First Day

          Soooo, a bit of an update. Monday, Mom and I spent all day in DC running around to get my new passport and visa, which I found out I HAD to get because my originals got lost in the mail. So, we basically just rode the metro into the city and then bounced around between the Congressional offices and the Passport offices so that we could get the new passport. Thankfully it wasn't the full $300 we thought it would be but $195 is still a pretty penny. Then we had some downtime to wait until the passport application was processed so we walked around DC a bit and went to a little cafe and ate fruit and drank water, finally out of the intense heat on the streets and into some air conditioning. We also got the chance to meet up with Molly Born and her friend, Garin Flowers (who studied abroad in Ghana) for lunch. It was wonderful to see Molly, and after everything that had happened with my passport and visa, I was pretty low on the excitement meter. But talking to Molly and Garin really helped me to realize what an amazing experience I was heading for, and it was really nice to talk to someone who had studied there in Accra. After our lunch, we ran up to the Passport offices and waited around for my passport to get spit out. Then we ran over to the metro and over to the Ghanaian Embassy in order to get my visa before 3pm, when the offices closed. We were cutting it close but we made it.

Inside the Ghanaian Embassy

Outside of the Embassy of Ghana

Then the very next day, I was able to drive the 3.5 hrs (more like 4.5 if you go the speed limit) down to Lewisburg to see Ross at medical school. His orientation process started Monday so he was still having to dress up, which was fun to see him looking all professional and whatnot. We had dinner together that night and then had to say our final goodbyes in the morning before he left for class at 8am. It was probably one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, driving away knowing that I won't be able to see him for 5 months.

Ross outside the Lewisburg house

Finally, Thursday was the day of the flight. Right now it seems like it was a long time ago that I was saying goodbye to Johnny and Mom and Jenny at the airport, and it already seems like ages since I saw Ross. And it's only the first day!!! But anyhow, ironically I was much more worried about getting through security than anything else (it always stresses me out) so I was reapplying deodorant before I even got on a plane. The flight to Atlanta was short and largely uneventful. But I have to give a HUGE thanks to Abby, who gave me some guidebooks to read, which I have been devouring since I got on the first plane. The flight from Atlanta to Ghana took FOREVER!!! We had a delay on the tarmac because a wheel was being changed, but then it took like an hour and a half because in the middle of it they had a shift change. (Does anyone else find that absurd?) Anyhow, it was a long flight. I sat next to a woman you was traveling to Ghana to visit some of her relatives, so it was cool to talk to her. But I got a huge surprise at the airport when I found out (tadah!!) there is an MTC in Accra. So there was a slew of missionaries on my flight, and of course I had to get a picture of them at the airport in Ghana.

Mormon Missionaries headed to the MTC in Accra

From there I have met so many people in such a sort time it's kind of insane. I met a few people at the airport who were ISEP students from different parts in the U.S. (Kelly, Alex, and Caitlin, I believe) each studying very different things, but (surprise!) Kelly is from Southern Utah and she's studying theatre at Ghana too. So that was fun. We've been on the move pretty much all day since then. Meeting other study abroad students and whatnot. There is a girl named Catherine who just finished a 2 month stint in Kenya and Tanzania doing volunteer work in an orphanage and a refugee camp. She's pretty awesome. Also there was a really amazing woman that I met at dinner tonight who is a student, but who is there as a non-traditional student with her husband. They are staying in an apartment not far from campus, but it was amazing to see someone with that sense of adventure, dragging her husband along on her study abroad experience. It was pretty heart-warming actually. Overall, it's been a great first day here in Ghana. I can't wait for tomorrow. I miss you all. I'll write more soon. But just know for now that I am safe and sound in Africa.

The U of G International Hostel where we are staying

My room at the hostel

All my stuff piled up in the room

Me and my ISEP roommate, Katie

Orientation Packet for U of G

Me in my room at U of G

First Ghanaian meal (mostly rice)

Drying racks for clothes in the hostel

Courtyard outside my room

Enjoy the pictures!

P.S.- There is a 4 hr time difference between here and WV (we're 4 hrs ahead). And I will try and call people tomorrow with my new cell phone, but the best, cheapest way to communicate is via internet.