Into the Wild

Despite the fact that Ghana is often compared to the size of Oregon, it took 14 long hours to drive by bus from Accra to Mole National Park, in northern Ghana. Although I was uncomfortable bouncing around on the unpaved dirt roads (if you even want to call them that) all I could think about was how much worse it would have been if I was travelling by tro-tro.

Luckily, we made a couple of stops along the way- street vendors for food, forest coverings for bathroom stops, and Kintampo Waterfall. Kintampo Waterfall was nowhere near the size of Wli Waterfall in the Volta region, but this waterfall is especially unique for the rock formations that allow you to climb under the waterfall. Considering I forgot a swimsuit, I made the mistake of attempting to scale the rocks in my clothes. Just after mentioning how I did not want to be wet for the whole bus ride, Ariel came sliding down the rocks and knocked me over like a domino. So much for staying dry. 

The final four hours of our drive up north was spent in the pitch black in the middle of nowhere, driving around 10 mph because of the massive ditches in the road. The best part was that our driver did not even know where he was going- we stopped at every village to reconfirm our location and even made a couple U-turns to stay on track. After using a little bribery to get into the National Park at such a late hour, our group settled into our rooms. The hotel at Mole was definitely a huge step up from the dorms at University of Ghana. However, I have heard nightmare stories about the wildlife “welcoming” the new visitors to their rooms. One of the international students told us about how he woke up to find a baboon on his bed with him. Another girl had a bag of cookies snatched out of her hands right outside her door by a baboon. A couple people have been mauled by warthogs and snakes are not uncommon on the premises. Due to these stories, I brought zero food with me and had my guard up at all times.

The next morning we woke up bright and early for the safari tour. The tour guide forced me to buy a pair of boots because my open toed sandals were apparently a hazard for walking through the jungle where poisonous snakes often cross over feet. Ariel and I climbed on top of a jeep and set off into the bush. The North is actually a completely different environment from Accra. Not only was the air drier than the usual humidity, but the golden elephant grass and leafless trees are not a common sight amongst the greenery of the coast. Within our three hour drive we saw warthogs, bush buck, hartebeest, antelope, baboons- moms with the babies latched to their bellies), crocodiles…..and ELEPHANTS! 

Our first elephant spotting occurred after walking across a dry river bed where massive elephant footprints had dried. When we walked to the edge of a water hole, an elephant was bathing right in the center, surrounded by crocodiles. I gasped when I first caught a glimpse of this gigantic creature because it has been my dream since stepping foot in Ghana to one day see an elephant. On our second spotting, we stood 15 feet away from three elephants who were grazing for food. They were huge! Even though our guide carried a gun, I hung back a bit out of fear of being trampled.

Midway through the day we went to a small village called Larabanga where we saw the oldest mosque in West Africa. An interesting fact about this community is that is it 100% Muslim- Islam is actually more popularly practiced in the North. The mosque was gorgeous with white walls and wooden spikes coming out. As we stood outside learning about the history, a call to prayer was announced and people flooded to the mosque. I instantly had flashbacks to my time in Israel when the call to prayer was a normal event of my days in Jerusalem. We also learned how to make shea butter from raw shea nuts.

Back at the hotel we swam in our first pool in Ghana. It reminded me of being on my 8^th grade Washington DC trip all over again- young people surrounding the pool, splashing, and shenanigans. Warthogs were running around the pool and elephants could be seen in the distance. 

That night I made the brilliant decision to sleep in a tree canopy instead of at the clean, comfortable hotel. About fifteen of us loaded up a bus that took us into the heart of the bush- in the middle of nowhere. When we stepped out of the bus in the dark I thought to myself “this cannot be true.” Built into an enormous scraggly tree was a two-story wooden tree house. We carried our hard mats up the stairs and called the place home for the night. Without our Ghanaian body guard who carried a nice sized gun to protect us from the wildlife, we had been stranded alone in the bush. We built a bonfire, stargazed, and stayed up late telling stories. I slept terribly! It may be hard to believe but I was freezing all night and exposed to the blood thirsty bite of mosquitoes. We woke up before the sun rose, packed up and left one of the coolest locations I have ever slept in my life. On our way back to the hotel, we saw two more elephants hidden in the grass…I guess I did not realize that we were truly sleeping amongst the elephants!

I passed out on the bus ride back. We did make one last stop at Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary where we saw brilliant trees, Mona monkeys, and Colubus monkeys. My favorite was the Colubus monkeys because of their long white tails and shy demeanor. We spent our final night in Kumasi at the nicest hotel yet and ate at a much needed buffet. The next morning we drove the rest of the distance to Accra. Although we were on the go the entire four day trip, my adventures in the North were definitely the highlight of my stay in Ghana thus far.   

As for my daily life at the University of Ghana, I have settled into my second semester classes and picked up a couple of extra activities along the way. My classes for this semester are: 1. Twi 2. Traditional African Dance 3. Ghana in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries 4. Women in History 5. Working with Children- Social Work 6. Working with People with HIV/AIDS

I am currently working once a week teaching kids who live right outside the University with one of my Ghanaian friends. I also recently picked up an internship at Radio Universe on campus where I will be working with a news team to cover the latest developments on campus and in the Legon area. The head of the NGO Exponential Education that I worked for last semester is moving out to Ghana in March this year and I will be working with her to improve, financially fund, and expand the educational program throughout Ghana. Finally, I continue to a play a little tennis here and there and have been invited to play in Nigeria for two weeks for the team…don’t worry I rejected despite their ongoing phone calls at 4AM . 

 Considering our two cats- Soloman and Julie- disappeared last semester, our security guards Uncle Baba and Uncle Lucas got Ariel and I a new kitten. We named her Fufu, after a popular Ghanaian dish. This spoiled kitten sleeps on a chair in our room in order to take full advantage of the fan.

Oh! Yesterday was my 7 months in Ghana anniversary, meaning only 3 months left! Ariel and I treated ourselves to a movie at the mall- it as such a nice movie theatre. Miss you all xoxo

"A Rose Red City Half As Old As Time"

There is no way to explain the beauty and mystery surrounding Petra with any justice. The ancient city, carved into the massive red-rocked mountain faces, was hands down one of the most physically jaw-dropping and spiritually inspiring places I have ever been. This is definitely a noteworthy edition to the bucket list. 

After traveling to the northernmost corner in Akko, Katie and I headed down to Eilat, the southernmost point of Israel, bordering the Red Sea. Our hostel was certainly unique with its circus ambiance- creepy manikins and paintings adorning the walls- but the adorable old man who owned the joint smiled every time he saw us and would say “Heidi from the mountains!” Our first night we walked down to the beach and visited tourist central. Lining the beach were zillions of clothing stores and top of the line restaurants. There was even a Hilton hotel and a Bible inspired theme park that towered over the surrounding area. We stood at the edge of the Red Sea and stared into the distance where we could see not only Jordan, but also Egypt and Saudi Arabia. 

The next morning we were picked up by a tour bus to head to the border of Jordan. Although we paid online using a credit card, the Israeli tour leader claimed we had not paid… but Katie had left her card at home and I did not have enough money to cover both of us. Luckily, she let us through anyways. We left Israeli territory, walked through “no man’s land” for five minutes before reaching the Jordanian border. As we crossed through security, one guard spoke to me in Arabic knowing full well that we could not understand then flashed a big smile to the amusement of his colleagues. We boarded a bus that drove us from Aqaba through Wadi Rum, the desert that stretches throughout the majority of Jordan. At a rest stop Katie and I played with five little puppies and the owner of the shop playfully offered us one for free. I reluctantly refused his offer. Our tour guide was a five foot three, seventy year old Jordanian named Riyadh. He filled us in on some fascinating facts- for example, Jordan is the fifteenth cleanest country in the world according to the UN as well as one of the safest countries in the Middle East. The population is predominantly Sunni Muslims and Riyadh explained that they peacefully coexist with other religions. We winded through beautiful scenery- a valley of mountains dropped off on the left while the modern Petra, called Wadi Musa was built into the hillside. 

After exiting the bus we began our journey. There is only one way in and one way out of the old city- the Siq. For a half mile, our group walked through a narrow passageway that had a smooth cobblestone floor and enormous cliff faces jetting up on both sides. As the tour guide made an effort to reaffirm multiple times, the bright red, orange, and purple in the rock were purely natural- the unique coloring of the rock actually reminded me of Sedona, Arizona. Despite the fact that this was only the entrance to the over 2000 year old Nabataean city, the Siq possessed many subtle treasures. I was especially impressed by the aqueducts carved into the walls to bring water to the inner portions of the city. Tombs and caves scattered all over the landscape, marked by Egyptian architectural influences. These caves were inhabited by Bedouins until the Jordanian government kicked them out in the '80s. Although the Bedouins resettled outside Petra’s walls, they continue to enter and profit from tourism. Bedouins offered horse, camel, and carriage rides while their children sell postcards and jewelry. 

The highlight of the first day was the Khaznik, or the Treasury as English speakers have deemed it. This monument is the most famous attraction of Petra and the one you probably think of if you have even heard of the “red rose city.” The building, carved into the walls of the red-rock was way larger than I anticipated and intricately decorated. A third floor was recently discovered underground and you could visibly see the bullet holes at the top of the monument caused by the Bedouins looking for treasure. The site was recently named one of the new Wonders of the World…and I could most definitely see why. After our short tour of Petra, our group went to a restaurant where we ate a delicious buffet. Katie and I made the decision to stay overnight in Wadi Musa to tour Petra on our own the next day. The entire group left and a driver picked us up and took us to the Oscar Hotel. What we thought would be a luxury experience in comparison to our hostel bunk beds turned into a night of freezing temperatures and uncertainty. Katie and I seemed to be the only guests in the entire hotel. They placed us in the room closest to the lobby in which the heater was broken, leaving us shaking the entire night in a forty degree room. Literally. 

We woke up early and embarked on our second day in Petra. Considering we had beaten any tour groups, we had to the opportunity to stare up at the Khaznik without a soul around. Then, we set our eyes on the second most famous attraction- the Monastery. Along the way, a Bedouin woman named Noel invited us to a cup of tea, actually demanded us to drink tea with her by stating it is inhospitable to refuse an invitation by a Bedouin. We drank tea, hot off the fire, while sitting with four Bedouins on the steep steps that overlooked the surrounding mountains and desert below. 800 steps and 2 ½ miles uphill later, Katie and I reached the top of the mountain. The monastery was much larger than the Khaznik but had less detail. We explored the area checking out caves and I headed for a view of “The End of the World.” The viewpoint definitely lived up to its name- I had to rock climb to get to the top of the cliff that dropped down into Wadi Rum. But the trek was worth the view.

Katie and I got to the bottom of the mountain with shaking legs but decided to push forward and climb a new route to the point of high sacrifice. We thought that the climb would be shorter and sweeter but along with the rain, the hike became a grueling uphill battle. At the highest point, we climbed up onto a large rock platform that had a 360 degree view of Petra, the mountains, and the desert below. A sign pointed to where animal sacrifices occurred. We ate some bread and jam then headed down the mountain. We were supposed to meet the new tour group at 3:30 in the parking lot but guess what? We could not find the bus ANYWHERE! And we did not have a functioning phone since we were in a new country. We made the decision to exchange money to dinars and to take a cab up to the restaurant where the group would most likely be eating lunch. When we got to the restaurant the group was there but they had already eaten and it was only 3:45. The driver exclaimed “no, no we left at 3:30 and you were not there.” However, the group informed me that they had actually left around 2PM. Meaning, the tour guide had left Katie and I in Petra to fend for ourselves. Luckily things worked out in our favor anyways. After the long drive we stopped in Aqaba for a quick stroll around the city and then headed back to the border. I felt instantly more comfortable the second I crossed back into Israel. 

Katie and I spent our final night in Eilat hunting down cheeseburgers. We got kicked to the curb several times for even suggesting the chef forego kosher procedure to add cheese to the plain burger. Finally, we found a new American restaurant called Moses where we splurged on massive burgers and fries…pure happiness.

Petra is certainly a treasure of the world. Without hesitation I would tell people over and over that it is a spot they have to see at some point in their life. At the same time, I feel that some of the magic derived from the fact that Petra is not overrun by tourists, and I hope it never will be. Petra renewed my confidence in my studies of history. The massive structures and complex architecture serve as a reminder of the capabilities of humans at such an early time period as well as the mysteries of the past. What I would give to be able to go back in a time machine and view this flourishing city at the height of its power. I guess there are just some things the human mind will never be able to grasp.

IsthisRAEL?

A month and a half ago I kissed my life in Ghana goodbye and boarded a plane to Israel. Although it was hard to part from all of the new international and Ghanaian friends I had made, I was definitely ready for a break from the heat, humidity, and constant attention directed towards an American female in Ghana.

            Culture Shock. It is one of the topics that have been discussed throughout my program and we have held countless workshops on how to not only adjust to our new West African environment but also how we will cope when we get back to the States. Before leaving for Israel my expectations were that culture shock would not be so obvious. I discovered that the phenomena was actually quite blatant and slapped me right across the face- my shock at finding toilet paper and paper towels in the Heathrow airport, the “delicious” microwave meals provided to me on the airplane, the racial diversity in Heathrow and Tel Aviv, and of course, the hot showers in Katie’s apartment. What I discovered fast was that my heart ached for Ghana. I missed it every minute I was in Israel. It was fun at first to talk about the hectic world that I had departed. Then frustration set in. I found myself talking nonstop about things that nobody could understand unless they had experienced it. It is just a tough reality I am going to have to confront once again when I get back to good ole California.

            ISthisRAEL? During my time in Israel, I lived with my best friend from college, Katie, in her student dorms in French Hill, Jerusalem. Katie is studying Political Science in a year-long program at the Rothberg International School at the Hebrew University. My location served as a perfect home base for traveling to the treasures of Israel- only a five minute train ride from the Old City or fifteen minute bus ride to the West Bank. During my first weeks in Israel, Katie had finals so I had no problem crashing on the couch, eating any chocolate I could get my hands on and watching Friday Night Lights- a TV show that Katie got me hooked on. After her finals, we made a bucket list and set out to see all of the typical tourist hotspots. Within Jerusalem we visited the kotel or Western Wall, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Mount of Olives, multiple shouks (outdoor markets), Dome of the Rock, and of course the Israeli nightlife. Jerusalem had a distinct feel from all of the other places I visited in Israel. Not only was it physically colder than any other city I visited, but I felt an emotional charge- a sort of heaviness every time I reentered the city. My favorite part of living in Israel for a month and a half was experiencing the daily life: people watching, eating shawarma, and attempting to speak Hebrew and Arabic phrases.  

            While most of the Israeli population celebrated Hanukkah, Katie and I were lucky enough to have three of our friends from UCSB join us to be a part of the minority celebrating Christmas. Cat and Sydney, who had just finished studying for a semester in Italy, and Maddy, who was almost finished with her semester abroad in Turkey, met us in Tel Aviv to begin the festivities. We spent a couple of days in Tel Aviv, fine dining, wandering the beaches, and celebrating Sydney’s 21^st birthday. On Christmas Eve, the five of us wandered through the old city before eating an enormous meal at an Arab restaurant that was decorated with Christmas lights and even had a lighted tree. We attended midnight mass at a church just outside the Old City Walls which was extremely different from any service I have ever attended- but the hot chocolate and cookies served at the end sparked some familiarity to the holidays at home. The next day, Christmas, we embarked on our mission to enter the West Bank in order to view the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem. Despite the pouring rain, we boarded a bus near the Old City which took us to the border where we walked through the huge, imposing metal wall that divides the West Bank from the rest of Israel. As we were bombarded by taxi drivers we chose the alternative route of walking along the wall, viewing all of the graffiti and artwork calling for peace and the destruction of the division. We admitted defeat once all of our feet were drenched and took a taxi to the Church of Nativity. Surprisingly, there were not many people around. I was intrigued by the service occurring within the church because the worshippers were African and dressed in the exact same cloth as Ghanaians. When I asked one of the men where they were from I was informed that they had traveled from the Ivory Coast to view such a holy site. We waited in a short line before entering the cavern which marks the birthplace of Jesus- it felt so surreal and I could not help but think how many people would kill to be in my position. After eating one of the most scrumptious falafel lunches ever, we met a nice old man from Bethlehem who took us to his shop and made us tea. He gave each of us a free Christmas gift and pointed us in the direction of the correct bus to cross back into Israel. At the border, armed soldiers loaded the bus, checked all of our passports and sent us back into Israel after a forty minute wait. That night, we bought all of the materials to make French toast and pancakes and we binged until we reached a food coma and went to bed. All in all, it was a truly unique and memorable Christmas.   

Midway through my time in Israel, Katie and I decided to travel to Haifa where we stayed in a hostel close to the beach. We met fascinating people in the hostel including a Ukrainian and Italian who accompanied us on our trip to the Baha’i gardens, as well the owner of a steakhouse in Santa Barbara who has traveled to all 7 continents- including chilling with the penguins in Antarctica! Haifa reminds me of San Francisco, built on a hillside overlooking the Mediterranean. We used Haifa as our base for traveling to the ancient cities of Akko, Nazareth, and Caesarea. In Haifa, the highlight was definitely the Baha’i Gardens which were garden terraces that surround the shrine of the Bab on Mount Carmel. Our guided tour was fascinating and Katie and I came out with a new appreciation for the Baha’i faith, a monotheistic religion that emphasizes the unity of all humans. We also discovered a non-kosher burger joint, due to the recommendation of a Texas cowboy, that blew my socks off. Although it was pouring rain for most of our days, we explored the ruins of Akko and Caesarea. Both of these cities were built along the Mediterranean and were at one time bustling port cities. In Akko my favorite part was the underground Crusader tunnels which reached from the interior of the Old City out to the coastal walls. In Caesarea, an enormous theatre was constructed that stands in full force today. One of the shocking discoveries Katie and I made throughout our travels in Israel was that we had almost all of these beautiful ruins and churches all to ourselves. In Nazareth, we were completely alone inside the Basilica of the Annunciation as well as the Church of St. Joseph. I feel like in the United States you would have had to pay some entry fee and wait in a line, but I was able to wander through the sites at my will and experience them in peace.

             

So now I just want to reflect on some of the things that shocked me quite a bit about Israel. First of all, every restaurant, mall, bus station, etc. is setup with security- meaning you must go through metal detectors and often put your bags through a scanner. I was also surprised by the presence of Israeli soldiers everywhere I turned. The weirdest part was that all of these soldiers were merely kids- dressed in the common green uniform with their long guns slung over their shoulders. What I learned during my time in Israel is that these soldiers are just normal kids that are required to serve their country. I met several Americans who are now serving in the Israeli Army and I spent New Year’s with a group of combat soldiers. The sad aspect of this perpetual state of insecurity is the ethnic hatred that I witnessed. It was not unusual to see an altercation or hear words of hatred spoken between Arab and Jewish people. What did I love about Israel? I LOVED Shabbat dinners. During my stay in Israel, I was adopted into a Jewish family from England. Katie and I were invited to a Shabbat dinner by a friend named Nadavya. I did not realize that it was going to be hosted by her actual family. My first Shabbat dinner was spent eating course after course of delicious food and chatting with her mom and dad. They had a golden retriever named Bella that I took on a walk with her eight year old and twelve year old brothers. I returned for a second dinner two weeks later and felt that I had become a part of the family. I loved the positive energy and chaos as eighteen people squashed around a table. The dad sang the prayers in Hebrew, broke the bread and passed it around the table. We ate, sang, and laughed all night long. At 2AM we decided it was time for us to make an exit. I hugged the parents and the mom told us that we were always welcome in their home. She also made a profound statement about how it is hard to live in Israel because people from all over are always coming and then leaving…a statement that I feel is strongly true for Israel.  

Although my stay in Israel was short, I feel that I stayed long enough to see all of the important sights and also gain insight into the culture. I loved every moment that I got to attempt to speak Hebrew and eat falafel but when my time was up I was ready to head back to the heat. It is hard to believe that I am already back in Ghana, but my experiences in Israel gave me a new perspective on my life here and I can say with full confidence that I am thrilled to be back for four more months. 

....stay tuned for my experiences in Petra, Jordan