A couple weeks ago I was talking to my dad on the phone and he complained about how he knew very little about my daily life at the University of Ghana. When I reflected on my blog posts I realized it is true, anyone who reads this has a skewed image of what my life is like in Ghana. I only write about the exciting adventures and have never described what the bulk of my life consists of. So here you go dad!
For those of you who thought I was purely playing with monkeys and hiking through the jungle this is pure lies! Five days of the week, I am a student at the University of Ghana, Legon. Legon is a relatively rural town but it is located ten minutes outside of the capital, Accra. The University itself is MASSIVE- honestly feels three times the size of UCSB but maybe that is because I am walking it all instead of biking.
I am one of ten foreign students who have the incredible opportunity to live in Volta Hall. Volta is a prestigious all-girls dormitory whose motto is “Ladies with Vision and Style.” The dorm itself would shock most Westerners due to the beauty of the courtyard and lush greenery. Although Volta rarely has running water, it is one of the most competitive dorms for women to get into at UG. While most international students live in the International Student Hostel across campus where they are surrounded by foreign students, I have been fortunate enough to live amongst only Ghanaian girls 24/7. Considering Ghanaian girls are known to be extremely shy, it has been beyond helpful to live in a dorm where I am constantly interacting with them. It took the girls some time to warm up to me but this second semester Volta hall truly feels like home because of all the close friends I have made.
Located in the heart of campus with a tall clock tower on top and water fountains in the courtyard, Balme Library is known as one of the most beautiful buildings on campus. To be honest, I actually have not set foot inside the library this semester but last semester I did much of my reading at a desk on the second floor where the breeze cooled me down.
The majority of my classes are held in Jones-Quarterley Building or “JQB.” It takes me about a fifteen minute walk on a dirt road to reach JQB. The classrooms remind me of a stereotypical law school movie- long benches and desks cross the room. My classes have around 200 people which can be a struggle considering the microphones are pretty shaky and there is no PowerPoint system. A chalkboard sits at the front but it is rarely used. The lecture format has varied immensely in my time here. One of my professors reads monotone word-for-word from a printout that we already have purchased and read for homework. Another professor dynamically engages the class and randomly calls on students who aren’t paying attention. My dance class is pure blood, sweat, and tears as we shake our hips and stomp our feet for an hour and a half straight. My classes are definitely not up to the standards of UCSB but I have learned a lot from sitting in on classes taught from the Ghanaian perspective. Also, the lack of homework has allowed me to get involved in the University with athletics and at the radio station.
The History Department is located right across the street from my dorm which has been perfect because I can roll out of bed and make it to class in five minutes. Although my large lectures are held in JQB, I have smaller tutorials where we meet with a TA to discuss the course material at the actual department. Almost all of my tutorials are held under a massive tree in the courtyard which is gorgeous but I am often distracted by the nature surrounding me.
The International Programmes Office is where all of the offices are for foreign students. There is also a computer lab that can only be used by foreign students and free wireless internet- because they know how much we need our technology. IPO is where I have my Twi classes and support group meetings.
Considering you have been asking me since day 1 where the law school is, I just had to include this. Brand spanking new building for all the future Ghanaian lawyers.
One of my favorite places to buy food on campus is the Night Market. Located clear across campus from my dorm, the Night Market is known for its cheap food- but it also has unclear sanitation standards and is often accused for typhoid breakouts. My favorite foods to get at the night market are egg sandwiches, jollof rice and plantains, bananas, pineapple, mango, and groundnuts. I have my favorite stands where I know all of the workers and they usually “dash” aka give me free food. On the walk back from the night market I pass basketball courts which are always bustling and the smelly trash dumpsters where 4 dogs always congregate to extract yummy scraps.
An interesting thing about UG is that there are a million buildings under construction, but nobody ever seems to be working on them. These skeleton buildings stretch across campus and are evidence of the laid back mentality of Ghanaians. For example, I run at the track every week and although the track is in place, only about five rows of the stands have been built. Even though the project is clearly unfinished I have not seen a single worker ever. Instead, squatters have built their homes under the stands and pick weeds on the center field. My new habit is swimming at the Olympic size swimming pool. There is a four story diving platform that I have put on my bucket list to jump off. The problem is, they don’t let anyone dive off any of the diving boards. The best part about swimming at the pool is that most Ghanaians can’t swim so I have the entire deep end to myself!
I remember thinking back in orientation how I would never be able to navigate the campus without a map. Now, I not only know the campus but have all my secret passages to get to class as quick as possible. While the campus seemed huge in the beginning, it has started to feel smaller and smaller because I now know students, teachers, and vendors on campus so I am constantly stopping to chat. The University of Ghana has definitely become my home away from home and I am going to miss the twenty minute walks across campus that leave me with disgustingly brown muddy feet.
Last Friday was Volta’s Hall Week. The entire dorm was decorated in our colors- blue and gold- and every day was full of events. One of my friends Naa called me a week earlier and asked if I would model for the fashion show. Not realizing the depth of the commitment, I said yes. For the entire week she had me practicing all these poses and model walks for 3 hours at night. It was seriously exhausting, but I met some awesome new girls who also live in Volta. The show was supposed to start at 6PM but Ghana time took over and two of the designers did not show till 7:30PM. I was so nervous for my first walk- especially because I never wear heels and the runway included a set of stairs. However, when I first stepped on the red carpet, the crowd cheered because they were not expecting an obruni in the show. I modeled for two designers- Afromode Trends and Roche- and they both had me wearing modern African styles. I also was asked to do an impromptu walk for another designer with some other girls and the only male models for the show. The designer told me I could do whatever I wanted and to just have fun. At the end of the runway I broke out in Azunto- a popular modern style of African dance- and the crowd erupted in cheers. It was definitely the best moment of the night. Although I definitely think that this fashion show was my first and last of my modeling career, I had a blast!
ahhhh this was such a great post!! and you are one super hot model :))
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