Some Realizations

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Hello to All,
Unfortunately this will be a shorter blog seeing as I am extremely tired and the internet cafe is going to be closing soon. This week proved enlightening. After my last blog entry I received quite a few messages about me being a little homesick. All of them were extremely supportive and uplifting. It's so wonderful to know that I have such a wonderful and caring support network back home. I realized this week, after most of my frustrations had drained away, that during my time here I have grown and am continuing to grow so much. My perspective is getting increasingly larger every day and I'm gaining experiences that I will carry with me my whole life.
Sure I'm rethinking some future ideas that I may have once had, but when things get annoying or frustrating, I'm learning to take a step back and appreciate the experience for what it is. Being here has most definitely made me appreciate the things and even people at home that I usually take for granted, and so I hope to leave here in two months and go home with a new outlook on American living.
Anyway, back to adventures in Ghana. Our CIEE group took a trip this weekend to the Central Region of Ghana. Unfortunately I came down with stomach trouble the night before our 6am departure, and thus had to stay behind yesterday morning. It must have been food or water poisoning because the entirety of my stomach contents was wrenched out of me all morning. I lay there for a few more hours in my bed thinking that I was dying...I mean I was pretty sure that this had to be as bad as it could get. However, after dragging myself to the bathroom and looking in the mirror, I promptly told myself that it was all mental, "mind over matter," and to get a gripe. So I threw myself in the shower, ate some oatmeal and hopped on a tro tro to meet the rest of my group in Cape Coast.
Unfortunately I missed the tour of one of the most famous 'slave castles' on the coast of Ghana. I went strait to the hotel and waited for the rest of the group to get back. When they all shuffled into the hotel, I could sense that the tour of the castle was extremely emotional and heavy, something that I'm not sure I could have handled in the fragile state I was already in. For those of you that are a little lost, the coast of Ghana was a prime spot for slave traders to come and gather people to ship off to the America's during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade a few centuries ago, thus the large amount of slave castles and forts still lining the rocks of the Gulf of Guinea.
Anyway, after a good dinner and a good night's sleep, I awoke this morning feeling 100% better. After a lovely breakfast overlooking the ocean and two cups of badly needed coffee, our group was off to a canopy walk. In Ghana's efforts to make eco-tourism thrive, a canopy walk was created in the earlier part of this century about 45 minutes outside of the city of Cape Coast to help the economy. After receiving our official canopy walk badges and a short hike into the jungle, we emerged onto a platform that had a series of rope bridges attached to it. I've never really been afraid of heights and we extremely psyched for this, however, many of the other students were a bit apprehensive. It's understandable that after your first few shaky steps onto one of the bridges and looking down into the leafy green abyss that some of them panicked a bit, however, I had a ball. I ran from bridge to bridge taking picture after picture. Unfortunately there weren't any monkeys or birds around, but I enjoyed the views out into the jungle and breathing the fresh air.
After the walk we all piled into the buses, went back to the hotel for a fast pace lunch, and then were herded onto the bus for the 2 and a half hour ride home. During the ride home, I stared out the window watching the scenery fly by. I thought about everything that I've experienced so far and about everything I've accomplished in the few short years of my life. Suddenly I got the overwhelming urge to write a book. I had the need to pour everything I was feeling and all the experiences whirring around in my head down onto paper. So perhaps in the next few years, if I ever get the chance, expect some sort of memoir from me...hopefully by the time I'm thirty. I feel as though everyone has those moments every once-in-a-while, the need to publish a feeling or an experience and share it with the entire world, perhaps I'll actually do it one of these days.
Anyway, I hope all is well with you all, and as always, thank you for reading!

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Photos

Lizzy and I getting psyched for the canopy walk
keep in mind I had just had two cups of coffee!

some of the beach at Cape Coast
this picture was taken out of the window of our bus which is why it's not the greatest

Comments

[Boxhand]

Good times gonna...
Heya, Sorry about beinga terrible friend and not sending any messages or anything. I've been terrible lately with everyone--caught up in my own little world. Anyways, don't get sick again. And keep enjoying your free time out there. I'm jealous--mostly jealous of the thought of being away, of exploring and adventuring. Soak it up! Take care, Andy