You've Got Blogs!

So a group of us at the house just finished watching "You've Got Mail", which made us thoroughly reminiscent of NYC and fall in general and home (and for me, the Meg Ryan hair cut that I've tried to achieve so many times, and always failed). And it's not even SEPTEMBER! A nice little "in-night" though, especially since the last week has been so jam-packed with orientation activities. I'm officially done with orientation and school has officially begun! I forgot to take a first day of school photo for you, Mom. (Coincidentally, Meghan JUST took out her camera, completely unprovoked, and snapped a photo of me blogging. So, I actually do have a first day of school picture!) Today was rainy for the first time since we've been here, so guess what??? I GOT TO USE MY L.L. BEAN RAINCOAT! I was pretty excited to be so prepared while everyone else was just soaked and miserable. Between my water-resistant backpack, my "walking" sandals (haha), and my rain jacket, I was an L.L. Bean dream ad (in Africa). And now I've done something to make this italics. I feel like Lisa Peciaro, but I cannot for the life of me figure out how to get out of italics. So be it. Just know that I'm not actually stressing any of this.

In recent news, I had my first full day of classes, which was very long. I decided that I'm dropping my 2 credit Twi language course. I feel like I would learn things that would obviously be helpful for while I'm here, but my heart isn't in the course, it's just plain difficult, and it's eating into my elective credit (which I need for advanced studio courses in the spring and next year). So....out it goes. I really liked my Globalization course this morning (Ali was right...I think I'm going to learn everything about everything). And my Global Connections: Accra class seems like it's going to be good, too. Mostly because of the great professor. All in all, I had a very global day! Tomorrow is the first day I am NOT setting an alarm, which is fantastic. I get on a bus for University of Ghana at 4pm for my 5pm Traditional African Dance class. I am soooo excited but simultaneously very nervous. I hope I don't look like an asshole. But if it's anywhere as much of a party as our class was at PHTS, I'll be in good shape (haha...I'll be in GREAT shape after 4 months of this class, actually). I'm looking forward to it.

Since I missed a few days, I'm struggling to remember everything that has happened recently. The videos I posted are from yesterday's brunch, where we watched an African dance exhibition, followed by some audience participation. Hence, the many videos of African people...dancing. It was soooo hot in the sun. We were all melting in the heat, but we survived. Oh yes...then a bunch of us went to Labadi beach, which is kind of skeevy, but it was great to walk on a beach and see the ocean. Granted there are plenty of beautiful, natural beaches outside of Accra with sea turtles and starfish and things, we are so spoiled up in Ogunquit! This beach was more of the street performers, plastic trash in the waves, don't go too far into the bacteria-filled water kind of city beach. Oh well. I found two shells for my mom, so she can add them to her collection!

Our Spark notes version of Saturday was early, redundant orientation for foreign students at University of Ghana, followed by a walk through a crazy, overwhelming African market, followed by a great free dinner and dancing at the welcome durbar (African welcome party) for international students at U. Ghana. It was a fun day, but very tiring. My tour guide in the market was the same girl who took me around University of Ghana to find the timetables. She is very nice, but kind of clueless. It was frustrating to be pushing through angry, smelly crowds of people speaking another language (most of whom were carrying large piles of things on their heads), and stopping abruptly to turn around because our tour guide had brought us the wrong way. It was like having someone from Nebraska try to give a tour of Times Square and stopping you in the traffic to point out the TRL sign. Or at least that's what it felt like. I also got toilet paper (or "toilet tissue") and when I asked our guide how much it SHOULD cost (so I could haggle down the price, from the obvious markup), she said, "Let me ask how much it is." I felt like I knew how to bargain more than she did, and I have never bargained for anything in real life (Grandma was with me, I'm sure of it). But I didn't want to disrespect my tour guide's advice, so I paid a whole 3 cedis for a pack of toilet paper that I could've probably paid 1.50 for. It was just another little frustration added to the day. Despite our setbacks, we still got a chance to see all the beautiful fabrics for sale on the top of 3 floors of market. It was inappropriate to take pictures, and apparently some of my classmates got pretty angry reactions even when they bought something from a vendor and/or asked to take the picture. So I avoided it altogether, which I think was wise. I'm hoping to create a good relationship with a fabric lady at some point soon so I can have some skirts made, and maybe even a dress. The fabrics are beautiful, and you can see some men embroidering cloth on sewing machines as you walk by. Batiks, tye-dyes, kente cloth...I need to choose carefully. I'm sure I saw Bill's suit print more than once, too!

I miss home a little. I've felt really good about everything I've been doing here, and I'm so happy to have a real schedule this week (vs. 7am-9pm orientation days). I've been able to keep in touch with a lot of you who are reading this, and even if you don't contact me, it feels nice to know that you're reading along with my little adventures. Every once in a while I remember I'm in AFRICA, and I will be for another four months. I'm really excited to go on our excursions and see life outside of Accra, too. I just wish a certain best friend whose name rhymes with Nick would drop a line. This is rather a public plea, but I've talked with or messaged many people since I've been here (more easily than I expected), but I'd love to know what's going on in the life of Nick. If anyone happens to talk to him, please tell him he's stupid and that some girl in Ghana would love to talk to him sometime soon!

I'm going to sleep now, with the happy knowledge that I'm not needed anywhere before 4pm! Obviously, I'll wake up at 7:43am and not be able to go back to sleep, but it's a nice thought!

Love from Africa!
Molly


P.S.--HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL TOMORROW, LIZZIE!!!