(Oh hey, it's Rivky- what up, guys.)
I have a paper due on Thursday, but because it's chag, and I'm planning on leaving tomorrow as soon as I'm done with my classes, I want to finish it before I go to sleep tonight. Hence, I'm procrastinating, so I figured I'd write that Ghana Conclusion piece people. Yes, I know I've been back for four months (1), but here's to hoping it'll still be relevant!
Everyone's been asking me I feel being back, a fair question, and hopefully I can articulate some of what I've been thinking since being home.
I've had a pretty tough time communicating to friends and family about my experiences. Describing tro-tros, classes, water and electricity, cultural differences...it's overwhelming, and I usually don't know where to start. People also don't know how to relate, what to ask; it just feels like such an un-relatable experience, like something completely different than my life here, barely any overlap.
One thing I've been thinking about is how people keep marveling about being frum (2) in Ghana. People ask how we ate, how we kept shabbos, how we did everything, really. And in truth, it just wasn't that hard. We ate a lot of the same food - tuna, eggs, rice, salad - over and over, but we never lacked for food. And shabbos wasn't especially difficult either, because we made it easy - we cooked all day on Friday and spent all shabbos playing cards, reading and napping. Both of them weren't difficult, but they are difficult to imagine because of what we normally think of as standard ways we relate to food - with restaurants, an endless amount of options, and fresh food being constantly available to us. And the way we think of shabbos - with shul (3), big meals with family and friends, and maybe some learning. Learning we could do, to a very limited extent, but other than that, the ways we experienced shabbos was just so different than at home. We kept the halachot (4) of shabbos exactly the same in America and Ghana, but the experience was completely different. I'm not sure what that means. But something to think about, I guess.
I should really get back to my paper, but before I do, one think that really struck me; it seems obvious that I would feel this was, but it wasn't to me: I miss Ghana. I miss my friends, I miss our living situation, I miss being with Zahava and Yamit every day, I miss the stupid church in back of my dorm, and buying fresh, huge mangoes for an afternoon snack, and dancing, and drumming class with Francis (oh, Francis), and walking through the market, and meeting random Israelis, and riding disgusting tro tros, and discussing issues with Ghanaians, and being asked for a visa (5), and dance parties, and tovelling in the ocean, and just, everything.
It was so amazing, and I think about it every day, every hour, and I think that's part of why I can't describe it, beyond anecdotes. Ghana didn't ~change my life~ (6) in the same way Israel did, but there was an impact that I don't have a handle on yet, and I love it and miss it.
Anyway, enough of that. I don't think I've said much, but that's okay. Back to the paper!
Oh, by the way, got my grades for the semester. Hysterical- got an A in Islam, Africa and the Global System, and Social Welfare and Social Policy, and a B+ in Dance and in Drumming. Seriously? First of all, definitely shouldn't have passed Africa and the Global System, and come on, I rocked the drumming final. Francissssss.
(1) I think I've been back in America for as long as Ghana. Wow, insane.
(2) Observant of the commandments.
(3) synagogue
(4) laws
(5) or a laptop? Fleisch?
(6) Ugh, Adi, your bizarre writing style had infected ALL OF US. SEE THE CAPS??
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classes. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Faith and Practice of Islam
Rivky again- just wanted to add one thing about one of my classes here. I'm taking a class called Faith and Practice of Islam. It's a really interesting class, and I do learn a lot about Islam- specifically Sunni Islam, we barely speak about Shiah because my professor is Sunni.(1) But what bothers me/ cracks me up about the class is that it often ends up being an argument between the Christians and Muslims in the class, while I just sit there. Ghana is an incredibly religious country, and no one is afraid to argue and push their beliefs onto others.(2) As much as I have been learning, the shock of watching students arguing amongst themselves and with the professor about Jesus seems so unacademic to me- sometimes I wonder if I'm sitting in on a Sunday school class or if I'm actually in a university.
(1) Boy, is he Sunni.
(2) I don't remember if we wrote about this yet, but people walk into our dorm all the time giving us flyers and inviting us to come to church with them. We always say, "We're Jewish," and they respond, "That's okay, we don't mind." How thoughtful.
(1) Boy, is he Sunni.
(2) I don't remember if we wrote about this yet, but people walk into our dorm all the time giving us flyers and inviting us to come to church with them. We always say, "We're Jewish," and they respond, "That's okay, we don't mind." How thoughtful.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Quick Unrelated Thoughts
What up, everyone- it's Rivky!
This is just a quick thought about living in a developing country- I'll hopefully be able to post more about it in the near future- but I think one of my favorite things about the country, which also make it so frustratingly difficult, is the overwhelming "developing"ness of everything. When people talk about a developing country, one assumes certain things- the electricity might not be amazing, maybe there isn't much internet, constant construction, etc. And all of that, plus much more, is so apparent here. I'll illustrate only about the construction- everywhere you are- on or off-campus, in the city or far out of the city, in poor or rich areas- there is constant construction going on. There are roads, but many, maybe even most, roads, are unpaved bumpy dirt paths. Walking to class is a constant tiyul(1), walking through shrubbery and taking shortcuts through dirt paths and sometimes even construction sites on campus.(2) My flip flops, which I bought the day before my flight, are so thin, I assume they'll break soon. There are also constant ditches and holes in the road and sidewalk and pathway- there is a huge ditch right outside the main campus, probably 30-40 feet down, 100 feet long, 20 feet wide. And it's not marked off- you're just supposed to know that it's there. Same with the gutters- they are entirely open, at the side of the road, and it's really easy to fall into them if you don't see where you're going.
But even though that's so frustrating, it's almost exciting to see the country being built around you. Even though I've been in Israel, where there is always constant construction, it's addition- they're adding a house, or a neighborhood in the Gush- they're not paving roads in the capital city. This is an entirely new experience, and it's pretty cool.
In terms of classes, I'm in a precarious situation. Besides for Twi(3), I've registered for five classes. I'm taking History of Western Medicine in Ghana, Faith and Practice of Islam, Africa and the Global System, and then African Traditional Dancing and African Drumming.(4) But because they won't switch the finals for us if they end up on shabbos, if the finals for any of these classes turn out to be on shabbos (we get a 'tentative' finals schedule next week), I have to drop the class and add another one.(5)
On Sunday, Zahava and I took a break and decided to be Western for a minute. We took a tro-tro to Shangri-La hotel, about a 10 minute ride, and paid 8 cedis to go swimming and lay by the pool and just relax, away from the people trying to sell you things, away from the heat and the noise- just relax. The best part- we hadn't had running water since Wednesday(6) and they had actual showers, so we got to shower after we swam.(7) After Shangri-La, we walked to the Accra Mall, where we watched Ghanaians watch the football(8) game on TV and drank South African yogurt, and then we went home. It was a very relaxing day- sometimes, you just need to get away from it.
(1) Very loosely translated as a hike.
(2) Near our dorm, called Pentagon, they're building the New Law Faculty. The building actually looks like a shul in the Gush, so we've been calling it the shul, as in, 'turn right after the shul.'
(3) Twi is the first language for most people in this region of Ghana, though they all learn English in school and speak it very well. We're all required to take a Twi ulpan-type thing, 8 hours a week for 6 weeks.
(4) All together, it's 16 credits, because drumming and dance are only two credits each.
(5) Obvious question- since this schedule is only tentative and the FINAL finals schedule comes out two weeks before finals, what do we do if something is changed and a class I am taking does end up with a final on shabbos? Answer: cry. Apparently, there is literally nothing they will do. But we're hoping that remains hypothetical.
(6) We got it back this morning, though! Baruch Hashem.
(7) I say swam, but I really only swam for 5 minutes. I was wearing an orange shirt to my elbows and they said I was only allowed to wear a white shirt when I swam. Go figure. Whatevs, 5 minutes was still nice, and I got to lay by the pool and shower and all that nice stuff.
(8) Soccer.
This is just a quick thought about living in a developing country- I'll hopefully be able to post more about it in the near future- but I think one of my favorite things about the country, which also make it so frustratingly difficult, is the overwhelming "developing"ness of everything. When people talk about a developing country, one assumes certain things- the electricity might not be amazing, maybe there isn't much internet, constant construction, etc. And all of that, plus much more, is so apparent here. I'll illustrate only about the construction- everywhere you are- on or off-campus, in the city or far out of the city, in poor or rich areas- there is constant construction going on. There are roads, but many, maybe even most, roads, are unpaved bumpy dirt paths. Walking to class is a constant tiyul(1), walking through shrubbery and taking shortcuts through dirt paths and sometimes even construction sites on campus.(2) My flip flops, which I bought the day before my flight, are so thin, I assume they'll break soon. There are also constant ditches and holes in the road and sidewalk and pathway- there is a huge ditch right outside the main campus, probably 30-40 feet down, 100 feet long, 20 feet wide. And it's not marked off- you're just supposed to know that it's there. Same with the gutters- they are entirely open, at the side of the road, and it's really easy to fall into them if you don't see where you're going.
But even though that's so frustrating, it's almost exciting to see the country being built around you. Even though I've been in Israel, where there is always constant construction, it's addition- they're adding a house, or a neighborhood in the Gush- they're not paving roads in the capital city. This is an entirely new experience, and it's pretty cool.
In terms of classes, I'm in a precarious situation. Besides for Twi(3), I've registered for five classes. I'm taking History of Western Medicine in Ghana, Faith and Practice of Islam, Africa and the Global System, and then African Traditional Dancing and African Drumming.(4) But because they won't switch the finals for us if they end up on shabbos, if the finals for any of these classes turn out to be on shabbos (we get a 'tentative' finals schedule next week), I have to drop the class and add another one.(5)
On Sunday, Zahava and I took a break and decided to be Western for a minute. We took a tro-tro to Shangri-La hotel, about a 10 minute ride, and paid 8 cedis to go swimming and lay by the pool and just relax, away from the people trying to sell you things, away from the heat and the noise- just relax. The best part- we hadn't had running water since Wednesday(6) and they had actual showers, so we got to shower after we swam.(7) After Shangri-La, we walked to the Accra Mall, where we watched Ghanaians watch the football(8) game on TV and drank South African yogurt, and then we went home. It was a very relaxing day- sometimes, you just need to get away from it.
(1) Very loosely translated as a hike.
(2) Near our dorm, called Pentagon, they're building the New Law Faculty. The building actually looks like a shul in the Gush, so we've been calling it the shul, as in, 'turn right after the shul.'
(3) Twi is the first language for most people in this region of Ghana, though they all learn English in school and speak it very well. We're all required to take a Twi ulpan-type thing, 8 hours a week for 6 weeks.
(4) All together, it's 16 credits, because drumming and dance are only two credits each.
(5) Obvious question- since this schedule is only tentative and the FINAL finals schedule comes out two weeks before finals, what do we do if something is changed and a class I am taking does end up with a final on shabbos? Answer: cry. Apparently, there is literally nothing they will do. But we're hoping that remains hypothetical.
(6) We got it back this morning, though! Baruch Hashem.
(7) I say swam, but I really only swam for 5 minutes. I was wearing an orange shirt to my elbows and they said I was only allowed to wear a white shirt when I swam. Go figure. Whatevs, 5 minutes was still nice, and I got to lay by the pool and shower and all that nice stuff.
(8) Soccer.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
not completely about food, but mostly.
It’s Zahava. We’re a week into the semester and slowly but shortly learning [from our mistakes]. An annoying proportion of things we try to do end up being complete disasters.
1) Food the first shabbos. We made boiled plantains and Israeli salad. Then we bought canned curried vegetables and canned spaghetti in tomato sauce. We wanted to make bread before shabbos, but we settled with matza. We didn’t have a fridge, so the plantains went bad by lunch. The dressing we bought for the Israeli salad was disgusting. The canned vegetables were decent, but the spaghetti was horrid. We had wanted to make bread on Thursday, but the only kosher yeast in the store was for making beer. We brought 6 boxes of matza: three egg matza and three flavored non-egg matza. Fun fun- all the egg matza boxes broke in transport. So we are running lower on matza than we thought.
2) The “yamballs.” In Rivky’s last post, she mentions that we made yamballs for this shabbos. I would just like to finish the story. First, we thought we were buying a yam (synonymous with sweet potato). Then, when making the batter, we realized we had bought a potato. We kept saying things like, “Oh. This is really good, but it would be even better with yams.” We thought we were such idiots and had bought the wrong vegetable. Then, turns out that in Ghana potatoes are called yams! So we did everything right the whole time! Footnote: we decided that they would actually better with sweet potatoes, so next time we make yamballs, we’re going to use sweet potato.
3) The fridge situation. I hesitate a little before posting this story because I fear that it is not finished yet. Here is the situation as of now. The day after we arrived in the country, we told a guy that we needed a fridge. Yeah, yeah, you’ll get one. We said we needed one before shabbos. He said we could get one by Friday. Great. Friday comes, and he tells us we will get one on Saturday. Saturday comes, and he tells us between 9 and 10am on Monday. That time didn’t work for any of us, so we asked if later in the day was okay. He doesn’t speak English so he reassured us that he will come at 9am. All four of us (Rivky, Yamit, Yamit’s roommate, and I) were planning on going to a class at 9:30am on Monday, so that was a little annoying. Odds are I wouldn’t be staying in the class, so I volunteered to wait here for the fridge. We called him at 9am on Monday to double check that he was actually coming, and he said he was coming at 3pm. I missed the class anyway. 3pm called him, and he said he was picking it up right then. 7pm he showed up in our suite with a “fridge” and charged us C5 more than the price we agreed on. Tuesday afternoon we notice it is freezing our all our food. There is no dial to turn down the temperature; it is simply a freezer. We told him on Wednesday. He brought us a new fridge today. It smelled horrible, so after shabbos, the first thing we did was clean the whole thing out. It took about an hour, but it looks and smells much better. It’s been on for about four hours. The freezer is working fine, but the fridge part seems to be broken. To be continued.
4) Classes. Classes started last week, and I have no idea what I’m taking yet. Besides Twi, I’m currently signed up for 11 classes. I already decided I’m dropping 3 of them. I went to the other 8. Out of those 8, only 2 of the professors even showed up to the first class. The final exam schedule doesn’t come out until later this week, so I won’t know about shabbos finals until then, so I can’t even know of the 8 classes which I have to drop. Ahh! How is it possible to really not know what classes you’re taking over a week into the semester?!
5) Showering. We’re getting used to bucket-showers. Once this week I wasn’t able to take a shower in over 24 hours. I have never felt more disgusting in my life.
6) Electricity. Last night, around 10pm, we’re sitting in our common room, and all of the sudden the light and the ceiling fan go out. The fans in the bedrooms are still working, and the electricity in every other suite in every other room in the building is still working. Mickey (our madrich/counselor/21-tear-old Ghanaian student) was sitting there with us. He said we might have gone over our monthly allowance. Ahhhh! No way!
Right now Yamit is taking a bucket shower in a dark bathroom. We had oatmeal for dinner.
1) Food the first shabbos. We made boiled plantains and Israeli salad. Then we bought canned curried vegetables and canned spaghetti in tomato sauce. We wanted to make bread before shabbos, but we settled with matza. We didn’t have a fridge, so the plantains went bad by lunch. The dressing we bought for the Israeli salad was disgusting. The canned vegetables were decent, but the spaghetti was horrid. We had wanted to make bread on Thursday, but the only kosher yeast in the store was for making beer. We brought 6 boxes of matza: three egg matza and three flavored non-egg matza. Fun fun- all the egg matza boxes broke in transport. So we are running lower on matza than we thought.
2) The “yamballs.” In Rivky’s last post, she mentions that we made yamballs for this shabbos. I would just like to finish the story. First, we thought we were buying a yam (synonymous with sweet potato). Then, when making the batter, we realized we had bought a potato. We kept saying things like, “Oh. This is really good, but it would be even better with yams.” We thought we were such idiots and had bought the wrong vegetable. Then, turns out that in Ghana potatoes are called yams! So we did everything right the whole time! Footnote: we decided that they would actually better with sweet potatoes, so next time we make yamballs, we’re going to use sweet potato.
3) The fridge situation. I hesitate a little before posting this story because I fear that it is not finished yet. Here is the situation as of now. The day after we arrived in the country, we told a guy that we needed a fridge. Yeah, yeah, you’ll get one. We said we needed one before shabbos. He said we could get one by Friday. Great. Friday comes, and he tells us we will get one on Saturday. Saturday comes, and he tells us between 9 and 10am on Monday. That time didn’t work for any of us, so we asked if later in the day was okay. He doesn’t speak English so he reassured us that he will come at 9am. All four of us (Rivky, Yamit, Yamit’s roommate, and I) were planning on going to a class at 9:30am on Monday, so that was a little annoying. Odds are I wouldn’t be staying in the class, so I volunteered to wait here for the fridge. We called him at 9am on Monday to double check that he was actually coming, and he said he was coming at 3pm. I missed the class anyway. 3pm called him, and he said he was picking it up right then. 7pm he showed up in our suite with a “fridge” and charged us C5 more than the price we agreed on. Tuesday afternoon we notice it is freezing our all our food. There is no dial to turn down the temperature; it is simply a freezer. We told him on Wednesday. He brought us a new fridge today. It smelled horrible, so after shabbos, the first thing we did was clean the whole thing out. It took about an hour, but it looks and smells much better. It’s been on for about four hours. The freezer is working fine, but the fridge part seems to be broken. To be continued.
4) Classes. Classes started last week, and I have no idea what I’m taking yet. Besides Twi, I’m currently signed up for 11 classes. I already decided I’m dropping 3 of them. I went to the other 8. Out of those 8, only 2 of the professors even showed up to the first class. The final exam schedule doesn’t come out until later this week, so I won’t know about shabbos finals until then, so I can’t even know of the 8 classes which I have to drop. Ahh! How is it possible to really not know what classes you’re taking over a week into the semester?!
5) Showering. We’re getting used to bucket-showers. Once this week I wasn’t able to take a shower in over 24 hours. I have never felt more disgusting in my life.
6) Electricity. Last night, around 10pm, we’re sitting in our common room, and all of the sudden the light and the ceiling fan go out. The fans in the bedrooms are still working, and the electricity in every other suite in every other room in the building is still working. Mickey (our madrich/counselor/21-tear-old Ghanaian student) was sitting there with us. He said we might have gone over our monthly allowance. Ahhhh! No way!
Right now Yamit is taking a bucket shower in a dark bathroom. We had oatmeal for dinner.
Friday, January 15, 2010
First erev shabbos
(EDIT: Forgot to say, though it's probably obvious by the post, this is Rivky!)
Today- our first erev shabbos* was a completely hectic day, and I think it will give a feel for what life here is like, at least some interesting aspects.
We woke up at about 8:30 and were out the door 10 minutes later. I always wake up gross and sticky, there's absolutely no such thing as a cool night. The ceiling fan makes no difference.** We (me, Zahava, Yamit) trekked around the campus with a map*** and arrows detailing the order of the departments we wanted to look at. We went to Poli Sci, History, English, Dance, Music, and a couple more. To look at the classes, you literally have to walk up to the front door of the department, where you find a bulletin board with a piece of paper detailing the different classes available in that department. Some of the departments had times listed also, and some didn't, which is bizarre seeing as classes start on Monday. I saw a bunch of classes I was interested in, so I think I'm just going to go to all of them and then see from there which I want to officially register for.
At 11, we were done walking around campus looking at departments and we headed outside of campus to catch the tro-tro, this semi-shuttle service that brings you everywhere. We took one that brought us to the Accra Mall, where they have Shop Rite, which has a lot more kosher food than any of us were expecting. They import from South Africa, saved our lives. We bought food for shabbos- fruit, vegetables, even canned spaghetti in sauce!**** We also bought YOGURT to eat on the spot- I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the first cold food we've eaten since Sunday.***** It was delicious. Seriously, amazing. One of the main reasons I stopped eating most meat is because I thought I wanted to be aware of what I was consuming- and in Ghana, that is all too constant.
When you are driving in the tro-tro, by the way, there is no sense of personal space. Everyone is on top of everyone, and everyone's sweat is mingling (charming, no?), and all you can do is daven to be lucky enough that you will be able to sit near a window so you can stick your head out and feel some air. But the plus side is that the ride is only 25 Ghanaian cents (peshwar, or something like that?), which is only about 18 cents American, ridiculously amazing.
We left the air conditioned Shop Rite and headed back to campus- waiting by the side of the road in the blazing sun and sweltering humidity for 10 minutes****** and then taking a tro-tro back to campus, and then walking the 10 minutes from the main gate back to our dorm and then we deposited everything and actually melted.******* It's so sweltering all the time. It constantly exhausts us.
Now we're cooking and cleaning and trying to get everything ready and nice before shabbos at 5:50 and before classes start next week. I didn't go to the lecture that we have right now even though it looked really interesting******** because I am seriously exhausted and I don't think I can move another muscle. Seriously- I can't stand for more than 10 minutes without needing to sit down, that's how tired my legs are from walking around this huge campus.
Meeting Ghanaians everywhere, the culture contrast is stark. They are all in incredible shape, men and women, from doing physical labor all day, as opposed to Americans who sit in offices. They are ridiculously friendly- they always ask if I'm lost and need directions, or offer to help with other things- and they expect the same in return. A Ghanaian woman on our flight had no compunction about asking me to take care of her baby both before the flight and after it. It's so different, and it's really something I can respect.
The lack of formality is also something different, but I can't tell how I feel about that. On the one hand, I think it's important how friendly everyone is with each other, and how chilled out everyone is- professors don't dress up, they have full-day office hours to speak to students, and everyone we pass says hi with a smile. On the other hand, I am too compulsive to appreciate that they don't know the times of some classes yet, and classes start on Monday! It really flusters me*********. But I just need to step back and relax and just go with the system- that's how they do it, and it works for them, so it will work for me.
K, time to shower. Again. It's all I do here. I know- big contrast to home. Some changes had to made to accommodate the unbearable heat.
*Friday, technically the day before shabbos. Although let's call a spade a spade- is there actually anyone reading this who doesn't know the jargon?
**Although obviously, until yesterday, that barely worked either. But baruch Hashem we got it fixed.
***That I had drawn! Impressed? Me too.
****Yes, I'm aware how gross that sounds. What's your point? Beggars can't be choosers.
*****We don't have a fridge yet. It's broken, duh. We're getting it soon, I think. I really wanted it for shabbos to have cold grape juice, but again, I guess beggars can't be choosers.
******Felt like an hour.
*******Not literally, for those who get confused about what that word means. Hint: it does NOT mean figuratively. In fact, it's meant to be used as a contrast to figuratively. More people should know this, I think.
********Politics in Ghana Post-Colonialism
*********Hey, Laur!
Today- our first erev shabbos* was a completely hectic day, and I think it will give a feel for what life here is like, at least some interesting aspects.
We woke up at about 8:30 and were out the door 10 minutes later. I always wake up gross and sticky, there's absolutely no such thing as a cool night. The ceiling fan makes no difference.** We (me, Zahava, Yamit) trekked around the campus with a map*** and arrows detailing the order of the departments we wanted to look at. We went to Poli Sci, History, English, Dance, Music, and a couple more. To look at the classes, you literally have to walk up to the front door of the department, where you find a bulletin board with a piece of paper detailing the different classes available in that department. Some of the departments had times listed also, and some didn't, which is bizarre seeing as classes start on Monday. I saw a bunch of classes I was interested in, so I think I'm just going to go to all of them and then see from there which I want to officially register for.
At 11, we were done walking around campus looking at departments and we headed outside of campus to catch the tro-tro, this semi-shuttle service that brings you everywhere. We took one that brought us to the Accra Mall, where they have Shop Rite, which has a lot more kosher food than any of us were expecting. They import from South Africa, saved our lives. We bought food for shabbos- fruit, vegetables, even canned spaghetti in sauce!**** We also bought YOGURT to eat on the spot- I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the first cold food we've eaten since Sunday.***** It was delicious. Seriously, amazing. One of the main reasons I stopped eating most meat is because I thought I wanted to be aware of what I was consuming- and in Ghana, that is all too constant.
When you are driving in the tro-tro, by the way, there is no sense of personal space. Everyone is on top of everyone, and everyone's sweat is mingling (charming, no?), and all you can do is daven to be lucky enough that you will be able to sit near a window so you can stick your head out and feel some air. But the plus side is that the ride is only 25 Ghanaian cents (peshwar, or something like that?), which is only about 18 cents American, ridiculously amazing.
We left the air conditioned Shop Rite and headed back to campus- waiting by the side of the road in the blazing sun and sweltering humidity for 10 minutes****** and then taking a tro-tro back to campus, and then walking the 10 minutes from the main gate back to our dorm and then we deposited everything and actually melted.******* It's so sweltering all the time. It constantly exhausts us.
Now we're cooking and cleaning and trying to get everything ready and nice before shabbos at 5:50 and before classes start next week. I didn't go to the lecture that we have right now even though it looked really interesting******** because I am seriously exhausted and I don't think I can move another muscle. Seriously- I can't stand for more than 10 minutes without needing to sit down, that's how tired my legs are from walking around this huge campus.
Meeting Ghanaians everywhere, the culture contrast is stark. They are all in incredible shape, men and women, from doing physical labor all day, as opposed to Americans who sit in offices. They are ridiculously friendly- they always ask if I'm lost and need directions, or offer to help with other things- and they expect the same in return. A Ghanaian woman on our flight had no compunction about asking me to take care of her baby both before the flight and after it. It's so different, and it's really something I can respect.
The lack of formality is also something different, but I can't tell how I feel about that. On the one hand, I think it's important how friendly everyone is with each other, and how chilled out everyone is- professors don't dress up, they have full-day office hours to speak to students, and everyone we pass says hi with a smile. On the other hand, I am too compulsive to appreciate that they don't know the times of some classes yet, and classes start on Monday! It really flusters me*********. But I just need to step back and relax and just go with the system- that's how they do it, and it works for them, so it will work for me.
K, time to shower. Again. It's all I do here. I know- big contrast to home. Some changes had to made to accommodate the unbearable heat.
*Friday, technically the day before shabbos. Although let's call a spade a spade- is there actually anyone reading this who doesn't know the jargon?
**Although obviously, until yesterday, that barely worked either. But baruch Hashem we got it fixed.
***That I had drawn! Impressed? Me too.
****Yes, I'm aware how gross that sounds. What's your point? Beggars can't be choosers.
*****We don't have a fridge yet. It's broken, duh. We're getting it soon, I think. I really wanted it for shabbos to have cold grape juice, but again, I guess beggars can't be choosers.
******Felt like an hour.
*******Not literally, for those who get confused about what that word means. Hint: it does NOT mean figuratively. In fact, it's meant to be used as a contrast to figuratively. More people should know this, I think.
********Politics in Ghana Post-Colonialism
*********Hey, Laur!
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