I am alive and well in Dodowa, Ghana! This is my first time on a computer since I got here, as the internet cafe in town has been closed whenever I've tried to stop by. I only have a little bit of time but I have SO much to say! There is so much that is interesting and different that I want to talk about.
Ater somehow entertaining myself at JFK for 7 hours and making it through an 11-hour flight, I finally landed in Accra! I almost didn't get a vegetarian dinner on the flight, and I was convinced my luggage was lost at the baggage claim, but I was so happy to get there. I spent the first night at the IVHQ volunteer house in Accra with about 15 other volunteers who had all arrived for the July 1st orientation date, although we were all in different programs. The next morning we had an orientation by Edward Adeli, the coordinator of Ghana Volunteer Corps, for whom I'm technically volunteering. We were all introduced to the Ghanaian culture and customs, and even learned a bit of Twi! Then I, along with 5 other girls in my program, were driven to the volunteer house in Dodowa where we are living.
As soon as we walked in the gate, four young girls ran up to us and hugged us and put their arms around us and wanted to be picked up. They all had huge smiles on their faces and loved to see us. It's a really great feeling, to have a kid run up to you and hug you without even knowing you. It was the same when we went to the orphanage for the first time, all the kids bombarded us and went down the line shaking our hands and asking "what is your name," like it was a phrase they had all learned and memorized.
The kids are so amazing. There are 72 of them, ages 2-18. Most of them aren't actually orphans, Worcsa is more of a shelter, but sadly they will get a better life going to an orphanage rather than growing up with their family. They get fed three meals a day and go to school, which is not guaranteed everywhere in the country. There are only about ten rooms for all of them, so the older ones squeeze three to a bed and the younger ones share straw mats on the floor. It may sound like they have an awful life, but they're all so happy. They love to laugh and play games. They also all take care of each other like one huge family. They help each other and comfort each other, and also discipline each other. The orphanage is run by "mothers," one or two of them, but they're pretty absent from every-day life their. The orphanage is essentially self-sustainable, which is amazing to see with such young kids from all different backgrounds.
There are 6 other volunteers already here, they're a really great resource to kind of show us the ropes. Unfortunately two are leaving this week, but this weekend the ten of us remaining are taking a trip to go to a monkey sanctuary and waterfalls a few hours away. We have the weekends off, so a lot of volunteers travel then.
It's definitely much hotter here than at home, and it's pretty much constantly hot, all throughout the day and night. It's also the rainy season so it's very humid, and the air is very heavy. But I think I've already gotten used to always being hot, and always covered in a thin layer of grime. Unforunately we don't have running water (although luckily we have electricity) so the only method of showering is filling up a bucket with water and then pouring it on yourself. It's not very easy.
This is definitely not all I want to say, but it's getting dark already and I need to get back. On Thursday I'm going to Accra for a few hours and will get to use a faster computer there in the Apple store at the mall, so I can hopefully write another update and maybe even post some pictures (I've been taking a ton). Hope all is well in the US!
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