learning

I left America just a week ago today, though I'm feeling strangely settled into our house here in Accra. I haven't mastered Ghanaian life by any means and I'm learning so so much each day. Today was our first big day of adventure: traveling outside the compound walls for more than 5 minutes! We worked at the store in Osu, Accra for the morning and boy was that an experience. Here's a recap of just a few things I've learned so far pretty unique to Ghana:
1. The constant honking of taxis will never stop and we've come to accept it. Both Tori and I have blonde hair. And don't exactly blend in around here. The honking means that there's space in the taxi but we don't think it's coincidence that the noise follows us around everywhere.
2. Whenever someone yells "Obama!" at us, they're being friendly! It's strange to find that incredibly comforting but I certainly will if it means I have a new friend.
3. Spice & food in general is an acquired thing. We eat Jollof rice (spicy rice), Waakye (pronounced wachee: spicy beans & rice), fried rice (spicy spin on chinese), fried plantains and chips, fish (skin on or dried/fried), ground nuts (little peanuts), fresh like real fresh eggs out of the chickens running around, white bread and luckily tons of fresh tropical fruits and cheap cookies.
4. A white person is a bruni.
5. The "world's nicest people" aren't always nice. But there are some incredibly sweet people here, don't get me wrong.
6. Milk doesn't reallllyyy need to be refrigerated. And overall as Americans, we're way to cautious when it comes to hygiene.
7. Blonde hair also communicates "please rip me off."
8. Shopping bags are called "rubbers" and you must have a bag for every single item you buy, even fresh bread which seems dirtier than if you just carried it, but it works.
9. The worse the litter in the gutter smells, the better you think you smell.
10. Traveling is a pretty complicated endeavor. But I'm convinced it'll be well worth it for our big adventures.
11. Gummies do not exist in the groceries, even the nice ones. A tub of lollipops is $70 USD. And that's a little hard to handle for my candy obsession.
12. Just point. And speak in some broken accent. Anything will be possible.
13. You will never stop sweating, but same with everyone else.
14. "A/C" is relative. It doesn't usually mean any temperature below 80.
15. Life is just slower and demands you to slow down and enjoy people. And that's good.


On a completely different note, Accra is kind of a lonely city. It's a huge city with tons of people but it lacks that community feel of a smaller village or community. Americans/foreigners here are all pretty independent but luckily I'm blessed to have the other intern Tori as a good friend already. Sitting at work today I plugged in the headphones to listen to some music for the first time since I arrived in Ghana. This place, completely apart from friends, family, a church community, hasn't been the easiest. But it's also brought about a whole new level of faith: desperation. Here I just crave the Lord. Maybe that sounds weird or a bit over the top but it's true. It's like missing a best friend, but a best friend who won't ever disappoint, who's always there, who loves unconditionally, who always knows the perfect thing to say, who knows every single detail about you and loves you more than you can ever comprehend. I miss my friends and family a lot but through that has just shown me that no matter where I go, I will always be fulfilled and complete. I have everything I could ever want or need. I get to talk to God through prayer because of what Jesus did for me and for the whole world. Being away from people for me has just meant realizing the desperation of my soul to grow closer to the Lord, to strengthen our relationship that He's been working on my whole life but I fail to acknowledge it so many times. The desperation stems from an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar people knowing I can do nothing apart from God's will. This has all been hitting me very recently and I couldn't think of any better way to word the plea of my heart than the first song that played on my iTunes:
These hands are yours
Teach them to serve
As you please and I'll reach out
Desperate to see all the greatness of God
May my soul rest assured in you
Show me your heart
Show me your way
Show me your glory

My heart's been craving Jesus. And the good thing is that the craving will always be satisfied. I'll find wholeness in Him.