Lights ON!!! (oh...and Match #1 of Africa Cup)

After 81 days without electricity, we are finally back on the grid!!!! The electricity came back on Saturday, while we were gone. I’m sure there was quite a celebration, judging from my reaction alone upon arriving to find that the lights had been restored. It is a strange feeling. It’s funny how used to the dark we had become. I still forget to turn the light on when I go into the bathroom. It’s strange to eat dinner with a light, too…as we had become accustomed to eating by candlelight. I have to say I prefer to shower by flashlight, as well, because then I can’t see all the bugs that keep me company. But, it’s so nice to have lights on at night in the room. Imagine…I can read a book now without holding a flashlight propped under my chin.

The second big event came this past weekend. Katy, Nicole, Klara, and I traveled to Accra with our Cape Coast friends to attend the opening ceremonies and first match of the Africa Cup. Ghana played Guinea. It was an amazing experience.

We met up with the boys (Aminu, Atu, Francis, and Hamidu) in Cape Coast on Friday. We stayed there Friday night and then traveled to Accra on Saturday. By the way, we’ve found a new way to travel. By “Ford.” There are Ford vans that travel between the major cities. It’s definitely a step up from the tro tros. The vans are air conditioned and the seats are comfy. They are a bit more expensive, but it’s definitely worth it. So, the eight of us filled up most of a van and headed to Accra. There we met up with Daniel, another friend of the boys, who arranged a hotel for us girls to stay in. We went to Labadi Beach, a resort hot spot, and hung out there for awhile. Nicole swam in the ocean for the first time. I tried to take a picture of a sand sculpture of a woman and baby sitting on the beach, but the artist demanded money. When I offered up a 10-cent coin (the only one I had), he scoffed and told me that was too little. I jammed it back in my pocket and walked over to the concession stand and bought a bag of popcorn with my ten cents.

Our hotel was nice by African standards. Running water, electricity, toilet, television, and even a couch! It was right across the street from Daniel’s friend’s house, where the boys stayed. On Sunday we headed to the stadium early. The boys all had custom-made white hooded robes with red, yellow, and green stripes (Ghana’s colors). Us girls wore Ghana jerseys. We were unaware of the attention-grabbing magnitude that the special robes possessed. The boys proudly marched down the street, one right after the other. We tagged along in the back…at first trying to keep up…then eventually we lagged behind to let them bask in the glory of their Ghana pride. We didn’t have the heart to tell them the robes reminded us of the Ku Klux Klan (or the heart to explain what the KKK is). They looked pretty snazzy all dressed up and struttin’ their stuff down the streets of Accra. We followed them around the outside of the stadium. They were interviewed by television stations. Everyone cheered them on. Ghana football pride was overwhelming. It was incredible to see the spirit and the level of excitement outside the stadium.

We finally entered the stadium at around 2:00. It was a really nice stadium; by far the most modern facility I have visited in Ghana. We had great seats…at the end of the stadium, behind the goal, about halfway up (which, by the way, cost $4.00 each). The opening ceremonies began at 3:00. It was a neat show of traditional dancing and drumming. There were probably 500 people involved. It was neat to see different aspects of Ghanaian culture incorporated into the show. Kofi Annan and the President of Ghana were at the match and both spoke.

The match itself was very exciting. The first half was fairly uneventful, but Ghana scored the first goal. Guinea scored the second, and with less than 30 seconds left in the match, Sulley Muntari scored the winning goal. The stadium went bananas. I have never experienced such excitement in my life. And it is interesting to note, that no alcohol was sold at the stadium. Pure raw emotion. It was like one of those moments in a movie when the director wants to punctuate the scene, so everything flips into slow-motion. The second the ball left Muntari’s foot, everything flipped into slo-mo. The goalie jumped, the ball passed over his head and swished into the net. People were pouring water out of their water bottles…it was raining down on us from the second level above. People were jumping and singing in a language that we didn’t know, and we even tried to sing along. The jubilation must have lasted about a half hour. Then we finally made our way out of the stadium and onto the streets. It was a continued celebration all the way to the hotel. We had an hour-long bus ride…jumping, singing, whistles, horns, laughter…inside and outside of the bus. People standing on the street cheered at all the buses of spectators going by. Ghana fever was everywhere. It was one of the most joyful experiences I have ever seen. I don’t think I will ever forget it.

Check out the pictures at: http://www1.snapfish.com/share/p=573241201188786734/l=343325420/g=5434975/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

On another note, Katy and I have found a room to rent in Cape Coast. We will be moving next Thursday. My new address will be:

P.O. Box AD 1074
Cape Coast, Central Region
GHANA, West Africa

I am really looking forward to this new phase of my travels.

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