Day 93-97

The really happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

What a perfect quote to live by especially when traveling the backroads of Africa! I had another weekend of fun, making my way to the volta region along the eastern border of Ghana with 7 other projects abroad volunteers. Friday afternoon we went to Tafi Atome, a village which views the mona species of monkeys as sacred thus has a conservation that serves as a tourist attraction and source of income for the community. The road to get there had many potholes we had to dodge and speed bumps to go over, letting motion sickness get the best of one volunteer, causing her to vomit out the tro tro window! I had the pleasure to sit next to a very talkative but friendly Ghanaian man who arranged for the tro to drop us directly at the park entrance. Of course this was at a price. We were taking our chances with accommodation for the night as reservations are not allowed. Turned out there was a funeral going on so most of the rooms were taken by attenders of the service. The guide worked very hard to find a place for 8, four of us being at the guesthouse and the other four at a homestay down the road! Even though the facilities weren't the most luxurious, they still had an actual shower head that ran cold water. My first real shower in a month! Not to mention the wonderful drumming going on right outside for the funeral celebration that we had the wonderful opportunity to listen to into all hours of the night while trying to get to sleep!

Since morning is the best time to see the monkeys, we were awake at dawn! These monkeys got so much closer than those at Boabeng Fiema, taking and peeling the banana from your hand or even climbing on your shoulders. It was so much fun but the rain kept us from spending too much time in the forest. We left early for a headstart to Wli Waterfall, supposedly the highest in western africa and a large tourist attraction. Our private tro tro we arranged clearly didn't know the best route to get there though and even was unsure of the correct location. We were taken on this extremely bumpy, one lane dirt road that felt like an amusement park ride with all the ups and downs, and back and forths to avoid trenches. Nearing the end of this segment, water flooded the roadway but we had no choice but to go through. After reaching the other side the car just shut off and my heart sank. I couldn't imagine being stuck in this barren land where the chances of another car even passing was slim. Luckily the driver got it to start after a few minutes. After arriving safely to our hotel, which turned out to be really nice for Ghanaian standards- even offering a clean towel for showers which is expected back home but unheard of here, we finally set foot to the falls. It was a beautiful walk through the lush forest alongside a stream. The waterfall was quite impressive by the volume plunging down but all of our vision of laying out and tanning for the afternoon was broken due to the immense rain from the previous day which flooded the entire lower falls park. That's when we opted to hike to the upper falls to fill time for the afternoon. It was a steep and narrow path that proved to be extremely exhausting. To top it off we couldn't even make it the entire way as there appeared to be some kind of mini avalanche that obstructed the trail. In the least we had an excellent view point of the upper and lower falls together as well as the village off in the distance.

Next on the list was conquering the highest mountain in Ghana- Mt. Afadjato. This meant we had to return to the horrible road but it was such a beautiful day the opportunity couldn't be missed. The hike up was a steep grade once again but this time a more established path with rocks as steps and rope for the dangerous areas. The entire way was enclosed by trees so you couldn't see your progress until reaching the top, which provided a spectacular panoramic view of villages in the distance, the border of Togo, and lake Volta far off. It was absolutely amazing!

We got a ride to Hohoe with a driver we paid to wait for us while hiking to ensure we had a way back. We were then able to find a car willing to take us straight to Mamfe in the hills, or so we understood, but turns out we stopped multiple times letting passengers in and out. This driver was only interested in money. He made us sit four to a row and at times more when including children. At one point we counted 21 people in the van. Even the locals were complaining as the entire journey was 4+ hours. A bad choice on our decision as the driver was sketchy. He had stopped kindly so we could get bananas and then tried reaching through the window to take some for himself. At one point the road "y'd" and he took the way opposite of what we thought. When questioning the mate, he answered the driver was avoiding the police! Likely because of the amount of people he had in the car, a bad license, or no registration. I thank God we made it in one piece!

Whenever we travel, we nonchalantly pass through desperate villages consumed by poverty. It always takes me force to re-focus my attention and really think about the impact the conditions have on the community. It's not their choice in life to just sit around day after day and watch the cars go by hoping maybe one person will stop and buy their goods... or is it? When a vehicle stops people charge the windows or grasp the door handle in hopes it is what they are selling that the person is interested in. And if more than one person is selling the same thing, it seems to become a competition. I'm curious if the sales benefit the entire community of just that person and his or her family. I can't imagine THAT being my job, my life everyday of the week. Is it because no "real" jobs exist? There is an actual need for traders? The people don't have an education so it is something small to get them by? I'm not sure of the answer but what I do know is it's the sad reality Africans in general have to live. They can only hope and pray change will overcome and they will be provided the opportunity for a better future. It honestly makes me reconsider the good life I have been given!
  

Thank you Samuel, Nancy, Dina, and Jessica!

 The day has also come and gone where I said my final goodbyes to Projects Abroad and my wonderful host family. Jessica ran up to me first thing in the morning to give me a hug, stood with me in the kitchen, and gave me another quick hug as she ran off for her ride to school. Dina has a memory book I got to sign before leaving, thanking her for her kind heart in opening her doors to make me feel at home for the past month. I arrived safely to Tema where I will stay with my 2007 host family for one week. It is a total turn around from the conditions I was living in and I now have running water again, a generator in case electricity goes out, TV, bed with no mosquito net, working fan, and even wireless internet and a laptop. Many are new amenities from the last time I stayed here. Surprisingly I have felt a sense of reverse culture shock. Living here has already made me feel selfish. There is so much poverty in the country yet you have families who are far better off and consume the riches through their materialistic values just like in any other industrialized nation. In a way I have learned what the saying "less is more" truly means. After you have seen the need in the world, it definitely puts a price to the important things in life. I have learned to value a safe home, bed to sleep in at night, clean drinking water and a source of food, education, and a loving family!

What we call the end is also a beginning. The end is where we start from!