Continuing the Journey

Handstands in Siena

It is crazy to sit down and write about a trip once it's over.  It is so difficult to feel the same sensations you were feeling, to live the same reality over again in your head, or to even convince yourself that what you remember is really how it happened.  It has only been two months since I have left Ghana, and it already seems to haved slipped years away.  The most certain thing that I feel, however, is complete disbelief that I lived in West Africa for nearly six months in the first place.  Now, West Africa is huge, and my small existence inside of Ghana--along with a few travels to neighboring countries--does not necessarily mean that I all of a sudden understand completely what is West Africa for West Africans.  It does not even mean that I could easily summarize it accurate enough for anyone.  However, after returning to the US and traveling through Europe, it is amazing how blackmarked that part of the world is (no pun intended) to most people in their psychological travel maps.  "Who the hell would go there??" has been the most typical response.  Ghana seems so far away now because it is hardly spoke of or even heard of to most people I am around.  It makes me remember how unbelievable it is for many people that one could even go there.  This conceptual distance seems to transform into physical distance in a lot of people's minds, when really Africa is not that far away.

Giza Pyramids - Cairo, Egypt

As always, it is strange to reinsert myself back in the US.  Two years ago, I remember thinking of

the trio, my best friends

coming back from South America as the, "re-americanization of the self."  The reverse culture shock is a little easier this time, especially since I transitioned slowly with stops in Egypt, Italy and Turkey.  Yet, the weirdest thing that still remains in my mind is how unique Americans live.  Big cars, lots of waste, using tons of water and other resources. . . it's all been said before, but it's no less surprising or disgusting once you meet so many people living on so little.  The other big shock is that we are no better.  No matter how modern, how much more technologically advanced, what kind of toilet one sits on or how one eats-- the United States is as backwards as any developing nation that we claim has no clue.  I come back to huge class disparities, Americans being unaware of major social issues related to class or race, the ignored white privilege (and the straight privilege, the male privilege, the wealthy privilege, etc.), homeless people being continually pushed out of the streets (and not into homes), the increased withdrawl of the State in public matter, and of course. . . . Americans favoring backward morons like Michele Bauchman and Sarah Palin, and blaming Obama for everything wrong with our country despite his short presence in office (did we forget about the two term Bush administration? And we call out Africa for corruption??)!  It has been difficult.  But, don't get me wrong, it's been easy too. I can not deny that I am from where I am from.  I really am American, I can't deny it.  I love coming home to lots ofdiversity in food and people, to crazy Lady Gaga, to eccentric people and massive cities with gorgeous skylines. . .  Mostly, I am so grateful for the people in my life.  I have been way too negative about my own culture in the past, and I am realizing more and more that is not fair to box anyone into a category - another lesson I constantly relearn.  People are dynamic and it is awesome to come home to such good people in my life, especially the mindful ones that are trying to make changes in the world in their own lives, in small ways (mostly by not doing all that above).

My couchsurfing host family - Lome, Togo

Python Temple, Benin

Lagos Island, Lagos, Nigeria

Couchsurfing Friends - Lekki Reserve, Lagos

My summer was amazing, to say the least.  After Ghana I went to Nigeria, Togo and Benin.  It was an awesome chance to see other kinds of West African countries and have my own solo adventure.  I met some awesome people, got lost in the craziest places I have ever been, completely challenged my inner traveler by showing up in Togo and Benin not knowing much French at all, or any local languages, and made it to Lagos to confront the realities behind all the craziness that people speak on Nigeria.  I loved it.  West Africa is gorgeous, and something about it makes me constantly want more.  Then, I flew to Egypt on the way to Europe.  I had planned to visit a friend in Italy for two months, and on the way I organized a two day layover in Cairo.  The best choice I made in the prior 6 months!!  I was so lucky to be able to get off the plane, buy a $15 visa, and go roam Cairo.  It is such a cool city.  I was right there in Tahrir Square to talk about the recent "revolution" with street goers and drink tea and smoke hookah with new friends as we watched new demonstrations take place.  I learned a few things about Islam from a really amazing guy named Hassan, and even got to see the Giza Pyramids.  It only got better as I flew to Italy for a few days and stuffed myself with amazing food and beautiful cities before flying to Turkey for two weeks.  This part of my trip made me feel so spoiled, and so privileged.  I felt embarrassed telling people about these travel plans, thinking they would misinterpret me for some rich travel snob.  It all just sort of worked out through luck I suppose.  Turkey was great though, but I don't feel like I got to know enough.  Istanbul is such an awesome city though!  I actually found myself in the middle of their first gay pride parade one day!  There are so many things I never knew about Turkey.  It has such a unique history with language, their relationship with Islam and being in between Europe and Asia.

Assos

Istanbul Pride

Ayasofya

Ayasofya Interior

Grande Bazaar

Then, Italy. . . what magic the whole month there was.  Driving by car from the very north in Milan, all the way to Sicily.  It was an expensive ass journey after Ghana, but so gorgeous.  Speaking Italian for a month and getting lost in new places through the tiny country during summer made me feel like I was in paradise.  Italians definitely know how to treat themselves, and they definitely know how to relax and enjoy summer!

Pisa

Cinque Terre

Torre del Lago

San Gimignano

Now, back in Ohio.  This place is just as beautiful.  So many amazing people, so many things I never knew existed.  It's hard to come back after so many new places, and it's even harder after visiting San Francisco and Berkeley for 10 days (another perfect trip), but Cleveland has it's own awesome things that I still need to discover. . .

The Cleveland Metroparks

Storm rolling in at Sunset - Lakewood

Ohio junk yard

My Aunt and I, maketing my photo show!

Bay Leaf Family - my Oakland family

Good ol' Memorial Glade fun

the Mission in SF

So, here I go again.  After being home for 6 weeks, I am going to kiss my mother good bye and jump on a plane to India for the American India Foundation's William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service.  Am I ready?  Yes and no.  I guess I will have to decide when I get there! Chalo!

La famiglia

And that's a wrap. . . ?

I am leaving Ghana, and can't believe it. Just got over malaria, moved out of my place (by force), said goodbye to all the friend I've made around campus and am getting ready to head to Togo, Benin and Nigeria for my final two weeks in West Africa. I am nervous to travel alone through francophone countries without speaking French and go to Nigeria alone, but I am going for it. I am having a pretty rough experience my last few days, with lots of people trying to haggle me and take advantage of me, but I am really trying to keep my cool and keep a light attitude. It's rough though: no matter how long I've been here, no matter how good I have become with bargaining and no matter how much I have learned to get around on my own, people still take advantage of me. I can't convince some people that just because I am white and a foreigner, doesn't mean that I have money. All in all though, I am just looking forward to enjoying my last few moments here.

After 6 months, it's all concluding so fast. Here is a little photographic summary of my final days in Ghana. . .

Last days in Ghana - Slideshow

Please, I'm coming, I'm coming.

Someone could tell you, "I'm coming," in Ghana, and not show up for three hours, if at all. When I ask for anything here, I have come to expect things to take twice, maybe even ten times longer than I am used to at home. "Can I get some food?" "Please, I'm coming," someone will respond. Everyday I come into contact with my high strung Western Self, realizing how addicted to efficiency and receiving things as soon as I ask for them like what happens so often back at home. I remember thinking this in India as well, and even in South America. Things don't happen as suddenly as back in the States, and what I have come to realize is that, "I'm coming," doesn't necessarily mean that the person is actually going to come or do what you ask anytime soon, but that it is in their intentions to eventually do what you ask. Don't get me wrong - there are some very punctual and efficient people here, but the majority of people do not have the [sometimes neurotic] instinct of extreme production and fast movement in mind that many Westerners have. It has reminded me that people are actually humans here, and not the robots that we are sometimes forced to be.

In lieu of this common Ghanaian attitude of, "eventually, I'm coming," this is my explanation for the gaps on my blog writing. "Please wait, I'm coming." Being here, especially on campus at the University of Ghana and in the village of Wli Todzi, I have adopted a much slower rhythm and momentum of activity than I am used to back home. I find myself constantly late from stopping and chatting with people, taking time to stop and eat and not while walking, doing one thing at a time, prioritizing talking to people and making eye contact to really listen, sleeping when I feel tired, and having an awesome time just enjoying where I'm at. Ghana is a special place, and I feel lucky to be here!

On another note though, I just received notification this week that I was accepted into the American India Foundation as a 2011-2012 William J. Clinton Fellow for Service!!! I am going back to India for 10 months this coming September! I can not believe I got it. After an intense competitive process of a pretty extensive application with 10 long essays and a 45 minute skype interview and waiting for over 4 months to hear back, I  got it!! But am I ready to go back to India, right after being in Ghana and Europe for 8 months? We will see. Just got to stay present right now. . .

Peeling through the Layers of Ghana

In my last post, I had started off by saying that I really started to feel like I was finally IN Ghana.  I was mostly talking about immersion.  Looking around me at the time, I began to feel myself soaked in a Ghanaian lifestyle: eating and making the food, talking about locally relevant issues, wearing the clothes, walking the walk, living with Ghanaians, practicing languages and greetings . . . This was all pretty important for me since for the first time, I knew next to nothing about the place I was coming to.  It wasn’t like my last trips.  It is almost as if I came to Ghana blindfolded, dropped off by a taxi on the side of a deserted unrecognizable road that could have been in several places in the world.  Yet as I began to make sense of it all, I started to realize shortly after the last post that I still did not understand Ghana and what to make of this place in general.

Kokobrite Beach

Fufu and Light Soup

Colorful Ghana Creatures

This is one perplexing theme that my mind has been wrestling with.  What is Ghana?  Upon arriving, I began to pick up phrases in a local language of Twi, I was given my Ghanaian name of Kwaku for being born on a Wednesday, I bought some cool Ghanaian printed shirts and explored various places – all while eating the food, managing trotros, operating in intense heat once again, and trying to adapt to different social behavior.  I started coming to conclusions about what Ghana is versus what my culture is, until I found myself in the same trap I always fall into: Ghana is not just one homogenous culture.  It is so much more complicated than that!  In fact, learning Twi and taking on a Ghanaian 'day name' of Kwaku is really only beginning to understand Ashanti culture--only one dominating culture of Ghana.  I know, I know, I have written this before, but I can not just write what all Ghanaians do and what is typical of here when people are so much more dynamic than that.  I have found myself stuck, over and over again, in conversations with international students comparing Ghanaian culture to the US, only to realize that their idea of what Ghana is not the same as mine, or that they have made limited or hasty generalizations of this place.  I even realize that their idea of what US culture is not even the same as mine!

Kaneshie Station

Tro-tro Madness

Out at Container with a good friend Samuel and my roommate Joshua

March 6 Independence Day (54th Anniversary)

All this has prevented me from writing much.  Although it is hard to avoid being reminded of my “Americanness” or to step outside of my culture and just accept another’s, I have still tried to forget about constantly comparing Ghana to where I am from as a means to understand it.  I have instead dove head first into many projects and activities that have allowed me to get close to different kinds of Ghanaians and undersrand what it's like to live, work and organize here in the Ghanaian system.  The month of March disappeared for me while I kept busy working on a play, implementing my photography project, helping put together an activist forum for University of Ghana students and working hard on a village development project for the village I mentioned last post, Wli Todzi.  Each project though has provided me great insight around so many different perspectives on huge themes like racism, religion, development, sexuality, sexism, gender divides and even various political views on Ghana locally and Ghana in the world today.  Let me break down what each activity has been like. . . 

"Atobra"

The play took the most amount of time, but it was one of the cooler things I have been able to do here.  The storyline was hilarious, with a modern relationship going sour because of complications with traditional expectations.  I played a chief wizard (a male witch and leader of a group of vodoo witches) that tried to destroy the husband with the help of his wife, and then Jesus saves the day in the end!  Kind of out there, but it was still a really cool experience and great way to make a bunch of Ghanaian friends and be apart of a performance directed by a local playwright.  Since I have been in Ghana, it has been interesting to open myself up to how outgoing so many people here are.  It is not as frowned upon to be the loudest person, or to be extremely outgoing and confident as it is back home.  With the momentum of other people here, I felt like I was able to come outside of my own constraints and confidently perform something. It was a great opening up experience, one very big theme to my time in Ghana.  Also, every night during rehearsal or performance, we all always had really interesting conversations back stage mostly around religion, race, culture and politics.  Religion comes up here a lot, and since Jesus saves the day in the end of the play, I definitely had a lot to say and hear about Christianity.  Some of the people I met in my play though were some of the coolest and smartest students I have met here.  It also brought me closer to the performing arts department where I have been dancing my ass off at!

"Youth Partnership for Social Justice"

Youth Partnership for Social Justice (YPFSJ) is another project that I have been involved with.  It is a really great and necessary space for international students and Ghanaian students to get together and is discuss common issues that fall between us all, beyond borders.  It has been an awesome way to break down barriers and having a place where themes important for encouraging activism to be explored and talked about by all different kinds of people.  This is one place where I have totally realized how different Ghanaians are from one another, but also a place where I have realized immense apathy amongst the students and youth here.  There definitely seems to be a sense of powerlessness against a massive system against change and too extreme of social progress.  But, I am gaining faith from people who come to our group discussions so passionate to relay ideas and thoughts.  Recently there was a really controversial happening on campus where a girl was stripped naked and sexually abused by a bunch of men in dormitory as a punishment for getting caught stealing from someone's room.  Stealing is serious here, and it rarely happens, but if it does it usually is by men.  If they are caught, they can be beat to death or stripped naked and walked all around campus for everyone to see you.  This time it was a girl though, and a "female appropriate (as many have explained) punishment was given of sexual abuse while it was video taped and disbursed all over campus.  The event and the commentary by various students afterwards opened up my eyes to the immense gender divide and sexist views held by many here.  We talked about it one week as a topic for out YPFSJ meeting, and it was just another topic that made me realize how much more complicated it is to understand things here, and how difficult it is to penetrate as well as understand thoughts soaked in a completely different social context.

"Rise Up Wli Todzi"

Wli Todzi is my other source of extreme pleasure.  Since my last post, I have become really involved with trying to work alongside the people of Wli Todzi and just get them simple things they need.  The clinic is still the largest concern, but is becoming more and more difficult to attain.  Working on this project has been such a beneficial experience for me to try and run a development project with other students all from our own hands and minds, but it is so challenging as well given our short time and limited resources.  Wli Todzi is also such a special place. Since my last post, I have gone up two more times, and have plans for about two more visits.  I wanted to go up even more times than I have to spend time with people that I have grown close to and explore a completely different side of Ghana; a humble village life in the Volta Region with a whole different language, social system and traditional roots stemmed far away the busy and hectic collage of things and life that exists in Accra.  What I have done most is try and talk to people about the village, help continue to streamline the tourism project that will generate revenue for the village, conduct a baseline study for figuring out health stats on the villages for advocacy, research grants and writing a proposal for what our project is trying to accomplish.  We hope to at least be getting a large sum of money to build the clinic from a fundraiser we are currently organizing.  My eyes are more open more than ever to how ridiculous this place and the world is sometimes; all we need are materials and no one we need help from is convinced that a clinic is necessary.  Aside from all of the challenging work, Wli Todzi has become the most special place for me in Ghana so far.

"Photo-Adesan: Photographing the Young Voices of Ga Children of the Street Academy of Accra"

This has been one of the most satisfying and interesting experiences yet.  The project took some time to take off, and I have gone through a roller coaster of emotions and self-critique on what the project means and how well it is or isn’t working out, but right now I feel that it has taken off so well.  The kids I am working with are some of the most underprivileged kids I have ever met.  They are also one of the primary sources of inspiration for me at the moment and have completely filled the void that developed after leaving my students and job at College Track of Oakland.  I finally have been able to buy 6 cameras for the project, and have also gotten two cameras donated and volunteered my own cameras for the project.  Having these artistic instruments for capturing and recording their lives as a means for self-representation/expression and therapeutic value have opened a flood gate for the kids to explore a totally different educational medium.  I have also seen the kids feeling more empowered and stoked in general because of photography, which has made me feel somewhat accomplished.  However, the kids are still crazy, and I am continually confronted by intense challenges.  Also, I am becoming so worried about just ending it next month after all this work of setting it up on my own.

Claudio and Ajetay

Caleb doing flips in Jamestown

Patience, Rashid and Caleb on our first photo field trip

Claudio in class

Photo Homework

Travels. . .


I have not traveled much since the beginning of my time in Ghana besides to long journeys to Wli Todzi.  Craving to get away, last weekend I took a little escape trip to Koforidua with my friend Chuks from Nigeria and Rhiannon from the UK. Koforidua is the capital of the Eastern Region, just north of Accra. It was just a random last minute trip, but ended up being so much fun. Koforidua sits in the Shai Hilla, north of Accra, so it was nice to drive up through beautiful vegetation and plush green hills, to a place cooler than Accra. It was a really cool chill city, and we also got to escape to Boti Falls, some nearby waterfalls, and a few other random natural tourist attractions like "Umbrella Rock" and a palm tree with three stumps. We found ourself in hilarious situations, from hichhiking with a bus full of Christian University students from Boti Falls back to Koforidua, to being stranded in the city in the middle of the night with no hotel and then meeting a cool taxi driver who took us for free to a nursing school to sleep for the night. The hostel at the nursing school is usually only for its students, but they let all of us sleep there in the nicest room I have seen in Ghana yet!

Chuks, Me and Rhiannon in a trotro

Boti Falls

A walk through the park with giants

Umbrella Rocks

Palm Tree with three stumps

Aburi Botanical Gardens

I just wanted to write a simple and blunt update.  All of these experiences have shown me completely different sides of Ghana, especially mixed in with going to school with wealthy Ghanaians and exploring fun places and interesting people of Accra!  That’s all I got for now . . . More thoughts coming really soon.