Afrihyia pa!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

I can’t believe the date, when I write it. It really doesn’t feel like Christmas. I did watch some Xmas specials on TV the other night which got me in the mood somewhat, but it feels like I am just about to jump into a cyclone from a standstill, to get swept up in the (albeit wonderfully welcome) whirlwind of winter, festivities, and gathering of friends and family. The pace here (except when one is with Fei!) is slow, where times given are approximations and all things are flexible and prone to change with “the flow”.

I woke up a little melancholy today. I was advised to show up at the bus station by 9am where I was finally able to buy a ticket (I was befriended at the bus station by an employee/manger who made certain I got a ticket for the 1pm bus and even took my number down in the event there was room on the 10am. In the meantime I hung out at Oasis Beach (a traveler’s safe haven, bar, restaurant, patio chairs etc.. on the beach right by the castle) with my new buddy, Kwesi, a guide, giving tours at Cape Coast Castle (he actually makes as much as the average teacher!). 

I am now at the airport, in the office of the electrical maintenance manager of the airport (Lawrence Bonsu- Bonsu means “whale” in Twi, by the way- I just found out), a friend of Fei’s who has let me set up to do my last computer work and charge the phone for Fei while I wait. My flight is not for another 5 hours. It was wild to step through the doors and be blasted by air conditioning, Christmas music, so many different faces of different origins… I feel like I have left Africa already almost.

I have called Fei, Samuel and Julianna to say my final farewells and Afrihyia pa (Merry Xmas/Happy New Year). I am now handing over the phone, camera, modem and power adapter to have Lawrence pack and send it back on a plane to Kumasi to Fei (service of what?!).

I sign off my Ghana blog entries here. “Me daase pi” for being interested enough to read my reflections and rantings; I do hope I was not too cynical, critical, or make too many errors or unfair generalizations as an outsider looking in on the culture and people. What a blessing this has been. I do hope this is only the beginning of positive work that can be done through the connections made:

As the International Rotary motto goes: The Building of Community- The Bridging of Continents.

Last link: http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/KokumParkAndCapeCoastLastDaysInGhana?feat=directlink