I am here!

Hello everyone,

After a rough journey to Ghana and having spent two nights here I feel better. The jet lag is wearing off and I had a good night's sleep (despite the heat of course, and I think the nyquill helped). So my flight to New York went smoothly. My good friend Lauren arranged for a car to pick me up at the airport and the two of us had a wonderful dinner in Brooklyn. I went back to JFK around 9PM (my flight was supposed to leave at 11:45). I began calling friends and family one last time before leaving the states and then learned that my flight was delayed. I only had two hours to connect to my Ghana flight in London so I was worried. We finally left by 1am. I was able to sleep on the plane somewhat but was indeed late into London. I missed my connecting flight into Ghana. Just one more thing to delay my trip! After spending all day in the damn Heathrow airport (I have no desire to go there again haha) to track down my luggage, the airline put me up in a hotel for the night. I met another woman who was headed to Ghana (and missed the same flight as me) and she and I had dinner together and had rooms right next door. She is also doing volunteer work but just for 4 weeks. Even though I just wanted to get to Ghana already I was so happy for another shower (I took two) and a good meal. The next day we left very early to catch a plane to Frankfurt Germany and then to Ghana. While in the Frankfurt airport my new travel friend (from the previous night) , Marjori and I decided to eat at McDonalds. I never do this in the states but it sounded good at the time. I finally arrived in Ghana at 5:40PM on Saturday (Ghana is 8 hours ahead of West coast time). After customs I found Joseph, the man from my program. He helped me into a taxi and off we went.
Right away I could feel the heat/humidity and non of the cars have air conditioning, the open windows is the a/c. Because I was so late I had missed orientation completely and I could not meet the other volunteers that night. I stayed with Joseph's mother and sister and his nieces and nefhews. I was tired and hungry but was given a rice and egg dish and clean water to drink. I shared some candy with the kids and showed them my seattle post cards. I was given my own room for the night with a ceiling fan although the room was still quite warm and the fan simply circulates stale air. The time change was still bothering me and I fell asleep for just a bit but woke up at 3am wide awake. I could not find my flash light to read so I listened to my ipod and thought about what people were doing in Seattle since it was just 10PM there. Finally I fell back asleep. The next day the young boys were happy to see all the random things I had brought with me in my luggage and to talk about the US. I was given way too much bread and butter for breakfast but I could barely finish it. Joseph picked me up and we tried to find an atm. Joesph lives in Tema, which is outside of Accra so there were few atm's. He and his brother and his brother's wife took me in their taxi to the train station in Accra. They helped me on the bus (this costs 7 Ghana ceties which is just under $7) and I was off on a new 4 hour journey. I was the only white person (obroni, this means white person, which I am called often) but the women around me were very nice and were worried that no one would be at the station in Kumasi to meet me. I thought I would get much reading done but there was too much to look at while on that 4 hour ride. I saw both a busy city/market place and the brush/small towns. People would stare and sometimes smile at me through the windows. I saw a lot of garbage on the sides of the roads and shacks for homes. It is so hard to believe that it is 2008 and the way people must live in Africa is so vastly different than the US. There are goats everywhere and chickens. I think I heard roosters at all hours of the night the first evening I was in Ghana.
People generally look dusty but then you will also see men and women walking through the dirty streets in lovely, clean, beautiful dresses and suits. I was traveling on a Sunday so I think many were making their way to churches. Catholism is the most praticed religion here, and I plan to attend church at few times. After the 4 hours I arrived in Kumasi and Na Na was waiting for me, another coordinator for my program. We hopped in a taxi (they are everywhere) and made our way to through the busy market place to the resident living area. People drive like mad here and they do not care if people are walking ahead of them. It is quite scary at times. It was dark, hot and dusty when we arrived. One thing I have noticed here is I am never allowed to carry my luggage. I'm not sure if it is because I am a woman or what but I only carry my backpack. Once inside this living space I met two other volunteers from the program. Matina from Switzerland and Klara from Denmark. Klara actually had just come back from the hospital because she had become feverish and discovered she had malaria...already! It was caught very early though and she was giving medicine and is feeling better. The room was very small and I was told that I actually was not sleeping there. After checking on the girls I was brought 5 minutes away (down a very bumpy,dusty road) to the community Medoma. This is where the Columbus orphanage and school is located. Once again I had kids carry in my luggage, I tried to help but was told no. There were many people welcoming me and kids running about. This was all fine but I was feeling quite alone. I learned that there was infact another girl living here but she is from a different program. As soon as I met Katherine (an 18 year old from England) I felt better. She is very nice and has been here for 6 weeks. She and Isabell (22, from Norway) were hanging out. Isabell is also from another organization and is living down the road but works at the same school. This room was quite large and has a running toliet AND a shower!! There is one large bed but it is a queen I think, we shared that last night but with our own sheets. She and I talked all evening and she helped me understand what I would be doing. We looked at pictures of freinds and family and just chatted. I later took at shower and washed my hair. Even though it is wonderful to have a shower please know that it is cold water only and the spout is small, nothing like the shower I took in London, still I am grateful. Others must use buckets to wash themselves. I woke up feeling refreshed and with a better attitude. I am still coughing alot but I think it is just the dust because I do not feel sick at all. I came into town today and met another volunteer from Denmark named Janet. She is also 22 and seems to me enjoying herself. I have now been at the internet cafe for over an hour so I must go but I am told it is easy to get to the cafe's. I will write much more soon.
I now have a phone and a phone number. If you use skype it is quite easy to call. Just in case here is my number: from the U.S. dial +233-24-896-0094.

I am now happy and ready to get a routine started. I begin teaching tomorrow and am told I may be working with computers (no internet though), teaching typing to the older students and teaching P.E. in the afternoon with the youngsters. We will see though. Katherine tells me things are fairly unorganized and we must just figure things out for ourselves.
I hope everyone is doing well in the states and please keep in touch.
-Erin