Day 6

Saturday, we traveled about an hour down the coast to a smaller town called Winneba. We took a tro tro, which is basically a big van stuffed full of hot and sweaty people. It was a long and smelly ride, but it was well worth it when we finally made it there. Winneba is such a breath of fresh air after being a big, crowded city. It has a simplistic, close-community feel and we were told "this is the real Ghana." We met some friends there (who are faculty leader knew) for a birthday party and to watch the big Ghana-U.S.A. futbol game. We went to a local restuarant/lounge to watch the game on a big-screen TV. There had to have been over 100 people stuffed into the small, open-top building and I don't think I have ever seen a crazier crowd. This game was comparable to the super-bowl back at home, but probably even bigger. When Ghana first scored people were running into the streets singing and dancing, you could hear people for miles around honking and yelling. Also, the whole market shut down that day just for the game. There was absolutely no one on the streets or in the stores. EVERYONE was watching the game. Since our group and a few Canadian students were the only white people in probably the entire town, the locals kept apologizing to us b/c our team was so bad. We just laughed and said we were cheering for Ghana. They got so excited when we told them that. Later, we had a celebration of food and music. Some of the locals tried to teach me how to dance...and guess what? They actually said I was pretty good! (they must have been trying to make me feel better... hahaha) We got home late that night at probably 1 or 2 in the morning.

The next morning, I attempted going on my second run this entire trip (I went earlier in the week as well.) People here think it is the weirdest thing for someone to go running. They don't understand the concept of exercising or running for fun. I thought maybe in the smaller town people would just let me be and not think it was as weird. I was wrong, very wrong. I'd be running through the streets and near the market and people standing outside (everyone is always outside here, just walking around or selling things) would just laugh and point at me. They'd yell "abruni, abruni, you crazy abruni" and break out in laughter. (Abruni means white person in their language, it's just what they call us.) It was kind of embarrassing, I just tried to ignore them, but it is going to take some getting used to. Being a white person is already weird, but running as a white person supposedly makes me a freak of nature. haha.

I've been trying some unusual foods here as well...or maybe just plain food is a better way to put it. Nearly every restaurant serves the same thing: rice and chicken. If you are lucky, there might be fries. I am getting really, really sick of rice to put it nicely. So this past weekend, we went to this restaurant that was supposedly really upscale for Ghana. (It had the whole candles, and white table setting, folded napkins, etc.) Our group got really excited b/c it had a complete full menu. Like REAL food this time including most of the things you'd find back at home. I ordered "stir-fry" from the waiter, and was really optimistic at eating a quality meal for once, and he told me that they didn't have it. I thought that was weird. Why would you put something on your menu if you didn't serve it, right? So then, I ordered fish and a baked potato. That sounded good too, I figured...They didn't have fish either. I was like "what the heck?" I finally just asked "what do you have?" There was literally like a list of 5 things... and could you guess what they were?? Yeah..chicken, rice, some other things, and potatoes! I liked the thought of a real potato for once..so I ordered that with chicken. I never got a potato, but fries... when did a a baked potato become fries? I was quite disappointed. But that's just how things work here. You never know what is going to happen. Also, another thing about the food, it is NEVER served on time. We could wait for hours and not be served unless we reminded them. Or it could be served right away if we got lucky. But most of the time, they forget or are just really slow. Anyway, food is just frustrating here. Especially with me being an overall healthy eater. I am either going to gain a lot or lose some weight depending on how everything sits with me. But, I know one thing for sure. I'm not going to be eating that nutritiously...But that's just a part of the experience I suppose.

Okay, so on the aspect of food again. I tried to eat as healthy as I could for a while(that is before I learned that that is nearly impossible). I ate vegetables (usually in the form of beans or the occasional thin salad) and omlets here and there (etc.). Well, this plan of eating healthy completely backfired. Yesterday, I came down with the WORST gastrointestinal problems(if you know what I mean;) I have ever had in my life. I could not keep anything down whatsoever. My food would literally go straight through me. I talked to some health professionals and they said it was caused by my "healthy" diet. I guess I wasn't supposed to eat raw vegetables... I was in bed for close to 24 hours, if not more, and could barely walk around b/c my stomach was constantly churning. After some medication, it finally calmed down a bit...but I guess my attempts at being healthy are done for a while. Bring on the rice! hahaha

Last Sunday, we came back to the city of Accra from Winneba and we are leaving again tomorrow morning. We are taking off on a flight at 4 in the morning for the northern region of Damongo. Up north, we finally get to start the real service work! We are going to be working with orphans for 10 days in a small city who has hardly ever been exposed to white people at all. I can't wait to get out of the city for good and begin to work with the chilren!

Well, I'm heading out for now, but for everyone back at home, do not ever take the food for granted there! In my opinion and to most Ghanains, if you eat more than rice and chicken in a day, you are eating luxury.