3 posts in one, written a few months ago..

CAPE COAST

Have you heard of the Cape Coast? Before all this, before I decided to come to Ghana I think I had heard the name, but I guess it was like most African geography, I had heard of the Horn of Africa, and the Ivory Coast, but I didn’t know where they were on the map. I didn't even know where the big G (Ghana) was on the map.

The Cape Coast is west of Accra, I’m not sure how far in kilometres, but about 3 hours by tro tro directly. From the hospital in Suhum, it was a bit of a challenge to get there. As I said it was 4 more tro tro rides. But we made it. It was actually a wonderful opportunity to see the country side. We weaved through mountains and along dirt roads for the most of it. The bush is lush, green and thick. The haze hung most of the way, and was still present in the Cape Coast city.

It was hectic. I tend to shy away from Christmas shopping, Chadstone leading up to Christmas makes me feel sick, so many people everywhere yuk! This was different of course, but it’s the best way I can describe the sheer number of people all moving in different directions. Mayhem.

A man sitting next to me on the tro tro helped us, when we finally arrived. He walked with us a bit of the way to the hotel, so we wouldn’t get lost. The road is probably 3 lanes wide, with about a lane and a half used for cars to drive. The rest is filled with people selling goods, food, clothes, shoes, anything, people walking, and an open drain on both sides. In that lane and a half, theres about 5 lanes of traffic trying to squueze through (well at least thats what it felt like).

I should mention quickly, it rained on Sunday, and since then the smell hasn’t been quite so strong. But now, it’s a strange smell, and as long it doesn’t smell like seweage I don’t mind it.

So we got into the hotel, 4 single beds for 6 people; fun. Delfina and I walked up to the castle to meet the other volunteers who had travelled straight from Accra. I am not sure if the castle was built specially for this purpose, but it was used for over a hundred years to hold slaves before they were sold and sent overseas. Small rooms, hot rooms, with barely any ventilation to house hundreds of men and women, for days, weeks, months, years. The current state of the castle, as a tourist attraction and education facility does not do the history justice. I found it quite difficult to imagine what it would have been like. I found it quite sickening. How could we just walk around and hear about hundreds of people at a time, thousands over the centuries, locked up, tortured, in slaved, how could we take photos of where they called home, their cells. I felt, I still feel incredibly ignorant.

We were taken into a small room, maybe 2-3 m squared, this room had 3 doors in a row, one after the other, to ensure once in, there was no getting out. There were no windows, and after spending about a minute in there I thought I was going to pass out. This room was used for the freedom fighters. This room was used for the slaves who fought back, they were put in this room to die. They were not fed, there was no ventilation or light. They were put in this room to die, to starve to death.

How could anyone justify treating people like that? How can we still do it? We don't know how lucky we have it in Australia, I thought I appreciated everything, I would always say I did. But now, this is a different kind of appreciation. I wish I knew an Aboriginal language. I wish I knew what one was called. Or the Aboriginal name of the area I grew up in. That should be taught in schools. We say we are such an amazing country, how come we barely learn anything about Australia pre 1788. There is such a huge focus in school about the First Fleet, about the Westminster system. What about the dream time, or traditional foods? Mum, write the ring bark tree book- ok, promise!!

The view from the top of the castle was quite breath taking, the cove stretches for a fair distance, but it is still possible to see most of the way in both directions from the castle. I guess that’s why they put the castle in that spot.

All I want to do is DANCE

I think that’s what I will call my book. The thing is though, if I really wanted to, I can dance anywhere, at any time, with anyone.

The book is going to be about the forgotten people. A series of bigographies about everyday people. How they got to where they are, maybe they are an artist, musician, teacher, doctor, maybe they are 17, or 35, maybe they are homeless, or have been, maybe they are addicted to drugs or sing in the shower, maybe they just love to travel and never got the chance.

The past month (written end of Feb 2012)

I hated it. So hate is a very strong word. How did I feel? I wanted to leave. I wanted to get back on the plane and get the hell out of here. I’m no saint, why should I stay if I don’t want to. BUT what would I be doing now if I had left? If I have any sense, I would have regrated it. I remember thinking, don’t worry, just give it 2 weeks, how hard can that be. It’s now a month, 4 weeks since I arrived. Had all plans gone ahead, as they were supposed to, had the plans with James worked, I would be arriving in one week. That’s scary. Gosh I’m so glad I arrived when I did. Time has absolutely flown. Wow I just got de ja vu.

Time has absolutely flown. "How is it Friday again?" Not that I'm complaining!!

Please note, I don't hate it anymore. NOT AT ALL! I just bought a ticket back, I'll be back in November. How cool is that!