I give you unlimited time!

Most of my friends are heading back to school. I've just had my first week of classes (supremely early, as far as NYU is concerned), so here's the report:

Twi

Due to the number of credits I want to take combined with scheduling, I'm in the two credit Twi class instead of the four credit Twi class. So this is a more basic conversational approach to Twi. It's wonderful to be in a language class again, especially now that I've taken linguistics. PHTS students who read this blog will appreciate that some common sounds in Twi are [e], [ε], [o], and [Ɔ], and that all of those symbols are used in Twi's written alphabet. Many people in the class are having trouble distinguishing between [o] and [Ɔ], and [e] and [ε]. I, however, am in pronounciation heaven. I'll spare you on this blog my musings about nasality in Twi.

The Life of Muhammad

...INTENSE. This is my University of Ghana, Legon class, which is thrilling, and also terrifying. I am one of two international students in the class, the rest are Ghanaian. The class intimidates me because 1) I have to concentrate so much harder to figure out what the teacher is saying because I'm still not accustomed to the accent, and 2) I don't have nearly as much background in Islam as everyone else in the class. Considering switching into Qur'anic Studies which is at the same time as this class. We'll see. No matter what, I'm taking a class here and it's most likely about Islam.

Community Psychology

I wasn't sure about this class when I signed up for it, but now having had once class, I think it's going to be awesome. Community Psychology came up in the 60's when a bunch of psychologists wanted to get away from the focus on the individual and be able to help larger communities. It actually reminds me a lot of Future Problem Solving, a program I was very involved with in middle school that probably did more to help my critical thinking than any other class I took. Community psychology is about looking for potential problems and treating them before they arise, and the class has a very practical, applicable approach.

African Popular Music

This class is officially my jam. Our Professor (who's British) has been working on the Ghanaian music scene since the 60's, runs a Highlife museum out of his house, has become one of the primary historians of West African popular music (particularly Highlife, also afro-beat and afro-rock) and has worked with many big names in West African music, including Fela Kuti. Through this class we're also being made aware of cultural events throughout the city, as advertising of these events is not the strongest. The class is starting with traditional African music and moving all the way though to today. There's also a bit of a practical componant with drumming and polyrhythmic lessons.

Postcolonial Practices in Studio Art

A semester cannot go by for me without a "make something!" class. This class is looking at the fine arts in Ghana, with a particular focus on traditional arts and crafts. We have workshops in weaving and sign painting, probably basketweaving and adinkra printing (I have become OBSESSED with adinkra symbols). We'll be meeting and working with artists from across the country, we have a field trip to visit a bead market. Yesterday for class we went to the Dei Center, one of the centers of a huge collection of West African (primarily Ghanaian) art. Thrilling. Next class is getting supplies and setting up our studios. (Apparently we have access to looms all semester?!) We're assimilating all of this information into three different art projects throughout the semester. Many of my classmates are art majors, and I felt confident enough to stand in front of a piece of work at the gallery and talk about why I was drawn to it (aka: what I saw and how it made me feel). Thanks, PHTS!

Recitation

Since most University of Ghana classes are 3 credits where NYU classes are 4 credits, those of us taking classes at Legon have an occasional additional class to get that extra credit, which is primarily looking at Ghana's current political and social situation through newspapers, and learning the history that makes it what it is today--most of this knowledge would be assumed for University of Ghana students, so we're catching up. I also learned a TON of history in African Popular music, as the Professor has lived in Ghana since before Ghana's independence, and much of Ghana's music history is connected with its political history (because, as we all learned in 2nd year Seminar for Designers, all of this is connected).

This is the lightest school schedule I've had in 16 years. I honestly don't know what to do with myself. I'm in gathering phases of the theatrical things I want to work on. I'm going through an anthology of Christian mysticism as light reading. I'm generally in class around 3 hours a day, with maybe an hour of homework per night. This is incomprehensible. My schedule will get a bit busier once I start my community service, but still. I might go to the artist's market and find a small, cheap musical instrument to learn while I'm here. (We are required to buy an aslatua for African Popular Music class, so I might see what I can find when I get that. Because, you know, playing the electric violin, the mini-accordion, and the musical saw isn't enough as far as strange instruments go. I'll learn aslatua too.) November is National Novel Writing Month, but I think I'm going to do another novel writing month in September, too (which means that by the time I leave I'll have rough drafts of all three novels in my trilogy), just because I have the time and the inspiration. And it's not like I have time because I'm not getting out and seeing things. I'm definitely getting out and seeing things. But during the day, in particular, when other people are in class, there's a ton of time. (We are not used to the place enough to venture out alone, really, and walking in groups drastically cuts down the number of marriage proposals you get.)

Other issues that have come up:

Fall break?! Most people travel. Mali's looking like a popular option. I have one teacher who might throttle me if I don't get over to Ethiopia, but as it takes about 12 hours to get to Tamale, in Nothern Ghana, it's not likely I can get ACROSS THE ENTIRE CONTINENT cheaply in a week. Considered flying to Egypt but I don't think this is the time for the Mount Sinai trip, so I should wait on that one until I actually go to the Middle East (which I'm saying will happen in my life). In a couple weekends we're going on a group trip to Cape Coast. Some other weekend I'll probably go to Togo. One of my roommates is in Togo right now. I'm highly amused at being able to pop over to different countries.

Today:

We have a discussion on cultural differences using the play "Dilemma of a Ghost". This is a thing NYU has every study abroad site do; read a book written by a prominent author in the culture and then have a discussion on it. While I am lucky that our book is a play, I am unsure of my ability to talk about a play in the "English class" sense as opposed to a "design meeting" sense, especially a play with such a strong sense of chorus with poetic language. We'll see how this goes. (However, I have found myself completely not intimidated by the fact that my classes often include oral presentations. Thanks, PHTS!)

Tonight:

We are on a search for palm wine.