This is it, our last day in Ghana. The time has really flown and now everyone is in a state, trying to get some last minute things done before our plane leaves this evening. We also have two last interviews to do with Accra We Dey at the Tee Baa, and Ms TaxiGhana, at the smoothie shop. And in between I have to go back to Impact Hub to pick up my shoes. This time we make it without getting lost and purchase the shoes. They are beautiful and exceptional, the people I have brought them for are going to love them. Accra We Dey
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There are no activities scheduled for today and I am still nursing my stomach. I spend the majority of the day relaxing and trying to get better. Still have not figured out what brought this on but, I am not eating until I feel better. Some of the group decides to go to another local club but I pass, don’t want to get too far from the bathroom.
We have the morning off and my roommate and I are out of local money. We had no idea that all of the exchanges are closed on Sunday, but are told by a local that a nearby hotel has been known to exchange currency. As it turns out this is not true, but one of the employees hearing our predicament informs us that he has an associate that can assist us.
Accra Market
We are up early and on the road. Today we are going to the Volta Region to see Kente cloth being made and to the bead making village for a demonstration on how to make glass beads. The trip is approximately four hours one way first we go North to the bead town. Once there we go to the local market where bead selling is a major enterprise. The vendors haggle and deal and as we look around it becomes easy to understand the allure of beads as we see the many shapes, colors, and designs. Today we go back to MEST not for a lecture, but instead to do some small group activities with the students. Our instructors think it is a good idea that we spend some time together and so each one of us is assigned a group of three or four students to do a sort of international student exchange. The questions asked by the students were focused and pointed with heartfelt concerns about how to access spheres of technological arenas that seemed inaccessible at this point.
DuBois Center
Today we visit the DuBois Center. It was founded by W.E.B. DuBois and at one time served as his home in Ghana. It is filled with memorabilia from his life and times including an extensive library that contains his personal book collection. There are many artifacts including his robes from college and other items of historical significance. On the grounds is a mausoleum with his remains and a memorial plaque dedicated to him, and the whole area has an air of solemnitude that is overwhelming. We begin at breakfast, just like every day. Here is where we re-hash the previous day, talk about our expectations for the coming day, and eat all we can because it’s free. Today we are doing some shopping at an open air market, we are also going to a lecture given by Dr. J at a school called MEST, and visiting the dance school at the University of Ghana.
It is an important day for the team. It begins with a visit to the courts to meet the Chief Justice who has attended our university at one point in her career. We dress up since we are going to court and we arrive at the courthouse early. The chief Justice is very busy because of a current controversy concerning the question of eligibility for certain candidates in the presidential election.
Jamestown Walking Tour
We arrive in Jamestown a district known around the world for producing boxers of great acclaim executive director and his assistant of a local theater group that works with at risk youth. They are also the conductors of the local walking tour. After some initial discussion about the trials and challenges of maintaining and running a not for profit agency (very similar to what you would hear from an equivalent group in the states) the tour begins. We are up and out early for a trip that takes three hours one way, in fact we were up a little earlier than we wanted to be because of the neighbor’s rooster crowing at sunrise. It was breakfast at the hotel, (which is free by the way), and we were on our way. Accra is a very large city and travelling anywhere takes time but this is a trip outside of Accra and we settle in for a journey. The scenery gets more and more rural as we get further from the city but it seems no matter where we go the street selling is in full swing, even on Sunday.
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