Hey everyone,
It's that time again to update you on what's been going on this last week.
Let me tell you, there has been so much that has happened that it's really hard to pick and choose what to write about - even in an hour's time!! So, I'll give you what I can, a brief summary if you will :)
The funeral we went to on Saturday was nothing like I've ever seen... it is absolutely opposite of a typical funeral at home. It started early in the morning, piling about 50 people into a bus that really should have only carried 20. People were sitting on top of one another, standing, hanging out of windows and the like to ensure that we could get everyone in. It was crowded to say the least. I had a window seat so it was nice - I got a little fresh air, where others were packed like sardines and sweating 'African style'. When we got to the funeral site, someone's house, we followed a long line of people into a small room where the body was being displayed. Let me tell you, I was not prepared for what I saw. It was a young woman (I was told later she was 29), displayed on a large table, surrounded by flowers and decorations, wearing a white dress (almost wedding dress-like). I wasn't exactly prepared to see my first dead body like that... especially as we all toured around. Women sat around the small room and they were pleased to see us visit the family. Two women were dramatically flailing scarves over the body to ward away flies - she had been dead for a month, but they had kept her in the morgue so that they could prepare the funeral. I later learned that some bodies are kept in the morgue for up to 2 years - not something familiar to me at home.
We were even allowed to take pictures of the young woman, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, I don't think anyone else could either - very taboo in Canada. We spent the next couple of hours surrounded by people in a party-like setting, with music (a live band), singing, dancing, and speeches. It was similar to a wedding, aside from some of the weeping family members. The whole atmosphere however was quite upbeat, I couldn't believe it. I have pictures and some video to show when I get home. The atmosphere was extremely alive. After the funeral ceremony we ended up walking a great distance to the gravesite. It was really hot, the sun was at it's peak (noon - not the best time for everyone to trek a long distance), and I ended up burning my shoulders a little, even though I had my sunscreen on. We made it and we watched the casket be placed into the ground, and a few words were said. By then, people had started departing and heading back to their respected routines. I heard two different stories in regard to how the woman had died, one being that she had been found in the shower area, collapsed with something like a heart attack... and the other, that she was very sick and that was the end of that. I don't know which is true, there's no autopsy so there's no real way to know for sure. She left a 2 year old and a 5 year old behind. It was quite sad. I don't know about a husband, the ceremonies were in all languages but English so it was hard to tell what exactly was being said.
After the long trek back down the road to where we had started from, we picked a cab and took it to Ada Foah, a place not far from Sega (where Godwin, the coordinator lives - sometimes I forget how much I have explained in these, as I have no time to go back and read them). Let me say this, if paradise had a name it would be Ada Foah (or at least the little beachfront hotel we found there). It was absolutely stunning, screen saver worthy if there was ever a definition. We trekked through SO much sand to get there, but the walk was worthwhile. The palm trees, the ocean, the little thatched huts, it was all worth it. I haven't seen anything as gorgeous as this place, and we spent the night for 70,000cedis - 35,000 per person - 2 to a room, which is approximately $4 or so. Paradise never came so cheap! It was picture perfect, with white sand, roaring waves, and a beautiful estuary to swim. We spent the rest of Saturday in the sun, and enjoying the heat. We were all there except one, Natalie who had some things she was doing at her host placement that weekend. Meghan and I shared a room which consisted of a chair, and a mattress with a sheet on it that was directly on the sand... we had to be careful of crabs walking around and crawling on the bed. Although she and I did not feel any in the night, Heidi, next to us in our small thatched hut, said she felt some form of shell legs on her at some point in the night. Something I'm glad I didn't have to deal with ;)
We were celebrating Heidi's birthday so we had a few beers and enjoyed the evening by a roaring fire watching a number of local children (in costume mindyou) do a dance to some rhythmic drumming - it was quite neat to see, regardless of how tired I was from the sun. I crashed around 10:30pm, which is really late compared to when I usually go to bed, 7:30-8pm. The next day, we played in the huge ocean waves, trying not to let them take us away with them as the undercurrent was extremely strong, a little scary at times. All of us got thrown a few times by them back to the beach, dragging a few parts of the body along the sand - a little painful too, but a lot of fun regardless. The sun wasn't out Sunday, but it was still quite warm, until it rained. And boy did it rain, it just poured and cooled the whole place down so quickly. I was actually quite cold and put two shirts on, a huge difference from the day before when my skin seared in the sun! Meghan got near hypothermia she was so cold ;) She was wrapped in everything we could find, it wasn't exactly pleasant, but no one thought to bring more than our comfy beachware since it had been so hot out, and no one wanted to pack sweaters in the SLIGHT chance that it may be cool. Oh well.
We took a boat across the water to the town to get a cab back to Sega. 9 of us packed into a small car made to fit 4 or 5. It was a tight squeeze but we managed and paid quite a bit less each because of it. If only the cabbies at home would let us do that!
Oh funny story - I don't know if I mentioned this already, but I found a dead wall-geko in my journal!! I closed the book one day and the poor thing got caught in between the pages and I found it later... oh it was disgusting and fascinating at the same time, because it was absolutely perfectly preserved in my book! You could see all the fingers and toes, the tail, everything so clearly. I would have kept it if it hadn't started to make everything smell so bad. I laughed so hard with Meghan when I found it - it was so gross but so cool at the same time. I'm glad I got rid of it, but I dedicated the page to it's memory - R.I.P. Wall Gecko I found in my journal...
There is so much going on in my head these days - I'm still struggling with my "kp" sound but it's coming along, and I'm learning alot in Dangme, surprisingly alot actually! My hosts are quite impressed, and often laugh, even though they're so proud and so pleased that I'm learning so much! It's been great entertainment. I also find myself struggling with what my role is here in this community. The teachers cane the students (wack them with big sticks) for a number of different reasons. I really don't like it, and they know it, but I'm struggling with what my responsibility is in saying something, or not saying something as I do not want to accentuate "cultural invasion". My intention is not to force my values, beliefs, etc. on the people I encounter, but to learn from them, to work with them, to establish relationships, not change the way they do things... but I'm personally struggling because it is hard to see children get wacked when they do not get an answer correct. I'll have to do some more self reflection and reading, and talking about it in order to really understand what my role is here in this context.
On a lighter note, I'm getting some really nice colour! I joke with everyone that by August I'll be black if my skin keeps getting any darker!! I've also told everyone that I want to be able to carry a bucket of water on my head without my hands, carry a child on my back, and learn as much Dangme as I possibly can. Those are 3 important goals for me.
Oh, and one big one; I am developing a group for HIV/AIDS awareness in the school. The goal is to have a group of student educators who are capable of speaking about HIV/AIDS to their peers as well as to others in the community. I think that it is crucial that students are able to speak about HIV/AIDS and that they are able to pass their knowledge on to others in their community. Right now there is no such group, no such information is available. The ultimate goal would be to establish a group that will be able to continue each year, to ensure that HIV/AIDS education persists over time. I often tell the students as I talk to them, that HIV/AIDS education is not only here because I'm here; when I leave, it will still be in Africa, in Ghana, in their community, and that they have the opportunity to do something about it. Some students are really interested in getting information. It'll take the whole rest of the trip to really get organized though, and to try and get these students comfortable speaking about HIV/AIDS, teaching it, and knowing it with confidence. It's a big goal, but I've got some supporters. I'd like to make a banner for them (about $10 or so) by the end of my stay as a gift, if all goes well.
I've got some healthy endeavours here - I'm excited.
I called my dad on his birthday on Monday - boy was he shocked, I don't think I've ever heard him so surprised, even over the phone I could tell! I miss my family and friends muchly, but I know everyone is doing well and that they are sending their love. Africa is sending it's love too, and these Ghanaians are wishing nothing but the best for everyone in Canada :)
Oh - on a side note, I found the mother spider that gave birth in my room last week... the one with a hundred babies all over my walls... I wasn't impressed with that, but killed them... I got the mother yesterday. I thought it was all said and done with until someone mentioned there was probably a father. Damn. I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one ;)
I'm not travelling this weekend, I'm looking forward to it actually - I just want to stay in Kpong, maybe visit the market again. I went briefly yesterday to check it out. I have to take a tro-tro to get there, but it really isn't too far. Children were touching me though in the market, literally walking up to me and running their hands down my arms - white skin feels different? It was a little eerie but I just shake my head and roll my eyes at it all.
I'd really like to get some material from market, I'm sure I'll be able to find some nice pieces to make a few dresses out of. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled, there are some beautiful designs.
Anyway - I hope all is well with everyone - June is around the corner, I hope summer is slowly making it's way towards you all :) Tomorrow's the full moon, I'll see it in Ghana (mind you a few hours earlier than you), but if you've got the chance, take a look, and I'm thinking of you and wishing you nothing but the best.
I'll be in touch soon!
Much love,
Dede xoxo
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