For me, Ghana was going back to a place that had admittedly changed the course of my life – where I thought of the business plan, and the country that brought me back to it and to another Semester at Sea. In many ways, things were the same, and for the first time, I felt a piece of home, as I was reunited with the wonderful family that I stayed with when I Couchsurfed for the first time (see my first Ghana post). This time, I went on a tour with Fred and his tour company to the Senase village that many of my friends raved about in 2012 – a quotidian experience there really gave me a glimpse of what the majority of Ghana is probably like – 10 hours away from where the ship docked paved the way for all the difference.
Day 1
This time, after spending a very enlightening day learning about other entrepreneurs at, Hub Accra, Ghana’s first entrepreneurship incubator. I was talking to a guy who had asked me about my first time in Ghana, at which point he asked me whether or not I was friends with Alanna – like one of my favorite people in this world, Alanna- like SAS ’12 sisters, Alanna. It turned out that he was the Couchsurfer that I had connected her at that time, and he just happened to be at the incubator that day… the way the world works just continues to amaze me.
Olivia and Oliver picked me up, us bonding and catching up, as I would with a family member back home. She scanned my fingers (I tend to bite them when I’m nervous/anxious/bored), and to her surprise, they were much better than they were two years ago.
We stopped by her mom’s house, where her grandma continued to sing the same songs that she sang two years ago to herself – she didn’t look that much older or different, nor did the home or Ghana. I was different though: this time, I was less uncomfortable, and graciously accepted my dinner over a conversation that wasn’t at all awkward – and in all ways, familiar. It was months since I had felt this way: familial. And it felt, oh, so comforting and peaceful.
I spent the night, as I would at home, with no worries about where to go or what to do – I briefly connected with my friends and family and did some necessary tasks online – for one of the few times in the voyage, not expecting the WiFi to cut out or to be rushed – it’s crazy to see what becomes valuable to you when you travel.
I spoke to Ophelia about her thoughts and aspirations, and remembered how big my global family has become. Getting a glimpse into her life was almost like getting a glimpse back into the life that I had left behind two years ago.
A peaceful conversation ended the night that to me, was the biggest ‘break’ and night of normality I had since the voyage began: I didn’t feel like I had to go anywhere or do anything; I wasn’t missing out: it was just me and the couch.
Day 2
I woke up to a rooster, driving back to the ship at 5:30am where we would meet some other SASers whom I would spend the next three days with. After much debate, I ended up going with Fred instead of Asomah, since Asomah’s tour was pretty crowded… but mostly because Fred wanted to spend time with me.
We spent most of the day driving (10 hours), with a (buffet) lunch break in between and a visit to a school where we donated thousands of new uniforms to children in need.
Once at the village, we had a nice welcoming dinner outside – It was so dark in the village that I could barely see what I was eating, but as a vegetarian, I recognize (delicious) rice and beans from a mile away.
Day 3
The following morning, I joined Fred and Barbara to meet the chief of Senase, whom I learned was selling a piece of land to Barbara for the purpose of creating a boarding school home/community in Senase.
After the meeting at the chief’s home, we toured part of the enormous property on our way to the school that Fred had helped to build with the funds from his tour company. As the days went on, he just continued to amaze me. Just in 2009, he was as much a part of this village as any of the other boys and girls whose classroom was once a wooden shack.
At the inauguration of the school, we were welcomed with performances and chants that brought the entire village together.
Hands down, the best part of it all was being able to sit and hold the hand of this lovely one:
The ceremony ended with the chief of the village gifting us a goat, which was, in fact dinner that night…
Even more sensitive to the situation than I was, Barbara couldn’t stand to hear the goat squealing to death, so I accompanied her into the village where we bought some wine and chatted under a tree that overlooked the soccer field. Children from the village joined us, teaching me how to ‘Azonto’ – one of them eventually chugging the boxed wine that was at our feet and immediately spitting it back out in disgust… we tried to warn him!
A soccer/kickball game in the field led to another peaceful dinner in the dark before we headed to a local bar for some drinks. I danced a bit with Fred but ended the night relatively early for a church service the following morning.
Day 4
After a very interactive church service on Palm Sunday, we continued to drive the 10 hours back to Takoradi where the ship awaited us. Between semi-interrupted naps and bathroom breaks, Fred and I really bonded. I told him about my life and he filled me in on his – so many of the questions that I didn’t even know I had were suddenly answered.
He told me about: how he ran into SASers in 2009 at an ATM while he was in tourism school, and how they asked if they could be his first tour group – about how that inspired Can do Land Tours – about how Ashley on that tour group sent him the $30 he needed for his X-rays after an accident that happened a few months later – about how she fell gravely and he sent her $700 to repair her home. She ended up painting her room in his favorite colors.
Because he is a good member of this earth – the earth has rewarded him with nothing but goodness. In 2009, he started his tour company. In 2011, he met a man on SAS who sponsored his schooling in Turkey. Currently, he studies in London (sponsored by another SAS lifelong learner – Barbara) with plans to finish his degree at the University of San Diego, but not before going on SAS this summer – he deserves that and more.
Day 5
I woke up exhausted from all the driving, deciding to ‘just go out for Wifi’ near the port. Christina and I ended up postponing our departure so long that we decided to stay at the port, where a market was set up right outside of the ship. That decision resulted in one of the best days of my time in Ghana: I traded the shoes (that I got for free in Myanmar after I had fallen at the monastery and broken mine) for 5 headbands, bought a stand for my mom, and got a copper bangle – but most importantly, I made friends with most of the vendors, who entertained us with their drums and unique instruments – and I learned how to properly hold a baby in a piece of fabric!
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Interesting things learned about Ghana:
People watch Spanish soap operas (dubbed in English) all the time
Never ever raise your left hand; it’s considered very rude- people get kicked out of school for this reason. (at one of the schools that I went to, people kept wanting to shake my hands, I ‘ran out of hands’ and gave my left hand to a little girl without noticing – no wonder her friend came and slapped it out of my hand…)
People have prom in Ghana
‘If you’re lucky to catch a funeral/wedding, you can see local people dancing’
Most people rent homes from landlords – if wealthy enough, one buys land first then makes the home on the land
Goats are highly prized: check this guy out riding a motorcycle with it
Earlene at Sea 