2 Weeks In

Hello Everyone!!

I'm so happy I have the opportunity to visit an internet cafe with a good chunk of time to spend on my update!!

There is so much to say I really don't know where to begin, but I'll try and do my best to give you an idea of what my life is like here in Ghana.

I'm living in a house which is really 4 small concrete, one level buildings, attached to each other to form a square, with a courtyard in the middle... along the walls are rooms which different individuals or families live in. I have my own room which is comfortable - with a double bed and a small desk and two plastic chairs. My bug net is all set up and although it feels like it traps the heat IN my bed, it protects me from all the bugs that seem to be crawling around... nothing too scary yet - although I'm pretty sure a spider gave birth in my room, but I managed to kill most of the babies (they kinda creep me out).

My host family is one of 8 people - a pastor, his wife, and their children. There are about 30-35 of us in this "house" area - so lots of children, and it's NEVER quiet - keeps me busy!

I'm living on my own in the community called "Kpong" - I can't even pronounce it, there is no "kp" sound in English! And I'm learning the local language of Dangme. As far as I've been told, I'm doing very well and am the one out of the 6 Canadians that knows the most! It'll be entertaining to try and speak it at home. I ask lots of questions and try and learn as much as I can, even if I AM making a fool out of myself. They really enjoy teaching me, and so we laugh a lot. The English is pretty good too so there's no real problem communicating!

The food is really different. Usually something white (yams, rice, plantains and some red stuff with fish in it, not really sure what it is exactly - a sauce of some sort). We live close to Lake Volta, which is the largest man-made lake in the world, so we are very close to the fisherman - so, lots of fish!! I'm learning to like it.

The school I teach at is a private school that was started by the pastor I live with. He's got 3 schools in total. This one has about 400 students, the other has about 50, and I don't know the third. I've been to two and will teach where I can to both. I've even started HIV/AIDS awareness classes, and a question box for peopled who are nervous to ask questions in public. I'll also try and speak to a women's ministry, a public school, and at a Parent-Teacher Association Meeting - lots planned, now for organizing! I also want to start a club for students to teach other students about HIV/AIDS for when I leave.

I wake up every morning to roosters, weird birds (guinea fowls? that are REALLY loud), goats, dogs, cats, sheep and even screaming babies (no surprise).

We get electricity every other day or so, but I don't really use it much - at night I put a fan on if it's deathly hot, it helps keep me energized for the day if I sleep at night. We get our water out of a water spout at the side of the house. Not many people get a water spout in their area so we see MANY local people around our place getting their water. The most amazing thing I think I've seen is the carrying of anything and everything on their heads. It's incredible to see these children carrying such heavy loads! I'll have to learn how to do it, mind you most have been taught since they were very young, so they have the advantage over me!

The money here is called cedi(s) and it's very confusing. Approximately 9,400 = $1USD so all the amounts are off. When they say 3000 cedis I think it's a lot, but really it's nothing at all! It's something to get used to, and I'm getting there.

There is so much that has happened, so much to look forward to, and so much to share when I get back and I'm only 2 weeks into my journey.

I must say though, that I accomplished one goal that was set out for me by my best friend, Kimi. She wrote me a letter before I left saying that I was to plant a tree in Ghana, so that my roots are in Africa. Yesterday, I planted two mango trees - one for each of us, so that we can stay sweet, and grow old together. Miss you buddy!

The funniest thing happened the other day - I was writing in my journal, as I often am, and I was having some trouble opening a page because it was stuck to another one. When I opened it I found a wall gecko that got stuck between the pages and got smushed! I killed a wall gecko in my journal without even knowing it! I laughed so hard when I found it, but felt a little bad, I had no idea how it even got in there! It was a little one. I took a picture and got rid of it as it was making everything smell really bad... it was so funny though.

My typical day looks like this:
- Get up about 6:15am or so - when the sun comes up, the roosters stop crowing, and the children start making noise outside.
- Write in my journal to start the day and watch what's going on in the courtyard
- I have my breakfast brought to my room and I eat alone - usually sweet bread, tea, and an omlette sort of thing (good!)
- Then at 7:45am I head to school with David - one of the Pastor's sons who is a teacher (a number of them are)
- I find a class or two to teach, do some reading, work on some of my homework that I will have due in August (you know me, wanting to get on top of things as always!)
- Come home for lunch - usually the red sauce stuff and yams/rice, or sometimes plaintains (boiled)
- then I usually hangout with whoever is around the house - sit under some trees outside of the house in the shade, especially if its' really hot - some days are REALLY worse than others - after it rains though it is really cool and feels SO nice
- Sometimes I'll have a shower - if there's no running water, I get my water into a bucket and use that in a cement 4 walled cubicle - easy to do really - if there IS running water, the pastor installed a shower like thing for me, which was awesome, but I must admit don't use it all that often
- I have dinner alone - usually more red stuff or fried rice (really good)
- it gets dark around 7pm or so, the pastor has a t.v. in his room and we watch a little news to keep up to date with the happenings of Ghana - one of the questions one night was "Do you feel that the African leaders have failed the continent?" Would you believe it was almost always "yes"... hmm.. what does that say.
- then I usually head off to bed around 7:30-8pm and go to sleep. Yup, that early - trust me, the heat really wears you out!

I spent last weekend in Accra (the capital) with the other Intercordians, as well as a few other people we had met to celebrate someone's birthday. It was good fun, although I had only packed for the day, so when 3 days had passed I was really dirty and ready to head back to Kpong. We stayed at a hotel and 5 of us slept on 2 single mattresses - entertaining, but not made for good sleeping conditions.

This weekend we're heading to a place that I've heard is beautiful - the other girls know about it as they live closer. I live about an hour or so away from them so a ways away by tro-tro (think - mini van).

Anyway - life is good, enjoying my experiences, and laughing a lot - mostly at myself. I'm still excited to be here and to be able to really embrace the culture.

I hope to be able to post more often, now that I know how to get to the internet cafe (in a place called Atumpoco). It's not far from Kpong, a short bus ride away and 3000 cedis.

I'm sending my love to everyone, thank you for all the good wishes, it really means a lot to me!! The people here send their best to Canada too - they're so hospitable, I know I'll be back in the future (at least to see my Mango trees!!)

Love bunches,

Amanda