� � � �

1. Don�t bring white clothes as they are impossible to get clean
2. Linen is cooler then many other fabrics, loose jumpers are better than things that cling to your waste
3. Cut your hair, shave it off even (too bad I was too much of a wimp to do this one, it would have been a lot cooler)
4. Jeans are a horrid pain to clean by hand
5. You can wear anything (esp. on campus) however at the time I was there shorts and miniskirts got you more strange looks and harassment than usual. Check with someone who has been there recently as fashion trends (esp. on campus again) are constantly changing and what we got clucked at for wearing might be perfectly normal now.
6. Wear socks and pants at night.
7. Beware of what you get sent from home as customs charges an arm and a leg for packages.
8. Get a calling card or work out a signal number of rings / rejection of collect calls etc. to contact home. Direct calls are very expensive and with a collect call both the caller and you will get charged.
9. E-mail is not always reliable (this may have changed since I�ve been there, but we often have letters not get through)
10. If you are going with the U. of California program don�t let them con you into the group flight. We found out that they flew us out on the last day of the expensive season. One day later and we would have paid half the price. If you notify the Ghana program that you will be coming at a different time someone will be at the airport to pick you up.
11. Don�t bring a full supply of your Malaria meds. It is cheaper in Ghana and you can change to a different med if you have problems with your prescribed one. There are many more options for medication there.
12. Buy a bucket soon after arrival. Water goes out frequently so keep it filled. Dragging a bucket of water across from the bathroom is easier than dragging it up from the polytanks so think ahead!
13. Don�t let an anywork in your room, have them wait outside.
14. On weekends it is hard to find food, Sunday esp. Campus restaurants are closed.
15. Accra tap water is safe.
16. I didn�t have many problems with the campus food vendors (other than an occasional case of the runs) others wouldn�t recommend it.
17. Legon cafeteria has better food, more variety and larger portions than Volta (but the cooks in Volta are very friendly)
18. WATCH OUT FOR THE MEN. They are very forward. Nothing is free; if they don�t want money then they want something else.
19. Evangelism is highly prevalent. Religious discrimination is common.
20. Saturday mornings are NOT for sleeping in. You will be invaded by preachers, other halls, irate neighbors who wish to announce something stolen�
21. Bring little electronic equipment. It either disappears or breaks. The current is unreliable and the sockets spark.
22. Get one of those compact, quick drying, mildew resistant camping towels rather than your big fuzzy bathroom one. Washing those suckers is a pain and they never fully dry out.
23. DRINK LOTS OF WATER.
24. If you�re on Doxy as an anti-malarial be doubly sure to wear your sunscreen. If you plan on sitting on the beach or running around the market all day where your sunscreen. If you are fair skinned wear your sunscreen. Sunscreen is hard to get in Ghana, so bring enough but don�t overkill, most of us brought too much with us.
25. If Larium upsets your stomach take it with a meal and plenty of water.
26. Bargain! However watch for things that are pretty fixed (like food on campus). Don�t rely on a Ghanaian to do your bargaining, they won�t do all that well when it is someone else�s money they are spending. Besides you�ll miss out on the fun of trying.
27. Baby powder is great for combating heat rash and sweating.
28. When trading remember the value of your items (unless of course you are more interested in the thrill of trading than the gain). The items wanted by Ghanaians for trade are usually worth a lot more in cidis than what they offer in return.
29. Force yourself to eat the local food. It is cheep, and hey you might even like it!
30. When your family sends packages have them pack small things that can be given to the customs official. This is a dash not a bribe; there is a difference ;)
31. Envelopes will often get sent straight through (no need for customs), while hard boxes will require a trip downtown and bartering with the customs officials.
32. Speak Twi, even if only a little it gets you smiles, conversations and even occasional dashes.

��� � �