Home Sweet Hut

As we traveled up through Togo heading to the conference there was one thing that obviously became more prevalent. Homes... made out of mud... Mud huts. Or "Caz" in French. The huts were everywhere in Togo, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

This was an amazing sight! I couldn't get enough and I had so many questions. The only thing was, my questions could barely get answered because of the language barrier. My feeble attempts were lost in translation... literally! So after a few mis-interpreted tries, I just sat back and stared out the bus window as hut village after village passed me by.

While I was absolutely enthralled by the huts, since I've never seen the circular huts in Ghana, the other students seemed to barely notice. Like they were use to the sight... however, I can almost guarantee that not one single one of them have ever lived in one.

I tried to ask how many people live in a single hut, and Daniel informed me that it depended on how many people were in the family... But I really can't imagine more than 2 people having enough floor space to lay down to sleep.

The huts were often nearby others with up to 20 or 30 in a given area. I wonder what happens if they get mad at their neighbors? Do they move to a different hut? There weren't any mud garages... LOL. But this would be a little silly to have, since none of them had cars... or power tools to store.

The only road that passed through the communities was the main road that our bus traveled. There weren't even dirt paths connecting the small villages...

The American mentality that I have acquired over the 20+ years I have lived in the United States had me wondering why they just didn't build their huts bigger? I mean, why not? Give themselves a little more room! There obviously weren't rooms, like a kitchen or a living room. I tried to imagine a couch in the middle of the hut, and a closet to hang their clothes. LOL. But this was all in fun, because these things were definitely not a reality.

After seeing the huts it's still hard to imagine how people who live in them operate on a daily basis. I want to do a home stay in a rural part of Ghana in order to try to better understand, so I will keep you posted on my progress. I'm not sure how receptive the ISEP coordinator will be. LOL.

- World Traveller -

I'm back in good ole Ghana after 10 days of traveling around West Africa. The trip was amazing, yet very challenging. I'm so fortunate to have been given this opportunity and is definitely a highlight of my study abroad time in Africa. Throughout the trip I traveled to/through Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Benin.

There are soo many stories and so many details so I will just mention a few, and then I will fill you in on the rest when I'm back in the USA! :) Which will soon be here! Haha. I promise, Mom!

So on Thursday, Feb. 12th, we headed to Togo from Accra.

After 4 hours on a bus, we arrive. It didn't take long to realize that we weren't in Ghana anymore and that we were in for an adventure! We were in a country that doesn't speak English, uses a different currency, and has intimidating border patrol officers! Haha. Out of the four Americans taking the trip, only one had ever studied French, and she, as well as her trusty French/English dictionary became our greatest companions throughout our journey.

The atmosphere of Togo, and all of the French speaking countries we visited is completely different than Ghana and I fell in love right away! I kept saying that if I was fluent in French I had found my new home. LOL.

The conference was coordinated through BK Groupe Universite which has branches in several West African countries. So students from all the branches were meeting in Niamey, Niger for the 4 day conference on leadership in business and entrepreneurship.


"If you want to make God laugh, then make a plan."

...Especially in Africa! The above quote was said by Jen, one of the girls on the trip, and it became our motto very quickly. After after I thought about it for awhile, it's pretty accurate, in my case, anyway. I thought I had everything planned out in regards to school and graduation and such,... but I'm in Africa right now! Haha.

Anyway, the "itenerary" I posted earlier about the plan of events became obsolete, beginning with day 1. Daniel, from the Togolaise branch of the university, was our guide throughout the entire trip, and I am soooo thankful for him. He was absolutly wonderful. But he told us right away, that the agenda we had been given was wrong. LOL. WRONG? We just wanted to follow the schedule, since this is how Americans work best. Haha. But that was not happening. By the end, we all learned to just take it as it comes, ask as few questions as possible, and just enjoy the ride!

Road Trip

After a few days in Togo, trying to get our visas lined up, it was time to meet the group and head to the conference.

It wasn't until we met the 60+ Africans who we would be traveling with that I had a moment, and questioned, "What the heck am I doing here?" I mean, really! I don't speak French! They don't speak English! This whole language barrier thing became quite obvious at that moment. When the four white kids were standing by themselves because the only people who could understand them were each other! LOL.

But thankfully, it didn't take long before the African students and teachers came up to us and tried to speak with us. A lot of them had studied English before and were eager to try out their "small, small" English. We were eager to speak with them too! Because if we had to talk to ourselves the whole time... Oh man!
Some didn't speak English at all, and one became a good friend of ours, because she tried so hard. The dictionary was given great use, and it was like a game to figure out what each other were saying. She even invited us to visit her in Congo after school gets out! LOL! Can you imagine! Us, in Congo, not being able to speak... Probably not a good idea!

Anyway, so we traveled on an un-airconditioned bus up through Togo and to the Burkina Faso border. It was after midnight and the border was closed. We would be back on our way the next morning after the road re-opened. But until then... we all just camped out. Some slept on the bus. Others on the road. Haha! It was really awesome, because there is NO WAY a bus full of Americans would ever even consider this to be a possible solution. I have a feeling they would be demanding the nearest hotel. It was kind of liberating to put things into perspective. That I was in Africa. Sleeping on the side of a road in a country I had never been to before. Where this was the norm.

The students thought nothing of it, and came prepared. Like they expected it, or had done this before! It was awesome! One of the students offered me his sheet to lay on!

The next morning, bright and early we were off. (Still in the same clothes as the night before, mind you, because our luggage was under the bus. There was no shower or teeth brushing, either! Haha. The best part- no one seemed to mind!) We traveled through Burkina Faso until we reached the capital, Ouagadougou, (Waga), where we toured the branch of the University there and then ate dinner as a large group.

Dinner was a lot of fun because we had a local dish, which we ate with our hands. It's always better to do something like this when you're with natives because after they are finished light-heartedly laughing at you for eating it incorrectly, they will show you how to do it! :)

That night, all of the African students and staff stayed in classrooms at the University, sleeping on the floor. But the three American girls were ushered to a hotel room! LOL! I kept insisting that I wanted to do as the other students, but Daniel wouldn't have it. He said that we needed to sleep in a bed that night and that he knows Americans like to "Shower, shower, shower."

In the end, the shower was AMAZING! Changing clothes after a few days on a hot bus is a great feeling! Small things like this is so much more appreciated when I don't have the "luxury" for a few days!

Border Boundaries

Crossing into Togo and then the other Francophone countries from Ghana, was kind of like a different world. This especially hit home when we entered into Niger.

I had been told before I left that the French speaking countries that surround Ghana are much more impoverished and that Ghana is so fortunate in comparison.

The day we entered into Niger was eye opening and humbling.

Our bus stopped at the customs office and at least 20 kids in filthy clothes came up to the bus window begging for food and money. It was honestly like something I'd NEVER seen before! By the looks on our faces, Daniel could tell we were shocked. He asked if we had this in the U.S...
NO! Mind you, this was on a Monday, in the middle of the day. I tried to explain to him that even the poorest students go to school. There may be a few homeless children, in large cities, who beg during the day, but nothing like this would ever take place! Authorities and police would never allow it. Daniel informed me that these students weren't in school because their parents most likely made them beg, as a job. To earn food and money for the family.

As the Americans watched in shock, some of the African students threw bread out the window. The kids started fighting over it! They shredded the plastic bag as they clawed to get a small portion of the bread. One boy caught a loaf and ran away, with several following him, trying to get a share. People were hitting each other. Kids fell to the ground. All fighting to get a small piece of the bread. Whoa!

It kind of surprised me to see the students giving away their bread.
While I've not been around many homeless people, it's not my first instinct to give them anything. I have been conditioned not to look at them. To keep walking. I have seen news reports that follow panhandlers to mansions, where they live. It's not the American mentality, or at least mine, to give a lot of what I have to beggars. I had a little, WOW moment, when I really looked at what was going on here.

We headed into Niger and had to stop at another check point, where there were more kids in minimal and filthy clothing, begging.

One of the students explained to me that in the African culture, and expecially in the Muslim communities, people believe that if you give someone in need 1,000 francs then God will give you 10,000 in return... So even when they don't have much, Africans still try to give what they can to the beggars on the street.
At one of the markets we were walking through with Daniel, he gave 2 children some coin. When he caught us watching him, he just said, "They're struggling, you know?" And then kept walking. Wow. So humbling.

The Conference

After nearly three days of traveling, we are finally in Niger for the conference!
The first night we have a welcome dinner and settle in our rooms. We go to bed early because we have to be ready by 8 am for the opening ceremony the next day.

Well, we get up early and get ready. Just like the punctual American. But... the conference didn't finally begin until 3 hours later. And this is a LEADERSHIP conference! Wow! This was just the beginning!

We "listen" to the first session as a translator sits by us and explains in English what the speaker is saying. LOL. Probably not the most efficient method, but hey, it works. We break for lunch with two conferences scheduled in the afternoon.

After lunch we learn that the conferences have been canceled... but there will be a pool party in an hour! LOL! Oh my goodness! Again, I just kept thinking that this is a LEADERSHIP conference! How could things be getting canceled? Were they not prepared? Maybe it was because we started three hours late to begin with!?

Anyway, this trend was continued throughout the entire conference. While it was VERY frustrating to the Americans who have been conditioned for 20+ years that it's rude to be late, etc. the Africans just summed it up to "African Time." It was like they expected things to be late. They would have been shocked if something started on time, and would not have been ready, because they were anticipating it to be delayed. Haha.

- - -

Ok, well that is all for now! There is sooo much information here and hopefully I can share more, because there are lots more stories to tell! I hope you enjoy reading about my African adventures! Have a good day!

I love you all!

Mel

Passport...Check!

Leaving on Thursday, I, along with 3 other ISEP students are headed to Niger for a conference!
Along the way we will be spending two nights in Togo, two nights in Benin, and then head to Niger for the four day conference, on February 17-20! The conference is about Education in Africa.

Finding out YESTERDAY that we would be leaving this THURSDAY, I was a little caught off guard! I seriously thought we would be leaving next Monday! Just another example of the lack of communication... but as you will see is not the only example!

We are scheduled to meet a representative for the conference at the Togo border on Thursday. As of yesterday we didn't have a time and we didn't know how we were getting to Togo. Bus? Tro-Tro? Driver? While I'm still not sure... we will figure it out in the end! Hehe. We're also not sure where/when we should exchange our Ghanaian cedi into they other countries currency. The good part is that the three countries use the same money system so that will make things easier.

Oh, and another minor detail. All three countries we will be visiting speak FRENCH! I don't know even a word in French! Just another adventure in Africa! But we have been reassured that there will be translators at the conference. The amazing part is that the 9 day trip is absolutely free for us! The conference is being put on by a university in Niger who is paying for our food and accommodations.

A small agenda:

The first two nights (Thursday and Friday) we will be spend in Lome, Togo.
On Saturday we will travel by car to Cotonou, Benin and spend two nights.
On Monday we will travel by bus, joining many of the other student representatives, and arrive in Niamey, Niger where the conference will take place.

While at the conference our group will be representing both the USA and Ghana and have been asked to give a short presentation on both!

Events scheduled throughout the conference include sessions about leadership and education as well as a visit to a museum and a tour along the beach of Niger River.
Traditional performances and a "prestigious evening" where it is a black tie affair. We will visit a craftsman village and have a picnic at Bourbon Island, among other things.

I'm so exited that I will be able to visit three additional African countries while I'm here!

Hope you guys are having a good day! I hear it is warming up!

Love ya,

Mel

Metro TV... Coverage You Can Count On?

Ok, so their motto may not really be Coverage You Can Count On, as that is WANE-TV's motto, but today I had a flashback to my internship days.... well sort of!

Today I had the opportunity to visit one of the three television stations in Ghana, Metro TV. It was so exciting to be on the tour and seeing the similarities and mostly the differences between media in the U.S. and in Ghana.

After learning that I'm a journalism major, Andrea from Planting Technologies, the NGO I'm working with, got me in touch with Richard who works at Metro TV. He gave me a tour of the small television station that provides news coverage to Ghana.

I was so excited to have this opportunity. It was awesome! The set where the anchors sit was small and dimly lit. One of the female anchors was there and we were able to chat for a second before Rich summoned me to the next room. There was another studio in the station where taped shows are recorded and then a sports desk.

Heading outside and upstairs, Rich showed me where the editing is done and to my surprise, I found a room full of computers. No one was editing at the time, as it was still early in the morning. I looked at the editing software and it actually looked very similiar to what I have used. It is non-linear editing on a computer. I could have spent all day there! I just wanted to know more!

We then moved to the newsroom where the reporters write their stories. Richard introduced me to the producer and some of the reporters. One of the reporters was working on a project about orphanages, since one had just been recently shut down because of accusations of sexual abuse. It wasn't going to run that day because he said it was a multi-part story! Very interesting! They were writing their stories in Microsoft Word instead of a script writing program that I'm use to using, so it would have been interesting to see how the script got fed into the computer that operates the newscast.

The station was awesome! But the next part of my day was pretty cool too!

Andrea, Richard, and I went to Parliament (like the statehouse) to talk with a Minister (like a congressperson) about the dedication ceremony for Planting Technologies, taking place next week.

It was interesting though because the reporter was doing the story and then she had a photographer. They also had a sound person, and then a separate driver. So all of those people, 4, go out on a story every day, which is a lot in comparison to the U.S. where at the most two people will tackle a story and at times just one.

The three person team was very interesting to me because the sound person was in charge of making sure, obviously that the sound was ok, but also to hold the microphone. In the U.S. the camera photographer would have taken care of the sound as well as run the camera and the reporter would have held the mic. The efficiency in this I couldn't understand. Richard explained to me that it's to make sure that everyone is doing their job and there would be no excuse to come back to the studio without sound or video. However, this is the same expectation in the U.S. just accomplished by less people.

Anyway, the reporter was very nice and she told me that she was still in school, as she finished a two year program and then was able to get a job, and is finishing a second degree of two years while she works. I asked her where she wanted to move up to after she graduated, since working in the capital of a country for a TV station seemed like a pretty good job to me, but she told me that she wanted to go into banking... where she said was where the money is.

Georgina's (the reporter) dad and two brothers are American citizens but she has never been to the U.S. She said that she liked living in Ghana and didn't think she would ever move to America. What surprised me though is that when I told her I was from Indiana, she knew all about Indianapolis because her friend works there! Wow.

LOL! I know I am going on and on, but this is what I'm very interested in. One more thing! I asked her how long her stories usually were and she said that they could be anywhere from 30 seconds to SIX MINUTES! I couldn't believe it! The maximum length of a news story is in the U.S. is a minute thirty! This is absolutely unheard of! A producer in the U.S. would laugh at you if you even thought about turing a six minute package!

And back to Parliament... we were able to sit in on an actual proceeding so that was really cool. It was exciting being able to do things most won't be able to while they're here.

Ok, well that's enough for now... if anyone has even read to the end! LOL
Have a good day!

Love ya!
Melissa

Money Matters

This weekend we went to Kumasi, a great place to get authentic kente cloth and wood carvings for a great price. So on Wednesday, I headed to the bank to exchange the remaining US dollars I had into Ghanaian cedi.

I've noticed before that Ghanaian banks just aren't the same as banks in the U.S. and this trip to the bank just reiterated that thought. Not S.V.B.T. quality by any means! :)

To begin with, there is an armed guard who greets you at the door("greet" really isn't the appropriate word, as the guard barely acknowledges you, as he points to the queue in which to stand). So I stand in line, quietly, as it was very crowded in the bank, but no one spoke, and when they did, it was almost a whisper.

I finally get to the teller who doesn't smile, say hello, or ask how he can help me. Rather, I inform him that I would like to change my American dollars into cedi. He takes the money and does the transaction without saying a word. As he hands me back the cedi, I ask for a receipt to keep for record, specifically asking for the rate on it as well as how much cedi I got back. A standard request in the U.S.

So I begin counting the cedi to see how much I got and he hands me a rolled up piece of paper, taped. I grab it without looking at it and continue counting. After I count my cedi I look at the "receipt" to see if how much I got back matches what the receipt says, and the paper is BLANK. I don't know what he thought I asked for,... or if he gave me the paper so I could write down my own "receipt"?... LOL Oh man!

Frustrated at this point, because I have no idea if he has given me back the right amount, I just crumple the piece of paper, leave it on the counter and walk out.

The friend I was with just says. "T.I.A." I look at her and she elaborates. "This is Africa." LOL. The whole ISEP group uses this term when something like this happens, whee there is nothing we can do except just go with the flow.

So in the end, I still have no idea if I got the right amount of cedi back. For all I know, and would not doubt it, the teller just got an early pay day.

Weekend Adventure

This past weekend, the ISEP group set out to the Central Region of Ghana.
Destination: Cape Coast
Estimated time: 2 hours
Actual time: 4 hours!

That's right, it took us four hours on a bus because of the traffic in Accra. We didn't even get out of the city until after 11 am, when we left our hostel at 9. The traffic in Ghana is a whole different story that I hope to explain better in a different post.

So finally we arrive at Cape Coast and have lunch at the University of Cape Coast. It was cool to see another public university in Ghana, since there are only 4, and to compare/contrast them. Unfortunately the only sightseeing we were able to do was through a bus window. I would have loved to have walked around, but that was not an option.

After lunch we went to the Cape Coast slave castle, which housed nearly 1,000 enslaved Africans during the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade in, I believe, the 14th century. It was an absolutely ridiculous place. Gigantic. Castle is definitely an appropriate term. The white building sat on top of a hill, overlooking the rest of the city, bordering the ocean. Huge, crashing waves greeted us as we stood on the second level of the castle. It is crazy to know what actually took place within the realm of that castle.

The tour guide took us into the male slave dungeon and explained that more than 100 males stayed in a tiny room, from 2-6 weeks. There were 3 of these rooms for males. The rooms where the men stayed was the same room where they defecated and ate from. There was very little sunlight that entered the dungeon, making it nearly impossible to see when the guide turned out the light for a second so we could experience the darkness.

Ironically, but purposely so, above the male slave dungeon was the first Anglican church of Ghana. Near the entrance to the church was a "peep hole" where people entering the church could catch a glimpse of what was happening in the dungeon.

The female dungeons held the women in similar conditions.

The door which led to the ocean, where the shackled chains were led to the ships, read a sign that said: "The door of no return", since the fate of the slaves were already decided by that point.

- - -

The next day we headed to Kakum National Park which has the notorious canopy walk... you know, the one displayed in every guidebook for Ghana! Haha! And yep! I for sure got my picture on it too... so guidebook here I come! :)

It was really neat though. The canopy walk consisted of 7 rope bridges that took us above the treetops. The view was amazing. It took 2 Canadians and 6 Ghanaians six months to build. At parts it was a little scary when it started to sway, but I made it through!

I wish we could have spend more time at the park because deeper in, there are elephants and monkeys, that visitors can sometimes see. So that would have been cool, but maybe I'll get a chance to go back before I leave.

Before heading back to campus, we stopped for lunch and a swim in the ocean at Amobando (sp?) beach resort. It was beautiful. Palm trees lined the white, clean sand. Salty waves met us as we eagerly went further into the ocean. The best part was that there was not a single person trying to sell us things, relentlessly! I kinda forgot that I was in AFRICA for a second! Which is kind of sad, knowing how most of the population in Ghana live...

Well, that's all for now. Hope you guys aren't missing me too much back in the U.S.A. Haha! JkJk.

Mel