No, that's not a name for a tribe here, that's the word for "white person". Classes have started in full force this week, and we had the wife of the director of YWAM Ghana for our speaker. She spokke on a few different topics- prayer, integrity and inferiority complexes. It was a very worthwhile time for me especially.
I had another adventure in the market today, trying to find a gift for a baby shower, let's just say that gift shopping here is very different than at home where you look up the registry and go get the items off the shelves.
I also got to try what seems to be the national food today-- fufu (spelling?)--no utensils need apply, just make sure that you only use your right hand, especially since it's eaten out of one big bowl.
I only have a couple minutes, so I can't sa alot, but I'll try to write again on Wednesday...
Blessings!
~Rachel
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Akwaaba!
Akwaaba! Welcome to Ghana!
I arrived safe and sound in Accra on Saturday night (here, around 4pm at home). The flights to and from London were uneventful for the most part. In Heathrow I saw Keanu Reeves! He is a scruffy-looking man in person :-)
On the plane to Accra I sat next to a man from Finland who informed me about his country throughout the flight, and he also let me know that Finnish people and Russians do not get along and that is why so many young Finns like American culture.
The program is just getting started and we are in our orientation week right now. There are supposed to be around 30 students total, although not all of them have arrived yet. The students are mostly from West Africa (Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana so far), although my roommate is from Switzerland (the french part) and so far the only other white person in the school. The days consist of waking up around 6:15 (1:15am EST!) and doing work duty, followed by breakfast and then orientation meetings, lunch, more orientation, rest, dinner, study time, free time and then sleep. This schedule is pretty loose right now and will get harder next week and I'll give more of an idea of a typical day later.
The conditions are pretty good, electricity (usually), running water (sometimes)-- all the comforts of home ;-) I will say that it is very hot, especially at night, which is taking some getting used to, or maybe it's all the mosquito netting that is different. They tell me that right now we are in the middle of the "Hamattan"--a season when it is very dry, and not too hot.
We went to church in a local church this Sunday and it was very different than church at home, louder and more energetic! We sang alot and people danced and it was really cool to get to experience something different than the way we do things at home.
Monday afternoon we went to the market to get a couple of things that we needed...Quite the experience. I got a SIM card that I thought I needed for my phone for only 65,000 Cedis (about $7). I felt very funny carrying around a huge wad of bills when I hadn't changed that much money!
Things are going well over all, although there are some things that will take some getting used to.
I appreciate all your prayers and support--please pray that I will get over homesickness, I'm already struggling with it and have only been here 5 days!
More later!
~Rachel
I arrived safe and sound in Accra on Saturday night (here, around 4pm at home). The flights to and from London were uneventful for the most part. In Heathrow I saw Keanu Reeves! He is a scruffy-looking man in person :-)
On the plane to Accra I sat next to a man from Finland who informed me about his country throughout the flight, and he also let me know that Finnish people and Russians do not get along and that is why so many young Finns like American culture.
The program is just getting started and we are in our orientation week right now. There are supposed to be around 30 students total, although not all of them have arrived yet. The students are mostly from West Africa (Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Ghana so far), although my roommate is from Switzerland (the french part) and so far the only other white person in the school. The days consist of waking up around 6:15 (1:15am EST!) and doing work duty, followed by breakfast and then orientation meetings, lunch, more orientation, rest, dinner, study time, free time and then sleep. This schedule is pretty loose right now and will get harder next week and I'll give more of an idea of a typical day later.
The conditions are pretty good, electricity (usually), running water (sometimes)-- all the comforts of home ;-) I will say that it is very hot, especially at night, which is taking some getting used to, or maybe it's all the mosquito netting that is different. They tell me that right now we are in the middle of the "Hamattan"--a season when it is very dry, and not too hot.
We went to church in a local church this Sunday and it was very different than church at home, louder and more energetic! We sang alot and people danced and it was really cool to get to experience something different than the way we do things at home.
Monday afternoon we went to the market to get a couple of things that we needed...Quite the experience. I got a SIM card that I thought I needed for my phone for only 65,000 Cedis (about $7). I felt very funny carrying around a huge wad of bills when I hadn't changed that much money!
Things are going well over all, although there are some things that will take some getting used to.
I appreciate all your prayers and support--please pray that I will get over homesickness, I'm already struggling with it and have only been here 5 days!
More later!
~Rachel
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