Family is a wonderful thing isn't it? At least most of the time right? Well, it's been a week since I've updated my blog, and I was going to wait until next week to do it, but that "family" thing kept getting in the way, and I could hear mom's voice in the back of my head... "Why haven't you updated your blog? We're waiting to hear from you, people are asking questions, can you update your blog, we like reading it, everyone does..." and so on. So, I'm here, for the most part, because I don't want mom calling me to remind me that I haven't updated... ;)
The last week has been busy!!
I took off to Sega Thursday morning (after having a hasty lunch of "watse" [rice and beans, pronounced wachie] from a bag - I LOVE eating food out of a bag, it just seems to taste better!). It took 3 hours, which was expected, just because I have to change tro-tros and then walk a bit, and then get a taxi... it's a little bit of a hike, and the girls sometimes don't realize how much it DOES take to meet them where they live (and the $ too!).
We left to Accra (the capital of Ghana) early Friday morning, in order to find a bus to Cape Coast. In total it took about 5 hours or so from Sega to get to Cape Coast, a hike in a bus, that's for sure.
We arrived around 2:30pm and checked into a hotel that we had reserved. It was nice, and we even had our own washroom with running water!! THAT was exciting in itself, although, I'm used to not having it now - reminds me of living in Ecuador 3 years ago.
Right away we headed out to Cape Coast Castle. We were planning to see Elmina Castle as well but time did not permit - I was a little disappointed but one castle was plenty to see and I'm happy I got that opportunity to do so. We toured the castle, including a museum. It was one of the hardest things I've ever seen in my life.
We saw the dungeons where hundreds of men and women were held captive as slaves for 6-8 weeks before being shipped out, crammed together in the ships for the long journey across the Atlantic (MANY did not survive). The female dungeon could "hold" 350 women and children... it was dark, damp, dreary, and absolutely horrid. It was solid walls with 2 VERY small "skylights" that provided barely enough light to see the ground. The men's dungeon could "hold" 1000 men... and it was no better, although bigger. It was awful. I went and stayed in the male dungeon for a long time by myself, in the dark, in order to reflect. I nearly cried as "Amazing Grace" kind of floated through my mind. I can't imagine what the conditions must have looked like for these men and women, away from their families, in these horrific conditions, barely staying alive in order to be shipped like animals across the world to be owned. The feeling I got was sickening.
The hardest part of the castle was called "The Cell". And it was a small, dark room where slaves were kept who were 'rebellious' (in other words, slaves who were merely fighting for their freedom). They were locked up with no food, no water, no ventilation and with 3 SOLID doors separating them from the rest of life... they were left to die. Standing in that room with a number of other tourists, in the dark, was the most chilling experience I have ever had. It was absolutely terrifying, and as crazy as it sounds, I could honestly feel the presence of the thousands of men and women who had died in that room... for fighting for their basic rights to be treated as human beings, and not objects. We left that room feeling sick and overwhelmed with emotion. It was so hard, and I'll never forget it.
We also saw a lookout post where signals were passed from one fort to another.
When we got back to the hotel, we finished the evening with a beer ontop of the hotel rooftop where we all had a great meal... we needed a few beers just to ease the unsettling experience of the day... I could've used 5... maybe more.
The next day (Saturday), we all were up early to head to Kakum National Park. We bought our breakfast from the vendors at the bus station (as we usually do) and I ate porridge, out of a bag... bad idea as it was REALLY hot and I was burning myself all over the place! But it was a neat experience nonetheless, although one I won't probably do again!
We toured a small museum about the park before heading on the hike up a very rough walkway of rocks and roots. We were heading to a large Canopy walkway (a bridge hanging above the trees - highest point 40 m). It was 350 m long, made up of 5 different bridges separated by large posts to support them. It was GREAT entertainment! It was a little scary but very very cool to be above the trees and to see so far. There were even monkeys below us!! I couldn't see them though, but a couple of the girls did. They were moving through the trees, and I could see that! And you could hear them, they sounded like they were screaming! The walk was really awesome and I'm really glad we got to do it, so high up and swinging back and forth.
After the bridge we went on a walk through the semi-insidious forest, 90% humidity (man was it hot...) and we learned about a number of different natural medicines taken from trees and plants from the area. It was neat, although hot and sweaty.
We had lunch at the restaurant and then took a tro-tro back to Cape Coast. When we got back, we wandered around the market looking at material and beads and whatnot. There was a small band wandering through the market as well, raising money for something, I took pictures and gave them a little something.
We got back to the hotel, and as we were tired from all the walking, we relaxed, played cards, had dinner and had a few drinks to enjoy the beautiful evening. In the morning we had french toast, and it was the best damn french toast I have ever had... we all DEVOURED our food, it was sooo good. We got ready after breakfast and headed back to Accra.
Because it was Sunday, there were no buses for me to go to Kpong from the station we were at, so I jumped into a tro-tro with some guys who were going to another station... I went alone, it was fine, an adventure, and they didn't charge me for the ride. I took a tro-tro home and was happy to get back.
Oh, along the way I taught HIV/AIDS lessons to anyone who would listen, or who had questions after they asked what I was doing in Ghana... that's a few people now I've talked to about it, in the oddest places. Internet cafe, bus, house at the end of the street, bus station...
The rest of this week has been really quiet, nothing really going on, although I AM getting a couple of dresses made and I'm really looking forward to seeing them. I hope they turn out nice!! I'm sure they will, one already did that was made for me last month.
I'm looking forward to this weekend, I can't believe it's going to be July 1st! The Canadian embassy here has invited us all down to celebrate, on Monday, but I won't be around. I'm going with the guys I live with to the beach to celebrate their July 1st holiday - Republic Day. It should be great fun! A good friend of mine, Yahaya (Yaya) is coming home from school this weekend too so he'll join us all at the beach. I'm looking forward to going away with these guys, they're hilarious and we're like family.
Today was pretty quiet - I taught a class and then Youth4Change. It's really coming along and I'm really trying to put the power into their hands. It's their group so they are going to run it, it's been tough, I'll admit, but it's coming along and we're going to be doing some presentations in a few weeks to local groups in the community (I hope!). We'll see how it all unfolds. I'm going to make them a banner and maybe buy them t-shirts... we'll see how it goes, maybe we'll do a fundraiser... no, that's too much.
I'm doing great, things are really going well and I'm really part of the community. My dangme is more recognizable and I'm understanding much more, although we speak a lot in English (thankfully). The people I live with are taking great care of me, the school looks out for me and I'm just taking it all in. I can't believe I'm over 1/2 way into this journey and now it's the heading towards the end - even if it's 6 weeks away, I can still feel it, and it's already sad. The relationships that I've built will forever change me and I am thankful for them. I'm going to miss Ghana, so I have to make the best of it I can while I'm here.
I hope home is well and nothing disastrous has happened, I'll admit, I haven't a clue what's going on in Canada... although my little short-wave radio has provided a little news from around the world... something big with Palestine and the USA? I'm trying to follow along where I can, but it's just not easy.
I'm thinking of everyone, and miss everyone muchly. I'm so excited to share my experience with you when I return!
Until next week, or so.... (mom better not call...)
Lots of love,
Dede xox
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