Number Two (we see creativity isn't my strong point)

So orientation week in Ghana is exactly like orientation week in New York - completely scheduled, full to the brink of exhaustion. We've been going over safety, health, academic procedures, introductions, and cultural briefings for FOUR DAYS straight. Not so fun, but mostly interesting and I suppose necessary.

A few highlights
Our house went to a bar (it's legal, thank you very much) on Monday night (that IS a plus on orientation week, at least), and got lost. Well, not really lost (and not even misplaced) - we just couldn't find the place that was recommended to us, so we just picked a different one. It was fun, super cheap, really loud, and a great, relaxing first night in Accra.

I lit a gas stove, all by myself. (this is big news...really, it is) Yesterday morning I went to a little shop (First Choice) down the street, bought two eggs, came home and cooked them. They were remarkably good, and it was really cool buying food immediately before cooking it.

Gallery - today we went to a gallery in Accra with both historical artifacts and modern art. First of all, it was an amazing gallery. It sat right on the ocean, overlooking the surf, and had it's paintings well spaced and organized. The art itself was a mixture of carvings, textiles, sculptures, oils, and acrylics, in addition to jewelry.  I love modern art - this was a real treat.

Last night our CRAs (Community Resident Assistants) took us around to show us all of the cool nightlife spots - some looked pretty awesome, and some seemed more like places to eat. We wound up at this outdoor bar/club kind of place with live music. We stayed and danced legitimately under the stars for a few hours before returning home to fall asleep.

In all of these expeditions, I've gotten to meet people. I'm getting to know the great group of people from NYU, but also meeting locals and other international students. I'm really excited for classes to start and to develop a set routine, or at least one that's semi-predictable. Going out is a part of the cultural experience, so I'm glad I'm getting a chance to participate in that as well.

Beach trip this weekend. Yes!

Drop a line, email me or whatever, ESPECIALLY if you're looking for a piece of mail in the near future (once I figure out how to mail stuff, I will).