Ghana, How I love thee

I have seven weeks left in Africa. Where did all the time go?

This amazing experience has FLOWN by. I feel so blessed to have come here and met these amazing people. I am going to make sure to treasure every single moment left here in Ghana, for I know that in the blink of an eye it will all be gone. Thus, I have decided to make a list of all of the many wonderful things that I love about my home of the past four months, so that in the coming weeks as I prepare to finish my semester and journey back across the sea-and inevitably cry a lot- I can look back on all that I have experienced with a heart of love and appreciation.

1. Akwaaba- This word means welcome in Twi(pronounced tree). I LOVE THIS WORD

2. Plantain chips and sachet water available right outside the tro tro window

3. Tro Tros - the entire experience is marvelous- the sights, sounds, smells, bargaining with the mate for the regular price instead of the obruni one. I LOVE BARGAINING with tro tro or taxi drivers. It is SOO much fun. My friend Casey always lets me take the lead.

4. Being called Obruni(foreigner).

5. Being called Auntie Kate - by the kids at Kissemahn & Beacon House

6. Jolif rice, plantains, red red, yam chips w/tomato sauce, coke in bottles, pineapple, bananas, and egg sandwiches

7. Spending the night in the hospital with Casey.

8. The night market - need I say more? Everything you could ever want or need all in one place. Vivian = best night market friend ever.

9. Phrases such as Charlay, eh(pronounced VERY dramatically), Ete sen

10. Chaco tans made by the red dust of Accra

11. Osu smoothie place

12. THE KIDS AT KISSEMAHN AND THE ORPHANAGE .. there is so much I could write about these beautiful children .. how beautiful their smiles are.. how fun it is to play football with them and sing songs .. how wonderful it is to hold them in my arms.

13. Bible study on Tuesday nights with my ISH girls

14. Shadrach introducing us to the song SHAKE THAT BOOTY THAT JESUS GAVE YOU

15. Daily texts from my Ghanaian friends asking if I slept well, how I am doing, do I need anything, etc.

16. Taco Bell- a restaurant on campus that does not serve tacos, but does have really good vegetables & fried rice- and FANS

17. The insanity of class in Ghana- the yelling, craziness, inability to figure out what is going on... it's beyond frustrating, but wonderful

18. Coffee Q- berry tea, wonderful ladies, great egg sandwiches, and shade:)

19. AVOCADOS in Ghana :) I eat avocado on sandwiches(thanks Togo) and pretty much everything else.

20. Singing with my ISH peeps. Someone always has a guitar out and is strumming some tune or other.

21. My awesome Ghanaian friends - and my ISEP peeps. This experience would not be nearly as wonderful.

22. Being proposed to on a daily basis. The most recent proposal occurred in a taxi on the way back from the orphanage. The cab driver asked Lyndsey if he could marry her sister(me)- her response "She's already married." Another fun one was at the Ivory Coast - Benin soccer match where four Cameroonian guys asked for our picture(at least 5 times) and kept trying to be "friends." Casey made up a story about how I was engaged and getting married in August and that she was hoping her boyfriend back home would give her a ring like mine. It was beyond funny.

23. Being told you look beautiful while soaked with sweat and in t-shirts, shorts, and chacos.

24. Heat comas- my term for afternoon naps.

25. Seeing the kids at Kissemahn write their numbers for the first time.

26. Buying dinner for 50 peswas.

27. Riding in Tro Tros or cabs and narrowly avoiding death every time. It is always exciting to drive in Accra.

28. Seeing Jesus everywhere:)

29. Shadrach's church.

30.Ivory Coast- Benin soccer game. Watching two of my friends living their dream on the field with Drogba.

31. falling in love with God every day.. my relationship with him has never been this amazing:)

hallelujah :)