The Tini Waterfalls (not so tiny)

Hey all, here is a report on probably the funnest thing we've done since I've been here. This last Saturday (June 18, 2011), we headed to a town called Anyinem to see some nearby waterfalls. It was quite an adventure!

First of all, our 16 year old cook/maid/interpreter named Augustina (pictured below)decided to accompany us because she thought we were too stupid to handle ourselves on our own (she was probably right). But, she thought we were just going to the local river, which is about a five minute walk away from where we live. She was even more alarmed when she found out we'd be journeying by taxi to a fairly distant city. Luckily, she decided to come along anyway.

When we got to the local taxi station in Abomosu we had our first adventure. A bus driver and a taxi driver fought over who would get to transport us on the 50 minute drive to Anyinem. Unfortunately, the taxi driver won so the five of us got to pack into a very small car. He thought one of our group, the taller girl named Melody, was quite attractive so she got the front seat and the other four of us packed in the back seat. We rolled down the windows though and it wasn't too bad of a trip. One thing I should mention, however, is that the roads here are horrible! Often times they are more pot holes than they roads. And, many of the pot holes are not inches deep, but rather feet deep! So, the taxi drivers speed like mad men on good stretches of road and then slam on the brakes when they approach a pot hole section. Amazingly enough, I still managed to fall asleep in the car on the way home.

So, we eventually got to Anyinem and then convinced our driver to drive us the rest of the way to the trail head of the waterfall. Then came the really fun part. I thought it would be just a quick walk to the waterfalls but it turned out to be an almost 45 minute hike through the jungle! Oh man, I have missed hiking so much that it felt great to be out again. I kind of ditched the other guys so I could enjoy the woods by myself for a bit and so I could water a particularly dry looking spot of jungle...



So, when we got the falls they were amazing! Most of Ghana is pretty flat but here there we cliffs that ranged from about 100 to 500 feet tall! They looked awesome and I would love to be the first limber to establish some routes on them! Another time. Anyway, where the falls came out was in this kind of natural amphitheater surrounded by jungle and huge cliffs. Then, right out of the middle these huge falls pour down! They are gorgeous and everything is green and covered in the spray from the falls. And one of the coolest things is that the water is clean and clear. Most of the rivers here have been torn up for gold mining and are muddy brown. This water is crystal clear though and just looks clean and nice!






So, once we got there we started dinking around. I went swimming and pretty soon two of the other interns followed. It was nice and cool and for the first time since I have been here I actually felt a little chilly! You'd think after Logan I wouldn't want to be cold again but it was really refreshing!


After that we came on home. It really was such a great trip! I hope we get to do more things like it. Anyway, take care all!

Pictures of Abomosu (and Asonofo)

So, I figure it is about time I finally post some pictures of what life is like here and some of the people that I am working with. In my defense the power and the internet are very unreliable at best so posting has been a little bit difficult. Anyway, all excuses aside, in no particular order, here is some about life in Abomosu!

First of all, this is downtown Abomosu. Yes, that is a chicken running around. They are all over the place. And, yes, that is all the bigger any of the stores are here. No grocery stores, just these little garage type things. Lots of stores are just wooden shacks in fact. The beauty salons are my favorite of I think. Nothing like going to the shack on the side of the road to get your hair done, eh ladies?


Next, this is Aaron on one of the days that we walked to the nearby town of Asonofo. This little guy lives along our route and always comes out to walk with us some of the way. He doesn't speak any English and we don't speak any Twi so our communication is pretty limited but he doesn't seem to mind. He just likes holding the white guys' hands and walking along with us I guess.


This here is Nkansah. He is our translator and one of our best friends in the village. He went on a mission to Nigeria some years ago and now lives in Abomosu. For work he helps us, makes cement blocks for people to build with when there is any building going on and works on his farm. He says everything he does he tries to do "small small." Anyway, we went to work with him at his farm one day. He didn't really trust us to do anything so we mostly stood around and talked to him while he hacked away at stuff with his machete. It was fun though. This is him carrying kasava root in a sack so he can cook it for dinner later on that night.


This is a red headed lizard we saw walking around one day. If JJ were here I am sure he would have caught it in a second with a hang stick. They're probably about a foot long if you count their tail. Pretty cool looking.


This is George Obeng, aka, the Black Dwarf. Honestly, I think he comes up a little higher than my belly button. He is way cool. He lives in Asonofo, the outlying town we go to teach at twice a week. He is a cocoa farmer and would like a loan so he can buy fertilizer that will make it so he can get two crops a year instead of just one. He is really cool.


This is Sally and I. She is one of the nurses at the health clinic we volunteer at every Friday morning. Aaron and I sit around and fill out insurance forms with her for about 4 hours each time. Way fun. She is always giving me dating advice. Surprising how I get that wherever I go. She just doesn't understand the special bond Maggy and I have either...


Last, for this post, we have Benjamin Dehoe (make sure to take a closer look at his shirt!). He is a perfect example of the guys we are here trying to help. He is 29 years old and is the branch president in Asonofo. He has a wife and three kids. And, he has almost no economic opportunities. He works on his farm everyday but still has very little to spare. He is a great guy though and we are hoping to give him about a $400 loan to start a fish farm soon.


Anyway, these are just a few of the people we are here to help. Hope you guys enjoy the photos!