One of the main reasons I chose to study abroad was that I desired to learn from a culture that was different from my own. As the directors of the program keep saying, “The American way of doing things is not the only way of doing things, and it is not necessarily the best.” With that in mind, I am trying to see the benefits of this culture, as well as some of the short-comings of my own. I am not looking to criticize America, but to diversify my way of looking at things.
This week is dedicated to orientation, and our schedules have been extremely full. I am exhausted beyond all belief. Day one of orientation we had lectures about security, cultural customs, and general rules. Afterwards we had a welcome lunch reception at a nice local hotel. They served local dishes, including jilaff, foufou, LOTS of rice (they serve rice WITH rice here!), curried chicken, stewed spinach, fried plantains (which taste a bit like jojos only spicier on the outside and sweeter on the inside) and much more. For dessert, fresh watermelon, pineapple, and lychee. I am getting addicted to the fresh fruits and fruit juices available here, they are incredible!
Speaking of which, Accra has left quite the impression thus far. It is known in Africa to be a very modern city- there is a mall, a movie theatre, and most of the convieniences I would enjoy at home (aka the internet is incredibly slow…) However, these are luxuries- there are certainly poor areas. Additionally, running water, electricity, and garbage pickup are not common in rural areas. I think, though, that it is good to get out of the habit of relying solely on technology to run my life- the associate dean of the program (who is American) stated that living here, she has learned to appreciate candles and moonlight. I thought that was pretty profound. I am eager to put down the ipod and cell phone and really be present in the world surrounding me.
We have been made very aware that such things as electricity (and a generator on top of that!), internet, garbage pickup, and security (we have 24-hour security gaurds, and our dorms/ school buildings are literally walled in with 900 volt barbed wire on top) are privledges. Because of this, we are expected to take extra care in using our resources responsibly. This puts things into perspective; in America (particularly in NYU dorms) it is easy to be wasteful because there is little accountability. Unless you are the person paying the bills, there is no need to pay attention. It is a pet peeve of mine when people don’t turn off lights or recycle- such simple ways of taking care of our earth and being good stewards of our resources.
The former mayor of Ghana gave us a brief lecture today about the history of colonialism in Accra. We then went on a bus tour to view the various governmental buildings and monuments, as well as a ghetto where we experienced what some might find to be the more “stereotypical” Africa. The people here have all been very welcoming- they stare and smile and wave. We exited the bus to walk around a former slave compound, and several impoverished people had taken shelter there. The kids were mostly very excited to see us, they followed us around staring- the babies here are so cute! They learn to walk at a really young age, my guess is that it’s from being tied to their mothers backs with their feet sticking out (maybe it builds the posture?) I felt obnoxiously American in our bright green tour bus, which was far too large for the streets, but since we had the former mayor with us I felt better about things. He’s teaching one of our classes.
We also heard from the various NGO’s and foundations that we have the opportunity to volunteer for. I am considering a couple, both dedicated to rehabilitating and educating children and young women who have been trafficked. I would be able to use drama therapy and play therapy techniques, as well as potentially teach the kids the fundamentals of drama. Many of the organizations do amazing things that interest me, but I really want to pick one and dedicate myself to it.
Much much more has happened than this so far, and there is much much more to come. For now, I am exhausted (we are scheduled from 7am until 8:45pm every day this week), so I am going to skip reggae night at a local beach (it sounds awesome but it happens every week, so it will have to wait.) Time to rest up.
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