6/13

I got up early after a very restful night of sleep. Will was not awake, having battled the last throes of jet lag at 4 am, and there was no basketball going on. Oh well. I went on a long walk around campus anyway. People get up and get going pretty early around here—the campus was hopping at 7 am. Walking around in the morning son, the place felt much more like a campus than it had the previous day in the rain.

Today was orientation day. The first two days have been a lot about us relying on other people to do things for us, which I find somewhat frustrating. I know that it is necessary to get our bearings in a foreign country, but it feels like we’re in camp sometimes. I mean, Appo, a guy in our program, is 30 years old! And there are two 25 year-olds with us too! Once we figure out how to get food and get around by ourselves to cool places, it will be a welcome freedom.

The campus is very beautiful. Our classroom is about a mile away, and once you get over there it really looks like a campus with a main drag, the big buildings, departments, all that. The administrative center is on top of a big hill, power always stays uphill, and there is a beautiful panoramic view of Accra and the ocean to the south and some “mountains” (glorified hills) to the north.

We got a driving tour of Accra as well. Some highlights: W.E.B. Du Bois center with the grave of the Massachusetts native himself, the aggressively big U.S. embassy, Oxford St—the Times Square of Accra, Independence Square, Freedom and Justice circle, and the beachfront. I will definitely be visiting all of these places and will be able to describe them all in greater detail once I do.

I’ve gotten to know the 7 other people in our program pretty well by this point. Everyone is different from one another but it all works in a way that everyone’s quirks seem to complement each other. We will be spending a lot of time together these next two months, so it’s a good thing that we are getting along. Otherwise it will be a long two months. It is still going to be a long two months either way, but the happy way is much more enjoyable.

I really feel like a got a much better handle on this place after today. I got my cell phone working, I met some of the other students staying at our hostel, and I can now point which direction is class and which direction is the beach. Where else do I need to go?