Just What the Doctor Ordered

Yesterday (sorry for no entry…I was out until late and knew I couldn’t stay up long enough to write a thorough description) I went on a super fun adventure!  Chad, the guy I met on the airplane, messaged me that he was going to be in Accra for two days to see the dentist, so wanted to see if I could hang out (he lives like 16 hours away).  I told him that I don’t the area well at all (considering all I do is go to and from school, pretty much), so he looked up Adenta (where I live) and found a bus station (37 Station) that I could go to in the city that’s pretty direct from here.  This week I asked Melinda how to get to 37 Station, and she was so cute, she said that she’d take me to the station in Adenta because she had to “pick up a couple things from there anyway” = ), and then from there it sounded pretty straightforward. 

Well…yesterday we were given a project by our new boss (Emmanuel’s making great strides in improving some things around here…but more on that later), and weren’t sure if we’d be able to get out of here in time.  But, luckily it delayed us, because as we were leaving school, Mr. Lamptey was walking out at the same time and said that he wanted to share our taxi with us (which Melinda so kindly paid for!...it was GH¢4 for the eight minute drive – about $3, I think).  And…it just so happened that he was also going on to Accra…so he said he could take me to 37 Station!  I didn’t realize I had been nervous until I felt the flood of relief that came from hearing that.

It was so perfect, because as we were pulling up to the station (ahhh…I wish I could’ve taken pictures…it just felt inappropriate and I didn’t wanna draw any more attention to myself than I already always have – it was interesting because that came up last night.  Chad was saying how nice it was when he went home for the holidays to just be anonymous for a month.  I could totally relate because sometimes it gets really tiring being so visibly different.  It’s hard to describe – it’s just like having people treat you differently and always watching what you’re doing and calling things out to you/touching you and staring at you – it’s usually fine, and sometimes great, but every once in awhile I just get tired of it.), a tro-tro going to Accra was also pulling up.  Tro-tros are vans or minibuses of various sizes and in various states of disrepair (our sliding door had to be held shut by the guy) that are way cheaper than taxis.  You know where the tro-tros are going because they have a guy leaning out the door (even as they’re moving) yelling the name of the destination over-and-over-and-over-and-over – “ACCRAAAAA, CRA, CRA, CRA, CRA, CRA, CRA, CRA” or “ADENTA BADIUH (Barrier), BADIUH, BADIUH, BADIUH.”  But before I keep describing the tro-tro experience, let me tell you that the “bus stations” are openish lots of dirt where tro-tros can park to fill up.  They have all of these vendors all around set up under umbrellas or at little stands selling food and shoes and hair things, etc.  And they’re very noisy, chaotic places.  So yeah, back to the tro-tro…luckily when Mr. Lamptey and I got in, ours was pretty empty, so we just found two seats (the seats were so squished together, so we sat a seat apart and were still close) and started chatting.  It was interesting to hear as he explained the way Ghana and Accra have changed in his lifetime (I’d say he’s in his 50s or so).  When he talked about the progress and development, it was really exciting…and he said when I come back I won’t even be able to recognize the place = )  Along the way we made a couple of stops, searching for more passengers, and were filled to the brim in no time.  So, I had to squish over next to Mr. Lamptey, but the guy who squished in next to me was nice and cute…so it wasn’t too bad…haha ; )  His name was James, and when Mr. Lamptey and I went to pay (as you get close to your stop the leaning-out-the-door-calling-the-destination, holding-the-door-shut guy collects your money – our 30-minute trip was gonna cost GH¢1 80 pesewa…about $1), the guy told us that James had already paid for us!...the people here really are so warm and friendly and giving.  So yeah…when we arrived at 37 Station, Mr. Lamptey got off with me, even though he normally rode through that stop, and waited and walked with me until I met up with Chad.  It’s funny because he comes across so gruff and stern…but he’s really the sweetest, funniest man!

So Chad and I walked to the main bus station (the tro-tros sometimes just drop and pick up quickly on the sides of the road, rather than going into the actual station) to catch a line taxi.  A line taxi waits until it’s completely full before it moves, so it’s cheaper, as opposed to a drop taxi that just picks you and your party up and goes.  It took GH¢1 and twelve minutes to get to Osu, the white Mecca of Accra.  We ate at a Chinese restaurant (there are tons of Chinese restaurants here!...lots of Chinese and Indians in Accra I was told), and even though I love the food here, it was nice to have a change of flavor (he said he craves the sweet n sour chicken from Tip-Top Chinese Restaurant so much that he has to get it every time he goes to Accra…haha)…and nice to get lots of greens (he was so cute…he said he knew I’d appreciate that they had an extensive vegetable selection)!  It was funny…the lights went out a couple of times during dinner…and I thought how ironic it is that in America we have a restaurant where people choose to eat in the dark – and here we get it for free…haha = )  Anyways…our bill was GH¢39. 

After that we went walking on the streets and stopped at a little shop (think swap meet shops) where I bought a super cute “tribal” bracelet (very in right now = ) for GH¢3.  I got to see bartering in action as Chad negotiated the prices of our items down.  He said there are usually a lot of stands/shops lining the streets, but maybe because it was “lights out” (power outage) they had closed up early.  It was so heartbreaking.  While we were walking there were these three super cute little kids who looked Middle Eastern or Northern African.  The smallest boy came up and hugged me, and then grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go.  After I caught back up to Chad he said those kids are out every time he goes to Osu.  They’re professional beggars, and he said they’re parents were watching from somewhere, and the kids would give whatever they earned to them.  The boy had to only be 4 or so…and he was out past dark each night begging, and I’m sure being rejected time and time again.  There were a lot of beggars out, and all of them tug at your heart strings to varying degrees…but the kids just break your heart.

It feels wrong to just go on writing about what we did next, but I guess that’s what I did last night = (  There’s a foreign supermarket called Koala (National Azabu-ish)…and once we were inside I just forgot about outside as I became so excited by the products I saw.  It actually felt like I had been transported somewhere else.  I got toothpaste (GH¢2 21 pesewa), shampoo (GH¢2 42 pesewa), soap (GH¢1 80 pesewa), hand soap (GH¢2 60 pesewa) and muesli (GH¢10 75 pesewa) – pretty good shopping if I do say so myself…haha = )  The two-pack of Dove soap that I bought at Wal-Mart for like $4 (that I thought would be enough…shucks…you were right, Shane…haha) was GH¢17!  Oatmeal Squares was super tempting, too…but it was GH¢20!!!! 

Next we went to an Italian gelato place…and it was SO good!  We both got this fresh lemon flavor in crisp waffle cones…mmmmmmm! = )  While we were there I got a call from Mandy…and barely missed it.  When I saw the missed call I also saw that she had sent a message an hour earlier…I felt so bad!  I called her right back and she said that she had been a little worried (so sweet…she and Melinda were both so concerned and protective…it felt like I had little mommies = )…but I assured her that all was well and that I’d be home soon.  So, we left soon after that – although the trip home wasn’t a short one by any means.

First, we walked for awhile trying to get a tro-tro, but since they’re scarcer at that time of night, we caught a taxi to 37 Station.  From there we walked to the main road and waited for a tro-tro for a little while (during which time a group of guys walking by decided it was okay for them to brush my hair = /…and earlier a guy on the side of the road just grabbed my shoulder as I walked by – I just told myself they’re the little kids at my school in bigger bodies who were curious about what my white skin and hair felt like).  But when one didn’t come, we walked down the road to where other people were waiting, and Chad found out that a tro-tro for Adenta would be coming there = )  But when two pulled up, they said they were going to Madina.  Thank goodness for friendly, giving Ghanaians…the man told us that we should just catch it and then try to get a tro-tro to Adenta from Madina (GH¢1).  So, we got on, and it was much nicer than the one I had caught into Accra.  Sure enough, at Madina we were able to quickly find a tro-tro to Adenta (40 pesewa).  And then at the Adenta Station we found a taxi (who I bartered with = )…well…with help…haha…and got him down from GH¢6 to GH¢4 – they totally try to take advantage of white people…which is another reason why the tro-tros are so nice – they’re equal opportunity transporters…haha = ) that took us home.  The whole taxi ride I was so nervous because I was the one who was gonna have to direct the taxi to my house – and I had no idea how to get there.  I guessed a couple of times…but I got us there!...it was honestly a miracle!  I felt so bad, though, because Chad had to turn right back around and reverse the whole trip because he’s staying right by 37 Station = (

It was so nice to get out and see more of Accra!  Just riding in the tro-tros and looking out the window and observing was so fun!  And it was fun to have a change to my usual routine.   It was also nice to be able to communicate so freely.  And it was so nice to talk about things that I’d been feeling and experiencing with someone who’s had a similar experience.  I also enjoyed getting to learn through the insight Chad has gained in the time he’s been here.  He helped me to make sense of and understand some things, and he also gave me sympathy as I complained about my minor difficulties…which is always nice…haha (such as losing electricity, even though he has none…and boys, which he understood so well because he’s had similar experiences).  There’s just so much that’s like impossible to comprehend if you haven’t lived it; he said he and the other volunteers will do the same thing sometimes – get together for a few beers and a little venting – and then life’s good again = )