Kumasi and such

Hello again! After a somewhat long hiatus I am back to relay my adventures in Kumasi. Kumasi is located in the central part of Ghana and is known as the cultural center of the country. After a 6 hour incredibly uncomfortable bus ride we arrived at KNUST University, where 4 of the students in my group will be attending school at the end of the month. (They are participating in the orientation in Legon, though) The campus is beautiful and the dorms are amazing. Compared to the small and somewhat crowded rooms in Volta Hall where I live and take communal showers and share 3 toilets with many people on my floor, in Kumasi, the dorms have bigger beds and desks, and have private bathrooms with split toilet and shower. However, in defense of the place I will call home for the next 10 months, I must say I prefer the communal showers where water pours from the tap like a hose to the private and better pressurized water in Kumasi. The simple reason is this: no matter how fancy the shower or private the water, there is no hot water in Ghana. Period. And because of this, a shower that covers more area at a time--such as the pressurized shower headed ones I used in Kumasi-- provides for more breath caught in your throat, wanting to scream, trying to dance the goosebumps away, clenching your teeth as you try and shave your legs-ness than does one with a simple and constant stream falling a close distance from you if needed.


Moving on. After our arrival we set out to find food. However, it is not some cheap trick to find a restaurant in Ghana prepared to feed 65 people with no sort of notice. This resulted in much adventure around Kumasi looking for any type of food, from fancy hotel food, to roadside grub. Eventually out of apathy and a feeling of lingering full-ness from lunch, I decided that dinner would be unnecessary. We eventually ended up all back a this really cute outdoor restaurant that sold beer and had plenty of room for dancing. We stayed, almost all 65 of us dancing and drinking until midnight. It was great.

The next day, Sunday, we visited many of the craft villages in the area. We watched people making Kente cloth (beautiful, and VERY expensive) we saw this traditional printing done on Kente with an ink made of tree bark, and we visited many shops full of jewelry, carvings, and paintings. I bought a few things for myself as well as a few gifts.

Later, we met the Treasurer of the Asante Kingdom. Its tough to explain, but basically, when what we now call Ghana was carved out artificially by the British, it forced together many different ethnic groups under one nation state. Many people hold their first allegiance to the King of their ethnic tribe. The Asante tribe is the biggest and most powerful in Ghana. So, basically, the Asante King is the most powerful man in Ghana, more so than the president, John Kufour. Anyway, we met his treasurer, which is like Condoleeza Rice coming to talk randomly to a bunch of kids who don't really understand what she does. Super crazy.


Today, Elena and I went to the market to buy a bunch of stuff we needed, and ended up buying a bunch of stuff we wanted, like necklaces. However, I did finally succeed in buying a phone. The phone I brought with me couldn't be used because it needed a SIM (sp?) card, and was not set up to use one. So I had to buy one and it is now officially charging. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to my family or anyone I love yet, so I am super excited.

Tomorrow we are moving into our new room, Elena and I will still be roommates, which I am excited about. Then, we have a conference on the slave trade. On Thursday we will be going to Cape Coast to visit the old Slave Castles. Ghana has some of the best preserved slave forts in Africa. Which is super interesting from a historical perspective, but kinda scary from a human perspective. After that, Elena, me, and our friends Becky and Megan are going to stay overnight in Cape Coast and then spend 2 days at Kukum National Park, famous for its one-of-a-kind canopy walk through the rainforest. I can't wait. Hopefully I'll be talking to you soon! I love you.