Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Hi! So, as you know, the fam is here now. Interestingly enough, what I thought was going to be my mother and grandmother multiplied into my mother, grandmother, grandfather, great aunt (g-ma's sister), and great uncle (g-pa's brother). It was quite the surprise and quite the tear-fest at the airport. Joe, our fabulous Tufts driver, is also an airport driver and he found Jennica while I was crying so he took us to the hotel to store their stuff until check-in time (4 pm...what???) and then to campus! It was most unexpected but fabulous because it worked out so well.

Let me tell you that Labadi Beach Hotel (Google it. Now.) is a mystical, wonderful place in the nether-regions of this bustling, traffic-y place called Accra. The pool is amazing, minus the kids, the has its own stretch of beach, the shower water is hot (!!!!!!), the A/C is on point when it's working (when it's not they change your room), the complimentary breakfast is AMAZING, and the staff is quite nice. They just have deisel mosquitoes...ew.

It's a solid 20 minute drive without traffic and at least an hour with traffic; and oh is there traffic! Taxi drivers refuse to make the Legon (campus)-Labadi trek so the taxi hailing process gets ABSURD. Blah blah. I'm over Ghanaian taxis. So to avoid them for the whole trip I do half trotro (rickety van that seats 20 and wouldn't pass emissions testing if you paid someone at the DMV off) and half taxi. Works and it's cheaper.

Enough of that. Here's what we've/they've done:
Thursday: They arrived, ate in my hostel (dorm), met Joe, had bagged water for the first time.

Friday: We took a tour of the City...kind of. The traffic doesn't really permit real tours so we made 4 stops. First, the National Museum which is ill-named and we didn't go inside. Second, James Fort where there are many fisherman and the original Accra-ians, who happen to be poorer than the average. Third, the Centre (yay British Colonialism!) for National Culture where they got the full experience of being harassed to no end by every vendor there. Fourth and last, Accra Mall where there is A/C and American food and no one to bother you I think they had fun.

Saturday: They went to Akosombo to do the lake cruise we went on a couple weeks ago. All day thing but good food!

Sunday: The crew and myself ventured over to the hotel to sit by the pool where we found out that the entire place was swarmed by toddlers....ew. It was fun though! We had the BEST DINNER BUFFET EVER! Real dessert? In Ghana? What? It was great. And then we had a hearty chuckle over the worst TV show ever: Who Wants to be Rich? It's loosely (and by that I mean entirely) based off of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? but with the most ridiculous questions ever.
Ex: How many wheels does a bicycle have? a. 18 b. 3 c. 2 d. 14.
Which one is a bird? a. steelpecker b. ironpecker c. woodpecker d. mudpecker

They were quite serious. Jennica has pictures.

Monday: They went to the Elmina slave castle with Joe. They didn't seem to like that very much so they skipped the second castle and had Joe take them back to the Centre for National Culture to buy more stuff.

Tuesday: Jennica and I had our Swahili exam (epic) so g-rents and greats headed to the casino at the neighboring hotel while mother prepped for her Ghanaian hair experience. I showed up after my exam to hang out and eat room service so I could accompany them back to campus this morning.

Wednesday (Today): So I'm sitting here in the internet room while mother and Aunt Lois get their hair done and G-ma looks on. I had that breakfast bufet this morning. I almost died. Bacon, egg, and cheese and potatoes and fruit and fruit juice??? In an air-conditioned room?? Stop the crap. I may or may not have smuggled one out for Jennica with the guidance of my elders...

I think that's all they've done so far. The currecny differences and constant waiting, in true Ghanaian fashion, have been the most difficult for them I think. The waiting and constant arguing over every price for everything except food still bothers me. Oh well.

They are going to meet Dr. Bilson, our Program Director, after they're all done up and then probably peruse Night Market, the market by our hostel. Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, is their last full day so we will hopefully go to Osu (where all the foreigners go) to see some more vendors and eat some tasty pizza before they ship back out to JFK. I'm gonna miss them and they're being my escape from everything that's bothering me in the last weeks. Sadness.

19 days. See you all soon!