Merry Durban Christmas and Happy Ghanaian New Years!

And to YOU, a Happy New Year - 

I began 2013 with a heartfelt adventure in Rwanda I'll never forget and had the opportunity to commence 2014 with a Ghanaian wedding, all while making the move from New York to South Africa somewhere in between. A bit late, but here's to another year filled with uncertainty, risks and unexpected turns, which I welcome with both arms knowing I've got the support of an open mind and an open heart to soak it all in. 

Cheers,

Shalane

Durban shores

Pretending to watch cricket with Vukani and Gerry. 

At the bottom of the Valley of a Thousand Hills

Christmas this year was my first away from home and it was, bizarre. It was neither the best nor the worst, but I made the most of it. I escaped the Joburg city and headed to Durban, the southern coast of South Africa. I called Tekweni Backpackers my home for five days and spent them surrounded by a gang of locals and other expats from all over the world who similar to myself, also didn't go home for the holidays who for various reasons. For me, my reason was that the flight was too expensive and I had recently been in home in September. Instead of spending $2200 on a RT flight from Johannesburg to San Francisco, I opted for a Durban Christmas by the beach and a Ghanaian wedding to ring in the New Year.

I always forget how unique the backpacker environment is – usually a spot where locals and nomads like me float through and coexist, each with a unique story as the next. For example, on the second day at Tekweni Backpackers I jumped in a van with some local Durban kids, a Zulu, a German, an Irish a Colombian and myself, an American, and drove about 40 minutes outside of Durban to the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Had I ever heard of this place? No, but I was in for an adventure, as always. Well the decision was a great one because we spent all day visiting a local Zulu village in an area on the outskirts of Durban with so many green rolling hills that it reminded me of Rwanda, also framed for its thousand hills. We drank, hiked, swam in a dam and ate a home-cooked meal with the family of Wati, a Tekweni employee, in the Zulu Isuthumba village where he grew up. Although I had known all of them for at most 24 hours, there’s some unwritten rule at backpackers where you don’t judge each other, rather instantly build bridges across each other’s differences and connect through stories of cultural background, travel, passions and life in general. 

Isuthumba Village

Valley of a Thousand Hills from the top.

Sitting on a sand couch with Mandela

Durban beach promendade

I've entertained the idea of opening a backpackers before because to be honest, it looks like fun. At most places I've stayed, the owner always comes around and hangs out with the guests. When I was living in New York, my roommate at the time, Renee and I would occasionally rent out a room or the couch on AirBnB for extra cash. Through hosting I've meet some of the most interesting people from all over the world. Since they stay for such a short period of time, they come and leave before you ever get annoyed by them! For an introvert like me, I can get annoyed by clingy people because I need my alone time, but typically backpackers know the drill and are low maintenance. 

So how did I find Durban, or “Durbs” as the locals call it? Upon arrival, I had no expectations as I normally do when I travel. All I had heard was that Durbs had a different “vibe” from Joburg and Cape Town, and that is exactly how I found it. To be honest, I found Durban to be a bit gritty, but I enjoyed it. Durban is where most South Africans flee to during the holidays, while I’d say Cape Town attracts more international travellers. However, I enjoyed Durban because it did in fact have more of a ‘local’ vibe. The beach was beautiful, the water was warm, and from the backpackers it was only about a 25 minute walk or less than 10 minute drive. Needless to say I walked, biked and ran the promenade or sunbathed on the sand almost every single day. By the time I left Durban I was absolutely burnt.

Outside of India, Durbs has the highest Indian population per square meter. Having been to India back in 2012, I’m quite familiar with the Indian culture and food. But there is one Indian dish worth noting that I've never tried until coming to SA, which uniquely originated in Durban - Bunny Chow. A few friends of mine introduced me to bunny chow in Johannesburg, friends which I now realize grew up in Durban, and it’s unlike any other Indian dish I've tried before. Basically bunny chow is an Indian mutton, veggie or chicken curry that is placed in a hollowed out piece of bread. It’s eaten with your hands, using the bread to pick up and soak in the curry. YUMM. While in Durban I ordered bunny chow twice, and the one from House of Curries on Florida Street was the best in my opinion.

Running errands: picking up bridesmaids dresses from
Marjorie, my go-to seamstress in Accra

Two days after Christmas I left the Durban hostel and took a morning flight back to OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg.  I found sand hiding in the nooks and crannies of my suitcase, which I was quite proud of because it was indicative of how much time I spent at the beach. From there I headed directly onto a 6 hour flight to Ghana. The last time I was in Ghana was during the summer of 2012, so I was excited beyond explainable feelings to be back after a year and a half. Of all the countries I've had the opportunity of travelling to, this trip to Ghana is the first time I would be returning to a country.

NYU kids reunion

I flew South African Airways from Johannesburg to Accra, and I will say I was pretty impressed with the airline. As soon as I landed in Ghana a sense of ease instantly rushed over me and I felt comfortable in an environment that felt oh-too-familiar. I walked off the plane with a smile on my face, feeling confident in knowing my surroundings and how to get around. Had Priscilla not been able to pick me up from the airport I probably would have been able to take a cab relying on my faint memory to guide me to her Grandmothers house, which I’ve been to all of once during the summer of 2012.

When my friends in South Africa ask me what Ghana is like (because to them Ghana is as foreign as it is to any of my American friends, despite being located on the same continent) I always refer to the vibrancy of the culture. From the bright colored Western African clothes to the catchy hip life music that spills onto the streets to the warmth of the people, what's not to enjoy about Ghanaian culture? As my seamstress Marjorie tells me, Westerners tend to always say they’re OK when they’re not, but Ghanaians always speak from the heart – and she’s absolutely correct. Perhaps this is the trait that I admire about them the most. Not only are they welcoming, but genuinely candid with no reservations. As an American who grew up in a culture of ‘saving face’ it’s refreshing to be surrounded by people who say what they mean, and mean what they say.

Back of the dress

The first few days in Ghana were spent running errands which Priscilla, which I didn't mind at all. Having travelled around the country and visited most of the touristy areas the last time I was there, it was relaxing to sit back and simply be on vacation as an adopted Addison child. I had no real agenda except for taking it easy, meeting new people who had flown in for the wedding, hanging out with a few old friends and lending a helping hand in preparation for the wedding when necessary. I woke up, hung out in the front garden, played Mancala or locally known as Oware with the neighbourhood cousins, and just… chilled out. I stayed with the Addison family in their newly completed house in East Legon, near the University of Ghana – and such a beautiful house it was. Prior to our arrival Priscilla had just finished furnishing the house, so it still had that ‘new house’ smell.

Bride's family on the right, Groom's on the left

So I should probably mention that the reason why I went back to Ghana was for a wedding, and before you ask – no, it wasn't my wedding. My friend Priscilla, with whom I graduated from NYU with, is from Ghana and the wedding was for her eldest sister Diane. Her family, who now lives in Geneva, is originally from Ghana and decided to have both a traditional and Western ‘white’ wedding as they call it, in their home country. I guess it also makes sense that the husband-to-be is also a Ghanaian. 

Janel and I taking selfies

There was a week of wedding activities set up, so I was pretty exhausted the majority of the time I was there, despite my intended plans of taking it easy. We got dressed up and spent New Years Eve at a bar/lounge called Bella Roma's in Osu, knowing we had to wake up in the morning for the traditional wedding the next day. New Years in Ghana is typically celebrated much differently than in the States. Most people attend a church service until midnight, and then proceed to hang out with friends if they wish. In fact, across from Priscilla’s house there was a New Testament Church, which converted an empty lot into an outdoor church service, equipped with a large screen TV and what must have been at least 500 chairs. From Priscilla’s house you could feel the bass bumping, see portable field lights illuminating the entire block and hear swarms of people beginning to file in for the 10pm service. We walked across the street a few times just be a part of the commotion and listen to the music while we were getting ready to go out to Osu.

Traditional Ashanti dancer

By the time the first wedding rolled around I was exhausted, but I guess there’s no better way to start off a brand new year by getting married. This is the second ‘traditional’ wedding I’ve attended, with the first being an Indian wedding in New Delhi, and has become such a great excuse to travel. Through weddings you get a deeper understanding of family traditions, values and the role a family unit plays in the makeup of a country’s social fabric. While I didn’t understand 95% of what was being said at the wedding because it was spoken in deep Ga, a tribal dialect, I grasped the main gist. The bride’s family sat on the right, and the grooms on the left, and prior to the bride and groom even arriving at the ceremony was an exchanging of gifts between the families. Ashanti drummers graced the floor as an Ashanti dancer performed throughout the audience.

Traditional Ashanti drummers

Kiddos in their traditional wear

Perhaps most enjoyable aspect of any traditional wedding is getting to dress the part! I’m a fan of Ghanaian weddings, although probably similar to other Western African cultures, because of the eccentric and colourful attire! I had my dress made for the occasion, and designed it as well. Marjorie, who we met as the NYU seamstress, made my dress in one day and charged me about $20 for the material and labor. Rather than designing a one-time-wear dress, I wanted a dress that I could also wear to work. Therefore I opted for a simple just-above-the-knee length dress that I could wear with a blazer. I got many compliments on the back of the dress, which is similar to another one-piece jumper Marjorie’s made for me in the past. Looking around, the colors are visually stimulating from not only the colors and patterns of the fabric, but the intricacy in which dresses were designed, cut and embellished. Even the bride and bridesmaids all wore the same fabric, but each dress boasted a different design, achieving a look that is modern and fun.

By the night after the “white” wedding on Jan 3rd I was absolutely exhausted, and I could only imagine how the actual bridal party felt. With back to back to back events for a week straight, it was nice to paint the town red and go out on my last night in Ghana. Priscilla and I found ourselves at Twist, which is a bar/club in the Labone area, also our old stomping grounds when we stayed at the NYU Accra campus. I was a tad sad to leave Ghana, but hopefully I’ll be back soon. Thanks again to the Addison family – I love you! Congrats Diane & Nii Koney!

The fabulous wedding party

University of Ghana Campus Life and Asanka Local

For the past two weeks or so I've been staying at the International Students Hostel (ISH) at the University of Ghana. Since its summer session, the campus is extremely quiet. The campus is beautiful. serene, lush, and huge. I haven't had the necessity to explore very much, except when I go for an occasional jog (and I reiterate, occasional).

Below is a photo of the main library on campus, Balme Library. 

Locally, the University of Ghana is also known as the University of Legon.

In my opinion, below are two of the most amazing creations ever. Now, I'm not a huge hard cider fan because its way too sweet. BUT, Savanna Dry is hands down the best hard cider I've ever tried. It's not sweet at all, and extremely dry - just how I like it... (thus, Savanna Dry- duh). And with 6% alcohol content, who needs beer? The second best invention I've stumbled across in Ghana is the MTN mobile stick. Its portable internet that connects to the cellular wi-fi. It's fast, reliable, portable, and only cost me about 50 GhC ($25) for 4GB of data. It's been a life-saver these past few weeks. I take my computer everywhere and am able to do research, check my email, etc. without having to worry about finding free wi-fi. A mobile internet stick would undoubtedly come in handy in New York as well...

I accompanied my friend, Katrina, to a photo shoot at Asanka Local in Osu. She's a freelance writer for a food magazine and decided to pitch a traditional African dish from Asanka to some kind of top 100 annual list. Don't want to spill too many details, so I'll leave it at that vague description...

Love the traditional decor.

Katrina hard at work photographing Juliana, a waitress who has worked at Asanka Local since it opened its doors seven years ago.

Katrina getting the inside scoop.

'Red-Red' is SO yummy. It's a hearty meal that I will typically eat with plain rice as well. 

'Red-Red' (bean stew) with Fried Plantains. 

Fufu (pounded cassava) in Groundnut (peanut) Soup with Salted Fish (kako).
wow that title required some deciphering, didn't it?

Instead of fish, groundnut soup can also be eaten with chicken, goat, or bushmeat (an opossum-looking mammal). 

Volta Region - Fair Trade Bananas and Wli Falls

On-site at the Volta River Estates Limited in the Volta region of Ghana. They were responsible for introducing the first fair trade bananas into UK's market. 

Alisa towering over me.

I should have asked for a shirt.

Bunches of bananas get shipped to Europe under-ripe, about 2 weeks before becoming fully ripe.

FairTrade labeling stickers.

Next we headed to Wli fall's, one of the Volta region's most popular tourist attractions. As we were walking to the falls it started pouring. We were beyond drenched, but hey - it's part of the experience.

Beautiful.

Oh yes, we for sure jumped in. Believe it or not, we followed our Professor, John's lead... who was also the last one out of the falls as well. Gotta love that guy. 

(Note: Photo credit goes to Priscilla for all photos in this post. I forgot my camera this day!)

Nothern Ghana - Tamale

I'm writing from Tamale, the only metropolis of Northern Ghana. Although still part of the same country, it strikingly differs from the other major towns of Ghana we've visited thus far - namely Accra and Kumasi. We drove 6 hours through a fierce thunderstorm yesterday and arrived at TICCS (Tamale Institute for Cross-Cultural Studies) last night. Although the rain made walking around Tamale quite squishy, muddy, and messy I'm thankful for the rain because it brings prosperity to the farmers. About 70% of the population in Northern Ghana rely on farming as their major source of income, most of which are rain-fed crops.

This morning we visited an Institute for research and training of agricultural practices. We had the opportunity to visit a local farming community and speak with farmers who grew maize, yam, cassava, and groundnuts (peanuts). The majority of farmers are small shareholder farmers, with the main priority of feeding their family, and then selling their excess on the market. Its important to note that in Northern Ghana they only have one major rainy season whereas the Southern regions experience major and minor rainy seasons. As a result, farmers in the Northern region are more vulnerable in the sense that the only have one chance each year to harvest crops, and correctly. Its amazing to think that it only rains four months per year from about April/May - September/October and their food supply runs out after about four months. The last four months, or the 'lean season', farmers must find other ways to feed their family and cope with the food shortage.

This afternoon we spoke with the Monitoring and Evaluation Regional Officer of the Ministry of Food & Agriculture of Northern Ghana. He explained to us that when families begin to sell guinea fowl or sheep on the street its a sign that farmers are food insecure and are searching for ways to gain extra cash to feed their family. Other methods of coping with food insecurity include migrating to the South or reducing the number of meals consumed per day from three to two, or even one meal per day.

Tomorrow we're going to the central mosque in Tamale and further exploring Islam practices in this community. It'll definitely be the first mosque for me.

I haven't had internet in the past few days so I haven't been able to blog or upload photos. But when I get back to the dorms in Accra I'll have to do a bit of backtracking and posting of old photos. I can't remember the last time I went an entire 7 days without access to internet, but I have to say - disconnecting yourself from the virtual world and immersing yourself in your surroundings has never felt so good.

Kaneshie Market. Mission: Cassava

At Kaneshie market we were on mission. Our mission was cassava. Part of our class is to map the commodity chain of one good, and ours is cassava. We spent about 2 hours speaking with various cassava vendors to better understand where value is added in the cassava value chain within Ghana. 

For example, we want to understand where cassavas are sourced, and how much was paid for the product. Where/from who do vendors purchase their cassava? Is it directly from the producer, and if not do they even know who the producer is and where they are located?

We're also interested in who the vendors' main customers are? Individuals? Restaurants? And then of course we're interested in profit of the vendor (versus the middleman versus the producer). 

I didn't feel too great this day. Actually, I felt like shit. We were on our feet for a few hours and I started to feel faint. Maybe it was due to the heat and dehydration, the orange I ate earlier that day that may have been rotten (but that's another story), or from staying out late dancing to reggae music at the beach the night before (and that is yet another story). Anyways I decided to sit down on a step leading to the second floor when a young girl got my attention and motioned for me to come sit in one chair in front of her hair braiding shop. I politely declined at first, but she even more politely insisted that I didn't sit on the ground because it was dirty. Her gorgeous smile drew me in. Although I wasn't a customer, I was relieved she let this 'obruni' take up the one chair in front of her business. Just one of endless examples I can think of demonstrating how Ghanaians are genuine, kind, and generous people. 

They noticed my camera and asked me to take a picture of them. Immediately after they asked if I had a Ghana cellphone number and wanted my contact information. Ghanaians are extremely friendly when it comes to exchanging contact info.

Woman cassava vendor outside Kaneshie market.

These two female cassava vendors are also the producers. They grow and sell the cassava at Kaneshie market as a family. I forget what the mother's name is, but I remember her child's name was Reina.

Fresh coconut break with some of the NYU Wagner kids.

Bucket Showers and Tour of Accra

This morning a group of us went for a morning jog, and came back only to find there was no running water. Oh yes, good 'ole bucket shower! Each bathroom has two trash can-sized buckets. We took them  to the side of the house and filled them from a pipe. Where this magical source of water came from, I'm not quite sure but the pipe seemed to be connected to a water source next door. After using only about 3 gallons of water to take my morning shower, its amazing to think how much water is wasted when taking a normal shower! Anyways, fun experience and first of many while in Ghana I'm sure.

Just a disclaimer: You may notice there aren't many photos of local Ghanaians. From day one during orientation we learned its quite rude in the Ghanaian culture to take photos of someone without asking. If you think about it, I guess it is pretty rude in any culture. I'd be a bit annoyed if someone stuck a camera phone in my face and snapped a photo of me. As part of the photo etiquette in Ghana, it is also not allowed to take photos of government, military buildings, and/or police stations.

We were lucky enough to have former mayor and architect Uncle Nat Amartefio speak to us and give us a tour of Accra. Uncle Amartefio entertained us all morning with his impressive knowledge of Accra's trading history, witty jokes, and descriptive storytelling.

Below is the arch honoring Ghana's independence in 1957, located in what is called Black Star Square or as Uncle Amartefio would say, "the epicenter of Ghanaian political culture". 

Below are photos of James Town, one of the oldest districts in now called Old Accra. In the 1850's it was the marketplace hub for trade and today still remains a fishing community. I can only imagine the hustle and bustle of this township during the pre-colonization period at the peak of its trading activity with the English.What I love about this photo is that you can see the shanty towns of James Town peeking out from around the corner. In a few weeks we'll be visiting JayNii Streetwise Project (JSO), a nonprofit located on this beach in James Town that aims to improve the lives of its local children and youth through academic and cultural education. Not only will we be learning about JSO, but we'll get to interact with the youth by learning drum beats and choreography to be performed with the children.

I was intrigued by the names painted on the sides of the boats - 'God is King' and 'Black Power'

Bracelets I bought from Elvis and his friend on the streets outside of the Koala market in Osu.

Dinner at Tainte Marie in Accra - fried plantains, rice jollof. Not sure what the green sauce is made of, but it is SO good. Super spicy and tasty. Its my favorite sauce thus far.

I Skyped with my Grandpa today since I forgot to mail his Father's Day card this past Sunday. (I also forgot to mail my Father's Day card to my Daddy - sorry!) Sky suggested I take a photo of his card and post it online so she could read it to him, but I ended up reading it to him over Skype instead. Anyways, this was after I already posted his card online. At least its proof that I did intend to mail him a Father's Day card!