Just some reflecting-oh

I’ve been sitting here staring at the blinking cursor of my blank word document for a good 15 minutes. After a lot of hard work and intense discussion, our final report finally seems to be taking shape. We are all so involved and passionate about our experience on project that no one wants to let any information slip through. My vast period of time in Ghana here has dwindled down to a matter of a couple days. There are lots of lasts coming up: last day at the office tomorrow, last full day in Ghana on Wednesday, last chop bar meal, last tro tro ride, etc.

Thoughts of going home and reconnecting with my friends and family have been occupying a lot of time in my mind over the past few days. I’ve recently realized how fragile such things can be. I’m looking forward to some great conversations and comforts from home. However, along with my excitement comes a huge overwhelming feeling.

During my time here I’ve gotten to experience some pretty incredible things and meet some truly inspiring people. How do I ever convey everything I’ve seen? How do I share all of the things I’ve learned? I really have no idea, but it is amazing how normal some truly exotic things have become since my arrival.

Take one example; the market. In an effort to pick up some key ingredients to continue our new-found obsession with Ghanaian food, the team headed to Makola market (or at least some tangent of it?) on Saturday.

I remember the first time we walked down that very street on our first weekend in Accra. The street snacks looked so strange, I had no idea what the ladies were yelling, and my pineapple costs what? 5000 cedis? Oh right. Old currency speak for 50 pesewas.

Doing that same walk on Saturday it’s amazing how familiar everything has become over the past 3 months. I know if I’m thirsty it’s probably only a matter of seconds before I’ll pass a street seller yelling “isssccchh pure wata”, and I can grab a sachet on the go. The chaos and huge crowd of people is no longer a source of anxiety, but provides a strange feeling of comfort. And no, that tro tro driver isn’t yelling in a forgien language, he is calling people to join his car to Kasoa, that town on the outskirts of Accra we passed through on our way to Bawjiase in June.

I really love the market. It’s so saturated and vibrant. Huge stacks of blood red tomatoes piled in mini pyramids, piles of dried or smoked fish in brown, silver, and beige. Spices stacked high in huge culdron-like bowls. It makes you want some dinner even if you aren’t hungry. Then there are the fabric stands (ohh how we stand there forever) with the beautiful boldly printed African fabric that definitely makes us girls (and maybe even Josh) drool a little.

You can walk for about five minutes and see everything you need to make a great dinner, pick up a new outfit, and maybe even grab the latest hip-life cd.

There are many things I will really miss about Ghana, but I think I am at least content with what I have experienced this time around. I have many stories to tell and insights to share, so please don’t get impatient with me when I begin every second sentence with, “So this one time, in Ghana…”

(This post is dedicated in loving memory of Cindy Douglas; you will always occupy a special place in our minds and hearts)