A short update

When I wrote my last major blog update, it was the day before Independence Day (which is March 6). So I'll just quickly update you all on the things that have happened since then. I went to the Independence Day parade, which was just members of the armed forces, police, and schoolchildren marching around Independence Square. That weekend I went to Kpong on Saturday and we went to a bead/metalworking factory and they showed us the process of bead making and metalworking. Then on Sunday, we went to Shai Hills (named for the Shai people who used to inhabit the hills) to hike. We hiked for about six hours on two trails, the first to a small cave and the second to a larger bat cave. The rest of the week, I visited my (possible) internship, went out for two CIEE-ers birthdays, hung out with the Nigerian kids in my dorm, and went to classes. Then this past weekend our program had a trip to the various museums around Accra, the Du Bois Center, the Nkrumah Masoleum, and the National Museum.

Photo highlights from hiking in Shai Hills

Some favorite business names

So most businesses here are named in reference to religion and the ones that aren't are still almost always ridiculous/hilarious/nonsensical. Some favorites (I promise I didn't make any of these up!):

King Jesus Motors
City Homies Fast Food
Englishman: Who is that Guy?
Lover Boy Provisions Centre
Same As Yesterday Chop Bar
Don't Forget Jesus, Nothing Late When Life is Long
Boyz to Men Ventures
Jesus Victory Salon
"U" Got Served Wear House
By God's Grace Frozen Food
Sober Spot: Drinking Bar and Food Joint

Photo Highlights from Acrra, a wood carving village, and Aburi Gardens

Football, Classes, Tro-Tros

Hello all!

So, I finally have all my classes and an internship. I'm taking two sociology courses ("The Context of Development and Underdevelopment" and "Penology", as in penal systems), a Religion course ("Religion in the African Diaspora"), and a Twi course. My internship will be at a place that works on domestic violence and women's rights issues.

Two weekends ago, everyone on my program went to Aburi Gardens and a nearby wood carving village. Aburi Gardens was cool, our tour guide was a chief who does this as his day job (most chiefs are something else in addition to being a chief). I'll have pictures of this up on facebook/flickr hopefully soon. The woodcarving village was also nice, someone talked to us about the technique and history of the wood cavings. Then last Tuesday I went to Madina market and took a tro-tro (a van that is super cheap and acts like a passenger taxi) for the first time.

Then last weekend, I went around Accra during the day and tro-troed and walked around and found out where things are. I went to an art gallery and Makola Market (which is the huge, well-known market in Accra). And then I got lost, which was kind of fun/funny. I was trying to get to Ussher Town to see Ussher Fort, so I took a tro whose mate (this is what they call the person who sits on the right side and hangs out the window yelling where the tro is going) was saying what sounded like "U-town", but he was actually saying "New Town" so I ended up in this kind of desolate neighborhood that isn't even in Accra. The people in town were really helpful and guided me back to where I should be to get a tro and gave me directions. This is something that is pretty cool here, people will go out of their way to help you, they'll often
walk you to the place you need to go instead of simply giving you directions. Then on Sunday, I went to a football game. It was Accra Hearts of Oak (a local team, also the name of a Ted Leo album) vs. a team from Gabon. People here also really like the British teams, Arsenal and Manchester United. There was a game yesterday and people seemed as excited as they would be about the Black Stars (the national team).

So hopefully next blog post, I'll have updates about the internship, pictures, independence day, and an overnight weekend trip!