Day 1 (Saturday, August 27)... Good Bye Ceremony. The Peace Corps office in Kukurantumi hosted a get together for the 69 volunteers and their host families. It was mostly a thank you to the people of Kukurantumi, Old Tafo, Anyinasin, and Maase for giving us a home for the past 3 months. All of the volunteers were in beautiful Ghanaian clothing and head wraps.. some matching their host parents. The host families were presented with gifts from the Peace Corps, a set of cooking dishes. After the celebration, we went home and Cube made me my favorite dinner of jollof (spicy tomato-y rice) and chicken. Bub and I played our favorite game of bottle cap soccer.
Day 2... All day packing and gift exchange. I gave my host father a watch, my host mom a set of dish towels (hand-knitted by Janers), my sisters bracelets, and I gave Bub a harmonica. They presented me with a beautiful piece of pale green cloth with gold and silver embroidery. I think I will eventually have it made into a dress. I cried a lot this day.
Day 3... Travel to Accra. All volunteers met at the hub site in Kukurantumi and loaded onto buses which hauled us to Accra, specifically Valley View University, the place I spent my first 5 nights in Ghana back in June. I drank wine and played volleyball with the friends I've been growing so close in the past months.
Day 4... Swearing In at the US Ambassador, Don Teitelbaum's. Big white house with lush green lawns, large patios, and a pool. The ceremony took up most of the morning and afternoon. Speakers included the Country Director of Peace Corps Ghana, the Ambassador, the Regional Director of Peace Corps Africa, and Ghana's Director of foreign affairs. We were sworn in as the 50th group of Peace Corps volunteers in Ghana, the oldest Peace Corps program in the world. Furthermore, the first PCV's were math and science teachers... :) In the afternoon we drank aperitifs, ate hors d'oeuvre, and chatted. Also, I was welcomed by the current Brong Ahafo volunteers who were also in attendance with a shot of whiskey and a machete. Not kidding. After the celebration, we went back to Valley View to spend time together drinking and having fun.
Day 5... Accra with David. David and I decided to take a personal day in Accra, so from Valley View we got a ride with a couple of dudes in a pick- up truck. When we asked their names, one replied something that sounded like "My Wiener." I got really car sick. Ew. They dropped us off next to the Accra Mall, which was exactly where we were headed. We cruised around a little bit, then found pizza and ice cream. Following food, we went to get drinks at an incredible sports bar called Rhapsody. Of course, I had wine and he had beer. We watched a rugby match on TV... All Blacks vs somebody. Finished drinks, then went for an afternoon matinee of Captain America. Shout out to Ryan Cook. The movie was perfectly entertaining as was the company. Popcorn and all. Following the movie, we returned to Rhapsody for another beverage and dinner. I had more wine and a calamari salad.
Important note: David has quite the affinity for talking to strangers. He says it's a good way to 1) hear interesting stories, 2) make new friends, and 3) network. And he's right. Continuing with the story.
David steps out to take a call, and down the bar I see a group of 50 to 70 year old men drinking vodka and red bull. To make things even better the vodka was contained in a skull shaped bottle. Shout out to Auby. So, taking a page from David's book, I decide to chat up these fellows because they looked too funny not to! We end up talking awhile with these guys, who are incredibly interesting, kind, intelligent, and successful human beings. We might have taken shots of Jäger with them. And a particularly nice man with whom I had been talking, Walter, invited us for dinner Friday night. We exchanged numbers and parted ways.
Day 6... President of Ghana. Along with all the other volunteers, I dressed up nicely after breakfast and got on the bus to the main Peace Corps Office in Accra. We hung around there awhile. Biddle and I left to walk around the grocery store near by to stare at cheese and ice cream and seafood and all the other lovely things unavailable in rural Ghana. Around noon, we got on the bus again, and they took us to the presidential castle in Accra where we had lunch in the gardens. The president of Ghana, John Atta Mills, addressed us, thanking us for our service to his country. It was an incredibly special ceremony to be a part of. I feel very honored to have met and been thanked by the President of Ghana. I did not and will not take his words for granted.
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Day 7... US Embassy and South Africa. David and I tagged along with a couple of current volunteers to the US Embassy to a party hosted by US Marines. Burgers, wine, beer, YES. I mostly chatted up Marines while David made connections with USAID people. I also got to say hi to the Peace Corps Ghana Country Director and the US Ambassador who were also in attendance. Furthermore, I was invited to the Marine Ball at the embassy in a few months... Count me in. That evening, David and I called Walter, the South African businessman. He sent his driver "Bismark" to pick us up. We then proceeded to spend the evening talking, eating, and drinking with a group of ten-ish South Africans. Walter made paella on the grill (oil, onions, peppers, tomatoes, rice, broth, chicken, shrimp, and scallops. It was a really fun evening of talking with many intelligent and successful people who have very happily made their home here in Ghana. It was inspiring to hear their stories of hard work and finding happiness.
Needless to say, my batteries are recharged and I'm ready to take on PC in rural Ghana. My next blog will likely be very different... Maybe something about scrubbing bat poo with my bare hands.
LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU XXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXO
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