we went to a medical center about 45 minutes from the hotel and saw about 50 patients. There was an extremely loud Church service going on beside the clinic and there was so much noise and traffic inside the clinic as well. Needless to say, it was a very chaotic day. This was the first outreach where we had the assistance of local volunteers helping us dispense medication and handle the money. While I’m sure these ladies had the best intentions at heart, I couldn’t help but feel extremely frustrated once the work began. The women kept shoving papers in front of my face, snatching glasses and eye drops from my hands, interrupting my conversations with patients and other volunteers, poking me and tapping me on the shoulder unnecessarily (I don’t know why, but that bothers me soooooooooooooooooo much!), and just overall adding to the chaos that was this clinic. Not to mention the loud shouting enhanced by a microphone that was coming from the Church next door. My head was beginning to spin, and for a while I just wanted to get out of there! But I stuck it out despite my frustration and growing headache. Luckily, we had periodic breaks when patient traffic was slow and the day ended relatively early. I don’t know what would have happened if it had been a longer day…probably hid myself in a corner. Wednesday, however, was much better. We saw a similar number of patients and had a very organized assembly line type thing going on at the dispensing table. I was able to interview two cataract surgery referrals, and we got home around 8:00. It was a long drive to the outreach, about two and a half hours. Then it started raining quite hard on the way back. The car rides never get boring though…not with Dennis and Earnest in the van. They are pros at telling somewhat dirty jokes that keep us laughing the whole time. Earnest always checks to make sure that we’re old enough to be hearing such vulgar jokes, and then he tells a few jokes and we all start bellowing over in laughter. These guys have hearts of gold, are extremely intelligent, and love to have a good time. Once we arrived back at the Telecentre, we weren’t in the mood for wading through the growing puddles to find dinner, so we just snacked on granola bars and peanut butter for the rest of the evening.

Today, four volunteers are leaving and several more will be arriving today and tomorrow. I think it’s going to be interesting to see how the dynamics of the outreaches and living at the Telecentre change when certain people come and go. I’m very glad I decided to stay two months so that I will have the chance to meet as many volunteers as possible, explore Ghana as much as I can, and make a lasting impression on this organization and the people that work for it all year. I’m observing surgeries at Crystal Eye Clinic today. It’s still a little wet outside this morning, but I’m looking forward to a bright and happy day!

A Bright Sunshiny Day!

2010-06-08T15:44:00.003Z

I have hated oatmeal my entire life. I remember one time I sat crying at the dining room table because my mom made me oatmeal for breakfast, and I just couldn’t stand it. I’ve attempted to eat oatmeal as I’ve grown older once I learned of its health benefits, but it just hasn’t worked for me. So when I realized that we would be having oatmeal for breakfast everyday at the hotel, I kind of panicked. I knew how important eating breakfast would be since we weren’t always sure if we would have lunch; but I couldn’t imagine stomaching oatmeal for breakfast everyday for the next two months. The first two days were not so pleasant, but after being here for almost a week, I can say that I am almost enjoying the oatmeal we have for breakfast. Isn’t it strange how quickly we can learn to adapt to new environments and situations almost as if it’s our normal way of living? There are many things that we think we can’t live with or without; but when placed in a situation where that thing does or does not exist, you really begin to understand what you need, what you can tolerate, and what you can grow to actually like. I’m living in a place where my shower has less water coming out of it than the water from American sinks, where it is more likely that there will not be toilet paper in the “bathroom” of our various outreach locations, where paved roads are a luxury to drive upon, and where running water and electricity are not always 100% guaranteed. If you had told me I would be living in these conditions a few months ago, I can assure you that I would either have decided not to come or would have arrived the most paranoid and scared American tourist you’ve ever seen. But as I grow and learn about this country and myself, I am proud to say that these humble living conditions and the lack of modern conveniences don’t scare me anymore….well, at least not as much as before.

Today was another day at an outreach clinic. We traveled about 2 hours to the Volta Region of Accra and saw about 60 patients there. Today was also the first day that I began to collect data for the research project I am completing with another volunteer. We are interviewing cataract surgery referrals with the goal of discovering some way UFS can provide better services so that more female patients have the opportunity to receive cataract surgery. It was great to talk with the locals and learn more about the lives of people here. Hopefully, we will find some ways that UFS can improve its already great service to the local community.

The fellowship and growing friendship among us volunteers grows daily. It’s amazing how quickly we all became friends, supporters, and almost guardians of each other. We look out for one another as we walk through the busy streets of Accra, and we always help each other at the outreach clinics. And we have lots of fun, too! This is definitely one of the funniest groups of people I’ve ever spent this much time with! Unite for Sight is an angel to the men and women of Ghana, and it is a family to the volunteers, staff, and doctors who all give their time to improve the lives of others. I can’t help but smile when I think of all the fun I’m having and how fondly I know I’m going to look back on this experience. It just makes me feel all warm and snuggly inside! :)

...Just Like a Waving Flag!

2010-06-06T21:41:00.003Z

So the 2010 World Cup is starting in just a few days, and the excitement in Ghana is reaching is peak. The anthem to the World Cup, "Waving Flag" by K'naan, has been playing all weekend and is now stuck in my head for the third day in a row (it's very catchy)! It's funny how I seem to have become so patriotic to this country after less than a week of being here. Even more strange is that I know practically nothing about soccer or the World Cup! But despite these minor disadvantages, I am looking forward to the start of the world's largest sporting event just as much as the locals.

We had an absolutely amazing first weekend in Ghana! On Friday evening after work, Dennis, Jerome, and some other UFS staff members took all of us out to Frankie's, an overpriced American restaurant in downtown Accra. Even though I had to pay over $10 for a cheeseburger and fries, it was probably one of the best tasting cheeseburgers I've ever had. Not simply because it was prepared well, but more because I have been craving American food so badly! And to think I have over 50 more days before I taste some real home cooked food again! :( Hopefully I can hold out without going broke at Frankie's! After dinner, we went to a local bar where we may or may not have ordered two large tubes full of local Ghanaian beer, and then played a few rounds of flip cup (Momma and Daddy, if you read this, I just want you to know that the legal drinking age in Ghana is 18). We had so much fun and were absolutely exhausted when we came home. We thought we would be able to sleep in, but NO! We wanted to go to this popular canopy walk and slave castle on Cape Coast, about a 4 hour drive from our hotel. So we all got about 4 or 5 hours of sleep and then left Accra at 7:30 AM Saturday morning. The tour of the slave castle was very well done, and provoked some intense emotions in the members of our group. We saw the jail cells and dungeons were African men and women were kept until they were shipped across the ocean to be used as slaves. We even saw the cell where defiant slaves were locked away and left to die without food, water, or fresh air. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant experience. However, the mood shifted when we left the slave castle and headed to the canopy walk at one of the parks. John did me a huge favor and said that I was a Ghanaian student so that I would receive a discount on the entrance fee! I think the other volunteers were a little jealous, but I wasn't about to let this opportunity pass me by! When else am I going to be thought of as a Ghanaian student in my life? After the canopy walk, we grabbed dinner at a place that is near a swampy place with crocodiles! We seriously thought one was going to come after us, but thankfully it didn't. We arrived back to the Telecentre safe and sound, and got a good night's rest. :)

Today was the most relaxing day yet. We took a trip to Bojo Beach, a gorgeous beach about an hour and a half from the hotel. Seriously, I haven't seen many beaches that are as beautiful as this one. We spent the day splashing around in the water, playing beach volleyball, eating kebobs, and hanging out in the shade. It was definitely one of my favorite days so far.

Tomorrow starts another week of outreach and work. The days are going by very quickly, but I am trying my best to savor each and every moment. I'll let you know what happens next!

Unite for Sight is an Angel

2010-06-03T21:20:00.001Z

Would you wait over five hours in the hot sun, with little or no water, in a room full of mosquitoes, just to get your eyes checked? Could you even complete this task if you wanted to? I kept asking myself these questions as I helped pack up the equipment from my first day at a UFS outreach clinic. Over 160 men and women from Accra, waited patiently for the volunteers and Dennis, the ophthalmic nurse, to check their vision and determine a cause for the eye ailments. I was utterly amazed by the patience, respect, gratitude, and overall goodness of the people I saw. Not a single person complained about the hours of waiting. Not a single person whined about the money they had to pay for glasses or medication. Not a single person mentioned how hot or hungry or tired they were at the end of the day. Everyone just waited patiently until it was there turn, and then left a clinic with their new glasses, their eye drops, and a little bounce in their step because they were so grateful for what was given to them.

This entirely gracious, even-tempered, and calm spirit is one that is not easily found in America. We as a people often search for and find faults in so many things when we actually should constantly be grateful for all of the goods and services available to us in this country. Gratitude, humility, and kindness are all simple concepts, but difficult ones to live by daily. It is my challenge to myself to slow down and appreciate all of the many things I do have, even when everything is not perfect. It is difficult to appreciate the little things, when you are used to have so many great things; but even after living in Ghana for three days within quite simple means, I am learning what is actually important and necessary to survive and be happy. Is there anything else that really matters?

Welcome to Ghana!

2010-06-02T22:25:00.002Z

*Written June 2, 2010*

Today marks my second day in Ghana, and I am slowly but surely growing to see this place for what it truly is. My attempts at writing a pre-arrival and a first day post obviously failed, so let me catch you up on what you've missed...

Upon arriving in Accra on Tuesday morning, eleven other UFS volunteers and I were greeted by several members of a UFS welcoming committee, many locals requesting that we use their luggage-carrying services, and the sweltering, humid, cloudy,yet beautiful weather of Ghana. We stacked and packed ourselves and our luggage into a large van and a small station wagon that led us to our hotel - The Telecentre Bed & Breakfast. I share a room with two other girls - one is a rising Junior at Johns Hopkins and the other is a first-year medical student. The room itself is quite nice; however, our bathroom is not exactly high class. Well...I guess the primary issue is that the shower is a weak trickle of cold water that comes out of a small shower head and never seems to get warm. I must say that I was quite alarmed about these less-than-ideal conditions at first, but I must say that when one is in desperate need of a shower (like my housemates and I were after the first day), a weak trickle of cold water will do just fine.

After exchanging our US dollars for Ghanaian cedis and stocking up on water and other essentials, we explored some local restaurants and got to know each other on our first day. Some of us snuck in a nap along the way, and then we all got a needed and well deserved good night's rest.

Today was my first day at Crystal Eye Clinic. After some minor delays in the morning, John (one of the drivers and our new friend!) drove some of us to Crystal. It's about an hour from the Telecentre to the clinic, but that gives us some time to get in another nap! We toured the facilities and met several nurses, other staff members, and Dr. Clarke, the primary ophthalmologist at Crystal. I observed my first cataract surgery and was amazed as Dr. Clarke performed three cataract surgeries in less than an hour! All of the staff are very welcoming and genuinely happy that we are all here.

The most memorable part of my day was most definitely when I was observing Margaret, one of the nurses, in the consultation room. One man (who, might I add, was dressed in the most beautiful clothes!) wanted so badly to express his sincere appreciation and satisfaction with the work that Crystal Eye Clinc had done. He had just received cataract surgery in his left eye yesterday after being blind in that eye for over five years. He was so touched and appreciative of all that Crystal Eye Clinic and Unite for Sight had done that he wanted to donate 4 acres of land to the organization so that more clinics could be built and more lives could be touched. This man's utter joy and gratitude for what was given to him is the reason why so many people give their time, money, and energy to organizations like UFS. I have a feeling that I will hear of many more stories like these before my departure from Ghana. :)