day 2 and 3

Yesterday (Monday), I thought I would start my rotation but I was told I should go and explore and get acquainted before I begin. So I started my day at about 9. I went to the main road just outside the hospital and walked up and down for about an hour. I saw some interesting things, including: a shack which supposedly performs sterile circumsicions (I want to get a picture of that one!), tons of people carrying everything you could think of on their heads, and lots of other interesting things. I love the way women carry their babies here! It looks so cute! they take a big piece of fabric and tie their babies to their backs and the babies just loll thereand look so freaking cute!! After my excursion I was so hot I thought I was going to die, and lucky for me there was water in the reserve tnak (something that isn't always available). So i carried my bucket and got water, and "bathed". By bathe I mean stood in a shower stall and crouched down so I could use my hands as a cup to cover myself with the water. After my oh so awesome shower (which felt like the best cleanse I had ever had in my life after sweating like a crazy person all morning) I wandered with another exchange student over to the hospital to try to get my bearings. Of course we got lost, but thats ok. Afterwards, we found a real mall here in Ghana!!!! it had AC and everything. it also had 2 large supermarkets, and we had Ice cream and enjoyed the coolness (it was probably about 98 degrees).

today was my first day in the hospital, and I went on rounds with my group and then to the obs clinic where we saw so many pregnant women I can;'t even believe it. It's amazing to me, though, because the doctors answer their phones while they are with their patients and let their patients just sit there while they talk away! Also, the women are surprising not modest. They strip very easily and without hesitation. As a fairly Christian and religious country, I didn't really expect that. I got out at about 2:30 and had my first real lunch here-chicken, rice, and fried plantains.

Afterwards, my roomate and I took a tro-tro to Makola Market. It is this giant frenzy of vendors in the city center, where you can hardly walk there are so many stalls. They sell everything that you can possibly imagine!! We walked around the market for a couple of hours, and I ended up buying african cloth to make something eventually.

The market is truly amazing and total culture shock. As two white girls walking through, we stuck out like sore thumbs and since white people=rich people to many Ghaneans, they all try really really hard to get you to stop and buy something from them. They also try to charge you triple the price they would normally charge. Practically everything here is up for bargaining, even taxi's! we took a taxi to the mall which was 25 mins away and paid only about 5 dollars total (for three people)
Back to the market, it was truly an experience and I am so glad I went with my roomate because I know I would have gotten lost way too easily without her. Thats about it for today, lets see what tomorrow brings!