Junie's Online Thoughts
Tuesday, April 08, 2003
Wow, this computer is sooooooooooo slow. Theres something to be said about the faster connection in Accra. I like TAkoradi so far. The people seem really friendly, I've only heard a few "obruni" shouts and the city itself is pretty compact. Before we arrived, I'd heard complaints that the Twin Cities (Sekondi and Takoradi) were boring. Granted, theres no big tourist traps here (although the Ghanaian arts festival is happening this week) but I like the vibe of the city. There's still the market, the beaches and just walking around or going to a spot.
Jeremy felt sick this morning, and I slept late rather than running, but wanted to scout out some other hotels and find some bread and egg. I left the room in a long skirt and tank top. As I walked, I saw more stares then I did yesterday. I saw other people in tank tops, but I think my extra visible white skin made me more noticeable. When some guy called me an abuskele (basically slutty...uncalled for....I dont think I deserved such a name because my legs, the bigger deal here in Ghana, were completely covered. Theres this popular song called Abuskele and now everyone has to throw the term around when they see someone wearing anything remotely showing skin), I knew it was time to put on a t-shirt. After I changed and walked around for ever, I started asking people on the street. Is there somewhere I can get some bread and eggs? Any place that serves breakfast? No, no, no, they said. Finally, in the market, a woman at a salon called me over. I asked her about breakfast and she said, yes, let me show you. She linked arms with me and we became best friends, walking through the market, the other vendors hooting at her and laughing. I think its a good thing...whoever claims the abruni first is lucky or something. Anyway, we walked and chatted and finally found a spot that cooked breakfast and drinks. Here, its even harder for folks to understand my accent, even when I talk in GHanaian english. After much negotiation and hand gestures, she made me an egg and bread and tea, and I bought an egg, bread and Milo for my new friend Hannah.
We ate, then walked to another hotel so I could check the price. ON the way there, I asked her about Easter and what Ghanaians do here. She replied that they go to church. I said that back home, we colored eggs and hid them. Then children tried to find the eggs. We also had the Easter Bunny. Easter Bunny? she asked, with an extreme look of confusion. Yes, I said, Its a big rabbit who makes baskets of candy and toys for children. The baskets are hidden and the children try to find them. Its really the parents who make the baskets, but they pretend its the EASter Bunny. She either thought I was completely crazy or very funny, as she laughed and laughed at the notion of a giant bunny (if she even understood what a bunny was....Ive never seen any here. Maybe I should have said it was a giant grasscutter.) Here, Hannah replied, they go to church on Good Friday dressed all in black. Then on Easter Sunday, they wear white and go to church. On Easter Monday, they go to Busua beach and celebrate by dancing, swimming and eating.
The Hotel You 84 wasnt any cheaper than where we were staying. I bought a pineapple for Jeremy and Hannah walked back to the Amenla hotel with me to see where I was staying. I told her I would stop by her salon this week to say hello but that we were leaving this weekend for the beach. She's nice, although sometimes its a bit hard to negotiate Ghanaian girl friendships. Some are really aggressive and want to touch you or hold hands, while others want to call or write you all the time. Others are fine with an occasional hello. Its confusing, and I never know if Im doing it right. In any case, it was fun to exchange Easter traditions, even if I dont do the church thing anymore.
Woke up Jeremy, then walked to three other hotels to price them. Decided to just stay where we were, but to keep it in mind for when Jeremy comes back here to do more archive work. He's taking the day off and as soon as we leave the internet cafe and tell the AMenla we're staying for two more days, we are off to the beach to sit and be lazy.
Sunday, April 06, 2003
I wrote this once already, but when I hit the button to Post and Publish, my computer completely froze. Take two. Last night we attended a concert at Alliance Francais. Rocky Mawuni, one of the most popular Ghanaian reggae singers, played for free with local Ghanaian musicians. His opening act was his trombone player, but when he was by himself, he instead played a stringed instrument that sounded a lot like a Kora. (a very tinny higher pitched sound.) The crowd loved him, and several audience members jumped up to dance before leaping on stage and slapping money across his forehead or stuffing it down his shirt. Im guessing that that was a good thing, as more people followed and he didnt seem to object.
Then ROcky and the rest of the band appeared. Big band....drummer, african drummer (the big kind where the drummer sits on it and hits it with both his hands and the heels of his feet), trombone, trumpet, sax, keyboards, bass, guitar and two back up singers. Certainly not the best Ive ever seen, but Rocky was a good performer. True to form, Alliance closed shop by 10:30, and this time they aggressively turned off all the lights in the bar...a not so subtle message for us to get out.
We hitched a taxi to a party at Duncan's, a spot near our house. Some ex-peace corps guys were hosting a party there and it was rumored to have both free beer and all the chicken and rice you could eat for 40,000. We entered by the kegs and helped ourselves to some beer. Just then a drunk rude girl approached us and began shouting that we had to pay 20,000 to drink the beer. Fine, fine, just settle down. I just got here for cripes sake. I was only planning to have one drink, but after paying that much, I felt like I needed to drink more to get my money's worth. About eight beers later, my head felt loose and I couldnt really close my eyes without feeling dizzy. Its been a long time since Ive been drunk and it was pretty fun.
On the way home, around 1:30 am, we stopped for some eggs and bread (the best of the street food). As we waited, Jeremy started speaking TWi to one of the ladies. (always a hit....) When we walked home, Jeremy told us that the woman had said that both Sheila and myself were beautiful, but that I was like an apple because when she saw me she wanted to eat me. (Im also guessing that that was a compliment....) We chatted with Sheila and Sean, played with the new puppies in the complex (supposedly for protection, as another car stereo was stolen this week, but these puppies are small and friendly and dont seem like good watchdogs) and finally went to bed.
This morning we were supposed to ready ourselves for the trip to Sekondi/Takoradi, but Jeremy didnt really want to sit on a bus for five hours. Instead we decided to postpone leaving until Monday morning, but I wanted to make sure we bought the tickets today. That way I could still wake up early tomorrow to go running and have enough time to make it to the STC station. On the way out, I attempted to start the car before giving the keys to Sean so he could start it for us while we were gone. Shocker, shocker, the car was again dead....something must be draining the battery or we just have a crappy battery. Oh well...I guess we will just buy a new one when we return and then make a concerted effort to practice driving each and every day. I dont really want a car at this point, as its not saving us any money. But as Jeremy needs to travel more between Sekondi and Kumasi and as we travel around Ghana for fun, it will be infinately easier if we have our own car to drive rather than depending on sometimes unreliable and time consuming public transportation. STill...it makes me grumpy to spend over 100,000 cedis on a wasted battery, you know?
Made it to the station and purchased tickets for 9:30 am tomorrow. Bought some honey coconut balls and great gooey peanut brittle from the street. Bought some tea bread off a woman's head with incredible balance. Now at Busy Internet to email and search for how to train for a marathon.
Last night we attended a concert at Alliance Francais. Rocky Mawuni (I think thats his last name), one of the most popular Ghanaian reggae singers, played with a Ghanaian band. HIs opener was actually his trombone player, except here he played a stringed instrument that sounded a lot like the Kora. Kind of a tinny sound. THe crowd loved him. Some folks stood to dance, then leapt on stage and pressed money against his forehead. Im guessing thats a good thing, because a bunch of people did that, or stuffed money down his shirt. Then ROcky played and he wasnt the best singer ever, but he was a good performer. Big band....bass, guitar, drums, african drums (the big ones that the player sits on top of and hits with both his hands and the heels of his feet), keyboards, trombone, saxophone, flute, trumpet, and two back up singers. As is the way of Alliance, everything must completely close by 10:30 pm so the concert ended, the lights went out and we all got a not so subtle push out the door.
From there we moved to Duncans, where a bunch of ex-peace corps guys were hosting a party with "free beer and all the chicken and rice you could eat for 40,000 cedis." We stepped in by the kegs and grabbed glasses. Well, the free beer was a hoax, and some drunk woman started screaming at us to pay 20,000 for our beers. I had only wanted one drink, but now that I paid that much, I had to stay to get my money's worth. About eight or ten glasses later, I was way too drunk. Its been a long time since I got drunk...and had so much fun. We stopped for some egg and bread on the way home (the best of the street food, especially at 2 am) and chatted with Sheila and Sean until we went to bed. It was a good night.
This morning we were supposed to find our laundry, pack up and leave for Sekondi. But Jeremy doesnt want to sit on a bus for five hours today (and I think he's procrastinating), so we will probably go early tomorrow morning. I'd wanted to wake up early tomorrow in SEkondi and start running...guess I will have to do it here before we get on the bus. Ah, lazy Sundays....
