Sekote

Day 1 in Africa: After breakfast and waiting for the usual late African time line to pass we drove about 4 hours to Ho in the Volta Region. (That means it's the area between the Volta River and Togo.) On our way we stopped at an internet cafe and Boom got her first marriage proposal. Many of the men see marrying an American woman as their way out of the country so through our time thus far we have been asked many times for phone numbers/email/address/ and how we felt about being their african queen.

The villages along the Volta Region are just as you would imagine Africa to be with small huts and clay homes and tons of people walking the road with baskets of fruit on their head and the most colorful attire ever made. And you can't go far without having someone wave and say "Akwaaba" which means welcome

Well in the three days in the Sekote and Ho we went to villages where we first went to the border of Togo to but Kente Cloth. Kente is a traditional fabric that is basically very bright pretty patterns woven into strips by the boys of the village for sell. They are all very eager to sell it and will barter Cedis (the national currency) until they are blue in the face.

Next we went to visit villages wher we were split into groups of four and were given tours of the area by families. My group went to a place under Togbe (chief) Ando who was quite pimpin with a touch screen phone/camera hanging around his neck. But the people themselves were of meager means. Their main foods are: peanuts (called ground nuts), bananas, maize, cocnuts, pinapple, and chicken (eaten rarely). But they were all amazed to hear about snow, that I was 20 and not married (i explained i had a boyfriend but that marriage was not something i was ready for.. this made them laugh hysterically), and that we were able to study something outside of agricultura, accounting, and politics.

The next morning we attended a traditional church service. It was amazing to see everyone dressed in their Sunday best and we danced through the aisles with the older women of the congregation. It was the most lively church i have ever been to, why can't we dance in the US?

The next most amazing thing was the trip that day to Wli Falls. The only thing i can say to describe it is breathtaking. A 2 1/2 hour drive and 30 min hike brought us to a gigantic waterfall complete with a raibow at the bottom and fruit bats housed along its sides. We all swam underneath and took in the tropical oasis. They dont make things like that back home!!

Finally, (as i am speaking as briefly as possible able all of this and missing thing like late night swims in the pool, loosing my bag at the airport, and breaking down along the road ) we woke this morning to attend a durbar which was a farewell ceremony for our group. we danced, drank coconuts, exchanged gifts, and were bombarded by children who wanted to play with our cameras and sit on our laps during the ceremony. Our professor was honored as Togbe Darke (development chief) as 1,500 USD (US dollars) = to about the same about in Cedis were donated for the building of schools.

Basically i am in love with Africa! i'll write more soon as i will be in Accra and with internet for the next three days.

Peace and love to everyone back home!!