Everyone standing in line to give their voters card to vote for a President and
other elected officials.
This is the
machine
that caused all
the trouble. I
think it is all
the dirt from
outside and on
the hands.
The
voting
booth
kept
blowing
over.
The ballothas pictures and party symbol so if the illiterate can vote.
This is proof that you
have voted they dip your
pinkie in permanent purple
ink so it will take a few days
to wash off but then you
can notvote twice since
people can see you finger.
It was a very interesting day
as I came and went to see how
things were going. People were orderly and excited to vote especially those that
it was their first time. We had some confusion with the machine and though the
polls closed across Ghana at 5 pm MANY people were still in line because the
machine would not take the finger print information. I still heard noise at 7 pm from
the voting area. There were 5 voting areas in our little village and they all were in line
after 5 pm. Apparently, same thing happened all over Ghana. Never a completely smooth
election no matter what country. It will be tonight, tomorrow, Monday whenever before
we know the results.
Barbara,
ReplyDeleteI need your kind help yet again. Britney sent me an e-mail which I mistakingly deleted. I went to her blog and tried to leave a comment. It kept disappearing, but I had copied it in case something dire happened, and I was happy I had. Would you please pass it along to her and have her send her e-mail address again?
The baskets I bought in your village are all wrapped and ready to give as gifts. They are so lovely and different than the other Bolga baskets I have. A couple are being used as Christmas stockings!
I wish you a wonderful Christmas. I know how difficult it is far from home, but there are so many of you that a celebration would make it merry.
Here is the Britney comment:
Britney,
Lord only knows what I did with the e-mail you sent, but I thought I'd give it another try here so i can answer.
I really appreciated hearing from you, and it was a pleasure meeting all of you. I am still surprised at how many PCV's are around Bolga, but forty years makes a big difference. Bolga, though, may have so many more people but in essence it hasn't changed beyond recognition. I found so many pieces of my Bolga when I was there.
Ever since I left in 1971, I had told myself I would go back. Ghana has a hold on you and never lets go. It stays in your heart and your soul. I wished I could have convince some of my friends from those days to go back with me the first time, but they were reluctant to see a different Ghana which might taint the wonderful memories of our Ghana.
My two closest friends outside of Bolga had been in Kumasi, and they had little chance of finding students. I knew I would as my FraFra students would stay close to home, and I was right. It is such a great joy to have reconnected with my students, and that they remembered me was far more than I could have expected.
This second trip was wonderful. After those two wonderful weeks in Bolga, I played tourist on the way back to Accra and went to the monkey sanctuary, Cape Coast and the castle, Elmina and Nzueleo. In Accra I did my compulsory shopping to pick up Christmas gifts and filled what had been an empty bag.
My friends Bill and Peg, with whom I was stationed in Bolga, are so looking forward to their return in September. They have my books and my phone and all the stories of my two trips. I envy them this trip as I would go often if I were rich and famous! I'll remind them to pick up some cheese in Tamale and not to forget the crackers!
I was so happy and privileged to meet all of you. Peace Corps is in great hands, and my Bolga will be the better for all of you.!!
Merry Christmas and take care!! Give my best to everyone!!