Hey all!
I hope, you are all doing well! I still enjoy being here in Ghana!
I'm working everyday like putting measurements into the computer, driving around (yes, even I drove here in Accra)... incredible and really funny to drive here with all the traffic and the way the people are driving here (every space is used, and you can't imagine how they make the left-turn...). Monday and Thursday I helped to premark some potholes. One worker brushed the dust away, one marked the holes, my supervisor took the measurements and I wrote it down... Well, I enjoyed being outside :-)
Tuesday and Wednesday after work I went to a hairdresser and well, I have now an africn hairstyle:

And I tell you, it was really not fun because it hurt a lot... But finally after 4 hours it was over and now I guess its the first time that my hair is longer than my shoulders :-)
I also uploaded some other pictures...
Now its weekend again and I guess I will go to the beach on Sunday (I've been there only one time so far, I can hardly believe)... and I already start wondering where the time is passing... I'm here since almost 8 weeks! And I wanted to extend my stay here for some more days, but now I found out I have to write my last exam on the 25.september, so I will fly back on the date usually planed (15.9.).
Well, that's it for so far! Of course I could talk for hours about all I see here and all the experiences, the work... :-)
Take care and enjoy live!
Verena

Yes, its true! I finally started “working”. But first of all: HERE are some pictures from my trip through Ghana! Of course I have many many more, you can imagine it was very hard for me to DECIDE which pictures I will upload :-)

My internship is in a road construction and maintenance company. Well, I am not totally happy with this work, as its not really related to my studies. Perhaps I should have started to search something on my own when I arrived here in Ghana and realized that there were some problems with the work (for example there is the GTZ here or a department called Environmental Protection Agency...). Well, then I just took the chance to travel around and I guess, now its just too late to organize something else. "Only" about 5 weeks are left! I guess I could really spent more time here, like half a year or so! But don't worry, I will come back end of September (one last exam and begin of my Diplomarbeit in Oktober). But who knows when I will come back to Afrika!!!

In the first sentence I wrote "working" as the work which I do here wouldn't be accepted as work in Germany :-) But I really do the same as my supervisor :-) His name is Nii, he studied Civil Engineering and is now a supervisor in the company. I will tell you about our daily work: Metting at 7.30am on the yard of the company, saying Good morning (in Twi written: M'aakye, spoken: Maatsche) to everyone. Singing and Praying at around 7.45 for about 10 minutes... Then slowly some workers are going to start loading their trucks. I'm sitting together with Nii in the office and we wait for the foreman (Vorarbeiter of every group) to give us the papers with the measurements. Every group has a truck and they go out (at around 10-11am I guess) to repair potholes in streets. The foreman are measuring each repaired pothole and these are the measurements. Nii and I take them and put them into a laptop in his office (no intranet, no internet, nothing)... In excel the squaremeters of repaired potholes are calculated. We print it out and once in a month there is a report with the measurements and pictures of the potholes before and after the work! We drive a lot throughout the day: We drive to the worksites and watch, if the workers are working... For me this feels not really comfortable, as Nii and I stand around watching while the others are working (everyone has to do one thing, one driver, one who carries the shavel, one for the wheelbarrow, one is the bitumen sprayer etc...). And once in a while we drive to the Department for urban roads where we bring the report. It is copied there and they (gouvernment) are checking again if the potholes are repaierd and then finally the company gets some money... Everything takes here really a long time... its incredible! I guess in Germany no one would be paid just for driving around the whole day... On Thurdsday for example we drove to the department. There we had to print out something, but we didn't have enough paper with the head of the company, so we had to drive all the way back, get some paper and drive there again... and you can't imagine how much TRAFFIC there is in Accra! AWFULL!!! On Friday I even had to sign a paper with measurements what we have taken (for a company who lays pipes for telecommunication next to roads and our company has to seal it afterwards)... Well, for me its really interesting to see, how work is done here and how a company is working... And at least I have some things to do, more than some other students who are sitting around the whole day...

Ok, thats it so far I guess. The last weekend I just enjoyed being "back home" in my house and room! I played UNO (heisst jetzt Solo) with the neighbour kids and I met Bridget, a Ghanian who is married to a kolleauge of Jesko. We met at Pia&Jeskos Wedding and it was really nice seeing her here!!!
Next weekend I will go to Tamale, to meet Mac-Patrick there. As I was ill the last time I was in Tamale, he will now show me this place :-)
Take care and enjoy the summer! I heard in Stuttgart its quite hot :-) I'm always happy when we have clouds here :-)
Liebe Gruesse!
Verena

Yes, finally I’m back in Accra! I had a really good time the last two weeks! Its unbelievable, I’m now in Ghana since 4 weeks and I still enjoy it a lot...
I finally left Bolgatanga last Friday. Together with Mac-Patrick (the one I’ve met and who showed me all the nice places around Bolga) I went to Tamale where he works (at the moment he is on holidays). Unfortunatelly I didn’t have the chance to see much of Tamale, as I got ill (the first time by the way). I felt really not good and after I went to see a doctor he found out, that I got Salmonella... Well, after two days of rest and some drugs it was luckily over.
As Mac was so nice to me and took care of me while I was ill, I took him with me to the South (he never traveled before just for fun). With a night bus (12hours), a spoiled wheel at 2am, a noisy TV in the bus,... we finally arrived in Accra and went directly to Cape Coast. I didn’t like this city and the people there a lot (I guess to many tourists and visitors around) but the tour in the old cape coast castle was very interesting but unbelievable. The slaves arrived here (from long foot-marches from the north...) and were kept here before they finally were sent into ships to the “new word”. We walked into the slave dungeons (so small, for so many people, no light, no circulation, no toilet,...). The people did everything there (eating, sleeping, toilet,...) and you can imagine a lot didn’t survive the days there! We didn’t walk on the floor, but on a 50cm high layer of old blood, food, excretions,... I didn’t feel well there, as you can imagine!

Monday evening I finally met Anne and Malte!!! Was soo great, to see them here!
On Tuesdsay Mac and I went to the Kakoon-Nationalpark to walk on the walkways (Haengebrucken, 40m above the ground). Was a nice experience and we were more lucky than Anne and Malte (who couldn’t enjoy it that much because of all the people there)...
Wednesday and Thursday we spent together with Anne and Malte in Koforidua a very nice, friendly and relaxed city. We did a nice hiking tour to some waterfalls, a cave... On the way back was no taxi coming so some farmers took us on their vehicle . On Thursday we went to my “paradise”: A beads (pearls) market!!! Anne and I enjoyed it a looot  After 1,5hours it was enough (no money left, smile) and we went to the CRIG (cocoa research institute of Ghana) to discover how the cocoa grows, is harvested, fermented, dried,... and what nice byproducts they are just starting to make out of the leftover (from the empty shell and the water who comes out during the fermentation). Did you know, that alle the beans are fermented bevore they are dried???
On Friday we went finally back to the bussy capital! Its incredible, all the vehicles and the traffic around here! The afternoon we spent at the Art Centre, we did a little drumming session... And we were surprised how expensive the food is in some Restaurants in Accra (like 3times as in restaurants elsewhere). On Saturday we accompanied Anne and Malte to the Airport! They should be back in Stuttgart by now (and both have to start working again today).
I was really happy that they came to visit Ghana (and me) and I think, they enjoyed it a lot!!!
Now I also looked forward to be “home” again, no more backpack,... and I have my own room, I know the area,... and I can eat again at home or in the cheap chop bars (Anne and Malte preferred to eat in restaurants, but I guess, I’m already more used to the food here and the way they prepare it in chop bars... and well, I only got sick once (where I’m not exactly sure from what it came)).
I was supposed to meet Kafui (organiser from IAESTE) today at 9am. I went to his house and finally we went out at 11. I saw the office of the company (road mainenance) and I will meet my supervisor later in the afternoon and I hope that finally finally I will start working tomorrow!!! Can you believe it??? I can only believe it, when it will be tomorrow! But well, thats the Ghanian way of living!!!
Ok, you will get news from me and the work soon and also some pictures!!!
Liebe Gruesse!!!

As promised, I've uploaded some new pictures ....

This will be the last message for a few days as Kafui organizes a trip for all IAESTE-members. Tomorrow we are going to Kumasi where we will meet also the other students, who are working in other citys than Kumasi. Together as far as I know we will go with a bus to the North of the country… I don’t know much at the moment, but I guess, we will have lots of fun and see some places (Tamale, National park) on our way. I will be back in Accra I think on Monday and then probably I will go with Anne and Malte so I don’t know when it will be the next time I have internet access… So don’t worry, if you don’t get news from me for a while…

Tonight I guess I will experience a different night as usual. As you know, I normally go to bed quite early (I guess the latest was 10.30pm) but tonight I will join the other three white guys and some Ghanian friends for a reggae-night at Labadi-Beach!!! I’m already a bit excited how the nightlife here will be…
But also yesterday when I came home late (Francis picked me up from the place where the other three students are staying) there was so much traffic and there are still a lot of people on the road, selling food etc.

The other night I cooked the Spagetthi Carbonara and I also showed them, how we are eating them (with spoon and fork) but not everyone could eat it like that, because we were 6 people, but in this house there are only 3 forks . My mum could hardly believe this, but here you eat almost everything with your right hand and with a spoon, but no fork or knifes (we only have 3 knifes to cook).

As I’m now still at home most of the time, I have lots of discussions with Daniel (brother of David, my guest-father). He has lost his job and is at home most of the time, helping Francis,… It’s very interesting to talk with him. He always says that Ghana is a very rich country, as it has a lot of natural resources (Bauxit, Gold, Alluminium, Oil) but there are too many corrupt leaders and they don’t have enough people with knowledge so often now, when investors are coming they somehow don’t manage to make good contracts so most of the money they get by exploring the natural resources doesn’t stay in the country! And that’s really a problem! But hopefully the future looks better as they build more and more universities (they only had 3 for the whole country). When a lot of people are well educated, its harder for leaders, members of the government to tell the people what ever they want and people don’t believe everything but can distinguish what is right and wrong and when they are lying! I hope, Daniel is right! It would be really good, if some changes will come (but I guess that will take quite a while). In my opinion they should really start to build a better sewage-system, sewage treatment plants and an efficient garbage collection. I can only hope that when more people are better educated then they also start thinking about their environment! Of course, there are a lot of people who have to worry what they are going to eat so they don’t care but most of the other people, who are not suffering that much they just don’t care and throw everything just away (you can see empty plastic bags from the drinking water, shopping bags,… everywhere), not to mention all the car cleaning (right next to the ‘river’), and all the contamination from old engines, fridges,…

Ok, I will leave it for now! Take care and have a good time!
News latest in about two weeks or so...
Liebe Greusse aus Accra!
Verena

I hope, you are all seeking for news from me... :-) Here they are! And the next time I go to the internet cafe, I will also upload some new pictures!
With Francis I went to Central Accra on Friday (which was also his birthday I found out by coinsidence). I saw the ocean (quiet, peacefull place), the independence square and the Makola Market (oh wow!!!sooo many people, things to buy, noises, colours,.........). But it was great!! And I was happy when we returned to our quiet area :-) I had a nice lunch with Francis (Fufu with goundnut (=peanut)soup and goat meat) and of course, we ate out of one bowl and with our hands... Was really good! I can't complain about the food at all, I really like it! And I always look, how Francis prepares the dinner, so I hope, I can cook some of it back in Germany :-)
Saturday and Sunday I spent with my white friends who are also doing an internship with the IAESTE organisation. We didn't go to Kumasi (which was the first plan) because Bill didn't feel good as he ate something veeeery spicy, where even Ghanians be careful with it). So he stayed at the house and we others (Linda from Hannover, Sebastian from Switzerland and me) went to a Beach yesterday! Oh it was soo great, seeing the ocean, swimming in it :-) We had to ignore some rubbish on the beach and some plastic bags in the water, but it was ok! And it was the first time I tried to Surf, but it was really hard and so far it didn't really work, but I hope, I will have the chance to try it again and we had lots of fun in all cases! Sebastian also lent the surfboard to some kids and teens and it was very funny, he and all the black people around him :-) It looked like an old surf film from the 70s if you know it (Sebastian told us about it) where also a man brought a surfboard to Ghana and the same happened... and also the kids searched for wooden-boards etc and took them! Was really nice!
Although we spent almost the whole day there, we didn't really have a lot of time to relax and sleep, as always someone came to say hi and talked with us :-) And I even got a bit sunburned, although we were hardly in the sun and just in the shadow when we were outside the ocean... So hopefully my skin will get more brown soon, so perhaps I don't attrac as much attention to me as it is now :-) Yesterday was also the first day, when I saw a lot of other Obruonis (that's how they call us and means "white man").
And well, today is Monday, but I am still not working! Don't ask me why, Kafui the organiser called me but I didn't really understand the problem... I still have hope, that I will start working soon!!! But I don't get bored here! And I also go out alone now, its not a problem at all!!! And if it doesn't work with the internship for now, than I can join Anne and Malte, my two friends from Stuttgart who are coming for two weeks (starting next Saturday) to travel in Ghana!!! :-) And hopefully at least afterwards I can finally start working what I really want to do!!!!!

I bought all ingredients to prepare some spaggetthi carbonara for dinner... I hope, my family will like it!
This morning, I helped a neighbour friend (Fredrica) who came to wash lots of close... It really takes much more time to wash all the cloth just with two buckets full of cold water and soap! So enjoy your washing mashines!!!

Ok, lets try it again...
Yesterday Kafui came by and told me he will fetch me today at nine, now its 11 and he is not here yet, so I decided to go to the internet cafe again :-) I will see, if I will start working today or perhaps tomorrow... I guess, thats also somehow the african way...
As I live with the family together I am able to try all the ghanian food which they are cooking! Its really good, very spicy and with lots of fish (well, I will restart my vegetarian carrier when I'm back :-) ). We have rice and this special dough (Maisteig) with it... Not bad!
For breakfast I have white bread with some kind of butter (margarine) and two days ago we had pasta for breakfast: Take pasta, pull cream milk over it, add some sugar and stir well! Well, it was not bad, really!!!
Living with the family also means that they are responsible for me, so they are always worried (especially David) where I am etc... Thats also why I didn't really go out a lot, but still, I have lots of things to tell :-) And when I will start working, I will also know my environment betterer and I think I can be more 'free'.
As far as I understood the jungest (Francis, 20, cousin of Shadrack) is responsible for cooking, washing, ironing etc... But I already told him that I will do my things by my own. And I helped him washing cloth (by hand of course)... The others are helping him also but only when its too much work for him. His uncle told me, thats their way of educating... Francis also goes to work (David owns cooling containers for food...) but not all the time... He also sleeps in the hall (living room), Francis told me its because there is a fan, but I think, when I wouldn't be there, he would sleep in my room... I don't feel that good in knowing this, but thats their way of welcoming and hospitality! I guess, I have to accept it and I think when I help whenever I can it will be ok.
With Shadrach I walked around a bit on Saturday, and I also had my first Ghanian beer with him... Was very good :-) And in the night I have the impression that there are even more people on the road than during day time... its a nice athmosphere: people, loud music, food everywhere.
I go to bed very early, like at 8 or 9pm as it gets dark at 6 and there is not much more to do at the moment :-) Shadrack also gets up very eraly, he leaves the house at 6am and comes home from work (at a bank) at 8pm. I will see, how much and long I will have to work.
This evening I will meet the other internationals who are here in Accra (3 more). They are staying at a different place and I've met them when I first arrived here. For next weekend they are planning a trip to Cape Coast, so I hope, I can join them...
Everyone here was very happy, that Obama came! We finally didn't go to see him, as he spoke in the parliament and lots of roads were closed anyway... but I watched his arriving and speeches on TV and the whole Saturday you could hear a song about him (which was created before he became president)...
And yesterday the church service, as I already wrote yesterday, it was very different what we are used to, the church is a building like a hall (not finished yet), some curtains in front and some plasitc flowers, a keyboard, drumset, drums and microphones. Everyone who was there really participated in the service, everyone prayed aloud (also in different microphones at the same time, which was kind of loud), shouted, put his hands in the air, danced... and the predigt (I don't know the english word for it) was also very loud and translated into Twi (the language a lot of people are speaking here). Although it was in english I could hardly understand ... But well, it was an experience, but I'm not sure I will join Shadrach and Francis every Sunday (for 3 hours!). But I could feel that all what they said and prayed came from their hearts...
I could still write more, but I guess its already a lot to read :-)
So take care and I guess I will write again soon!
Liebe Gruesse!

Hello from Ghana!!! Akwaaba!!! (Welcome! I heard it a lot of times)

I have savely arrived here, about 6hrs of flight from Frankfurt. I had the chance to fly with Business class as all the other seats were full. ... was a great experience :-)
Luckily I met a nice guy in the plain who gave me his address because I didn't wrote down some adresses and I needed one for the immigration. After I got my suitcase I realized that I don't even have a phone number or address, just the email where Kafui told me he will fetch me... ok so I went out and nobody was waiting (but the plain was really early so I didn't start to worry...) And luckily I wrote Kafui my number so he called me and a friend of him (Fred) fetched me from the airport, I met three other IAESTE students and then Shadrack came to pick me up. I have a nice room in his house (where he, his father and his cousin) are living. Everyone is very friendly to me...
Yesterday I went with David (Shadracks Dad) out by car, he had to do some business (irgendwas elektrisches an einem Kuehlcontainer) and so I had the chance to see lots of things. Its really different here... lots of cars, traffic, people between the cars selling everything (food, water, telephones, guertel,...). And nobody cares about dust, exhaust... A lot of poeple are carrying all the stuff on their heads, it expresses me a lot! I even saw a guy with a suing-mashing (Naehmaschine) on his head!!!
I didn't take that much pictures so far (and at the moment I'm not able to upload them) because I don't feel good taking pictures... Its an experience being more or less the only white (Obruni) here...
This morning the tab water was not running, so I took my first shower with a bucket and a little cup... No problem at all :-)
As its raining-season there is not so much sun, which is good I think because I can handle the temperature and humidity very well. I'm glad about my new trakking-shoes I bought in Stuttgart... They are very usefull here as not all raods are with asphalt...
When we went by car and there was so much traffic that we couldn't move on, we just went to the side, there was no asphalt street but sand-streets and perhaps you can image what it is like when you have sand and rain...
Today Francis (Shadracks cousin) went out with me. David doesn't want that I go out alone... but I feel comfortable here and I think I can walk around here also alone in a few days... By the way, on Monday I will go to work in a construction company...
But first this weekend I guess I will see Kafui who organised everything for me (he is in Kumasi) and perhaps I will also see Obama tomorrow!!! Everyone here is excited that he will come to Ghana, to Accra tonight...
Everything goes slowly here, no stress, nothing... I can relax and I'm happy I have internet access now (although for my email program its very slowly).
Yesterday I tried ghanian food where I forgott the name... was some dough (out of corn) (gekochter Maisteig oder so was) with a spicy soup with different kinds of meat and fish... of course we ate with our right hand.
Ok that are my first impressions... Its very different here but I am happy to be here! I hope everyone is fine! I also have a ghanian cell phone number now, and with a predial number it shouldn't be that expensive to call me. I'm not sure if skype is working here, but I will try it the next time. And perhaps I will also have internet access in my company... we will see.
Ganz liebe Gruesse an alle! And hugs to everyone!!!
Akosua (my Ghanian name as I was born on a Sunday)

P.s. my mail provider (1und1) works very slowly (while writing here I could only read one email!), so its better if you write me to verena91284ATgmail.com or in facebook or studivz, those sites are working faster... :-)

Hey guys!

I hope, you are all doing well! Since more than one year I'm now back in Germany, mostly in Stuttgart! I had a great time so far, doing internship, some trips, visiting friends, friends were visiting me, studying a lot for my last exams ... You can see some pictures on my google account.

Now I decided to restart my Blog as I will be en-route again! In three days its time for a new adventure!!! I will fly to Ghana for an intership with the student organisation IAESTE (speicial thanks to Ali, otherwise I wound't had the idea!). As you can imagine, I'm starting to become very excited... Tomorrow I will go back to Stuttgart to organise the last things, and start packing my stuff. I'm looking forward to see lots of people again tomorrow evening/night as I won't see them during the summer!
And on Wednesday morning it will be time to leave Germany again for about 10 weeks: Ghana, I'm coming!!!

I wish you lot's of fun and I hope, you are enjoying news from me!

And now some special greetings and hugs to my friends in Canada!!!

Liebe Grüße
Verena