1.28.09
a lot of you are wondering by now how exactly i pass the time here and what it is i do all day long in ghana...from previous blogs i've mentioned that i don't sleep through the night or a lot which is about the same. i usually wake up between 5 and 6 (or wake up for the last time i should say) and read, write in my journal, jot notes for my blog, or listen to my ipod. around 6:30 i walk across the road for breakfast (hot chocolate. water, bread, jam) then back to get ready for work. we meet our local "boss" kwesi around 8 and are either working in the village on housing projects or in tinkong (20 minutes down the road) working on the out buildings for an orphanage. work is anything from making mud bricks, moving bricks, mixing concrete, laying bricks, applying plaster (concrete) to a bricked structure or painting. work ends around 12 or 12:30 ( we don't work in the afternoon because of the heat) and we head back for lunch (yams/rice/pasta and sauce - sometimes a rare treat of meat or salad, plus fruit). the afternoon i have free to do laundry, nap, shower, play frisbee, read, write in my journal, play with the local kids, observe classes at the school, go to town etc. dinner (same food as lunch) is between 5:30 and 6 and then the volunteers hang out, play cards, talk, go for a drink at the local bar on occasion or go to bed. on wednesdays we gather in mamfe at the local office to hang out and talk (where i can charge my cell phone). today there wasn't much work today (lack of money) so my roommate and i observed a social studies class - it was very different from school in the US and deserves more than a couple lines. we are going to try to go back next week and sit in on a math and science class so i'll write a whole blog about that once i have more material!!! this weekend some of the volunteers are going to aburi to the botanical gardens and the wood market which should be fun. i hope you are all staying warm - have a good day!!!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
a glimpse into my world
1.24.09
i thought this time i would give you some visual descriptions of ghana as i am seeing it since the connection is too slow to allow me to post pics so here goes...
picture a hazy blue backdrop with rolling mountains (kind of reminds me of the blue ridge) dotted with tall green trees, grasses, corn fields and palms stretched across as far as you can see. there is a cool gentle breeze blowing to cool you from the hot sun (warm but not too intense). the ground is a vast expanse of dry red clay dirt that clings to your skin and covers you in a fine layer. in the distance you hear a cacophony of roosters, chickens, goats, dogs and cats. small tin roofed mud houses plastered in concrete dot the foreground with laundry hanging out to dry. the colored were once bright but now faded and most of the structures are crumbling. people are friendly but curious and always interested to wave at, yell at, or talk with the passing obruni. this is a place where everyone down to the smallest children carry things on their heads from water to bundles of wood to school bags. it's a quiet and more relaxed pace, but also a place of poverty and decay. trash cans are non-existent and garbage is carelessly tossed on the ground to be swept into piles and eventually burned. it is a place completely foreign but becoming less so with each slowly passing day. to me to me, this is ghana.
i thought this time i would give you some visual descriptions of ghana as i am seeing it since the connection is too slow to allow me to post pics so here goes...
picture a hazy blue backdrop with rolling mountains (kind of reminds me of the blue ridge) dotted with tall green trees, grasses, corn fields and palms stretched across as far as you can see. there is a cool gentle breeze blowing to cool you from the hot sun (warm but not too intense). the ground is a vast expanse of dry red clay dirt that clings to your skin and covers you in a fine layer. in the distance you hear a cacophony of roosters, chickens, goats, dogs and cats. small tin roofed mud houses plastered in concrete dot the foreground with laundry hanging out to dry. the colored were once bright but now faded and most of the structures are crumbling. people are friendly but curious and always interested to wave at, yell at, or talk with the passing obruni. this is a place where everyone down to the smallest children carry things on their heads from water to bundles of wood to school bags. it's a quiet and more relaxed pace, but also a place of poverty and decay. trash cans are non-existent and garbage is carelessly tossed on the ground to be swept into piles and eventually burned. it is a place completely foreign but becoming less so with each slowly passing day. to me to me, this is ghana.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
the effects of a profound lack of sleep over time...
10.20.09
happy inaguration day! it's a balmy sunny warm dday here in kwamosos (really akrapong where the internet is) bot like the chilly wheather in DC! i don't think i've gotten a full night's sleep since i've been here but i am starting to adjust. last week and through monday night there was nightly music, chanting, and general noise as part of a weeklong funeral celebration. unlike at home, here they celebrate the person's life with parties, music, food and parades and it seems to go on endlessly. unfortunately, they do it at the deceased person's house, which is right next to where i am...over the weekend i travelled with some other volunteers to wlii falls where i got a REAL SHOWER and FLUSH TOILET! (and yes, i was really excited about those and fascinated by the lights too :)). the hike was great, the waterfall was refreshing and overall it was fun times. the bed, though was hard as a rock so again, sleep was not so great - though for once i was sleeping without a bug net which was a nice change. the biggest adjustment besides all of the above it my lack of alone time - so i value it very much and get very little. in any case, i wake up early and read and write in my journal before my roomie gets up with is seeming to suffice. aside from a few cuts, scrapes and bruises and one bout with some stomach troubles i've been pretty lucky so far as far as being healthy and i haven't broken anything! i do have a couple of cuts that i need to watch because the flies get in them and lay eggs which can leas to a fun infection but so far no problems there. and for anyone that is wondering, no i don't really need to iron my underwear or any of my clothes for that matter :) hope you are all well. i will be on this weeekend for longer so i promise to write more then. take care and ma ha from ghana :)
happy inaguration day! it's a balmy sunny warm dday here in kwamosos (really akrapong where the internet is) bot like the chilly wheather in DC! i don't think i've gotten a full night's sleep since i've been here but i am starting to adjust. last week and through monday night there was nightly music, chanting, and general noise as part of a weeklong funeral celebration. unlike at home, here they celebrate the person's life with parties, music, food and parades and it seems to go on endlessly. unfortunately, they do it at the deceased person's house, which is right next to where i am...over the weekend i travelled with some other volunteers to wlii falls where i got a REAL SHOWER and FLUSH TOILET! (and yes, i was really excited about those and fascinated by the lights too :)). the hike was great, the waterfall was refreshing and overall it was fun times. the bed, though was hard as a rock so again, sleep was not so great - though for once i was sleeping without a bug net which was a nice change. the biggest adjustment besides all of the above it my lack of alone time - so i value it very much and get very little. in any case, i wake up early and read and write in my journal before my roomie gets up with is seeming to suffice. aside from a few cuts, scrapes and bruises and one bout with some stomach troubles i've been pretty lucky so far as far as being healthy and i haven't broken anything! i do have a couple of cuts that i need to watch because the flies get in them and lay eggs which can leas to a fun infection but so far no problems there. and for anyone that is wondering, no i don't really need to iron my underwear or any of my clothes for that matter :) hope you are all well. i will be on this weeekend for longer so i promise to write more then. take care and ma ha from ghana :)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
dry season?!?!
1.13.09
got caught in a freak rainstorm walking to the internet cafe - lucky me! too bad i had already had my shower for today. thankfully it was short lived and the very gracious hosts of the cafe gave us all towels to dry off! it's getting better, at least in terms of me adjusting. i am going with a couple other volunteers to wlii falls this weekend where there will be more hiking! it's funny how my perspective has changed in such a short amount of time. the poverty here is really something else, but i am slowly noticing it less and less. it's a world where cassette tapes are the norm, cars are older than i am, and they sweep the dirt floors. but it's also a country of incredibly friendly people with a more laid-back attitude. at work (i'm helping build the structures for an orphanage) i've learned how to pour foundation, mix concrete, make mud bricks and lay bricks. i will try and post pics next time but the connection here is kind of slow so we'll see. there are several volunteers who have now arrived so i am no longer the newbie - out of 8 of us i've been here 3rd longest! we went to the local bar/club last night - it's really just a place with loud ghanian music, plastic chairs and not so cold drinks. but it was fun and i tried to dance (i seriously have NO rhythm compared to these people). i've been reading and hanging out in the afternoons and just marveling at the vast cultural differences. i can't say at this point that i won't be happy to leave but overall it's a good thing i'm here. i have the most amazing understandings of hardship and a true insight as to how lucky and fortunate i really am, both of which will make me a stronger and better person. feel free to email me - i'm not so good at getting back to people but i really really appreciate all the love and support!
got caught in a freak rainstorm walking to the internet cafe - lucky me! too bad i had already had my shower for today. thankfully it was short lived and the very gracious hosts of the cafe gave us all towels to dry off! it's getting better, at least in terms of me adjusting. i am going with a couple other volunteers to wlii falls this weekend where there will be more hiking! it's funny how my perspective has changed in such a short amount of time. the poverty here is really something else, but i am slowly noticing it less and less. it's a world where cassette tapes are the norm, cars are older than i am, and they sweep the dirt floors. but it's also a country of incredibly friendly people with a more laid-back attitude. at work (i'm helping build the structures for an orphanage) i've learned how to pour foundation, mix concrete, make mud bricks and lay bricks. i will try and post pics next time but the connection here is kind of slow so we'll see. there are several volunteers who have now arrived so i am no longer the newbie - out of 8 of us i've been here 3rd longest! we went to the local bar/club last night - it's really just a place with loud ghanian music, plastic chairs and not so cold drinks. but it was fun and i tried to dance (i seriously have NO rhythm compared to these people). i've been reading and hanging out in the afternoons and just marveling at the vast cultural differences. i can't say at this point that i won't be happy to leave but overall it's a good thing i'm here. i have the most amazing understandings of hardship and a true insight as to how lucky and fortunate i really am, both of which will make me a stronger and better person. feel free to email me - i'm not so good at getting back to people but i really really appreciate all the love and support!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
maha from ghana! (good afternoon)
1.6.09 (cont on 1.9.09)
hot, sweaty, frustrated, overwhelmed, shocked and completely out of my element. that's about how i feel right now after a couple days here and a day of working. my family is nice but an outhouse for 10 weeks and pouring water from a bucket over your head for a shower is going to be interesting and challenging! the volunteers staying close by me ( a 2 minute walk) are nice, a guy from the UK, a guy from Indiana, and a girl from Vancouver, BC. i am very slowly learning my way around, trying to remember names and trying to figure out what people are saying to me (in twi it's impossible, in english it's still pretty hard because of the accents!). here's a few things random observations so far...
- "obruni" = hey white person!! - this is kind of getting tiresome since i get yelled at so many times a day :)
- my host mom gets up at 4 am which means i wake up around then too, but it's light only till about 6 or so so we go to bed by 830 or 9 most nights
- roosters, goats, cats, chickens all walking around during the day is weird - when the make noise all night long it's downright annoying!
- i think i may sweat off half a person, the sun isn't so intense but seriously it's 90+ degrees every day with no AC
- the poverty here is on a level that you cannot imagine and very difficult to stomach for me (at least so far)
- having only a pocket mirror is good for now because i do NOT want to look at myself (though it would be nice to clean up before i get to morocco!)
- lucky me, i have already found the mormon missionaries!!! i think i am destined to find them everywhere i go :)
- the diet consists mostly of carbs, some fruit, very little protein and even fewer veggies - this is taking A LOT of adjusting.
ok well i have made it through one week, tomorrow i am off to see a waterfall and hike a bit, i've been a bit homesick and yesterday was not so good but i think today will be better. it's just taking time to adjust. if anyone wants to know anything in particular or wants me to post something - just let me know. even after being here a short time i could probably write for a long time!!!
hot, sweaty, frustrated, overwhelmed, shocked and completely out of my element. that's about how i feel right now after a couple days here and a day of working. my family is nice but an outhouse for 10 weeks and pouring water from a bucket over your head for a shower is going to be interesting and challenging! the volunteers staying close by me ( a 2 minute walk) are nice, a guy from the UK, a guy from Indiana, and a girl from Vancouver, BC. i am very slowly learning my way around, trying to remember names and trying to figure out what people are saying to me (in twi it's impossible, in english it's still pretty hard because of the accents!). here's a few things random observations so far...
- "obruni" = hey white person!! - this is kind of getting tiresome since i get yelled at so many times a day :)
- my host mom gets up at 4 am which means i wake up around then too, but it's light only till about 6 or so so we go to bed by 830 or 9 most nights
- roosters, goats, cats, chickens all walking around during the day is weird - when the make noise all night long it's downright annoying!
- i think i may sweat off half a person, the sun isn't so intense but seriously it's 90+ degrees every day with no AC
- the poverty here is on a level that you cannot imagine and very difficult to stomach for me (at least so far)
- having only a pocket mirror is good for now because i do NOT want to look at myself (though it would be nice to clean up before i get to morocco!)
- lucky me, i have already found the mormon missionaries!!! i think i am destined to find them everywhere i go :)
- the diet consists mostly of carbs, some fruit, very little protein and even fewer veggies - this is taking A LOT of adjusting.
ok well i have made it through one week, tomorrow i am off to see a waterfall and hike a bit, i've been a bit homesick and yesterday was not so good but i think today will be better. it's just taking time to adjust. if anyone wants to know anything in particular or wants me to post something - just let me know. even after being here a short time i could probably write for a long time!!!
Friday, January 2, 2009
happy 2009!
1.2.09
ok, so tomorrow at this time i will be at the airport and on my way to one of the biggest adventures in my life! i am a bundle of nerves, excitement, anticipation etc. luckily i am mostly packed and as ready as i will be. hopefully i can get some sleep tonight! if i have time during my layover tomorrow, i might try to log in, otherwise my next post will be from ghana! i also wanted to share another address for mail in case anyone wants to send me letters - this one might be better to use since it's in care of the organization though i think either are fine.
c/o Projects Abroad
P.O. Box 31
Mamfe-Akuapem
Eastern Region
Ghana
wishing you all the best for 2009!
ok, so tomorrow at this time i will be at the airport and on my way to one of the biggest adventures in my life! i am a bundle of nerves, excitement, anticipation etc. luckily i am mostly packed and as ready as i will be. hopefully i can get some sleep tonight! if i have time during my layover tomorrow, i might try to log in, otherwise my next post will be from ghana! i also wanted to share another address for mail in case anyone wants to send me letters - this one might be better to use since it's in care of the organization though i think either are fine.
c/o Projects Abroad
P.O. Box 31
Mamfe-Akuapem
Eastern Region
Ghana
wishing you all the best for 2009!
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