Easter Sunday

What a beautiful day it was!!! I went to services at Etherean Mission, which is my home church since I've been here in Ghana. The title of the sermon was "Your Resurrection Day." It was a beautiful sermon and the minister asked us to think about the areas in our lives that we want to "die" and in their place resurrect new habits, traits, and ways to walk in this world that better serve us and those around us. It was also healing service Sunday which is always a special service for me.

Afterwards, I went out to eat and I have never seen so many beautiful women dressed in all types of lovely dresses!!!! I was thinking today how much Ghanaians are like African-Americans used to be prior to the 1970's and living here I see so clearly that this was once our home. I always laugh when I see a Ghanaian do something that Black people in the States do and living here has made me understand myself and my community at home alot better. It has made me see that the rampant materialism that exists in the U.S. has made many Americans lose our way--lose our connection with what is Real and what really matters in life. To see so many people in Ghana that have so little, but exhibit a pride, joy and thanksgiving for the simple fact that they are alive, is a sight to behold and makes me feel grateful as well that I got a chance to see African life firsthand. I have been feeling my mother and grandmothers very keenly since I've been here because I see them in the faces of the women on the street, the doctor who treats me at the hospital, my professors here at the University, and of course in all the women I have encountered at the markets who labor very long hours day in and day out just to make it here. The amount of wisdom and love that I have experienced here will not be easily forgotten and I am endeavoring to find ways to bring back what I learned so that I can somehow share this blessing of the Mother with those that I come in contact with when I return.

There was a big rainstorm last night so the weather was cool and overcast today which is quite a blessing!!! The dorm has been quiet all weekend. This is a holiday weekend so I think many of the students are travelling or studying hard for finals. The picture above is Rev. Tetteh. He has been coming to my church in the Bay Area for years and I'm so glad that I had a chance to fellowship with him here in Ghana. The dancing and singing at church were so wonderful today. Will definitely miss Ghana and it's deep connection to the ancestors and African traditional teachings.

It's Finished!!!!

This is the last week of instruction for most classes. I have one more meeting in my Archaeology class, but it is just a walking tour of the campus to check out various monuments for my Monuments Conservation class. Turned in one paper in this class this morning and working on another that is due tomorrow in Psychology. Then hunkering down until finals start. The first one is my Twi practicals on April 29.

The school is closed for the Easter Holiday on Friday and Monday so a festive mood is in the air. Listened to the radio this morning and there are so many things happening this weekend on and off campus. I plan to take advantage of the time off and get well versed in my school material so that I can do well on finals!!! The end is almost here.

My New Favorite Spot

They have the best smoothies, salads and wraps. It is in Osu and the tro tro goes from school and drops you off right in front. Shaye introduced it to me a couple of weeks ago and I am already a regular!! Also like that I can take my books and study for hours sipping on smoothies and people watching.

Saw this gentleman in there yesterday that I met when I first arrived in Ghana. We had a good laugh because he was the first one to tell me that my Ghanaian name was Adwoa. I told him that everyone calls me that now and he said, yes, I gave it to you. LOL.

Some Tings

-After seven months of being here, I have finally adjusted to the heat. Two days this week I was out and about during the mid-day and I noticed that the heat does not affect me like it used to. In the past, I would feel as if I was going to pass out and would try to avoid being out in the noon time heat as much as possible.

-The thing that I feared the most has come upon me: I finally fell on campus. While waiting on a taxi, I stepped back and did not realize that there was a ditch being dug up right behind me. I'm usually very careful about these and the gutters which are all around campus and Accra for that matter. When I fell, I grabbed hold of Leticia's leg and she screamed thinking a dog had gotten hold of her. LOL!!!! Everyone turned around and said sorry, sorry, which is the way that Ghanaians respond to any misfortune. Except for a bruised hand that I landed on to break my fall, I was fine. I'm back to being very careful walking and getting around campus.

-Wish I could say that I've gotten over my fear of the lizards that are everywhere in Ghana. But, alas, I'm as afraid of these little critters as the day I arrived here. I get that they are harmless as they run away as you approach, but I don't think I'll ever take a liking to them as so many students now have. I am just glad that none have gotten into my room as other students have reported. I saw the biggest roach of my life in my room one time, but it was dead and other than some non-specific (I don't know what they are) creepy crawlers, I've been able to live with my roommates relatively stress free thus far.

-Went out to a wonderful jazz club this past Thursday. +233 is the name of it, which used to be the old Bass Line over near Ring Road. They had a great band from Trinidad and I had so much fun dancing and listening to the band. There were alot of people there from the African American Association of Ghana and everyone had a ball!!!

-Classes are winding down, with many of them ending soon. I really like how the University stops teaching classes a couple of weeks before finals which gives you plently of time to study. We are having our Twi oral final exam on Monday so I am busy studying away. My other finals don't start until May 11th, however, I have a couple of papers to complete within the next week.

-I am unfortunately sick with another bug and in bed doing my studying today. I think it was the food I ate at the function on Thursday night because the young lady I went with is also not feeling well. Got up and got dressed to go the library, but thought it might be better to stay here close to the bathroom.

-Looking foward to finals ending and I have a couple of places I want to go to here in Ghana before I leave. While I am out and about, I am soaking up all of Ghana--it's places and people. I truly hope to remember this experience for the rest of my life. It will be very hard to leave.

More Cooking Lessons

Shaye's friend, Obed, has kindly agreeded to give me a couple of cooking lessons before I leave Ghana. Today we made Light Soup. It is soooooooo good!!!! Will be going back in a week or so to learn my other favorite dishes--groundnut soup and vegetable stew. There are many of the local dishes here that I never did take a liking to such as fufu, which is a pulped gooey ball of crushed cassava or yam or another favorite kenkey and banku, which are made with fermented maize meal. My favorites so have have been the soups and stews.

Recipie For Light Soup

-Wash four chicken breasts and place in pot
-Add Seasoned Sea Salt and Chilli & Garlic Powder
-Add 1 onion cut up
-Add a little water and place on fire for 10-15 minutes.
-Wash and cut stems off of about 15 Garden Eggs (If you want a thicker soup add more Garden Eggs).
-Clean Kosusuwa and place in pot with Garden Eggs. Place both in the pot with a little water and boil for 15 minutues
-Wash and cut up the following:
-about 15-20 tomatoes
- Bunch of Pepe (Obed said it was similiar to our peas in the States)
- 7 cloves of garlic
- 3 or 4 onions
- 3 pieces of ginger
-Add the above to a pot with a little water and boil for 15 minutes
-Clean 3 pieces of smoked salmon and then place in a seperate pot
-After the Garden Eggs and Kosusuwa mixture have become soft take out of the pot and place in a blender.
-After the Tomatoes, Pepe, cloves, onion and ginger mixture is soft, remove from fire and place that in the blender with the Garden Eggs and Kiosusuwa mixture.
-Blend mixture and pour into a bowl
-Remove the chicken from the fire and add it to the pot that the salmon is in
-Add a chopped onion
-Add a little water
-Add a small can of Gino seasonings
-Cook under high fire for 10 minutes
-Add a little of the mixture that you blended in the blender
-Cook another five minutes
-Add the remainder of blended mixture to pot
-Add water
-Add salt to taste
-Allow to boil for about 20 minutes
-Reduce and simmer for an additional 10-20 minutes,

This soup is like medicine and I always feel so good after I eat it. I have bought it from several vendors and none taste as good as Obed's.

Enjoy!!!!

Preparing The Food

This is Kosusuwa, a common vegetable used in Ghanaian dishes.

Almost Done

The Finished Product

Ready To Eat

This dish is so delicious. Gotta love a man that can throw down in the kitchen!!!

Eight Months

The weather is turning cooler after March being very hot and humid. I guess the rainy season in indeed upon us. Making plans for my last couple of weeks to get in various sights and things that I want to do. I'm getting really excited about going to Ethiopia. Today, I am eager for the days to go by. I have so many plans and goals to accomplish when I return to the Bay Area. Feel like I have finally found my calling and I am eager to start the next chapter of my life.

Some female students and I were discussing a sexual assault that occurred recently on campus. The young woman, who is not a student, allegedly was stealing some items from one of the dorms. When caught, she was beaten, sexually assaulted and demeaned in the worst way by a mob of mostly male students. The whole disgusting ordeal was filmed by several students and is being circulated on the internet. Most people are disgusted and the school authorities and police are working to bring these boys to justice. There is alot of outrage about the situation and many are wondering how University students could act in such a sadistic and depraved manner. This is the typical fashion in which theft is dealt with on this campus. The perpetrator is usually beaten to a bloody pulp by a mob with one young man being killed last year. What is so sad is that some people are blaming this young lady stating that she should not have been stealing or that this was her second or third time being caught stealing from the dorms at the University of Ghana. The news coverage of this incident has been equally disturbing, with the victim's face and name being rountinely shown. The question so many of us have to these young boys: What if it was your sister, your mother, a female friend. Would such treatment ever be acceptable no matter what her crime was?

The young ladies and I felt like we all wanted to be away from this campus and Ghana. We also talked briefly about how in Ghanaian society men are # 1 and how sad it makes us to realize that many women here are subjugated in so many ways. We talked about a possible protest to bring attention to this matter

Some of the classes are ending instruction soon. I like that here at the University, formal teaching ends a couple of weeks before the exams so it gives you plenty of time to study and catch up if you need to. I have felt as if I have been dreaming for the past eight months and it has been the most amazing dream of my life!!!!

Mystic Stone

This was the last destination that day to the Mystic Stone.

Our guide told us that this was a route used to walk captives down to the coast and awaiting ships, removing so much human cargo out of Africa.

Larabanga Mosque And Village

The Larabanga mosque is one of the oldest mosques in West Africa and is the oldest mosque in Ghana.

Story of the Larabanga Mosque

After Ndewura Jakpa died, and Ibrahim decided to remain in the Gonja kingdom, he realized that as an Islamic spiritual leader, or Imam, he needed a Koran. At this time there were only seven korans in existence, all of them written by hand and bound into no less than sixty Hinzibs each and kept wrapped bulkily in many blankets and stored in large calabash bowls far away in Mecca. Ibrahim decided to consult an old Dhen Zuo man who was a remaining resident of Zuriyir and he learned of the Mystic stone which was already known as a holy spot to the residents of Zuriyir. Ibrahim went to the Mystic Stone and prayed hard for a Koran to be brought to Larabanga and it is said that his prayers were rewarded when one of the original seven Koran from Mecca was delivered to him from the heavens. This Koran is preserved in the village today by a caretaker and it is brought out for special prayers each year during the Fire Festival when the new Muslim calendar year is celebrated. Many people converge at Larabanga from far and wide to attend these readings outside the ancient mosque.

Village School

Our Accommodations at Mole National Park

Mole National Park

We left Legon at 3:00 a.m. for a 14 hour drive to Mole National Park, which is the largest national park in Ghana. It is in the Northern Region of Ghana. Loved the sights that I took in and it did not feel like we were on the road for that long.

These are a couple of the ladies I shared a room with on our trip to Mole National Park.

Me, Dena, Desiree (not shown), Coco, Stephanie and Denise Lopez eating breakfast before we start our day.

Some opted to get a better view and ride on top of the bus.

Most of the animals fled as we approached unfortunately.