This morning we got up and went to a bead workshop where we learned how to make the glass beads. It was pretty awesome. Everything was done by hand which gave me such a greater appreciation for them. It was weird to have the other volunteers doing the workshop with us. They just kept talking about how much more efficient the process would be if done by a machine. They clearly have no appreciation for the beauty of handmade things.
The process was definitely tedious, you have to first pound the glass until it’s a dust, then you take cassava sticks an cut them into little tiny pieces and place them in the center of the mold which will make the center of the bead. Then you mix dye in with the glass dust and put the dust into the mold. Then you heat the molds in a fire for 5 minutes and then fire them for 15-20 minutes. Then you let them cool and wash them. We all got to make bracelets out of the beads we made.
After the workshop we went to the bead market. It was amazing. There were so many beads ranging from 50 pesewa to 500 cedi. Some of them were African trading beads that never loose their value and many people invest in them and hold onto them, kind of like gold.
After the market we started our journey back to Cape Coast. We caught a Tro Tro to Accra. When we got to Accra we had to walk a little way to catch another Tro that would take us to Cape Coast. Ellen and I had to use the restroom so we made friends with a vendor who took us to use a public bathroom. It was really nice because we had to go through a market area and she grabbed my hand and showed me where to go. When other people were shouting at me clearly because I'm white, she turned to me and said, “Don’t mind them.” It was super cute. We had to pay 5 pesewa to use the restroom.. Which was actually a concrete room. In the corner there was a small square where the concrete was about three inches lower then the rest of the floor with a small hole in the corner. I did my best to make it in the hole.. but I clearly need practice. By the time I left my shorts and shoes were both wet… oops.
From Accra we caught a tro to Takrodi, which is west of Elmina. It was better then having caught one to Cape Coast because we got dropped off right at our junction and didn’t have to worry about catching another taxi after dark.
Overall, I had a great couple of days. Traveling was totally stress free and more fun then I expected. I’m really happy I ended up going, it was a successful last adventure in Ghana.
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