Kaba kaba

Last week I traveled up the Volta lake for a few days. We ended in Yeji and made our way up to Tamale and then over to Kumasi. I'm so glad I got to do some last minute traveling because I saw some really amazing and beautiful things.

Theboat trip was really really great. We could go up on the roof of the boat to sit. At first it was kind of scary becasue it didn't have a rail or anything but it was so nice. The lake is really beautiful. And the boat stoped at some very small, small fishing villages. Most of the villages were about 10 to 20 huts and fishing canoes up the beach. Seeing something like that made me feel really really privileged. After the boat trip we went up to Tamale.

To get to Tamale we took a rough road up through again some small small villages. They are about the same size as the ones on the Volta lake but the houses are different. The home is circular with mud walls and the roof is made of straw and grasses. Some homes had a smaller one near it for showering. This was something really interesting to me because this kind of life would be so different from life on the Volta lake, Ho, or the south of Ghana. In these towns formal education is done under trees if at all. Tamale, though, is much more developed. Its the biggest (not the most populated) city in Ghana. Tamale is a Muslim city. Even some of the school uniforms are muslim dress. Also sooo many people ride bikes. I couldn't believe it. I would walk 15 steps and about 5 bikes would pass. Good thing Tamale has sidewalks!

Ok so I don't think I've explained water here. Purified water is sold in little plastic bags almost everywhere in Ghana on the side of the road or off peoples heads. Most towns have their own brands. Ghanaians can drink from the tap but in much of Ghana there isn't flowing water and in big cities like Accra there isn't enough water for all so they keep jugs of water in their homes. This is only used for showering, washing, and cooking. For drinking, Ghanaians often buy pure water. Anyway when I was in Tamale they had a brand of pure water called Obama! Obama buscuits are also sold!

Kumasi. I was only in Kumasi for a short time but wow. I was surprised by how many people there were. Its a really busy, busy town. In Ho, past 10:30, there are no cars out, but in Kumasi cars are out at all hours of the night.

Ok after that I came back to Ho and I was the Master of Ceremony at church! I wore a Kaba and Slit and scarfed my hair. I really couldn't believe it was my last day of church. Its so crazy to think that its all coming to an end.

The rest of my time here is booked. Tomorrow is my last day in Ho. Ill say my goodbyes before going to Accra. There I'll spend a day with my sister. Thursday I have an AFS orientation at Boti falls. Friday I leave. Its all happening way too fast. Yea, I miss home so much, but leaving Ghana...I'm not quite ready. I'm also feeling scared and nervous to come home, but more than all this I'm happy. I've had a great experience. I've learned and seen so much and I cannot express how thankful I am for it. Anyway thank you all so much for reading my blog. I'm glad I got to share my experience. I don't know whether or not I'll be able to post again so me va kaba lo.