I've felt the rain down in Africa

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It took all of 3 weeks but we've finally found an internet cafe in the area with a respectable connection. I was getting worried when a few of the group had a bad experience in Cape Coast, the former Ghanaian capital, waiting an hour for three pages to load. Happily, we've found a relatively reliable spot in nearby Elmina in which we can stay in touch with the world.

As for the past 3 weeks, I've forgotten more about them than I would like. The first week and a half (our induction period) is one big blur with trips here and there, seeing as much of the area as possible before Mark (our Dad, brother and cool uncle all in one) had to return to Limerick.

I'll start at the beginning. The flight was long but comfortable. It's not every day you see both the Alps and the Sahara Desert, and from the most breathtaking of viewpoints. On the Frankfurt to Accra leg of the journey we unexpectedly ran into two more Irish volunteers from Kilkenny. Eoin and Aoife had also contacted Mark Mantey and would stay with us for the first week before moving further North to Apam.

Accra Airport was an experience in itself. Stepping off the air-conditioned plane into the hot, humid air was surreal. How could it be this hot at night? I tried to convince myself that the heat was coming from the planes engines but as we moved further away we were struck with the realization that this was what we were going to be living in for the next 6 months.
The arrivals building is colorfully painted in the Ghanaian colors and giant AKWAABA (Welcome) signs. I think it lured us into a slightly false sense of security, leaving us completely ill-prepared for what lay outside. A large crowd of people assembled outside the arrivals building, all shouting for the attention of family or friends coming out the door. The noise was deafening, the smell of the city hit your nostrils, the humid air almost carried a taste with it. We were relieved to see Mark's face along with Sr. Monica, one of the two head sisters at Ahotokurom, who we were meeting for the first time. As we made our way to Bernard's (an Ahotokurom resident) bus we were approached by a group of local lads who spend their days around the airport looking for white people to swindle a few Cedis out of. They welcome you with a smile and will offer to carry your bags, but as long as you'r wise to their motives they aren't a major problem.

The journey from Accra to Abee, our home for the next few months, took almost 4 hours. Almost half of this time was spent trying to get out of Accra itself. The number of road deaths in Ghana is incredibly high and it comes as no surprise. The driving/overtaking/lane changing techniques of some drivers range from comical to just plain scary. Rather than use such annoyances as indicators or mirrors, drivers will simply beep their horn a few times as warning to all surrounding vehicles that they are about to change lanes. Some of the nearby drivers might then respond in kind as either protest or acknowledgment of the drivers intentions.... Some laugh!!! Our driver Bernard is a lovely man who does local school runs as well as carrying all the Ahoto staff and students to and from the compound. Bernard gave us a real lesson in driving that night. One of my favorite maneuvers of the night was when Bernard switched off his lights mid way through an over-taking in order to see if there were any lights coming towards us from the bend up ahead. There weren't, so he continued to overtake through the turn and we were on our merry way.

We landed in Abee exhausted, sweaty but excited all the same. There we met Gladys (Mark's wife who we meet for dinner every day in Ahoto) and Aunty Bee (our next door neighbor). Between the two of them we are well looked after and are always on hand with advice or to help us out. It comes in particularly handy when your trying to sleep and the local kids pretend not to understand the words "Come back later". A good Aunty Bee lecture, in Fanti (the local language, haven't quiet grasped it yet), usually does the trick. Gladys prepares one meal a day for us during the week and is a superb cook. From local dishes like fufu and groundnut soup, to a nice sausage and chips (yam chips that is, but they're as good as the real thing), she never disappoints us. Luckily we are getting at least one good meal a day as supper usually consists of a few slices of bread. The heat, combined with the two hour round trip on foot to the school I'm teaching in takes its toll and cooking seems somewhat less appealing. Then there is the fact that we're woken at half 5 every morning by a rooster outside our window.

I'll tell you all about Ahoto itself another time when I've got a chance. Hopefully this page will be updated regularly so for now Yobeshia!!! (It's spelt horribly wrong but means "We will meet again" in Fanti)

Oh and we have actually felt the rain.... briefly.

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Comments

[dan]

driving manuevres
"One of my favorite maneuvers of the night was when Bernard switched off his lights mid way through an over-taking in order to see if there were any lights coming towards us from the bend up ahead. There weren't, so he continued to overtake through the turn and we were on our merry way." What if an incoming vehicle also turned their lights on the same time your driver...in some weird way.. I find that funny.

[Siobhan!!!]

hello from limerick!!
Hello there to ya, over there in Ghana doing some good for the world!:-) sounds amazing...apart from the two hour walk!thats unfortunate!! dont forget to come back to us though!!

[Micheal Clifford]

did you hear the news down in africa
Shane, Just wondering if the Abee times carried a match report from the All-Ireland final, which Bally/Foilmore won by 1-13 to 1-9. I suspect the good people Ghana speak of little else. You should walk tall out there now in the knowledge that your own tribe are now the high kings of Ireland. We will kill a fatted cat - calves are out of the equation in these recessionary times - and make sure you get a good look at the cup close up when you get back. That's some thing for you to cling to. Keep safe and keep it country.