Time goes by so slowly, and time can do so much

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Three weeks and it feels like I have been here forever and just a moment, that time is passing so slowly and that I am already running out of it. What this means is that home feels like home, if I am not altogether comfortable with the weather at least I have accepted a state of perpetual stickiness, I feel as though I have done so much with out really doing anything. Its a strange state of being and it is galvanizing me into making sure I am using my time well. Last weekend was the first of the CIEE trips, all 55 of us piled into two buses that wound their way up into the mountains. The view from a height was like nothing I had ever seen before. Ghana has the most interesting high level fog that shrouds the country and gives it a strange hazy mystery almost like the wet heat sucks the color out of both the earth and the sky. almost unexpectedly we arrived at the first of our goals; a woodcarving village. Forty or so stalls line the highway each filled with beautiful masks and statues, drums and figurines. I however was not paying much attention to anything other than the fact that like any good well hydrated person I had to pee like a camel. Asking around I was led to a strange little stall, really just three walls of concrete about chest hight with a ill fitted door and no roof to speak of. Inside there was no toilette, no hole in the ground just a very smelly concrete corner. As I was relieving myself the rest of the group gathered around the carvers who were seated right outside the door. I don't know who was more surprised when I popped up and let myself out. I think its safe to say that I was one of the best bargainers of the group, but I can' t disclose what I got because some of those items are destined to be presents.

After far too short a time we were back in the bus on our way to the Aburi Botanical Gardens. They were spectacular. The towering trees with their roots stretching like webbed fingers over the grass. The broad leafed plants I am so used to at home reach Jurassic sizes and engulf their tree hosts. We saw cocoa trees and ate cinnamon bark off of the living plant. There were parasitic trees that would slowly strangle their hosts as they grew up and around them. Hibiscus and bougainvillea rioted with color only rivaled by the brilliant blue butterflies. All this and we visited at the lowest growing period of the year. There were trees planted by royalty and trees that have been used for medicinal purposes long before western medicine.

In other news Courtney, my first friend on the plane in from Amsterdam has gone home. For some reason she just could never get comfortable and is very glad to be back in the frozen embrace of New York. Its sad but if she had never become comfortable it would have been just as uncomfortable for her friends. Tony, one of the only 7 boys in the program had his birthday last week and we celebrated it by going to the beach at night for live reggae and dancing. It was so surreal to stand in the tepid water of the Gulf of Guinea and know that not so long ago I was standing in the ocean on the other side of the world.

The house is a load of fun, we play cards, cook, read and like all people traveling abroad talk about our bowel movements. During our orientation a University of Ghana Health Official was telling us about cholera and used 'effortless' to describe the resulting bowel movements. We have since adopted the word and use it frequently. We celebrated a cherished University of Illinois holiday 'Unofficial St. Patrick's day' on Friday and I'm sure you can guess what that holiday entails.

Classes are a blast, I am learning about the molecular level of dying fabric, names of different shaped drums, gods whose names include 'the palm leaf that covers the universe,' how it is possible to sweat more than you have ever believed possible while dancing, and most importantly basic Twi. Real school is scheduled to possibly get rolling next week and we shall see what I can learn then.

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Photos

House plant
Much bigger than Mom's

Bougainvilla
Listening to the Guide

Helicopter
Random WWII Copter in the Gardens

Cinnamon Tree
Tamu is pleased

Our Guide
The Guide of our trip through the Aburi Botanical Gardens

Inn the Jungle
Suni and Lauren

Big Tree
Huge really.

Comments

[Sprouticus]

Vines and vishes...
Ah, this looks INCREDIBLE! What a tree! I wish I could explore it with you!

[Dad]

just waited to say hi
I am not sure what the best method to email you so I am trying this. Talking on the phone to you is great. It sounds like you are doing well. How are classes going. Has it cooled down some now that it is the rainy season. We are going to be sing in the Trial by Jury this weekend, it has been going pretty well. I am just glad I am in the back. If I mess up it does not matter that much. I wanted to let you know that the Car insurance company finally agree to pay for the damages to the other care. It only amounted to $1350. I think that was why they delay so long. Since the cost was small they must of figured that it was cheaper to pay up. They will get the money back from us in about 10 months. Hope you get a charge to do some more blogging. your writting is great. Love Dad