Travels Around Ghana

Classes start again this week, so I figure this is a good time to share some of the places I have been able to visit over the holiday break.

VOLTA REGION: Volta is named for the huge river and lake that span across Ghana.  The wetland and drainage area cover parts of Togo and Burkina Faso as well.  With a group of students, I took a bus to the far east of the country to climb Ghana’s highest peak: Mount Afadjato.  Granted this mountain is only 885 meters high, it was still tricky descending in the pouring rain. Apparently, there’s a higher peak a few kilometers away, but it is in Togo.  I don’t know how some girls climbed in flip-flops and some boys climbed in converses or barefoot. I don’t think climbing is a popular activity in Ghana. 

The group also stopped at the highest waterfall in West Africa.

Lesego and I returned to Volta with two others on a trip to Akosombo. We went to take a cruise on Volta Lake and see the dam that provides the energy for all of Ghana (as well as Togo and Benin).  It was so nice to be among the mountains for a while and enjoy an air-conditioned hotel room before school starts again.

MOLE NAT’L PARK: I was graced by the presence of my parents over New Years and one of the first things we did was fly to the Northern Region to visit Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest wildlife sanctuary. The flat and dry savanna land was once used as a game reserve, but is now a national park complete with safari. Our hotel rested on top of a hill overlooking a watering hole that housed baboons, antelopes, crocodiles, warthogs, and even elephants.

We got to see the animals up close. Very close. Monkeys would try to take food off our tables, and a baboon stole Lesego’s swimsuit that was hanging out to dry.  On our guided walking safari, we even met the elephant named “People’s Friend No. 2.”  Apparently People’s Friend No. 1 used to drink out of the hotel’s swimming pool before disappearing somewhere in the park.

Mole felt different than any other part of Ghana I had seen, not only in terms of the weather and landscape but the people, language and lifestyle. I liked it.

CAPE COAST: As probably my favorite city in Ghana, Cape Coast lies in the Central Region of Ghana, only about a 2 hour drive from Accra.  I had gone there once to enjoy the beach on Francis’s birthday and we returned with my parents to do the sightseeing and enjoy the rich history of the area. 

Cape Coast was the first capital of the British Gold Coast Empire. On the coast is a large fortress, Cape Coast Castle, which was first used by the Portuguese in the 15^th century to hold and transport slaves.  It contains the famous “Door of No Return” through which slaves would pass and board ships to the Americas.

Close to Cape Coast is Kakum National Park, an exciting rainforest preserve with a canopy walk.

KUMASI: Lesego and I were able to join a group of exchange students from UW-Milwaukee on a trip to the ancient capital of the Ashanti Empire.  Kumasi is famous for the second largest market in West Africa (after one in Nigeria) and for housing the current king of the Ashantis. Bustling Kumasi felt much like Accra with a slightly cooler temperature. We were able to go to a few small towns that showed us how they make local glass beads and textiles. 

 The glass powder and clay molds used for making beads. 

 Symbols are seen everywhere and on everything. We had the chance to choose and stamp our own.

Sometimes I forget there’s more to Ghana than Accra. It sure is a beautiful country.

"And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime..."

I think it was the first week in December when I heard my first Christmas song of the year playing on the radio in Accra.  Still feeling like it was August, I was completely thrown off guard.  And I wondered, why does this feel so out of place? Should not one be able to experience the Christmas spirit regardless of location, climate, or customs? Is it not about the way we treat people and our observance of religious traditions? But then I realized, it’s more than that. I do need the Christmas atmosphere in which I was raised to feel the same type of excitement I have always had at this time of year.  The songs evoke memories.  It’s the reminder of what the season will bring.  It’s the heightened expectation of experiencing all that the songs are talking about.  It’s knowing that I will watch The Santa Clause and cut down my own tree and string lights around the house. It is too hard to listen to Jingle Bells when I know I probably will not hear any.  I cannot shriek at the joy of a Winter Wonderland when I know I won’t get one.  And boy, does hot cocoa in front of a fire sound like the last thing I want.  This holiday season, I listened to Christmas music and felt the love of family and friends, but I missed waking up in my house to the smell of fresh sugar cookies, sitting in front of the warm air coming from our register, and watching the tiny snow flakes falling so delicately outside the kitchen window.  THAT is why Christmas was different here. It’s a different Christmas spirit.

Black Santas out the window:  I asked Lesego if she grew up with a black or a white Santa.  She said they didn't have Santa in the village, but she always saw a white Santa. Only later in life did she see black Santas. 

Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the 25^th (and 6^th and 7^th) with my host family and roommate.  It was nice to be reminded that Ghana is more than students living in hostels; there are indeed families that celebrate together.  Our dinner was wonderful.  Not knowing what to expect, I pictured fufu and kenkey on our Christmas dinner table, but instead there was a magnificent turkey.  (Okay, there was still rice and stew, but this is Ghana and it would be just too absurd to not have rice…) Six out of Fredi and Emma’s seven children were there, one of who returned from the UK and was accompanied by his wife and little girl.  We exchanged presents- I got a beautiful African dress from Fredi and Emma and gave them a book about the history of Milwaukee- ate, and watched movies.  Thankfully, they have a room with air conditioning so I got my dose of cold for at least a bit. :)

The holiday season always reminds you of how lucky you are… not for what you have or where you are, but for who you have.  In my telephone call back home, I talked to my parents, my brother, my aunts, uncle, cousins, and godmother, all of whom regretted my absence but were excited for my Christmas experience abroad and guaranteed me how much I was loved.  I ensured them that I was still with family here.