I've left the bush

Remember how I kind of complained about now having the kinds of luxuries that I was used to, you know like flush toilets, internet access, running water and electricity that is reliable... these things may be convenient, but it comes at a high cost too. Cities are expensive and busy. There are so many people here. We are staying in a place filled with Ex-pats and night clubs. There are tons of tourist traps and there is even an expensive obruni mart (a market that is there particularly for white people, or obruni's... ghanaians buy from the outdoor markets typically) Seriously though, the supermarket costs at least double what it did even in Kumasi- a city half the size of Accra, the capitol.
Part of the magic of the Ghanaian people is their slow paced life... this is especially noticable in the small town, but is still readily visible in the big cities. I had a guy tell me to change to the african way of moving when I passed by him and rushed up the hill to go somewhere. He was trying to introduce me to the African way of handling life, but I was too impatient to hear everything he had to say... not that I staffeed him or anything he was just talking outloud in english so I knew it was directed at me, cuz I was the only obruni around. I think the slow and steady movements are in part due to the baggage they carry- try carrying a fridge on your head for a few blocks and see how it goes.
So I have officially left the bush, or the jungles of the ashanti region. The headmaster at the Okomfo anokye secondary school offered me a lift on Friday. We left at 3:45 am and arrived in Accra near to 9 am. We made amazing time, sometimes it takes 8 hours or more. seriously though its less than 200 miles. We are staying in Osu, a suburb of accra.
We got a place in this part of town because Esther, our house mom's husband's brother is one of the leaders for the salvation army and they have a hostel at the headquarters. i left a few days ahead of the rest of the group to take care of a visa situation, so I got to adventure alone for a few days. Yesterday I decided since I had all day to myself I travelled to Kakum national park- when we were there before I had malaria and stayed in the hotel the morning the other students went. so I grabbed about 5 different tro-tros to take the 100 km journey along the coast. It was so worth it. Kakum National park was gorgeous. Its the last preserved rainforest of southern Ghana. The park winds its way through hills and extends much further than anyone can travel in even a week, but I especially went to do the canopy walk. IT wasn't what I expected though- I was envisioning walking through trees instead of through the air from tree to tree. Really it was like a gigantic tree fort. There were a couple of Ghanaians that I made friends with and most of them were so afraid of climbing around on the rope bridges. I wasn't scared until a guy turned around from the middle of the bridge and wanted to get past me. Seriously the width was less than one foot. He must have been one of the rangers for the forest service, but there wasn't room for two to pass by each other. He made the man in front of me lean into the side of the ropes as he walked past and I thought oh no if he makes me do that I might throw up... luckily he was a gentleman and he leaned into the side and let me pass, but that meant that one of my hand holds for balence was gone. I didn't enjoy that one.
Okay so i have to admit by the end of the pentagonal rope walk I was not even holding on and decided to ahve a little fun and started jumping and rocking the whole thing. it was really great to hear the reactions of the people around me. i don't think they knew it was me that was causing it :D.
Oh yeah before I forget, I got my hair done again... this time its a rasta style- twists and extensions. there must be over 100 braids all over my head. I bought two packages of hair and the lay doing it used only a quarter of the hair on the back of my head the first day. I didn't think she was going to need all of it when I went home that night. The next day she started on the front and made them so tiny and close to gether. it just looks like I have super thick strands of hair. Most of the weight came to the front. She finished on the third day with this tiny section in hair and there is a little surprise right in the middle- about 10 twists using red hair because we used up all of mine and diped into some extras from the girl whhose was done in front of mine. seriously close to 20 hours of work was done by one person on my head. but it should last for 3 months or so. the first day it was super heavy and tight to my head, but today I am okay and I have been sleeping through the night. What we will go through for beauty....!