Friday, November 25, 2011

thanksgiving continued

Great success!!! Everyone enjoyed, nice prayer, great reasons to be thankful, good toasting, and very good food.  You must know that this was all done with one very small oven, very limited pots and pans, and with great imaginations.  The organization paid off wonderfully and everyone helped in some way.  Thanks for making my day great and helped us all with missing family.

I think the pictures will say it all.

P1010390Did I mention just before dinner the electricity went off yes that means no fans and no lights.

 P1010398P1010408Richard won the best costume for the boys and Dawn the best girl.P1010386 I was cleaning and Dawn was cooking. Yes those are our turkey feathers she has in her band.

Thanksgiving Day

We left this am and went to Paga right on the border of Burkina Faso so after today we have been from the bottom to the top of Ghana.  In Paga in 1640 a King was being hunted and had to get across a river.  The river had crocs in it.  He went across when the Crocs assured him it would be okay.  When he got to the other side he swore no one would ever hurt another Croc in the kings territory.  So now they just call them out with chickens and tourist sit on them and touch their tails and NO I DID NOT.  Took some pics and will add at the end.

A few of us went to the Pia Palace to see where the kings have lived since 1640.  It is in the traditional round style and the king and his wives (yes wives), children and relatives live in the same compound.  It is said there is 900 living there but I find that hard to believe.  It keeps being added onto because the family keeps growing.  We did find an air conditioner added onto the Kings place. Ha!!

We came back to lunch then cutting and chopping for T-day dinner.  Suzanne just went down to help cut up the turkey since we did not have ANYTHING to cook it in, not even a cookie sheet and aluminum foil.  They cook soooo different here.  This is a retreat where people come to stay so they have a kitchen and they have fed us for a week but the girls went through it and could not find much useful.  The Priest on the premise is letting us use his oven (which is very small) for casseroles.  The girls have worked very hard to get this together.  We have invited our two drivers,Justin, and Ernest as well as Nikco, Richard, and the group of 5 here from Oregon to buy baskets I think they said 33 people.  Wow!!!

 

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Croc coming up to see us                                   Trainee holding him by the tail                      Entrance to Place

 

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4 Homes in the Compound                              Kitchen , looks like my site                                   Silo for grain and chickens below

 

Will let you know about the T-Day dinner.  Hope yours was wonderful. 

Outside of Bolagatanga

We arrived here after a 9 hr. PC van ride.  We had a/c sort of so it was not to bad.  There were 15 of us in the van shoulder to shoulder, everyone had in their ear plugs, music and some were even reading.  You know me I watched out the window and tried to sleep a little.  The terrain went from lush green to wild grass and trees to basically flat farm land. 

The retreat we are at , called Spiritual Retreat Center, is very nice.  A little rolling hills with grass and trees.  I think they must have been here a while and have made it into this nice quite place.  They have long bldgs. with about 10 rooms each and they are placed over the property.  They have an out door chapel on the hill and the trail leads to the stations that Catholics here walk to.  It is very peaceful but now that it is noon it is very HOT!!! and I am in my room under the fan.  A group of Trainees walked into town.  I knew I would not make it so I stayed behind.

Our training was very interesting in Techiman but I am having to rethink a lot of ideas that I have because we still have to work basic on a lot of our projects.  I just hope that I can find out what I am going to do about my site.  I met some people that have come up here to buy baskets and take back to the US to sell.  They have been doing this for a number of years.  I asked how they got things to the states and they said on suitcase is set up and they wet the baskets and then push them in the suitcases until it is full.  I would love to send some home just need to find out how much it will cost or maybe wait until I come home and just load up a suit case and leave everything else here.

I will add pictures of this area.  Enjoy

 

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Outdoor church here at the Retreat is the 1st 3 pictures

Second 3 pictures is our outdoor classes in composting, tea making from manure (yes cows shi…) Bunny rearing they are so cute but I don’t like they killed one for us to have for lunch did not taste bad though.  They are sorting eggs, Erika this is what would happen if you got more chickens, Ha!!, and yes that is my feet.  I have worn my sandals so much I now have a tan.  Roxie don’t look at my toes I have not been doing them Ha!!!!

Cashew Seminar

I have been in Techiman learning about the Cashew Production, Associations and business practices for the last 2 days.  There are a number of PC Volunteers that have started this program and wanting to expand.  This is the only PC program that they have found the sites and went in to help instead of communities asking for the PC to come in.  It has been very interesting and exciting to think a few Volunteers saw a need and an opportunity and started working on it with the PC goals leading the way.  These are young men and women that are working to set Cashew to be a BIG player in the product they can compete with other countries around world.  Did you know India was the largest producer and importer of cashew?  Me neither I said Brazil.

We have done some basic bookkeeping and record keeping with how many yams large and small one you bought sold sent out on credit and was paid for.  So simple but something you never think of how to do it.  Kept my examples so I can see if I can simplify any more Ha!! Simplicity is calling my name when it comes to teaching it to someone!!!

We went to a Cashew association that handles a number of farmers association then went to see a small association that handles just local farmers.  Cashew season starts in Jan – March so maybe I will have one or two that has not been shipped around the world before I get to taste it.  Did you know that US consumption has declined in the last year ?  Me either I know I kept eating them.

After a long day came and purchased a glass of wine and brought to our room and enjoyed it with the walnuts that Barbara P sent to me – way good!.  We went to eat spaghetti ( NOT RICE) and chicken and had a nice conversation with a fellow trainee and a volunteer.  Have some not feeling to good so may not be a very pleasant trip to Bolgatanga tomorrow.  Just hope my luck holds out a little longer and get this traveling out of the way.  I have a little cold but that I can handle the “running” does not sound like fun.

Will be a very long trip tomorrow 9 hrs I am thinking so probably will write about it before I send the post.  Take care, thinking of you all on this day My Grandson’s birthday and he would not even talk to me – had to catch the bus!!!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

From the Spiritual Renewal Center

Getting up by 6 and taking a walk is wonderful.  So cool and pleasant.  We are on the road each day by 8 to go to a hands on class of some sort.  We have been learning about bee keeping, and rabbit rearing so next step is to build the cages.  We went to a lumber yard.  The trainees thought it was to pick up the specific parts but noooo we actually had to plan the cages with information we had received.  We gave measurements  and they cut the wood for us, then we got all the parts we needed to put it together and even though this sounds simple it was not.  However, we finally were ready to put together and the Ghanaians wanted to help and sort of took over – did not make PC Trainees very happy. 

We were under a tree learning about where to put the bee hives and what they needed to have out in the open, like facing east so they would get up early and start to work, make sure rain and wind would not bother them.  The group that went the night before to get into a hive asked lot of questions.  I am just not going to be able to put on a suit and run around with the bees.  If my community wants to do this they will have to send someone to show them I am way to uncomfortable with it.

Today we went to learn about dry season farming.  It was cool because they had gotten help to build a irrigation ditch from the dam so they can water once a week from the ditch.  We went out to the farm and each farmer is using a plot for different vegetables, peppers, tomatoes, onions and a seasoning I did not know.  It looked so pretty because everything around is so brown.  They have a natural fence on one side with a marshy water area, but they have to watch the other side so the animals (which none are penned) won’t come in at night to eat what is green. 

We then stopped at a couple of places to get things we needed for Thanksgiving dinner.  Two of the girls, Janette and Caitlin have worked to get us all involved but they did all the planning.  It will be fun no matter what the actual out come is.  Suzanne and I went to get the wine and volunteered for helping clean up.  So that will be in the next blog.

I will try and post some pictures from today:

 

P1010318Making an A frame to get contour  of land. P1010328Starting the bee hive.

 

P1010333Look how he is holding the saw.  The movement is like a machete chop.

 

P1010339Mike carrying our Turkey purchased in the market for 90 Gh cedis ($55.00)

 

P1010343Helping plant onions Don’t see me? Surprise I take the pictures. Ha!!!

P1010347Learning to make Pito Beer.P1010353Tasters

 

P1010355Don’t think I liked it.P1010358Smile for the picture.

Niko was telling us stories about the village. It is at bottom of hill where there are gold mines.  Many big mines used to be there but got all the big gold and now gone.  Lot of people try to find gold in the fields and are leaving big holes and unusable land.  He grew up in the village so he had lots of stories.  We looked around the market and bought a little.  Don’t think I will be drinking beer again but it was interesting including drinking out of the gourd. Good afternoon had by all.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Learning about HIV AIDS

PEPFAR

We are in day two at a little little town called Gussie about a 1/3 of the way up from Tamale toward Bolga. We came up on Tuesday to help a volunteer from here do an HIV/AIDS education fair in her village, there are 9 trainees in my group here. This village is smaller than the one I went to site in. No elec in the whole town. No COLD pure water sachets so we are back to warm water. The guest house we are staying in is owned by the company that does many things in this area including organic Mangos. There is no electricity but they have a generator that we can’t use. So it bucket baths and head lamps at night. The pump is not working so we are getting water and putting it in a barrel for us to do laundry and bath with. This is Ghana is standard for here. WE were excited when we first walked into the compound – two bathrooms, one even with a tub and 3 bedrooms living room and kitchen. The kitchen sink is working so we are using it for hands and filing up a bucket or two.

Yesterday we went to the school which is k-6 to teach some HIV/AIDS things. I worked with the K group and there were about 80 kids so we divided them into two sessions. They did not understand English so we did a few skits to show them not to use razors or syringes but one time and did a song that we taught them but all they did was repeat exactly what we said without understanding. We passed out papers they were to put an X on anything they were not suppose to touch. Many just looked at the paper until we showed them an example on the board and they did that exactly and nothing else. A great learning experience for trainees that we are going to have to be even more simple than we were. The older kids were basically the same except they knew the what HIV/Aids was so we tried to show them they should still be friends with their friends that are sick and that they could not get it from hugging, or eating from the same bowl (have I told you everyone eats with their hands from bowls? I can’t do it but some of the trainees do it.), or helping them with chores. That is a major problem the people are casts outs when it is found out they have HIV. The older kids did posters or cards to give to sick people to make them happy. Don’t think they understood to much but repetitions is what we will do for the next two years. Small villages have a very low rate of HIV/AIDS but the people that go to Accra and Kumasi looking for work end up getting paid for sex and then have to come back to village when they are infected.

Today Wednesday Nov. 10, we are going to the village to do a fair – they have music, we are going to do games, the kids will do skits tonight and then there is to be dancing. We have our jobs lined up and we are back at the compound resting because it is going to be hot and long. We have been warned that since we are giving out candy, posters and condoms that we are to watch the stuff because when it is free they over run you trying to get at it. Ha!! Guess who did not volunteer to watch the goodies?

Since we have been here the PCV has been feeding us – not American not Ghanaian just her closest version of American, even shared her Velveeta in her potato soup last night. After dinner some of us came back to get a bath and lay in bed waiting for a breeze – but is does get cooler here at night so by morning we actual have our two yards (yes two yards of cloth) for covers. I am still lucky having been given a shawl that I use as a two yard for wrapping up as a towel, robe, etc.

My camera still does not work but friend have taken some pics for me and I have used some of their pics to show you what is going on.

Last evening before dark we walked the village even met a few of the elders and had our pic taken with them. Then we were going to a baby naming ceremony but for whatever reason we missed it. But everyone was at the compound so after introduction and being given a bench to sit on we waited until invited to see the week old little girl. I went in and she was on her side in her Mother’s arms being splashed with water and loving it. Then she was put on her back and two arms were put over her and pulled then crossed the other way and pulled to make her strong. Then she flipped her over and washed her back. Afterward she was brought out and we all got to hold her. She already had her ears pierced. Not sure if she will have the cuts put on her face which is tradition but she did not have them yesterday. The twins were 2 and looked like maybe 9 or 10 months old. The little boy was walking and curious about us but the little girl is sick and she does not walk – both nursing at the same time while we were there.

We leave for Techiman tomorrow for our NRM training to start and I understand that we are staying in a cool Monastery. Another adventure to report on.

Pictures

P1010272Laundry on Sunday drying in Town

 

P1010273Creek under bridge downtown

 

P1010261Gang before dinner

 

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Put in a new stereo in the Taxi BUT does not have a way to hold it so just used cardboard to make it fit!!!

 

100_4880This trash can I found at a park says Property of the City of Austin Small world! Ha!!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Training in Techiman

WE are now in Techiman to do our tech training. We are staying at the Premier Palace, NOT. But they do have internet service and a/c so right now I am a happy camper.

We had training yesterday and it was really interesting. We learn LOTS about the Maringa Tree which has so many vitamin and minerals in the leaves. They mashed them and it looked like spinach (I am craving anything that is green so I was so excited) and I asked about using it like spinach. The answer is YES, saut̩ with onion and garlic and it is very good and very nutritious. They make a cr̬me out of the leaves and it is a healing cr̬me for the skin. You put in in with Vaseline and make a cr̬me for the hair and it is suppose to make hair grow. So we watched them make the soap and then were cut it into blocks and then they package it and sell for 1 Gh cedis. I should have bought one from him not like US where they would have given you a sample. Ha!!! We then went to the kitchen and made shea butter with Maringa Tree leaves. These would both be great projects for my area after I find out about the leaves РI know we have shea butter in the Upper East.

I found out the business classes were going to be in the cashew group so I asked if I could go with that group since I was in the business section. He has made arrangements for me to do that. The bookkeeping here needs to be very basic since some of the people cannot read or write.

The other class was on Savings Club. This is where people learn how to save then when someone needs to borrow like 25 gh cedis they can for a small time and pay back with interest. After the club has been together for like a year we divide up the money by what people have put in and they then have a large sum for them to be able to purchase something they need or they can reinvest in another club for a year. The main idea is learning to save for something – mostly their money goes for daily living but if they could save maybe 50 pesewas a week then at the end of a year they would have more money at one time than they ever have. (50 pesewas is about .30 cents US). Another trainee and I were talking and we could do something similar with the older students. Have a after school club and each time they came we would give them a square of material. After they have come to the club for 6 weeks to 2 months and they kept their squares we could make a bean bag or if they saved each piece we could even make a market bag. Another way to learn about saving. Love listening to very creative people.

I have a picture of my friend drinking a pure water sachet. This is how we get our water. It ends up a plastic bag that gets put on the ground. We were talking about keeping them and trying to make purses or wallets. While I was at site one lady made a basket from them. It was small but so cute. It would be no expense to get material except for cleaning them when we pick up off the ground. The PCT’s are keeping them in bags to hopefully use again.

The plastic bags they use here are soooo small but that is the grocery bag. They call them rubbers. Do you want your purchase in a rubber? It always makes me look and think again. Sooo funny.

After dinner last night we all visited for a while but headed to our room about 8:30 boy a lot of partying people here. My roommate came in a little after 9:00 so even the young ones did not party. Ha!!! Of course I am still waking at 4:30 but thank goodness it is on my own not a rooster crowing.P1010271Water SachetP1010267P1010268Making Soap

Friday, November 11, 2011

Bus Riding in Ghana

I just wanted to tell you about the wonderful trip trying to get to Techiman.  We left Gussie about 8 am in a tro with 4 people to a seat and that does not count if the children are sitting on my parent lap.  So in this van there was 16 adults and 3 children.  We rode to the Bus Station to catch a bus to Techiman that left at 9:45 am.  We rode until 12 thinking we would stop well we did but it was to let a lady in the middle out to go to the bush to relieve herself.  We traveled about another hour wondering if we would ever get to Techiman when it started to rain. 

The rain was nice and cool until it started coming in the windows and then the roof fell in and the rain and rust came in full steam!!!  Everyone moved around to try and help those getting wet.  All I could think to do was laugh.  I made sure my backpack was in my lap to protect then just shook my head.

We were ready to go to the monastery when we called to verify and found out we need to stay on the bus and go to bus station in Techiman.  We finally got there at 3:30 so our 3 hour trip took 5 hours.  We thn had to catch a taxi to the hotel where we got to meet up with our whole group.  It has only been a week but it seems so much longer since we had seen each other.  Had a beer and talked and talked about what had happened this week.  Such fun!!!

Bus travel is NOT ANY FUN and I sure do have a long way to go when I want a day off work!!!

Will write more later.  Barbara

Pictures

Yes this is our Transportation here in Ghana. Nothing is bad except for the sheep about to fall off Ha!!!

We were walking into the school yard and the kids all came running out to greet us.  They took our packages to carry for us.  We had so much fun with the kids.
This little girl is 1 week old.  She was having her naming
ceremony but I watched her get a bath, her ears are already pierced.  So SweeT

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

2nd day at site



  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.

Sunday Church

Sunday at Church

I got ready for church and the 3 girls came to get me.  One of the girls carried my bag. I wanted my fan and the kids love it but I do not want it to get broken.  It has been a life saver a number of times and I have only been here a month.   We walked to church down the paths and it took about 20 minutes.  I was warm when I got there but with the windows open I got a little breeze.  It was a little singing and praying then the girls showed me the bible, in English, where the message was being given.  They were all so sweet to try and keep me up with what was going on.  The church is held in the school since they are in the process of building a new church.  My host John is the pastor but they had about 3 men speak before he did.  His daughter and son sat beside me and tried to keep me up.  The ladies danced and requested that I dance but I am to self conscious to try in the front of the church.  The first night I did dance.

There is a little neighbor girl all dressed up – 5- that danced for us and Michael -3- kept looking to make sure I was watching him dance.   He is my shadow he even walked home from church with me holding his hand.  He is funny and even when I can’t understand him he makes me laugh.  He is a mimick for everything I say.  He spent the day with me out under the tree only place to get a little breeze and be cool.  I spoke with John’s brother as he and his wife were making baskets.  Amazing how fast they are.  The wife was making a purse and was doing the bottom in navy can’t wait to see it finished.  He was making a laundry basket.  Michael is their only son and he makes them laugh also.  Michael’s Dad asked him to get him a drink.  Michael had to walk the length of the house go around front, go to the “kitchen” in the back of the house, get the water in the cup, get another cup for his Mother and then walk all the way back.  His Dad took his cup and drank it down.  Michael looked at him and in Fra Fra told his Dad he was not going to get him another one when he drinks it so fast. Ha!!!

I have to draw a map of the village for PC to use in an emergency-think I will have John draw it and put in the different  places – you know the only real places  Health Clinic, Mother’s Club, and the Craft Center – then mark the house off so if there is an emergency they can find me.  GOOD LUCK!!! Unless you meet someone and know Johns name.  He is VERY well know in the village and I am sure someone could find us. 

Chickens drive me nuts.  They are all over and poop everywhere.  It gets cleaned up in the am but until then it is all over.   They sweep every am and things are put in place.  But you know me with animals not very good.  I like them at a distance and that damn rooster kills me with the crowing!!!!

It is 5:30pm and finally getting cool outside in the shade.  The sun is almost down and getting dark.  We are having a vegetable tonight – looks like a zucchini or squash and it is called cucama and they are making it into a soup.  Will report on it later. NEVER got the vegies rice again!!!!

Going to Bolga tomorrow and hopefully meeting up with a PCV that lives in the area.  She is opening a office there and she needs the other PCTrainees names that I have.  She is also going to help me with the logistics of living where I am suppose to live.

Reception at Site

My reception at the site I went to look at was unbelievable but lets back up: At 4 am we left the hotel for the bus station.  All went smooth until we got ready to get on.  Oh my gosh we had tickets with numbered seats and still the pushed to get on was unbelievable. The loud voices even a verbal fight between the bus driver and another person.  People brought unbelievable things on the bus to be put under seats, in the aisles and people put their feet on it or sat on it.  This one lady must have shopped for her business and brought all her products on.  I guess this is the reality when no one owns a vehicle and has to use public transportation everywhere. Everything is worn through and dirty.  My luggage looks like it was drug through the dirt top and bottom. Oh yeah once piece now has a hole in it.  Will have to duct tape it when it gets moved next.  When I get back to Jennifer’s I will have to find a brush and clean it.

We went to the market at the bus station ate lunch and Olivia brought some items.  We got a taxi over here to Nyariga with a tied up goat and 3 passengers.  When we drove up to Olivia’s house the women were all waiting from the women club.  They sang and welcomed us here then danced a number of dances inviting me in to dance with them.  It then moved into the courtyard and continued until about with the addition of apparently a local boy “done good” that was our musician.  Spoke with a few people and tried out my language a little.  Still embarrassing to talk out loud.  In my room I sound good.

My room I will talk about to you when I know a little more.  It still does not have electricity and of course I am sure it won’t happen here because they are so far from any exsiting line.  

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Cultural NIght

After a full day of classes mainly about HIV/AIDS, we were ready for some fun.  We placed ourselves in role play to ask questions to show the differences in the cultures when it comes to HIV.    When it comes to family things, children sex education, spousal abuse and how to handle it, facing HIV and dealing with it, Americans and Ghanaian’s are not really on the same page.  It was fun though learning about the reasons they had for example of not reporting a wife beating to the police.  The Ghanaian’s would rather it be settled in the family and the community where Americans wanted police involved immediately.  It was a very open and frank discussion.

Tonight was cultural night and I have some pictures and a movie hopefully it will load up.  The music and dancing was from South Ghana to North Ghana.  It was very interesting to watch.  We are in an enclosed gated area and the neighborhood children heard the music and watched through the fence.  When they started calling us obruni’s they were told it was only time they would be told not to do it again and we never heard from them again until we started dancing.  They laughed and laughed.

There are 6 PCT’s and 6 counter parts going to the Upper East and it is a long bus ride.  They want us to try and catch the 2nd bus so we will not be traveling at night.  We met to make sure all 12 were on the same page and agreed to this so one counterpart could go tomorrow and purchase all the tickets.  They want to catch the 2nd bus to leave because it will be about 8 or 9 o’clock it will leave – the reason for the time difference is they DO NO LEAVE until the bus is full.  This is true for taxis’ and tros tros also – you wait until it is full before you can go or you can hire the taxi for all 4 seats and pay the going price of about 1 GH Cedis 50 peswas per seat for about a 20 – 30 min ride.  Traveling by bus all day I am worried about bathroom stops.  Thanks to Erika I do not have to worry about what to eat.  My friend in Atlanta, Laura, introduced me to a woman that had lived in Ghana by Facebook and she told me about the meat sticks on the side of the road and she loved them.  On our trip up here we took a stop for toilet and snacks.  The meat sticks were there and the boys went for them.  I took a bite of Mike’s and it was very good.  It was hot and a little spicy.

We all headed for the pool after the party and were swimming, some playing Frisbee and the manager came to us at 7:30pm saying pool attendant wanted to go home so would be please leave in 5 mins.  Of course we did but not what we wanted.  I swam about 5 am while the sun came up.  I can’t sleep pass 4 so I thought this is what I needed to do.  It was great and it was good for my foot.  I cannot believe how much it swells up when we are sitting all day.  I try to keep it up on a chair most of the day but it is still very big.  I did turn it a little last night after our walk as we came in and I stepped in a hole. YUK!!!Below are the pics my friend took.

Josh and the band
Mircale showing off her moves.   
Taj, language teacher and Suzanne Below was a
movie but it would not come on and won't go off sorry about that.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

From Kumasi

After living so primitively this hotel is such a luxury.  We have a real bathroom, long deep tub, king size bed with very firm mattress, swimming pool even a bar at the pool.  The Wadoma Royal Hotel “Where the Smile Lingers”  Ha!!!

We have meet our counter parts and are doing workshops with them.  She is VERY pretty, about 21 yrs old, lives at the same compound, with her Mother, brother/father and their families including a Grandma that needed someone to look after her, they have for me.  She has finished what we would call high school and wants to go to school but does not know when.  Her English is good but I still word my questions a couple of different ways to see if we are talking about the same thing.  Meetings are never fun but sometimes this is soooo long, 8 – 5 with no breaks in the afternoon.  We are talking cultural interaction, HIV/AIDS information, getting down whether we know anything or just myths, real events that have happened to volunteers and how we would handle if it happen to us from both the Counter Parts and the PC Trainees and security. 

I took a walk down the road after dinner with 5 other trainees to go buy cards for my phone.  I am waiting for Lisa to get money on my phone for me so I can quit having to look for these things although they seem to sell on every corner.  We stopped at a couple of “Spots” where there is music and drinks looking for cigarettes for one of the guys.

Got a call tonight from a PCV that is hosting an HIV/AIDS clinic in her village and she was wanting to make plans.  We are going to meet her next week in Tamale at the TSO, pool money for food, then catch a ride to her village to stay in a guest house – no elec, some kind of running water, and outhouse – so we can help her with the clinic to get an idea how these things work.  I  will leave from our site meet up with 5 other PCT in Bolga then go on with the rest of our trip.

Called a PCV tonight that knows the young man that was at my site and just left this summer so I am trying to get to talk to him to get some logistics of the site.  It is a very small town but the Nyariga Doone Women’s Club is the group I will work with and I just found out they sell their baskets at Whole Foods.  I saw them before I came but I did not know anything about where I would be so I didn’t click, but found it on their web site this afternoon.  The town is very small and I live next door to the Chief wonder if I will feel different living next to Royalty Ha!!!

Guess you are caught up.  Can’t put on pictures because my camera got wet and it is ruined SICK!! Trying to decide what to do about a new one.  Take care  Barbara

Here is a utube about my village: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUshVADV2jw&feature=related