Family is a wonderful thing isn't it? At least most of the time right? Well, it's been a week since I've updated my blog, and I was going to wait until next week to do it, but that "family" thing kept getting in the way, and I could hear mom's voice in the back of my head... "Why haven't you updated your blog? We're waiting to hear from you, people are asking questions, can you update your blog, we like reading it, everyone does..." and so on. So, I'm here, for the most part, because I don't want mom calling me to remind me that I haven't updated... ;)
The last week has been busy!!
I took off to Sega Thursday morning (after having a hasty lunch of "watse" [rice and beans, pronounced wachie] from a bag - I LOVE eating food out of a bag, it just seems to taste better!). It took 3 hours, which was expected, just because I have to change tro-tros and then walk a bit, and then get a taxi... it's a little bit of a hike, and the girls sometimes don't realize how much it DOES take to meet them where they live (and the $ too!).
We left to Accra (the capital of Ghana) early Friday morning, in order to find a bus to Cape Coast. In total it took about 5 hours or so from Sega to get to Cape Coast, a hike in a bus, that's for sure.
We arrived around 2:30pm and checked into a hotel that we had reserved. It was nice, and we even had our own washroom with running water!! THAT was exciting in itself, although, I'm used to not having it now - reminds me of living in Ecuador 3 years ago.
Right away we headed out to Cape Coast Castle. We were planning to see Elmina Castle as well but time did not permit - I was a little disappointed but one castle was plenty to see and I'm happy I got that opportunity to do so. We toured the castle, including a museum. It was one of the hardest things I've ever seen in my life.
We saw the dungeons where hundreds of men and women were held captive as slaves for 6-8 weeks before being shipped out, crammed together in the ships for the long journey across the Atlantic (MANY did not survive). The female dungeon could "hold" 350 women and children... it was dark, damp, dreary, and absolutely horrid. It was solid walls with 2 VERY small "skylights" that provided barely enough light to see the ground. The men's dungeon could "hold" 1000 men... and it was no better, although bigger. It was awful. I went and stayed in the male dungeon for a long time by myself, in the dark, in order to reflect. I nearly cried as "Amazing Grace" kind of floated through my mind. I can't imagine what the conditions must have looked like for these men and women, away from their families, in these horrific conditions, barely staying alive in order to be shipped like animals across the world to be owned. The feeling I got was sickening.
The hardest part of the castle was called "The Cell". And it was a small, dark room where slaves were kept who were 'rebellious' (in other words, slaves who were merely fighting for their freedom). They were locked up with no food, no water, no ventilation and with 3 SOLID doors separating them from the rest of life... they were left to die. Standing in that room with a number of other tourists, in the dark, was the most chilling experience I have ever had. It was absolutely terrifying, and as crazy as it sounds, I could honestly feel the presence of the thousands of men and women who had died in that room... for fighting for their basic rights to be treated as human beings, and not objects. We left that room feeling sick and overwhelmed with emotion. It was so hard, and I'll never forget it.
We also saw a lookout post where signals were passed from one fort to another.
When we got back to the hotel, we finished the evening with a beer ontop of the hotel rooftop where we all had a great meal... we needed a few beers just to ease the unsettling experience of the day... I could've used 5... maybe more.
The next day (Saturday), we all were up early to head to Kakum National Park. We bought our breakfast from the vendors at the bus station (as we usually do) and I ate porridge, out of a bag... bad idea as it was REALLY hot and I was burning myself all over the place! But it was a neat experience nonetheless, although one I won't probably do again!
We toured a small museum about the park before heading on the hike up a very rough walkway of rocks and roots. We were heading to a large Canopy walkway (a bridge hanging above the trees - highest point 40 m). It was 350 m long, made up of 5 different bridges separated by large posts to support them. It was GREAT entertainment! It was a little scary but very very cool to be above the trees and to see so far. There were even monkeys below us!! I couldn't see them though, but a couple of the girls did. They were moving through the trees, and I could see that! And you could hear them, they sounded like they were screaming! The walk was really awesome and I'm really glad we got to do it, so high up and swinging back and forth.
After the bridge we went on a walk through the semi-insidious forest, 90% humidity (man was it hot...) and we learned about a number of different natural medicines taken from trees and plants from the area. It was neat, although hot and sweaty.
We had lunch at the restaurant and then took a tro-tro back to Cape Coast. When we got back, we wandered around the market looking at material and beads and whatnot. There was a small band wandering through the market as well, raising money for something, I took pictures and gave them a little something.
We got back to the hotel, and as we were tired from all the walking, we relaxed, played cards, had dinner and had a few drinks to enjoy the beautiful evening. In the morning we had french toast, and it was the best damn french toast I have ever had... we all DEVOURED our food, it was sooo good. We got ready after breakfast and headed back to Accra.
Because it was Sunday, there were no buses for me to go to Kpong from the station we were at, so I jumped into a tro-tro with some guys who were going to another station... I went alone, it was fine, an adventure, and they didn't charge me for the ride. I took a tro-tro home and was happy to get back.
Oh, along the way I taught HIV/AIDS lessons to anyone who would listen, or who had questions after they asked what I was doing in Ghana... that's a few people now I've talked to about it, in the oddest places. Internet cafe, bus, house at the end of the street, bus station...
The rest of this week has been really quiet, nothing really going on, although I AM getting a couple of dresses made and I'm really looking forward to seeing them. I hope they turn out nice!! I'm sure they will, one already did that was made for me last month.
I'm looking forward to this weekend, I can't believe it's going to be July 1st! The Canadian embassy here has invited us all down to celebrate, on Monday, but I won't be around. I'm going with the guys I live with to the beach to celebrate their July 1st holiday - Republic Day. It should be great fun! A good friend of mine, Yahaya (Yaya) is coming home from school this weekend too so he'll join us all at the beach. I'm looking forward to going away with these guys, they're hilarious and we're like family.
Today was pretty quiet - I taught a class and then Youth4Change. It's really coming along and I'm really trying to put the power into their hands. It's their group so they are going to run it, it's been tough, I'll admit, but it's coming along and we're going to be doing some presentations in a few weeks to local groups in the community (I hope!). We'll see how it all unfolds. I'm going to make them a banner and maybe buy them t-shirts... we'll see how it goes, maybe we'll do a fundraiser... no, that's too much.
I'm doing great, things are really going well and I'm really part of the community. My dangme is more recognizable and I'm understanding much more, although we speak a lot in English (thankfully). The people I live with are taking great care of me, the school looks out for me and I'm just taking it all in. I can't believe I'm over 1/2 way into this journey and now it's the heading towards the end - even if it's 6 weeks away, I can still feel it, and it's already sad. The relationships that I've built will forever change me and I am thankful for them. I'm going to miss Ghana, so I have to make the best of it I can while I'm here.
I hope home is well and nothing disastrous has happened, I'll admit, I haven't a clue what's going on in Canada... although my little short-wave radio has provided a little news from around the world... something big with Palestine and the USA? I'm trying to follow along where I can, but it's just not easy.
I'm thinking of everyone, and miss everyone muchly. I'm so excited to share my experience with you when I return!
Until next week, or so.... (mom better not call...)
Lots of love,
Dede xox
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Almost 1/2 Way!
Hello hello!
Time for a Dede-does-Africa update :)
So, I've realized that African heat, really is... hot. It's the rainy season right now so it's actually quite cool compared to the dry season, and you can tell the Ghanaians are enjoying it... for me, it's still hot, and I sweat when it's raining regardless. Although, I must admit, sometimes the rain cools everything down so much that I can sleep well and relax without having to constantly wipe the sweat from my brow. It's better than -30 during our winter though!!
This weekend I'm heading to Cape Coast, which is in the south western side of Ghana. I'm VERY excited as I get to see Elmina Castle. It was the largest port for the slave trade hundreds of years ago. This year is the bi-centennial anniversary of the abolition of slavery - so there is a lot of history to be explored at this site. Because this port is on the coast line, there was a lot of trading of varying goods all those years ago as well. It's a very fascinating place and although it's a good 7 hours by bus (I'm talking, sitting so close to your fellow passenger that you can feel their body heat), I'm really looking forward to it! I'll be sure to write about it when I get back! Tomorrow I'm heading to Sega to meet up with the rest of "Team Canada" and then early Friday morning we'll be on our way! I'll get back Monday afternoon sometime I'm sure, and make it back to Kpong for Tuesday. It's a good solid trip.
I can't believe that next Wednesday will be 1/2 through my trip here. It's really amazing. Some days I can't believe I've been here for only 6 weeks because it feels like I just got here and just finally got into a groove! I'm already sad to be leaving, it's going to be very hard to leave everyone and everything that I have experienced. I don't really want to think about it.
The HIV/AIDS group that I've developed in the community (at the school I'm at) has got a name now, it's official -
Youth4Change
HIV/AIDS Educators
Respect for All
Responsibility for Knowledge
Strength through Unity
Courage to Fight
We're very excited and I'm trying to cram as much information into these students as I can so that they are able to teach when I leave. Tuesday meetings are lecture days, where I provide the information, and they take notes. Thursdays are practice days where they have to teach each other and review the material. Hopefully everyone will really know all of this material in order to teach others when I leave. Two of the teachers at the school are going to take on the responsibility of monitoring the group when I head home, I'm grateful for their help and that they have the same vision for an HIV/AIDS free world that I do. I'd like to get t-shirts printed and maybe a banner for the students so I may dip into some of my funds for that. I want them to be united and clear in their cause for others to see. We'll see how it pans out.
I've been slowly transitioning into the whitest Ghanaian in my community. At one point, I was wearing a wrap, eating a common food with my hands (banku), listening to African music, speaking the native language, and even getting some new colour! I was amazed, and everyone has seen and supported this Africanization I've been undergoing ;) Hopefully I'll be able to transfer some of it to my behaviour at home, it's fun and different, and most of the time is WAY more convenient than some of the things we do at home. I love wearing my bright wraps, I'm excited to bring a number of materials home to wear :)
On a side note - I scraped my knee the other day, I was playing with a baby named Emanuel, he's 7 months old and I was really close to the ground. My knee hit the hard rocky ground and everyone gasped right away. I'll admit, it hurt more than I let on but it's healing. With a little sun, it won't even be noticeable.
Life is good and I'm really building some great relationships, some of which are strictly because of the way I walk to school, or along the roadside. I hear my name, Dede, called at least 100 times a day. Someone is calling me, or a child sees me and wants to say hello, or just to get my attention. The lady two houses down sells oranges and I see her often. The lady along the roadside sells me my toilet paper and some crackers and soap... and a couple of young men sell me my pre-paid phone card for my cell phone here - yes I have a cell phone, it really wasn't that expensive and allows me to keep in contact with some friends here (both Canadian and Ghanaian) as well as my family. It's also a source of security for when I travel alone for my host family - if there's a problem (or perhaps I get seriously lost somewhere - which hasn't happened yet thankfully) I can call them and someone will rescue me if I need it. I enjoy having it and will leave it for someone here to have when I leave. I plan on leaving the majority of my things, clothes, and some odds and ends that really would be appreciated by the people I live with, I know they'd appreciate it.
My host dad, Pops, is really happy with how things have been going with me here and has mentioned that he'd like to have 2 students stay with his family next year (in May, the next group of Intercordia students). I'll have to communicate that when I get back home to the coordinators.
I learned that Pops owns the house that we all live in and rents the various rooms out to individuals or families. I also learned that when people come to get water from our one pipe line, they pay per bucket of water they take - 200 cedis per bucket (which really is maybe a cent in CND dollars). I hadn't noticed that before, that people pay for their water from the house, as Pops has to pay the utility bill at the end of the month - interesting! Now that I've become more familiar with my surroundings and the happenings of the house, I'm better able to notice some of the smaller details.
Pops has a computer - he runs 3 schools (mind you one school only has 50 students, and no walls and half dilapidated chalkboards [which is flat wood boards covered in battery acid - real dangerous don't you think?]). I've used it a few times to help start writing an assignment I have due in August. I enjoy working on it while I'm in the context that I'm writing about, it's extremely helpful.
I hope everyone is well and enjoying June, nearly July!! Next weekend I'm going to the beach with some of the guys I live with to spend the day having some fun. It's Republic Day on July 1st and Canada Day for me, so we'll celebrate them both by taking a mini-vacation, it should be fun!
I miss you and will be in touch soon,
Much love,
Dede
Time for a Dede-does-Africa update :)
So, I've realized that African heat, really is... hot. It's the rainy season right now so it's actually quite cool compared to the dry season, and you can tell the Ghanaians are enjoying it... for me, it's still hot, and I sweat when it's raining regardless. Although, I must admit, sometimes the rain cools everything down so much that I can sleep well and relax without having to constantly wipe the sweat from my brow. It's better than -30 during our winter though!!
This weekend I'm heading to Cape Coast, which is in the south western side of Ghana. I'm VERY excited as I get to see Elmina Castle. It was the largest port for the slave trade hundreds of years ago. This year is the bi-centennial anniversary of the abolition of slavery - so there is a lot of history to be explored at this site. Because this port is on the coast line, there was a lot of trading of varying goods all those years ago as well. It's a very fascinating place and although it's a good 7 hours by bus (I'm talking, sitting so close to your fellow passenger that you can feel their body heat), I'm really looking forward to it! I'll be sure to write about it when I get back! Tomorrow I'm heading to Sega to meet up with the rest of "Team Canada" and then early Friday morning we'll be on our way! I'll get back Monday afternoon sometime I'm sure, and make it back to Kpong for Tuesday. It's a good solid trip.
I can't believe that next Wednesday will be 1/2 through my trip here. It's really amazing. Some days I can't believe I've been here for only 6 weeks because it feels like I just got here and just finally got into a groove! I'm already sad to be leaving, it's going to be very hard to leave everyone and everything that I have experienced. I don't really want to think about it.
The HIV/AIDS group that I've developed in the community (at the school I'm at) has got a name now, it's official -
Youth4Change
HIV/AIDS Educators
Respect for All
Responsibility for Knowledge
Strength through Unity
Courage to Fight
We're very excited and I'm trying to cram as much information into these students as I can so that they are able to teach when I leave. Tuesday meetings are lecture days, where I provide the information, and they take notes. Thursdays are practice days where they have to teach each other and review the material. Hopefully everyone will really know all of this material in order to teach others when I leave. Two of the teachers at the school are going to take on the responsibility of monitoring the group when I head home, I'm grateful for their help and that they have the same vision for an HIV/AIDS free world that I do. I'd like to get t-shirts printed and maybe a banner for the students so I may dip into some of my funds for that. I want them to be united and clear in their cause for others to see. We'll see how it pans out.
I've been slowly transitioning into the whitest Ghanaian in my community. At one point, I was wearing a wrap, eating a common food with my hands (banku), listening to African music, speaking the native language, and even getting some new colour! I was amazed, and everyone has seen and supported this Africanization I've been undergoing ;) Hopefully I'll be able to transfer some of it to my behaviour at home, it's fun and different, and most of the time is WAY more convenient than some of the things we do at home. I love wearing my bright wraps, I'm excited to bring a number of materials home to wear :)
On a side note - I scraped my knee the other day, I was playing with a baby named Emanuel, he's 7 months old and I was really close to the ground. My knee hit the hard rocky ground and everyone gasped right away. I'll admit, it hurt more than I let on but it's healing. With a little sun, it won't even be noticeable.
Life is good and I'm really building some great relationships, some of which are strictly because of the way I walk to school, or along the roadside. I hear my name, Dede, called at least 100 times a day. Someone is calling me, or a child sees me and wants to say hello, or just to get my attention. The lady two houses down sells oranges and I see her often. The lady along the roadside sells me my toilet paper and some crackers and soap... and a couple of young men sell me my pre-paid phone card for my cell phone here - yes I have a cell phone, it really wasn't that expensive and allows me to keep in contact with some friends here (both Canadian and Ghanaian) as well as my family. It's also a source of security for when I travel alone for my host family - if there's a problem (or perhaps I get seriously lost somewhere - which hasn't happened yet thankfully) I can call them and someone will rescue me if I need it. I enjoy having it and will leave it for someone here to have when I leave. I plan on leaving the majority of my things, clothes, and some odds and ends that really would be appreciated by the people I live with, I know they'd appreciate it.
My host dad, Pops, is really happy with how things have been going with me here and has mentioned that he'd like to have 2 students stay with his family next year (in May, the next group of Intercordia students). I'll have to communicate that when I get back home to the coordinators.
I learned that Pops owns the house that we all live in and rents the various rooms out to individuals or families. I also learned that when people come to get water from our one pipe line, they pay per bucket of water they take - 200 cedis per bucket (which really is maybe a cent in CND dollars). I hadn't noticed that before, that people pay for their water from the house, as Pops has to pay the utility bill at the end of the month - interesting! Now that I've become more familiar with my surroundings and the happenings of the house, I'm better able to notice some of the smaller details.
Pops has a computer - he runs 3 schools (mind you one school only has 50 students, and no walls and half dilapidated chalkboards [which is flat wood boards covered in battery acid - real dangerous don't you think?]). I've used it a few times to help start writing an assignment I have due in August. I enjoy working on it while I'm in the context that I'm writing about, it's extremely helpful.
I hope everyone is well and enjoying June, nearly July!! Next weekend I'm going to the beach with some of the guys I live with to spend the day having some fun. It's Republic Day on July 1st and Canada Day for me, so we'll celebrate them both by taking a mini-vacation, it should be fun!
I miss you and will be in touch soon,
Much love,
Dede
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Over a Month In!
Hello Everyone!
Nye nge saminya lo? (Are you all well?)
I'm sorry it has taken so long to update my blog. I've been getting harassing emails from people to update them on the happenings in Ghana, so here I am.
I re-read some of my journal entries trying to come up with some things to write about here but I soon realized that there is just too much (it must be why I'm nearly done filling up two journals!). I may have to buy another one while I'm here, I've been writing like crazy!
So, I thought I'd just share some of the things I have come across while I've been here,what I've seen lately at least.
First, and foremost, there are naked children everywhere... something I haven't exactly seen at home. The body truly is an instrument here, and is used as such. If you have to pee, you easily can find a bush and go, no questions, no looks, nothing. Men let loose right on the street, facing away from everyone thankfully. I was on a bus coming back from Sega a week or so ago and a couple of women jumped off the bus, ran behind it, hiked up their skirts and relieved themselves, in full few! What a difference from home! It's rather refreshing I'll admit because here the body is really used for all that it can be. I've never seen so many people carry so many things on their heads. The other day, a woman set her basket down in our courtyard for my host-mum to see...she had a hundred live crabs, or more! People carry anything and everything on their heads, I can't believe it, I tried carrying water and it was brutal! Mind you, I've had 21 years of NO practice, so they've got that over me.
Funny story - I was sitting in my room, in my chair, watching the happenings of the house when Pops brought a sheet of cloth for me to hangup at my door for some privacy. Low and behold, the one book I was trying to forget over the summer appeared before my face for the next 2 moths, a Harry Potter bed sheet. I couldn't stop laughing. That wasn't the only 'home' reminder since I have been here though. If you can believe it, a man came walking into our courtyard to visit someone, and he was wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey!! I ran after him to take a picture, the poor man, I probably scared him half to death as he didn't really seem to understand me.
I've been working on my dangme, it's a tough language let me tell you, but I'm trying and people are impressed. They are often shocked when they hear me speak their native language. One of the problems though, is that there are many native languages here, so many people try and speak to me in theirs, and I just don't understand them. I even started a dangme book in order to help me remember the language and to help me learn it. It's coming along, I'm sure it will be fun to look at when I get home to share it with everyone!
Last week I had my first meeting with the HIV/AIDS group I've been trying to develop. I had so many students interested in participating that I had to choose 4 students from each of 5 classes, so 20 students. I tried to explain the reasoning for the program, some of my goals and hopes as well. It's tough because I don't know how much they all understand. Although, the teachers have chosen students from their classes that are excellent students, so I'm sure they understand more than I give them credit for. The problem I've run into though is that students seem really shy and fearful of being wrong. I wouldn't doubt them, when they use a cane in the school.
Teachers cane their students for not getting an answer right after a lesson, for misbehaving, or for no good reason at all. It's very hard to watch, and I often close the door to the teacher's office so that I don't have to watch it. The teachers know how I feel about it as we have had discussions but it's hard because my role here isn't to impose my values, beliefs and culture on these people. I'm here to participate, to learn, and to observe. I've said my piece and it's still so hard. The government has said that caning is no longer acceptable in schools, but the private schools still use this method of punishing. If a government official were t o come to the school, they would have to throw away their sticks. It's been tough.
Just to wrap up as I'm running out of time (today's internet has been slow), I've been buying material to use to make clothes - it's so cheap, and the patterns and colours are beautiful. I've had one dress made so far, it was bought for me from my host family - it will be very pretty in the fall.
I also washed my clothes by hand for the fist time yesterday, and rubbed some skin right off my fingers. They hurt today! It's going to take some practice to get it down, but I'll get it! I've got some great video of me washing.
I hope everyone is well, I'm thinking of everyone, and although I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone, I'm thinking of you. The internet is so slow today, I've been here for 2 hours and I'm ready to head out soon. Today was the first day I've come here by myself, I've got to figure out how to get home now ;) I'll be fine!
Kimi, Dave, Lisa, Mom, Dad, all other family members and friends, I love you and miss you and will see you all shortly! For those who are keeping up to date with my adventures, thank you for reading, I appreciate your support!
Much love,
Dede
Nye nge saminya lo? (Are you all well?)
I'm sorry it has taken so long to update my blog. I've been getting harassing emails from people to update them on the happenings in Ghana, so here I am.
I re-read some of my journal entries trying to come up with some things to write about here but I soon realized that there is just too much (it must be why I'm nearly done filling up two journals!). I may have to buy another one while I'm here, I've been writing like crazy!
So, I thought I'd just share some of the things I have come across while I've been here,what I've seen lately at least.
First, and foremost, there are naked children everywhere... something I haven't exactly seen at home. The body truly is an instrument here, and is used as such. If you have to pee, you easily can find a bush and go, no questions, no looks, nothing. Men let loose right on the street, facing away from everyone thankfully. I was on a bus coming back from Sega a week or so ago and a couple of women jumped off the bus, ran behind it, hiked up their skirts and relieved themselves, in full few! What a difference from home! It's rather refreshing I'll admit because here the body is really used for all that it can be. I've never seen so many people carry so many things on their heads. The other day, a woman set her basket down in our courtyard for my host-mum to see...she had a hundred live crabs, or more! People carry anything and everything on their heads, I can't believe it, I tried carrying water and it was brutal! Mind you, I've had 21 years of NO practice, so they've got that over me.
Funny story - I was sitting in my room, in my chair, watching the happenings of the house when Pops brought a sheet of cloth for me to hangup at my door for some privacy. Low and behold, the one book I was trying to forget over the summer appeared before my face for the next 2 moths, a Harry Potter bed sheet. I couldn't stop laughing. That wasn't the only 'home' reminder since I have been here though. If you can believe it, a man came walking into our courtyard to visit someone, and he was wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey!! I ran after him to take a picture, the poor man, I probably scared him half to death as he didn't really seem to understand me.
I've been working on my dangme, it's a tough language let me tell you, but I'm trying and people are impressed. They are often shocked when they hear me speak their native language. One of the problems though, is that there are many native languages here, so many people try and speak to me in theirs, and I just don't understand them. I even started a dangme book in order to help me remember the language and to help me learn it. It's coming along, I'm sure it will be fun to look at when I get home to share it with everyone!
Last week I had my first meeting with the HIV/AIDS group I've been trying to develop. I had so many students interested in participating that I had to choose 4 students from each of 5 classes, so 20 students. I tried to explain the reasoning for the program, some of my goals and hopes as well. It's tough because I don't know how much they all understand. Although, the teachers have chosen students from their classes that are excellent students, so I'm sure they understand more than I give them credit for. The problem I've run into though is that students seem really shy and fearful of being wrong. I wouldn't doubt them, when they use a cane in the school.
Teachers cane their students for not getting an answer right after a lesson, for misbehaving, or for no good reason at all. It's very hard to watch, and I often close the door to the teacher's office so that I don't have to watch it. The teachers know how I feel about it as we have had discussions but it's hard because my role here isn't to impose my values, beliefs and culture on these people. I'm here to participate, to learn, and to observe. I've said my piece and it's still so hard. The government has said that caning is no longer acceptable in schools, but the private schools still use this method of punishing. If a government official were t o come to the school, they would have to throw away their sticks. It's been tough.
Just to wrap up as I'm running out of time (today's internet has been slow), I've been buying material to use to make clothes - it's so cheap, and the patterns and colours are beautiful. I've had one dress made so far, it was bought for me from my host family - it will be very pretty in the fall.
I also washed my clothes by hand for the fist time yesterday, and rubbed some skin right off my fingers. They hurt today! It's going to take some practice to get it down, but I'll get it! I've got some great video of me washing.
I hope everyone is well, I'm thinking of everyone, and although I haven't had a chance to respond to everyone, I'm thinking of you. The internet is so slow today, I've been here for 2 hours and I'm ready to head out soon. Today was the first day I've come here by myself, I've got to figure out how to get home now ;) I'll be fine!
Kimi, Dave, Lisa, Mom, Dad, all other family members and friends, I love you and miss you and will see you all shortly! For those who are keeping up to date with my adventures, thank you for reading, I appreciate your support!
Much love,
Dede
Thursday, May 31, 2007
3 Weeks and Continuing Adventures
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
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
Friday, May 25, 2007
Weekend Adventure
Hello everyone!!
I can't believe I'm updating my blog so soon again!! It was only 2 days ago that I got to share a small peak into my African adventure.
Well, I'm back and I'm going to try and cram as much as I can in but we'll see, when it comes to actually sitting down to the computer, my mind kind of goes blank - there's just too much to think of!!
Well, if I didn't mention last time, I have a local name that I go by, instead of "blefono" (meaning white person), or Madam (for the teachers). It's "Dede" (deh-deh), meaning first-born female. The house has taken to it and I scold anyone who calls me by blefono because I am more than my skin colour. hehe To say "my name is, Dede" in Dangme you say, "a tse mi kee, Dede" (sounds like: "ah cheh me keh, Deh-deh"). My knowledge of the language is really coming along - I'm trying my best, that's for sure, and although it's not easy - and it is NOT easy, I'm having a good laugh anyway.
I'm in Sega today - the place where I started from - I left at 6:30am this morning or so and took a bus from Kpong to a place called the Ada junction - where I got a taxi to Sega. Cost about 5 bucks in total and took an hour and a half or so. I'm spending the day in Sega and going to a funeral tomorrow (a big deal here in Ghana - some coffins are made to look like different things that were characteristic of the deceased - eg. beer bottles, cows, fish, cell phones - they can be really neat!! - I'll be sure to get a few pictures of some of the really different ones!). After the funeral tomorrow, the group of us are heading to a place called Ada Foah. It's supposed to be beautiful, along the ocean... with beach huts. I'm looking forward to it, especially if it's hot tomorrow (always is, who am I kidding), because we'll be able to go swimming!! It has to be in the ocean or the fresh water bugs will get into our skin, and no one really wants to deal with that.... yuck. We'll be there until Sunday night probably and then I'll head back to Kpong on Monday.
I think I got a little sunburned today, first time since I've been here. Some local kids from Sega, Kevin, and I went for a walk this morning to a river to check it out. It was quite the walk! When we got there, the kids wanted to cross it in a sketchy looking canoe... something Kevin and I contemplated for quite some time before deciding to just go for it! A small kid came across the river and got each of us separately (fearing, we'd flip the boat into the parasite infested water) and we made it across successfully! We met a local family who live in mud homes, with thatched roofs. They were pleased to see us. They brought all of us coconuts - cut them up, and we drank coconut juice right from the shell! Then we ate 2 or 3 of them... we were a little worried how that'll go through our bodies in a bit... I guess we'll see!! The kids took us for a walk, and we came across a peanut tree, more coconuts, weird looking grasshoppers, and some eerie looking oxen (I don't think they were happy to see us). We managed to cross the river safely, no one falling in, or getting wet!! It was a great experience, something you'd pay a lot of $$ for I'm sure. A personal tour! I could go home satisfied with my African trip after this morning!
OH! This morning started adventurous in itself anyway! There was a truck that had flipped onto its side in the middle of the road in Kpong, and a police car had come down my tiny little road to get some wire stuff (to use to pull the truck), so we caught a ride with them to the bus station... Only white person in a police car, next to a guy with a scary looking gun... eek. Must have looked odd as we drived away - people wondering why the 'blefono' was in the car!! My host dad was with me, pops, so it was fine, just a little creepy sitting next to a guy with a gun. I was glad to get out of the car fast to get my bus early this morning.
Life is good - lots of different things happening around me, and there are plans to do some traveling around on the weekends with Godwin (our coordinator) so that we see what we want while we're here. He's going to be planning some of those trips soon. I'm happy to know that we'll get some travel in with a well-educated guide ;) An added benefit! It should be good :)
It's hot in the internet cafe, even though there is a fan going. I think I'm going to get something cold after this... that'd be nice... mmm fanyogo (frozen yogurt in a bag). OH! We drink our water out of small bags!! You bite the corner, spit away the edge and then drink! (Don't worry mom and dad, that $ that went for my braces, and head gear and all that stuff isn't being wrecked, I use scissors where I can!).
Anyway - thinking of you all, thank you for all the thoughts and prayers, and best wishes!!
Update again soon :)
Dede xoxo
I can't believe I'm updating my blog so soon again!! It was only 2 days ago that I got to share a small peak into my African adventure.
Well, I'm back and I'm going to try and cram as much as I can in but we'll see, when it comes to actually sitting down to the computer, my mind kind of goes blank - there's just too much to think of!!
Well, if I didn't mention last time, I have a local name that I go by, instead of "blefono" (meaning white person), or Madam (for the teachers). It's "Dede" (deh-deh), meaning first-born female. The house has taken to it and I scold anyone who calls me by blefono because I am more than my skin colour. hehe To say "my name is, Dede" in Dangme you say, "a tse mi kee, Dede" (sounds like: "ah cheh me keh, Deh-deh"). My knowledge of the language is really coming along - I'm trying my best, that's for sure, and although it's not easy - and it is NOT easy, I'm having a good laugh anyway.
I'm in Sega today - the place where I started from - I left at 6:30am this morning or so and took a bus from Kpong to a place called the Ada junction - where I got a taxi to Sega. Cost about 5 bucks in total and took an hour and a half or so. I'm spending the day in Sega and going to a funeral tomorrow (a big deal here in Ghana - some coffins are made to look like different things that were characteristic of the deceased - eg. beer bottles, cows, fish, cell phones - they can be really neat!! - I'll be sure to get a few pictures of some of the really different ones!). After the funeral tomorrow, the group of us are heading to a place called Ada Foah. It's supposed to be beautiful, along the ocean... with beach huts. I'm looking forward to it, especially if it's hot tomorrow (always is, who am I kidding), because we'll be able to go swimming!! It has to be in the ocean or the fresh water bugs will get into our skin, and no one really wants to deal with that.... yuck. We'll be there until Sunday night probably and then I'll head back to Kpong on Monday.
I think I got a little sunburned today, first time since I've been here. Some local kids from Sega, Kevin, and I went for a walk this morning to a river to check it out. It was quite the walk! When we got there, the kids wanted to cross it in a sketchy looking canoe... something Kevin and I contemplated for quite some time before deciding to just go for it! A small kid came across the river and got each of us separately (fearing, we'd flip the boat into the parasite infested water) and we made it across successfully! We met a local family who live in mud homes, with thatched roofs. They were pleased to see us. They brought all of us coconuts - cut them up, and we drank coconut juice right from the shell! Then we ate 2 or 3 of them... we were a little worried how that'll go through our bodies in a bit... I guess we'll see!! The kids took us for a walk, and we came across a peanut tree, more coconuts, weird looking grasshoppers, and some eerie looking oxen (I don't think they were happy to see us). We managed to cross the river safely, no one falling in, or getting wet!! It was a great experience, something you'd pay a lot of $$ for I'm sure. A personal tour! I could go home satisfied with my African trip after this morning!
OH! This morning started adventurous in itself anyway! There was a truck that had flipped onto its side in the middle of the road in Kpong, and a police car had come down my tiny little road to get some wire stuff (to use to pull the truck), so we caught a ride with them to the bus station... Only white person in a police car, next to a guy with a scary looking gun... eek. Must have looked odd as we drived away - people wondering why the 'blefono' was in the car!! My host dad was with me, pops, so it was fine, just a little creepy sitting next to a guy with a gun. I was glad to get out of the car fast to get my bus early this morning.
Life is good - lots of different things happening around me, and there are plans to do some traveling around on the weekends with Godwin (our coordinator) so that we see what we want while we're here. He's going to be planning some of those trips soon. I'm happy to know that we'll get some travel in with a well-educated guide ;) An added benefit! It should be good :)
It's hot in the internet cafe, even though there is a fan going. I think I'm going to get something cold after this... that'd be nice... mmm fanyogo (frozen yogurt in a bag). OH! We drink our water out of small bags!! You bite the corner, spit away the edge and then drink! (Don't worry mom and dad, that $ that went for my braces, and head gear and all that stuff isn't being wrecked, I use scissors where I can!).
Anyway - thinking of you all, thank you for all the thoughts and prayers, and best wishes!!
Update again soon :)
Dede xoxo
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
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
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
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
In Ghana!!
Wow - I don't even know where to begin but I don't have that much time so I'll keep it short and to the point. :) I'm in GHANA!!
It was a LOOOONG trip to get here though, my god... it seemed to take forever. The first AND second flights were 7 hours each and we had a few hours in between to kill in the Frankfurt, Germany airport (at least I can say I've been to Europe, albeit the airport... I was outside a little though so it wasn't all that bad). By the end of the travelling time, everyone was exhausted. The plane service was great though, ate lots (didn't know when we'd see that kind of food again), drank lots too, well, I had a bloody mary and a baileys with ice... just to say I did. :)
We got in last night just after 5:30pm (so 1:30pm your time), and drove 2 hours to where Godwin (our coordinator) lives. It was a long, bumpy ride. We made it though. It was really dark so it was hard to see anything at first, it was VERY intimidating and very very African simple... but we brought our bags in and met 2 other volunteers who are staying at the same place (they're from Switzerland). We could barely see anything but did our best and a lady made us rice and sauce for dinner. Let me tell you, when you're sweating buckets (at 28-30 degrees), and then eating really spicy food, it gets REALLY hot! It was so uncomfortable but we ate up regardless, we were tired and hungry.
The first night was a little rough with sleep, didn't really get more than a few hours I'm sure. It was soooo hot. I was protected by a bug net that entrapped the heat but kept the bugs out. Meghan and I shared a room outside of Godwin's place (which is kind of like a bungalo with no doors or windows, except for a few doors on the inside for privacy of a few rooms), so we weren't with the others but about 25 feet away.
Every noise we heard last night creeped Meghan right out and so I ended up laughing at and with her (but secretly fearing that something would come to get me too, I'm pretty sure we were convinced a lizard was making eerie noises along the ceiling). We managed and even had a 'shower' this morning. We each received a bucket of water and stood in a concrete/wood type of box... closed the windows and then bathed.. it was a pretty laughable experience. Had to make sure we dried ourselves to avoid the parasites... scary stuff. But worse than that one, was going to the washroom. Oh man. It's a wooden box that's relatively open with a shady kind of door. There are a couple of pieces of wood that surrounds a hole in the ground which you stand on and squat over to go pee. Brutal, but doable... it's got to be, I don't have any other choice!
We had porridge for breakfast this morning (hot - hard to eat when you're sweating at 6am). And then we toured the school and watched their morning worship.
We found out that 3 of us will be staying at this location and this school, and the other 3 will leave to 3 other villages and schools. I was one of the ones to stay but I traded with Meghan (because she doesn't think she can handle another move) and because I want a totally different experience, so I'll be changing villages later this afternoon, to a new school and a host family. Should be interesting, albeit maybe a little lonely if I'm not with anyone. We'll see!!
I don't know when I'll have access again to internet - Godwin wanted to make sure our families know we're safe and sound.
I'm sending my love, and lots of warm thoughts your way!!
Love bunches,
Amanda
It was a LOOOONG trip to get here though, my god... it seemed to take forever. The first AND second flights were 7 hours each and we had a few hours in between to kill in the Frankfurt, Germany airport (at least I can say I've been to Europe, albeit the airport... I was outside a little though so it wasn't all that bad). By the end of the travelling time, everyone was exhausted. The plane service was great though, ate lots (didn't know when we'd see that kind of food again), drank lots too, well, I had a bloody mary and a baileys with ice... just to say I did. :)
We got in last night just after 5:30pm (so 1:30pm your time), and drove 2 hours to where Godwin (our coordinator) lives. It was a long, bumpy ride. We made it though. It was really dark so it was hard to see anything at first, it was VERY intimidating and very very African simple... but we brought our bags in and met 2 other volunteers who are staying at the same place (they're from Switzerland). We could barely see anything but did our best and a lady made us rice and sauce for dinner. Let me tell you, when you're sweating buckets (at 28-30 degrees), and then eating really spicy food, it gets REALLY hot! It was so uncomfortable but we ate up regardless, we were tired and hungry.
The first night was a little rough with sleep, didn't really get more than a few hours I'm sure. It was soooo hot. I was protected by a bug net that entrapped the heat but kept the bugs out. Meghan and I shared a room outside of Godwin's place (which is kind of like a bungalo with no doors or windows, except for a few doors on the inside for privacy of a few rooms), so we weren't with the others but about 25 feet away.
Every noise we heard last night creeped Meghan right out and so I ended up laughing at and with her (but secretly fearing that something would come to get me too, I'm pretty sure we were convinced a lizard was making eerie noises along the ceiling). We managed and even had a 'shower' this morning. We each received a bucket of water and stood in a concrete/wood type of box... closed the windows and then bathed.. it was a pretty laughable experience. Had to make sure we dried ourselves to avoid the parasites... scary stuff. But worse than that one, was going to the washroom. Oh man. It's a wooden box that's relatively open with a shady kind of door. There are a couple of pieces of wood that surrounds a hole in the ground which you stand on and squat over to go pee. Brutal, but doable... it's got to be, I don't have any other choice!
We had porridge for breakfast this morning (hot - hard to eat when you're sweating at 6am). And then we toured the school and watched their morning worship.
We found out that 3 of us will be staying at this location and this school, and the other 3 will leave to 3 other villages and schools. I was one of the ones to stay but I traded with Meghan (because she doesn't think she can handle another move) and because I want a totally different experience, so I'll be changing villages later this afternoon, to a new school and a host family. Should be interesting, albeit maybe a little lonely if I'm not with anyone. We'll see!!
I don't know when I'll have access again to internet - Godwin wanted to make sure our families know we're safe and sound.
I'm sending my love, and lots of warm thoughts your way!!
Love bunches,
Amanda
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