"Shopaholic" was an inaccurate title...

So my last entry was entitled "Shopaholic" because I was going to regale you all with my stories from my Thursday out with Eliza, running a million and one errands for shampoo and sunscreen and batteries, in addition to visiting the Collection to shop around as a sister day with Liz since I'm missing her birfday. Basically, we went on errands, I registered for my absentee ballot, we bought and re-bought Ghana supplies, and we ate delicious food at The Cheesecake Factory. On Friday, my last day at home in Massachusetts, my mommy made the most wonderful Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, cheesy mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, green bean casserole, frosted cauliflower, cornbread...heart attack). Nick came over for the day after our final visit to Panera together for 4 months (are you sensing a theme here?) and we had an evening of LOTS of food (plus Big Lisa's trifle--thank you!) and obviously entertainment by Nick, Eliza, and a few short numbers by myself. Nick got me a beautiful silver elephant necklace as a going away present, and Eliza got me great giraffe bookmark to remind me of what she wants for a gift (a baby giraffe). My family is wonderful. Fantastic.

In new news....I AM IN AFRICA!!!! Let's go in a series of events, beginning with Sunday:
9:30am Sunday--I think I'm having an allergic reaction to my anti-malarial meds (the super-expensive daily ones that are supposed to have the least chance of side effects or reactions)
11am Sunday--I'm in the NYU Medical Center's ER, getting a new prescription
12:00-12:30 Sunday--Mom and I run back and forth between two CVS's that don't have the right amount of pills for my new rx
1:30 pm Sunday--Meg joins my family for the ride over to JFK
3:30pm Sunday--check in for my flight, pay $80 for an overweight bag, and say final goodbyes to Mom, Dad, and Lizzie
4:00pm Sunday--Meg and I get snacks and catch up while waiting for the
plane (obviously she gets healthy juice and a bagel, I get potentially my last ice cream for 4 months, which looks like poop with sprinkles on it)
5:00pm Sunday--We board the plane....
6:00pm Sunday--We're still at JFK...
7:00pm Sunday--We're still at JFK...
7:45pm Sunday--We take off for Africa.
Somewhere between 8pm Sunday-9:30am Monday--I eat complimentary chicken picatta that looked like a lean cuisine but was actually good, drink a mini bottle of chardonnay to doze off, partly watch Prince Caspian, eventually take some Benadryl, consistently can't get comfortable in my seat, sort of watch 21, hope desperately for the flight to be over and consider laying down flat in the aisle, jolt awake by the offering of a warm, foil-wrapped croissant and coffee, which I take, and all of a sudden we land in Africa.

We made our way through customs, having our passports checked, where I had my first international fumble when I couldn't understand what the unenthused British-English-speaking Ghanaian passport guy was asking me. ("For how long are you staying?"="Something, something, about a misunderstanding.") Embarrassing, but quickly sorted out. Meg and I then got our bags which had made their way safely from JFK to Accra. We exchanged some currency at the airport and found our way to our awesome driver, Sammy, holding an NYU GHANA sign. It was really weird leaving the airport because we obviously stuck out like very sore thumbs, and a CROWD of people were standing behind partitions at the airport (kind of like the "I Want It That Way" music video, really) except they were all staring at the tourists (including us) and holding up political signs, offering taxis, and even little kids looking on at us. Between us and them were the partitions, along with some beret-ed military personnel with guns across their backs. Obviously there for airport security, but it's weird to see full rifles strapped to someone's back in a public place. Welcome to the world, Molly.

We drove straight to our house, where we needed to drop our stuff and ride right back over to the orientation which had already started. We were the last people to arrive from the whole group, so we had a nice little walk of shame to the back of the chairs to find a seat. Luckily everyone was very nice and understanding that we couldn't control when we got there, but apparently everyone else had gotten in on Sunday during the day and slept in the dorms. I felt a little uncomfortable, feeling like everyone had already gotten to know each other before we got there, but obviously I was bringing that upon myself and everyone was still very new to each other. Mingling ensued during the following orientation activities (we sat for a while learning about general safety in Accra, basic things about the program, the excursions, the staff, etc.). Then some people went to exchange money, then we met up for a big welcome buffet of traditional Ghanaian food at a local restaurant called "Headlines Hospitality." The people were very nice, and I've decided that pineapple juice (freshly squeezed, not from the bar gun at the Oarweed) and WATERMELON JUICE are my two new favorite things. Along with fried plantains, yams (MAD YAMS!) and some other really spicy things that totally cleared out my sinuses. I passed on the fish head. (Maybe tomorrow.) But I'm determined to just try everything, and Pepto-Bismol later.

After lunch we had the option of taking a short walking tour or going back to the dorms, so Meg and I opted for the dorm, considering we were still wearing the same clothing and lack of face from 24 hours before. I took a quick shower which made me feel like a person again, and Meg power-napped for a bit. Then we had our first house meeting with all the girls (about 16--the 6 boys in the program are in a suite in the other house), our two RA/cultural liaisons (who are super nice) and Christa, basically the head of the program. We got to test out the emergency exit doors and the panic buttons that are in every room (the nice security company man came and talked to us, Mom, don't worry), and we had a nice talk about some of the cultural things we'll be dealing with, along with the house rules.

The house is awesome. Our room isn't what I expected it to be (pictures online showed big rooms with verandas and big windows). Instead, Meg and I are on bunk beds, with decent floor space (which could be used better with two regular beds, as it is in other rooms), and a small window on the end of the room. We have our own bathroom which is tiled and nice, and two desks, big closet space, a/c to be used sparingly, and lights. The house itself is very big and the downstairs feels like a Real World house. Pictures of the house to come (I don't want to creep anyone out right now walking around taking pictures in the dark), but we have 2 big dining room tables, a big entranceway, a ping pong table outside, a tv/dvd setup in the living room, a HUGE AMAZING kitchen (so now I have to learn to cook some good Ghanaian food!), and another small lounge room upstairs next to our room with another tv/dvd set up and more wicker couches like the downstairs. No real terraces, which is too bad, but a nice yard/courtyard thing which we'll need to make use of. Really beautiful, and all surrounded by electrical fencing. Woo!

We went out to dinner at another local restaurant called Sunshine Salads, a Ghanaian restaurant owned by a lovely Indian couple, who have a variety of food including basic American dishes, Indian influenced food, and Ghanaian spices. It was delicious, and I would like Nick to know that I did not eat any of the chocolate cupcakes! Then we took the van back to our house and I was excited to get internet service finally! So here I am. I talked to Eliza for a bit which was great, giving my family a clue that I'm alive and well. I also found a tiny lizard on the wall in the kitchen, so one and counting!

I'm trying to just enjoy and take everything in, so I'm not snapping quite as many shots as I expected so far, which I think is good. There is plenty of time for that. Like I said, house pictures to come, along with my first day and more on my life in Accra soon! Day 1: check!

Love,
Molly