First week of classes!

Hello hello!!

I have finished my first week of classes at the University of Ghana! (I don't have any on Fridays..woo!) There were a few classes that I went to and the professor never showed up, so I haven’t exactly had all of my classes yet, but it’s a start! I think half of my classes have met already, and they all seem pretty interesting so far! I went to The African Diaspora, History of Ghana and a social work class called Community Organization this week. Actually, it turns out that my professor for the social work class is a Ghanaian woman who got her masters from WashU in St. Louis and worked in the city for some time! What a crazy coincidence!! Talking to her was nice since we had something so familiar in common. She seems like a great professor and I’m really excited for that class. The others will be a surprise next week! I met some nice Ghanaians my classes so I’m excited to become friends. I’ve also met a lot of nice people at church and one of them offered to take me to his village in September!! I’m so excited!!! 

Today I did laundry again! I’m still getting the hang of washing clothes by hand so I think I’m going to try to keep doing a little bit at a time every few days. No more waiting till I’m out of socks like I did in the US! The weather has been beautiful today so that should help dry my clothes pretty quickly! It has been mostly cloudy and gloomy the time we’ve been here but these past couple of days have been nice and warm! When the sun comes out it is REALLY hot! I’m hoping that will make me more excited for my cold showers! I did tell myself that if I went ahead and joined the swim team then I would buy a kettle to heat water with and take a warm bucket bath after those cold morning swims. 

I had a lot of people tell me they were touched by my experience with Rejoice and I’m really glad I could share it with you all! Last night I went back to the market and I showed her my prayer journal, which she thought was pretty cool. She told me more about her life and how she thinks her mom and her grandpa will be so proud of her when they hear she learned how to pray the rosary! I showed her some of the verses I have written in my journal and then another vendor from the market came to read them too! I ended up taking my bible out and reading it with Rejoice and another girl that came up. Again, it was amazing! Even just hearing about Rejoice’s life and seeing her excitement to see me and to read the Bible was awesome!!!! I just feel so happy and blessed to be a part of this experience! 

LETTERS!!! Between yesterday and today I got three letters!!! I was SOO excited!! I got a nice card from my parents, a letter and a few pictures from Marty and a nice card from his grandmother! It was such a great surprise! I’m so thankful for all the support back home. It really means a lot to me. Thank you so so much! I miss you all very much and I think of home all the time! Good luck to all my Truman friends that are about to move back to Kirksville! And a big good luck to my friend Marcia, who is going to Denmark today!! This is her blog, in case anyone is interested in hearing about her semester abroad: mklopf.tumblr.com I can’t wait to start exchanging letters from Denmark to Ghana!

This weekend I am going on a trip with 3 other girls from my program to the Volta Region here in Ghana. We are going by bus and plan on seeing the famous waterfalls there, as well as climbing a mountain and going to the monkey sanctuary! I am really excited! I will take lots of pictures!! Wish us luck!!