Life is Change

Day 10.  Cape Coast, Ghana.  930am - 81 degrees F with 83% humidity

Ok, ok... I suppose it's time for my first destination entry! Thank you all so much for the emails, messages, and wall posts... your interest in my travels and well being is so amazing and I love you all!  I've partly put off writing because the internet is slower than dial up and a 90+ degree room filled with 10 computers and 20 sweaty people isn't exactly at the top of the list of places I want to spend time at after work.  The rest of the reason for my reluctance to write is that things haven't exactly gone as planned.  Turning this blog into a place for my ranting isn't at all what I had in mind so I've been trying to collect my thoughts and weigh my options so that when I was ready to write I would only have positive words to share. 

I'm so lucky to have had my mom with me for the entirety of departure day!  If you didn't know, she is one of the most organized people ever.  If I had been alone trying to accomplish all of the last minute errands, I'd probably still be in MD enjoying the fall foliage and cool weather.  My last meal was the most amazing corned beef sandwich on rye with matzoh ball soup and pickles. YUMMMMMM.  We got everything accomplished with just enough time to get back to the house to pack and charge my iPod!  I had read a few other blogs and websites that stressed packing light so at the last minute I downsized my pack from a 60L to 44L, and still have room to spare.  I packed less for 6 months than I do for an average weekend trip.  Check out this list... I'm quite proud of it!

1 pair of pants (the kind that zip away into shorts)
3 t-shirts
1 skirt
4 pairs of socks
3 each of bra/undies
1 tank top
1 light sweater jacket
1 rain/wind coat
2 pair of scrubs (was supposed to be 3, but I accidentally packed 4 shirts and 2 pants)
2 ultra dry towels  13x20 and 33x20ish... incredibly small and paper thin.
1 pair of flip flops
1 pair of walking shoes
2 tubes of mascara
Mosquito net
Sleeping bag liner
First aid kit
Water Purifier
Nalgene bottle
2 books- Life in The Time of Cholera and Rough Guides to Africa
The usual toiletries (including a loofah!), all under 3 oz so I won't have to check my bag.
1 pack of organic beef jerky :)

Seeing as how I'm spending so long in one place I could have easily brought more and shipped stuff back or donated it when I finish, but I think I'll manage.  I have picked up a pair of shorts and am having my bathing suit shipped since I forgot it but other than that I'm pretty content with what I have.  Everyone looks at me like I'm crazy when they see my bag.  Most other volunteers have multiple suitcases, some brought more clothes than I even own.

The flight over wasn't too bad.  I was asleep before take off and slept the bulk of the 10.5 hour flight.  I immediately noticed how nice the Ghanians are, particularly the very generous immigration officer who let me through even though I had forgotten the paper with my host family's address.  The airport was a bit of an experience, with the electricity going off every few minutes... which meant the luggage belt as well.  Exchanged money, picked up a local SIM card and met up with Yami, one of the local projects abroad
team members.  He taught me the proper hand shake, gave me the welcome speech about how magnificent Ghana is and told me that I will never want to go home and then sent me on my way.  I stayed the night at the projects abroad guest house.  Three other volunteers arrived throughout the night.

Headed out at 630am with about 10 locals and 1 other volunteer in what is called a tro-tro, essentially a van, for a 2 hour bumpy journey from Accra to Cape Coast.  My first day in cape coast was mellow, a few hour tour of the small town and lunch, then met my host family and the other volunteers.  Accommodations are very basic.  There are now 6 volunteers in my house, 4 of them female, sharing 1 washroom and 1 electrical outlet.  So far there hasn't been too much of a timing issue with the shower in the morning which is amazing to me with so many people!  There are a couple German's, one Swiss, one Aussie and one Brit.

As the name would suggest the town is right on the coast and is located in the Central Region of Ghana.  My house is about a 10 minute walk to the beach and I am finding myself there after work somewhat frequently... specifically the beach bar, Oasis.  Oasis is also a hotel so it's a mix of locals and like minded tourists/volunteers.  Club and Star are the local light beers and Castle, my personal favorite, is the local milk stout.  Not the best stout ever, but I'm not really in a position to be a beer snob!  The food is all very similar... lots of stews served with some sort of starch.  My favorite is called red red, it's a spicy black eyed pea stew served with fried plantains... DELISH.   One of the host mom's in town offers cooking lessons... look out for date and time of the red red feast when I'm back in the states! 

Kakum national park is about a 40min ride from here so I got together with a few of the volunteers last weekend and did the canopy tour at the park.  Also stopped by this random monkey park on the way home which is run by a danish couple.  They bought the land with the intentions of opening a bar/restaurant and guesthouse as well as the animal rescue but things are coming together on African time, read: SLOWLY.  Seven years later and they have a quite nice sized animal sanctuary and dreams of a guesthouse and bar/restaurant!

So... to date my free time in Ghana has been most enjoyable.  It's not love at first sight like SE Asia was, but still enjoyable.  My role as a volunteer here has been a little less enjoyable but I'm trying with everything I have to practice greater patience with my placement.  The programs website was a bit misleading, I was under the impression that I would be in an environment conducive to learning about midwifery.  Upon my arrival to the hospital I was informed that unless you are already a qualified midwife time in the delivery suite is not permitted, per hospital policy.  Of course delivery isn't the only aspect of midwifery there is to be learned, but it's a pretty significant part!  I've spent my first week between the OB/GYN ward which is essentially a pre/post op ward for c-sections and other female specific surgical procedures and also with a midwife seeing outpatients.  Both departments were well staffed and did not have much need (or want) for volunteers.  The staff is so busy seeing patients my presence most of the time felt as if I were more of a nuisance to them than an asset and the last thing I want is to make their job more difficult.  After chatting with a few midwives and one of the surgeons it sounds like one of the local health centers would be a better option and so I am to start at a clinic later this week.  And if that doesn't work out... something else will, it always does!


Life is Change, Growth is optional, Choose wisely. -anonymous

Home Sweet Home

Moving is what I do.  Since I was 16 the longest I've stayed a place was the painful 3 years in Virginia for school… otherwise I’m usually good for about 6-9 months before I’m ready to go again.  Not long after starting radiology school I learned about the travel healthcare world.  The excitement I felt about this new career option manifested deep inside and became the drive I needed to get through school and the city that I so clearly didn't belong in.  When school was done I was fortunate enough to have my dream job waiting for me in the Cardiac Cath lab.  Although it meant sticking it out in Winchester another year at least, I knew this was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up.  So, I did my time and started applying for travel assignments as soon as I had a year of experience under my belt.  Looking back on it now, it was probably a little too soon for such a rookie, but I had the itch to move and it was long overdue to be scratched. My first assignment was Mesa AZ… that was 3 years, and many many chapters ago.

Other than the fact that this next chapter is taking place in freaking AFRICA, something else is different. I was struggling to figure out why I was having such angst about this move.  Why was I feeling envious of my roomies who signed a year lease last week, when I was getting ready to embark upon such an amazing adventure?!  The reasons I came up with were probably all a little bit true...  figure in my anxiety and notorious indecisiveness and, well, that's reason enough.  For those who don't know I’ve been working near Sacramento for the last 5 weeks and commuting back to San Francisco on the weekends.  Something happened last week when I was driving back into the city on the Friday before my holiday party.   My brain was inundated with thoughts of the 738282 things I had to do that weekend, the windows were down, and the radio blaring (as usual).  When I started over the bay bridge with the entire San Francisco skyline in front of me everything suddenly made sense; I was home.  

I didn’t immediately know what to do with that feeling.  I was excited.  This was something I’ve been waiting to feel.  Whenever someone asks me what I’m looking for doing this travel thing my answer is always along the lines of “a place that feels like home.”  Now I had found it… and I’m leaving?  What??  Saturday, possibly after a glass (or two) too many, while I was preparing my very first Thanksgiving dinner all the emotions I had been bottling surfaced at once.  Did I even want to go on this trip anymore?  How could I not want to go?  What kind of mashed potatoes was I going to make?  Was the water cold enough when I made the pie crust and did I stir it too much?  What costume am I going to wear?  Why am I even having this @&^%#$* party when I have so much other stuff to be doing????? I think you get it… I had a little Jen meltdown right there in the gorgeous kitchen of the best sublet ever, in my newest favorite city.

After dialing all of the usual suspects I was comforted by the idea that I wasn’t just up and leaving this place that I wanted to call home or the people that have become like family.  In fact, having figured this out now frees me to explore myself and my surroundings without the burden of worrying about where I’m going to go when I return to the states.  Now the answer is simple: I’m going home.   The hard part will be finding a job, apartment, and getting into school… but in my book, nothing easy is ever really worth doing.

In case you were wondering the holiday party was more amazing then I had ever imagined. With the help of my beautiful ladies Jennifer and Dar we managed to pull off Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, New Years, Valentine’s Day, and St Patty’s Day all in one.  The evening was complete with an appearance by Santa, formalwear and a countdown to midnight with a foil ball drop (okay it was only 7… it was a Sunday night after all), love notes and green jell-o shots.  Minus the subpar Pumpkin Pie… it was definitely a night to remember.

CHEERS.