Monkeys, waterfalls, Togo, oh my!

It’s 10PM at night, and we’re finally safely back at our home residence in Elmina after a three-day excursion through the eastern region of Ghana. What did it encompass? Many adventures: crazy tro-tro rides, swimming in waterfalls, feeding monkeys, and perhaps a visit to Togo. Read on….

Four of us girls set off early Friday morning to head to the Volta region in the east of Ghana, an area known for its tropical rainforests and lush environments. After six hours of tros, taxis, and buses, we were thrilled to finally arrive at our first destination: the village of Wli (pronounced “vlee”). The final leg of our journey was bouncing up a pothole-ridden road in a taxi that held four of us in the back with a family of five and the driver in the front.

Our first night was spent camping on the grounds of this beautiful lodge that looked out across the light fog and dark green hills to see Wli Waterfall, the highlight of the region.

 

On our hike to the waterfall the next day, it felt like an expedition into a true rainforest. Our guide quickly pointed out the first wild pineapple I’ve ever seen; it was a mini revelation! Here was the source of so many of my meals… He quickly moved on to a cocoa plant and pulled off a cocoa pod, oblivious to my increasing joy. I couldn’t believe that I was holding the fruit from which chocolate comes. As if that wasn’t enough, before we were halfway through with our hike, the guide gestured toward a coffee plant. At this point, I seriously contemplated if I should even leave this rainforest.

    

Wli Falls was spectacular. The highest waterfall in West Africa, its water shoots off the cliff side far above you to land crashing into the cool pool at your feet. Its incessant roar along with the wind and mist created from its crash-landing makes for an awe-inspiring site. It took all our courage to walk straight under the falls, inching backward as the water droplets flew against us like a hailstorm.

 

An hour and several hundred pictures later, we headed for our next destination: Mountain Paradise Lodge. Our tro dropped us off at the entrance to the road that led to the lodge. Our guidebook said it was only a 5km, 45-minute walk, so we happily set off down the pretty path, excited to explore a new destination.

It never occurred to us that the lodge’s name may have been inspired by its location.

Our walk turned into a hill which turned into a steep slope, and far too quickly we were trekking up the side of a mountain. The surroundings of palm trees, tropical birds, and beautiful views were wonderful, until we realized that the sun was beginning to set.

It’s amazing how fast you can hike uphill with two backpacks on (one for the stuff, one for the camera) when you start seriously trying not to contemplate all the scary movies that start at dusk.

The hike went on for what seemed like hours. Step by step, we inched forward as the sun sank lower in the sky. Each turn in the path just led to another switchback and another hill! Sweat dripped into my eyebrows, from my arms, and my feet moved on. Looking behind us at one point, we could see far below the village we had so blithely left behind us just an hour ago, blissfully unaware of the traumatic climb that lay ahead.

As we trekked around yet another curve in the path, the brush cleared slightly, and suddenly we could see the lodge!

We saw it…. sitting on the top of the far ridge on the other side of the valley.

By the time we made it to the entrance sign for the lodge, Bethany expressed our feelings best: running toward the sign, she said, “I could just marry that sign.” I’m pretty sure that dinner of chicken and rice with fresh mangos and bananas may be one of the most-deserved meals I’ve had. We had even arrived at the lodge in time to see the until-then dreaded sunset.

Mountain Paradise Lodge was just that: a paradise. Nestled away on a hill overlooking the rainforests and valleys of the Volta, you could just see Lake Volta gleaming on the horizon. No sounds where present save that of the rainforest, and it was heaven to fall asleep to bird songs and rain drops on our tent.

Our tro ride the next day may have been the best one yet. There may have been one (several) points during the ride where I couldn’t stop laughing. We had fit 19 people in a car meant to hold 10, and our fellow car members include a slightly tipsy funeral party who were gaily serenading us throughout the ride, an adamant American and marijuana fan, and a rather friendly, French-speaking Togolese. After a marriage proposal, several songs, and an offer of marijuana, we were thrilled to alight from the car. However, I quickly realized that we were actually parked at the border between Ghana and Togo. Hmmm…. How could I turn down an opportunity like this?

So, I went to Togo.

It’s really amazing where a smile and some sign language can get you. (For those of you who worry, don’t research the safety of the country of Togo.)

Moving on, we trekked our way back across Ghana today, and I am now happily back in my little village outside Cape Coast. 

Ajumako – a village adventure

City life versus life in the village? My 6-hour experience was just a brief taste of how different these two lifestyles are here.

I left Cape Coast this morning at 9AM with a co-worker, Patience. We were headed up to a village a few hours away called Ajumako to meet the organization’s weavers: women who reuse the discarded fabric scraps from the seamstresses to create braided potholders and rugs. If only I had known how far away this village really was…

…It took two hours, two tro-tros, and one taxi to finally reach our little village. (More on definition of Ghanaian transportation options later.) It was mindblowing to leave from Cape Coast’s Kotakraba market--a packed market mecca of food, goods, and people—and to arrive just a few hours later to a tiny village at the end of a red, pothole-ridden road. My environment went from a raucous setting with people shouting to buy their goods to the peaceful sounds of goats bleating and children laughing.

The women we went to meet were fantastic. So many beautiful faces and big smiles. I couldn’t fathom, however, what it must be like to live in this little village. And yet they were so content. What can I bring to them? How can I make a difference? Do they even need me to? My brief observation of these women, as they sat on a little porch braiding their rugs and overlooking the village square, was that they were happier than many people who the world defines as “better off.” I’m blessed with the resources, education, and lifestyle that I'm born into—but I know with that I am also held more accountable.

My two hours in the village was full of laughter. I met the village chief, shot a few hundred pictures, and was chased by children shouting “’bruni!’” (Obruni is Fanti for “white person”). It was priceless. And sadly, one of the little children started crying when he saw me—he hadn’t seen someone as light as me before.

Our ride to the village was in a tiny taxi with a backseat full of filled gasoline containers. The ride back was just as adventurous. On the way, we were lucky enough to get picked up by a van that died in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear. The solution? The driver simply floored the van to 4th or 5th gear—on every road. And let me tell you, these roads were not built for those speeds (if you even call them roads).

That’s all part of the adventure! And that’s exactly why I love traveling—to meet and live life with the people who are that place. Pictures will be added soon.

Seamstresses and photoshoots

While I am in Ghana, my volunteer work includes three projects:

1. Photography—In addition to shooting pictures whenever possible, I’m also developing portrait shots of the women for the website and new posters

2. Business consulting—I’m working with one of the women to improve her business, apply for small-business loans, and work on branding

3. Teaching—I will be teaching the computer class to several women, in addition to revising the textbook

In regards to Project 1, I held my 2nd photo shoot today. Working with Deborah, one of the seamstresses, I got to capture a little bit of her life. Deborah has two children, lives a little outside Accra, and is just starting to work with Global Mamas (the Ghanaian name of the organization I’m working with) a few days ago. Her goal? She joined Global Mamas in hopes that she can save enough money to open a sewing shop and put both her children through college to become doctors. 

Perhaps my favorite part of photography is the opportunity to get to know the person in front of my camera and the challenge to capture their story inside the camera. My theory: ratio of odds. If I take several hundred pictures, I have a much stronger chance of getting a good picture! Here are a few of my favorite (out of the 150 that I shot):

Obama Sighting

I expected many new experiences while here, but I did not expect to see my president while on the opposite side of the Atlantic. However…

You may not have heard in the news (at least in the U.S.), but Obama visited Cape Coast on Saturday on his way back from the G8 Conference in Italy. His arrival was broadcasted everywhere. From 30-ft tall billboards and radio announcements to pop songs written and little children shouting, everyone was talking about Obama.

Well, I couldn’t miss this experience! So, with a few of the other volunteers and some local Ghanaian friends, we scoped out our options (which was way harder than expected—any standardized announcement or other communication about when and where Obama would be speaking was nonexistent) and planned our strategy.  

Saturday morning, the day of his arrival, came around, and we took off bright and early. By the time we made it in to Cape Coast, people were already swarming the streets. Food vendors maneuvered the crowds, adeptly balancing huge loads of popsicles, beans and rice, or peanuts on their heads while taxis swerved through the massive crowds, miraculously managing to avoid the people. It didn’t help that the annual Bakatue festival occurred this weekend too, which meant we had to navigate through a parade of chiefs decked out in their gold and finery and followed by their retinue of women, children, and canopy bearers. 

We made a bee-line for the main street where we thought Obama would pass. Somehow, no one was there yet! I realized later that it was because we showed up 4 hours before his car would pass. Ah well. As the time drew closer, our little square grew increasingly packed. Have you ever been on the front line at a mosh pit? Try it Ghanaian style—instead of a fence, I was standing in front of a huge gutter that… well, wasn’t exactly clean and hardly smelled like roses.  

Then, the distant sound of a helicopter came and the crowd went crazy! It was the most surreal experience, hearing the native Ghanaian language of Fanti spoken all around me and recognizing “Obama, Obama” every few seconds as the shouting grew louder and louder. 

 
After two more Air Force One helicopters and a few other false alarms, the riot police really started clearing the street. By this time, hundreds of Ghanaians were crowed around me, packed as close as they could to the American president. My friends and I held our ground, giving back just as much push—I wasn’t giving up the spot that I had staked out for 4 hours! 

We heard the crowd streets away go wild before we could even hear the car engines. Then, the speeding police motorcycles transitioned to large, black SUVs (yep, they use them in real life, not just in movies), and, finally, the armored limousines. The cars sped by, and we erupted in fist pumping and cheers. We just caught a glimpse Obama’s hand as he waved at the screaming, shouting crowds outside his air-conditioned, quiet limo.  

Another 4 hours later, the crowds reacted in like pandemonium as we saw his other palm, waving goodbye as he left.  

Interested in the why? The political theories behind Obama’s visit are interesting. My Ghanaian friends have said that it was very important that he visited Ghana on this trip. Why? Apparently, Kenya is claiming Obama as their president, so to speak. By purposefully visiting another improving, democratic African country on his second visit to the continent, he is portraying himself as a friend and ally of all Africa, and not just Kenya. At least, this is the impression that many here believe.  

Want to hear his speech? Check out this link: 

  (Link will be posted as the Ghanaian Internet allows...) 

It’s funny—as I’m typing, I can here the radio talking, yet again, about Obama. The fervor hasn’t died down at all, even 4 days later. I’ll never forget the sight I saw yesterday evening. While I was sitting in a local chop bar looking outside at the street and neighboring shacks, a helicopter passed overhead. At the sound of it, five or six little children ran through the yard, little fists pumping and legs jumping, while they screamed “Obama! Obamama! Obama!”

Touching down in Ghana...

It's the afternoon on my second day in Ghana, and already the new experiences are piling up! I'm currently sitting in a little internet cafe off a dusty street on a hot, humid afternoon. From seeing Obama speak yesterday to climbing along a rickety rope bridge 100+ feet off the ground, there are many stories and pictures to post. 

For now, however, I simply wanted to let you know that I did leave for Ghana and I did land safely. An early flight out from Sea-Tac airport with a short layover in JFK, and I was landing in Accra, Ghana the next morning at 8:30AM. Within just a few minutes of landing, I learned that Accra is actually pronounced "uh-CRAW", with the emphasis on the second syllable.

And this trusty Compaq computer (which is probably older than one of my little sisters) is letting me know that my time is up...