Saying Goodbye

We got up just after 5am, to be ready for the community gathering, though I expected the Gong-Gong man would go missing again. He did, and there was no gathering, so Anyo and the chief will have to express their need for library volunteers on their own. We had brown-brown for breakfast again, which is awesome because it’s my favorite. It was so early that we were able to pack the rest of our things, and spend what little time we had left with Michael, Akiti and Cicho. After a month of hanging out with the little ones, Cicho chose this morning to be the first morning he said anything in English: “Yea!” He exclaimed it when he jumped for the most part. It was really cute. He also decided that he would be lovey this morning—he kept gesturing for me to pick him up, and if I was sitting he would come over and climb into my lap. I threw him up in the air, which he adored, and he’d giggle and then ask me to do it again. Cicho and I played chase, and then Akiti wanted the attention. Samantha and Michael were busy trying to catch Samantha’s favorite goat for a photo op. It was a really nice morning, and the kids were dressed very nicely. Cicho had on a white polo shirt (how it was still white I have no idea) and Akiti was wearing a pretty silk dress with flowers on it. Her hair poof was standing tall. I’ll really miss those kids; I hope Mama gets a chance to bring them to the US. When it was time to gather our things, Kosi and Sema helped bring everything to the roadside. We waited a while longer there, at Peace’s storefront, while several people came by to bid us a safe journey—Samuel, the chief’s wife, Rafiki, Peace the hairdresser… and the resident Crazy. For the most part even at the storefront we were engrossed with Cicho and Akiti. Akiti wouldn’t let go of me. She’d stand in front of me, hugging my hands. I think I wasn’t as emotional this time around because I so hoped I would see them again, next time in the US. We didn’t see Kofi or Jessica to say goodbye, but Kosi hung out with us until we got on the bus. We waved goodbye, and Michael and Akiti were smiling their giant smile and waving back fervently. Mama didn’t want to accompany us to Ho because she didn’t want to say goodbye, so Emil and Sema went with us. They helped us into a tro-tro after going through a mob of tro-tro drivers grabbing our arms and trying to grab our bags to help us to their tro-tro. Finally we got to the one destined to take us to Accra. Defying the laws of physics, the driver managed to stuff all of our things into the back, and some under seats, and tied the trunk “shut” with a piece of green string. It didn’t look quite strong enough to hold it closed for the entire three hour ride we were about to embark upon… but then again, the laws of physics don’t seem to apply in Ghana. Sure enough, it held. We waved goodbye to Sema and Emil and began the second leg of our journey.

When we passed the immigration checkpoint, we had to wait for a really long time. Samantha and I went through just fine, but three other men were from Togo and didn’t have a passport. While they were interrogated, I occupied myself with the scene of the nearby vendor table. Women sat around it, selling cassava and plantains… and snails. BIG snails. At first I thought they were conch shells, but then I saw the snail heads sticking out and wiggling around. They were piled into three large bowls. I watched as three snails, one at a time, very slowly, attempt escape. They slowly moved from the bowls, dropped down the table below, slugged to the edge, and dropped again to a lower table. Fascinating. Finally, we were on the move again. I was starving, and feeling very claustrophobic in the middle of the very back seat of the tro-tro. If I wanted to get out, half the tro-tro would have to exit before I could move since the aisles had seats in them that folding down from the bench seat. I put my head down on the seat in front of me. Before long, Samantha was tapping my arm, a lot. I looked up to see the tro-tro had slowed. I leaned around to try to see what the commotion was about, and then I saw it—a GIANT baboon was crossing the road. Crouched, he was still taller than the cars. He walked on his knuckles and waddled his brown naked baboon butt behind him. Once he had crossed, he turned and looked in our direction with a big head, with huge poofy hairy cheeks. We saw a monkey!!! Yay!!!

The tro-tro dropped us at the side of the road, and I thought the driver gestured for us to cross the road to get a taxi to the airport. I looked doubtfully at him, hoping that’s not what he meant, since me carrying my belongings would be a disaster without a proper pack mule. Luckily, a taxi drove up and the transfer was relatively painless. Once at the airport, I managed to drag myself and my things very slowly to a waiting area. The air conditioning was a shock to the system that I wasn’t expecting, so I contemplated changing into a long skirt I had with me. What am I talking about, I had everything with me! But no, I had planned on bringing a change of clothes to change into in Frankfurt, as well as a bathing wipe and deodorant. Don’t want to smell like a tro-tro when I get home. Signing off until further reflections once I’m home safe and sound, bon voyage to me and Samantha!