Please God, don't taunt me with the grey clouds, just give me rain!

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So, it's day number 5 here in Aflao. It's been very very interesting so far. I guess it started on the plane, when I sat next to a Ghanaian. He asked me where I was going in Ghana and I told him to Denu in the Volta Region. He laughed... a lot. This was a sign of things to come for me! He said that I was going very far out and that it is not a very good place for a young girl. I thought, well, fan-bloody-tastic. But this is one of the reasons why I wanted to go in the first place. He also said that it was very cold in the area. He was very wrong on that one, he gave me a whooolle lotta hope. But more to come on the weather shortly.

Going through customs was easy, finding my luggage, not so easy. I had to wait around for a little bit, while they looked for it all. I was super nervous that the guy at Melbourne airport had sent it off to somewhere like Beijing! I eventually got out and was stopped by at least 46 different taxi drivers for a ride and I hadn't even gotten out of the front door of the airport! Eventually, I saw these little arms pop out from behind a bunch of large men, carrying a sign 'MARISA FOWLER'. The next hour was a bit of a blur. We (Charles, my area supervisor, and I) had to run with my trolley of bags away from another 34 taxi drivers. Charles eventually settled on one guy who wasn't in the mood to rip us off.

As we drove out of the airport and into town, I was amazed at how many people just stand on the road selling their good. I had to close my eyes because I thought we had hit a bunch of them, but they were just pot holes! Everyone was really friendly though so it was ok. We got dropped off at this market that also is a stop off point for these vans that pick up people and take them further distances around Ghana. There were about 12 of us squashed in this car for 3 hours with my big backpack, my normal backpack, my sleeping bag and a random bag of junk that I had acquired along the way. I unfortunately got stuck with a middle sit so by the time we were done with the drive, my left bum cheek had lost all sense of feeling. And it kind of tickled when it came back to life.

Before I headed to my host family, we stopped off and had a beer at this local shop/hang out. It was local Ghanaian beer which kind of tasted like Carlton Draught but with a bit more of a long-lasting tang at the end. Was pretty dang good after 36 hours of traveling! Some little kids came out from the sand and picked up all my stuff and took it over to the house while I continued drinking.

Anyway, I'll speed things along. After a 5 min walk, I get to my paradise and meet my host family. I'm not staying in an orphanage anymore. I am staying with Mr and Mrs Hulede (Hoo-li-dae), Mrs Huledes sister, her grandaughter Amaka (one of the cutest 3 year olds alive), Mrs Huledes sons lady friend who is only 16 and 6 months pregnant and two orphans, Shalots and Forgive.

Within the house compound is the school which is pretty cool but very unfinished and extremely below par. Photos to come in the next entry, if possible. I have my own little house with my own room, and a room next door which will be for Lucy when she gets here. When I go to the toilet to 'urinate' - as Ghanaians like to say it - I have to bring a bucket of water which is taken from a well that Forgive and Shalots collect for me. The water is used as the flush seeing as it's just a toilet with a seat! The shower is a concrete block and Mrs Hulede has kindly given me a cloth to cover the opening so that I get some privacy. The shower is with a bucket of water, which I am ok with as it's similar to the way we shower in Indonesia. It's actually really nice to have a cold refreshing shower.

The area that I am staying in has a lot of sand. Instead of grass, it's sand. In stead of dirt, it's sand. There's sand in my shoes and my hair and my ears and probably in my private areas. The weather is hot for one or two days then monsoonal for the next one of two days. On my second day here, there was torrential rain for about 2 hours, so the children had to go into Lucy's room and the house as their school rooms have thatched roofs so they were getting drenched!!

Anyway, this is a long enough entry. Similar to a chapter in a book. I'm off to check my myspace now. Dial up means one window at a time!!

Till next time!
M.

(P.S. Excuse the:
1. Incorrect Spelling
2. incorrect word usage
3. general not making sense
I'm using a really tough keyboard with all the symbols/letters in the wrong place and then just sheer stupidity)

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Comments

[Ricki05]

Hello
Hi - just wanted to say I enjoyed your blog - brought back good memories! I was in Ghana last year for 2 months, also in the Volta region and returned for 2 weeks from 3 May until 16 May. I am not happy being back home! I also have a blog - ricki05. Good luck in Ghana - it's the best place!