First Week of Classes

            I have officially finished my first week of classes at the University of Ghana! It was a full week figuring out the registration process, navigating campus and braving the mass number of students in my classes, but I have learned much!
           
            I’m getting a good feel for campus and am actually impressed with my ability to find my way around. Most everywhere I need to go is about a mile from my dorm, but I don’t mind the walk even at 7am. I see a lot of Ghanaian cultural aspects on my way to class. During my free periods, I usually hang out at the International Programs Office. The other Americans and I treat it like our study hall because our program leaders and buddies are often there. There are also computers that have great wifi, a fridge with cool, purified water, a printer and photocopier, and air conditioning. What more could we ask for?!
          
           I’m still figuring out my schedule and have until the end of February to do so, but my goal is to have a balance of both UG (University of Ghana) and USAC courses. USAC courses are facilitated by my program, meaning that I am with only American classmates and classes themselves are Americanized. Some courses, like Twi and Service Learning, are only offered through USAC. However, I also have a lot of options regarding Ghanaian courses. I want to experience what university life is like on a campus twenty times bigger than my “home” college 5,000 miles from it!


            Of the UG courses I plan to take is a French class. I began questioning my decision to sign up for it immediately as I entered the enormous (to me) lecture hall this morning. I didn’t know if I would understand the “Ghanaian French accent” or succeed in a “Part 2” course that is a continuation from last semester. However, some classmates calmed many nerves within the first minute of my arrival. I double-checked with them to make sure I was in the correct lecture hall, and, before I knew it, we were in a flowing stream of conversation! We discovered that we have the same level of French, as determined by international examinations. One of them also just studied abroad in France! We even exchanged WhatsApp information so that they can add me to the class WhatsApp group later.


            I am thankful that I have finally learned how registration for classes works in Ghana! It’s perhaps been the most difficult part to mentally understand so far. If the internet is cooperating, students first register online. Then they must go around to each department to look at the timetables. The timetables show what time class occurs. Sometimes, students are expected to attend each time slot listed, and other times they can choose one time slot to attend class. Most classes meet once a week for 2-3 hours, but tutorials, or discussion groups, are often mandatory outside of class. It can be hard to plan because timetables are often posted the morning of classes!

Other than registration, most of my challenging moments so far have been linked to internet issues and a water outage. The wifi was down all last week and is still very spotty. On top of that, I was also having laptop charger issues. I eventually discovered (after three days) that I can find a charger at the night market right across from my dorm. You live and you learn, I guess! Sunday evening I found myself sweating through yet another shirt as I ran up and down the stairs to the water tank. Despite the outage, I still needed to find a way to cook and shower. And I did!

         Thinking back to every instance where I’ve been frustrated, I realize it’s because I was trying live in my American comfort zone in Ghana. It just doesn’t work.  I’m used to having wifi issues solved within hours and driving myself to wherever I need to go whenever I need to go. It’s been a humbling experience having to ask my buddies help with even the simplest of tasks, but it’s comforting to see that what is so abnormal to me is normal for them. It’s not hard to check timetables or fill a bucket with water; it’s just different and confusing at first. On Monday, Esther and I walked back from the International House while relating what I learned in class to her life and laughing at all my “American moments” of the day. Then, we stopped at the night market and I bought my smoothie of the day! My new motto is “Fruit delights each day keep the adaptation blues away!”

My USAC program providers/support people at UG are doing a phenomenal job of helping us adapt to Ghana and showing us their country. Before classes started this past Monday, we visited both downtown Accra and the Ada Shoreline (about two hours from Accra). I really enjoyed the historical aspect of Accra. We visited the memorial for the first president of Ghana (Kwame Nkrumah) as well as the W.E.B Du Bois Museum. It was also refreshing to relax at the beach after a week of sitting in orientation, battling jet lag, and adapting to the fierce equatorial heat. We even got to take a boat to an island, from where we could see both the Atlantic Ocean and the Volta River. The ocean current was too strong for us to swim in, but the river water was the perfect temperature!

This weekend, we will explore a stilt village in the western region of Ghana. From what my program advisors say, it will be a humbling experience because it is in an impoverished area. We are to bring school supplies for the children as a gift. (It’s normal courtesy in Ghana for guests to bring gifts.) The intensity of courses really surfaces next week, so I am enjoying these fleeting moments seeing Ghana with my new friends!