time flies!

So this will be my last post in Ghana. I leave in three days. It still feels like I just got here. And I finally was adjusting to the heat! The last day at the orphanage was pretty sad. I wish we were there for a longer period. The children there did cute songs and dances to show their appreciation. We handed out all the gifts and it all went very well. This past week, my team was traveling and sightseeing and such. We went to see Cape Coast and Elmina Castle, where millions of slaves were shipped out. They were beautiful, but it was so sad. We saw the dungeon chambers and heard all the horror stories. I don't think anyone had a dry eye at the end of the tour. We visited a National Park and were able to do a canopy walk that overlooked the rain forest. It was gorgeous. We then went to Kumasi, which is much like Accra. Kumasi was much more cultural, though (and cleaner!). We learned a lot about the Asante tribe. It was all incredibly fascinating. I am now back in Accra with my host family again. This is my last weekend, and there is still so much I want to see! There is a farewell reception on Sunday, where I get to where my traditional dress that was made for me. I look pretty ridiculous in it, but it's too cool not to wear. My flight leaves on Monday. My leaving is bittersweet. I can't wait to see my family and friends again, but I wish I could stay in Ghana longer to learn and experience more. First thing I'm doing when I land in New York: eating a Big Mac and french fries. :]

Wow. It is crazy how fast the time goes. I've done so much! I've never realized how much time is in a day until I had to get up at five every morning! Because of the traffic, my family has to leave the house very early to get me to the AFS meeting place on time.
Obama came and went. Everyone was so excited about his visits. There were t shirts, songs, music videos, and tons of billboards. It's really funny. They get really excited when you say you're from the U.S. and they'll reply "daughter of Obama!"
Tomorrow is the last day at the orphanage. I can't believe it. I painted all week and today we started scrubbing the floors and finishing up on other cleaning. The painting was fun...scrubbing the floors? Not so much. :] Computers were stolen from the orphanage just days before we got there and so we're collecting donations from every team member to get one or two computers for them. I feel much better about using my spending money on donating a computer than wasting it all on plantain chips (They're delicious!). The kids told us today that they have a special performance for us tomorrow. I'm excited!
We start our week of travel on Monday. We're going to various tourist attractions and coming back on Friday. That's when we get to go to super cool craft villages and markets and such. It'll be so much fun. Then I only have one more weekend with my family and then I'm coming home. I wish we had more time at the orphanage. :[
Oh and my rash is getting better, thank goodness. I was a little worried there.

On Monday, I missed out on the orphanage because I had to go to the hospital. I have this wierd, gross rash on my leg. Not cool! The hospital was nothing like our hospitals. I was a little scared being in there. The doctor gave me some cream stuff, and it's has gotten a little better since then, but I'm still pretty worried about it.
Aside from that, everything is going great! The orphanage is really fantastic. On Tuesday, I taught one of the classes how to make bar graphs during their math class. They're all so so cute! On Wednesday, we sanded the main building to get it ready for painting; today, we put new screens on all the windows; and tomorrow, we get to paint. Our team split into groups, so each group does a different thing everyday. We're getting a lot done.
This weekend, I'm going to the market with my host mom. I'm pretty excited to see everything and to go shopping! Everything is so cheap here and I want to buy almost everything I see. Africa is so cool. I am so glad I'm here experiencing it. ♥

Almost a week

So it has almost been a week in Ghana. It seems like so much more only because we do so much in one day. I met my family on Monday. They are very nice, but it is hard to understand them. Though the official language is English, they are always speaking Twi and it is very confusing. I never know what is going on! At my home, there is no running water, so I have to take buckets from the well and take bucket showers and fill the toilet tank with water to flush. It is a bit tedious, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I think I have had rice at least three times a day since I've been here. And my family gives me such huge portions. So much for losing weight in Africa! Today was my first day at the orphanage. We didn't do much except tour the grounds. We played with the children for a only a short time before we had to say goodbye. Tomorrow, we will start painting the buildings and teaching the kids. We have been in the city the entire time we've been here, but the orphanage is out in the country. The countryside is beautiful! Much better than the city. I am so excited to really get to know the kids. It is so hot here! It has rained a lot, but today the sun came out and stayed out. I was sweating so much! I was telling my host brother, Frank, about snow and he said he would never be able to handle it. He even said it was cool today. I beg to differ! I can't even imagine how hot it must be during the dry season. Well, that's enough for now! All is going well in Ghana!