cape coast:
not like home--accra.alajo.joanna and abby.alaska.nima.st. kazitos. the kids. or like james.
it seemed as if we were in a whole other part of africa...these are the words i wrote in my journal when we first arrived. cape coast isn't like accra but it's still such a great place and i did things i'd never do any other day there. let me start with day one--so we took a 3-hour bus ride which is okay. we bought a fanice and some ginger cookies, plugged in our ipods and enjoyed the ride. almost as soon as we got there and unpacked at the hotel, we went to elmina castle. that was quite an experience to actually walk on the very grounds the slaves walked on and to go through the door of no return. i came across a plaque put up that i really liked:
in everlasting memory
of the anguish of of our ancestors
may those who died rest in peace
may those who return find their roots
may humanity never again perpetuate
such injustice against humanity
we the living vow to uphold this
after the castle and being stuck in crazy traffic because of the festival, we headed to mabel's table and had a nice dinner while we looked out on the beach. the four of us girls decided to share a hotel room because cape coast hotel reminded us too much of scary movie hotels.
day 2:
this is where the adventures really started. after kicking off the day with a spanish omelet, toast and tea, we headed to kakum national park. indiana jones, king-kong and jarassic park came to my mind when i saw the shaky, narrow bridge--excuse me, the SEVEN SHAKY, NARROW bridges we had to walk across. but i have to admit, it was so much fun. we also went on a life journey nature hike, which was tiring. but hey, when am i ever going to do these things in another country right.? after the park, we headed over to han's cottage botel to eat and i TOUCHED A CROCODILE.! like really, seriously got to approach a crocodile and pet it. my heart was pumping and that is definitely something i'd never think of doing. but i did.
at night, we got to see kojo and the trinity dance group perform. they were all great and i enjoyed meeting all of them. some of my favorites were isaac, mary and martha. i will never forget them.
day 3:
next stop--cape coast castle. another amazing place...i've heard about it but to be there was just the greatest feeling. i also wrote down some great quotes here:
in memory of our ancestors who suffered the cruelest crime against humanity
we the survivors vow to ensure that such evil will never again be committed by man against man.
fear is our greatest enemy,
we must conquer it.
to conquer fear we must face it.
SANKOFA: we look to the past
to help us move forward into the future.
after that, we had to say goodbye to cape coast. i was sad yet happy to go home to accra--kinda how i feel about leaving ghana back to america.
friday:
today bethany, karen and i went with jamie to the photo store so we could run to the fabric shop. there we met a girl who i will never forget--her bright smile and patience when we'd try to get her to cut fabric that wasn't supposed to be cut. haha, sarfowa is her name. when me and bethany went back a second time, we gave her a 2 cedis extra just for being so helpful and she jumped up and hugged us both. it was so cute and such a happy moment for me. just two dollars and she was so thankful--wow, just her reaction--i won't forget. i'm excited to get clothes made at jamie's tailor's place.! then we went to go see the kids. man...i really am just in love with them. it felt so good to be back at the school with all of them and to also see the neighborhood kids who've taken a place in my heart as well. i told ajara i'd be leaving in just a few days and she ran and hugged me tight and didn't let go for a few minutes. you don't know how hard it was hard for me to not start crying. out of all the kids, she's been my little sidekick and has a very special place in my heart. i can't imagine waking up in the states and not being able to hop in a tro tro or taxi to go visit the kids...
sunday:
today's worship service really made me miss our home congregation. it was bring a friend day--we've also had a day similar at the congregation my family and i attend back home and i just loved how they were so friendly and warm to the visitors. i am so thankful for their warmness and kindness with my sister and i for the three times we went there. i'll never forget it.
haha, today one of our students, yaw (yao) wrote me a letter. he told me not to let anyone read it so i can't write it out on the blog but basically he admitted how he's liked me and hopes we come back to ghana. it was too cute--but i let him down easy.
wow, only three weeks and i love ghana. the people. the kids. everything. only two more days and i have to go home to the states. i'm trying not to think about it but whether i like it or not, it'll be time to go home. i've grown so fond of the kids and we've each touched each other's lives in a way we'll never forget. i'll even miss bizmark and the infamous raegan. :) oh and forgot to mention nyawko.! he sell really nice bracelets, bizmark makes name braclets and raegan sell necklaces and paintings and bothers us. haha, but i will NEVER forget those boys. i won't forget emmanuel always helping us out at the internet cafe. i won't forget mama joanna, abby and alaska who've opened up the guest house to us and have shown so much hospitality. i won't forget sarfowa at the fabric store. i won't forget james our driver who's always late--always "around the corner." i won't forget morgan, kojo and richard--they started off as just drum and dance instructors and now have become our friends. i won't forget all of the other people i've met in ghana. NEVER. not only have we met so many great people, but all of us on the trip have just bonded in a way that no one can ever know or replace. unfortunately, my sister, karen and jontonette have graduated from the program but i don't think we'll forget this experience we've shared with one another.
i want to thank GOD for giving me life and blessing me with so much more than i could ask for. i want to thank my family for their unconditional love and support throughout my life and still. i want to thank vivian for sacrificing her own time and money to be on this trip with us. i want to thank jamie for introducing us to so many great people and places and for starting this program then sharing it with us. i want to thank eric for bending his back for us all and helping to make the trip happen and for always creating bigger and better things for the program. he is by far the BEST at what he does and no one else can fill his shoes. i want to thank all the people who've generously donated and come through for us on this trip. i want to thank the people of ghana for embracing us with such kindness and friendliness. i want to thank the kids for loving us as much as we've loved them and for touching my life in such a powerful, magnificent and beautiful way. i'll be back to GHANA lord willing for sure one day.
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