Travel Day and Cape Coast

7/12/17

Today we depart for Cape Coast via Winnaba! Our day started with a drive to the Leprosarium where we donated some basic supplies to the community. We had a brief presentation of the items and got a short history of the community and why it was founded. The community members were eager to say hello— although none of them spoke english they had huge grins and bright eyes.

After our brief stay at the Leprosarium we drove to Winnaba which is approximately half way between Accura and Cape Coast. It was about a 2 hour drive with traffic. In Winnaba we had lunch at Aunt Mary’s house— an old home designed to create cross breezes from the the ocean to keep it cool. It’s a beautiful two story, white-washed house with rectangular slats cut into the walls so that a gentle breeze is constantly flowing through the hallways. Aunt Mary provided the best meal of the trip so far— our lunch was comprised of Palvala Sauce with boiled eggs and salmon, Boiled yam, plantains, rice and red red. Red Red is a mixture of black eyed peas stewed in palm oil, onions, tomatoes and chili pepper. The sweet crisp plantains entwining with the spicy beans was fantastic— and the hard boiled eggs provided a stark contrast with the pavola sauce that was also really yummy.

After the meal we headed over to a a center for mental health and wellness for a Lecture on Malaria. It was boring and very scientific given by a very young doctor. He was excellent and was excited to connect with the program. He may end up building a partnership with NEU for future trips to the area. He also connected us with a Nurse who runs various mental health programs and he gave us a brief overview of mental health programs and challenges in Ghana. 

After the lectures we had a cooking lesson with Auntie Mary. Unfortunately for me, we didn’t learn any of my favorite foods from Ghana— but she did take the group through the process of making pastry dough— and the students made a variety of meat pies and fruit tarts which we enjoyed enroute to Cape Coast.

Adrian is our most devoted photographer

Auntie Mary's Compound

The bus ride to Cape Coast was our first real long drive at night. The lights of the neighboring cities flickered as we rolled up the coast. This highway was narrow and every few miles there were check points set up to force cars to turn around barriers. Lining the highway were shops and stalls and in the flickering yellow of car lights we could see merchants peddling their wares along the sides of the road— no different than any rush hour commute.

7/13/2017

Cape Coast is lovely. Everything is much closer together and their is far less traffic. The primary road runs along the ocean where giant waves pound gray beaches. This water appears much cleaner than the black speckled plastic waves of Accra. As we drive along the water you can see long, narrow boats on the horizon. 

Blurry from the bus, the boats here are similar to those we see dotting the horizon

We started our day with a brief overview of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and a tour of campus. Cape Coast is the former capital of Ghana and often had a large student population.  The University was originally started to train teachers. UCC (the third ranked University in Ghana) is the only university to offer degrees in every major field. They have 20,000 traditional students and run a distance learning program. The distance learning program sends professors every weekend to different communities where the students take courses and their exams.

We saw more than just school building on our tour...

After lunch we had a Tour of the UCC Medical Center and a lecture that provided a detailed overview of “Ghana Health Systems, Challenges and Opportunities.” It was a detailed lecture and most of the students seemed to get a lot out of it.

After the lecture we had some free time which led to adventures at the beach. I had planned to write and try to update the blog. Alas, the waves were calling our names! They were huge. Most of the students and TA’s decided to explore the beach. The water rushed up the shoreline with incredible force dissipating into foam. As we danced along the water line the foam squished under our feet. I’ve never felt such aerated water. The water rushed up around our legs like water boiling over in a pot— the bubbles jumping along.The light white foam was akin to a bubble bath— you could stick your hand down and pick up the water. Your hand would feel dry until moments later, the foam drained away. Naturally, being by the water the students were posing for pictures. The waves lapping at their toes as they grinned unaware of the looming wave behind… shoes were lost, a phone and camera likely lost  (not mine, never turn your back to a wave!) but memories were made.

We had dinner at a vegetarian restaurant!! Heaven. I had a creamy-curry vegetable pasta and a banana smoothie— and ordered a banana-chocolate pancake (cross between a crepe and a pancake) to take home for breakfast. I went overboard. This was a true local shop— no more than a small shack where they cooked and a small covered court yard with room for three tables. We managed to squeeze 19 of us into the space— their were three cooks and no wait staff so we rotated out as folks got their food.

After dinner we headed to Oasis for drums and dancing by the beach. 

Back Tracking To Saturday, 7/8/17

Some how in all of the hubub I left out an important day! The day we went to the Botanical Gardens! 

7/8/17

After the late night we slept in. A typical morning finds us up by 7:00 am for an aerobics class. I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of students who show up constantly. However, the numbers have steadily deterring. We usually have at 6-10 (there are 22 of us including Dr. Johnson). Our weekend classes are pushed back to 9:00, which is lovely. (There were only 4 of us after the late evening prior.) It gave us just enough time to work up a sweat, clean up, grab a corn muffin and board the bus. 

After the another lengthy ride up the ridge into the foothills we arrived at the Abbouri Botanical Gardens. We had a guided tour and learned about the origins of a number of spices in the region including allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg among many others. We also learned about the coco (pronounced ca-cow) tree. It was smuggled out of the Caribbean by being ingested and then planted in Ghana after the transatlantic voyage. It took a few years but before long the plant was thriving in the tropical climate. The trees were gorgeous— we learned about the strangler ficus which is spread by birds who carry the seeds in their beaks. The seeds are like burrs. The birds fly from tree to tree rubbing their beaks against the tree to try to dislodge them. The ficus slowly strangles the threes, hallowing out the inside over a period of years. 

Strangler Ficus

Shem inside the Ficus.

After a lengthy lunch we headed back the the guest house to get ready for the Diaspora African Forum Gala. It was a lovely, lengthy, event. Everyone looked fabulous in suits and dresses. We met the ambassador and saw both the President and Vice-President. Dinner was tasty, mashed potatoes, poached fish, half a sprig of asparagus and a small bundle of green beans. We also had an assortment of juices— you name it they had it; guava, pineapple, apple, pear, cranberry, passion fruit. The service was quiet slow— with the exception of juice service. Unfortunately, I have very few photos from this event because I only brought my phone into the event. 

Three Days in Accra; Tomorrow, Winneba and Cape Coast

7/9/17

Sunday, a trip to the mall for money, cell phone minutes and most importantly ICED COFFEE! After a morning of reading and writing at the cafe we meandered over to SkyBar. A ritzy bar in one of the tallest building in Ghana. The students discovered the bar and convinced Michael, our Accura guide, to take us over. It had a fabulous view of the city. We enjoyed watching airplanes take off from the international airport and the students taking selfies.  Unfortunately, I did not have my camera, again. I had planned to stay at the cafe to get more work done. I did get a few nice panoramic shots with my iPhone. The rest of the day was spent writing and doing laundry.

7/10/17

Today was another good day— in part because it was the first day that we had more sun than clouds. What a glorious blue blue day! We had a relativity easy day— a brief lecture and interaction with a wonderful woman named Gifty.. After a our daily commute to Korle Blu we had a lecture from the the director of the National AIDS Control Program. He was a fantastic lecturer. Before he started he took, a bit more time than necessary to get to know each student. We learned later that he was stalling for his boss who never showed up. However, he took what he learned about each of us and incorporated it into the feature as well as getting folks on their feat to demonstrate how HIV works. I now have a basic understanding of how the virus works and the basic strategies they are employing to defeat it. Primarily by focusing on the four areas HIV/AIDS effects and affects society. They focus on the economic, educaitonal, social and health aspects. While one person may be infected their community is affected by that impact. I would have lived to have heard more specific details about the education strategies they are employing to combat some of the some of the stigma around condom use. It sounds like their primary strategy is to take care of all the mothers which seems to be leaving a large number of undiagnosed men in the world/country. 

After the lecture Gifty shared her words of wisdom. She was quiet an inspiration. Two brief quotes that stood out to me were: “It is not the illness that defeats us but out mindset. When we change our mindset we change ourselves,” and “In this life, no one will do it for you, or make you happy, you have to happy yourself.” She serves as a reminder that you have a choice in how you approach life many challenges— and there are many in the world with more on their shoulders than you. 

After the lecture I enjoyed sitting next to Michaela as she got to know a sweet waiter who dotted on her throughout the lunch. Eventually he asked her if she had a moment, if she would come speak to him later. Apparently on previous trips a large number of the women would get purposed to by many of the men- but this is one of the first times that we’ve had a young man ask for her contact information, with grace. After dinner we went to an amazing art studio— they had an incredible breadth of artwork, wood carvings, books, beaded necklaces, prints and dynamic paintings ranging from abstracts, scenic silhouettes to portraits of Obama. It was certainly a highlight— particularly for someone who isn’t thrilled about all the medical lectures.  

Full of beauty, next to the ocean!

Aoife, Adrian and Claire

And next door to the museum, a small dump. The sea is also full of trash.

7/11/17

Tuesday was another eventful day— we visited two markets including the artisan market where many students were overwhelmed on our second day in the city. This time we were prepared and many of the students did well bartering. The first market we went to was predominantly a fabric market. We bought brightly colored fabrics adorned with broad, bold patterns. In the stalls are reams of cloth hanging from stall windows and stacked like wood cabins reflecting light like bright candy. Many of the students are hoping to get the fabric made into parachute pants, skirts and shirts by various local artisans who Dr. Johnson has met over the years and has come visit us at the University Guest House. 

Everyone is tired after a busy morning of haggling...

After exploring the two markets we headed back to the University of Ghana for a lecture on Substance Abuse Treatment and Policy. It was give by a Bio-Medical Engineering Professor who used to do research (and probably teach) at Northeastern. Unfortunately, his lecture focused primarily on the scientific reasons for addiction and a drug that he has researched and helped to develop that antagonizes the brain so that you no longer have cravings. It was a disappointment. All in all, it was a lovely day.

Friday; Painting, Dancing and Board Games

7/7/17

Friday was a wonderful day— we spent the day at a school for the deaf. The drive to the school took us along a ridge line, up into the foothills overlooking Accra. 

The culverts.

Our bus, a fairly standard sized bus by US standards, is massive compared to every vehicle on the road. It’s a bright orange-red, adorned with Psalm  86:17 in giant yellow font across the windshield. We sit in red, stuffed leather chairs with extending leg rests. The seats recline to approximately 45 degrees (135 might be more accurate— it’s been to long since I’ve taken geometry!) 

Regardless, this bus is made for sleeping—and there are very few trips that don’t see approximately half of it’s passengers zonked out. On the other trips it’s a much higher ratio.  The driver and his assistant maneuver this beast on roads not designed for this behemoth.

Upon departure and arrival to our destination they constantly hop in and out of the bus to check angles, drive into bushes along the sides of the road or conduct 17 point turns. The roads themselves are lined with narrow concrete culverts. These seem to serve as plumbing for some of the schools. They criss cross yards near the dormitories. They are so steep that any vehicle that allows its wheel to catch the edge will find itself stuck, wheels spinning helplessly. We’ve yet to see this happen. However, whenever we disembark from the bus and I look down into the cavernous culverts, my imagination immediately begins to run rampant. I’m happy I’m not driving! 

In the morning we toured the lower school and helped to paint one of their buildings. As we sit and listen to a brief orientation and history of the school, a few children sneak up to the short, concrete wall surrounding the gazebo we sit in. They peak over the edge, grinning at the abrinnis (white people; a term that also refers to our accents), the children wave and some of them even approach and gesture at our cameras as they strike poses.

Getting ready to paint!

These two followed us around on the tour.

A classroom wall.

In every class room their were inspirational quotes and photos.

For lunch I had boiled yam and pavola sauce. Pavola is spinach boiled with onion, tomato and chili pepper. It is earthy with a healthy kick. I had forgotten how much I LOVE onions when I found a few slices. They were sweet and delicious. The Pavola reminds me of Indian food. It is served with a whole fish— head and all. You slice the boiled yam and then slather it in the sauce. The boiled yams have a light, crisp mushy texture. Some of the students have described them as the insides of french fries.

Boiled yams.

Alvaro, the tasty sweet local soda.

In the afternoon we taught the upper school how to play a number of board games and then observed their prowess at the various games. We brought Connect Four, Trouble and Operation. They picked up the rules quickly and were both enthusiastic and fierce competitors. After the games we headed outside to take a group photo— the students loved taking pictures with us and one of the students danced for us. He had some serious moves.

One of the groups who played connect four. 

Showing off his dance moves!

One of the dormitories

That evening the students went clubbing. This meant I was a chaperone… it went about as well as could be expected and returning to bed was delicious. 

Medical School

Today was suddenly much warmer. We traveled to Ku Berle Lu School of Nursing and Mid-Wifery. We had a brief presentation and learned about it’s founding in the mid-20th century. It has evolved from providing initial licenses to providing full degrees in Nursing. Up until two or there years ago the nursing program was free and the students received a stipend to live on while they were in school. After graduating they were required to work for 5 years in one of the governmental hospitals. However, they recently changed that so that students can choose where they work when they graduate. however, the students now have to finance the education themselves. Apparently this change occurred with the election of a new government.

The school offers Initial licenses after three years of course work. When you graduate you can work as an auxiliary nurses. After that period you can return to the school to earn a full diploma. They also have a hybrid program that runs in the summer for Nurses who earned their certificate and have worked for at least three (I think) years as Auxiliary Nurses. I believe the program runs 12 weeks for two summers— many of the days course work starts at 6:00 am and go until 6:00 pm with an hour break for lunch. These students are determined! 

Two of our students on the tour

Student Hostels where they stay during the school year.

While the school is made up of both men and women the principle noted that the gentlemen are always destroying things or causing general mayhem. After the presentation we took an elongated walking tour of the facilities and then we were able to spend about a half an hour meeting with some of the nursing students. I spoke with Ester. She is 28 and has worked for the past five years in two or three different Hospitals as an Auxiliary Nurse. She is originally from Northern Ghana and has now worked in nearly every region of the country.   The student my group met with were all in their final year of the summer program and were fairly quiet. However, the other groups met with some younger students who were very enthusiastic and wanted to take photos with everyone.

We had a visitor at lunch...

After a late lunch (which is quickly becoming normal) we headed over to the University of Ghana Medical school where we met with four or five different medical school students. In Ghana to become a doctor most students elect to attend medical school right out of high school. They spend three years studying the core sciences (a period they call pre-lab* I can’t remember the word). After three years they move on to the core medical school courses and work along side doctors in the hospitals. Often after they graduate medical school they work for one or two years as interns at one of the four or five teaching hospitals in Ghana. When the medical school opened about 10% of the students were women. Today that number has grown to 50%. 

Some of our students with one of the medical school students. They loved getting to know her.

After meeting with these students we went to dinner at an expensive place called Honeysuckle. It’s Ghana’s version of an American Sports Bar. I watched some tennis while enjoying some spaghetti and some sort of fake meat sauce. The tomato based sauces all have the distinct flavor of a chili fusion; spicy but tasty.

 Tomorrow will be another full day— so until then— good night.

Day Three! Guess what... I had more fried fish! There is a NEU sponsored blog for those of you who'd like more information about what we are doing every day-- it will be written by a different student every day. If I fail to post one day and you want to know what's going on across the sea-- check it out! (I wrote today's post so check it out for details. Otherwise-- enjoy a few photos from the past few days...)

https://ghanasummer2.wordpress.com (Edit: updated the link).

The students.