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Nothing in my life has prepared me for the last few days! i have never experienced such great culture shock!
On arrival in ghana i met up with Dorcas my volunteer coordinator and Irene the other volunteer arriving on my fligh. Dorcas took us to the hotel in accra where we stayed for the first night- that was my first new experience as i have never shared a bed with a 65 year old dutch woman before!!-- before leaving us to a night of utter awkwardness Dorcas explained to us a little about the culture- for example in ghana you must great everyone that you pass in the street (in the community not the city) or else you are considered very rude. It is also very rude to use your left hand to pass anything to anyone as the left hand is considered very bad luck.
After my night with Irene we left very early ( 6AM) to catch the 7am bus to Kumasai- in true African fashion however the bus didn't leave until 9 30! apparently ghanaeans run on "African Time" meaning that they ignore all scheduling and do things when they want to. I guess this is something i will have to get used to! After waiting for the bus for over an hourdorcas informed me that she couldnt get a ticket for herself so i would take the bus alone and she would meet me in Kumasai!- bus ride was pretty uneventful if incredibly long- 7hours or so. we passed through many tiny villages and vast expanses of savanah!
Miracles of miracles Dorcas managed to get to kumasai before me and was at the bus stop waiting for me with mary- the other volunteer in my orphanage- they then helped me to change money and buy a sim card! ( feel free to text or call- number is on message board courtesy ofmy mother!)
The house i am staying in Kumasia actually belongs to Dorcas family and i will bve staying with them on weekends to allow me to come to the city for internet and anything i want to buy. The house is nice if a little basic!- infact what has struck me most is the strange mix of technology and "old charm" - this morning my host mother was sitting outside on the ground washing clothes in a huge silver bowl, with water she had got from the well- whilst talking on her mobile phone! to me this was a very bizzare site, but it seems quite common here! The house has no running water, so this morning i showered using a bucket of water (again from the well) -im sure i will be used to this by the end of my stay -so mum you can tell the plumbers not to bother finishing my bathroom! a hole in the floor and a bucket will suit me fine!
Am now sitting in an internet cafe and about to go look around the "centre" - am starting to settle in but will be moving t the orphanage in besease tommorow for the weekdays where i will be teaching and caring for the children, who seem to be between the ages of 5 and 19! a little older than i had anticipated.-hope to be able to write again next weekend
miss you all xx
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