Africa - Week 10+ - Nzulezo

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 5:54am

Hello Friends,

Hello! I pray you are all well and enjoying this life we have been given. I sure am! Hard to believe I’m already more than halfway through my stay here. Not sure what to think about that. Feels like I’ve been here much longer than 2 ½ months and I have a hard time thinking about what home is like sometimes, as if that was another lifetime that stopped when I came here and started another one. Hard to describe. And to think that I’ll be going home in about 2 months . . . Wow! Mixed feelings about that for sure. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to see you all again, or at least those of you who will be around when I’m back though I’d love to see everyone else, too, but leaving this place that has come to feel like home somehow in only a short time will be one of the hardest things I think I will have to do. Even though some of the constants like the heat, the dirt, and bugs will not be missed, there are many more important things that I will miss that make the constants bearable, like my great friends I’ve met - Selorm, David, Ohene, Abby, Patrick, Jessica, Regina, Marte, Bukari, Hakim and a whole lot of others that I could fill an email with. These people are truly beautiful and so friendly they have become family in the way many of you at home have become my family. And we thought our biological family was pretty big already!! LOL!! Just keeps growing for me and I couldn’t be happier to have all of you as a part of it as well as these new additions that seem like they’ve always been a part of my life. I thank God for each and every one of you!! You make my life so much better and I can’t imagine who or where I’d be without you. Love you!!

Ok, enough of that, sheesh! Focus on what you’ve been doing. Last time I told you about Kumasi I think. That was a fun trip. Last Friday, on the 18th, I had the opportunity to take a trip to Nzulezo, a stilt village about 3 hours west of Cape Coast. Patrick had been invited by a professor here who is from Canada and is married to a Ghanaian man and he asked if there was room for a couple more people. Turns out there was so I got to go. I had heard about the village and was interested to see it. We met around 5am and left campus about 5:30am. The group going were students mainly from the professor’s class. Her name is Karen. I should like to talk to her more when the opportunity presents itself. I was able to sleep maybe an hour or more on the way which was great cuz getting up at that time of day after being up late cuz I’m usually up till 11 or 12 every night was much needed. The bus was fairly nice and similar to what I imagine a Greyhound bus might be like though maybe on a slightly lower scale of quality but I don’t really know about those buses. There was air conditioning, a/c, but they don’t like to use it here when we think why aren’t you??!! On the way there it wasn’t too bad since it was early and not scorching yet. The windows were opened and that was fine. There were around 50 people with only 3 of us being white. I’m getting used to that ratio and am not bothered by it. I am fairly comfortable talking to anyone given the opportunity. About the last hour maybe of the trip was down a dirt road and slow going.

We finally got to the drop point and paid our 5GHC or 7GHC if you had a camera, which I did, got our very stylish inmate orange life jackets and walked a short way down the road to the ‘boat launch’ which consisted of a small fleet of canoes, wooden and fiberglass, that would take us out to the village. Many of the students and even the local population, though I didn’t take a poll, don’t know how to swim here and some had never been in a canoe or anything like it so there were some very nervous people standing on the muddy shore looking dubiously at the situation. Thankfully, I was not one of those people as I know how to swim and have been in a canoe before. I was grateful to get one of the fiberglass canoes and climbed in with 3 others, Patrick included, and the man who would get us there. Kwasi, a student, was up front, then Patrick and Steve sitting on the floor (?) of the canoe, myself on a bench and the other guy whose name I couldn’t understand standing behind me. We were the first ones out onto the ‘canal’ and set out for Nzulezo (kinda sounds like nzoo-lay-zoo). It would be about an hour long ride out to the village in the hot sun with little shade along the way. We rode down the ‘canal’ that I think used to just be part of a large lake that now has dried up some and has a large marshy area where there used to be water. Our ‘captain’ used a long pole to guide us along with Kwasi doing some paddling up front. I’m glad I didn’t have to sit up front!! These guys are so strong!! I suppose they are used to taking this trip but I’m still impressed with the ease which they seem to maneuver the canoes and the speed they have. It was a relaxing and peaceful ride, at least for me. Considering the situation, I was very grateful to be sitting on that bench in one of the newer canoes. Even with sun block on I knew I was going to get burnt but couldn’t do anything about it so I just tried to enjoy the ride.

We rode down the canal for maybe half an hour before it opened up into a large lake though they said it was a river. I’m not sure but I’m calling it a lake. It was big but you could see the other side easily and I saw another village or residence on the other side. We were told there is a white man who lives there. We saw him in his boat with a small motor on the back on our way back later. Once we got to the lake we went around the to the left staying close to the shore. Captain was using the paddle by now as it was deeper here. We could see the village getting closer and closer. It was on the edge of the lake with the houses and building up on stilts over the lake. I think that how close they are to the shore depends on the time of year and water level, obviously perhaps, but they don’t use the land they are right by except for taking their trash to to burn and then they have another area inland where they bury their dead.

When we got to the village, we climbed up out of the canoe and were so relieved to stretch our legs and backs! There is a small ‘bar’ right there that we sat in and waited for everyone to arrive. They started the music and some of the guys were dancing. They love to dance here!! Usually very entertaining. There were villagers sitting around in the shade from the houses. There were signs and we were told numerous times to ask permission to photograph the locals. Understandable. But I had a feeling that once you asked to photograph them they would want money so I didn’t go that route. This is a very poor community and very small. I’d guess there were maybe 50-100 people, including kids, that lived in this village and that might be a high guess. Once everyone got there we kind of wandered down the main walkway which was made of hundreds of branches tied together somehow. The houses were made the same way. It may have been bamboo as that is good for such things and grows in abundance here. After seeing the first stand of bamboo on campus shortly after I arrived I asked if they had panda bears. They don’t. LOL!! How fun would that be though??!! I digress.

We all walked to this open but covered building where we sat and the chief of the village gave us a brief history of the village and how they came to be there. It was interesting. He spoke in Twi so it had to be translated for some of us. Briefly, they came here from Timbuktu, Mali because of war and they were guided by their god who showed them where to settle. I don’t remember many of the specifics but they worship nature gods and ancestors here in many areas, even with the introduction of Christianity and Islam. In many communities they have somehow blended traditional beliefs with these others. He told us that they have a school for children up to level 6 and only 4 teachers for the 6 levels. Only one of the teachers is actually paid by the government to be there. The others get a very small amount from the community. After level 6 if they want to continue their education, the kids have to row canoes back into town and walk to the nearest school. That’s an hr into town and then an hr back for the kids to do. Wow! Everyone here knows how to swim I’m sure and we saw some kids playing out in the water while we were there. Looked like fun but I didn’t jump in. haha! They through their garbage in the water as well as use it for a toilet I’m sure. Not exactly what I want to swim in. At one point I saw 2 kids rowing a canoe around and when I looked back a short time later I’m not sure where the canoe was but they were still paddling and looked like they were standing on the canoe but it was underwater several feet. Haha! So funny!

After maybe an hour total of being in the village we all piled back into our canoes and headed back to the mainland. It was interesting to see it but I wish we could have learned more about their way of life in the village. Also I had hoped there might be some local crafts to buy as there generally are at these ‘tourist’ locations. There weren’t any to be found, at least by me. The history was interesting and people asked questions after. Oh, when you are coming to greet a chief, at least in Nzulezo, you bring a bottle of schnapps or perhaps some other kind. As he was speaking to us there was a full bottle lying on the table that I think we brought for him. This is a common practice in many situations here, including marriage rituals and such. I was thinking that instead of alcohol wouldn’t it be great if we brought school supplies or something for a situation such as this? I didn’t know anything about the place before we got there so that was just an afterthought. Perhaps if I go back or anyone else is going I’ll mention it to them, the part about bringing pens or pencils or notebooks or something. Not that I’m trying to change traditions here, just thinking that if one knew in advance you could bring other gifts that would benefit the community. Just a thought.

So we rode another hour back to the launch. On the way back some of the boats were racing, ours included. That was fun! Lol!! After we got back to the place where had gotten our life jackets, we returned them and walked to the restaurant and got lunch. This property was right on the ocean with palm trees and coconut trees and who knows what other kinds lining the coast. I’m concerned that one day a coconut will fall on my head and knock me out or worse. Those things are big and heavy and that would hurt so badly . .. And they are always falling, too!! So its not an irrational fear. It could happen!! For lunch I had fried rice and chicken, of course. Its my standard, especially on trips where you don’t want to risk having a bad reaction to food when you are going to be trapped on a bus for 3-4 hrs. Just not a risk I care to take. Sometimes even the rice and chicken is a risk. Haha! But it was really good, partly because I was very hungry! Hadn’t really eaten all day, just some small snacks. We hung out there for about an hr or so before we piled back into the bus for a long ride home. While we were hanging out after eating, one of the girls came up to me and we were talking. She was so friendly and bubbly and full of life and it was great talking to her. Awhile into our conversation she told me a little bit about her life and I was blown away. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. This beautiful, smart, friendly, and lively woman told me that her father took her to Nigeria when she was about 14 and sold her. Sold her!!!! And then left and came back to Ghana. She lived there for about 3 years I think before she was able to escape. Miraculously, she was able to avoid being raped by whoever she was kept with. She was able to make her way back to Ghana and somehow made it to UCC and will graduate soon. Wow!! Gives me chills, makes me angry and heartbroken and yet hopeful that no matter what you go through in life, there is hope. Her father is involved in some religion where a false prophet is claiming to be God and through this experience, this beautiful woman has found Christ and life. I am in awe!! What faith and strength it takes to go through something as unimaginable as this, or worse, and come out a stronger and better person because you have chosen to not succumb to the evil that threatens to destroy you. And to praise God for your life!! I have so much to learn. I hope I have the opportunity to meet her again and talk to her more.

I know there are an abundance of stories like this and as hard as it is for some of you to read about such things, God has given me a heart for these people, the widowed, the orphaned, the abused and forgotten, and an overwhelming desire to do all that I can with whatever means I have available to work against the systems that continue to oppress people and cause such incredible pain. As I feel necessary or appropriate, I will continue to share these stories with you and I hope by doing so you will not be depressed but will be moved to act, in whatever way you find acceptable. No, I’m not asking for money. LOL!! Just saying that if all you see in a story like this is the sadness and pain than you have missed the point entirely.

We got back around 6pm and I was so relieved to get off that bus. It was so hot and stuffy on the way back and I was pretty uncomfortable from sitting mostly all day so getting back to the hall was a welcome stop for the day. I’m so glad I got to go on this trip. I don’t know that I’ll get to go again, or if I do, if it will be the only destination for a trip as it is a long trip for such a short amount of time spent at the final destination.

There are a few more places I hope to see before I have to depart from this beautiful country. We are planning a weekend trip into Accra, the capital, for maybe 2 weeks out. Abby and I are hoping to go to Timbuktu over Easter weekend as we have an extra day off from classes that weekend I think. Either way, we still want to go. I also hope to get over to the Volta region in Eastern Ghana and see Lake Volta, which is the largest manmade lake in the world. If its possible and I can find the info I need there is a place here where you can swim with sea turtles and that would be something worth experiencing I think. That is something that may be seasonal but I don’t know yet. Have to look into it some more.

Classes are going well I think. I had a really tough quiz on Monday that I feel like I did poorly on but not for lack of trying. It was just really tough and in the class I like the least. That may be part of it. Yesterday, Tuesday, we had a group presentation to do and I sure didn’t feel ready to do that. They are big on group presentations here and we have them in nearly every class. For this one, there were about 25 groups that will have to present and we didn’t know when we would present and we were hoping for next week. Nope. Sorry. Not this time. Haha! Well, we were the last group to go which was way better than the first! I hadn’t seen how they do presentations here so I was relieved to at least get a small feel for it before we had to go. Basically, one person reads what is essentially your paper on a topic then the professor and students can ask questions which you have to try your best to answer. So one of the guys read the paper for our group. I refused to do it for a couple reasons. Number one being that anytime any of us white people speak in class the whole class erupts in laughter. I’m not exaggerating in the least!! They laugh at the most bizarre things here, besides us I mean. haha! I never understand what they thought was funny and it seems to be very immature most of the time and often frustrating as often much of class time is spent with the professor waiting for the class to quiet back down, which just means the laughter has subsided but the constant talking continues. Anyways, they seem to laugh because we speak too fast and they can’t understand us. I have experienced this in more than one class even if I try to speak slowly and enunciate my words. I can’t speak slow enough it seems. Oh well. However, I don’t see it fitting to laugh when they are speaking and I can’t understand them. Just saying. They don’t only do this with the white people, to be fair. They will laugh uproariously at anything they think is funny, much to the embarrassment and frustration of the person speaking. Fun times!! As if I didn’t already hate speaking in front of groups. Also, I thought it would be best if a local read the paper as this was dealing with local customs, particularly on mourning rituals here, and partly because I can’t pronounce half the names of places without lots of practice. I will say that this treatment doesn’t stop me from speaking up if I feel I have something to add though it sure makes me think twice and make sure I attempt to speak so they can understand me. Thankfully, most of the teachers will chastise them for this behavior even if it doesn’t stop them from doing it. Ahh, the experiences of college life here!! So interesting.

So a tough quiz and a presentation this week already makes me hopeful the rest of the week will be easier. As for the presentation, I answered one of the questions they asked and I think I did well as they didn’t laugh too loud and the teacher said I would make a good Ghanaian. Haha!! Nice. I’ll take that over ridicule any day.

I need to go to the market tomorrow as I haven’t been in way too long and I need my jam for pb&j’s!! Lol!! Seriously, jam is high up on the list. I can eat the local food but I can’t prepare it yet so I eat plenty of groundnut paste sandwiches. We had tacos on St. Patrick’s day and that was fun. Love tacos, even though we have to improvise quite a lot here. Jessica is great at making the tortillas and I need to try one of these times, mostly cuz I want to eat as many as I want when I want. Haha!

On an international note, we have yet to feel an specific effects of all the turmoil going on on this continent, especially in the northern areas. I have heard that there are refugees from Cote d’Ivoire coming to Ghana in the western side. I imagine before too long that reach where we are if the violence continues and people have to flee for their lives. If you don’t know about that situation, briefly there was an election last November and a new president was voted in but the previous president refuses to give up power and there is near civil war if not all out civil war at this time. This is not an uncommon situation here and sadly seems to be the norm rather than the exception, as you may have noticed. It is something to pray about if you are a praying person. We are keeping an eye on the situations in the area. If anything were to happen we would be well taken care of and have plans in place for those situations so don’t worry too much about that.

I think this will end my update for this time around. I’ll try and get back on my schedule of sending them on weekends if I can. It may not bother you much but it helps me to use some type of schedule otherwise there’s too much to relate and I don’t know where to start.

Thank you again, for your emails and notes and packages and everything. I’m always happy to hear from you and take your questions or comments. Keep them coming. Love to you all!! Until next time, God bless and take care.