I'm back in Atlanta! My flight back was a perfect ending to a great trip. During my flight from Ghana to NYC, the Black Stars were playing the Yanks. The pilot updated us at every goal and our plane erupted in cheer everytime Ghana score; a guy on the flight managed to bring on board a vuvuzela (large air horns at the World Cup) and it made it all the better! As we were about to land, the pilot notified us that Ghana had beat the U.S. and it was a cool ending to my Ghana trip to have everyone on board cheering for Ghana.
One of my favorite things about Ghanaians is that they appreciate little things. As we landed, most people on board started clapping. As I thought about how I just flew 8000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean while sitting in a chair, I too joined in clapping!
I'm glad to be back at home in Atlanta and I'm very thankful for the great trip I had to Ghana. Let's go Black Stars!!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Out of Africa
I'll be leaving Ghana and returning to the U.S. tomorrow morning. I will be over the Atlantic, halfway between Ghana and U.S., during the World Cup match. I have both jerseys packed in my bag, we will see which jersey I have on when I get off the plane!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Days of Our Lives in Ghana
Here is what a normal day in Ghana (if there is such a thing) looks like for Lael and I.
5:00 a.m.: The first rooster crows, wakes me up, I grunt for a minute and go back to sleep.
6:00 a.m.: Random loud noises start to occur on our hall. Sometimes it is African soap peras, othertimes english lessons (I think) and also one of the rooms is being renovated near us so we hear glass breaking and cement pounding (why it starts so early, I have no idea).
6:30 a.m.: I get out of bed.
Breakfast: On a good day, we go to the mall or the canteen next door. I usually get a spanish omlette with toast. Lael always gets something caffineated and something sweet.
Transportation: It takes us 2 hours each day to get to Korle Bu Hospital, so we walk outside our hostel and catch a trotro.
A trotro is a bus that carries up to 25 people at a time. It costs anywhere from 20 cents to $1 to ride. It usually takes us about 90 cents for our 2 hour cross town trip. Also, it is safer and more reliable that Marta!
Once we get to Korle Bu, we get down to work. We spend the day looking for charts and convincing docs and nurses to let us look through charts. The hospital has been a neat experience, it is very different than what we see in the States.
We try to finish work around 3 so we can avoid traffic and eat a late lunch. Our staple food location is Barcelos. Barcelos is like Ghana Chick-Fil-A. We always get the chicken and chips and I always get a soda (the soft drinks here are awesome, they are made from pure sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup).
We also love the Very Peri sauce at Barcelos!
At night time we often go to Osu. Osu is like the Buckhead of Accra. We'll go there for dinner and drinks. The funny thing is that we eat Chinese A LOT!! There are Chinese restaurants everywhere and they are pretty cheap for the most part! They are also the safest place to eat vegetables. I literally have eaten more fried rice in Africa than I have at home or in China!
Recently we've been watching the world cup everyday! Before the World Cup, we would go out to jazz concerts and other events around the city.
There is no twilight (sunset) period here in Ghana. It goes from light to dark in about 30 minutes or so. It is usually dark around 6:30 and street/city life is a lot slower once the sun goes down. I usually hit the sack around 10 and look forward to hearing the rooster crow.
5:00 a.m.: The first rooster crows, wakes me up, I grunt for a minute and go back to sleep.
6:00 a.m.: Random loud noises start to occur on our hall. Sometimes it is African soap peras, othertimes english lessons (I think) and also one of the rooms is being renovated near us so we hear glass breaking and cement pounding (why it starts so early, I have no idea).
6:30 a.m.: I get out of bed.
Breakfast: On a good day, we go to the mall or the canteen next door. I usually get a spanish omlette with toast. Lael always gets something caffineated and something sweet.
Transportation: It takes us 2 hours each day to get to Korle Bu Hospital, so we walk outside our hostel and catch a trotro.
A trotro is a bus that carries up to 25 people at a time. It costs anywhere from 20 cents to $1 to ride. It usually takes us about 90 cents for our 2 hour cross town trip. Also, it is safer and more reliable that Marta!
Once we get to Korle Bu, we get down to work. We spend the day looking for charts and convincing docs and nurses to let us look through charts. The hospital has been a neat experience, it is very different than what we see in the States.
We try to finish work around 3 so we can avoid traffic and eat a late lunch. Our staple food location is Barcelos. Barcelos is like Ghana Chick-Fil-A. We always get the chicken and chips and I always get a soda (the soft drinks here are awesome, they are made from pure sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup).
We also love the Very Peri sauce at Barcelos!
At night time we often go to Osu. Osu is like the Buckhead of Accra. We'll go there for dinner and drinks. The funny thing is that we eat Chinese A LOT!! There are Chinese restaurants everywhere and they are pretty cheap for the most part! They are also the safest place to eat vegetables. I literally have eaten more fried rice in Africa than I have at home or in China!
Recently we've been watching the world cup everyday! Before the World Cup, we would go out to jazz concerts and other events around the city.
There is no twilight (sunset) period here in Ghana. It goes from light to dark in about 30 minutes or so. It is usually dark around 6:30 and street/city life is a lot slower once the sun goes down. I usually hit the sack around 10 and look forward to hearing the rooster crow.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Research Update
Quick Update: We finished our research at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital last week and today we finised our work at 37 Military Hospital. We have gathered a good amount of data from the two hospitals and will be analyzing the information once we get back to the states.
In addition, we have identified research needs and communicated with the right people to setup a larger research project for next year.
Mission Accomplished!!
We will be traveling the rest of our time here. I will be flying back to Atlanta on June 26th.
In addition, we have identified research needs and communicated with the right people to setup a larger research project for next year.
Mission Accomplished!!
We will be traveling the rest of our time here. I will be flying back to Atlanta on June 26th.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Ghana Ghana
We're on our way to watch the Ghana v. Australia match! The whole country shuts down during the game. Ghana Ghana!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Kakum National Park and Elmina Castle
After hiking Wli Falls 2 weeks ago we realized we needed something more hardcore, so we decided to hike the jungle from the top of the tree line at Kakum National Park. Kakum is a canopy walk above the tree line, about 40m (120 feet) above ground. There are 7 sets of rope bridges that you walk across.
In this picture, I thought it'd be fun to do part of the bridge backwards.
You can see for miles, it was quite the thrill!
The place I knew I had to see in Ghana was Elmina Castle. Elmina Castle is where the majority of western slaves were shipped out of. Slaves were gathered from all over western Africa, taken to Elmina in Ghana and shipped out to various parts of the west.
Background of Elmina: The castle was built by the Portugese in the 1400's to trade gold and other resources. The Portugese needed more man power in South America, so they started shipping out slaves from western Africa to what is now Brazil. In the 1600's the Dutch took over the Castle and started doing the same. The Dutch moved the slaves from Africa over to the Carribean and Dutch colonies in present day Latin America. And then in the 1800's the Brisith colonized Ghana and started shipping out slaves to the U.S., Jamaica and other British colonies.
The picture album on Picasa details the castle and what we saw. I'm glad we got to see such an important part of world history.
In this picture, I thought it'd be fun to do part of the bridge backwards.
You can see for miles, it was quite the thrill!
The place I knew I had to see in Ghana was Elmina Castle. Elmina Castle is where the majority of western slaves were shipped out of. Slaves were gathered from all over western Africa, taken to Elmina in Ghana and shipped out to various parts of the west.
Background of Elmina: The castle was built by the Portugese in the 1400's to trade gold and other resources. The Portugese needed more man power in South America, so they started shipping out slaves from western Africa to what is now Brazil. In the 1600's the Dutch took over the Castle and started doing the same. The Dutch moved the slaves from Africa over to the Carribean and Dutch colonies in present day Latin America. And then in the 1800's the Brisith colonized Ghana and started shipping out slaves to the U.S., Jamaica and other British colonies.
The picture album on Picasa details the castle and what we saw. I'm glad we got to see such an important part of world history.
The Ghana Diet
South Beach not working? Craving the carbs with Atkins? Feeling jipped at Subway?
We have the new revolutionary diet... The Ghana Diet! We have been here 4 weeks and I am over 10 pounds lighter and Lael is at least 5 pounds thinner. So you ask, what are you eating, what is the trick?
We average 3 scoops of creamy high fat ice cream/gelato a day, 1 bar of chocolate, a breakfast/Cliff bar, a plate of french fries, and a 40 of beer. I also crave meat, so I have chicken at least once a day.
So what's the trick? Come to Ghana and find out because we have no idea!
We have the new revolutionary diet... The Ghana Diet! We have been here 4 weeks and I am over 10 pounds lighter and Lael is at least 5 pounds thinner. So you ask, what are you eating, what is the trick?
We average 3 scoops of creamy high fat ice cream/gelato a day, 1 bar of chocolate, a breakfast/Cliff bar, a plate of french fries, and a 40 of beer. I also crave meat, so I have chicken at least once a day.
So what's the trick? Come to Ghana and find out because we have no idea!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Check Us Out!
We know you miss us! We know we're ridiculously good looking and you want to bask in our presence. It's ok, we are awesome and worthy of your praise.
Stalk our pictures and fulfill your need for our smiles:
www.picasaweb.google.com/DavidYeeChen/Ghana2010?feat=directlink#
Stalk our pictures and fulfill your need for our smiles:
www.picasaweb.google.com/DavidYeeChen/Ghana2010?feat=directlink#
Another (mis)Adventure in Ghana
We've been MIA for a few days, but not without due cause. Michelle Henry and John Donovan graced us with their presence last Wednesday and we set forth on another (mis)adventure around this crazy world called Ghana.
Michelle and John are from the NYC. Let's start with that. And let's finish by saying things in Ghana move slowly. Like, three-toed sloth slowly. So Michelle and John, leave the NYC pace at home and embrace this new world where no decision can be made in less than an hour. Welcome to Ghana.
And so they arrived.
And we didn't waste any time in immersing them into our new world. We planned their trip - off to the wild wild west (Will Smith anyone?). We'll start in Cape Coast, explore Kakum National Park and Elmina Castle and then head farther West to relax by the sea at the Green Turtle Lodge (http://www.greenturtlelodge.com/).
Welcome misadventure numero uno. It rained. It monsooned. For two solid hours we waited at a tro-tro station (which turned out to be the wrong tro-tro station) for a bus to Cape Coast. My non-waterproof backpack happily soaked up the wetness and left me with damp clothes all week. Stinky stink stinky (hefty hefty hefty). We were teased by the locals. And they didn't understand why I didn't need (or want) a hairnet. Haha. 
Welcome misadventure numero dos. After finally making a decision (on Ghanaian time obviously) we flagged down a taxi and arrived at the appropriate station. We jumped on a bus to Cape Coast. And for the first time ever, the bus was air conditioned. Oh my. Here we were, a wet mess, looking forward to a sweaty bus ride, but oh no, we had to find a cold bus. Great. And to top it off, we had a preacher on the bus. Michelle and John had seats in the front and I was in the back. The preacher was standing right next to them. He was enthusiastic to say the least. He was speaking Twi, but just about every other word was Jesus or Devil. And after an hour of this (our two hour journey took a solid five hours) they put in a movie. What movie? I have no idea. But in case you were partially deaf they turned the volume up so loud that the speakers became Charlie Brown's teacher. Great. Some Asian blood and guts ninja movie that sounds like 'waa waa waa waa.' And in case you slept through it the first time, they played it twice more. I believe this is the point when John decided this trip was a mistake. But don't worry, the story has a happy ending.
But first, misadventure numero tres. The driver passed our stop. He drove right through Cape Coast. We realized this, but we're not in America. There's no turning around. There's no stopping now because we would be homeless in Africa. Not too good. But maybe I'd find a black mamba to snuggle with.
And so we sat on that freezing cold Asian ninja movie bus for another two hours and landed in Tacoradi. Michelle made friends with a local who graciously took us to a hotel. We passed out. I woke Michelle and John up with bread and water (sorry for the disappointing breakfast John aka Cinderella) and we reevaluated. We were now almost to Green Turtle, so we decided just to continue on. After catching (the right) series of tro-tros we arrived. It was paradise. A pristine beach dotted with palm trees and pink huts. And Star beers (40 oz of course) for $2.50. Paradise. Here's when Michelle and John finally started enjoying themselves. And I enjoyed this.
And there we were, finally. Beachfront property. We played in the ocean. We canoed through a mangrove forest. We saw toucans (toucans!). I adopted two snails and affectionately named them Barack and Michelle (tribute to Stan for that idea) and let them slime their way around my canoe seat (slimey little boogers). Michelle has the beautiful photos from this and I'll get a link up soon. We also explored a local village. It's surreal - the stark contrast between the pristine beach and the primitive village. It's magical. Africa is a magical place.
And I'd be lying if I stopped there. You see, at Green Turtle, you keep a running tally of your food and drinks and pay at the end. Room charge = Lael's BFF. And beer, good ol Star Beer, all 40 oz of it, is only $2.50 (and that's in Ghana Cedis). Oh, dear. (I did have a bar tab close to $40 after two days.) To add to this problem, we made friends from Amsterdam. Trip and Marlin. And we made friends with some Canadians and a few Ghanaians. And John decided to teach them how to play UNO ala Stieglitz family style (aka you draw = you drink, you cheat = you sing a song on the table). If you play cards with me you know I cheat, not in a mean way, but in a 'I always know what cards you have in your hand because I have wandering eyes' way. So I was busted. I sang Happy Birthday, Michelle and I sang Pi Pi ADPi, and David sang Canada's National Anthem. Stop here - David sang Canada's national anthem - what?!?! We also heard many a Dutch song and a few improv numbers from John (who still swears to his innocence).
Oh, and I'd be an awful blogger if I didn't mention misadventure numero quatro. This is best captured by photos, but those are on Michelle's camera.
Michelle was the only one (of the five of us) who brought soap and shampoo. I mean, come on, we're in Africa, who uses soap? So I decided I'd shower with her so we could share the goods. We are staying at Green Turtle, and it is community showers and bathrooms. So there was no escaping the wrath of John. He heard the words 'Michelle we can just shower together' and he threw on his speedo and invited himself in. Yes, we were all in bathing suits, and yes there are images worthy of lifelong blackmail. If you're lucky you'll see some, because they are hysterical. But then again, what happens at Green Turtle stays at Green Turtle (or is that Las Vegas?).
And so, after enjoying some more rays and yummy meals we packed up and ventured into Cape Coast. We toured Elmina Castle, the major hub of slave trade servicing the Caribbean and the Americas, and Kakum National Park where we walked the rainforest canopy. David will update you on these, so hold tight. We're at the mercy of the internet, which in turn is at the mercy of electricity, which is never predictable. And so you shall wait patiently. But in the meantime, enjoy the following images from our Super Model Documentary Hour (Superstar anyone?!).
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Weekend Update
This weekend we will be traveling west of Accra. We will be going to Elmina Castle (this is the main slave castle that western slaves were shipped out of) and Green Turtle Beach. Western Region beaches in Ghana are suppose to be some of the best beaches in the world!!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Play That Funky Music White Boy
The music here is quite diverse and interesting. I hear Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' at least once a day. On our trip last week, we were in a village with a scarce source of electricity and was located in the middle of no where and surely enough, as we waited for the bus, I Will Always Love You is playing in the background.
In other music news, Bieber Fever is plaguing Ghana. Bob Marley and the Rastas are jammin mon'. The educated population are slappin' the bass with jazz. The taxi driver changes the radio station to old school rap everytime we get a cab. And someone in our hostel keeps blasting Rod Stewart out of what seems to be a pretty sweet sound system; totally loving it!
Quick Update: We are now two weeks in and haven't gathered a bit of data. We've met with the doctors and have been working the bureaucracy. Our doctors here are awesome and have been a great help, but just like the U.S. it's one hurdle after the next.
In other music news, Bieber Fever is plaguing Ghana. Bob Marley and the Rastas are jammin mon'. The educated population are slappin' the bass with jazz. The taxi driver changes the radio station to old school rap everytime we get a cab. And someone in our hostel keeps blasting Rod Stewart out of what seems to be a pretty sweet sound system; totally loving it!
Quick Update: We are now two weeks in and haven't gathered a bit of data. We've met with the doctors and have been working the bureaucracy. Our doctors here are awesome and have been a great help, but just like the U.S. it's one hurdle after the next.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
In the Jungle the Mighty Jungle
Pictures speak a thousand words and our picasa album will tell our weekend best. We left Friday for a 2 hour bus ride to the city of Ho. After 9 hours on a bus, we learned that many Ghanaians think everything is 2 hours away (Fun Fact #1). Ho is located in the Volta Region, which is northeast of Accra (where we are staying); in terms of distance it would be like traveling from Atlanta to Ashville. Our bus pulled in late at night and we scurried to find the first vacancy available at a hotel. Somehow we managed to find the very posh Freedom Hotel for a very cheap price and we had air conditioning for the first time since we arrived in Ghana!! Having become acclimated to the hot weather, we nearly froze to death Friday night. Saturday morning we woke up and realized that we had actually stayed at a bed and breakfast… free food is the best surprise in the world!! After our ‘free’ meal we took a true 2 hour bus ride to Wli Falls.
Wli Falls is the highest waterfall in Western Africa. Some poster we saw said that Wli Falls could be anywhere from 20m to 400m… kind of a big range, so we don’t actually know how high we climbed, but judging from the pictures and our muscle soreness, it was quite high! While at Wli Falls we met a friend Natalie. Natalie is from Australia, taught in London for a year, worked in Tanzania for a few months, currently is in Ghana for the month, and plans to finish the trip with a tour of eastern Africa (education friends… there’s definitely some cool opportunities out there!). So Matt, Lael, Natalie and I set on our journey led by our local tour guide Jonathan, who hiked the whole mountain in a pair of flip flops.
As we were surrounded by thick vegetation and animals we have never seen I realized ‘WOW!! I am hiking in the African jungle’. In short, our senses were overwhelmed. We saw scenery more beautiful than anything we’ve seen, heard animals we’ve never heard, and felt more exhausted than we’ve ever felt on a hike. The pictures will tell the rest of the story, so check out http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidYeeChen/Ghana2010?feat=directlink.
Wli Falls is the highest waterfall in Western Africa. Some poster we saw said that Wli Falls could be anywhere from 20m to 400m… kind of a big range, so we don’t actually know how high we climbed, but judging from the pictures and our muscle soreness, it was quite high! While at Wli Falls we met a friend Natalie. Natalie is from Australia, taught in London for a year, worked in Tanzania for a few months, currently is in Ghana for the month, and plans to finish the trip with a tour of eastern Africa (education friends… there’s definitely some cool opportunities out there!). So Matt, Lael, Natalie and I set on our journey led by our local tour guide Jonathan, who hiked the whole mountain in a pair of flip flops.
As we were surrounded by thick vegetation and animals we have never seen I realized ‘WOW!! I am hiking in the African jungle’. In short, our senses were overwhelmed. We saw scenery more beautiful than anything we’ve seen, heard animals we’ve never heard, and felt more exhausted than we’ve ever felt on a hike. The pictures will tell the rest of the story, so check out http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidYeeChen/Ghana2010?feat=directlink.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Bed and Breakfast With a Side of Macaroni N Cheese to the Tune of Ludacris
Whew! What a weekend. There are many parts of the trip that we won't be able to explain in words, but I'll attempt to fill you in with a few details.
The goal: Travel to Ho, the capital of the Volta Region. Sleep in Ho, travel onward to Hohoe (ho-hoy) to hike the Wli waterfall and explore the monkey sanctuary.
Side note: This post is partially dedicated to our dear pal Ludacris. If not for his late 90s/early 2000s hit 'You's a Hoe' our minds would not be polluted as we ventured to Ho and Hohoe. This one's for you, Ludacris.
OK, back to our adventure. After a 7, 8, or 9 hour bus ride (after a certain point I stop counting) that was supposed to average 4 hours, we arrived in Ho. We found our way to a hotel and checked into a room large enough for the three of us (so our reception man said). We were starving and grabbed some fried rice at their restaurant (sooo much fried rice here). Then we were escorted to our room and found (to our surprise) one large, very large, bed with three pillows. Oh yea, it wasn't a hotel after all. It was a bed and breakfast. Oops. Now their view of Americans must be rrreeeallllyy convoluted. Sorry Americans!
So after tucking in tight and spreading as far apart from each other as possible (eww cooties!) we tried to fall asleep. Except there was one small problem: our room had air conditioning. This has become a luxury for us. Unbeknownst to me, both Matt and David were also lying awake shivering. This went on for an hour or so until Matt finally sat up and said "I'm freezing!" at which point David and I both sighed and agreed and we shut off the air. Ahhh...much better...90 degrees with a chance of 80% humidity. We can't wait to get back to Altanta - I might have to bust out the Uggs!
And well, since it turned out to be a bed and breakfast, we all enjoyed a nice (free) breakfast the next morning. They even cut the crust off our toast (but not by request). And I got sooo close to tasting coffee on my lips, but alas it was only instant and well, if you know anything about me, instant coffee just will not do. I'd rather starve.
Upon leaving our quaint lodging experience we arrived in the town Hohoe and traveled another few miles to the Wli falls. We grabbed another interesting accomodation (only a photo can describe this one) and set about on our hike. For the sake of your eyes and my typing fingers, I'll save the hike story for another day. At the end, after the mud, tears, and sweat, we were famished. Here's when we joined the rest of our crew - Bilal and Maryam and a new friend from Australia named Natalie - and dined at the restaurant at their lodge.
We spotted it instantly: Macaroni n Cheese. Insert oooohhhhs and aaahhhhs here. After a week of rice and bread (not that we don't love rice and bread) we couldn't resist the chance to chow down on some good ol Mac N Cheese.
Bring on the Velveeta!
Bring on the Kraft!
Oh no...it was much better than that. It was fresh. It was homemade. The chicken on the side of the road had probably been snapped and de-feathered as we waited. And the best part: the macaroni was baked. Utter perfection. Lightly crispy on top with just the hint of brown from the oven. Amazing. The end.
Our fabulous meal was followed by dessert, bedtime, and then another adventure to the Monkey Sanctuary and home. We'll just stick to the topics in the title for now and save the rest of these details for other posts.... but enjoy some photos as you wait in eager anticipation:
The goal: Travel to Ho, the capital of the Volta Region. Sleep in Ho, travel onward to Hohoe (ho-hoy) to hike the Wli waterfall and explore the monkey sanctuary.
Side note: This post is partially dedicated to our dear pal Ludacris. If not for his late 90s/early 2000s hit 'You's a Hoe' our minds would not be polluted as we ventured to Ho and Hohoe. This one's for you, Ludacris.
OK, back to our adventure. After a 7, 8, or 9 hour bus ride (after a certain point I stop counting) that was supposed to average 4 hours, we arrived in Ho. We found our way to a hotel and checked into a room large enough for the three of us (so our reception man said). We were starving and grabbed some fried rice at their restaurant (sooo much fried rice here). Then we were escorted to our room and found (to our surprise) one large, very large, bed with three pillows. Oh yea, it wasn't a hotel after all. It was a bed and breakfast. Oops. Now their view of Americans must be rrreeeallllyy convoluted. Sorry Americans!
So after tucking in tight and spreading as far apart from each other as possible (eww cooties!) we tried to fall asleep. Except there was one small problem: our room had air conditioning. This has become a luxury for us. Unbeknownst to me, both Matt and David were also lying awake shivering. This went on for an hour or so until Matt finally sat up and said "I'm freezing!" at which point David and I both sighed and agreed and we shut off the air. Ahhh...much better...90 degrees with a chance of 80% humidity. We can't wait to get back to Altanta - I might have to bust out the Uggs!
And well, since it turned out to be a bed and breakfast, we all enjoyed a nice (free) breakfast the next morning. They even cut the crust off our toast (but not by request). And I got sooo close to tasting coffee on my lips, but alas it was only instant and well, if you know anything about me, instant coffee just will not do. I'd rather starve.
Upon leaving our quaint lodging experience we arrived in the town Hohoe and traveled another few miles to the Wli falls. We grabbed another interesting accomodation (only a photo can describe this one) and set about on our hike. For the sake of your eyes and my typing fingers, I'll save the hike story for another day. At the end, after the mud, tears, and sweat, we were famished. Here's when we joined the rest of our crew - Bilal and Maryam and a new friend from Australia named Natalie - and dined at the restaurant at their lodge.
We spotted it instantly: Macaroni n Cheese. Insert oooohhhhs and aaahhhhs here. After a week of rice and bread (not that we don't love rice and bread) we couldn't resist the chance to chow down on some good ol Mac N Cheese.
Bring on the Velveeta!
Bring on the Kraft!
Oh no...it was much better than that. It was fresh. It was homemade. The chicken on the side of the road had probably been snapped and de-feathered as we waited. And the best part: the macaroni was baked. Utter perfection. Lightly crispy on top with just the hint of brown from the oven. Amazing. The end.
Our fabulous meal was followed by dessert, bedtime, and then another adventure to the Monkey Sanctuary and home. We'll just stick to the topics in the title for now and save the rest of these details for other posts.... but enjoy some photos as you wait in eager anticipation:
Some Things You May (or may not) Expect to See (or not see) in Ghana
Confused? Good. We are too. Here are some things we've seen (or not seen) in Ghana:
1. Celine Dion. Listening to the radio I heard, "Hello, this is Celine Dion, and you're listening to..." followed by some Ghanaian rap. Hmmmm....proper introduction?
2. Bob Marley's wife. This serves as a proper introduction to thing number 3.
3. Rastafarians. A lot of Rastafarian. I mean - I thought they were Jamaican, but apparently Bob Marley's One Love spread around. And with the Rastafarians comes thing number 4.
4. Weed. Lots of weed. Not that I didn't think Ghanaians smoked, but it is illegal and I thought at least like the US it'd be on the down low. Nope. Lots of Rastas = lots of weed (don't worry adult readers, we aren't partaking).
5. Traffic. You think ATL is bad? You think 400 is horrible? You dread rush hour on 85N? Ha. Come to Accra and you will be thankful for Atlanta's traffic! Example: We arrived at our tro-tro stop at 6:45am to be at the Hospital by 8. It's about 15 miles away. We couldn't get a car until 7:20 because they were all full. We didn't get to work until 8:45. Wow.
6. Pot holes. You may or may not have expected this. But they are here, and they are uge. We have seen many an overturned vehicle, probably due to swerving to avoid pot holes (or maybe a goat or chicken).
7. Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Saw these two on a billboard advertising internet. Because Winnie the Pooh and Tigger definitely indicate fast internet.
8. Bar-B-Que bat. And snails on kabobs. Hungry? Why Wait? Grab a snail!
9. A 'Vote for Pedro' t-shirt. That was awesome. Saw another one this morning: 'Phabulous.' Haha.
Stay tuned...next topic: Ghanaian vocabulary! I have to gather my thoughts before writing this one up...but it'll be a good one. :)
1. Celine Dion. Listening to the radio I heard, "Hello, this is Celine Dion, and you're listening to..." followed by some Ghanaian rap. Hmmmm....proper introduction?
2. Bob Marley's wife. This serves as a proper introduction to thing number 3.
3. Rastafarians. A lot of Rastafarian. I mean - I thought they were Jamaican, but apparently Bob Marley's One Love spread around. And with the Rastafarians comes thing number 4.
4. Weed. Lots of weed. Not that I didn't think Ghanaians smoked, but it is illegal and I thought at least like the US it'd be on the down low. Nope. Lots of Rastas = lots of weed (don't worry adult readers, we aren't partaking).
5. Traffic. You think ATL is bad? You think 400 is horrible? You dread rush hour on 85N? Ha. Come to Accra and you will be thankful for Atlanta's traffic! Example: We arrived at our tro-tro stop at 6:45am to be at the Hospital by 8. It's about 15 miles away. We couldn't get a car until 7:20 because they were all full. We didn't get to work until 8:45. Wow.
6. Pot holes. You may or may not have expected this. But they are here, and they are uge. We have seen many an overturned vehicle, probably due to swerving to avoid pot holes (or maybe a goat or chicken).
7. Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Saw these two on a billboard advertising internet. Because Winnie the Pooh and Tigger definitely indicate fast internet.
8. Bar-B-Que bat. And snails on kabobs. Hungry? Why Wait? Grab a snail!
9. A 'Vote for Pedro' t-shirt. That was awesome. Saw another one this morning: 'Phabulous.' Haha.
Stay tuned...next topic: Ghanaian vocabulary! I have to gather my thoughts before writing this one up...but it'll be a good one. :)
An Update on Our Research
We finally met Dr. Badoe (bay-due) yesterday after many month of emailing each other back and forth. Dr. Badoe is just as excited as we are about the research we will be doing this summer. There is a ton for us to do here and we are hoping that we’ll be able to get some quality research done in the next few weeks and also lay way for future groups to come in the future. We will be doing a prevalence and mortality study on down syndrome, spina bifida, preterm birth and anencephaly. Depending on how much time we have and how good of data we can find, we might also do a questionnaire/survey looking at different factors relating to birth defects. We will be meeting with Dr. Badoe today in hopes of moving down to Korle Bu, so we can be closer to the hospital.
Matt will be helping me and Lael on our birth defects research and Lael and I will also be traveling around Ghana to help Matt collect water samples. Who says research can’t be fun?
Matt will be helping me and Lael on our birth defects research and Lael and I will also be traveling around Ghana to help Matt collect water samples. Who says research can’t be fun?
Friday, May 28, 2010
Excursion!
Happy Friday!
We have a three day weekend before hitting the books on Monday, so the fabulous trio (Matt, David, and I) are off to explore the Volta Region. We're heading to the capital, Ho, and will visit the Monkey Sanctuary, Wli Falls, and some other areas. I'd post pictures and such but internet now is slllooowww so you'll have to google it yourself. We'll update when we return!
Here's a link I found: www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/volta_region.php
We're using our Lonely Planet Guide to get us there, around, and back.
Hasta luego...
We have a three day weekend before hitting the books on Monday, so the fabulous trio (Matt, David, and I) are off to explore the Volta Region. We're heading to the capital, Ho, and will visit the Monkey Sanctuary, Wli Falls, and some other areas. I'd post pictures and such but internet now is slllooowww so you'll have to google it yourself. We'll update when we return!
Here's a link I found: www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/geography/volta_region.php
We're using our Lonely Planet Guide to get us there, around, and back.
Hasta luego...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Many Meanings of a Taxi Horn
Preface: In lieu of a blinker, stoplight, or any other means of traffic control, the horn sounds. And the horn has many meanings. We are working hard to differentiate between them. Here are some we've discerned:
1. Honk: You want a taxi ride?
2. Hooonnkk: No room in dis taxi!
3. Honk Honk: I drivin through dis intersection you betta watch out.
4. Honk Honk: No I drivin through dis intersection and you betta watch out.
5. Honk Honk Hoonnkk: I bigga car so I drivin through dis intersection.
6. Honk: Ello pretty white lady.
7. Honk: Hi big Chinaman.
8. Honk: I see dat red light but I not stoppin.
9. Hoonnkkk: Get out of de road!
10. Honk Honk: I comin up behind you - you too slow!
11. Honk: I don't really know where you want to go but get in my taxi and I will take you somewhere.
12. Honk Honk: My taxi be lookin real nice on da outside but get inside and find da fish smell and stinky feet.
And finally...
13. Honk Honk Honk: We love Obama!
1. Honk: You want a taxi ride?
2. Hooonnkk: No room in dis taxi!
3. Honk Honk: I drivin through dis intersection you betta watch out.
4. Honk Honk: No I drivin through dis intersection and you betta watch out.
5. Honk Honk Hoonnkk: I bigga car so I drivin through dis intersection.
6. Honk: Ello pretty white lady.
7. Honk: Hi big Chinaman.
8. Honk: I see dat red light but I not stoppin.
9. Hoonnkkk: Get out of de road!
10. Honk Honk: I comin up behind you - you too slow!
11. Honk: I don't really know where you want to go but get in my taxi and I will take you somewhere.
12. Honk Honk: My taxi be lookin real nice on da outside but get inside and find da fish smell and stinky feet.
And finally...
13. Honk Honk Honk: We love Obama!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Our First Day
Ghana so far...from Lael...
Wow! Where do I start? We arrived here yesterday. We descended from the back of the plane (interesting experience #1) and were welcomed by an intense heat wave. Hot enough to fog up my camera lense (intersting experience #2). We gathered our luggage with the generous help of a few locals (all asking for tips) and meandered our way through customs. Having unpleasant experiences with customs in Brazil, I imagined Ghana would be nothing short of awful. The airport was crowded and four employees were investigating each bag. David began heading through the crowd and I noticed that noone said anything. He started to wave at a woman, asking her if she wanted to see his bags, but as she ignored him I told him to keep moving. He listened. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is How to Handle Customs in Ghana For Dummies.
After our success we were greeted by an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with our names in faded blue marker. He showed us out to our ride, an Escalade manned with its own driver and our local Auntie, Ofie Kodjoe (Boris's cousin). Ofie is wonderful - a very sweet, very protective and loving woman. David and I are now running on about 5 hours of sleep combined (.5 for me, 4.5 for him) and it's 3:30am in Atlanta. She wants to know if we're hungry (duh, David's always hungry) and we want to know where we're sleeping (and how soon).
We arrive on campus and after some navigational (is that even a word?) difficulties we found our hostel. Well, it found us. Actually, it welcomed us with a green cloud of marijuana smoke. Ofie looked around, attempted to find the missing warden to at least look at our rooms, and after no success promptly told us we would find another place to stay. And marijuana isn't legal in Ghana.
Isaac, our Escalade driver, then took us to the main University campus (the previous hostel was on the Medical School campus) where other Emory students, Bilal and Maryam, are staying. We found their hostel - much nicer on the outside and only the faint smell of something burning - and them. Oh, American faces! It was refreshing. The only problem was that we couldn't find Matt. We had just missed him by an hour, and he was attempting to find us - sans cell phone and internet. And so began our journey, Where the Heck is Matt?
rest of story... from David
Back tracking a little, the funny thing is we left Atlanta with the plan of meeting up 5000 miles away only knowing the warden's name of some random hostel was Faustina; we had no address, no phone number and not even a general idea of where the hostel was located. So after a few leads from Bilal, we figured out Matt probably stayed on the main campus so we headed over that way. We arrived and asked the porter (assistant RA... they got onto Matt's case for wrong terminology Warden=RA, porter=desk assistant) if they had seen a tall white guy and surely enough, Matt checked-out an hour prior to our arrival and left to find us on the Medical Campus. Since Bilal and Maryam were here, we decided to stay put and setup camp here for the night. Bilal and Maryam had been here 2 weeks already, so they had a genernal feel for the city. They took us to a Lebanese Restaurant where the food was safe and there was air conditioning and internet. Lael and I looked like two zombies (we both took a nap, so we're working on a combined 7 hours of sleep at this point), but we were definitely happy for food (I'm always happy for food)! The restaurant was great, but we were not able to eat everything because the contents might not have been washed.
Interesting Food Precaution #1: Sachet of Water- Ghanaian tap water is not safe, so we have to drink and brush our teeth with bottled or sachet water. Sachet water looks like freezer bags with water, they are cheap and come in bulk!
Interesting Food Precaution #2: Vegetables and Fruit- We don't each anything that is uncooked or anything we have not peeled ourselves.
We head back (6:30 p.m. local) and get ready to hit the sack (we're both pretty much silent at this point... which rarely happens, especially for me). Taking a shower was definitely the best part of the day. After being on a plane for 20 hours and spending a whole day in the hot Ghanaian sun, the cold shower (no hot water here, no need) felt incredible. We've been told by multiple people that taking a shower upon arrival really brightens your day, I have no idea why, but it is so true!
I go to bed thankful for a roof over my head and thankful for food in my stomach; never in my life have I been worried about food and shelter, but today we got to briefly experience what most of the world experiences daily. I was thankful that we'd made it through the day, but uneasy not knowing what the heck we were doing and Where the Heck is Matt.
I was awaken this morning by a knock on my door, I hesitate to open at first thinking it's the Warden waking me up to pay for the room. After a few more knocks, I crawl out of bed, open the door and surely enough Matt Turner was there to greet me!! After a huge roommate embrace, I found out he got in late in the night after receiving our emails and after a very interesting journey at Korle Bu (I'll let him post his experience... many interesting events). After freshening up, Matt, Lael and I call our auntie Ofie and are told that her nephew and work intern will help us out for a few hours. We wait for an hour... then another... and finally we decide to explore the area on foot. We were told that the lifestyle here is very different, everyone is laid back and always late... not David Chen late... but big time late (interesting experience #3). Charles and Richard (nephew and intern) meet up with us on our way to one of the markets and help get us into a dorm on campus. So starting tomorrow night, we will be staying at a Uni (college=Uni) dorm called Pentagon here on campus. The rooms are about the size of a normal dorm room (maybe a bit smaller), but there is no air conditioning or fans. We're very excited about the living arrangement, the dorms are half the price of what we are staying in right now and Matt and I were able to get a room right across the hall from Lael on the ground floor (with weather this hot, walking up stairs is a real work out).
Charles and Richard drop us off at the Accra Mall in search of fans and food. There are 3 chains that are always right next to each other (Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn and Chicken Inn... you can figure it out). We eat at the chicken place and I am super excited! I knew I loved meat, but I didn't know how much I craved it (it's only been 36 hours since I've eaten meat). At our lunch we decided to go with a "Take One For the Team" policy; there are many things we would like to try, but we'd also like to not be next to a bathroom all summer. So we decided that if there is something that is probably safe, but not 100% certain, we will try one at a time. Lael and Matt tried a hot sauce today, so I will be next in line to take one for the team.
The Accra Mall is super posh and has nothing we can afford (Apple Store, Swatch Store, Puma Store... you get the point), so we get a taxi to take us to the closest thing they have to a Wal-Mart to buy a fan for our room. The ride to the store took us through part of town that was more authentic Ghana and less westernized. It was a real treat today to go on that taxi ride and see everything we saw. There are countless things that caught my eye, here are just a few: traditional clothing, street craftsmen and their amazing work, women carrying everything on their head, giant lizards, chickens running around (if my craving gets bad...there will be pictures), the beautiful Ghanaian landscape, the really crazy driving (honking=turn signal). We're now back at the hostel, happy to be together and about to go look for dinner.
Here are a few random things we didn't mention:
1) Internet- Lael's friend from church gave her an mobile internet card. So we have been able to get online by using this mobile card. We will be able to email, but that is about it; until we find faster sources, we will not be able to post pictures or talk on Skype. We are so fortunante to have ease of technology at our wanting in the U.S.; we really are a blessed country and even after a day, I am thankful for so much that we don't even realize is not a nessicity for life.
2) One of the most exciting things so far has been to see all the Ghanaians walking to church yesterday morning. As we drove around with Ofie and we saw people all over the streets wearing their Sunday best (Ghana style of course!) and carrying their Bibles. It was really cool to think that our friends at home, half the world away, were four hours away from doing the same thing, carrying the same Bible, worshipping the same God! So cool! Ofie is a member of an international church here that apparantly has great gospel-centered services, she also is a member of Covenant Life Church in Maryland, which happens to be the church pastored by 2 of my favorite authors (C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris)!! She will be taking Matt, Lael and I to church on Sundays. This was a huge answered prayer, so thank you for praying for me!
We would love to hear from you, so please send us emails!! Thanks again for everyone's support and prayers!
Wow! Where do I start? We arrived here yesterday. We descended from the back of the plane (interesting experience #1) and were welcomed by an intense heat wave. Hot enough to fog up my camera lense (intersting experience #2). We gathered our luggage with the generous help of a few locals (all asking for tips) and meandered our way through customs. Having unpleasant experiences with customs in Brazil, I imagined Ghana would be nothing short of awful. The airport was crowded and four employees were investigating each bag. David began heading through the crowd and I noticed that noone said anything. He started to wave at a woman, asking her if she wanted to see his bags, but as she ignored him I told him to keep moving. He listened. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is How to Handle Customs in Ghana For Dummies.
After our success we were greeted by an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with our names in faded blue marker. He showed us out to our ride, an Escalade manned with its own driver and our local Auntie, Ofie Kodjoe (Boris's cousin). Ofie is wonderful - a very sweet, very protective and loving woman. David and I are now running on about 5 hours of sleep combined (.5 for me, 4.5 for him) and it's 3:30am in Atlanta. She wants to know if we're hungry (duh, David's always hungry) and we want to know where we're sleeping (and how soon).
We arrive on campus and after some navigational (is that even a word?) difficulties we found our hostel. Well, it found us. Actually, it welcomed us with a green cloud of marijuana smoke. Ofie looked around, attempted to find the missing warden to at least look at our rooms, and after no success promptly told us we would find another place to stay. And marijuana isn't legal in Ghana.
Isaac, our Escalade driver, then took us to the main University campus (the previous hostel was on the Medical School campus) where other Emory students, Bilal and Maryam, are staying. We found their hostel - much nicer on the outside and only the faint smell of something burning - and them. Oh, American faces! It was refreshing. The only problem was that we couldn't find Matt. We had just missed him by an hour, and he was attempting to find us - sans cell phone and internet. And so began our journey, Where the Heck is Matt?
rest of story... from David
Back tracking a little, the funny thing is we left Atlanta with the plan of meeting up 5000 miles away only knowing the warden's name of some random hostel was Faustina; we had no address, no phone number and not even a general idea of where the hostel was located. So after a few leads from Bilal, we figured out Matt probably stayed on the main campus so we headed over that way. We arrived and asked the porter (assistant RA... they got onto Matt's case for wrong terminology Warden=RA, porter=desk assistant) if they had seen a tall white guy and surely enough, Matt checked-out an hour prior to our arrival and left to find us on the Medical Campus. Since Bilal and Maryam were here, we decided to stay put and setup camp here for the night. Bilal and Maryam had been here 2 weeks already, so they had a genernal feel for the city. They took us to a Lebanese Restaurant where the food was safe and there was air conditioning and internet. Lael and I looked like two zombies (we both took a nap, so we're working on a combined 7 hours of sleep at this point), but we were definitely happy for food (I'm always happy for food)! The restaurant was great, but we were not able to eat everything because the contents might not have been washed.
Interesting Food Precaution #1: Sachet of Water- Ghanaian tap water is not safe, so we have to drink and brush our teeth with bottled or sachet water. Sachet water looks like freezer bags with water, they are cheap and come in bulk!
Interesting Food Precaution #2: Vegetables and Fruit- We don't each anything that is uncooked or anything we have not peeled ourselves.
We head back (6:30 p.m. local) and get ready to hit the sack (we're both pretty much silent at this point... which rarely happens, especially for me). Taking a shower was definitely the best part of the day. After being on a plane for 20 hours and spending a whole day in the hot Ghanaian sun, the cold shower (no hot water here, no need) felt incredible. We've been told by multiple people that taking a shower upon arrival really brightens your day, I have no idea why, but it is so true!
I go to bed thankful for a roof over my head and thankful for food in my stomach; never in my life have I been worried about food and shelter, but today we got to briefly experience what most of the world experiences daily. I was thankful that we'd made it through the day, but uneasy not knowing what the heck we were doing and Where the Heck is Matt.
I was awaken this morning by a knock on my door, I hesitate to open at first thinking it's the Warden waking me up to pay for the room. After a few more knocks, I crawl out of bed, open the door and surely enough Matt Turner was there to greet me!! After a huge roommate embrace, I found out he got in late in the night after receiving our emails and after a very interesting journey at Korle Bu (I'll let him post his experience... many interesting events). After freshening up, Matt, Lael and I call our auntie Ofie and are told that her nephew and work intern will help us out for a few hours. We wait for an hour... then another... and finally we decide to explore the area on foot. We were told that the lifestyle here is very different, everyone is laid back and always late... not David Chen late... but big time late (interesting experience #3). Charles and Richard (nephew and intern) meet up with us on our way to one of the markets and help get us into a dorm on campus. So starting tomorrow night, we will be staying at a Uni (college=Uni) dorm called Pentagon here on campus. The rooms are about the size of a normal dorm room (maybe a bit smaller), but there is no air conditioning or fans. We're very excited about the living arrangement, the dorms are half the price of what we are staying in right now and Matt and I were able to get a room right across the hall from Lael on the ground floor (with weather this hot, walking up stairs is a real work out).
Charles and Richard drop us off at the Accra Mall in search of fans and food. There are 3 chains that are always right next to each other (Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn and Chicken Inn... you can figure it out). We eat at the chicken place and I am super excited! I knew I loved meat, but I didn't know how much I craved it (it's only been 36 hours since I've eaten meat). At our lunch we decided to go with a "Take One For the Team" policy; there are many things we would like to try, but we'd also like to not be next to a bathroom all summer. So we decided that if there is something that is probably safe, but not 100% certain, we will try one at a time. Lael and Matt tried a hot sauce today, so I will be next in line to take one for the team.
The Accra Mall is super posh and has nothing we can afford (Apple Store, Swatch Store, Puma Store... you get the point), so we get a taxi to take us to the closest thing they have to a Wal-Mart to buy a fan for our room. The ride to the store took us through part of town that was more authentic Ghana and less westernized. It was a real treat today to go on that taxi ride and see everything we saw. There are countless things that caught my eye, here are just a few: traditional clothing, street craftsmen and their amazing work, women carrying everything on their head, giant lizards, chickens running around (if my craving gets bad...there will be pictures), the beautiful Ghanaian landscape, the really crazy driving (honking=turn signal). We're now back at the hostel, happy to be together and about to go look for dinner.
Here are a few random things we didn't mention:
1) Internet- Lael's friend from church gave her an mobile internet card. So we have been able to get online by using this mobile card. We will be able to email, but that is about it; until we find faster sources, we will not be able to post pictures or talk on Skype. We are so fortunante to have ease of technology at our wanting in the U.S.; we really are a blessed country and even after a day, I am thankful for so much that we don't even realize is not a nessicity for life.
2) One of the most exciting things so far has been to see all the Ghanaians walking to church yesterday morning. As we drove around with Ofie and we saw people all over the streets wearing their Sunday best (Ghana style of course!) and carrying their Bibles. It was really cool to think that our friends at home, half the world away, were four hours away from doing the same thing, carrying the same Bible, worshipping the same God! So cool! Ofie is a member of an international church here that apparantly has great gospel-centered services, she also is a member of Covenant Life Church in Maryland, which happens to be the church pastored by 2 of my favorite authors (C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris)!! She will be taking Matt, Lael and I to church on Sundays. This was a huge answered prayer, so thank you for praying for me!
We would love to hear from you, so please send us emails!! Thanks again for everyone's support and prayers!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
We're here!
Quick Update: We got here this morning, we are safe and we're trying to get settled.
More updates coming soon!
More updates coming soon!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Expect the Unexpected
Upon waking up this morning I found out that one leg of my flight to Ghana was canceled. We had been prepared to expect the unexpected, so we took this well, went to the airport and rescheduled our flight to Saturday.
Right after we got our new plane tickets Jeremiah 29:11 popped in my head "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It's comforting to know that canceled flights and unexpected circumstances don't occur just by chance. So our new trip dates are May 22- July 2.
It'll be a fun week of relaxing, preparing and learning to live without a schedule!
Right after we got our new plane tickets Jeremiah 29:11 popped in my head "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." It's comforting to know that canceled flights and unexpected circumstances don't occur just by chance. So our new trip dates are May 22- July 2.
It'll be a fun week of relaxing, preparing and learning to live without a schedule!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
10 Interesting Facts About Ghana
Ten Interesting Facts About The Republic of Ghana (sent from Avery Mann):
1. In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan country to gain its independence. A constitutional democracy has been prevalent since April of 1992.
2. Comparatively, Ghana is slightly smaller than the state of Oregon.
3. The color of red in the flag represents the blood shed for independence, the yellow represents the country’s mineral wealth, the green stands for its forests and natural wealth, the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom.
4. The median age of the population of Ghana is about 20.5 years.
5. Approximately 50% of the population is urbanized, growing at a rate of 3.5% per year.
6. The technical term for the people of Ghana is Ghanaians.
7. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Ghana was known as the world's center for gold, ivory, and slave trade.
8. Some culture groups like the Asante have a matrilineal family organization where inheritance is passed down through the wife’s family rather than the husband’s, and the wife holds most of the chief responsibilities in the family.
9. As a result of its rich natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa.
10. The per capita income of Ghana is $1,500, which ranks 199 (out of 261) compared to the other countries of the world.
Bonus: Also, Ghana is the world's leading exporter of Cocoa and their currency is called Cedis (1 cedi=.98 US dollars).
1. In 1957, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan country to gain its independence. A constitutional democracy has been prevalent since April of 1992.
2. Comparatively, Ghana is slightly smaller than the state of Oregon.
3. The color of red in the flag represents the blood shed for independence, the yellow represents the country’s mineral wealth, the green stands for its forests and natural wealth, the black star is said to be the lodestar of African freedom.
4. The median age of the population of Ghana is about 20.5 years.
5. Approximately 50% of the population is urbanized, growing at a rate of 3.5% per year.
6. The technical term for the people of Ghana is Ghanaians.
7. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Ghana was known as the world's center for gold, ivory, and slave trade.
8. Some culture groups like the Asante have a matrilineal family organization where inheritance is passed down through the wife’s family rather than the husband’s, and the wife holds most of the chief responsibilities in the family.
9. As a result of its rich natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorest countries in West Africa.
10. The per capita income of Ghana is $1,500, which ranks 199 (out of 261) compared to the other countries of the world.
Bonus: Also, Ghana is the world's leading exporter of Cocoa and their currency is called Cedis (1 cedi=.98 US dollars).
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Hakuna Matata
After lots of paper work and a few kinks here and there, we finally bought our plane tickets and are Ghana bound on May 17th! We will be arriving in Accra May 18th and spending the next 6 weeks doing a 1-Year Mortality study on birth defects (concentrating on NTDs/Spina Bifida). Our thesis advisor, Dr. Godfrey Oakley, has reminded us multiple times that we don't need to worry. Things will more than likely fall through when we get there and we will learn to improvise and adjust... so Hakuna Matata, just expect to run into the unexpected. Thankfully I have logged many hours watching The Office and Michael Scott has prepared me well to improvise.
Details of our trip are still being planned. A few other classmates from Emory will be in Ghana this summer, so we will have a fun group to hang out and travel with.
More updates to come!
Hakuna Matata!
Details of our trip are still being planned. A few other classmates from Emory will be in Ghana this summer, so we will have a fun group to hang out and travel with.
More updates to come!
Hakuna Matata!
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