Rachael's Reflections Day 2!

Maadwo (Hello)! 

Our 2nd day in Accra was 90 degrees Fahrenheit again (shocker)! We started the day taking a Tro Tro - a public transport van - to Haatso Junction (an outdoor shopping area). The fellows and I were tasked with an Urban Mapping Project where we went into the streets and spoke with Ghanaians about different aspects of their life. I personally learned the importance of “waist beads” from talking with some local Ghanaian women (pictured below is Alice, and my spectacular group members, David and Alicia). The beads are used for tracking the growth of women and is an important piece of their culture. 

We finished our activity with a round of fresh coconut water! 

Our afternoon adventure led us to the Acuri Botanical Gardens which brough us outside of Accra where we were able to dive into nature surrounded by 100-year-old trees, Ghanaians picnicking, and lots of unique ficus plants. For lunch we ate Waakye (a rice and beans dish with gari, shredded cassava root) - my personal favorite! We had our lesson on our Haatso Junction experiences today in the beautiful gardens. Super curious as usual, our session was fascinating and lasted over two hours. We ended the day with a bumpy ride back to the city and filled our bellies with yam and cabbage stew.  I personally can't believe I am here and there are so many different things that excite, scare, and enthrall me.  Here are some of my personal favorites so far:

all the delicious food       

not freezing weather     

all the welcoming Ghanaians   

my wonderful fellows and

of course, Robbie! (Our mini backyard goat)  

I can't wait to see what else Ghana has in store for this amazing group and what we have in store for Ghana!

-Rachael Binstock