Elections

Ghana’s been great lately. Our language class is actually doing really well; I think we all will pass the test on Friday. My host family is amazing. Emma and I sing the 12 Days of Christmas just about everyday and Kwoko is incredible at playing catch with his glove on backwards basically. We did family pictures with my camera Sunday before mass and they’re keepers I think. I’m really going to miss this family, they’re no Vainners but they’re great people.
The election is Sunday so that’s all any Ghanaian talks about. I really hope there’s no violence. My host family is very NPP but my counterparts are very NDC so I get to hear it all. My counterparts call me almost everyday to see how I slept and if my day is going alright. Ghanaians will call with absolutely no purpose just to check in on you. If they see anything that reminds them of you they call you. They can’t wait until I get back at site.
Getting anywhere in Ghana is always fun. In Ghana I’d say 90% of cars are either taxis or tro-tros. Tros are like 12 passenger vans that they jam anywhere up to 24 people into. It seems like total chaos and very intimidating at first, but there is a method to the madness. If you have your wallet that’s all it takes to go anywhere in the country. You just say the city you want to end up at eventually and they’ll get you to the right tro to get to the next tro and so on, or the mates in the tro are constantly yelling their destination. Any time the tro slows down plenty of street vendors will come by with stuff from water to bread to posters to flags, you can do your grocery shopping without leaving the tro. Tros are boiling hot when they’re at a stop but while moving the windows or lack of walls provides for ample air circulation. Many times you are joined by goats and chickens on your journey.
The bigger the vehicle the faster it goes here. They also cram more people into a mode of transportation than we would ever dream of. I’m still trying to figure out the traffic laws and I think they are too. I have seen 3 traffic lights and they all get me mad. That means you have to sit there and roast while it’s red. The best part about all taxis and tros is easily their names. Every small business in Ghana is named something religious. “Clap for Jesus Barber Shop”, “Love Your Enemies Provisions Store”, “Amen Tro”, “I’m Sorry Taxi Cab”, “God is Good Tailoring”, and “By God’s Grace Cell Phone Shop.” It’s hard to stop smiling sometimes. My personal favorite is a locally famous mispelled store name, "Crap for Jesus."