Voting from Ghana Ain't Easy...

This morning I tried to register to vote for the upcoming Canadian election on May 2, 2011.

Why so early and with unsure results? Because I am currently abroad - and voting from Ghana ain't easy.

Firstly, a friend picked up a voter registration form last week - but since the Canadian High Commission is open from 7:30 am - 12:00 pm Monday to Thursday, and I work full-time in Accra - here comes the first challenge.

So, while I had the forms and had visited the Elections Canada website a few times and checked the Canadian High Commission to Ghana and Togo's site as well - it looked like as long as the forms were in their hands by the Tuesday before the election... we shouldn't have a problem.

To my searching on the sloooooowest internet of life (I AM IN GHANA) I did not see any other deadlines posted.

So, I filled out the forms and made it to the HC this morning.

Enter: Security checks.

Of course, nothing electronic can go through the gate and we enter one by one - so surrender your ipod, phone, pen drive, laptop and internet modem ... basically my connection to the world outside of Accra... and I'm handed a key similar to the one I locked my diary up with when I was 12.

Great.

Signed in. Received my badge. Noticed the 25+ Ghanaians/West Africans sitting outside in the heat waiting for some sort of Visa processing, etc -  as I was herded inside to the air conditioning reserved for Canadians. Wow.

Sitting. Sitting. Sitting.

At last - can we just talk to someone? Reception? Anyone?

(Did I mention I had called earlier this morning at 8am but to no avail - no one picked up regarding voting and even though I left my number, 8 hours later... no call back.)

I thought getting people to vote was a government priority.

So finally, the lady at reception speaks to us - yes, we only accepted ballot registrations up to the 15th of April. Eliections Canada needs to process... blah blah blah. Time to mail, fumbles with some official looking papers, etc.

Oh, and it's Easter this weekend. So - TWO STATUTORY HOLIDAYS.

Easter is a big deal in the very religious/Christian Ghana, and most of Africa. Families will be gathering and work will stop for at least a few days on wither side of the official holidays. I'm really looking forward to it.

So, although it wasn't posted. And according to the deadlines - we have time...

I wrote my name and phone number on an unmarked white notepad - and she took my forms to fax. I'm sure they are more likely to end up in the bin (Canadian translation: trash) as I stepped outside the door.

Irritated with the failure of our government to ensure that there is a realistic and efficient process for Canadians wishing to vote abroad or from remote areas (I am in a capital city with a High Commission - I can't imagine if I was in a rural village with a weekly mail pick-up ... PS: Stephen Harper... this exists!) and realizing that most likely thousands of Canadians travelling/working/living abroad will most likely experience the same...

I might not be able to vote in this election... but I will vote on it...

It sucks.

Plain and simple. It's undemocratic. It's a waste. And I doubt anything will change.

I am young. But I am not apathetic. I am volunteering and working for positive change - and sadly, this election... I won't have a say.

A bunch of pictures...

Work and enjoying Ghana has left my blog quite empty lately.

I'm sorry.

But I just posted a bunch of new pictures to my Flickr account - so please peruse.

On other news, I have moved from my host family and am now living in an apartment with friends. It will have its own challenges - water will be more scarce and I will need to be self-reliant - however, I am looking forward to getting to cook for myself, and my room has A VIEW OF THE OCEAN.

Yes, it's distant and I have to squint through the screen that keeps the mosquitos out and me malaria-free... But nevertheless, it's there.

My commute to work has also been cut in half. Hurray!

I've spent weekends at various beaches - from the historic Cape Coast to a music festival in Busua, to an epic hike trekking through farmer's fields and over hills in Aburi.

I'm healthy. happy. and now responding to "Gifti" as no-one can pronounce Heather.