First Week on Campus

[CLT: "Get Loose" - Trip Lee ft. LeCrae on: 13Letters by 116 Clique]

Our first week in Ghana has literally been jam-packed w/ stuff to do. There are about 30 members in the ISEP group alone, so we've been busy meeting everyone and hanging out at night. It is really amazing to see how many Christians God has put in our group who want to encourage each other and find a church to go to together. We're even talking about having a Bible study some nights in ISH for anyone who wants to come. It's in the works.
So far we have been to orientation to learn everything (or a lot) of what we need to know about staying healthy, safe, and sane in Ghana. It was most of what we read beforehand and a lot of common sense. Basically, take your malaria meds, drink lots of water, wear bug spray, don't go by yourself at night, stuff like that. We have student guides that have showed us around campus one day. Campus is huge! It will definitely take some getting familiar with because it seems like everything is so spread out here. I used to think walking from Claxton to Jessee Harris was a long walk, but going from ISH to most of my classes is a good 20 minute walk sometimes. Plus, there are multiple walking hazards along the way including the trenches that line the streets for the rainy season and random holes that have been dug for unknown reasons. It's not really annoying, more like a cool adventure every time you go to class.



The first Sunday, quite a few of us went to church with one of the student guides to her church on campus. It was the Legon Interdenominational Church, and I was so excited to get to experience church in Ghana! When we walked in, they were singing worship songs. Most of the people were singing the songs in Twi, and the rest in English. We tried to sing the songs in Twi with everyone else, but I'm not sure how successful we were. It was definitely amazing to hear other people in another part of the world lifting high the name of the Lord in praise in their own language. We're all part of the body of Christ, and we were able to worship with parts of the body others never see. The message was great, too, and I think I would be able to go there for my time here. I'll post the notes from the sermon later.
After church, the group went to Labadi Beach. This was our first experience riding a tro-tro, the cheapest way to get around besides walking. Basically a tro-tro is a van with more rows of seats, even some that fold down to fit more people. You have to cram in together; the most people we’ve had in one so far is 25, including the driver and the “mate” – his assistant. The beach wasn't that far away, but the ride there was a new experience. Traffic is crazy at times. People don’t use turn signals; they just honk their horns. And traffic lanes are really just suggestions; motorcycles pass in between cars like it’s another lane, and if someone comes over on you, you just drive in the middle of two lanes for awhile. There were definitely times that we caught our breath because of some daring maneuver the driver made, but I'm learning to just go with it and enjoy the experience (and also learn how NOT to drive when I get back home!).



The beach was somewhat crowded, but it was so refreshing! There were performers on the beach who would do crazy acrobatic stuff like it was easy. People were riding little horses down the beach, and just relaxing at tables. The water was amazing! So cool and a change from the hot weather we'd been walking around in since then. The waves basically dominated us when we got out there; they were so strong! But we didn't really care; it felt great, especially thinking about my parents telling me it was supposed to snow at home that day (sorry to rub it in Mom and Dad!).
The food here is pretty great, too. Most of it is seasoned with pepper spices, and it's all served hot, even the "salads" to cut down on chance of food-borne illnesses. Most of the time, their salads are more like cole-slaw, but they also have some really good ones with chicken in them. It's a good thing my mom gave me a good appreciation for chicken, because that is part of most meals here! There is also so many kinds of rice to try; my favorite right now is joloff rice with spicy sauce and chicken. And the fried plantains are super super good, too! I will probably be eating some plantains everyday. They are similar to bananas, but bigger,more filling, and served hot and they can be served at every meal! Oh so good!!! And sometimes we get "Fan-Ice" for dessert, which is just vanilla ice cream in a plastic pouch. There's not much dairy in the diet over here, so Fan-Ice time is super exciting! Most of our meals so far have been from a place near ISH called "Tasty Treats". While it is indeed tasty, I can't wait to try more of the local cuisine around campus and the rest of Ghana!



Next week starts registration, so pray that the right classes are available and fall at the right times!