Day 0: culture shock

Today is arrival day at the March Meeting (MM), in Accra.  Having arrived the night before, I decided to make it more of a visiting day, before the work and business of the MM kicked in.  A few of us decided to go to a market in Accra, and it was a really wonderful experience!  Even the drive to the market, with many street vendors selling dried plantain and water bottles carried on baskets on their heads, was an experience.  The food once we got there was good, but the best part about eating in Accra was the lack of utensils.  There is nothing that brings me back to childhood quite like eating rice and stew with your hands!  The people at the market were all very friendly, presumably because they wanted us to buy their products.  We got a mini drum lesson, and met a vendor that knew all the capitals of all the provinces, and even small Canadian towns such as Chibougamo.  All of the artists’ work was really wonderful, and it was a pleasure to explore the market!  After a lot of wandering through the shops, we got to the beach, which was really beautiful!  All in all, it was a very good day!

It was also a day where I got to meet a lot of new people from many different countries, and that was also a highlight!  I got hugs from Colombians, shared a beer with some Belgians, and met many other wonderful people from around the world!  Now, people have arrived, the opening ceremony has passed, and it’s time to begin.  General assembly, here I come!