Hot and Spicy

Heat!  That's the first thing I felt arriving in Accra, Ghana.  Not unexpected of course, just something you know what feels like but still surprises you every time.

I landed at night so my first vision of the city was of its lights.  They weren't super bright and there wasn't streams of freeways packed with cars, but the expanse of the city was more than I imagined.  Immigration, baggage claim, and customs all went smoothly and I was able to exchange money at a Forex before leaving the airport (the ATM was for Visa credit/debit cards only).


I was met by a member of Global Mamas and she drove me to their office/home which can best be described as a small secured complex.  It is all walled in with barbed wire atop the wall and a 24hr security guard.  It houses volunteers, employees, a family, several pets, and serves as a main office for operations.  The place has a great atmosphere and the people are friendly with interesting stories to share.  It is also a great location for local shopping or getting around Accra.

For my dog-lover friends

Spicy!  Yes I unexpectedly (and happily) discovered the food can be quite spicy if that's what you're looking for.  A simple bowl of rice with chicken came with a nice dollop of very spicy sauce.  Apparently, spicy is not hard to find everywhere, so I guess I won't need the Cholula or cayenne pepper I brought.


If I had to pick one place Accra most reminded me of, I'd have to say Belize.  It has an easy going feel even though there is all sorts of hustle and bustle; the dirt streets are filled with life, vendors, and trash; people approach you everywhere to be your "friend"; and it's hot.


These were just a few of my first impressions of Accra (yes, I'm behind on my blogging).  Oh, did I mention it is HOT?


-Charlotte

A Volunteer Adventure

Yesterday was my first day volunteering for Women in Progress in Ghana.  The coordination began last September, but really it began several years ago.

Those of you under 40 may think of the following, "Um, what?"  Those much older may think "Whatever (get over it)."  Those of you like me, in the middle, might say, "Well, you're making a pretty big deal of it."  That is, turning 40 and entering the age I now call a Mid-life Adventure.

It was the typical turning 40, reflecting on your life wondering "Have I achieved what I expected? Am I where I thought I would be?  Are there things left undone that my knees won't handle in a few years?  Why do we only get 3 weeks of vacation in the United States?"

You ask these questions and then you pick something to do that gets you through the crisis and around the bend.  So after a few fits and starts (trying different things to satisfy my itch for change), I quit my job, rented my house, stored what I didn't give away, and headed off on an adventure that will surely change my life forever...if in no other way than to leave me completely broke.

I gave myself a year to do several things a person can't do with a full-time job and only a few weeks of vacation, though this time period may stretch a bit...or several months.  They are in summary: do nothing; hang out in Europe; hike in Nepal; utilize my skills volunteering for an organization helping women become self-sufficient.  Oh and one other thing which I FAILED so that just gets plucked from the list.

34c = 93f if you're wondering

So I now find myself on the last item - I am currently in Accra, Ghana, volunteering for Women in Progress (WIP).  They are an organization that does business under Global Mamas and they work with local women to build sustainable businesses so they can become financially independent which also helps the community as a whole.  Check out the links above if you're interested.

In the next several posts, I hope to document my time here and the progress made.  I hope to show all the wonderfully generous people who sponsored my project and WIP efforts what great things are happening because of their support, and maybe inspire others to jump off the cliff with me :)

-Charlotte