Inequality, Voodoo, AIDS, Prostitution, and more

Hey Everyone!
Sorry it took so long for me to post again. I’ve been writing a lot and taking notes about things I think you might be interested in hearing about in Ghana. Unfortunately my computer broke, but that problem should be resolved in the next week or two. Here are the topics I will cover in this blog:
1) Educating “Carefree” Kids
2) Pregnant Man Gives Birth to Baby Girl and Ghana’s Voodoo
3) Ghana Guys & Campus Inequality (8 Men Really Live in One Dorm Room?)
4) Prostitution in Ghana
5) AIDS Prevention and the West African AIDS Foundation/ Clinic
6) What I Don’t Miss About America

 Please read all my entries this week! They are all really interesting and I think you will enjoy them. Peace and Love!!
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1) Educating “Carefree” Kids
I’m making deep connections with people here in Ghana. Whites, Ghanaians, blacks from all over the U.S., Caribbeans, Norwegians; the list goes on. Our conversations are so dynamic because people here have so many different perspectives they bring to the table. A lot of people are open-minded and down to Earth and have a strong desire to affect positive change globally. I love that. Speaking to fellow educators also can be quite interesting. One person was telling me that she taught students in Louisiana and in cities in the south. She agreed that students could be quite rude, obnoxious, inappropriate and spoiled, similar to some of the students I have encountered during my summers teaching in the inner city. Some students in the north and south seem to share a similar attitude about their education. It’s almost as if we want them to have a good education more then they even care about their own futures. In contrast, the students here in Ghana are so attentive, engaged, and thankful for their education. I even heard of some students asking for MORE homework from volunteer teachers! It’s incredible to me how people take opportunities and things for granted when they have everything at their fingertips. While at the same exact moment in time, there are people who are struggling in order to secure their basic human rights and needs for survival. Unbelievable!
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2) Pregnant Man Gives Birth to Baby Girl and Ghana’s Voodoo
I heard there was a pregnant man in Ghana who gave birth to a daughter this week! The man was on the front of every magazine and newspaper here in Ghana. My friend (I will call him K) explained that spirits can be born from within people and that it isn’t unheard of for a man to give birth to a child. He compared it to the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus, yet she is still a virgin. He also told me if you believe in certain spirits or voodoo then they are real. For example, there is a belief in Ghana that if a person steals from you, you can perform a certain voodoo spell which involves breaking an egg on the floor and saying a chat about what you want to happen to the thief (i.e. death, break leg, return the stole object etc). One time someone stole K’s sneakers. He said a chant over an egg and broke it on the floor. However, he did not actually perform the voodoo spell. But, the thief saw K break the egg and say a chant, so he got really scared for his life. He went up to K and begged him to please not kill him, and he returned the sneakers to him right then and there! The power of belief is so strong here in Ghana. Be careful who you cross, and be cautious about what you wish for!
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3) Ghana Guys & Campus Inequality (8 Men Really Live in One Dorm Room?)
The guys here in Ghana are usually really friendly and nice! Many of my friends have had guys walk up to them and complement them or start friendly conversations about school, where they are from, etc. It’s not at all like walking on 125th street in Harlem where I am constantly being harassed by men of all ages, who say creative, yet corny pick up lines like “Come here pretty toes” or “I want to be your knight in shining armor”. A lot of people in Ghana stare at us because we look like foreigners but no one has said anything obnoxious or rude thus far.
I like how the guys greet each other here in Ghana. They give each other hugs or a handshake (they press their middle finger and thumb with your fingers to make a snapping sound). They are also really excited and enthusiastic whenever they meet their friends. Whenever I am walking around with K he always stops every few minutes to say hi to all of his hundreds of friends (LOL). It seems to me like he knows everyone on campus!
K used to lead protests at school in order to secure equal rights and fair distribution of resources for Ghanaian students. The housing and water situation is a serious issue. For example, , he told me that everyone wants to live in International Student Hostels (ISH) because they are guaranteed to have only one roommate and have water at all times. However, if you are a Ghanaian student you are only allowed to live in ISH for one semester and you have to have a GPA of at least 3.0 (first class students) and you also have to write an essay. In comparison, in Commonwealth Hall you might run out of water altogether and would have to walk a long way with your bucket to get water from another Hall. He also said that grown men have to share beds and guys have to sleep head to foot with each other. They also have two bunk beds in the room, totaling up to 8 men in one dorm room. These conditions are not fair and living in the International Student Hostels is like living in royalty in comparison.
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4) Prostitution in Ghana
I learned quite a few things about prostitution in Ghana. I learned that women who stand on the corner in dark areas, wearing short shorts are usually prostitutes. They charge between 5 and 10 Ghana Cedi (around 3.75 dollars to 7.50) for sex. I heard it costs more if you order a prostitute from a hotel rather then picking her up off the street. The craziest thing is that it costs more to have unprotected sex, even though you are clearly gambling with your life. It’s a sure way to get HIV. One person told us a story about a guy he knew who bargained with a prostitute and ended up paying her only 4.50 Ghana Cedi for sex! It is crazy, sad, and unbelievable that women are resorting to selling their bodies in order to make enough money to feed their children. It is even more of a shock to me that they are doing so for such cheap prices. What can be done to end exploitation of women and the spread of HIV/AIDS in Ghana and worldwide?
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5) AIDS Prevention and the West African AIDS Foundation/ Clinic
I am so enthusiastic about my internship at WAAF, the West African AIDS Foundation, and at the accompanying clinic. Although I have to get on two trotros and trek for quite a distance to get there, I know my time spent at my internship will be worthwhile. I met a doctor who seems like a fabulous person and a future role model/mentor for me. Her mom is from Holland and her dad is Ghanaian. She went to medical school outside of Ghana, and decided to marry a Ghanaian and work here for her career. I cannot wait to get to know her better. I could envision myself having a career where I help people in the states as well as abroad (especially right here in Ghana). I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I plan on spending time in the clinic with patients who have AIDS as well as teaching HIV prevention and sexual health awareness curriculum to young teens and adults. I love interning and I believe I learn the most from hands on experiences. This will certainly be an awesome opportunity for me to discover my passions for working with NGOs and in medicine, teaching, and empowering women.
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6) What I Don’t Miss About America
I don’t miss home. And to be honest, I probably won’t. Of course I have people I love dearly at home, but other then family, there is very little that really captures my interest for long in America. I feel like people are constantly busy and they are so worried about how they are going to make money or are so consumed with securing high paying jobs. They are trying to get into prestigious programs, competitive grad schools and high paying entry-level jobs at large corporations. Who really has time (or interest) in volunteering with kids or animals or to improve the world around us? Everyone is so consumed with their own education or career that they allow it to define them and to dominate their time. New York is so cold, so empty, sometimes. There are thousands of people who walk past each other with their shopping bags and don’t say a word to each other. They rarely take the time to connect with others or realize that we all are people who should be treated with respect and kindness. Only in America can people spend an entire day without saying a word to each other. They order food from a kiosk or on a computer, pump their own gas, have their headphones in their ears at all times, use a GPS for directions and talk to people on facebook or text messaging rather then in person. In Ghana, we ask at least 3 people for directions each day and we share fun and elaborate stories with each other. We laugh, we dance, we sing. New York, on the other hand, feels like a constant race to the top. I notice that I tend to meet a lot of superficial people in New York and at Cornell. People are so busy and have limited time for each other. It is rare to find people who make sacrifices for each other. It is even harder to find people you actually trust. Some “friends” or “so-called lovers” are here one day and gone the next; longevity is hard to achieve in college it seems. Who would ever want to be stuck in a world like that? NOT I! When I was in The States, I noticed myself getting sucked into a never ending vortex of meaninglessness. I am SO HAPPY I have my time here in Ghana to escape from it all. I believe in life we all want to be satisfied each day and we want to be happy. I realize I am quite unique. I am a person who would find life to be a lot more enjoyable if I pursued a service-oriented career. I want to allow my heart and mind to be open and free enough to explore fascinating places and meet incredible people from all over the world. It would be impossible for me to be satisfied with piles of money, knowing that there is so much injustice and inequality around the world. I don’t understand how it is possible for Americans to sit on their butts all day, watching flat screen TVs, when there are children around the world who are not receiving a good meal, a decent education, or satisfactory healthcare. Although I can not solve all of the world’s problems, I can certainly try my best to make a difference. I refuse to live as a wealthy, sheltered, spoiled, narrow minded, greedy American who lives each day in comfort and who puts blinders on and ignores the injustices in the world around them. In New York, I have spent tons of money on meaningless things and I have had billions of conversations with people that progressed nowhere. Privilege and meaninglessness… I am glad to be away from it all, and when I return I will remain focused on what matters most– family, love, volunteering and making a difference. Until then, I will enjoy every moment here with friends and continue to believe in the deep power of human connectedness. It is so important to be open-minded and friendly. Put on a smile and hold your head up high! Happiness is a state of mind we can all enjoy each day <3

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