Christmas Eve in Winneba

Here are some pictures from December 23rd-24th. I went to Winneba which lies along the coast about an hour outside Accra. We stayed on the beach and stayed up late singing Christmas carols and drinking sangria. On Christmas Eve I woke up at 5:30 am to watch the sunrise. It was one of the most amazing experiences and peaceful times for reflection.

In the picture is two of my Ghanaian pals, Jamal and Black...and my house mate Caitlin.

More posts from Christmas and my trip to the Xofa Eco Villa to follow.

A Chaotic Christmas

Well this Christmas was definitely different. Apart from lack of snow and cool weather, I was also lacking a gaggle of family and friends at hand to make the season bright. I did do some unconventional things...well unconventional based on my traditions of Christmas to date. On Christmas Eve, I woke up on the beach in Winneba at 6 am and watched the sunrise. It was a very moving and spiritual thing to do around Christmas Day if you haven't tried it yet. After that moment of peace and solitude, Christmas Eve became very chaotic. We tro tro-ed back to Accra only to get stuck in mad Christmas shopping traffic. The girls and I had our own groceries to get and we managed to struggle our way through the city with our Christmas chickens and veggies. On Christmas Eve night, we ate pizza (not the usual tourtiere affair) and went to mass to see the Nativity and sing carols. I got home at 10 pm and made hot chocolate (if you can believe that I can actually drink hot chocolate in 30 degree weather) and watched a Christmas Carol (the old black and white version).

I woke up very late Christmas morning and made coffee while the girls stirred. If you can believe it, Santa even made his way to our small home (well if you call yours truly cutting out stockings from coloured paper and laying treats on them on the coffee table, Santa, then yes). When Caitlin got up we started to make brunch (a delicious strata with granola and yoghurt to start). We pumped Bing Crosby through the house and we were really getting into the spirit. Around 1 pm, Caitlin and I took a crate full of oranges to the Accra Psychiatric Hospital to distribute to the patients. Things were very quiet on the wards so we were happy to stir things up a little for them. We returned almost ready for a Christmas nap and then realized that we had to start preparing our feast. So yours truly starting rubbing down two chickens and preparing them for the oven. We were busy bustling around the kitchen for most of the afternoon leaving briefly so we could go put on our party dresses.

At 6:30, our boss was supposed to come over with his family for a visit. In true Ghana time, at 7:30 he shows up and tells us he's taking us to dinner. We pleaded that we were having guests over for dinner and had been cooking all afternoon but he insisted and said, "I've already told my girls you are coming", so how could we say "no"? We get back from dinner at 9:30, fire all our food back up and have a late dinner around 10:30! I was exhausted and couldn't believe the cross-cultural communication breakdown that made a calm and relaxing Christmas into a fiasco. When recounting the story now I laugh to myself and say, "only in Ghana".

I think I've learned a few things about Christmas this year that I don't think I could have learned had I not been away from home. In Ghana, the true meaning of Christmas is stark. Yes, there are Christmas trees, tacky tinsel garlands and carols being played everywhere but apart from that the fanfare from the West is eerily absent. This leaves you contemplating on what it actually is we are celebrating, the birth of Christ. People don't make a big deal out of the commercialized Christmas because some only have Jesus at Christmas. I think I've come to understand this a lot more during Christmas and throughout Advent this year.

However, I can't and won't deny that I missed some familiarities of home this Christmas. I think I missed the following the most:
- putting the angel on the Christmas tree
- mom's fruitcake
- standing in the stillness of a snowfall and watching big flakes fall as if time itself is slowing down
- sitting in front of the fire and warming my toes while reading a book
- lying under the Christmas tree while listening to the Carpenters Christmas album on vinyl
- going to church Christmas Eve and feeling the warmth of joy and celebration in the air
- picking family up from the airport (wearing one of my mother's many funny Christmas hats)
- jamming with friends (you know who you are) and eating homemade sweets

Hope all your Christmases were magical and joy-filled. I know this isn't spelled right but I wish you all an "Efishia Pa", which means Merry Christmas in Twi! Don't ask me to write "Happy New Year". Pictures to follow soon...

Merry Christmas

Well the day is almost here (in Ghana anyway) and I just want to take the opportunity to wish you all this, wherever you may be, whenever you may be reading this:

A very Merry Christmas to all of you and your loved ones! May the peace of God that comes from this night give you joy and happiness for the year ahead.

I am missing you all muchly and thinking of you all especially at this time.

much peace and love.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad!

Conflict of conscience

I’ve noticed during my time here that I’ve had to let a lot of things slide that I normally wouldn’t in Canada. As a student it was very easy for me to live a socially conscious life. I didn’t have a lot of money so I walked everywhere, didn’t eat much meat, reused whatever I could and bought locally from the farmer’s market instead of the overpriced fruits and veggies from A&P. This meant my footprint was relatively low. Before leaving home, I was deeply troubled by this style of living. Even in my interview for this internship, when asked what was my greatest challenge, at that moment I replied that it was battling with the daily conflicts in my conscience about whether I should drive my car or walk to the grocery store, kicking myself if I forgot to bring cloth bags to the grocery store, and if I couldn’t find fair trade coffee I wouldn’t have any coffee at all. I prayed deeply about these inner battles and asked that God grant me peace with myself. I knew if I kept up with this behaviour I was bound to disrespect someone or push everyone away from me.

In this regard, Ghana has been extremely beneficial and not because I threw out my footprint by flying here but I’ve realized here that some things are out of your control and that living consciously is as much as being aware of your decisions as acting on them. I’ll admit that I still bring my cloth bags to the market and try to conserve water and power in my house. However, I’ve had to buy bottled water here, even though on the most part I opt for the cheaper bagged water (I like supporting it because it provides drinking water options to the poor who cannot afford bottles). I’ve also drank Coca Cola products and Nestle coffee…something I would never be caught doing in Canada, and thrown out perfectly reusable plastic bags.

Ghana has allowed me to step back and take in the big picture. I could hardly refuse when Coca Cola offered to give HelpAge ten crates of drinks for an event we were having, where at home I would have told them ‘thanks, but no thanks’. I can hardly refuse overpriced bottled water when there are no other options and the heat is about to consume me entirely. Many people would find these decisions trivial but they plague me deeply. I often think that living a socially conscious life means every decision you make must be made in this light or you cannot be called truly socially conscious. It’s like saying that an environmentalist that throws out a plastic bottle instead of recycling it is not a true environmentalist. Or it’s like saying that a feminist that decides to be a house wife is not a true feminist. I think Ghana has taught me that the way we live does not need to be absolute. The point is to be working towards that perfection, and in my case trying to live a life that is pleasing in God’s eyes. I’ve always considered Jesus as a role model for social activism and in this regard I try to work towards living like Him. However, in this sense, I can hardly ever say that I’ll be perfect or even Jesus, so I should just try to live His teachings as much as I can and pray that He forgives me throwing my glass coca cola bottle in the trash can…after all at least I didn’t throw it in a gutter, right?

p.s. This entry was prompted by learning Canada’s recent decision to reject the emission targets for 2020 at the climate change summit in Bali. God help the US, Canada and Japan learn the error of their ways and hopefully change their minds.

Make Slavery History

This past weekend I went to Cape Coast and Elmina to see the slave forts. For the historians out there, you may recognize these names as two of the largest trading posts on the coast of West Africa. The most commonly traded commodity in this area was slaves, despite the fact that both castles lie on the Gold Coast (the Portuguese names Elmina, ‘the mine’ for this reason). I have already shared with you a little bit of what I felt when I visited the slave fort in Shama. However, that was a small fort and the experiences in Cape Coast and Elmina, although similar were much graver. Both castles lie within the hearts of Cape Coast and Elmina towns, whitewashed and ominous, looming over the sea. Yet, the environment and people that surround their somber walls are lively and breathe the freedom that their ancestors toiled for. Colourful fishing villages, bustling markets, children splashing in the sea, are signs that freedom and salvation reign where they were once only dreamed of.

The stories told inside the walls were not as bright as the exterior. The conditions of the slaves were unimaginable and we merely got a glimpse of what they endured day after day. They lived in dank, overcrowded and under-ventilated dungeons, with poor sanitation. The women were victims of rape by the guards and even the governors that resided at the forts. Men that tried to escape or resist the guards were condemned and left to die. Cape Coast castle was a major slave trading fort for the British while Elmina, first owned by the Portuguese was mostly managed by the Dutch and still exhibits the symbol of the Dutch West India Company. The disparity between the slaves and the merchants and governors living conditions was stark. It was haunting to walk through the dungeons, down the tunnels that led to the underground doors that led the slaves to the boats that left for the Americas. They call the door the ‘door of no return’ and they have been strewn with wreaths and messages by members of the Diaspora in the Americas remembering their ancestors. I cannot imagine what a slave would do at this door. Would they pray for their return? Would they cry from fear and anxiety? Or would they sing to keep hope?

Just inside the gates of Elmina castle the following words were etched on the wall which I think capture the feeling in the castle:

In everlasting memory of the anguish of our ancestors

May those who died rest in peace

May those who return find their roots

May humanity never again perpetrate such injustice against humanity

We the living vow to uphold this

Disgracefully, we have not managed to uphold this as many people around the world continue to be ‘enslaved’ and are sold, trafficked and compelled to do work against their will. I pray for those that were enslaved and those that are enslaved and pray that mercy will loose their chains. I pray that God will continue to create reconciliation between the African continent and the nations that perpetrated colonialism and slavery. As we commemorate the anniversary of the abolishment of the slave trade this year, we should also commit ourselves to not just let time heal our relationships with one another, but work actively to build trust and reciprocity across races, religions and cultures.

World AIDS Day

People from around the world recognize WAD with various activities, everything from protests to vigils, to remember those and speak out for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. In Accra, the Ghana AIDS commission culminated a week of activities with an awareness walk through the downtown core of the city. As the heat is so intense at this time of year, the walk began at 6 am and I regret that yours truly wasn’t up to the task to rise and shine for any cause at that hour. I did however recognize the day in what I hope isn’t a unique way. I underwent VCT (voluntary testing and counseling) and got myself tested for HIV.

My colleague Jody, has been volunteering with a VCT clinic in Accra and they were holding a VCT screening at a major internet café in the city. We wanted to support the initiative so I went with her and Caitlin. The VCT was a very simple set-up with one room, one counselor and one lab technician. I’m not sure what made me want to get tested but I think I did it as an advocacy tool to tell people that they shouldn’t be afraid or ashamed of the process. To get tested is a positive life choice. You can find out you’re positive and from that point take precautions to not infect others and take better care of yourself to avoid opportunistic infections. You can find out you’re negative and value the choices you have made and continue to make positive choices to avoid infection. The process of VCT is supposed to be empowering and to learn one’s status is not a death sentence.

I was happy to see that an organization was implementing a practical recognition apart from the advocacy walks and awareness gatherings for World AIDS Day. Although few people attended the session, those that did were made aware of the actions that may put them at risk of HIV and what it means to live positively with HIV. As we later learned, even of the few people that attended the screening, one was infected. Often times it is difficult to measure impact of such an event but to know that that one person can begin making positive choices in their life means that change is being made.

In sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana has a relatively low prevalence rate of HIV, however this leaves no room to be complacent. The most common concern is the stigma and discrimination that continues to arise in the communities. The theme of this year’s WAD in Ghana targeted leadership as the key area where stigma and discrimination could be reduced. In Ghana, this is precisely where the education needs to be coming from, the chiefs, priests, imams, and politicians that are held in such high esteem in the community. There is also a lot of misperceptions and misinformation about HIV and AIDS in Ghana and many people will look to their leaders for the facts and truth. They hold the power of effecting change and I pray that they will see the need to make HIV/AIDS a priority.

Photo: Caitlin and I at the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa Gala at the Canadian High Commission (I think we were trying to experiment with the night settings on my camera)

Monkeying Around in the Shai Hills

Just north of Accra, in the Shai Hills there’s a small forest reserve that is home to colonies of baboons and some chimpanzees. There are also many antelope, snakes and bird colonies within the reserve. The Shai people used to inhabit the land before they were ousted by the government in the late 1950s. They now reside in the neighbouring communities but return every year for annual rituals and sacrifice. Our guide told us that the sacrifice used to be human but assured us this was not practiced anymore. We were relieved to see the remains of a goat’s skull which we were told was this year’s sacrifice.

The old chief’s palace is located in the reserve in a cave set on a rocky hill. The cave houses many bats! We went right into the cave and had to squeeze between two rocks to see the bats. The guide told us that when the tribe was being attacked the women and children would hide in behind the rocks for protection. The guide also pointed out vines that the tribe would use to keep a lookout on any potential invaders. At the base of the hill were two large Baobab trees. I’ve always wondered why the Baobab tree holds such high esteem among African vegetation. Turns out, the tree has medicinal bark and leaves and can even retain water! I told the guide that it sounds like the tree of life and he agreed. Every year, when the Shai people return they place a cloth around the tree to indicate that they were here. Apparently there is a cloth for every year dating back to the 1800s.

We were lucky enough to get in the 4x4 of a Japanese tourist from Honda with his Ghanaian colleague. They even drove us to the next town called Akosombo where Ghana’s major dam is located. We were able to enter the dam site and had a guide tour us and tell us all the intricacies of the dam. The dam sits where the Volta River meets Lake Volta. Ghanaians depend greatly on this body of water for food, power and livelihoods. It was a cool feeling to stand on the dam between the lake and the river and have an exceptional view of both sides.

The pictures are of some baboons that were very friendly (for no other reason than the fact we were feeding them plantain chips) from the forest reserve, the chief’s palace in the bat cave (sorry, no pictures of bats, I didn’t want to disturb them), and the Akosombo Dam.

African Football Fever!

For those that know me I’ve never been much of a fan for football or as we Canadians would call it “soccer”, so if you saw me a few Wednesdays ago draped in a Ghanaian flag and yelling curses at a Beninois goalie you might not have recognized me. In preparation for the African Cup of Nations, which begins in Accra come January, the Black Stars held a four-country tournament two weeks ago to test out their newly renovated stadium. I went to the gold game between Ghana and Benin, who are unfortunately called the Squirrels (not a very intimidating team name if you ask me, although ask any resident of the Queen’s ghetto and they might beg to differ). The stadium wasn’t filled to capacity but there was enough cheering, music and support to fill the empty seats. Ghanaians are definitely proud of their footballers and show their support by wearing flags, blowing trumpets, and even running through the stands bare bottomed (avert your eyes ladies!). The most enthusiastic are the National Supporters Union groups that take up full sections and chant, sing gospel and dance in sync. The atmosphere was definitely colourful and exciting. They say that visitors to Ghana should see three things, a wedding, a funeral and a football match. These events are definite windows into true Ghanaian culture.

The crowd was anxious for the first half where Benin managed to score twice on Ghana and the Black Stars were unable to reciprocate by the end of the first half. However, in true valiant nature, the Black Stars sprung back in the second half and managed to win the game and ultimately the tourney with a 4-2 victory. I think it was necessary to have some prep for the African Cup of Nations in January which will attract millions of viewers and spectators to three cities in Ghana. Ghana has a good chance of taking away the Cup this year, or maybe this is just a biased optimism coming through. After all, what do I know about African football? I really only know two Black Stars names, Stephen Appiah and Michael Essien (who Chelsea fans will know), who seem to be well loved by their fellow compatriots. But I guess you have to start somewhere, right? I know all the hard core football fans out there will be watching the Cup closely so I’ll be sure to keep my blog updated on the scores.

Go Black Stars Go!

Some photos to keep you sated...

So I'm getting harassed to make some posts and regret that I came all the way to the cafe to realize I hadn't loaded any of my blogs on my pen drive. Yikes! I will do so this afternoon and hopefully have some up by the end of the day. Until then, for those of you checking often, here are some photos to keep you interested. Stay tuned for blogs on African football, World AIDS Day, urban bias and much more! Wow am I trying to sell this thing or what?

On a side note, I was walking to work today and heard the Christmas Song blaring in the streets. A little strange to hear "folks dressed up like Eskimos" when I'm sweating buckets and sweltering under the sun. Hope all my Canadian family and friends are enjoying the snow...

The pictures are from Independence Square in Accra and Bojo Beach where I went last Sunday. Does the picture of yours truly remind anyone of an LL Bean ad or what?