Ghana - First Impressions by Joanne Lloyd-Triplett

With eleven new vaccinations and malaria pills in hand I set off for my first visit to the continent of Africa. After vigorous sprints through Atlanta and JFK airports to catch connections with minutes to spare I finally touch down in Accra, Ghana, luggage and all. It seems that many of my fellow Delta travelers have similar reasons for visiting Ghana: a missionary group here to build a maternity ward; a gap year student volunteering at a local orphanage. The wave of heat that hits me as I exit the plane is a far cry from the three inches of snow I left behind in Louisville, Kentucky. I take a moment to look around and take it all in. The ride to the hotel is not that long but offers a feast for the eyes; groups of people sitting relaxing under trees, a football match (the British kind), roadside stalls offering freshly cooked foods; a lady carrying a huge basket on her head, full of what look like bananas. We pull onto a dirt road and the hotel appears on the left, the building reminds me somewhat of Buckheads on the river with its roofline imitating mountain peaks. The lobby is right out of a 1980’s Spanish hotel; small, marble and without AC. I’m already in love with this place. The room is very spacious and clean and as I start to unpack I hear singing coming from the conference rooms below. Before we get to work on AUPAP (African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program) there’s time for a quick look around……