Adventures in Accra...

It has been a hectic week...

something about Ghana, here the days go on for days and by the end of the day you are truly exhausted. And, I don't mean that I want to lay down tired, I mean that my body aches/hurts/throbs tired.

Looking back on the first week I've done so much. I went to the cultural center, which is this huge shopping area. It was crazy. As soon as we got off the bus it's as if they could tell that we were Americans and all the vendors charged us. Pretty much everywhere we went we got attacked to buy everything....jewelry, masks, artwork, etc. Good thing I like most of the stuff they are usually selling. There was a local soccer game at the market and it was right by the ocean....isn't that crazy? They aren't phased by it either, I mean they can look at it any day they like. Beautiful.

We've also visited some memorials...two to be exact....Kwame Nkrumah's' and W.E.B. DuBoi's. I preferred Nkrumah's but that's probably because it was nicer....they put a lot of work into it but it makes sense as he was Ghana's savior and first President. There were statutes outside and this huge tree that is made out of European marble, it stops half way though, like it's not a full tree, that's to symbolize that Nkrumah did not get to finish out what he started when he was in office. His goals and dreams got cut short after the cout' de tat. Anyway,

inside the museum there wasn't much,just pictures and a few belongings that he owned. It was quite embarrassing as the tour guide explained picture after picture. All I kept thinking was is this all that is left to commemorate one of Africa's greatest and most just leaders? A bunch of old pictures that aren't even originals. When the real artifacts are sitting peacefully (or rather, not peacefully) in European and American museums. It's such a sad situation. The DuBois center was much of the same but even more pitiful. The only good thing about both places was that they were both lain to rest there (their graves, bodies, and caskets were in the memorials). At least they can finally rest in peace...in their true homelands.

Regardless, both visits were educational and I will definitely be revisiting the Nkrumah memorial.

We've done our fair share of going out/drinking since we've been here. Actually, it seems as if we go out and drink every night. They don't even question your age. It's as if the drinking age doesn't exist. We've been to 2 clubs and when it's not the weekend we usually go to this gas station spot called "Bonjour" (thank you France) that serves alcohol and "American " food. It's pretty entertaining. The first club we went to was called "Champs Sports Bar" and it was recommended to us from a Nigerian student who is also studying in Accra (with the Univ. of North Carolina). When we got to this spot we were very disappointed. We had already been there, or in the vicinity earlier in the week. It was definitely not a local place. There were more white people there than Blacks. I felt as if I was in Pittsburgh. There was karaoke and coonery. It was disgusting and embarrassing but me and my girls had a good time. There was this stank ho who really thought her ass was Beyonce...

like,


did she really need to perform two Beyonce songs. M! She was more like Solange. Or rather, Solange's shadow.

We will definitely not be going there again. You'd think we were in Africa or something with all the Europeans/tourists/Americans/white people...ugh!


That was Friday night. Saturday night we had better luck. We went to "Boomerangs" and it was nothing like the one on Forbes Avenue. We had a blast. Like, seriously this was one of the best outings I've ever had. We got there around 11 and there was no one there but we waited patiently. Ladies got in free and guys had to pay around $10. There was free beer (which was nasty). They played semi-new hip hop/reggae. The high light of the night occurred when we were invited into the VIP room. My new friend Amber had been working the club since we got there and this one guy really liked her so he invited us all in. We drank like celebrities. He ordered us a bottle of wine and we received a complimentary bottle of Moet (expensive champagne) from the bar. So much fun...like Real World unbelievable fun...

is it possible that I have more fun out here than I do in the states? More to come about the beach later...