FRIDAY!!!

So, yesterday evening/afternoon after I wrote was pretty fun. I went around to the dance department and music department trying to figure out other courses I could add for the semester. Also, on the way to class I met these 3 really sweet Ghanaian little boys (one was 5, another 7, the last 8). They were playing basketball at a house that I walk past and one of them (the five year old) came to the edge of the driveway to wave at me. So I stopped to say hello. They were really sweet and told me how old they were and all about playing basketball. It was a good moment.

Then I continued on to my dance class, which was really fun (as always), and signed up for a traditional African songs class. Another a random but funny note, I was pulled into a dance studio right before dance class by one of the music students I had met in passing, and I was handed a bell to keep a rhythm on for a few dancers who were practicing. Needless to say, he picked the wrong person to keep a steady beat. He ended up giving up on me and getting someone else to play. It was cool to watch the dancers for a bit though.

On another cool side note, I had worn a few of those "Livestrong" style bracelets to dance class. They were free ones that I had gotten from Fairmont State (which I brought to maybe give away), but I found they matched my outfit so I wore them. Well, a few young Ghanaian girls sell water and things right outside our dance room, and usually during class they come and dance with us bit, which is fun. Well, one of the girls saw my bracelet and said that she liked it. So, I asked her is she wanted it (which I am still not sure if this is a Ghanaian custom to give people things when they say that they like them) and she said yes so I gave her one. Then her friend came over and asked for the other one, so I gave away that one as well. Soooooo, it is official that I am the BEST promoter for Fairmont State and the Honors program in the history of EVER, because there are now two young girls in Ghana with bracelets saying Fairmont State University Honors Program on them. And you know that they are going to show their friends and their brothers and sisters and their parents and relatives and teachers and everyone the new bracelet they got from the obroni (pronounced like o-broo-nee which means foreigner or white person) girl in dance class. Also, it felt pretty awesome to give those girls such a simple joy. I mean, to me its just a silly bracelet from my school that I got my Freshman year, but to her it could mean something special. It could be that she had a rough day and feels better after having been one of the lucky ones to receive my simple gift. It could be that this is a stepping stone for her and being more willing to trust Americans or foreigners and open up to them. Maybe that simple bracelet could have a much more complex and profound ripple effect in life. I have no way of knowing, but it is nice to know that I could bring a smile to a few little girls' faces by giving a little bit of home away.

After all that I walked home with some other ISEP students, stopped and the store, only to decide not to buy anything at all. (hahaha) And then helped one of the girls carry a big bag of water home. After that I guess it was a pretty uneventful evening. Now that I have my own room I actually spend quite a bit of time alone which is slightly odd. I am usually a very social being, but I guess I haven't really found a particular niche for myself in the international students group. I'm not as worried about it now though, because honestly I have been thoroughly enjoying my adventures alone, meeting people on campus.

So, then today, I got up early because I wanted to try out a Research Methods class that I was thinking about taking at 11:30am, and I wanted to drop by the music department to ask about choir again, and possibly audition. So I got up early and had really amazing fresh oatmeal with bananas, and then took off for the music department. Well, first off I didn't have to audition (kind of a relief, but a little bit of a let down) AND I can get credit for Choir so I don't have to take the Research Methods class on Friday (which I also found out would be pretty pointless for me anyways since it is basically just learning how to write a serious research paper). Since they don't have General Education credits here, some of the things that are basic which we have to learn in high school or our first semester of college, they don't learn unless they take that academic route in their major. As far as I can tell most humanities majors have a some sort of Research Paper course to teach about all that. But since I know how to write a research paper I didn't want to take that class anyways. Also at the music department I found out about some other ensembles that I might be a part of. One is an African Traditional Ensemble which does strictly African songs and it is a lot of clapping and rhythm and stomping as I was told. That sounds really awesome, so I might try that out. But then I also found out that they have "Pop Band" ensemble, which is basically just a bunch of musicians forming different bands. I heard they have 3 right now, but 1-2 singers, so I might try and get in on that, since my friend is in one of the bands.

After all the work I did on my schedule, I officially turned in my registration for classes. I am auditing a 400 level playwriting course as well as a directing course. Then I am taking the traditional African dance class and the traditional drumming class, as well as the traditional sons class, and my Theatre in Ghana class. I am pretty happy with my classes, though a bit stressed about my Wednesday class, as I have my first class in the theatre which is close to my hostel, but then a class 10 minutes after that one that is 3/4ths of the way across campus. Then after that class I have 10 minutes to run all the way back to the fine arts department for drumming. It's a mess I know.

Anyways, after figuring out my schedule, I talked to Awushi, my student guide, for a few hours in the ISEP office. We talked about a bunch of stuff, including cultural nuances, volunteer work, where to shop for certain things, and Ghanaian naming ceremonies (which is similar to a Mormon, baby blessing, but different in that only close family and friends are allowed to be present). After to chatting away for a few hours, I went to the Bush Canteen where I picked up some dorm room essentials, like a mirror and a sponge. I also stopped to watch a hairdresser doing hair twists for a woman. While standing there I ended up meeting the hairdresser and her assistant. They were both very nice and showed me how to twist hair, and they talked to me about dancing for a while. They also gave me a small container (which I was going to buy) to use as a pencil holder for my desk. They were very friendly and I felt very safe with them. I did get asked  to hand over my dress after my stay in Ghana (which I am getting the feeling that its not a formal as just telling someone you like something and then being obligated to give that item to the person, I feel like I have actually been asked to give over different articles of my clothing at the end of my stay in Ghana a few times now. It's a very interesting difference in culture.

I've noticed how truly communal their culture is. I found out that if you are hanging out with a group of people and they have food or drink they might say "you're invited" which means you are able to partake of whatever food or drink it is. I messed this up twice in a row today. I was offered to drink some pineapple juice at the hairdressers' place, and later I was asked to share some dinner with a few Geography students. So, backing up a minute, I messed up and refused the drink at the hairdressers' place, nearly offending the women I had just met. Then, I walked back towards the hostel, quite hungry. I decided to stop at the market to see if I could get some redred on the street like a REAL Ghanaian. So, after asking around the market a bit I found a place to eat, but I didn't understand how to order. I just asked for redred and then the lady asked "how much", but I didn't know what she meant or what the measurements were so I just sort of fumbled out something about one bowl. That obviously wasn't the right answer because she looked at my funny and then asked again. I told her I didn't understand and by this time there was a sort of line forming of Ghanaians who actually knew what they wanted. So she attended to them first, while I tried to watch and intermittently ask questions to figure this out. Meanwhile, I left like every Ghanaian in a ten mile radius was probably laughing their butt off at me, but I got over that pretty quick (best cure for embarrassment is hunger). Finally I found out that you order by telling her the amount you want to pay. So I would say 50 pesawas and that equals a certain amount. Then I messed up again, once I got my beans, because I got moved down the line to where the chicken, fish, plantains, noodles, and all the side options are. The woman there had no idea how freaking awfully clueless I was about ordering, so when I asked for plantains she gave me like 3. Apparently, most people ask for several different sides and get a bit of everything. So when I just said plantains she assumed I just wanted a few, not like a whole sides' worth. When she asked what else I wanted, I told her just plantains, but I don't think she really understood until I gave her the money. The beans and 3 plantains were very tasty. lol. But I can't really complain. It was an experience I've learned and grown from AND it only cost me 80 pesawas for a whole meal, which I didn't get sick from. (p.s. that's one meal for about 53 cents. Let's see Mcdonald's beat that!)

On a side note, I just remembered another cultural blunder I had to day in the Bush Canteen. I was looking for a mirror, but didn't see one in any of the shops, so I stopped to ask a woman if she could point me in the right direction. She brought me over to another woman whom I repeated my inquiry to, and then that woman brought me to ANOTHER woman who listened to my inquiry and then brought me over to her stall. I could tell right away that there was miscommunication going on because her stall was for cooking food. Apparently, when I say mirror, it sounded like mineral or something, because this woman kept trying to give me soda. But I kept trying to explain that what she had was not what I was looking for. But then she tried giving me a juice box. It was a big language gap for them to understand the concept of a mirror. I tried to explain it as best as I could. I said a looking glass. I told her they usually hung in bathrooms (which is still true in Ghana). I kept talking about seeing your reflection like to see how you looked, and I even referenced looking at the back of a spoon. It was quite the mix-up, but finally she gave up trying to understand me and pointed me towards a young man, who apparently spoke better English than her. Obviously I did end up getting a mirror, but I thought it was a noteworthy blunder.

As my final note for the evening, I hand-washed my laundry tonight. It took a few hours and lots of wringing and powerful arm strength, but I did it. They are hanging on the clotheslines now. Very exciting. I've got some pictures from my day alone on campus as well. Enjoy!!

African Studies building

Water sac

LDS church we saw in Cape Coast

Theatre Department

The main gate (where you go to get on a trotro)

My new room set-up (ignore the dirty laundry)

Moved stuff into the Wardrobe

Yes, I did that!

My clean laundry out to dry