One last post from Ghana...

Hello!

The last two weeks have been a mix of relaxation, pure delicious adventure, goodbyes, and surprises.

Two weekends ago Team Ghana headed to a great little resort called Green Turtle Lodge. The Lodge is an excellent example of how tourism can support local industry and conservation, while keeping with sustainable practices. Even down to the basics, their toilets are self-composting, their shower water is recycled to feed plants, and their food is local. The tours they offer are both perceptive to the ecological needs of the area and sensitize the visitors as well, including bike tours, guided hikes, turtle hikes, and conservation projects. Close to Agona, the beach the lodge is on is a common area for sea turtles to do their hatchlings. The profits from the Lodge go towards turtle conservation projects. The normal turtle season is September – March, but visitors may get lucky and see a hatching in late August or early April. Thus, I was pretty eager to see turtles. We unfortunately did not. However, I was lucky to spend the weekend laying in a hammock, soaking up the sun, listening to the waves, and read one 350 page novel in 24 hours.

This is my kind of tourism.

Green Turtle Lodge

My last week of work was rather eventful. I got away from the office most days by interviewing NGOs in the region about a possibility of future partnerships. I always love meeting with NGOs because it gives me an opportunity to see the diversity of projects and passions in development work. I spent my time in the office typing up some final reports for my supervisors at both QPID and FoN. The community FoN is in, Adiembra, has become as much my home as my community where my host family is. We spent a large part of our last day saying goodbye to our ladies on Adiembra road. Our goodbye with Ivy, the shopkeeper I have mentioned before, was particularly heartfelt and heartbreaking.

Sara and I have said how sad we will be to not see Ivy on a daily basis. She has a sort of kindred spirit way about her, and brightens my days. If I ever get back to Ghana, I will immediately go to Ivy's shop for her ground nut paste (peanut butter) and a hug. We had a small gathering with our colleagues at FoN, and where we exchanged gifts. The ladies at work were very generous and provided Sara and I with yet another Ghanaian outfit. 

Our very good friend at work, Juliet.

With Ivy and her daughter Lydia.

FoN staff

My last Saturday in Ghana was one of the highlights of my whole stay. Sara, Heather, and I travelled to Busua, assuming a simple day trip to the beach to swim. When we arrived, we bumped into a friend from the CRC, Alex, who has recently moved to Busua. We made friends with locals and foreigners quickly, especially one small boy, named Yow (Fante for Thursday born) who accompanied us on our day’s adventures. Yow is mute, but we had a great time playing games, dancing, and communicating through play. We checked out the fishing boats, as I like to do wherever I go, went swimming, ate good food, and played with the local children. At one point Sara excitedly pointed out a money that for some reason ventured to the beach. The monkey was quite aggravated, and began to attack a dog of one of the shop owners who was sitting on the beach. The money then ran after me (I may have upset it by taking photos...), and managed to climb up my leg before my hysterics must have frightened it away. A hilarious moment in retrospect. Later, Alex took us to Dixcove, a community about 2km from Busua, saying he heard their was a festival that day. And a festival there was indeed! The royalty of the region were held up on floats, carried by 4-6 men. Some people were dressed in carnival masks, while others wore traditional and everyday wear. There was a band of trombones, and the town paraded around the community dancing and singing and celebrating and having the jolliest of times. I was eager to get into the action, and excited to see an obruni at their local festivities, they pulled me right into the action. I spent the next hour or two being tugged at and danced with and swung around enthusiastically, and I loved it! The locals taught me how to chant and make symbols to the royalty, and the men carrying the royalty danced with me as well. One particular elderly woman stayed with me from before we even found the parade, to the very end, and was hilarious and fun, showing me her dance moves. I have added a photo of us dancing on the street together, before the parade. The parade was culturally enlightening, fun, and chaotic in the best of ways, and was definitely one of my favourite Ghana moments. I feel so blessed to have tripped upon it.

Goofing around on the beach

Before the attack

Why not?

Fishing boat at Busua

The royalty

The band

Traditional costume

On Sunday Sara and I headed up to Tamale for our final week of travelling to Mole National Park. In Tamale we found these hilarious t-shirts that say ‘Make Fufu, Not War,” on the front, and “You are Invited” on the back. It is customary in Ghana to say “You are Invited” while eating to invite them to take some food. Unfortunately, while waiting for the bus to Mole, I heard that a tornado had hit my hometown in Canada. I am sad to say that I am now leaving Ghana a few days ahead of schedule to help out my family with the damages to the house. I spent today running some necessary errands in Takoradi, taking mental photos of my favourite parts of town and saying my goodbye to my friends on I. Adu, the street I live on, and then packing and doing some goodbyes with my family. My mood right now is a sadness to leave Ghana, but also an anxiety to get back to Goderich and help out the family and my home town. Ghana has taught me so many things, and I have spent the last 3 months discovering and learning about not only Ghana, but also myself. I would like to include a better conclusionary blog to my trip, but due to my rushed departure, I will post again later. After some pondering on the plane, reflection, and debriefing, I will add some more blogs. I am also midway through a blog debriefing on my internship.

To all my friends in Ghana reading, thank you for teaching, listening, and welcoming me into this place that is beautiful and unique in so many ways.

To my friends in Goderich, I am already hearing about the amazing community efforts going into clean up, and I am eagerly awaiting seeing you all and lending a helping hand.

And to my friends everywhere else, keep smiling!