On behalf of the Atorkor Development Foundation and the people of Atorkor, I would like to thank you for choosing to support the ADF efforts and intiatives.

About Atorkor

Atorkor is a small village located in the south-eastern part of Ghana. It is uniquely sandwiched beneath the sea (off the Atlantic coast) and the lagoon. In reality, there is no 'optimal' time to visit Atorkor. The temperature is hot for the entire year. If rainfall doesn't soak you, the humid air will. The terrain is mainly sandy with a natural beach. After a hard day's work, it is very relaxing to make the ten-minute walk to the beach to enjoy the cool breeze or to soak yourself in the Atlantic Ocean. The traditional language spoken locally is Ewe.

Arrival in Atorkor

Travel is an adventure in Ghana. As is so everywhere in this world, one's budget dictates one's mode of transportation - there are "trotros" through standard buses to aid-conditioned luxury rental cars. A trotro is the typical low-cost local transportation in Ghana and is seen everywhere, far outnumbering standard buses. They are usually converted small vans and generally have seats for twenty. They are always full, have consant loud gospel music, and typically have worn vinyl seats, sometimes absent headliners, dirty or no windows, and no air conditioning. The temperature within is usually from 85 to 90 degrees. If is is the raining season, expect the humidity to be 100 percent. I will not tell you more. You will discover the rest yourself. You will surely have a wonderful adventure of your lifetime in Ghana.

Depending on your mode of transportation, your journey from Accra to Atorkor will take about two to three hours if all works out fine. Expect a very warm and friendly welcome upon your arrival in Atorkor. The villagers, led by the elders, will welcome you with the traditional "package," something that will blow your mind for the rest of your life.

Cultural Practices

We entreat you to come with an open mind. Needless to say, there are bound to be cultural differences, and our expectation for you is that you appreciate and respect these differences. These differences are like nothing you could imagine. But you will survive and eventually enjoy being part of this relaxed and friendly community.

• Greetings are accompanied by handshakes. I mean a lot of handshakes. The award-winning question is do the people, after shaking so many hands, wash their hands in the village? Perhaps something to find out when you get there!
• You shake hands with your right hand. Please keep your left hand to yourself.
• Never point to people or objects with your left hand. It is considered very rude.
• Be mindful of the language barrier. Not all of the people speak and understand English. Even those who can communicate in English may take some time to understand your accent and vice versa.
• Funerals are held mainly over weekends. Expect a lot of noise from drumming, dancing, and music. Sometimes this can go on overnight. Funerals sometimes come across as more like merrymaking events than mourning ones. You will get to understand this after a few weeks in Atorkor.
• People carry things on their heads - please don't laugh! There is a reason. Please find out when you get to Ghana.
• The traditional way of spending the night is storytelling within families. Therefore, very little goes on after dusk.

Be Mindful of the Following

• Like most parts of Ghana, mosquitoes abound in the village. You will be told of all the necessary precautions to take.
• Frequent electricity power cuts. Note: the majority of the people in the village do not have electricity anyway. So how will the power cuts affect them?
• The very slow pace of doing things can be very frustrating. I always learn from my folks in the village how to "slow down" in life. I believe you will also take something away from this village community. In some ways, these people are right: why all these time-related stress situations that we create artificially for ourselves?
• There are no ATMs, no banks, and no cashing of travelers' checks in Atorkor. These are, however, available in selected places in Accra, the capital.

It is our fervent hope that you will have a wonderful experience. We certainly would like to and will therefore endeavor to do our best for you to enjoy Atorkor.

May I take this opporunity to say woezor, meaning 'you are welcome,' and akpe, meaning 'thank you!' You will have a great time in Atorkor!

Sam Adjorlolo

Founder and Director of ADF