Balcony Adherence

Sunday walks by the Canal

I haven't been able to sleep past 8 A.M. since I have arrived, and I found a reason to be grateful for that today.  I am sitting outside on a balcony overlooking my neighborhood and it's refreshing. This is the first time that I have done this, but I think it will become a daily ritual. Why would I enjoy waking up early to sit? Well grandpas have it figured out. As I sit out here I can't help but feel such sweet harmony in the morning air. I can hear the humming of daily life outside of my  own chaotic and noisy NYU student compound that so often drowns out anything else. As I said before, my largest adjustment has been living in a large group of college students, and that has proved to be increasingly tricky to navigate at times. I haven't yet had a chance to hum along to daily Ghanaian activity because I have been in constant roaming with my peeps from New York.

But I sit here today with new resolve and purpose.

There is a gentle breeze that has a slight cooling effect from the sun that is just beginning to share its warmth with me. I watch the blanketed clouds slowly roll back for the sun and unravel the possibility of quality beach time later on today. Small chattering and distant passionate arguments make a shift through the air as well. I feel giddy sitting here. The sound of crunching gravel under neighbors' feet as they walk past my house on the road satisfyingly proclaims itself. But my ears are tuned in to the consistent melody of various tropical birds. This reminds me of home in the canyon, adding a realistic and comforting sound of the outdoors I know. Like I said before, I love Accra, and could easily find myself living here. If only living through the quiet rhythms of a Saturday morning in Accra was practical for every day living.

I think I have found a way to manage that.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience". As my blog clearly states I am nomadic, a true wanderer at heart. Let me explain my thoughts on that further. I have often found in the middle of academics discussing the concepts surrounding  the notion of  racial, sexual, spiritual, and physical "outliers" as defined by society . As an individual that studies these topics of identity, I recognize the serious setbacks/pain many face as someone who only fits in those margins. Someone who feels they must shift and navigate new identities because the environment they are in does not accept them, often leaves people feeling nomadic and restless as they try to find a group of belonging and acceptance. In general, I feel that my identity as a white, straight, educated, able-bodied female, I am overall accepted by the mainstream. But what do we make of those nomads that come as a result of physical, not emotional navigation?

I have moved 24 times - 4 states, and a small amount of time in 2 other countries and can tell you the result is the same: restlessness and an eager sense of belonging in my travels. I would not call this frequent amount of moving  as a child damaging, but rather a circumstance resulting in good and bad components. As I said before it often leaves me impatient and quick to find more adventure and new people, leaving me at the threshold of adventure and blanketed in a life filled with the sweet taste of life on my tongue. I would call many instances of my life truly magical. Yet, these same instincts pull me away from my sweet family and friends that I love so dearly, hindering magical moments with the people I love most to happen frequently. And sometimes when I can't find my sweet spot of adventure, I become restless and dreamy for new thrilling scenery. I often experience life with my loved ones through Face-time screens, not face to face contact, which is often difficult for me. And I know that my fast speed can only realistically maintain itself in short spurts. So, Emerson once again has created a proverb that I am trying to adopt as key component of my life.

You da man Emerson.

So how does patience happen here in Ghana? Well first of all, God must be laughing (And that is how I know I am on the right track). I have once again been sent to a country that operates on a different sense of time. If  you say we will meet at 3 o'clock that really means 4 o'clock.GMT time does not stand for Greenwich Mean time but Ghana Mountain time I have been told.  Like I said though, the slow pace of time has been good for me, and quite refreshing. The difficulty here lies with my surroundings of other NYU students trying to acclimate. I find myself too quickly becoming critical of our groups as "stereotypical Americans" than I am patient and understanding of the discomfort caused for both parties in this cultural exchange. I need to find more patience for people from my own country, something that will benefit me anywhere I go.  As I sit on the porch today, I am reminded of that. Thanks again Emerson, you always know how to say it well.

His proverb also reminds me of something that I think will really improve my personal happiness. When I am most self-content  I am usually in nature. Finding a way to carve out quiet space to feel the rhythms of nature around me is one of the best ways I can find appreciation for myself and for god. I can testify that spirituallity can be found in loud and chaotic moments, but some of my most memorable spiritual experiences have been in the quite, simple, and serene times in nature. I guess that means just one thing.  Challenge accepted.

I'll let you know how it all goes. But for now
Yɛbehyia bio

Jessica

PS if you made it this far you deserve to look at a few more pics.... sorry for my novels!

Sunset Sky Lovin

Balcony View

ACOM .... yeauuh

Maakyε Everyone!

Sorry for the delayed post. But as you probably know, if I'm not posting, I'm experiencing. And I have experienced a lot this past week. Also, for those who have attempted to contact me, the internet connection here is pretty weak. Anyways, I hope all is well with you today, it's wonderful over here in Africa- 90 degree weather and sunshine for all of you still suffering through the gloomy snow.

 #bummerforyou 


I'll be honest in saying my experience thus far has been hectic, but overall fantastic. It's good for me to reflect on my initial response to coming here since we have had non stop orientation and only small spurts of quiet time. But I can say firmly that I think I have fallen in "like" with Ghana. In fact, I could see myself potentially living in Accra for a few years....Surprised? Probably not. It's an interesting and uncommon phenomenon when you feel instantly settled, but I have found that here. Surprisingly for me the only adjustment has been life with a group of college students, and even that has been pretty minimal. The food has mainly been meat based and absolutely delicious... perfect for me! And the music and art is soulful, leaving me always wanting more. The hustle and bustle is actually a lot more laid back than New York, and that has been refreshing. I also quickly engaged myself in a love affair with the language here. A few days ago we had the opportunity to learn from Da Kofi. Da means father in Twi and Kofi is the name given to males born on Friday. I really enjoy the way everyone is considered family in Ghanaian culture. I'm generally referred to as friend or daughter when I'm greeted... with the occasional "obroni" (foreigner). Interestingly, I discovered that there are over 40 languages and 70 + dialects here in Ghana, making the Twi I learn not universal.But of all the dialects of Twi I could learn, Akan Twi is the most common and widely spread. Thus, this is the language I am currently trying to learn..... wish me luck!

Aside from the new environment, I am also adjusting to starting school again. I am currently signed up for Global Connections with Uncle Nat, the former Mayor of Accra, Society Culture and Modernization in Ghana, History of the Atlantic Slave Trade, and Specific Topics in Non Westernized Art. How cool is that? I think this is the most excited I have ever been for my classes. And I can already tell I will be incredibly busy balancing classes and all the other adventures that await. See, I have written a list of 35 + things I want to do before I will be leaving Ghana. I'll try and add the list at a later time. But this weekend I am trying to visit an island off the west coast. I'll let you know how it goes. As I'm writing this, I just need to stop and say, REALLY HOW COOL IS IT THAT I AM LIVING IN AFRICA?!

I'm going to end my post here with a little inspiring quote, enough said for now,
and until next time...

NOMAD ON!


"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance"
 (Alan Watts)

I Wanna Go to Ghana

(One time, I held a blind baby duckling.)

Tomorrows the big day ladies and gents. And this time my adventures are taking me to Accra, Ghana. Who's excited besides me? I have the travel bug bad, and fervently I wait. If you know me, you know that  I'm too busy to sit still very long, so this has really tested my patience. I am staying at my sweet Aunt Susan and Uncle Anthony's house  in Long Island finding ways to keep myself busy. Lucky for me, adventures are attracted to me wherever I'm at so I have found ways to stay occupied. There was an interesting fluke with my Malaria pills yesterday (two days before leaving the country) that definitely raised my blood pressure a little, but it eventually worked itself out. But in the infrequently still moments I have found myself reminiscing on old escapades. My last large venture was to Barreras  (a remote campos in the Dominican Republic) back in 2012. While living in that beautiful community for two months, I experienced slight starvation (speculated to be a worm), three inch exhaust burn (still a scar on my leg), and emergency surgery in Santo Domingo. As crazy as I'm describing my DR trip to be, it was actually one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The people (Lala, Ellen, Lelenni, Ramon to just name a couple), the dancing, the food,  and the overall  day to day living had  phenomenal moments of exhilaration for me. I would never trade that for anything. I absolutely fell in love with Barreras. And today as I begin to daydream of Africa  it makes me wonder, how is Accra going to steal my heart?

So my family in New York and  Utah have an ongoing joke. By ongoing, I mean that I cannot go a conversation without hearing it. "No wanna go to Ghana" they say to me over and over again. Variations of the phrase began ensuing... and it more or less became a chant. I'll preface by saying they are supportive and excited for me to do what I love. But they are not thrilled that my dream since getting accepted to NYU is to go to Africa.  In the most endearing and slightly humorous way, they are letting me know they want me safely at home. But they also know that I will inevitably continue to go out into unknown territory and fall in love with the world. 

I'm ready to go fall in love again. It's scary, but the world has proven to always love me back.

In one of the last Campamentos (summer workshop I put on for the ninos) before I left Barreras, each child painted their hands and pasted the hand-print onto a large piece of paper. Audry, a rambunctious kid who had thrown rocks at my campanera earlier that month, came and sat by me peacefully. As a large group, we talked a little bit about las derechas a los ninos. I can't remember if that week's theme was about equality or not, but I remember feeling a sense of togetherness  and equality I have never since experienced. I cant even begin to describe it because it was out of this world. This is just one of the thousands of reasons I fell in love in the Dominican Republic. 

Its not always easy to fall in love, believe me, I know. I have moved 23+ times in my 20 years of life and can honestly say I did not love every place I have lived. But I have learned a few things in the past few years about falling in love with where you live: Find ways to love something through and through, and eventually you will. Invest time and emotion for the long-haul and you can find a special place in your heart for any escapade. Its was not easy in the DR, but it will always be worth it. 

So Ghana, here I come! Ready with a big heart, and a head open to the possibilities that await! I will try and update on those special moments I encounter along the way. But I also would LOVE to hear all of YOUR wonderful experiences where your at. So please. And I mean it, PLEASE send me letters about the moments of exhilaration you experience in the next few months. 

Don't have contact information? Ask and ye shall receive:

Email: jll526@nyu.edu

Facebook: Jessica Lawrence

Skype: jlaulaw

Address:

Jessica Lawrence

PMB CT 84

Cantoments, Accra

Ghana

I can't wait to hear what is special in your life, because it will be special to mine if you share... I PROMISE.

Take care now! xoxo

P.S. if you want to hear more about Moments of Exhilaration look into Matthew Goulish, he's the bees knees.

“WE MAY AGREE on the premise that each work of art is at least in part perfect, while each critic is at least in part imperfect. We may then look to each work of art not for its faults and shortcomings, but for its moments of exhilaration, in an effort to bring our own imperfections into sympathetic vibration with these moments, and thus effect a creative change in ourselves. These moments will of course be somewhat subjective, and if we don’t see one immediately, we will out of respect look again, because each work contains at least one, even if by accident. We may look at the totality of the work in the light of this moment – whether it be a moment of humor or sadness, an overarching structural element, a mood, a personal association, a distraction, an honest error, anything that speaks to us.”

–Matthew Goulish, 39 Microlectures.

To Share//

Ready. Set. And I'm Off!

(2012 my last day in the Dominican Republic)

 Alright,so I'm not starting a blog with the most exciting beginning, but who's to say where the juiciest beginning should start anyways? My adventure today is flying back to New York from Salt Lake City, Utah tonight. This journey has gratefully become a routine. Gratefully, because I have the privilege of coming home to my sweet family/friends a few times a year and soak in the beautiful atmosphere of Utah. I then get to journey, explore, and submerge myself in the greatest of all cities, NYC. Miley Cyrus would probably write a song about my life called "Best of Both Worlds" or something... I truly consider myself the luckiest! I could write a whole blog about my lucky life but let me focus back to the purpose of this blog.

 My dearest friend and I went to Vegas for New Years. Last year we sat for 12+ hours in Times Square in New York and this year we wanted to relive that thrill. Vegas was a little too trashy and unenthusiastic for my taste but some wonderful resolutions came to a forefront from that trip. I decided that I wanted to be inconvenient this year. What does that even mean? Really, as a social work student I want to be inconvenient? Well I can't promise that I'll delayer my resolution for you at all. Too much typing. At least for now. But I will start by saying that in my attempt to be more inconvenient I decided to share my thoughts more openly and frequently for a larger population than my own mind. 

 A blog became the the best and worst way I could do this. I am not a good writer at all, it's actually a sore spot for me. This is pretty terrifying that anything I write will be read and critiqued. Please bear with me. But hey, if there's one thing I have discovered in my life its that hard things are worth it. I must carry forward blogging! See, it won't be easy to find ways to inconvenience everyone, because next week I leave for Accra, Ghana. (I probably could have written an enthralling beginning blog about my journey through Nigeria for 12 hours and the exotic world I was stepping into in Accra.) I'm fortunate enough to take college classes there and submerse myself in the non-profit world (thank you NYU scholarships!!!). This awesome experience will have filtered technology and access to the people I want to talk to often. That is when I knew blogging was necessary. 

 But what am I to blog about? Well, I'll leave most of that for you to find out. But I will say this: I will also be going to Israel for my fall semester (I'm really dropping all the big news quick!). I will be paralleling the prominent government based initiatives in Ghana (regarding NGO's and grassroots) with the religious and private based initiatives in Israel. Hmmm,I'm satisfied with that explanation, but if anyone has further curiosity I will also be skyping and am happy to inconvenience your life further with a longer conversation. I am super excited about this opportunity to attempt paralleling how social work is utilized in different ways in different regions of the world. I honestly couldn't be more excited. 

 Nevertheless, this journey that starts today, and again next week doesn't come without a cost. I will be missing the outstanding people I know and love. I will be missing the beautiful places I know and love. But lets not forget the food in this conversation. I will definitely be missing the convenience and fattening food I devour on an hourly basis. This experience of living outside myself is more than worth it, don't get me wrong. But it will be hard to say goodbye for a quick minute. 

Last thing I will write today (I am already going over some blog length etiquette I'm sure.) What's up with My Nomadic Days you say? Well once again, I'm not going to just lay it out for you. Instead I'll show you a poem I wrote:

We the extended 

I toss and roll

Do you see the reflection of pursing lips?

Life is Not droll

Variance it is, my heart sometimes rips

But in the end it reaches the highest moments 

on the green grass under the caress of the sun

And somehow the search leaves me never to run 

Nomads we are

As we search the entity

But nomads at heart never claim the identity