Our big fat Greek party

On Monday we had our day off. That particular Monday we were up early and it was obvious that the Greeks were preparing something under high secrecy. The laptops were on and each girl had undertaken another greek area of interest. History, philosophy, mythology, tourism, cuisine. The particular presentation had a strict dress code. An ancient greek "chitonas" was the suitable attire. At eight...

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Countries presentation: China

You may all know a popular saying: "it all seems greek to me!". Obviously it stretches the incomprehension of another language or topic. In greek the same expression would raise even more confusion, since Greek is our mothertongue. For that reason our equivalent is : "It all seems chinese to me". Greek and Chinese although they are both ancient cultures, they share no common characteristics....

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Countries presentation: Nigeria-Benin

On the first days of the interns' arrival we felt the need to organise our nights in Ghana. The activities were divided between the working days and the weekends were free for traveling. Movie night, Salsa or reggae night, inhouse party, barbecue, game night and my personal favorite countries presentation. They were all written formally in a paper and hanged  on the living room wall. The...

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Astronomy class

Every time that one great trip was over, I felt the anticipation of getting back home, and by home I mean the interns house in Accra. Batteries loaded for a creative school week.  At that time, the interns at school had doubled and two interns matched each classroom. In mine came a very willing, smiling Chinese boy. The students summoned him "Chineseman" and wellcomed him with Kung-Fu moves....

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Overnight at Benyin beach

At dinner time little groups headed to different directions in quest of food. I and two of my friends decided to ask recomendations from the locals. Two little girls waived at us. We asked them where we could find some food and they urged us to follow them. Soon our company became bigger. More kids joined us looking happy with such unusual guests. They assured us that our friends went to a nearby...

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Nzulezu - A village on the water

We were traveling all night. This time the trip had been very popular and no seat was vacant. In the morning we arrived at our beautiful destination: Beyin Beach. The scenery reminded vividly documentary scenes. The sea shore seemed endless. Exceptionally high palm trees were laying on the beach. Beach houses made by wood and palm trees' branches were standing on poles above the ground. Even the...

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A day at the Paradise, in other words "Ada Foah"

Our exciting day had started by hiking in Afadjato Mountain, continued with swimming in Tagbo Waterfalls and would end with a beach party in Maranatha beach, or at least that was the plan. After the Waterfalls we headed to Ada Foah. From the narrations of Eduardo, a Brazilian intern, this place would be one of the most beatiful sceneries of Ghana. Every Saturday night the beach is transformed into an outdoor beach club, that promises a lot of fun. Everything was set. We had had contacted the owner of the resort and made reservations for the beach huts. A boat would pick us up from the one side of the lake and deliver us to the other, where the party would take place.

We were all anticipating to test and improve our dancing skills once again. But the way was long, the weather rainy and oops we also got lost. Consequently we arrived  at the meeting point a little.. later than agreed. Something around one o clock at night. Needless to say that the party was over and no canoe was waiting for us any more. There was only one solution: to spend the night in our beloved trotro. That would be a bit of a mission, because this time every seat of the trotro was occupied. Thus there was no free space to stretch ones tired bodies. But it was not only us in the trotro. Mouldy clothes and sneaky tropical mosquitos were also accompanying us. The excess amount of the antimosquito spray did not cease their bloodthirsty attacks. Some of us managed to sleep, like the Chinese for example. A couple others stayed outside the trotro for the night. A French and a Brazilian guy were holding their laughter back while watching "Ice Age". I would switch between the three options, sleeping, "Ice Age", hanging out.

The fullness of the trotro

Next day morning

Finally, the time had come to visit our "Ithaca". It definately worths waiting for. The sun had just come out, the water was serene and the view hard to describe with words. High palm trees, painted  in blue, pink and yellow, were poping up from everywhere. The doors of the beach huts were painted in a flag's colours (no matter how meticulously I searched, I did not find one in blue and white stripes). The traces of the previous night party were still tangible. At first we laid in the sunbeds in order to regain our horizontal shape. The lake was so calm that even Mario's (medical student's) warnings about protozoa infection hazard, did not stop me from diving.

Comfortable sunbeds

Beach huts for rent

A little piece of heaven

The transportation means of Maranatha

Later on, I decided to follow the bravest to the other side for exploration and swiming in the sea. Just a few steps away from the resort's area, the rubbish were forming small hills. The sea was just how I remembered it, wild and wavy. Some peculiar, almost transparent, white crabs were running around in great numbers.

A little further from the "touristic" area is laying a small village. The houses are built on the sand and made by palm tree fronds, weaved skillfully. The sun was burning and I was clever enough to not wear my flip flops. Thankfully Mario lent me his. Apart from rubbish hills, I noticed some other hills by shellfish, that in Greece are considered a luxurious delicacy. It seems though that shellfish and tourism has not influenced much the village, whose inhabitants face multiple problems. At some point we encountered a new school, in a basic structure. It does give a spark of hope for the future.

Ghana, Greece, Brazil, France

The way to the village

shellfish

Testing my balance skills

Travelers playing soccer with local boys

1. "The Tribe" Documentary by volunteers in Maranatha: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
2. Flying fourchette blog about Ada Foah

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