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!

Akwaaba! Welcome to Ghana!

A childhood fascination became reality as the plane descended onto the runway of the Kotoka International Airport mid-afternoon Saturday. Immediately, a rush of warm, humid air greeted me as I navigated the corridor towards immigration and then the baggage claim. With a fellow USACer who happened to have the same flight as me, we worked together to present our identification and immunization documents, find our baggage, exchange our dollars for cedis, and then exit the building to begin our new adventure.

That’s the word I would use to describe anything and everything right now – an adventure. From unlocking my door to ordering breakfast, everything requires patience. I already feel I could write a novel about my experiences here. I’ve tasted tropical treats (coconut, pineapple and mango), witnessed the pure craziness of the streets in Greater Accra, and caught a tro tro to a downtown market.

Legon, Greater Accra is a beautiful region of Ghana that is adapts to foreigners yet is undoubtedly rich in African culture. Legon means something along the lines of “hill of knowledge” and is home to the University of Ghana. UG is a beautiful, welcoming campus that receives about 40,000 students between all its campuses. UG receives its biggest concentration of international students from the United States, and I’m honored to now fit into that category! As much as I love the campus, I am not sure how I am going to find my way around. Not only is the campus five times the size of my college in the States, but every building looks the same! The only difference is the description of the building on the UG sign. Let’s just say it will be an interesting first few days!

 

Balme Library - The biggest library in all of West Africa is 

located on the UG campus

            One of the highlights about Ghana so far has been meeting our buddies. Buddies are native UG students that our program provides to help us navigate life here. In a group of nineteen Americans, five or so buddies are assigned to four or five Americans each. My buddy’s name is Edward. Besides picking us up from the airport, showing us around campus and taking us to our orientation activities, buddies commit their availability and assistance to us for the semester. Titles are very important to Ghanaians, so buddies like to refer to us as their brothers and sisters! One fellow American joked that without our buddies, she would still be wandering around Kotoka International Airport. I don’t think it is far from the truth though! We follow them like ducklings.

 Today, our buddies taught us how to catch a tro tro and took us to a big market. A tro tro is the main mode of mass transportation in Ghana. Basically, as many people as possible climb in a van, and off it goes to its destination. As one nears the tro tro stop, tro tro drivers will follow you, trying to convince you to ride with them. Sometimes you can predict where it will pass by and flag it down, but of course none of us Americans are that confident yet.

Outside markets are pretty much the Ghanaian version of Walmart. Once the tro tro dropped us off (in the middle of the street, of course), we entered what is called the Medina market. Many people were pulling at or touching us. Some wanted to feel our skin because we are "obruni" (Twi for a fair-skinned person), and others were trying to convince us to buy their product. Little children also ran up to us and clasped onto our arms, begging for money. Though it was a crazy, overwhelming experience, I am glad to have had it and will not forget it. I bought a hand towel, as bathrooms do not come with any supplies here, at one of the only inside shops available. I think all of us Americans were too exhausted to try and bargain on the streets! That is a Ghanaian principle we will learn another day.

Medina Market (with tro tros in the background)

Night Market - a two minute walk from my room and the perfect place for dinner!

 I also am pleased with the other Americans on my program. I think we all realize that one of our only escapes to western comfort lies in each other. Wifi is a 50/50 here, so communication with home is not always an easy option. We’ve all been great at asking each other for help and providing support, whether it be a few cedis to get someone a meal, a partner to walk with to the night market, or remembering sunscreen and/or bug spray when someone else forgot. Most of us share rooms with one other person on the team. My roommate is Megan from California. 

            Hot and humid captures the climate here. Feeling continuously sweaty, greasy and dusty is a fair exchange for not having to  deal with the cold though. It didn’t take me long to figure out that the necessities in Ghana greatly differ from what I once considered vital in the United States (phone, keys, wallet, charger and earbuds). Taking a malaria pill as soon as I wake up is becoming habit. Then, I throw sunscreen, insect repellent, hand sanitizer/wipes, a sun hat, toilet paper, and soap in my beautiful, colorful Ghanaian purse the university provided. After I fill up my water bottle with tap water and get a good start on the day’s hydration through my lifestraw, I am finally ready to consider going out on campus. I’m working hard to remember my phone and wallet too!

          Before I arrived in Ghana, I thought the worst traffic spot in the world was New York City. Dare I say that Accra, Ghana gives New York a run for its money? Most of the traffic flow here is controlled by roundabouts instead of traffic lights. Honking, stop and go, and people cutting each other off characterizes Ghanaian traffic. Nobody really stays in their lane as everyone weaves in and out of cars. Furthermore, if there happens to be a median or a stoplight (or even if there is not sometimes), people will come out to sell products. So far I’ve seen laundry detergent, pillows, water, and many other products. I haven’t made any purchases yet, but one buddy explained that you would just roll down the window, call the person over, and make the exchange. However, he added that everything changes when the light turns green! Somebody might be left without the product, payment, or change!

I’ve also learned that water is not simply for hydration purposes, but for the adaptation of the American stomach when white rice or bread is not around. Most Ghanaian food is spicy, especially the non-internationalized dishes. I’ve gotten what my Ghanaian buddies call the “non-spicy” version of most dishes, but even that would probably be considered mild in the United States. However, if one wants to stick to Ghanaian gastronomy but take a break from spicy dishes, tropical fruit is wonderful escape!

I was thrilled to find (and eat) this mango!

           Orientation continues up through Thursday. After we register for classes and learn a bit more about Ghanaian culture and life on campus, we will have the opportunity to explore downtown Accra and go to Ada beach! Today is the first day I am not feeling completely exhausted (thanks to an unintentional five hour nap yesterday), so I am hoping to sleep through the night. Classes start Monday!