A Week in the West
Last week I was in Accra for mid-service medical, a quick check-up mandated by Washington for every Peace Corps Volunteer who has completed one year of service. The major activity of the week was pooping into a cup, which I did three mornings in a row. The task is a bit intimidating at first. Never having pooped into a cup before, I was uncertain about the technique (how to sit, where exactly to position the cup) and what to do with my delicious sample once I finished. My first time was awkward and uncomfortable, but by the third time I felt like I could poop into any cup, any time, anywhere. This is a skill I will use again when I have another check-up before I leave the country.
When in Accra, volunteers stay in a room at a hotel. The room has four bunk beds, AC, hot water (in theory), a refrigerator, and a TV/DVD player. With the exception of a bed, I live with none of those things (unless it's a really hot day and the water tank outside my house has heated up in the sun). Open drains notwithstanding, the hotel's neighborhood is one of the cleanest and most upscale in Ghana. It's also in a great location, just a short ride from Peace Corps office (free Internet access) and within walking distance to many restaurants. In other words, staying in Accra is a poor simulation of staying in the US.
And once I've settled into the western-style accommodation, other western comforts soon follow. For example, I spend about 10 to 20 times as much money on a dinner in Accra compared to a dinner in my town (although I rarely eat out in my town). That kind of cash ($5 to $10) allows me to eat at the Ghanaian equivalent of Pizza Hut, a tex-mex sports bar, or the local Chinese restaurant that everyone suspects has a suspicious health record. These dining options would inspire little excitement in the US, but American-style fast food is a luxury to Peace Corps Volunteers because it tastes good and it reminds us of home.
When I first arrived in Ghana I found this craving, and even the presence of fast food, to be an unfortunate. Of all the things that Ghana may need, consumerism and consumption of fast food would seem to rank far below clean drinking water and just slightly above head lice or a civil war. After a year of living in Ghana, I've come to regard these concerns as legitimate and silly. If I could make all decisions without regard for my gut, I would probably end up with different results. But at this point, my gut has powerful sway.
A new "fun" thing to do in Accra is to go shopping at the Accra Mall. In theory, the mall opened in May, but only one store has been completed. The mall seems to be similar to a mall in the US, complete with glass doors that automatically open and full air conditioning. It's the sort of place that defies Western expectations for what Africa is supposed to be like. After all, isn't everyone here supposed to be poor? But this is where the other half (or really the other 1%) will come to shop.
The one store is called Game. It's based in South Africa and also has stores in Nigeria and perhaps other African countries. It sells everything from flat panel televisions to patio furniture. There are not many recognizable American brands, but the prices and store layout are what you'd expect if I told you it is the African equivalent of Target. I ended up buying a Snickers, two pencil sharpeners, and a pack of gum, but I studied the store aisle by aisle like I was at a museum ( e.g.: "They sell cricket bats and baseball bats here. Fascinating.")
Previously, two Lebanese-owned, three-story shopping centers had been among the few stores to cater to western buying habits. The first floor is groceries (although far smaller than an American supermarket), and the top two floors feature house wares, electronics, toys, and a café. Everything that's imported is expensive (like a can of ShopRite asparagus for $6), but it's the only place in Ghana where you can get those things.
There's another tier of luxury in Accra that's beyond my normal budget. It includes 5-star hotels, a few restaurants that are perhaps forty to sixty times more expensive than a typical meal in my town, and a bowling alley (pricey at $5 a game). Yet another reason why Peace Corps is two years…
Addendum #1: Staying in Accra has allowed me to catch up on some American movies, including Reno 911, Shrek 3, Borat, Nacho Libre, and Knocked Up. Supposedly there is one "movie theater" in Accra that projects DVDs, but I watched all of these off bootleg DVDs on a TV. It's difficult to find any American movies other than bootlegs of the latest major Hollywood releases.
Addendum #2: How long does it take to change in light bulb in my town? So far about two months and counting. There is light pole outside my house. It has the unfortunate effect of attracting undesirables (noisy children), so I'm glad the bulb went out. In theory, the District Assembly is responsible for replacing the bulb, and someone may or may not have put in a request for them to do that.
100 Days to Go…
Although my official end date here is more than a year away, I figured out that I only have about 125 days of actual teaching left, and many volunteers who came over with me have just over 100 days to go.
The school year is divided into three 13-week terms. The last two weeks of the term are exams, so there is no teaching. The students never show up during the first week of each term, so that leaves ten weeks of teaching per term. Then there's mid-term break, which knocks off another few days, and there are other interruptions such as holidays and sports days, and so many excuses, such as quiz competitions, campus cleanings, and teacher meetings, which cause students not to come to my class. I estimate that these miscellaneous distractions eat up about another week of teaching.
That leaves me with three terms of 8.5 weeks each, or about 127 days of teaching. Most teachers are supposed to have one day off per week (I have it this term but did not the other two), meaning that most of the volunteers in my group have only 102 days of teaching to go in their 2-year service.
In reality, I will probably teach no more than 120 days in the next year, but will show up to school about 160 times in the next 400+ days. It's tough to complain about free time, especially when tropical beaches are so close, but I could.
Addendum #1: I set a new personal record by waiting on line at the bank for 3 hours and 45 minutes just to make a withdrawal. Amazing.
