breakfast (which consisted of a hard boiled egg and some bread).
After, we drove to Cape Coast to visit the Slave Dungeons.
It was incredibly hot. And icky. I thought I was going to pass out
in the completely black, claustrophobic dungeon. It was informational
but looked like any fort I've been to in the past. It was also a
place where captured slaves were kept until they could be shipped off
in the boat.
After this we went to lunch at a crocodile place. I think it was a
place where people from Ghana go for a vacation. Maybe. Those are
the things I love seeing and doing. I want to see how the people
really live. They don't go to the slave dungeons for vacation. But
they may go to this place. It was cool. I ate an amazing mushroom
soup there.
Wednesday to Thursday I had a cultural immersion program in the
village of Togokorme. Writing about it does not do it justice.
Pictures do though. It needs it's own post (I'll do that eventually)
On Thursday night, we all went out to this club/bar called Manila
(taken over by sea people [my new name for SASers]). When we first
got there Alex and I peaced for a bit and pregamed at this little
outside bar across the street. It's hard to explain. There were
three tables almost directly on "the street" with this little hut
(probably 8ft. long and four ft. deep) selling alcohol. We just sat
and chilled. It was the perfect break I needed before dancing my mind
out at Manila.
Anyways, I know my mom will cringe at the story and think I was being
unsafe but if you were there you would understand the situation: So
while I was there I asked a girl who was working the stand where the
bathroom was. She responded that it was around the corner and she
would take me. I followed her behind the stand and down the street.
Along the way, I was thinking, "this is a bad idea." I asked her as
we were walking if she would wait for me (I didn't want to walk back
by myself). We got to this alley and she said bathroom. I was very
confused and it showed. She responded to my bewildered look with,
"You're in Africa now."
In many African cultures, nothing is a free gift. Something is always
expected in return. In Anthropology we talked about the symbolism of
gift giving in other cultures. For taking me to the bathroom she
wanted an invite to the US. She wrote her name on my hand: Winifred
Manson. It is much easier for Ghanaians to get a visa if they have an
invite from someone in the States. I think I'm going to look into it
when I get back. I mean she did take my to a bathroom.
The fifth day we bummed around Tema (it was too far to Accra and we
had to be on the ship at 4). We ate at Southern Fried Chicken.
Yummmm (not).
Fun Fact: I'm have never been this worn out/exhausted in my entire
life. 1. I need some serious sleep. And 2. I need some serious
alone time.
Fun Fact 2: Aputechi (may be spelled wrong) is an incredibly strong
drink in Ghana. It means something along the lines of "kill me fast"
or something.
This post was partially written the day after Ghana so…sorry if some
of it is confusing.
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