Home » Ghana » African Adventure to Ghana - Summer 2003 (part II)

My summer of 2003 was a very exciting one. I went to Jonquière, Quebec to learn French for 5 weeks, and with only a few days to prepare (including a party at my friend Paul's cottage in between) I was off to Accra, Ghana landing July 1 (Canada Day, and also Ghanaian Independance Day). After that, within 3 days I was back at Ottawa to complete my Economics degree, so it was a very action-packed summer.

African Adventure to Ghana - Summer 2003 (part II)

Andrew Wozniuk
2006-04-02 10:41:09

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can add a whole new dimension to your trip. The common way to avoid these things is drinking bottled water, avoiding ice, and even brushing your teeth with bottled water. But you cannot always avoid everything. Things like salad that are washed in local water can still carry the bacteria, and same goes with dishes. Other food can also lead to problems. Well, I managed to last 20 days without any real medical problems, but wouldn't you know, the bacteria caught up with me. Right now I'm just taking it easy and resting. Taking antibiotics, eating baby food and drinking Fanta (apparently pop helps re-hydrate you). I had gone to the hospital (I think it was a private one), and seeing the doctor/lab work/prescription filling was way faster than it would have been in Canada, but it's probably because of the $$$. The medical system here is pretty developed, so there isn't really a need to fear it (as some would coming from a developed country).

Since you can't write for too long about being sick, I'll write more now about some random stuff. People always say going on a trip and really experiencing a different culture (not just visiting, but actually integrating into the society) is a life changing experience. Usually I can never see any sort of changes in myself unless I consciously think back and try to see it, and I can already see how my ways of thinking have changed.

Now coming here I did not come with a large budget, and I've also realized how the global economy really does for the most part have stable pricing. I thought coming here that everything would be cheap, but in reality, things are not. If you want to live a western lifestyle, it will cost you western prices. Going out to pubs/clubs can cost you just as much if not more than it would back home. Depending on what you eat, food can be cheaper, or just as much as at home. Used clothing is high in demand, so it costs just as much, maybe even a bit ...