(Spencer) Everyone Out, Last Stop Accra

(May 18; Written at a time when I was still optimistic I again would have internet, hence verb tenses...)

Finally!

We have arrived in Accra, Ghana!

I am starved for words to adequately describe the initial moments entering the country, such an intense rush of emotions. It is truly incredible to have arrived in Ghana after passing so many obstacles in the journey.

The city of Accra is a massive urban center, population 4 million, densely packed with too few road ways and everybody trying to go somewhere. The colours of the Ghanaian flag are all over, lush tropical greenery growing throughout, and red iron rich soil covers the ground. High rises line the skyline, billboards advertising anything you can imagine (“The price of Guinness has not changed!”, rumour control I suppose) line the road ways, and people seem to burst from the seams. An incredible city to be sure, I wish there was more time to explore.

Our first experience in the country was packing into taxis after Robin, our APS guide, had negotiated prices with the drivers (who is having the money?). Driving is off the hook, such interaction between vehicles; constant honking of horns, stopping and starting, wedging in between each other and dodging pedestrians (more so pedestrians dodging us). Toronto traffic times ten, my first thought was that there must be so many accidents but I have been told that there is actually quite few.

We stayed the night at the New Kokomlemle Guest House, a modest location in the heart of Accra. This house has a special place in EWB history; all JFs, Pro-JFs, and APS, who arrive in Accra stay at this location. “The good energy is stuck in the walls,” says Mark one of the APS who greeted us that night. And right he was, we settled in quickly, excited to begin another day and get a step closer to our placements!

(View of STC station)

In country training is set to begin May 19, tomorrow, in Tamale (800km north of Accra) and to get there the group of us are going to be taking a bus up to the north, that is if it ever arrives. What was originally set to be an 8am departure has been delayed until past 3pm. The bus was undergoing repairs in the shop contained within the Intercity STC bus depot. It is a 12 hour bus ride to Tamale from Accra, I have an endless list of things to do so by no means will it be boring.

After traveling since early Sunday morning this delay has fazed none of us, we expect transport to be late by now. It also serves as an excellent introduction to “Ghana time” where everything runs at its own independent schedule…

(View of STC station)

The bus has just arrived and I took my seat. Sitting directly ahead of me was a small child who was covering his eyes and laughing. So I covered my eyes and laughed back. A hysterical game of peek-a-boo started up with him and I peering over the seat at each other covering and uncovering our eyes. Laughing harder and harder we dodged around looking through the cracks between seats, catching glimpses of each other driving into incredible silliness.

He voiced that we should bonk heads, so we did and he laughed so hard after every impact. Making hand gestures of us colliding and what looked to be explosions occurring in his fingertips. We continued on with this game of laughing and peeking for a few beautiful minutes until his mother called him to switch seats. We shared a final laugh as his father picked him up and they left for the back of the bus. Things are going to great here in Ghana I know it already.

Sending love from a packed STC bus

Spencer