I am married!!!

I am married!!!

Ring, Ring! The alarm goes off at 6:30am on Feb. 17th. It is a big day - Sony and I are getting married. We get ready and head over to the family house and meet the other family members. Two witnesses for each of us and a few other people came. When we arrived at the registrar, there were many people there. We took a number - 11. I saw two other white ladies getting married that day as well. We had to wait just over an hour before it was our turn. It was held inside a small room. The two of us sat down at the table in front of a lawyer. It was a quick process. He talked to us and made sure we understood what was happening. We each took turns repeating what the lawyer said to each other. Then we signed the marriage certificate and so did our witnesses. The lawyer said a few words and then pronounced us husband and wife. We took lots of pictures outside on the premises before heading to a chinese restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, we went home and rested. The ceremony and reception will be held on March 7th. The reason for two different dates is that the church is not licensed yet give out marriage certificates.

Safari

Safari

Finally we did our safari trip. It was a long journey to get there, but it was worth it. We left last Thursday and headed to Kumasi, a 5 hour bus ride and we spent the night there. Then we were off to Tamale, a 7 hour bus ride. We stayed the night there as well. We got up at 3am so we could be at the bus station for 4am to get our ticket to get to the park. It was interesting. The tourbook said tickets could not be purchased in advance. So we were there and there were so many people already there. We also found out from a couple of the locals that you need to buy the tickets in advance. Go figure. I saw a group of 4 white people and they were from Canada. They didn't have tickets either. We were all trying to figure out how to get on the bus, even if we had to stand. A young man helped us out and we all got on. We managed to sit on our backpacks so that the ride would not be so bad. And the journey was about 3 1/2 hours. We arrived in Larabanga, a small town just outside the park entrance. The people were so friendly there. We also met a couple, she from Holland, he from England. We shared a taxi ride together to the park. We chatted with them quite a bit throughout the day. A nice couple and they also met on the internet. After we checked in, we had breakfast and then went to the viewing platform. We sat there for a couple of hours looking out for animals. We saw monkeys, bushbucks, and 2 elephants emerged from the trees and had fun in the waterhole. It was so exciting, but I wanted to see one up close. It was time for lunch and then we had a quick nap. We went for a guided walk and was disappointed that I did not see an elephant or a baboon, the two animals I really wanted to see. However, it was nice to see some wildlife. To go on a true safari, you must go to the other african countries. Overall, it was a nice trip. The weather is cooler here now, especially in the north where we were. My lips got chapped and my skin got quite dry, just like I would get during winter. Another adventure complete.

Birthday Surprises!!

Birthday Surprises

When I awoke Saturday morning on my birthday, there was my first surprise. Three wrapped roses laying on the pillow beside me. I knew this was going to be a good day. I got out of bed and gave Sony a good morning and thank you kiss. It was so sweet. I cooked myself an all american breakfast. My little treat. We relaxed and did a few things throughout the day. The next surprise was not until the evening. We went to the family house at 7pm. I opened the door and to my surprise the family started singing happy birthday and there was a cake. I could not believe it!! I was so happy and felt special - of course I gave Sony a hug and kiss. For dinner we had fried chicken and fried rice. Afterwards, we were shaking our booties to good african tunes. Then I blew out the candles. Before I could cut the cake, Sony had another surprise for me. I had to close my eyes and when I opened them, he was down on one knee. I covered my mouth and he asked, "Will you marry me?" I said, "Yes" and put the ring on my finger. I gave him a few kisses. My body felt weak, I was so happy. And now I had to cut the cake. I got through that and then went back to him to cuddle and kiss. I had a huge smile on my face. I have to say being in your 30s is not so bad. I have had two great birthdays, this one being better than the last. What is in store for me next year?

Museum visit

From Museum

Our first outing was back in November and we went to the museum of the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. I learned a lot. A couple of things the president accomplished was gaining independency from Britain and creating the Aksombo Dam where we currently get our electricity. He passed away at an early age back in the 1960s I believe. His wife, who was from Egypt, passed away last year and wanted to be buried next to him. As you will see in the pictures, the grounds are amazing. There was a lot of thought put into this to honour the president. Everything is a symbol for something. The water, the statues, the tower are all significant. Afterwards, we walked to Independence Square, an open stadium area built near the ocean to host various events. Not far from there, the country built an arch tower to remind Ghanians the day they gained independence.

Halfway

Another beautiful hot day in Ghana and I realize my trip is half over. Where has the time gone? I wish I could stay here forever, but unfortunately for the moment I cannot. I reflect back on the last 3 months and I wonder how much more I could have done and experienced, but I have to remember it was a time of adjustment and being comfortable with things. I know the next 3 months will go by even faster and there is still so much to explore. During this time, I will visit an orphanage as much as possible, travel to the northern region for a safari, and go turtle watching at night. Whatever else I can squeeze in will be a bonus.
I would like to wish everyone a belated merry christmas and a happy new year!!! New years here did not go as planned. There was suppose to be a street carnival in town, but was cancelled due to the elections because of no result. The elections put a damper on the holidays and people were not in the spirit to celebrate or do anything. The results are finally in and people are happy and business is good for many. I hope everyone rang in the new year with lots of excitement and I am looking forward to see what 2009 brings.

Boti Falls

Boti Falls

Sony and I decided to travel to Boti Falls on a beautiful Saturday day. It took us just under three hours to get there (lots of traffic), but it was worth it. A guide took us on a hike to the naturally formed rock first. It was so peaceful and green around us. And the fresh air was wonderful! When we got to the rock, we took a rest and had lunch. Once we were done, it was just a few minutes to the unusual palm tree. Afterwards, we hiked all the way to go to the falls. It was absolutely beautiful!!! There was a church group there, and most of them took a dip in the water, with their clothes on!!! I also met two Canadian girls. They are in Ghana doing an internship for 6 months. It was nice to talk to them.

Food

My adventure in Ghana

So, you might be wondering what I am eating here. Can I handle the local food? Do I miss my favorite foods back home? Well, the local food is good, some of it. The supermarkets do carry imported products, mostly from europe and middle east. I have found Lay's and Dorito's potato chips, but they do taste differently. The local market is full of cheap vegetables and fruit. There are restaurants serving good continental and chinese dishes. I do miss Subway sandwiches and my Dorito's cheese chips. Overall, I am not starving here. There is always food to be found.

Our apartment

My adventure in Ghana

Finally! I know you all have been waiting to see our place. Sony found a two bedroom flat in a quiet neighborhood outside the city and close to his family. There are 3 other places within the complex. Our neighbors are nice. I have pics of all the rooms in the house. It is a nice starter place for a couple to live in. If I was staying longer, it would be really nice to fix up the place. Click on photo to access photo album.

Trip to Volta Region (Eastern part)

What a roadtrip I had!  I know back home, lots of people love to go on road trips for the weekend and they are enjoyable.  In Ghana, it is a different story.  Sony and I were off to Kpando, a town close to the area where I was at last year working in the orphanage.  We left at 3pm.  About 20 minutes into the journey, the bus had a problem.  The driver chose not to listen to anyone on the bus, and he kept driving slowly.  We did stop for a few minutes to see what to do.  The driver did not want to change buses.  So he kept on driving.  Then it started to rain heavily.  The window beside me had a small leak and I was getting wet.  Sony moved to another seat so I could sit in his.  We got to Tema, a small town, and that was it for the bus.  We waited almost 2 hours for another bus to come.  The bus finally came and we were on our way. We arrived in Kpando at 11pm, 8 hours after leaving. The trip was suppose to be 4 hours.  The next morning we headed to the orphanage, which was closed.  The area was celebrating Farmer's Day, so a lot of places were closed.  Our next stop was visiting my host mother.  She was pleasantly surprised to see us.  She told us the orphanage is now a school (children have to pay fees) and there have been no volunteers since I was there.  It was not good news to my ears. Afterwards, we left to go and visit Sony's brother in a town called Ho, just over an hour away. We travelled by taxi, so it was quick and there were no problems.  We spent a few days with his brother before heading back.  We took the City Express this time.  It is a newer van with air conditioning and does not stop along the way to final destination.  It only costs $1 more to travel in than the regular tro-tros.  It was well worth the extra money.  We got home in 3 hours.

Black vs. White

I saw a white guy riding a bike in my neighborhood a few days ago! I know it sounds weird, but it is exciting everytime I do see someone white in the area I live. There are not too many. I get the calls Oburni, Oburni which means white person. Some wave and say hi, tell me I look beautiful. I even had one guy tell me he wanted to marry me.....ha ha ha.....One time, there was a group of 3 girls and they said Oburni, good afternoon. I said Bebeni (means black person in the local language) to them and they were so surprised and had a good laugh. When I do go into town, I see so many white people, and I stare. Crazy. It makes me feel connected. There are quite a few that live here. The Ghanians are very friendly people. Some even try and help me with the local language. I try and go to the same kiosks (fruit stand, veggie stand, etc.) and get to know the ladies that way. I do miss the mix of people back home.