Dear Ghana,
I've been home for a week now and have been meaning to write. But I've just been at a loss at what to say. I miss you? It's been fun? Obviously those trite words can't really express what I've been feeling.
I was ready to come home, let's be honest. I was sick of your heat, sick of feeling like my face was melting off. I was bored of rice, rice, rice. Tired of guiltily laying around my room, waiting for to time to pass when I should have been sucking up the last days with you. Annoyed by the constant obruni calls, something I used to find endearing. And mostly, I just missed home. I missed my family, my friends, the normalcy of Urbana and Kirksville. I missed my own room and the quiet and privacy that implies. I missed my dog and her new senile habits of old age. I was ready.
Then the goodbyes started.
We went out that last night, the whole group. We went to Jerry's, our somewhat new locale, where the music was good and the drinks were cheap. Our plan was to stay out all night, to come home with the sunrise, something I have never done (still), but as the night progressed, we could tell that the mood wasn't right. It was like we all felt it was ending. Outwardly, we laughed and danced and had a good time, but inwardly, we could all feel it. At one point, I had to sit back down because the sadness of it all had suddenly washed over me.
The next morning, the first person left. I woke up kind of late and suddenly realized that she was supposedly to leave early. I called her immediately and found out she was still in the parking lot. I ran from my room (remember: I don't run.) to catch her, and when I fell into her hug, I knew that day would be rough. I had to leave before the tears started.
Most of my friends were on the same flight, so there weren't too many goodbyes right away. But I was prepared, and even did some goodbye hugs in the airport in case we were separated once we got to Heathrow.
As I buckled my seatbelt and the plane taxied down the runway, I realized with surprise the one goodbye I hadn't prepared myself for. Saying goodbye to you. Yours was the only one that actually had tears rolling down my face. Because I knew that I might never see you again. I've never had to say goodbye like that.
It was wondeful finding my family at the airport. Grandma Jipson came as a surprise. Katie was a sobbing mess, just as she warned me she'd be. Mom gave me a huge hug only moments before commenting on my sunburned face. Dad handled my suitcases like a pro. And it was just so normal. Being with them.
That's how this whole week has felt. Normal. Like I've never been away. It's like you're some sort of dream and it just took four months to wake up. I have all these souvenirs around my room, daring me to say that it didn't happen, but even they seem like props from a movie or something. I find myself trying to convince myself that I was there. You were in Africa a week ago. AFRICA.
People keep asking me if it was life-changing experience. And I'm sure that it was. But right now, I just feel normal.
Nevertheless, I want to thank you for four months unlike any other that I will ever experience. Thank you for opening your arms to me without condition, for welcoming me and holding me through every strange and ridiculous moment. You are beautiful and I feel so grateful to have you as part of my memory. As part of me.
Love forever,
Emily
Monday, December 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
It's all ending...
I haven't posted in a while, I realize, but I've truly been too busy. The days are slipping by quickly and soon (in four days to be exact) I will be leaving Ghana.
Here is a quick update on my recent days:
I have finished writing all my exams, which is wonderful. As I think most of you know, the exam process here is three weeks long. There are three exam periods a day, seven days a week for 21 days. It's exhausting. My exams were all within the first week and a half of the exam period, and even that felt really spread out. The first exam was really stressful for me, mostly because I had no idea what it was going to be like. Turns out I answered three essay questions on three pieces of literature. 2 hours and 40 minutes and 11 pages later, I had finished my first exam. The rest were similar. Really intense writing for a few hours and then it's over. I was relieved when I finished my last one, to say the least. I feel terrible for the people that are still taking them.
I went traveling this past week up to the north, with the main intention of seeing elephants. For those of you who don't know, elephants are my favorite animal. Since I was a little girl, I thought we had some sort of connection because both our names started with E. I have a stuffed elephant named Jefferson who has kept me company over here all semester. Elephants are sweet. So, naturally, I've been excited for this trip the entire semester. Correction: The entire time since I decided to come to Ghana.
The trip up north is a rough 14 hour bus ride. We arrived in Tamale around 11:30 at night to find that all the hotels were full, including the one I had called and made a reservation in. Luckily, our friendly taxi driver offered us his room in his family compound, because he would be out driving all night. Gotta love Ghanaian hospitality. The next day we hung out in Tamale waiting for our afternoon bus to Mole National Park, and stumbled upon a huge celebration in honor of the Ghanaian holiday Farmer's Day. The national celebration was being held in Tamale! The president would be arriving around 10:30! We somehow got front row seats and were able to see the president of Ghana arrive at the celebration. I have a video of the back of his head about 10 feet from us. Cool.
We took the bus to Mole (a terrible terrible bus down a terrible terrible road for four hours) and the next day went out on Safari. The safaris in Mole are generally walking safaris, unless you have your own 4x4 vehicle. You go out with a small group and an armed guide and look for animals. I felt like we were in Jurassic Park. Everywhere were this HUGE footprints cutting across the dried mud. We saw so many creatures: warthogs, bushbuck, waterbuck, kob (another antelope), crocodile, monkeys, baboons, and lots of huge, beautiful birds. What we didn't see=ELEPHANTS. There were no elephants. We went out on the afternoon safari, too, and still, no elephants. They told us that at this time, right at the beginning of dry season, there is still enough watering holes elsewhere that the elephants are not drawn to the big watering hole by the park entrance. There is only one that comes around pretty often at this time (because he is somewhat used to humans) and he just wasn't around that day. I was pretty crushed. I've concluded though, that like dinosaurs, elephants just don't exist in real life. They are a figment of my fantasies. And I am satisfied with that.
I'm running around these last few days trying to finish everything up, buying presents, hanging out with people for the last time, etc. It's pretty hectic, honestly. And I'm starting to wonder how my suitcases are ever going to close again.
Here is a quick update on my recent days:
I have finished writing all my exams, which is wonderful. As I think most of you know, the exam process here is three weeks long. There are three exam periods a day, seven days a week for 21 days. It's exhausting. My exams were all within the first week and a half of the exam period, and even that felt really spread out. The first exam was really stressful for me, mostly because I had no idea what it was going to be like. Turns out I answered three essay questions on three pieces of literature. 2 hours and 40 minutes and 11 pages later, I had finished my first exam. The rest were similar. Really intense writing for a few hours and then it's over. I was relieved when I finished my last one, to say the least. I feel terrible for the people that are still taking them.
I went traveling this past week up to the north, with the main intention of seeing elephants. For those of you who don't know, elephants are my favorite animal. Since I was a little girl, I thought we had some sort of connection because both our names started with E. I have a stuffed elephant named Jefferson who has kept me company over here all semester. Elephants are sweet. So, naturally, I've been excited for this trip the entire semester. Correction: The entire time since I decided to come to Ghana.
The trip up north is a rough 14 hour bus ride. We arrived in Tamale around 11:30 at night to find that all the hotels were full, including the one I had called and made a reservation in. Luckily, our friendly taxi driver offered us his room in his family compound, because he would be out driving all night. Gotta love Ghanaian hospitality. The next day we hung out in Tamale waiting for our afternoon bus to Mole National Park, and stumbled upon a huge celebration in honor of the Ghanaian holiday Farmer's Day. The national celebration was being held in Tamale! The president would be arriving around 10:30! We somehow got front row seats and were able to see the president of Ghana arrive at the celebration. I have a video of the back of his head about 10 feet from us. Cool.
We took the bus to Mole (a terrible terrible bus down a terrible terrible road for four hours) and the next day went out on Safari. The safaris in Mole are generally walking safaris, unless you have your own 4x4 vehicle. You go out with a small group and an armed guide and look for animals. I felt like we were in Jurassic Park. Everywhere were this HUGE footprints cutting across the dried mud. We saw so many creatures: warthogs, bushbuck, waterbuck, kob (another antelope), crocodile, monkeys, baboons, and lots of huge, beautiful birds. What we didn't see=ELEPHANTS. There were no elephants. We went out on the afternoon safari, too, and still, no elephants. They told us that at this time, right at the beginning of dry season, there is still enough watering holes elsewhere that the elephants are not drawn to the big watering hole by the park entrance. There is only one that comes around pretty often at this time (because he is somewhat used to humans) and he just wasn't around that day. I was pretty crushed. I've concluded though, that like dinosaurs, elephants just don't exist in real life. They are a figment of my fantasies. And I am satisfied with that.
I'm running around these last few days trying to finish everything up, buying presents, hanging out with people for the last time, etc. It's pretty hectic, honestly. And I'm starting to wonder how my suitcases are ever going to close again.
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