After a very hot night and just enough sleep not to fall apart when the rooster started his thing at 4 am. He is the loudest of all the roosters so far! I lie in bed and read until the rest of the family started moving about 5:15 am. I was served hot water for my tea but the water tasted so funny sort of fishy and I realized they were using their water instead of mine. Needless to say I did not drink but one sip.
After a piece of bread for breakfast and a left over banana from the bus trip yesterday, I got dressed and Olivia and I start out to explore. We are really a good distance out from the Mother’s Club. Of course after I walk it a few times and know where I am maybe it won’t be so far. The Mother’s Club make baskets made for Japan and France. Some of the designs are from a lady from France who is heading up the project. Since it was Saturday only a couple of the men that work there showed me around. Then we headed over to the craft center where Blessing Baskets and Whole Food project is done. They are really nice but I was surprised that they had not ordered a burnt orange one. Ha!! They showed me the office where I would get electricity. Has a nice fan but very little room so I would probably have to go when the bosses is out to lunch. We then walked around town and Olivia introduced me to family members, the Spot to get minerals and beer, and the little store which is NOT a store by any of our standards. Got ice water and went on. Meet her sister that owns the spot. Olivia sometimes works there. We met a man that wants to marry me already even before I greeted him. Pretty desperate if you ask me. Olivia said the sun is coming down very Hot so we must walk faster. She is always shooing me to the side of the road when a M/C comes by. Everyone rides and they think it is so funny that PC won’t allow us on one.
I was so hot that I bought another cold water to make it home. 5 peswas. I was so hot the courtyard full of sun so I went to my room and drank water, emailed, texted, read and sat as still as possible to cool off. One of the girls suggested I come with her and we walked around the compound where Olivia and another sister were sitting under a tree looking for a breeze. The kids followed me so I got a yo yo out for them to try. Was a very big hit and brought around 4 or 5 more kids. We called Jack in American because I told them the plane they pointed out to me had brought me from America to see them in Ghana. When we got Jack on the phone Michael about 3 was the brave one and told Jack hello he was so proud of himself. When my landlord, supervisor came under the tree he saw my kindle and ask about the book. When I explained it was 60 books plus the Bible and Dictionaries he almost came unglued could not believe it. We opened up and he read from the Bible without his glasses. So much fun. I showed one of the young girls Tish’s word game and she played it.
We sat there until 4:30 pm and I was invited for another walk with my Supervisor. Apparently, he is about 4 generations from this town. His Great whatever Grandfather came here to settle his family. The farm has grown and now all the generations have some ownership in the land and they plant millet mostly but a few other things. They have just planted a vegetable garden but I never did see that on our walk. The trail is the cow trail or people trail that wonders all over the town. We saw the school, the church they are building and all the projects he has been involved in beside the Women’s Club. He says showing a woman a trade and she will feed the family. He feels it is very important to empower the women of Ghana so they can always earn a wage. He wants to expand and get into other crafts that can be taught and done in Ghana. He is in the process of trying to find money to build a bigger craft center so any woman of Ghana can come in and be trained in a profession. The project and the family are awesome. I am so excited but….. the living arrangements are in need of a lot of work and probably money to get it where I would want to be for 2 years…the farm is far from things biking is an option which isn’t bad but the ride to Bolga is probably 1 hr and what happens in rainy season and the super hot dry season (like over 90 in my room at this time is uncomfortable) riding that far into town to get veggies and fruit. I don’t know if there is such a thing as battery power full size fan but I have not slept here more than short spurts and eating is not even calling my name. There is very little to do nothing here even on Mkgt days according to Olivia. The taxi is 12 cedis which doesn’t sound bad until you figure that is both ways and I only make about 7 cedis a day. On mkgt days the taxis start in another town so she said sometimes it is an hour on road waiting to get transportation, tros tros, or taxis but the cost is 1 cedis 50 peswas a big difference. Then there is supplies when I redo my room. I need to build a kitchen (camping style), I need a harder mattress so my back won’t go out, and then things to make a closet and shelves. I know taxis can bring stuff here because on my trip we tied a goat in the back of the car to bring home with us. Yes a goat.
Going to church with them in the morning. Will follow up.
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