my first account of GHANA (copy/paste from an e-mail blast)

sorry for the lengthy book, but I had a lot of catching up to do!
Hello all,
I'm here! I'm in Sub-Saharan West Africa... can you believe it?! I still can't.
I arrived into Accra, the capital city of Ghana, at about 8:15 Thursday night after a total of 16 hours flying.
Passing through immigration-- though intimidating, was simple-- the length of the line wasn't. They checked my passport and my visa (I finally got a stamp in that little blue book!) I proceeded to the baggage 'reclaim' the collect my bags and I quickly discovered that Africans are just like us Americans... we don't like to pack lightly! There was only one luggage belt for the whole airport (which is small, maybe the size of COS) so bags were piled on top of one another, in no particular order with many flights mixed all together. After I got my bag, I went through the checkpoint where they checked my passport again and down into the lobby of the airport. It was really dead - just like any small airport on a week night-
UNTIL I walked out of the doors into the hot and sticky night air. A plethora of people swarmed around portable fences, holding signs with names on them. It was intense, just like fans waiting for celebrities outside of some venue. SOOOO many people were waiting for loved ones. My eyes darted around-- looking at foreign billboards and new faces, until finally I saw my name, EMILY PANDO scribbled on a piece of printer paper. Ohhhhh that paper was the closest to home I'd been. haha... someone in Africa knew my name!! It was Kofi Haligah, the director of the nursery school. I met with him and we got a taxi to his family compound where the school is located. Driving through central Accra, I was surprised at the level of development. Billboards for things like Guinness, New Homes, Football (the national team, the Black Stars, are HUGE here. just like the Raiders in Oakland... only it's SOCCER)... It was all very westernized. Kofi explained to me that central Accra has neighborhoods that are wealthy and you can find many Westerners volunteering there (Europeans, Canadians, Americans). We kept driving, and soon the landscape began to change.
Not far out of Central Accra lies many towns that we would consider shantytowns (they began surrounding the city in the 70s, 20 years after Ghana gained independence from Britain). These shantytowns and Central Accra make up Greater Accra. The name of the shantytown I'm living in is called Mamprobi, and the area- or 'neighborhood'
is called Abolo Junction. I was greeted at the door by many family members that live in the same house. We unloaded my things and they showed me to my room. It is very simple, but better than I expected. An open wall (no door) divides the room. It has a toilet, a small sink, and a shower head... but the water doesn't run. Not all the time anyway. The first night, the tap was running for a short while, but it hasn't since. There is a back up water supply (a big tank) that they use when the water is not flowing. I guess this happens often and can last up to two weeks at times. We hung my mosquito net first. --They save lives here! you should check out http://www.nothingbutnets.net/ -- you can purchase bed nets for needy children all over the world and save them from malaria--

I sat outside with some of the kids, meeting everyone and mingling for the rest of the night. I went to bed and slept well... I only woke up once or twice because the lifesaver in my room-- a ceiling fan!!!! -- is really loud.
The next day (Friday) we were to go into a nearby area of Mamprobi called Dansoman to change my money to Ghana Cedis (see-dees... one USD is equivalent to about 1.15 GH Cedi ). Walking the streets was so amazing. although it was bright outside, my eyes were open wide! Between streets (some paved) are dirt lanes where goats, chickens and dogs run about. The road sides are lined with open front shacks and stands (they call them kiosks) where many are selling everything from cooked food, haircuts, used electrical equipment, or cell phone sim cards. Most have colorful headboards that advertise the name, and most are religious like 'Praise our Saviour' and 'Jah Bless' .. these names have nothing to do with their product, but it shows the very religious base of Accra. Women walk with their babies strapped to their backs and goods like oranges (most are green!), yams, and plantains for sale in bowls on top of their heads. I've been told that this is how most people who live in the shanty towns make a living... trading goods, selling, selling, selling. 'Everyone trades here.' the locals say. Once we changed my money we returned to Abolo Junction in a TroTro. A trotro is like a big van, with 4 or more rows of seats. They are used just like a bus, only waaaaayyyy cheaper, much smaller, and just as cramped as the buses in ChinaTown (SF). When we got home, they insisted I rest and that I start school on Monday refreshed, but I wanted to meet the Children and Grace (Kofi's sister and the teacher of the School). At first the children were shy, but they won my heart immediately. Grace is sweet, I gave her fancy chocolates from San Francisco and she was very gracious. She has a helper, Martha, who is 21 and now does most of the teaching. I met all of the children and then went to my room to rest for a bit. When I came back, I was attacked by the babies screaming 'teacher Emily! Teacher (Amalee)' they were so happy to see me, it was adorable! I read to them and learned that friday is mostly a play day. Their ages range from 1 1/2 to 7 years old. They come to school as early as 7 and some leave as late as 6:30, or whenever a family member comes for them. My love, Forgive, is 4 years old. she is the most beautiful little girl, the future Tyra Banks of Ghana. So smiley and just happy and smart. She taught me a song and I just love her she's my soulmate ah adorable. I took pictures and videos of the children and they got a KICK out of me playing it back to them. The last two around school were Nikolas and Bismark, two boys. They were playing outside and got into a fight somehow. Bismark began crying and came to me. I picked him up and set him in my lap. He was crying and it was obvious he was tired, so I began to sing to him. haha... it just felt like the natural thing to do! I was rocking him in my arms and singing hymns to him and before I knew it he was sleeping! Ah it made me feel like I had accomplished something! After all of the children had gone home, I finally bathed. There is no choice of water temperature (only cold) - or pressure- since it's out of a bucket! But it was fun I guess and very refreshing considering the humid heat during the day (I'm really close to the equator!). That night Patrick, one of the family members, and his friend Prince offered to go for a 'stroll' and show me some of the area. They both speak perfect English although they were raised speaking Ewe(eh-way), Ga, and Twi (the native tribal languages) and answered any questions I had and gave me a nice walking tour.
Saturday I woke up and got ready for the beach. Before Tara (Kofi's daughter) and I left for the beach, Patrick and Prince had agreed to teach me their currency so i'm not 'cheated' by the shopkeepers. They are so sweet and 19 and 20 so it's nice to have people around my age. My walk with Tara to the beach was incredible. I really noticed the way that the Ghanaians in the Shanty towns are lacking modern-day sewage systems. Most waste water runs out of the house through an above-ground pipe and into open gutters. On the paved streets, there is a gutter on each side but they are not covered in most places so the smell is 50x worse than walking downtown SF in the middle of a hot day after the sidewalks have heated the stench of urine from the night before. On the muddy dirt lanes, there either isn't a gutter, or it's only on one side of the street. Dad- maybe you can get your construction company to send us here and we can help them develop a modern system! :) Well the beach was beautiful and the gulf of Guinea is warm and salty!
Sunday was a day to rest, and mama you will be happy to know I got up and went to mass. The Martyrs of Uganda Catholic parish was lively and bright. I enjoyed it but it was long. I arrived @ 8:41 (yessssss, I was early!) for the 9 o'clock service and the 7 o'clock mass was still going! My service didn't start until 9:50 and ended at about 12:45!!!! There was no wine at communion either, but maybe the service was in English and Ewe. The rest of the day was leisurely (is that a word?) and very i don't know... the Ghanaians like to relax and take things slow, zzzZZZzz so they are true to their way of life- and I fit in perfectly! I also went into Accra City with Kofi to see where most Westerners go to eat and where they shop. At a grocery store called Koala, I bought a few things for the family and a loaf of bread for the Grandma (Peace). I know it seems simple, but Kofi insisted that she would like it and when I presented it to her, she absolutely adored the gift! She doesn't speak English, so she thanked me with hugs and kisses. Grace translated while laughing, 'the old woman says you should marry Kofi for her.' I told her to tell her mom 'that is sweet, but I am too young!' We all laughed and that day was fun.
Today was absolutely fantastic, I had been anticipating monday all weekend! The children bring me new joy each day and I'm getting to know each of their personalities better already!
Tomorrow (Tuesday) is a national holiday so there is no school or work. There are some Muslims in Ghana, and they will celebrate Ramadan... so that means a day at the beach for all of us Christians and the heathens! hahaha. Also, I bought some house paint today and I'm going to gather more supplies tomorrow to fix up the school area next weekend. So far Kofi has said I am the most generous volunteer yet. But that is only thanks to all of you! his mom said she has never received a gift from one of the volunteers, so she likes me already!

OH! and today I met one of the brothers of the family, John. After talking with him I discovered that he is the director of a refugee camp in the north central region (about a 45 minute drive). He works to find jobs for and develop and teach skills to the refugees. I told him I would love to visit and he said 'of course! we can definately schedule' When I asked where the refugees were from, he said 'Liberia and Sierra Leone.' I am so nervous for this future trip, but I'd rather spend my weekends doing something meaningful rather than sleeping the day away under a ceiling fan in my room. It's night here and I'm going to get to sleep soon. I've been sleeping okay, the 2nd night was the worst- I woke up 4 or 5 times, but I think it was just anxiety or excitement and I'm adjusting. Food is also good. Kind of bland, and different, but nothing compares to that Mexican food and my mom's spanikopita! mmmmmm. I don't know the time right now, but I know Accra is 1 hour behind London time. Most world clocks say it's the same timezone, but we're not. Something to do with daylight savings and Ghana is along the prime meridian! (Lil- geography class!)
Okay... so everyone keep that in mind if I accidentally call you in the middle of the night! haha

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!
p.s.-
Please keep the Africans I have met and been working with in your prayers. They are all the most
kind souls and beautiful humans I have ever known.

p.p.s- MAMA DADDA LEXIE LILLI alex, christian.... I miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxo -bubba