Friday, December 30, 2011

Random pics of new town Nyariga, Ghana

P1010547If traveling gets much worse I guess I will pay him to get me to town and back, next best is bike in back however, it will be way to hot soon to ride after 10 am (about 110 degrees starts end of Feb) then it will be to rainy.  Can’t win here.

P1010541Getting water from the bore hole near my home.  The children are wonderful in helping me get water home.

P1010538Helping Grandma wash clothes. She also said I did not do it right or good and helped me with my clothes.

P1010536This is little girl I live with getting her bath before she goes to work with her mother.  She is still scared of me but hopefully we can change that.

P1010535Getting all the purchases with the owners on a tros tros to get home Ladies carrying things on their head are selling to people sitting in tros tros waiting to leave.

P1010539My front yard – this is a mother pig with about 6 piglets but I don’t

know where they are.  She is looking for stuff thrown out. (They have me empty my garbage on the ground)

P1010551I believe this is the newest Muslin Temple in town.

I will take pictures of the baskets at the craft center soon and forward them on. 

I am at my village

Oh this has been a very informative, exciting, and making me think out of the box week.  I finally got here on Monday.  John’s son meet me in Bolatanga and made arrangements to have a taxi take us home with all my luggage.

We went to John’s house instead of my new place.  Olivia was feeling bad and she said that we might have to clean when we get there.  I caught up with Michael and the whole family what they had been doing since I had left.  Michael was so excited to see me.  Made me feel good (remember he is the 3-4 yr. old that is John’s grandson but he and I hit it off right away).

The next morning I was up early with Michael and Olivia and I carried the backpacks plus one of the gucci bags to my new place.  About a 15-20 min walk.  The house is on the main road through town and next door to my own 7-11, well the Ghanaian 7-11 anyway.  Pictures of the house are below.

My room is off the “living room”  the family even has a TV.  I have had to put my water container there because I only have a bed in my room at this time.  It also needs a new mattress so I am to purchase tomorrow.  We have few things that have to be done to meet Peace Corps requirements.  I have to have a “screen” door (best way to describe to my American friends) on my door from the living room because of flies and mosquitos.  I have to have a table and two chairs and I need shelves or something for my clothes, toiletries in my bathroom, plus I would like somewhere to put my food things since I will not be eating with the family.  I just can’t do all the carbs.

I have cleaned my room windows, walls, bathroom etc.  I have a few things to purchase like rugs in the bedroom and bathroom.  I need to find another light for my bed you know my reading habits, now I am using a flashlight or the light on my kindle.  Once I get my new mattress I will make my bed up right and put on Tammy’s pillow cover might even buy another pillow.

Money is a hassle here.  Since everything put in banking acct. you have to get it out in paper form until we get our debit cards.  These should have been given to us way before training was over but……  The lines are something you can not even imagine.  Before the bank opened the other day the line was from the front door back and forth about 6 times, plus all the way to the street.  I wish I had had enough sense to take a picture.  I will get you one though.  And the barging in while you are at the window was unbelievable.  There is no privacy to count your money or put it away without everyone being able to see. Makes me very nervous.   So I ordered a debit card could take 1 – 3 months to get and the line for the atm well lets not even go there.  Needless to say no banking on Market Days.  No bank, no grocery store for fresh stuff even eggs, no taxis or lorries,  no nothing in my village.  So Bolga trips are a necessary evil at least once a week if I have a fridge but I don’t yet because I have to get 300 cedis out of the stupid bank. AT least I have a friend that is willing to help me get the fridge and mattress to my little town but I did not have enough nerve to ask him how we were going to do it.  Sometimes I worry less when I don’t know as much. Ha!!!!

I have walked my little village basically just walking through farms  Generally I have my own parade of children following me since school is out here like the US.  They have been wonderful about filling my buckets and carrying them for me.  I have tried to greet everyone I see however, once we get past the greeting the children have to tell me what is being said and I try to say in Fra Fra the right response.  Usually the kids just end up laughing as well as most adults.  Guess I will eventually get another step further when I start my tutoring.

The children here seem to take care of themselves unless an adult see something wrong.  I can’t stand the hitting so I have to have them stop it in my present.  They don’t just hit they slug the person that has done them wrong.   Anyway, I quit playing games with them this afternoon because they would not stop slugging each other for no reason that I could see.

The other person living in the house besides the family is the purchasing agent for a French company.  She was nice enough to invite me over to the craft center to see what they are trying to finish.  They are on a dead line and as I have told you Ghanaians don’t get that.  The French designer sent over the instructions of what she wants then they have to figure out what they expect and then do the work.  The baskets I saw this evening were so nice.  I am going to try and get me one.  They also have a sewing center where some of the baskets have a liner  or a liner with a cover for the top.  They were really nice.

Pictures will follow since I went with a walk with the children and we ended up at the craft center.  I am sending a picture of a young barber doing a child’s head.  They use a comb with a two sided straight razor to cut the hair.  I asked if they cut the skin but he said he was very good.  He was a friend of the volunteer I am replacing so he was excited to meet me.

The nights and early morning are so cool it is wonderful. I  have walked, each morning or done some kind of movement.  I plan on starting my cd’s on yoga tomorrow morning before I leave for Bolga might get my brain straight before I go get in the bartering me. 

The pictures are the before since I am still working on the house. Hopefully my new modem will work good for me.

My room where my clothes will go when I have a shelve or something:

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P1010531My front door looking into family living room and yes there are actually 2 motos that are parked in the “dinning room”.

P1010532My front windows where most of the light comes from.  Hopefully, my table and two chairs will be in this corner.

P1010533My shower tiled on the floor with big drain. 

P1010534My flush toliet when I fill the tank with a whole bucket of water.  Needless to say it only gets flushed when necessary.

My place for two years  will show you again when I have it in better shape.  The walls are mud bricks covered with stucco so not much can be put on the walls and nothing can be screwed or nailed into the walls.  Maybe some paint would help but how would I get the paint on the walls?  Wouldn’t a roller fall apart.  Oh well I will find out.  Enjoy

 

Here is the barber:P1010537

 

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Saturday, December 24, 2011

On my Way to Site

Left Wednesday afternoon for Site.  The Guard at the Kukurantumi office and my language teacher walked me down to the intersection to catch a tros tros.  Got very lucky and one was almost there at once.  They called it down and got me on my way.  All the a/c vehicles and the last bus had left for Kumasi so I piled all my stuff into another tros tros.  Got to the station found a van like taxi to take me to Peace Corps office.  I got out on the side of the road and could not figure out where to go plus could not carry all my stuff.  Called Mikey the PVCL at Kumasi Satellite Office.  The guard and Mikey came and got me off the side of the road Ha!!!

There were about 5 PCV’s there on their way somewhere or passing through going back to their sites.  A couple of guys were going to get hair cuts and were nice enough to bring me back some rice and chicken.  We played on the computer and talked then I was more than ready for bed.  (Getting up at 5 by 9 my pillow is screaming for me).  Mikey suggested I stay another day because 2 other Vol. were headed to Tamale and could help me with my stuff on Friday.  They were willing and I was not about to pass up help.

We left the KSO at 6 am got a taxi to the station and it went down hill from there.  The station had been moved and we had to get help to find the new place.  Of course you will be shocked to hear it was clear on the other side of the market.  Even at 6:30 am the market was crammed full of people.  With all my luggage we started walking.  We walked until our arms were about to give out and I got a young girl for a cedis to carry my two big Gucci bags (no they are not what you are thinking I will have pics at the bottom).  We finally got to where we were going with the bags only being knocked off her head once right into a ladies vegetable stand.  We got out of there fast she was not happy with us.

When we started looking for a “fast” van that had a/c we were told they were all gone.  Figures, so we pile  onto a tros tros for our 6-7 hours trip.  Three of the bags went on top of the tros, one went under my uneven seat and my backpack on the floor in front of my feet.  Here we go.  Not to hot, not to dusty trip to Techiman no problems.

Then the tros broke down the radiator and a belt – we stood in the shade waiting for it to be fixed.  Back we pile on till a policeman sitting on the side of the road flags us down.  Driver get out has a conversation and off we go.  We get to next town and he pulls in to get a “new” tire.  Now my inexperience eye knows little about tires but I could not tell much difference between the tire that went off and the one that went one.

We were off again.  The road was awful lots of pot holes and driver dodged as best he could and I was watching the road because I knew between my bent seat and a bad bump my back would not be out gears – the transmission went.  We then had to find other transportation for the last 15 km into Tamale.

We got a taxi but he would only go so far.  Found another taxi that took us to station.  Then after LOTS of help from a wonderful man he got us a taxi to get us to TSO.  I was so tired that I think I was in bed before 9.  I got to see PCV’s I had met before and met lots of new PCV’s.  It was great seeing all these wonderful young people.  They have so much excitement for what they are doing and of course Christmas makes all that more fun.

The group here has invited me to stay for the weekend and I got permission from my supervisor.  I then called my counter part and told him it would be Monday.  I am still tired and very sore but I don’t think I could have forced myself to get on any kind of vehicle this morning.  They have been cooking and will cook again this morning for Christmas Dinner.  It all looks and smells so good.  Even have a fresh killed chicken that will be cooked today.   I will take pictures and share my meal with ya’ll.

I woke up to morning prayers there is a Mosque real close to the office and I could hear so I just got up.  Fixed me a cup of tea and washed my clothes since I am not sure If I will be able to get my luggage out of the office.  I want to repack and see if I can get it all in a smaller amt that maybe I can manage Monday and hopefully get all my stuff ‘Home”.  I have 5 boxes from home and am so excited to open them.  Now that I have to repack I will actually get to open them on Christmas Eve or Day.  So excited about that.

Enjoy the pictures

P1010502This is my bedroom my bed is on right and I have top bunk – the fan is right on me so I got to use a sheet cover loved it.  The picture is our bathroom one of two.  Real shower of course first bath gets warm water that is heated by sun but it is still a shower even with cool water.  Yes a flushing toilet!!!

P1010501P1010500P1010499P1010498P1010497This is the kitchen yes dirty dishes in the sink but remember they have been fixing for dinner tonight and of course last night they fixed dinner for themselves.  This is room next to kitchen with dishes, refrig, and the containers is our water that is being cleaned for us to drink.  I have one at my site also.  The kitchen is supplies with all kinds of kitchen needs pot pans knives etc  and the gas stove has been baking since yesterday all kinds of Christmas cookies.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Random Pictures

P1010463All dressed up – gone nativeP1010468My language class on the right and friends on the left.  Rob is very proud of his shirt but not as flashy as his gold one.

P1010480Justin do you recognize these pictures all painted?P1010482

These is the ones you sent with me when I left for Africa.  These are the children that lived in my compound while I went to school.  They took them to school to show everyone this morning.

P1010481I gave her my shirt because she knew they were sea turtles.

Hopefully, someone will post the picture of the whole group together.

Monday, December 12, 2011

The Real Reasons

I was thinking today after talking to my sister that I have spend a LOT of time telling you stories, funny and sad,showing you pictures really funny and the way things are here, but I think in all this I have forgotten to remind you why I am here.

The People.  I can only tell you some stories and cultural beliefs to help you understand what I am doing here and hoping to be able to do.  This country is so diverse from the South to the North.  This diversity is not only in the landscape but the needs of the people.

The people I have met have been so welcoming and generous.  Lets start with my homestay family.  They have worked so hard to help me understand and experience their country.  They have also tried to help me go from an American with all my needs to a very simple life with just making it day by day.  The day I arrived they all came to help me get my mosquito net up around and tucked into my bed, they carried all my stuff in my room.  They have fed me as well as they can the way I like while trying to get me to get into Ghanaian food (that part did not work).  As far as I know I am there are only a couple of trainees that have not been “running” or sick.

When I come home they are in the court yard and always welcome me home and ask how I am.  They laugh at all my silly American ways especially when I try to explain how we do something different, not better just different.  Laughing at my attempts to wash my clothes while I whine wanting my washing machine.  They have made it easier when I got homesick by sincerely worrying about my ankle, how was class, and if I was “fine”.

You go through town and  the children are yelling Obruni Obruni wanting to touch you, want your name and sharing their name, walking with you not knowing how to ask but a few questions but if you are willing to talk they want to learn.  Playing games with the kids have been fun and they seem to love it.  The parents and elders you run into each morning going to the bus stop wanting to help you with your language.  They are so disappointed when I tell them I am learning a different language and can only speak English with them, although I try to get one of the twi people to talk to them for me.

The women and children all carry everything on their head.  Sometime the men when they are working in the fields.  But when we were in town getting a large bag full of water sachets maybe 30-50 sachets full of water, a little girl came over and told my homestay mom she would carry it for her.  The culture is built in so deep that children offer to help in everything without being ask or wanting an reward.  The children in my compound never know when I need something but are very willing to help.  The Grandmother who is very old and has a lot wrong with her has the children talking with her, running for her and taking care of needs without asking or immediately if she asks, even if they are in their rooms and she hollers for them.

When I went to site the ladies were so welcoming even though we could not communicate.  From dragging me in to dance, laughing, and clapping they were making sure I was enjoying myself.  Everyone in town wanted to meet the new person.  

Another example of how good the people are is there willingness to get involved.  When looking for a tros or bus or taxi and you look confused someone will always come up and ask if they can help.  They will then lead you to where you need to be.  If it is in another area they will point and tell you where to go (of course their directions and our directions leave a lot of possibilities of mistakes.)  Today we got to where our tros tros was and then a man came over ask if we wanted to go to New Tafo and when we said yes he walked us directly to the right one.  I have had a taxi driver (for a price) say he will go out of his way to make sure we are on the right bus.  If they try to take more money from us the whole bus will let you know he is trying to cheat you.  If you are at the market and the price the vendor wants is way to high or give you something you do not want they put their hand on their face to let you know he is trying to cheat you.  I have yet to experience these two bad examples but they say it happens.  When I got some information on Accra from my homestays son he told me please to call him and he will come to make sure we are on the right vehicle.  He was sincere in that he gave me all three of his phone numbers so I could reach him when I needed to. (They carry a phone from each phone company incase one company is not working well maybe one of the others will be Ha!!!)  He also warned me that there were bad people in Accra and to please watch my stuff and take care where I was. 

There are so many needs in this country yet the people smile and keep going some for $3.75 cedis a day (the average daily wage).  The children work and help out.  Many make things at home, popcorn, fried plantains, anything that might be sold and bring in a few peswas.  A good example my homestay.  The have a farm with plantains they work, they work then bring home to sell, she cooks at the school, she keeps me for Peace Corps and any other thing they can do to make money.   

So for the people I am here.  I hope to make a little difference somewhere.  I have helped a young girl set up her books for her new business.  It was very simple but she seemed to understand how important it would be in her future.  I have sat playing games with the children so they know I am Obruni but also a person that they can relate to.  When I get to site I have lots of options and hopefully something will lead me in the right direction.

So though I share all the strange and funny things that happen I want you to know that as much as I enjoy sharing that it is just not as easy to write about the people .  Maybe as I get into my work part my blogs will change a bit.

ON a side note the ladies I will be working with sell their straw bags through Whole Foods so if you are there perhaps you can take a look at them.  The name of the group is Nyariga Doone Mothers Club (the name of the town is Nyariga and it is killing me because I can not get the name down.  I have been advised to carry a card with me with the name of the town on it so I don’t end up in some other town.( I would probably do just that too!!!) I think it is Ny (knee) a (short a) ri (roll the r) and ga,  I just can not get from the short a to the ri-I want to do the ga first-think they should change the name of the town Ha!!!

So I will keep up the fun stuff but hopefully you will see something in my notes to let you know I am doing something besides laughing all day long. 

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Saturday After LPI practice

I have had friends come over to the house to help me so Thurs I missed my bath so had to get up at 5:30 so I could bath before leaving for school.  It has been a real struggle to get these classes in because we are tired and ready for them to be over.  It is amazing sometimes to realize I have really learn a lot of words I just have to get where I can make REAL sentences.  We have had another speaker come in to talk to us and I tried to hear the words I will need for the test.  When I get to site I will find a 1st or 2nd grader to help me.  Of course they are learning English so maybe we can help each other Ha!!!

Here are some pics for you.P1010433Drumming and Dancing

P1010435P1010437Student on way to game-Shared taxi with this sweet little girl Had Mickey and Minney on her dress and mother thought they were just toys. Friday night Brother coming into town so we haP1010445ve to fix dinner. Left is Fastina, MIddle Patience and Jennifer by chickensP1010447Brother helped make fu fu.P1010448Gave language teach some cloth and Rob worn his new shirt his “mother” had made for him.

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My dress did not fit so it is back at tailor.  Will write more later.  Love Barbara

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunday Dec 4th

Took a taxi to New Tafo, took a tros tros to Kaufria downtown, took a taxi to Voda Phone internet cafe
just so I could write all of you.  That is a total 3 Gh cedis.  Then I had to spend another 3 Gh cedis to plug in my computer - man the things I do!!! Plus it is 1.80 Gh cedis for 1 hr and I have already done that!!!!

I wanted to post some more pictures Thought you would enjoy.  These kids are here trying to get left overs.

We were cooking practicing our skills for when we get to site.
Here they are eating the american food that was cooked by the other team.



This is cold store where we got our chicken.  We interrupted the babies feeding-he was put on floor while she chopped up our frozen chicken to put into our ground nut soup.  There are times I wonder what I am doing eating this stuff but my stomach so far has taken it.  Dennis and I went to market and got REAL salad lettuce tomatoes cucumber etc. It was a little pricey but I LOVED it.
Enjoy the pics.

Life As a Trainee

This post will be mainly pictures so you can see how my morning was.  I got up (never really slept last night) at 5:30. Got ready for school, dressed ate my 3 bananas and a hand full of Barbara P’s walnuts and was ready for my walk to the taxi stand at 7 am. 

This morning when I came out of my room across the court yard was a precious little girl bringing her balls (kind of like a donut that you would dunk in your coffee) for someone to buy.  Then she started walking over the bridge.  I followed behind her to watch her carry the bowl of balls on her head with her little flip flops  (do you think she is about 4?).  I waited until an adult knew her and asked if I could take her picture.  I showed it to her afterwards and she loved it but was a leery of me.  At least she did not call be obruni!!!

 

P1010415Notice the flip flops EVERYONE wears them EVERYWHERE!!

 

So then I walked to the taxi stand and almost everyone was there and there was two taxis ready to go.  So we loaded 4 in one taxi and 3 in the other one and off we went to bump. crunch and pray your back makes another drive in these well maintained Taxis NOT and superior roads NOT!!!  Our taxi came to a stop and started backing up.  Apparently he had lost sight of the other taxi and was trying to see why they were not following.  They were stopped and everyone was looking under the hood.  Another taxi stopped so they decided to put us all in one taxi to get us to town and to school (NOT our idea the drivers idea!!)

 

 

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I took the 1st picture from my seat then I handed the camera to Ran and he took a picture.  This is like a hatchback and Linda and Megan was put into the hatch part, Tall Rob, Diana, Dawn and I were on the seat made for 2 1/2 people, then Ran and the driver in front.  And who said 8 people had to go in two taxis??

Diana has a ground nut ball like peanut butter with sand in it-it is in plastic and she bit a small hole in it and is eating it for breakfast.  They are always putting things in plastic and selling it, rice balls, banku, and fu fu.  My homestay Mom puts my lunch in plastic and puts knot in it so the palm oil won’t leak everywhere.

The morning of a peace corps volunteer.  Ha!!!

Back at Home Stay

After that very long ride on Friday and another time in the bus on Saturday I think all of us were ready to be back at home stay.  The girls saw me coming over the bridge and came running to greet me and take my luggage.  It was a very nice welcome.

I unpacked and got my room straight then took a bucket bath ate dinner and made myself stay up until 8 pm.  I was so tired and hot I put my fan directly on me climbed into the netted bed and did not move until 4:30 am when the roosters started in.

Sunday I was kind of at loose ends.  We have been so set in  a routine that when I had time to myself I did not know what to do.  My friend Linda came over with a magazine she wanted me to read.  We then took off walking towards Suzanne’s house when we ran into Ran and Dawn.  They joined us and Suzanne came out of her room because she heard her doors close at the compound.  She joined us and we walked toward Chris’s house but he did not answer our call so we continued on to Megan’s house.  One of the wife’s would not talk to us and was a little rude so Dawn went in to get Megan.  She came out and we continued our walk to Alex’s house.  He was not feeling to well but we were introduced to his home stay family.  We slowly broke up and went to our homes although Dawn was uncomfortable at her house because so many people had come to the funeral (it was a huge funeral and it lasted 3 days – the dress was beautiful men and women’s but we did not go through the group we just went down a “block” or so.

An aside to our walk – the lady that was not very friendly at Megan’s at about 3 had a baby at 6:30. Yes, she was sitting on the porch in labor and we never even knew it.  

When I came back it was about 10 am and all had left for church but my lunch was waiting for me.  Then Dawn came over to “study” but we did not get much of that done, would say a few words then talk about something.  We took some Medicine to Alex and took him a couple of my crystal light since we could not find Gatorade.  I think we were all a little loss without a schedule.

A lady came into our compound with a huge bucket on her head with bath products, shampoo, deodorant, body soap etc.  I could not believe she could carry all that weight.  It is amazing.  Will try and get some pics for you.

Our taxi ride from Kuku today was really funny.  We walked to the taxi tros tros area and a tro stopped for us and about 8 of us got in.  We got to town and I did not want to stay I was tired and ready to be home.  We found a taxi to Massa but there was 3 women in the back seat and they were not small so Linda and I got in the front where one person was made to sit.  Good thing Linda is so small.  The driver smiled at me and said you don’t remember me –he had driven me before to school.  We started up and pulled out of the taxi area when the car died. He could not start it so he started rolling backwards with everyone honking at him.  He rolled straight to the gas station and the attendant put some gas in.  He looked under the hood and off we were once again.  We started laughing and the driver wanted in on the joke.  We just told him what he had just done would not have been done in the USA.  Then he started talking to us and telling us stories. 

When I got back home my home stay Mom wanted me to go to the dress maker with her.  I was measured and then picked out patterns so see what we could do.  Jennifer picked out the material and I picked out the style with a few changes like pockets Ha!!!  This is the dress I will wear to swearing in so hopefully I can get a pic or two for you.

Bucket bath, flossed teeth and a blog behind me I am off to bed and yes it is only 8:30.