woop!

Okay okay okay

So here will be an attempt to describe what it is like in Ghana. So far, amazing. The people are so friendly, the food is amazing, and everyone is constantly "Enjoying their lives". Currently I am in Accra - until thursday- then off to Kumasi the cultural center of Ghana and 2 weeks in a village outside Kumasi for a homestay where they only speak Twi. SO hard to learn but for only being here a week we are doing pretty well (I literally feel like I have been here for months). So we have class in the day time and then somedays we dance and such other times we just have time to stretch and walk around.

We have been to the beach twice the first time as a group and we played in the waves and sand. A lot of the men ask to marry you or have your phone number- usually proposal comes first. After explaining simply that I am engaged or already married they just want to hang out and talk. The second adventure to the beach was an adventure for sure. Mimi and I got off on the wrong tro tro (public transportation the size of a school van) stop and then we walked towards the beach through a market area. Then the market area turned into a slum area and people kept telling us to keep going. By this point we were pretty deep into the slum and just kept walking not saying much to each other. Meanwhile, a little girl was following us the whole time silently until she told us she could take us to the beach. So with not much other option we went for it. Crossing a rickety bridge over a river full of trash and a little bit of water and chickens etc. we made it out onto a main road. Walking a mile ish down with the girl who was named Sophia we made it to the beach and found our friends. We bought Sophia a coke and she ended up spending the whole day with us running around the beach and rolling in the sand. SO AMAZING. In the end we got a taxi that would take her back to where she lived before we went home but it was a strange kind of parting and very sad.


FOOD
Anna and I ordered fufu for lunch during our lunch break. First of all again there was so much food. Two small football sized dough balls chillin in some groundnut soup. It is eaten with your hands (but only the right hand the left is used only for the bathroom and offensive in other use). Initially my fingers burned from the heat of the food and then as it cooled they tingled from the spice of the food. But I loved it! I love spicy food and beans (I know you are proud dad). My favorite meal so far is Red Red - beans and sauce and some powder stuff (?) and then fried plantains. Sometimes the food can be overwhelming and a bit too similar. I never realized how many different kinds of food I ate at home. Along the road there are plantain chips sweet or salty, popcorn, water sachets, fried dough balls (woah), and hot pocket/ chicken pot pie things not to mention fresh friut MANGOS, pineapple, oranges, and eggs?

Anyway, I have so many bug bites. Emily i don't know how you didn't get attacked by mosquito's but I am glad I have my net. Also I am sorry I didn't believe the amount of showering I would be doing. I shower once or twice a day with a bucket. Fun fact, I only need as much water as it takes to flush a toilet to shower myself. CRAZY RIGHT?

Anyway off to home for the night to attempt to hand wash my laundry hardly anyone here has a washing machine - sun power!

love love love to all MISS YOU A LOT