Oh my lanta! I cannot even express to everyone just how much I want to move to Ghana. This country is by far the best country ever- you just have to see it! Yesterday I went to a cocoa farm- I’ll give you some background information…My friend/hall mate Chloe is from Iowa- where her father owns a candy store. (Palmer’s candy) And one of their huge distributors is located in Ghana. So Chloe, Olivia and I headed out to the Total gas station (outside of our port) and we waited for Rahul. We weren’t too sure what to expect- then after about 15 minutes a nice SUV pulls up, and a well-dressed Indian man (Rahul) came out. He’s was insanely friendly and we headed out on our 3 hour venture to the Cocoa farms. I just can’t describe to you how amazing everything was! We met Cocoa farmers, and they cracked open the cocoa pods, and there was this white placenta over the cocoa beans, and they told us to suck on the placenta. They tasted so good- surprisingly like fruit. The villages were amazing, and the people were all so friendly! Tomorrow is our last day in Ghana (SO depressing :[ ) and my goal is to find someone with a mean bone in their body. They’re just too nice here! I can’t even explain it. This country is beautiful inside and out. Everyone is so content with what they have, and they’re all happy. Their life is full of hard work- but yet it’s so simple.  I am beyond ready to live in Ghana. I seriously think I might spend a summer here after graduation. I could make drums, farm cocoa pods, and just listen to Reggae- It’s definitely the life!

            So I’m doing “pretty” well about trying new foods- and by that I mean I try one thing that looks decent in every country, and is a part of their culture. (These “tastings” probably aren’t very adventurous- but to me they were)

To date:

Spain- Sangria (It was quite potent, but good)

Morocco- Mint Tea, and some pigeon with honey thing? (Delicious!)

Ghana- PLANTAIN CHIPS- So effing good! Take the BEST potato chip you have ever had, and multiply it by 48976475- that is how amazing these things are! Yum!

I met male interport student last night and took him to dinner (on the ship). I would type his name, but I would completely butcher it- but I will have him write it down. He’s crazy awesome and gave us some lingo to use in SA. Such as… SA which is how everyone in South Africa calls their country). He also told us that sometimes Africans will just make noises and sounds and clicking noises so stupid American tourists will think they’re talking in another language. (When really they’re just making stuff up to see how we react).

Anyways- Back to Ghana- the best country to ever exist! They are CRAZED over Obama, like… he legit has more billboards, pins, shirts, and stickers of him than Ghana’s own president. Hahaha.

A few tidbit facts (which may be repeats):

Ghana is one of the largest Cocoa distributors in the world.

The national language in Ghana is English.

The US Embassy is BIGGER than the Ghanaian presidents’ home.

Cape Coast arguably the BEST tasting pineapple in the world.

Our SAS voyage is the first to ever come to Ghana.

The previous being said: We are also one of the LARGEST groups of Americans to come to Ghana at one point in time.

And… everyone should live here.

Okay- so today we went to the castles and slave dungeons and learned a little more about the history of slave trade. We went to Cape Coast which is in Central Ghana (about 3 hours from our port Tema). The coast is breath-taking! I would take Cape Coast over any Hawaiian/Tahitian/Exotic place any day!

Here they have an enormous fishing industry- and fields and fields of people! (Who are super friendly of course). They had separate dungeons for males and females, and without going into great detail- it was a very quite day at the dungeons because it was so intense to be in the presence of something so historical. Our first castle was St.George’s Castle which is more commonly referred to as Elmina castle nowadays. From there we headed to Cape Coast Castle. Both of the castles had “The door of no return”- and as implies, if you went through it, you never came back.

We had “lunch” on the bus. Now…thank HEAVENS I had brought snacks because I am picky. But it is actually quite funny to see how other people perceive Americans, and their food habits. The castles packed us meals to eat on our ride back- and as sweet as it was that they tried to cater to Americans… they probably should have just stuck to basics.

Nobody could call me picky today because not a single person ate/fully ate what we had.

Picture this: You have a slice of sour bread on the bottom, tuna on top of that, another slice of bread, chopped up hot dogs on top of that, ANOTHER slice of bread, mayonnaise, eggs, and ketchup on top of that, and then the top piece of bread.

Call me insane- but I am not aware of that being a prevalent sandwich back in the States. Hahaha. Anyways. Ghana has been such an amazing experience, and I have been proposed to (like many other girls) about 3278438947 times- but it’s so cute! And the kids are adorable! They constantly ask you to take their photo so they can see themselves, and then love goofing off for us. Everyone smiles and waves here, and it’s just a no-pressure laid back kind of place.

I swear there is no laws here- because everyone does whatever they want…but not in a destructive sense.

And I also love seeing business men, in suits and ties, walking on the side of the main highway- and stopping to take a dump- just right there. I feel like it is completely acceptable to pee and poo wherever here…but they’re clean about it. (Like you won’t step in urine or poo on the street). I love it!

I’m going to get a little personal here: Long story- really short- I peed on a lizard yesterday. That’s all I will say. I will tell you about my experiences when I return :]

I have also seen more Ghanaian penis than needed in my lifetime (In a non-sexual manner)- Many people just whip it out to go. But it’s acceptable here- so I’m definitely cool with that, it’s whatever. The traffic is surprisingly bad here. The driving is fine (in my eyes)- I feel that after one rides in any vehicle in Morocco- all other driving is acceptable. They speed a lot here- and I very-much like that! :]

As for the balancing stuff on your head and walking thing goes- I swear man… they will carry anything on their heads- and do it well! Anything from grapes, to old style popcorn poppers, clothing, paint cans- yes paint cans…that are stacked like pyramids. And they try to sell everything! Whenever you come to a stop in a vehicle people will be walking by selling the most random things. Need superglue? They got it! Watches, pineapples, chocolate, electrical outlet converters, mops…literally everything. Take the contents of Wal-Mart, and imagine wearing it on your head… they sell it all! And the thing is- it’s not just for tourist- this is how regular Ghanaian citizens buy things.

They have crazy colored taxis. Everything in Ghana is so colorful- I love it! They have tro-tro’s which are essentially van/taxis, and there is a driver, and a “persuader” (I guess you could call him that) and his job is to hang out of the moving van- and do hand signals which tell people the direction/ where the tro tro is going. Then you pile in with random people, pay a minuscule amount of money- and ride.

There is a restaurant (That I did not get to go to :[) That is in Cape Coast- and it is literally on stilts, and has crocodiles in it, and all around it, like underneath you and everything- it’s great.

I’m in love with all the rice pilafs and tomato rice they have here.

My goal is to buy a gigantic roller-skate house, and just live I Ghana in the roller-skate. I’ll be a Cocoa pod harvester, and make drums for a living. What is not to like?

Alright- I am going to shower and rest up- tomorrow I am going to Kakum Park which has canopy walks…and then Elmina castle again (hahaha- oh well). I just wish we had more days in Ghana. I am definitely coming back to this country until the day I die (which hopefully lies in the distant future).

Until next time. :]  <3