Some Travel Stories

The last two weeks have been quite exciting. I have met some volunteers from the American Peace Corps who live in villages outside of Wa. Even though the amount of work does not allow me to socialize very much, it is nice to know that there are people around. One Sunday afternoon we met and went for some drinks in Wa and it was great to just hang out and hear other stories from Ghana. Since the Peace Corps volunteers stay for 2 years most of them have been here for a while and it was good to see how well they cope since I have to admit that I am still struggling with adapting to my new life.

But some new impressions also helped to get some energy. Evelyn and I went to Accra to apply for my working permit, which I need in order to get a resident permit. I was impressed because the Immigration Service was run by military staff that looked quite scary and I felt slightly intimidated. That night I checked in at a hostel because I was gonna meet a friend from Germany who was by coincidence passing by. 4 days with a friend was just what I needed. The night Lena came we heard about a Reggae party at the Accra beach and got a little taste of the Rastafarian culture of Ghana, which I have not gotten in touch with so far. After only seeing Wa, where life is not easy for most of the people it came like a shock to me to see everyone smoking cigarettes, drinking too much and not worrying about anything.

The next day we explored the capital of Ghana together. Puhhh compared to my town Wa the capital is a little shock. Soooo many people, everyone is trying to talk to you and wants to sell you something. We were brave enough to throw ourselves into the Makola market. That was the craziest market ever. Cars, motorbikes, people trying to push through 500 little booths. The smell of fish, urine, food mixing and the eye constantly busy with things like huge snails being sold, crabs, colorful cloths …

Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with a drink in a beach bar as Accra has a sea front. In the afternoon we went to see the national museum. How do I describe it carefully? A lot of dust and many different stories about the Ghanaian culture and history being told at the same time mainly through reading boards rather than objects. However, I was able to learn quite a bit about the slave trade, a topic that I haven’t really studied so far.

The next day we went to Cape Coast, without knowing what bus to take when, and where to stay. That is the best way to travel! Everything worked out perfectly fine. We got on a Tro-tro, which took us to Cape Coast within less than 3 hours. We went for the Oasis Beach Resort, which is a nice hostel with a beach front. The room was awesome, the place was awesome and I got two days without any worries. Especially the beach pigs enlighted my days.

After arriving we went to see Cape Coast Castle and learned even more about the Slave 
Trade. The Castle was a place where the British would bring the slaves before they were shipped to the Americas or the Carabbean. The Castel is just on the Beach of Cape Coast and the village is on both sides of it. In front of the Castle many fishermen have their boats laying nowadays.

Even though Cape Coast was without electricity the first night we had a good time. We met Henrietta, a powerful local lady running Chics Hebs, a restaurant I can only recommend because this woman is the best. Without electricity she cooked great food and she was just pure positive vibes. A group of European students joint us, who are currently studying for a semester in Cape Coast. Back at our Hostel a Reggae party was waiting for us. Cape Coast seems to be the volunteers’ retreat as the hostel was crowded with volunteers. 

The next day Lena and I went to Kakum Nationalpark for a canopy walk. It was extremely overprized and the park was crowded. At the entrance we were told that we shouldn’t expect to see anything, which seemed blank but honest. But as it was raining like hell it added some fun to it. On our way back we stopped at Hans Cottage Botel - another crazy place. It is a hotel, combined with a restaurant AND a pond with many many crocodiles inside, which were moving around quite freely. We had a coffee, watching the crocodiles and after went back to the Oasis Beach resort.

The next day we went back to Accra where I probably committed a sin. Lena and I went to the Koala supermarket in the part of town where all the expatriates live. An incredibly overprized supermarket which offers imported food. I bought dark bread, cheese and chocolate….you don’t want to know how much I paid…but it was worth it. There was not a single local inside but only expats and tourists. Feels wrong but still I am sure I will be back. In Osu,the expat part of Accra, life is different. Nice houses, expensive restaurants with international food. The expats have created a little paradise for themselves, away from real life in Ghana. 

In the evening Lena got on a Taxi to the airport and I got on a Taxi to O&A station where I met my boss Evelyn and we got on the bus back to Wa.

The next week Evelyn went to a trade fair in Burkina Faso and I was alone with the workers at the office. I had to take care of daily business and the first time I really experienced what work is like in Ghana. Things tend to be more chaotic than I am used to from Germany. Polychronic work (doing multiple things at the same time) kind of overwhelmed me. The moment you do something, you are asked to do 5 other things, your name is called every minute and I didn’t know what to do first. I have noticed that work attitude before, but now I was living it. I dropped dead at night and I am amazed by how Evelyn manages this every day.

Now, this week also a life changing event took place: I bought a bicycle! Her name is Carry and we will be best friends!

I got to leave Wa again because I visited one of the volunteers I have met. His village Poyentanga is only a 30 minute tro-tro ride away. They had market day and it was nice to escape to village life. We sat in one of the booths on the market and drank Pito, a locally brewed beer, which has a very distinct taste. It is quite strong and sour. You have to try hard to like it but you know, at some point you just do like it! The big steaming pots are Pito being brewed (the pic was actually taken in Wa in the back of a house). The tro-tro back to Wa was great. The people who sold their things on the market went back to Wa and all their goods were tied on the tro-tro. Even a goat was tied on top.

Ha! Today I snapped Fivel or one of his family members. I am sure now, that we have at least three, but probably many more sharing the house with us.