A Day of Rest

Today was a really easy and fun day, our instructors decided that after how busy we've been these past few days and how intense yesterday was, we should have a little break. So, the only school thing we did today was a lecture at the University of Cape Coast this morning. Both lectures were very interesting - one was on African religions and the other was on Ghanaian family structure. I really love that we're able to go to lectures like this and learn more about the culture we're currently living in. I'm still kind of amazed at the treatment, view, and discrimination against women here. But at the same time, I see and speak to women here daily, and they seem to have no complaints. So I suppose it's all a matter of socialization and what you've learned to be "normal" and "right."

After that lecture, we had lunch at the Coconut Grove Resort and then relaxed on the beach and by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. It was really fun and really relaxing. Towards the end of our time I ended up pulling out my iPad and watching an episode of Doctor Who while I lounged out. I think we were all refreshed by having some down time.




(This photo is actually from yesterday, I just forgot to include it / it didn't really fit the mood.)

The last thing we did, after dinner back at the hotel, was to go to a late night dance and drum workshop on the beach.ma local group came out and taught us some traditional drumming and dancing and then performed for us. It was pretty amazing! we all had a whole lot of fun, but I'm sure we're all exhausted (I know I am!) tomorrow we leave this lovely resort and the first thing we're going to be doing is a canopy walk in the rainforest! Then it's a two hour drive back to Accra! I'm really hoping that Harrison is there waiting for me, but I've pretty much gotten used to not having him. Mostly.

Fishmongers, Mamas, & Castles

The first place we visited today was the Fishmongers Improvement Association. We listened to Victoria, the founder talk about how the program started and what it was all about. She was really and truly inspiring. She's been pouring her own money into the education and improvement of women since the 1980s, in an effort to improve the status and power of women in society. She taught the women about proper clothing (they had previously walked around bare chested), birth control (the average woman in the area had 8-11 children), openeing a school to educate the community's children, pursuing careers, and so many other things to aid in their empowerment and ability to provide for their families. She worked in the community for about two years before anyone would listen to her or trust her. That's incredible. She is such a strong woman to have endured being ignored for so long while spending her own savings in attempts to better people who wanted nothing to do with her. The area we were in was the first time I had really seen true and utter poverty here in Africa. I mean, I've seen some people who obviously don't have much and probably live hard working lives, but we hadn't encountered anything like this before. If you think of the stereotypical, exploitative, National Geographic type imagery of Africa with hungry, dirty children and ramshackle buildings - that's what we saw today. It was pretty unreal and intense. What was even more appalling, was knowing the amount of work Victoria has put into this community for YEARS, and that this is BETTER than it once was. I can't imagine.





Our second visit was much more lighthearted - the Global Mamas corporate office. It was fantastic! I think all of us were just so inspired and we're now just dying to come back for an internship. Basically, the company was started by two peace corps workers as a fair trade organization for local craftswomen. They provide steady employment, fair wages, and a number of other benefits to the women they employ, "mamas". They teach them to open bank accounts, keep books, and improve quality among other things. The women are batikers, dyers, and seamstresses and the products are sold in a boutique in Accra and exported to various retailers across the world. (I was wearing my Global Mamas dress today, and she really loved that.) I'm just so in love with what here doing and I feel like a career in something similar would be the perfect way for me to combine my fashion merchandising and sociology studies. I would love to come back and do a two month internship, and who knows! Maybe one day I could open a similar or spin off company elsewhere!









Our last visit today was to the slave castles here in Elmina (which we can actually see from our hotel) and that was just a really interesting experience. They were built by the Portuguese, apparently simply to store gold and other resources and eventually were used to store and sell human slaves. Standing in the dungeons and cells, walking through the halls, still being able to smell what happened there years ago ... It was all really sobering. Our tour guide did a really excellent job of presenting the information to us in such a way that we could really visualize and feel all that had taken place right where we were standing. Everyone said it was a really emotional experience for the,, and I'm not sure I really felt that too much. I think I tried to just distance myself emotionally and take it as information, but it's probably good to take in the emotional side as well. I think I just need more time to process all of that before I can even write much more about it.













Liked the original audio file more, but I changed it so that hopefully it will play now! (The original video is on my Facebook, check it out if we're friends!)

Arriving in Elmina

Today was spent driving and relaxing on the beach. Not much of interest to report, instead I'm just going to put up a few photos and a little video I made while we were hanging at the hotel and taking a walk on the beach.

GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "You are so Kentucky Derby right now." - Jennifer, regarding my ridiculous hat.



Today was a free day, so this morning I chose to go back to the Kumasi Children's Home. Since it was Sunday, they had a church service and I held a sweet little girl (who i also played with on friday) through the service and she fell asleep the instant she laid her head on my chest. It was really nice, though I felt a little uncomfortable when he called us visitors up to the front and prayed for us. But it was sweet. Kwabi (I learned the name of the little boy from Friday) turned around and saw me during the service, did a double take, and then just got the hugest smile on his face. It warmed my heart so much that he remembered me and was excited to see me. I definitely shed some tears when I had to walk away from him at the end of the visit, because I knew this time there would be no seeing any of them again. On a happier note, the kids all remembered me as the camera girl (of course) so I shot through another pack of film for them, and they just loved it. I hope that they are able to keep those photos for a long time and that they'll think of me, and all of the other great people that came with our group, whenever they look at them.



Our next stop was a "football" game featuring Kotoko (the Kumasi team) vs. T. Youth. Girls got in free (woo-hoo!) and the best thing was that we got to bring Edward and Solomon, two of the older boys (our age) from the orphanage, along with us. They were such nice guys and I know we've all really bonded over this week. It's not everyday that you can make such amazing friendships in such short periods of time. Goodbyes after dinner were another teary affair, but I know that we were all so happy to have gotten the opportunity to know one another and I really hope we can keep in touch. Back to the game, it was actually a lot of fun! I'm not crazy about soccer, but the atmosphere was just wonderful. The band never stopped playing, people never stopped cheering and blowing horns, and everyone just seemed so engaged and joyful. It was a really great thing to be a part of. The Kumasi team was victorious (with a thrilling end score of 1-0 <-- sarcasm) which was really great! Our bus driver Francis who is typically so stern and reserved was hilarious, donning random Kumasi paraphanelia and getting in a heated debate with another attendee about who the best soccer team was. It was all spoken in Twi, but it didn't matter, we all found it hilarious anyway. I really love that our driver and tour guide have pretty much become part of our group and join us and have fun with us on all of these outings. This evening we asked our tour guide if we were his favorite group and he just nodded his head. success!!







After getting back from the game there were guys around the hotel selling, as always, and I ended up getting two leather bags. And I didn't have to pay for them! I traded a pair of ked's, three thrift store shirts, a bottle of lotion, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. Say what?! I wish I had known that American items were things they wanted because I would have stocked up. I think it's interesting, but maybe not so great, that western wear is such a huge deal here. He asked if I had any men's clothing, because visitors like us are often the only times they have access to these unique types of clothing. There's quite a huge secondhand market in most parts of Africa and the prices they charge are SO much more than what the items are worth or what we would pay back in the states. I think it's really unfortunate that our western style is dominating consumer wants and pushing out the desire for local and traditional garments in some social groups. In addition it makes people feel the need to spend exorbitant amounts on "obruni wawa" (literally translates to "dead white man's clothing") which does nothing to promote their own artisans, industry, and culture. In these next few days, I'm planning take more notice of the way people are combining the two styles and possibly ask some questions to get a few opinions on the influx of western dress.

Tomorrow we head for Cape Coast, where we'll be staying at a fancy schmancy resort on the beach for a couple of days before heading back to Accra! I'm so excited!!

Craftapalooza

Today was our big craft day; we visited the kente village, the Adinkra village, the woodcarving village, and the Kumasi cultural center. The day was pretty much focused on shopping, and I did manage to get all of my gifts (I think!) while we were out. We started the day at about 9:30 and got back to the hotel around 5:45.

Our first stop of the morning was the Bon Wire kente village where we learned a bit more about the history of the kente cloth and were also given the opportunity to try weaving it ourselves. The loom uses your entire body so it's a little complex, but those guys work through rows of the cloth like it's nothing. The man speaking to us said that they could complete 8 single weave strips in a day, spend an entire day making a double weave strip, or make a triple weave strip in about two and a half to three days. I found it interesting that only men are allowed to weave kente cloth, and I'm really not certain why that is - but I'd like to look into it. I ended up buying a few wallets for my retailer, a double length strip (possibly for me, possibly as a gift - I'm not sure yet), and a pretty large piece that I plan to put on my bed as like a quilt / throw. It was a lot of fun and everything was absolutely gorgeous.



Our next stop was the adinkra village, where again, we learned about the history and meanings of the craft. We were able to choose our own fabric strips and stamps to make our own adinkra cloth with a special meaning to us. I chose two symbols:Hye Won Nhye - "that which does not burn" - symbol of imperishability and endurance; and Duafe - "the wooden comb" - symbol of feminine essence of life, inner and outer beauty.



So, my design pretty much translates into something like strength of a woman, which is funny, because that's what this whole Ghana community trade program is about. Our goal is to learn from and empower female entrepreneurs both here and back in Athens. So that was pretty perfect! I'm not sure what I'll use it for, but I do really love it!



Our next stop was the woodcarving village, which is where I laid down a good bit of money (in addition to the kente village)! I bought something which shall no be named for my father; I was having second thoughts, but everyone here thinks its the coolest thing ever, so we'll see! I also bought a really beautiful elephant covered in seed beads with a Gye Nyame symbol on its back, which is supposed to be representative of god and his omnipotence, which is a meaning I'm not crazy about, but it was just so beautiful! I also bought a cute giraffe statue for a certain friend and found two snakeskin leather bags for my retailer. There were so many gorgeous things and I'm kind of having buyer's remorse in the opposite - wishing I had bought more things! But I'm sure it's for the best that I didn't. Go me!

Lastly, after exchanging some currency, we went to the Kumasi cultural center, and I didn't really see anything I wanted there. I bought a brass pendant with our program's adinkra symbol, the ram's horns representing strength and humility and a set of brass hooks with an Asanti king and queen mother. I really enjoyed today because we were able to learn about all of the really important crafts that originated here in Ghana. They are all beautiful and I think we were all honored to be able to try our hand at reproducing them.



We finished off the night with dinner at the pool and a little dance party. It was so much fun to see everyone (even our stoic bus driver Francis) dancing and having a great time together. I'm so in love with this "hip life" music, and will definitely be bringing the Azonto back to the states.

Kids & Kejetia

Today a few of us went to the children's home again to do more painting - this time, a mural. It was an optional visit, and for a second I considered not going. On our first visit I had been totally fine during the day and even the evening, but once I laid down to sleep it finally hit me that those kids were all orphans. Being there and playing around with them it just felt like after school care or something. Realizing that none of them had parents to care for them and that many of them might never have that just broke my heart. That coupled with the realization that there was nothing I could do for them was really hard. So, I wasn't sure that I would be able to handle another day of seeing their cute little faces, and holding those adorably tiny hands only to have to walk away again. But, I did it, and I'm really glad that I did. It was such an awesome day!

We colored in a pre-existing black and white mural, and it made a HUGE difference. It was a whole lot of fun to just share ideas and paint and also get to play with the kids. Sadly, I didn't see Esther today - which sucks because I told her I would come back, but I did make a new friend. I didn't understand when he told me his name, and he didn't really speak much, but as soon as I got to the orphanage he latched onto me. He would just grab my arm and put it around him or lean into my side or grab my hand. It was so precious. He didn't ask me to pick him up or play games or do anything, he just wanted me to hold him and that made him so happy. Which of course, made me happy. And that just led to the realization that even though I couldn't take these kids home or find them loving families I could provide some fun and joy for them, even if only for a couple of days. It's hard for me to see that as being enough, but it has to be. I will just have to hope that all of them continue to be happy and grow up to have the lives they deserve.

The mural turned out beautifully and after we took a group picture in front of it, which I gave to Edward (one of the older kids there) because I know it meant a lot more to him, I started taking and giving out a bunch of Instax pictures to the kids and they just loved it. I loved being able to give them something that made them happy and I would be happy to shoot and give away another pack if we go back on Sunday.

After a ridiculous taxi ride in which our cabbie hotwired the car to start it, we ate lunch at our usual Kumasi spot, stopped at the hotel to change, and then headed over to the Kejetia markets. We pretty much stayed on the outskirts this time and let the social work girls have their turn at braving the hectic areas. We pretty much just wandered, enjoyed the cool weather, and chatted with some locals. I did end up buying two Bracelets with handmade clay beads as well as a sort of west coast / Latin - esque woven top. It was really fun to haggle with the woman selling it with the help of Blalock and Dr. Okech. I didn't get it down as low as I wanted, but I was able to get it from her initial 30 cedi price to 21 cedis (less than $12) so I'm pretty pleased! After that we headed back to he bus - and I'm so happy to have our bus (and our wonderful driver, Francis) back! Today was a really nice day, but I really can't wait for tomorrow when we visit the Adinkra village, the woodcarving village, and the kente cloth village. I will definitely need to exchange some money tomorrow morning...





VISUAL MERCHANDISING







Ghanaians do an amazing job of presenting their merchandise in beautiful and unique ways. Stacks and strings of shows, lines of pants, artfully sliced watermelons, color blocked fruits and spices, and creative food towers. In a country where nearly everyone is selling something, every vendor has to come up with ways to differentiate themselves and entice consumers to choose their products over those of their competitors. Whether its a large scale display or simply a carefully arranged bowl of peanuts balanced on a woman's head, their visual merchandising is always impeccable.

The Youth

Today we spent the entire day visiting the Kumasi Children's Home. I really wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this or how good I would be because I really don't know how I feel about kids. Their cute, but at the same time quite obnoxious and frustrating. Usually frustrating wins out. Surprisingly though, I actually had quite a great time.

When we got there, we immediately got to sanding and painting the playground. It has relaxing, but also tiring work. Thankfully, the majority of the park area was shaded by trees so we weren't working out in the blazing sun. It was really rewarding work to just see our progress as the day wore on. For something so minor I feel like it made a big impact on the way the place looked. Of course the kids could probably care less about a paint job, they were probably wondering why we were invading their space and telling them they weren't allowed to touch anything. But I think they really enjoyed helping us to paint and just playing around with us.



From Mrs. Blalock's description of the place, I had been expecting something so much worse, but it was actually really nice. The kids all seemed happy (though maybe just because we were there to hang out with them), well dressed, and just generally well looked after. I really hope that that is the case and that they are doing well - as well as they can be being orphaned. I enjoyed playing with and chatting with all of them, even when I couldn't understand them and they couldn't understand me. Even if we didn't get words we still had fun and smiled and laughed - it was awesome. More evidence that things like language don't have to be barriers; we all have basic levels of understanding between one another and it's lovely.

My two favorite (is it bad to pick favorites?) girls were Esther and Adisa, they were so sweet and wonderful. Adisa just had the most beautiful eyelashes and a gorgeous little face. I didn't learn much about her, other than that she was 4 years old and friends with Esther. Esther is pretty much my new BFF, she just latched on to me today. She is five years old, in KG1, loves "color red," and her favorite food is jolof. When I asked her about jolof ("It's rice and tomatoes, right?") she proceeded to explain that it also had carrots and you put it together and put it on the gas to cook it. I think that might have been one of my favorite snippets of conversation, because I loved hearing her explain something I didn't understand.



When I was holding her and talking to Olivia and Katie, they started asking her questions. "Is Zidisha your sister?" "Do you like school?" "Do you have a lot of friends?" and she responded yes to all of them. When they asked her who her best friend was she tapped my chest and said "This one" and I just broke down into tears, which is totally uncharacteristic. I don't know, that just pretty much made my heart swell and burst. It was terribly sweet. She asked if I would come back tomorrow, so I'm excited to go back tomorrow to finish the mural and to play with her some more.

I think this experience was kind of a huge learning experience for me, because as much as I say I despise being around kids, I am quite good with them. I think everyone else was shocked at my interactions with the children too because of all of the things I had said about my feelings towards kids. So I think maybe it's another thing to reevaluate. (Not the having kids thing, just me thinking I'm awful with them.) We really did get on quite well; at one point when Caroline was braiding my hair and someone else came up to do it too she said something to the effect of "No, this is my obruni. You can go play with the other obruni." which Leyla and I found to be hilarious. I really do make a lot of things more difficult and psyche myself out on things that are pretty easy and that I'm actually good at. I'll have to remember days like today when I start to do that.

Sensory Overload - 05/22/12

*I'm finally done playing catch up, so after this post the journals should be on the days that the events occurred! Yay!*

QUOTE OF THE DAY: " I see black people, I see white people, and to me we are all the same. The only difference is color. The blood that runs through us is the same." - our cab driver



Today we visited the Manhyia Museum, which originally served as the palace of two of the Ghanaian kings, before one decided to convert it into a museum and build a new palace. To be honest, I was feeling not so stellar during it, so I didn't catch a whole lot of what was being said. Nevertheless, the artifacts were beautiful and it was really nice to learn more about the culture, tradition, and history of Ghana.



After a long lunch break, the FM girls, plus Blalock and Dr. Lowe headed into the Kejetia markets. I was expecting large, because they said it was a huge place, but I was in no way expecting the actual magnitude of the place. Just WOW! We hopped off the bus and immediately started moving and meandering through the markets so that Dr. Lowe could get to the shop to order the school uniforms for the children. (He ordered 100, and I'm so excited for us to be able to give those to the families.) When we got to the top of the staircase we met a woman named Hagar, who would be giving us a tour. The first thing she said to me was, "You resemble a Ghanaian." To which my shocked response was "Really?!" And she responded, "Yes. Really, really. You have a strong, thick voice." So that pretty much made my day, to be completely honest.





After loitering for a bit, we started our walking tour, venturing deep into the markets led by Hagar. It was such an assault on the senses from the moment we stepped off the bus and it only intensified. Sounds, smells, sights, touch - every part of me was engaged. It was absolutely thrilling. I'm not sure I really remember a whole lot of specifics, it's sort of a blend of sensory overload. I just had a really great time looking at the seriously ridiculous array of products people were selling and smiling and briefly chatting with people as I followed the group through the little pathways. I think that this market pretty much embodied the stereotypical expectations of "Africa." It was bright and colorful, loud, pungent, wonderful. I really do hope we visit again as a group because it was just such an exciting and unique experience. I feel like a second round might really expose some things to me that I missed in the madness of this tour.



One of the stands Hagar led us to was a stand that sold waist beads (as well as some other clay beads.) We were all super excited about that. It's really awesome to read and talk about something and then actually see it. We all had a great time looking through them, although the shop owners were really unwilling to compromise on prices so that was kind of a downer. I ended up not getting one of the ones I really liked because of it. Regardless, we all walked away with some really great stuff. As we finished up the tour and were waiting for our taxis a group of Ghanaian women stopped us and asked us what we were doing with the beads around our wrists (we had all wrapped them like bracelets) and if we knew what they were supposed to be for. It was just absolutely hilarious and we both had good laughs and a great time messing with each other over them. But like Katie said, it's probably am similar reaction to if we had seen someone wearing a garter as a bracelet or a bra on the outside - really strange and hilarious. I loved it.

SEEN: clothes, shoes, fabrics, beads, children, men, women, jewelry, raw meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, grains, decor, toys, Jesus, electronics, appliances, workers, seamstresses, trash, pretty much everything; SMELLED: dirt, waste, detergent, raw meat and fish, freshness, foods, spices; TOUCHED: beads, hands, wooden stalls; HEARD: various languages between Ghanaians, English directed towards us, compliments and questions, introductions, inquiries, children

On the way back from dinner (delicious Lebanese - YES!, while listening to Christmas music played by an organ -WIERD!) I talked to Jennifer for a bit and I really enjoyed that. One thing that we talked about that I really liked were the billboards and advertisements here. I thought it was something that only I had noticed, because I hadn't heard anyone else say anything about them. So when Jennifer mentioned it, I was really excited. Basically, we discussed how awesome it was to see blacks on every advertisement. In the states, that just doesn't happen. Blacks on ads are kind of an exception but here it's the rule, and it's just really ... empowering (?) to see people that reflect my own image on mega billboards. We also talked about just being surrounded by people of the same coloring and us not being the ones who stand out for once. Pretty much my entire life is spent in the company of white people, and while I've never felt like an outcast, it really has been quite different to realize that here, I get to be part of a majority. It's something that I've never experienced and probably never will again. It's kind of wonderful to have people saying things like "Black sister!" and pointing to their skin and my own saying, "We are the same." I honestly don't think about race much, but this has kind of opened my eyes to the idea that black doesn't equate minority. It's all a matter of context. I really like that and I will have to remember it.

Road Trippin' - 05/21/12

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Ever forward, never backward." -Kwame Nkrumah

Today we visited the Kwame Nkrumah memorial and museum and it was just so beautiful and awesome and inspiring. I didn't know anything about him, so it was really great to learn about someone who was critical to the independence of Ghana. The tour guide that we had was really great and I really, thoroughly enjoyed hearing him go through the artifacts and photographs in the museum, telling us in great detail and with great enthusiasm about each. History and museum tours aren't always the most interesting things in the world, but he made it all so riveting and wonderful. I walked away from the tour very inspired by what this one man was able to accomplish and his ability to cultivate relationships even with all kinds of people (befriending JFK and Fidel Castro? Insane!). I definitely want to find a couple of his books and read them to learn more about him and his interests / research / observations.





After the tour and picking up one more member of our group from the airport, we began the long drive to Kumasi. Unfortunately for us, some storms rolled in, so we were not only driving over rickety back roads and up hills, but also through a serious downpour. All in all it took us about 7 hours to get to Kumasi, and thanks to Francis we all made it safe and sound. On the way there, Dr. Okech and I sat down together (because the rain from outside was pouring through the window and drenching me in my original seat) and had a chat. He had approached me saying he wanted to get to know me, and I just really loved that he's getting to each person on this trip in an attempt to know more about them. It was really great to just open up and discuss my past, present, future, and beliefs and expectations of life. My favorite thing was our discussion on the meaning of life, which he asked me about when I said that I wasn't a religious person. Our agreement was basically that what really gives meaning to life and what matters most are the relationships that you have with people and the impact that you leave, whether on one person or many. He said a lot of very kind things to me about how he thought I seemed like a very strong person who knew herself well and would do well and change the world. It's not like I don't hear those kinds of things from friends and family, but it's kind of nice to hear them from a complete stranger. After the chat with Dr. Okech, I chatted with Dr. Lowe for quite sometime before alternating between nodding off and reading for the rest of the trip.



When we got to this hotel,I felt like kind of a brat. I think we were spoiled by the first hotel, because to be honest, this is probably more like what I had expected our hotels to be anyways. Dim light, weird shower, creaky everything, tiny cell block space. But honestly, it isn't so bad. I also realized that's left Harrison at the first hotel, and that only made things worse. I won't lie, I felt like crying for a second there and when I told Katie not to judge me if I did, she made a good point. Basically her reasoning was that there were already frustrations and anxiety and things like that over various issue within me so loosing my little guy was just a valid reason to actually express those frustrations. I sucked it up like a big girl though. I just scrapbooked my day (who needs drugs when I can craft) and I felt a lot less uneasy about everything. Tomorrow we're supposed to be starting the day off with a tour, so I'm really just so excited to be in a new place and to explore and do more.

Free Day #1 - 05/20/12

Today was our free day, meant for us to relax, unwind, and process our thoughts. When we woke up, Katie and I did some work on our journaling and assignments. Blalock, Dr. Hunt-Hurst, Dr. Smith, Olivia, and Caitlin were going to the mall, so I decided to join them. I was just so shocked when we got there. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what we drove up to. It was beautiful metal and glass, the kind of mall that could be placed in any city in America without a second glance. I think that may be one of the things that surprised me about coming here. It's really very nice, a lot of people seem well off - carrying iPhones and the like, and then buildings like this mall and our hotel exist. It's just not what you think of when you think of Africa. I love that this place is breaking so many stereotypes apart.

At the mall we spent a ton of time in the bookstore and I ended up buying a cool music and fashion magazine called FAB (Fabulous. African. Black.). Blalock found D.K.'s EP and we all got a slew of postcards in addition to our magazines and music. Caitlin and I found a wall of Doctor Who books and thought it was just hilarious and wonderful that we couldn't find anything like that where we lived, but they were here, in Ghana of all places. So great.



Back at the hotel Katie and I finished up our assignments and then I got to Skype with dad for about 30 minutes. It was nice to see his face, though when he asked me about Ghana, I realized I didnt have much to say. It's like, yes I've been doing so many things and having a wonderful time, but I have no idea how to articulate what I'm feeling about where I am and what's going on. That might just be a me problem in general, but I'm finding it particularly hard when people ask me what I think so far about this experience to come up with any kind of answer. I don't know why my brain seems to be all broken. Maybe once it's all over and done with I'll kind of stew over the information and be able to coherently share my experience here in Ghana.

We ended the night with a fashion show, which I was just so inspired by. .....