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!
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