I have been in Ghana for a little more than two months. I have witnessed sounds, sights, and smells, some of which I wish I could bottle and enjoy to my hearts content, and others that I would like to banish from existence for eternity. Thus far, I have traveled and stayed in Accra, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Kokarantumi, Asofo, and Hohoe.
As soon as I stepped foot off the plane and touched the Ghana soil, I was welcomed by the sun as it energized my internal batteries and warmed my skin. I had to remind myself that I am arriving in Ghana during the rainy season, and that the sun will most certainly increase in voltage over the next few months. I may not find the sun to be as welcoming tomorrow, but on my day of arrival it reminded me of the weather along the American South.
The climate in Ghana, like in America, varies greatly depending on your location. I have found the weather to be mostly pleasant, with conditions similar to those in which I left behind in the American South. Hot days are followed by warm nights. Rain showers occur once every day or two, cooling the air so that there is a hint of what it might feel like to be cold. I bask in the 70-80 degree weather. Meanwhile, my host mother wraps herself in 2 yards of local batik fabric to stay warm. “It’s sooooooo cooooooooold!” she exclaims with a giant grin on her face. One of my host brothers agrees, while a second brother runs around in front of the house shivering with his shirt off claiming, “it’s sooooooo haaaaaaaaaaaawt!” He jokes that he will have to get used to the weather, or he will never be able to tolerate the extreme conditions in America. He insists he is going back with me when my service is complete.
I have shown my host family several photos of my snowy adventures in America and have explained that the weather is colder than the inside of a refrigerator. They don’t seem to believe me that such conditions exist, and when I tell them that some days it is colder than the inside of a freezer, they presume I am telling them a tall tale as they laugh at the idea of living in such a manner. I have been told that in Northern Ghana, I can expect to be greeted by temperatures in the 140s. I find this hard to imagine, so I can understand why my host family is suspect of my outrageous claims. I plan to travel north during the dry season so I can experience what it is like to live in conditions that most closely resemble the depictions I conjure when envisioning hell. Maybe 70-80 degrees will seem cold to me too after a trip to the northern inferno and back. I will certainly keep you posted.
I am thankful that training is being held near Koforidua, located north of Accra in the eastern region. Koforidua is about 30 miles inland, so I have been mostly sheltered from the extreme humidity that accompanies life on the coast. I did however spend a week in Cape Coast where I was not so fortunate. During a visit to a current Peace Corps Volunteer at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf, I was faced with the most extreme case of humidity that I have ever experienced. That’s right American South… ever. The SEC has nothing on Ghana when it comes to humidity. It is not even close. I spent my days at Cape Coast swimming through the sticky air, absorbing language, culture, foods, and new faces. It was mid week that the air reached its maximum saturation point. One evening, after a most sticky day, the skies opened up and released the moisture that had been beckoning to be freed all day long. I sat awake in bed enjoying the wind and rain as they offered a short respite from the heat, as well as a free concert. As the night dragged on, the wind grew stronger. The downpour began blowing sideways, entering the room I was sleeping. I felt as though I was sleeping in the middle of a monsoon. I soon realized the water was not only coming through the closed slats on the windows, but from the ceiling as well. A small flood had begun to overtake the room, so with the assistance of my host, I lined the floor with buckets to catch the drips that fell from the ceiling. I laid back down on a rain soaked foam mattress as the smell of mold and mildew confirmed that this was not the first time the room had been overtaken in this manner.
I have since been posted to Hohoe, a town in the Volta Region, where I will be serving at the Volta School for the Deaf for the next two years. I am told that the weather will be much more friendly, but on nights when the power goes off like last night, the air still hints of Cape Coast, and a repeat performance. At night, I dream of dehumidifiers and industrial size fans. I also have a newfound respect for baby powder.
I am rewarded daily for coming to Ghana. I have met Barrack and Michelle Obama, and have been given the opportunity to teach in Deaf Schools. I am learning American Sign Language (ASL), and am immersed in learning the language as I teach all my art classes in ASL. I have enjoyed meeting many new people, but have struggled at times to make it through training. Redundancy and miss-organization aside, I am prepared for life at my site.
On Thursday, August 13th, I became an official Peace Corps Volunteer. Along with 64 other volunteers, I ceremoniously spoke the oath and pledged to serve the constitution of the United States. Since swearing in, I have traveled to Hohoe and am currently resting in my new home at the Volta School for the Deaf. The school is currently on break, so I have the next month or so to set up a kitchen, travel, and develop some lesson plans. I will be looking for ways to watch American football and access the Internet. I am hoping that at the very least, I can get some text messages with updates on the OSU v. USC football game on September 12th. Contact my family for my phone number, or you can send me a postcard and I will forward my number to you. Those of you with Facebook, I can send it to you in a private message. Good morning from Ghana, pictures are forthcoming.
