A village remote...

So many thoughts are running through my mind after three days in Ghana...I guess I hadn't really thought a whole lot about what it would be like to come back to West Africa, so close to Guinea-Bissau, now with my family! I think the hardest thing for me has been feeling like such a tourist. In G-B, I spoke the languages. I was familiar with all of the cultural nuances. I felt like I understood the people. Now I feel we are very much on the outside looking in. Having said that, it has been so important to show John and the kids even a glimpse of what my life was like in GB. Most important to me, is for them to see how happy and warm and generous these people with seemingly nothing are. We have been fortunate enough to visit two villages. The first village was Akwidaa which John wrote about. It was overwhelming even for me. The houses were literally on top of one another. It had rained for several days so everything was muddy and wet. I realized that day after spending time in the village that there were many things that I choose not to remember about Africa...

Today we went on a Semester at Sea sponsored trip to a water village called Nzulezo. It was truly like nothing John nor I had ever seen. Thanks to a young strapping Ghanaian named Tommy, the five of us made it to the village on stilts in about 45 minutes. We passed through two dense jungle areas in the canoe and then a large open expanse which was beautiful and covered with many lily pads. We saw many different ways that they catch fish which was quite exciting for John: a basket trap, something resembling fish weirs, a weight system that they had rigged, and nets. We finally reached the village which is comprised of about 450 people - mostly from the same family line we were told. There is a primary school from grades 1-6 and a church. There is no health clinic. Anyone in need of emergency medical care is taken by boat to the nearest town. Our guide told us that the village has been hosting tours for over ten years and that the people are directly paid a share of these monies. It was hard to know if this actually occurs. There is no electricity or running water and the village is primitive to say the least. One thing that I found absolutely amazing was the thought of a baby learning to crawl or walk on decks, no more than 4 1/2 feet wide! We did see several children swimming so at least it appeared that at least some of the people can swim - something that always amazed me in GB how people who grew up on the water and couldn't swim!

Tomorrow we are going to an orphanage nearby. It will be interesting to learn why these children have been placed there. The word orphan didn't exist in Kriolu -- children would be taken in by extended family if they were to lose their parents.

Well that's it for now. I am truly exhausted... Hopefully we can try to write some thoughts from Anna and Layne in tomorrow night's blog. I think they're as emotionally overwhelmed as we are. Until tomorrow...
Traci