Lesson 3: Even if you're running late, things will be okay [or: don't drink all the wine they give you on the plane]

Okay, so yes- I am here and safe. The darbar was a welcoming ceremony. There was music and dancing and food. The food is really spicy. That might prove to be a problem.

My trip was fine. I was a little late getting to the airport, but it all turned out alright- I got into the elevator, and there was my friend Sarah, who was also going on this trip! Her late arrival was due to a late shuttel from Gatwick to Heathrow and she was pannicking. Having pannicked unnecessarilly many times during this trip, I told her to calm down, and we got through all the bag checks and check points in about 15 minutes- not bad for Heathrow!
My sister Lauren advised me that British Airways gives out wine like Shriners tossing candy at a parade, and I found that this was true. I asked for some white wine when they brought around the beverages, and the flight attendant gavbe me two bottles! Always the thrifty one, I wasn't going to let them go to waste, so I drank them both. THEN they came by with the dinner cart and gave me another bottle with my meal! I tried to drink that, but didn't have the heart or the pure alcoholic resolve, so I sent it away with my uneaten salad and sat back to watch stupid movies and watch the moon rise over the Sahara.

Some random points of interest:
-I don't have a roommate yet. I am told that she will be coming in the next week (Monday is the first day of "serious" classes for the Ghanaian students, even though classes have been in session for 2 weeks. I don't pretend to know what's going on, though.
-The sun sets at 6:30 pm every night, and rises at 6:30 am every morning. This is not unusual, for the sun to rise and set, but I have never been this close to the equator, so the punctual equivalence seems strange. Plus, the sun wakes me up when it rises. I need to invest in some curtains today.
-I found an internet cafe which is very good and fast, etc. It is a little bit expensive, but completely worth it, I think.
-Today I hope to buy a cell phone. That will be good.
-There is a VEGAN food stand near my hostel! I got a good meal yesterday for the US equivalent of $1.50. I consider this well worth it.
-There are lots of international students here. Well, more than 100, which seems like a lot to me. However, in a campus of 30,000 people, white people are a very visible minority.
-Today my group goes to the market to buy some essentials. These include buckets for washing our clothes, clothes hangers and clothes pins, notebooks, cooking supplies, etc.


My address is:

Audrey Kelly
Attn: Calvin College, c/o Dr. Jelks
Institute for African Studies
University of Ghana
PO Box 73, Legon, Ghana, West Africa

I'll post pictures and my phone number soon!