i'm tall and awkward looking...like a giraffe

Accra may be known for its nightlife, but that doesn’t mean it is on the same level as that of New York or London. Last night we went to Aphrodisiac (yes yes, I know, but the locals call it Aphro, so being pretty much a local I shall call it that). This place was supposed to be the biggest newest club in Accra, so I went thinking that we would probably not get in. We were able to walk right in (without paying, it was ladies night). It was supposed to be huge and with four rooms of dancing, so I was thinking we were headed to a superclub like Fabric in London. Four rooms of dancing meant one dance room with three lounges around it. There are also lots of prostitutes wherever you go out. (I don’t know if that’s appropriate to say because my grandmother reads this, but it is relevant, Grammie). They are just a part of the crowd when you go out, usually wearing something short and tight. And the experiences other nights have been mostly the same – it’s not that it’s bad; it’s just very different from what we’re used to.

Today we went back to Makola market – we were a big group of girls on a mission for fabric. The patterns and colors are so unique and so different from anything I’ve ever seen before. I honestly do not know how I will go back to regular shopping when I cannot design everything I’m wearing and have it handmade by the amazing seamstress Marjorie. Mom – for Christmas can I please just have Marjorie dresses? Her shop is across the street from one of the restaurants we have a meal plan for and everyday as soon as the van drops us off a group of seven or so girls will walk over to unload more fabric and sketches on her. We all tell her how much we love her and how much we want to be her best friend…and she’ll nod politely and move on to the next girls requests.

One of the girls here got her laptop stolen – their room was empty for only about two hours but somehow it got taken. If it had happened to me - I would’ve flipped on anyone nearby. SO SO SO creepy to think of someone walking around your bedroom and going through your stuff. The people at NYU handled it pretty well – security came over and for some wonderful reason they decided to review the tapes from the security camera in our living room. When I say security I mean like the head of the guy from our security company, his entourage, and our CRAs in our living room reviewing tapes. It was a scene from CSI/Law and Order and I desperately wanted to be involved. I definitely thought I was going to spot some intruder that they hadn’t noticed and cracked the case. It didn’t happen. I got sort of tired and needed to sleep so after about ten minutes I napped on the couch while they watched the tapes. Mystery still unsolved with that one, but everyone has become super paranoid about putting our valuables away and making sure all our locks work.

Pictures are the Black Star Square in Accra and the view from a house (house meaning open space on the street) which we invaded when we went on a tour with Uncle Nat, the former mayor of Ghana, who is also my teacher for Global Connections, which is going to be AMAZINGGG. This man took us to Jamestown, a very poor part of the city, had all of us get off our ridiculously large tour bus, and shuttled us into a house, assuring us that the people living there didn’t mind. Incredibly uncomfortable but, as you can see, the view was amazing.