Found the Cocoa!! Welcome to Ghana

I realize I say this a lot, but it really is hard not to fall in love with a country and its culture. Every single person is so different that it makes us similar. This could not have been more evident as we got in a taxi and made our way to the city center with pitstops to an ATM and a phone shop along the way. Even now I am getting ahead of myself. I should start with the port. 

I was one of the first students off the ship and as I stepped my feet on to the port terminal ground and looked up, I was created by colors and patterns, as well as a man named James. James has a tent, next to about 10 other tents, filled with any and all souvenirs a tourist could want. From textiles shirts to painted mask and mini elephants, these tents had it all, and from what I’d later learn, at a very high price. Nevertheless, I let James lead me into his store for a quick look before heading to the shuttle and telling the others “I’d be back.” As I’ve traveled, I’ve learned that that phrase would be my mantra, calling it to everyone I deemed as a bit too aggressive. As I smiled and waved goodbye, I made myself comfortable for the 5-10 minute shuttle ride to the terminal gate. From there, we waited in line for a taxi, before our group split into two cars and made our way to the ATM. 

Eventually, our group would split again as Valeria, Mason, and Everett would go to complete the Canopy tour while Myla, Kelly, Hannah, Carson, and I would end up wandering the windy pathways and cluttered streets of Takoradi. We were there maybe two minutes before a young man started walking alongside us asking us where we were from and how long we’d be in Ghana. Our interactions kept going from there as it became to truly sink in that everything everyone on the ship had told me was true - Ghanaians were honestly the kindest, most welcoming people on earth. Women shouted welcome to Ghana from their seats as we walked by. After about a block I found a side alley which took us into a whole other world of small narrow pathways filled with people and produce. I saw every type of animal imaginable, dead and alive, as well as an abundance of vegetables and grains. Everyone we passed asked us how we were doing and what our names were. Women with large woven baskets on their head stopped to let us pass as they carried the heavy load to the next shop to try to sell. young boys were running through the pathways jumping and laughing. When we got lost, which was bound to happen as we kept hitting dead ends and were so enthralled by what we were seeing none of us could even tell you which direction we were facing, a little girl pointed towards the exit trying her very best to speak English to us. I was overwhelmed by the daily life of these people and their world. Yet, as we exited that area and began wandering streets with cars once again, I was in awe of the women sitting in the heat in and folding and unfolding the clothes they hoped to sell that day. We wandered for hours until it was finally time for Kelly and me to head back to the ship for our field programs. 

Once on the ship I grabbed my bag and ran up to the 9th deck to fill my water bottle. Here I found Lauren, blissfully enjoying the quiet ship and teaching herself the piano in Lido Terrace. I found myself yet again inspired and decided that on my fourth day in port, a day for which I didn’t have any plans yet, I would take time for myself and learn something new. Yet as quickly as I entered, I left and ran to meet my program - Lunch with Queen Mothers. I had no idea how amazing the rest of my day was about to be. 

As we got on the bus, we were surprised to find four Queen Mothers from nearby villages already seated in the air-conditioning. Naturally, I sat next to Ruby and we made jokes and waited to get to the restaurant, Guilo. By chance, Ruby and I ended sitting at the head Queen Mother’s table. A woman of class and sass, she spoke truthful and passionately as we listened to her life story and the role of the Queen Mother. She asked us questions as well and soon we learned that she has a son living in New Jersey, our home, one of the many places Ruby and I both joke about and love simultaneously. We spent about an hour talking, sharing our favorite life experiences and the hard parts of being abroad - the Queen Mother had studied in Britain for university. We sat and ate, not once attempting to take notes and instead trying to take every word and ingrain it into our memories. We discussed travel, education, and politics; we fielded and asked questions about our passions and goals for the future. At the end of it, I still had so many more questions, yet I reluctantly walked back to the bus ready for more excitement. 

Our next stop was the House of Chiefs, a building which houses the offices of the chiefs in the region, as well as a meeting hall where the president of the chiefs presides over meetings. We were taken into the meeting hall, a set up similar to the floor of the Senate in Washington DC but on a much smaller and simpler scale. Next to the building was the library of the Queens and Chiefs, a recent initiative to preserve the histories of the royal families and the histories they were each currently making. Once we finished the quick tour, we headed to the head Queen Mother’s palace where we partook in formal greetings and a Q&A session with the four Queen Mothers. We learned about the customs and culture of Ghana, like the importance of keeping your legs uncrossed and only using your right hand. We listened to the problems facing women and youth in education and society as a whole. We asked questions about what it meant to be a queen mother and how one comes to take on the prestigious and important role. It was extremely informative and until I saw the spider on the wall, I hung on to every word. Then I slowly death gripped Ruby’s wrist as I tried not to interrupt or make a scene, breathing slowly until I was calm enough to grab my things and move to the opposite side of the room, in the corner with our trip liaison who gave me a weird look before turning back to listen to the Queen Mothers. Not going to lie I think that was the calmest and quietest I’ve ever been.

After the formalities were over, we filed into line to shake each woman’s hand and thank them for spending time with us and showing us a glimpse of their world. As I passed the head Queen Mother, she stopped me asking we to wait to the side for a picture and her son’s phone number so that I can message him about SAS.

As we left, we heard the music playing next-door as a wedding ceremony had just recently finished and the guests were celebrating the new union. In a spur of the moment decision, we joined. Suddenly I was fist-bumping men I’d never met and dancing with dressed-up women in beautiful dresses. As we made our way out, each person gave me a hug and a smile wishing me well. It was official, I had crashed my first wedding. Finally, we made our way back to the ship where I packed.

The next day, I woke up early to meet a different group for a new field program. The group and I drove to Atomkwa Village where we participated in a traditional naming ceremony and saw local kids play music and dance in a performance for us. Each dancer wore an outfit filled with vibrant colors and patterns.

For lunch, we said goodbye to our new friends and made our way to a beachfront restaurant where we ate a buffet and hung out, playing cards and telling stories. Eventually we left and headed towards the University of Gold Coast where we would be split into pairs for a one night homestay. I stayed with Sarah Franklin and we had the most amazing family. Our host mother worked at the University, which she also attended as a student. She had three young daughters - eight, nine, and ten years old respectively, as well as a a one year old son named Kofi. There was also another girl, 16 years old, who lived and worked for the family, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of the children when not in school.

We spent the afternoon and evening playing games and learning about their lives. We were especially lucky because it was our host-mothers birthday. We ate dinner with the kids and played musical chairs before calling it a night and getting ready for bed. Sarah and I shared the guest room. There was no AC and it was so hot in our room, we both tried not to move so as not to sweat more than we had too. The next morning we woke up and ate breakfast in the dark - no need to waste energy and let the heated sun into the house. We said goodbye to the kids who went to school, and headed back to the bus with our host-mother.

The rest of day 3 was spent traveling to the Cape Coast Slave Castle where we took a tour of the grounds and learned about the slave trade through the eyes of people in Africa. Their stories were both heartbreaking and inspiring. Eventually, we made our way back to the ship in time for on ship time (OST) and the quick sail from Takoradi to Tema, Ghana.

Day 4 I spent enjoying the ship and its quiet. I slept in, read a book in the peaceful bliss of silence, and wandered the port. It was relaxing and allowed me to explore the ship and take a me day - which really just meant reading a few books with the view of Ghana in the background if we are being completely honest. In the evening, I met up with Myla and Deanna to check out a local hotel and pool. We ate at the restaurant outside and took advantage of the wifi as we talked to our waiter and made friends with our taxi driver.

My last day I had a field class for my Human Rights class. We took a trip to a cocoa farm where we learned about the cocoa industry in Ghana and the practices of fair trade. Ghana was certainly an experience, but I learned so much about myself and the world in my short time there.