Ghana-Third and Fourth Port

Tema: 

Day 1: 

We arrived in Tema, Ghana! It was an easy process to get off the boat but when we docked we had a welcoming performance—first taste of some Ghana culture. My friends and I hopped on the shuttle to Accra—the bigger city that was an hour away. We got dropped off in the main part of town and half of us went to eat and the other half went to an art exhibit in a fancy mall—it was a weird location but the art was amazing! Then we went to a restaurant called Buka that was suggested by our interport student, Daryl. An interport student is a student who stays on the ship for our sea stretch and it takes them to their home country, so he was from Ghana. We ate at the restaurant and it was very good except for the fast that everything was spicy—and if you know me, I can’t handle spice… Then we went to a beach club to hangout and I posted my blogs. I'm sorry for them being so late but with no WiFi it’s so hard getting the posts done. Anyway we hung out there then ordered an Uber back to the boat—which is the way we got around is Uber and Bolt. But the traffic was terrible and it took an hour to get an Uber to get back to the ship. But eventually we made it! We ate dinner from the grill which is just as it sounds. Then we had a movie night with my friends in my room.

Day 2:

I woke up earlyyy. It was for a field class so I had to. I ate breakfast then headed to the meeting point. We headed out on a shuttle for a 3 hour drive to a chocolate factory.  Wow what an experience. We got to taste things, get dressed up in uniforms and learn about the process of how chocolate is made in Ghana. Then we ate lunch and went back to our room to learn about how chocolate is tempered. Then we went to a cacao farm! We walked through a little village of some people living and then a school to get to the actual cacao farm—also we had to go over a river but I had boots they gave me. And then they showed us how they crack them open. We ate the bean straight from the pod and the outside was like a white mango flavored thing. It is hard to describe but it was delicious. Then we went back to the room at the factory and bought chocolate—I bought a lot…. Then back on the shuttle to get back to the ship for dinner.

Day 3: 

I went exploring in Tema a little bit and got breakfast and then came back to the ship and shopped outside of it. People set up tents to sell us stuff which was very nice and easy to shop. I bought a couple of good things! Then I went on the boat to hangout while we went to our next port of Takoradi! Which was only a night away so we had no classes in between.

Takoradi:

Day 1:

I woke up pretty early to shower and finish packing for my field program. Then I went upstairs to eat breakfast. We then ended up waiting an extra 2 hours before we could get off the ship. We eventually got off and onto our tour bus where I read the whole time. We then were almost to our destination when we had to stop before going on the final road that took us there. It just previously rained so the roads weren’t the best and the tour bus could not make it down them. They had to figure out different transportation and I ended up in a trotro- a bus that is modified to accommodate as many seats as possible. We rode that on the very bumpy road for about half an hour and I was having so much fun. I was in the first one so once we got there we got to explore the place we were staying at. It is an eco lodge and called sustainably by the sea. So yes the beach was right there! We got tea which was either lemongrass or moringa tea, I had the lemongrass and it was very good. We then got to eat lunch which I got lemongrass chicken which was delicious. Then we did a batik making class which is melted wax and you use a stamp and press it on fabric. Then you dye the fabric and the stamps with wax are left white for the pattern. Then we went on a tour of the place to see all their farms and learned all the food they grow and animals they had. Then it was dinner time and then a cultural performance where we got to dance as well but also watch some amazing dancing. After that was relaxing time and we went on a turtle walk to see if there was any laying eggs. No luck on that front and we decided to go skinny dipping. I was wet and sandy going to bed. All part of the experience.

Day 2: 

I woke up fairly early at 5:45 am to go to a yoga class which was a wonderful way to wake up. We then ate a delicious breakfast that consisted of fresh fruit and eggs—best pineapple I have ever had! Then it was time to get ready and go to a school to help with painting the classrooms and outside. We did that for about 2 hours and then went to the lighthouse. This light house and piece of land is the land that is closest to the center of the earth—where the equator and meridian meet. We ate lunch there with all the goats chilling there and then went back to our place to have some free time. I swam a bit in the ocean—warmest ocean water I’ve ever been in, it was perfect! Then I took a nap on the tanning beds they have and then played beach volleyball with locals and staff. Then I went swimming for a while longer. I threw on some clothes for dinner that was served on a leaf and it was delicious—again I will be saying the word delicious for a lot of these meals I’m having. Then we got to drink and chill by the bonfire they made and we all danced together. I talked to some of the staff and locals which was so interesting learning more about them and their lives. Then there was a turtle spotting so we walked over and I got to see a turtle that was preparing to lay their eggs. We then left and I went swimming again with my friend. I then headed to bed inside my big net.

Day 3: 

What an adventure I had today and it was absolutely amazing! I woke up early to pack and change and go to breakfast at 7:30. We were planning to leave by 8:30 but it ended up down pouring on us so we got delayed a bit. They found an alternate route that was different from the one we came in on so we all got into trotros again and our luggage was strapped on top of one of them and covered. We started driving and stopped at this little village and got out while our trotro had to go help the other ones because they got stuck on the hill because of the mud and all the weight on it. All three trotros came back successfully and we hopped back in and drove about 2 minutes before we got out again and they transferred our luggage onto an open back tricycle bike thing. We walked down this bug hill and then grabbed our luggage. Mind you, it was raining this entire time so we were all soaked at this point, which just makes it more fun! We got to walk through this ocean side village which was so good to see. We then got back into new trotros and rode in them for about 30 minutes before getting to the tour bus. Then I sat next to my friend Adam on the tour bus and got dripped on for the next hour so I was more soaked which I did not care at that point because I was still having the best time. We got back to the ship and I got to my room to unpack all my wet things and took one of the best showers ever. Then I relaxed and had dinner with all my friends and told each other about our time in Ghana and then we left Ghana to head to Cape Town!

I loved Portugal and Morocco but for some reason this was one of my favorite ports even though it seems miserable what we went through but it was one of the best experiences. My brain still cannot catch up to what I did and how fortunate I am to be doing this. I want to thank you all again for donating and supporting me in my travels. Your donations allowed me to go on these field programs that are making my travel experiences so memorable! And thank you to my parents for being so supportive and helpful in preparing and figuring out all the details so that I could go on this study abroad experience! Much love to all of you!