Weekend Recap

Last weekend, Rhona invited me to the baptism of her niece Carly. It was so nice meeting Rhona’s family! And everyone was so funny about meeting me, because Rhona’s son is named Nowell too. So every time I say, “Hi, I’m Noelle,” they look at me for a moment thinking that I’m going to finish the sentence…”Hi, I’m Noelle’s girlfriend, so-and-so” or something to that affect. And then, everyone looks at Rhona and says, “Oh! Another one!” I guess no one is used to having more than one Noelle in their life!

Mama Rhona and Baby Carly

I also moved into my flat last weekend! It’s a very sweet place, in an apartment complex right next to the beach! There is no Internet access and hardly any cell phone service, but we are working are remedying those issues! Once I settled into my flat, I went down to the beach and took a walk on the shore for a bit. It is really peaceful, and I hope to spend a good amount of my time there over the next three months. I really love the beach, although I still have yet to find beaches as nice as the ones in North Carolina!

The Indian Ocean

Every morning since I moved in, I wake up at 5:30 AM to the shrieks of birds. They are called hadidas, and I guess they operate similar to a rooster, and announce the sunrise. It can be quite startling, but it’s kind of cool at the same time to have such a natural alarm clock.

I consider myself a pretty low maintenance girl, but I am still consistently reminded here that convenience is a luxury. I thought NYU in Ghana and the hot NY summers had prepared me for unbearable heat, but I have never appreciated air conditioning more than I do right now (my flat does not have air conditioning)! Also, I did not realize how often I operate on the Internet until I no longer had 24/7 access to it. After I leave work, I have very limited forms of communicating with anyone really, which is daunting…and at the same time, refreshing. I am re-learning the virtues of patience, living on necessity, spending time with myself, and depending on others. Everything is a process, and most things are more challenging than they seem like they should be, but there is a very strange beauty to that. You have to be resourceful, and really work for what you want, even if it means climbing a hill to receive a phone call.

Where I Live