http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/marklesparkle/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from marklesparkle en-us Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:17:12 UTC Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:17:12 UTC You know it's funny. A few days after I first arrived in Ghana I already felt as though I had been there for years. Now after being back in the USA for only about a week it feels as though I never left. About a week after Zach Timo Jess and Candice decided to leave Ghana prematurely due to malaria robbery violence or a combination of the three I decided that the time had come for me to http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/blog-87051.html The past three days have opened my eyes to the real Africa...those countries that are conveniently bypassed by international organizations and governments when they speak of the African 'miracle.' Ghana and South Africa might be the poster children of the UN and IMF but in no way do they represent the African continent as a whole. My interest in Togo began last fall when during an International http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Volta/blog-84596.html Before I left for Ghana one of my professors at Stanford told me that I HAD to visit the canopy walk at Kakum National Park near Cape Coast while I was here. So with just a little over a week left and without any other Obrunis to go with Zach left last week after getting malaria I packed my bags and went to Cape Coast on Friday night with Davis the guard from CDD.The trip there was relativ http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Central/Cape-Coast/blog-83418.html Thankfully or not there's not too much to report right now. Last week I interviewed a few of the staff members at the CDD for the documentary I'm making for them and yesterday I nearly risked my life videotaping random people on the street they did NOT seem to like that. BUT starting this Friday I will be traveling almost every day until the day I leave. This weekend I will spend one night http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-82189.html All of my blogs thus far have made Ghana seem like a vacationer's paradise complete with waterfalls isolated fishing villages and wellkept refugee camps. But I don't want to mislead anybody...Ghana definitely has its fair share of problems. Violence poverty disease corruption they're all here. And while part of me wants to paint an image of Ghana that is luxurious and lavish part of me http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-81001.html It doesn't beat Ada Foah but Botti Falls might just be the second most beautiful place I've ever visited. Right outside the town of Koforidua about one hour north of Accra is a secluded waterfall in the middle of the rainforest that a group of us Jessica Chris Chris Timo Zack Davis the guard at CDD and I went to on Sunday. It might not be as famous as Niagara or as tall as Victori http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-79459.html I'm not quite sure what I expected to see at a Liberian refugee camp...but whatever it was I didn't see it. About 45 minutes outside of Accra there is a camp for displaced Liberians that over the past few years has slowly evolved into a small village....and if I had the choice between living in the refugee camp or the slums of Accra I would pick the refugee camp any day. Over the course of a http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-78945.html Things I learned today about the National Film Television Institute NAFTI most filmmakers in Ghana are trained at the National Film Television Institute NAFTI NAFTI was established in 1978 by the Government of Ghana as an institute of higher education in film and television in 1982 the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Germany provided NAFTI with video equipment NAFTI was the first film http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-77739.html If you've ever imagined what it would be like to visit an African fishing village in precolonial times go to Ada Foah. Although they may not have electricity or running water this village is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. I went to Ada Foah with six other friends who I met either at work or at the Obruni House Jessica Timo Candice Carolyn Chris and Chris http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Volta/Lake-Volta/blog-76938.html Hello friendsThe past week or so has been ridiculously hectic but for the first time I think I'm starting to become accustomed to the lifestyle here in Ghana. I think I was a little too excited to eat native Ghanaian food though because after two days of fufu for lunch a yam and bean paste my body hates me and I don't think I'll be eating anything but bread for the next day or so I had pl http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-75158.html Whew After a little over 18 hours of traveling I'm finally in Accra The flights here were relatively uneventful although I did sit next to two Baptist ministers on the flight from Amsterdam to Accra both of whom were organizing ministries in Ghana. They were actually from Georgia and one of them grew up in Jacksonville Florida...small world After I arrived yesterday Jessica Vernon a frie http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-74206.html HelloIf you're looking for the blog of a short blonde boy who responds to Markle Sparkle and Gopher among other things then you've come to the right place I am currently still in the USA and don't have much to say except that I just found out that I'm going to be an uncle in 6 months...woohoo but I'll send more updates once I leave the states on Tuesday. In the meantime here's a ran http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/United-States/Colorado/Rocky-Mountains/blog-72709.html