woah hey. ok. so it's monday.. the last one. the day after tomorrow i get on a plane and head for home. wow. it's hard to believe the time went so quickly.. it almost feels like i've got a firm footing here.. and now it's time to leave. but i'm so excited to get home and share the things that happened and pictures and presents (!!) with everyone.
the weekend was sweet- anita and nat and i headed into accra on saturday and saw cool 'capital city' type things.. independence park, the parliment building, etc. it was a great day just walking around and taking pictures and taking in 'downtown' accra one last time. yesterday anita and i went beach-side for an afternoon of relaxing in the sand :) it was so nice just to sit and listen to the waves and soak up some sun. it was not nice to have to tell people every could minutes that we did not want what they were selling, we did not want to go to a party with them, and we did not want to marry them.
ladies i tell you what. my purity ring saved me more times than i can count. not only is it a beautiful symbol of keeping ourselves pure until we're married, but you can hold up your left hand (should you wear it there like i do) and tell creepy african men that you really would like to come to the beach party where they'll probably put somethin in your drink and then goodness only knows what (seriously.).. but you can't go because you're married. but other than unwanted attention it was great. :)
today i'm back at the office- just today and tomorrow left- and tomorrow i think i might ask to take a half-ish day to finish packing and get things done at home.. depending on whethr i get laundry done tonight or not. both water tanks are empty- so there's no water- which impeded my ability to do laundry yesterday as i had planned.. but no matter. today is just as good. i'm kind of half packed.. just have to add the laundry. i have a bag of a couple pairs or shoes and some clothes that i'm throwing away.. africa has kind of destroyed them.. haha. so that freed up some room for all the stuff i bought :) and admittedly- i waited until the night before i left to pack when i was coming (i know ok. i know.), so with some more planning/packing time things should fit a little better.
tomorrow i'll go and pick up my second dress :) :) must find places at home to wear them. must. and then it's time for goodbyes at the office.. only 2 more episodes of 'second chance' to watch.. what will i do without salvador in my life?!? but wait. dont' be sad.. i found it on the internet.. so i can watch from home. haha.. i go to africa and come back addicted to a telenovela. lovely. then one last night in ghana- gotta get up early wednesday morning. we have to leave the house by 7am, i have to be checked in to the airport by 8, and then my flight leaves at 10:10am. i hit JFK at 5:29pm (9:29pm ghana time.. ew 11 hour flight.) and then jump a connection to pittsburgh at 9:20, landing in good old PA at 11:34 pm (3:34am ghana time. unfortunate.) and i'm sure at that point all i'll want to do is sleep.. and all my mom will want to do is ask questions.
but. i have a plan. shortly after lunch on the ACC/JFK flight i will take 2 advil pm... and sleep the rest of the way. ghana to america in no time flat. yesssssss. i dont have any nyquil or i would take that.. but i think the advil will do. the more sleeping that occurs the better.
with a shudder i realized that we move back into school a week from today. it's a weird thought that in 7 days i'll be moving into my dorm.. but i'm still in africa. well.. i'm not entirely sure i'll have time (and you and i both know i'll probably forget anyways) to write tomorrow, so i guess this the official sign-off from accra. i've learned more than i ever thought i would.. and i've probably grown and changd more than i realize. i continue to thank God for this summer- for the amazing opportunity that i've had to see somewhere completely different from my small world and for the chance to grow closer to Him through everything. God's pretty awesome.
echiri everyone. :)
great is your faithfulness oh God
you wrestle with the sinner's heart
you lead us by still waters into mercy
and nothing can keep us apart.
great is your love and justice God
you use the weak to lead the strong
you lead us in the song of your salvation
and all your people sing along.
your grace is enough, your grace is enough
your grace is enough, heaven reaching down to us
your grace is enough, i'm covered in your love
your grace is enough for me.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
the final countdown
monday morning. last full week at the office. and my oh my will this week (and the 2 whole days of next week that i'm here) be busy.
i'm doing the company interviews on chinese involvement in african industry tomorrow- so that should take all dayish.. especially since we're probably taking trotros (busses). but it'll be sweet to get out and see accra and talk to ghanaian business people.
mavis and i have to get back to accra market sometime this week- i still need to pick up a few last minute ghana-type things :) and that...could only take a couple hours if we planned well and didn't fool around- but comon. let a couple girls loose in the biggest market in accra and expect them to come home in a couple hours? try again. haha.
anita (romanian intern who arrived yesterday- soooo sweet) and i are going up to the national game park (up north..ooooooo) sometime this week- that'll take all day. but i'm pumped to see wildlife and sarafi-ish it ghana style.
i have to take my other fabric to the seamstress to get another dress made. side note. i picked up my first dress on friday. it's the most beautiful thing i've ever owned. it's perfect and wonderful and beautiful. the stitching is incredible and the design is exactly what i wanted.. it's perfect. mavis says that the color of my skin probably didn't hurt in making it so perfect.. but i mean comon. being pasty had to come in handy somehow.
i need to visit evelyn and francis to say goodbye sometime this week.. i doubt next week will be good for a whole lot- i fly out wednesday morning at 10:10am.
so- with all of that to do- this week will fly by.. and before i know it i'll be home.. for 4 days.. before moving back to school... for senior year. sweet mother.
this weekend was super sweet- sandra and i went to the "night of 1006 laughs and music" on saturday. they bring in the best comedians and recording artists from ghana/nigeria to perform.. it was sooooo funny. i had to work hard to understand the nigerians.. but it ws hilarious. the show was at the ghana national theatre in 37 (the district of accra it's in), which was built by the chinese in 2003.. oh the random facts you learn.
sunday we just kind of hung out and watched movies- anita came over for most of the day and i made breakfast.. she came to africa and got an american breakast of pancakes, eggs, toast and sausage.. piled high with syrup. dinner was definitely ghanaian though. it's been sweet to hear about bucharest and what anita's life is like and what she thinks about africa and things.
coming to the end.. words cannot express how much God has grown me this summer. and for all the amazing experiences and great pictures and sweet gifts (oh man i can't wait to give them to people)... the most wonderful part about being here is seeing how my faith and walk have grown and changed. it sounds so cliche.. go off to africa and live with out hot/running water for a couple months and come back talking about how much God changed you.. but i mean.. it's true. when you strip away all the distractions of home.. all the things i stressed about needlessly and all the things i tried to take into my own hands without even realizing it. it's amazing how distracted and pulled in different directions i was without even knowing. and having all that taken away for a summer brings you back to things that matter. it's strange how you can be refocused and have your eyes opened wide all at the same time. being here and learning about the other side of the world.. people who's lives are so different from my own little bubble, which extends far beyond grove city. my whole life was a bubble.. safe and sheltered and comfortable.. God popped the bubble in africa. it's a lot more than i feel like i can type out.. i know i probably didn't explain it very well.. but.. yea.
i'm doing the company interviews on chinese involvement in african industry tomorrow- so that should take all dayish.. especially since we're probably taking trotros (busses). but it'll be sweet to get out and see accra and talk to ghanaian business people.
mavis and i have to get back to accra market sometime this week- i still need to pick up a few last minute ghana-type things :) and that...could only take a couple hours if we planned well and didn't fool around- but comon. let a couple girls loose in the biggest market in accra and expect them to come home in a couple hours? try again. haha.
anita (romanian intern who arrived yesterday- soooo sweet) and i are going up to the national game park (up north..ooooooo) sometime this week- that'll take all day. but i'm pumped to see wildlife and sarafi-ish it ghana style.
i have to take my other fabric to the seamstress to get another dress made. side note. i picked up my first dress on friday. it's the most beautiful thing i've ever owned. it's perfect and wonderful and beautiful. the stitching is incredible and the design is exactly what i wanted.. it's perfect. mavis says that the color of my skin probably didn't hurt in making it so perfect.. but i mean comon. being pasty had to come in handy somehow.
i need to visit evelyn and francis to say goodbye sometime this week.. i doubt next week will be good for a whole lot- i fly out wednesday morning at 10:10am.
so- with all of that to do- this week will fly by.. and before i know it i'll be home.. for 4 days.. before moving back to school... for senior year. sweet mother.
this weekend was super sweet- sandra and i went to the "night of 1006 laughs and music" on saturday. they bring in the best comedians and recording artists from ghana/nigeria to perform.. it was sooooo funny. i had to work hard to understand the nigerians.. but it ws hilarious. the show was at the ghana national theatre in 37 (the district of accra it's in), which was built by the chinese in 2003.. oh the random facts you learn.
sunday we just kind of hung out and watched movies- anita came over for most of the day and i made breakfast.. she came to africa and got an american breakast of pancakes, eggs, toast and sausage.. piled high with syrup. dinner was definitely ghanaian though. it's been sweet to hear about bucharest and what anita's life is like and what she thinks about africa and things.
coming to the end.. words cannot express how much God has grown me this summer. and for all the amazing experiences and great pictures and sweet gifts (oh man i can't wait to give them to people)... the most wonderful part about being here is seeing how my faith and walk have grown and changed. it sounds so cliche.. go off to africa and live with out hot/running water for a couple months and come back talking about how much God changed you.. but i mean.. it's true. when you strip away all the distractions of home.. all the things i stressed about needlessly and all the things i tried to take into my own hands without even realizing it. it's amazing how distracted and pulled in different directions i was without even knowing. and having all that taken away for a summer brings you back to things that matter. it's strange how you can be refocused and have your eyes opened wide all at the same time. being here and learning about the other side of the world.. people who's lives are so different from my own little bubble, which extends far beyond grove city. my whole life was a bubble.. safe and sheltered and comfortable.. God popped the bubble in africa. it's a lot more than i feel like i can type out.. i know i probably didn't explain it very well.. but.. yea.
Monday, July 28, 2008
details in the fabric
title being the current song rocking through my earbuds. thanks to mr.mraz for this wonderful song.
well. i suppose a more appropriate title would have been SHOPPING! because that's what i did this weekend, much to my delight. mavis and i braved the Accra market- the largest market in Accra and Osu, which is another district in Accra for some quality african finds.
and oh we found them.
the accra market is crazy. there are so many people.. you have to be aggressive to make it through. if the person coming at you the opposite way senses the slightest hesitation.. you're done for. shops selling everything imaginable lined the streets where taxis and trotros fly by. and if you turn off the main drag there are these little alleys that barely fit 2 people with more shops. walking along to cries of "hey obroni!" (obroni = white person).. it was quite the experience.
first i bought fabric for my dresses- i decided on this two-toned olive-ish one that has a gold dot design in it and a deep purple one that has a diamond design in white, black, gold, and light purple dots. i should have the finished products by the end of the week- in tie to wear to church on sunday :)
i also bought these sweet beads that everyone wears here... the woman selling them gave me a free one because i bought so many.. haha. along with the beads i got beautiful kente scarves. kente is the traditional fabric that clothing was made out of. it's handwoven and takes a long time, so it's a little more expensive than most fabric. but it's beautiful- lots of traditional african patterns and colors.
THEN. then. then.
i was headed towards another fabric stand and what was in the tent next to it caught my eye. masks. hand carved traditional african masks. they're so incredibly beautiful.. they have beautiful carvings and raised copper designs on them- definitely got 4. can't wait to hang a couple in my dorm :)
saturday night i learned how to make ghanaian food- banku, fufu, grounnut soup, and waache- and i wrote it all down this time. i showed sandra how to make pancakes, and then we cooked ghanaian food for franklin's friends who came over for dinner. after that we watched spiderman 3 and letters from iwo jima.. and then it was muy muy late and i definitely went to bed.
having been here for a while now i can see the ways that God has used this summer to shape and mold me. i can see His hand in getting me here, and even more in sustaining me in a completely new place. as my departure gets closer i can see more and more how God is preparing me for the year ahead- what a blessing.. to find quiet in my heart, even in the middle of butterflies at the thought of senior year. and it's funny because the ways i've changed and grown are not the ways i was expecting to- surprise. the adoption agency means more to me than i ever thought it would. all i can think about is what an incredible witness it will be. what a way to show the love of Christ to women in Accra.
of course there have been hard lessons learned, but i wouldn't trade this summer for anything. i'm so excited to see what God has in store for the rest of my time here.. and how He uses what i've learned when i go back home.
i'll leave you for tonight with Daniel 3:13-18.
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
well. i suppose a more appropriate title would have been SHOPPING! because that's what i did this weekend, much to my delight. mavis and i braved the Accra market- the largest market in Accra and Osu, which is another district in Accra for some quality african finds.
and oh we found them.
the accra market is crazy. there are so many people.. you have to be aggressive to make it through. if the person coming at you the opposite way senses the slightest hesitation.. you're done for. shops selling everything imaginable lined the streets where taxis and trotros fly by. and if you turn off the main drag there are these little alleys that barely fit 2 people with more shops. walking along to cries of "hey obroni!" (obroni = white person).. it was quite the experience.
first i bought fabric for my dresses- i decided on this two-toned olive-ish one that has a gold dot design in it and a deep purple one that has a diamond design in white, black, gold, and light purple dots. i should have the finished products by the end of the week- in tie to wear to church on sunday :)
i also bought these sweet beads that everyone wears here... the woman selling them gave me a free one because i bought so many.. haha. along with the beads i got beautiful kente scarves. kente is the traditional fabric that clothing was made out of. it's handwoven and takes a long time, so it's a little more expensive than most fabric. but it's beautiful- lots of traditional african patterns and colors.
THEN. then. then.
i was headed towards another fabric stand and what was in the tent next to it caught my eye. masks. hand carved traditional african masks. they're so incredibly beautiful.. they have beautiful carvings and raised copper designs on them- definitely got 4. can't wait to hang a couple in my dorm :)
saturday night i learned how to make ghanaian food- banku, fufu, grounnut soup, and waache- and i wrote it all down this time. i showed sandra how to make pancakes, and then we cooked ghanaian food for franklin's friends who came over for dinner. after that we watched spiderman 3 and letters from iwo jima.. and then it was muy muy late and i definitely went to bed.
having been here for a while now i can see the ways that God has used this summer to shape and mold me. i can see His hand in getting me here, and even more in sustaining me in a completely new place. as my departure gets closer i can see more and more how God is preparing me for the year ahead- what a blessing.. to find quiet in my heart, even in the middle of butterflies at the thought of senior year. and it's funny because the ways i've changed and grown are not the ways i was expecting to- surprise. the adoption agency means more to me than i ever thought it would. all i can think about is what an incredible witness it will be. what a way to show the love of Christ to women in Accra.
of course there have been hard lessons learned, but i wouldn't trade this summer for anything. i'm so excited to see what God has in store for the rest of my time here.. and how He uses what i've learned when i go back home.
i'll leave you for tonight with Daniel 3:13-18.
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Thursday, July 24, 2008
less than 3 weeks
crazy stuff. less than three weeks until i'm flying home. flying home to 4 days of insanity.. and then moving back to school. haha. excellent.
not a whole lot is new i guess.. yesterday was sandra and manvis' birthday :) i made chocolate cake with dark chocolate icing. an instant hit. haha. the westernization of the food in our house continues. sandra loved the pancakes and eggs i made for her monday morning, the brownies on tuesday were a hit, and now the cake. haha oh- and pretzels and peanut butter.. haha. sandra says i'm trying to kill her.
this weekend we're going shopping :) and yesterday sandra and francis and i went to clinic to see a forum/session they were having on prenatal care- we want to incorporate something like that into the agency. it's still crazy to me to think that i'm starting a business. today we're meeting with a lawyer to talk about forms and paperwork and stuff surrounding setting something like this up... then next week we meet with doctors.. and then we start advertising and seeing women who need us. it's such an incredible thing to really be using what i've learned to help people.. people that i'll see and be able to talk to and touch.. it's amazing. but while we were at the clinic francis and i went for a walk and i got some more good pictures :)
i've had my first homesick moments.. i'm not usually a homesick type of person.. so it's a strange thing i guess.. it's weird. life here has become normal- the way things look and smell and what it takes to move around.. it's normal life. but as normal as it is.. it's like there's this deeper level of normal that only being "home" can accomplish.. i don't know if that makes sense. i just reread it.. it doesn't make sense. so.. yea.
um- let's see.. i'm excited to pick out the fabric for my dress. despite cries for lime green from one party .. i will do nothing of the sort. haha. and i think i'll make chocolate chip cookies next week. sad news.. we're almost out of peanut butter.
not a whole lot is new i guess.. yesterday was sandra and manvis' birthday :) i made chocolate cake with dark chocolate icing. an instant hit. haha. the westernization of the food in our house continues. sandra loved the pancakes and eggs i made for her monday morning, the brownies on tuesday were a hit, and now the cake. haha oh- and pretzels and peanut butter.. haha. sandra says i'm trying to kill her.
this weekend we're going shopping :) and yesterday sandra and francis and i went to clinic to see a forum/session they were having on prenatal care- we want to incorporate something like that into the agency. it's still crazy to me to think that i'm starting a business. today we're meeting with a lawyer to talk about forms and paperwork and stuff surrounding setting something like this up... then next week we meet with doctors.. and then we start advertising and seeing women who need us. it's such an incredible thing to really be using what i've learned to help people.. people that i'll see and be able to talk to and touch.. it's amazing. but while we were at the clinic francis and i went for a walk and i got some more good pictures :)
i've had my first homesick moments.. i'm not usually a homesick type of person.. so it's a strange thing i guess.. it's weird. life here has become normal- the way things look and smell and what it takes to move around.. it's normal life. but as normal as it is.. it's like there's this deeper level of normal that only being "home" can accomplish.. i don't know if that makes sense. i just reread it.. it doesn't make sense. so.. yea.
um- let's see.. i'm excited to pick out the fabric for my dress. despite cries for lime green from one party .. i will do nothing of the sort. haha. and i think i'll make chocolate chip cookies next week. sad news.. we're almost out of peanut butter.
Monday, July 21, 2008
coconuts. sweet.
another monday. BUT this weekend was pretty sweet. went back to the beach :) it was less crowded than on Republic Day, which was soooo nice. however, the high point came sunday- yesterday.. same thing.
anyways.
rose mary had an extra dress here with her- so i got to wear it to church!! it was beautiful.. a kind of peachy color.. it had pearls and little shiny discs sewn into it in places- i'm so excited to get my dress made! sandra says the expensive ones are about $15. which means i'll get about 4... haha. but seriously.. they're so beautiful and all custom made. the seamstress comes to your house to take your measurements an then you pick the fabric and the style and she comes back a week later with a dress! woah. so excited.
THEN.
we got back from church and there was a guy walking down the street with a huge.. bowl.. bucket.. thing on his head (i'm working on my head-balancing skills... i drop a lot of stuff), and i can't tell what's inside, and franklin and sandra call him over and he pulls out one of the things and starts hacking away at the top with a machete type looking thing. he pulls the top off and hands it to franklin who hands it to me. i ask sandra what it is.. a COCONUT she says.
WHHAATTTT??!?! says i.
so i drank the milk right out of a coconut!!! amazing stuff. seriously. the inside of the coconut is kind of gross- dare i say frothy? but i like the milk a lot.
well- back to world i suppose.. just 3 work weeks left.. crazy.
anyways.
rose mary had an extra dress here with her- so i got to wear it to church!! it was beautiful.. a kind of peachy color.. it had pearls and little shiny discs sewn into it in places- i'm so excited to get my dress made! sandra says the expensive ones are about $15. which means i'll get about 4... haha. but seriously.. they're so beautiful and all custom made. the seamstress comes to your house to take your measurements an then you pick the fabric and the style and she comes back a week later with a dress! woah. so excited.
THEN.
we got back from church and there was a guy walking down the street with a huge.. bowl.. bucket.. thing on his head (i'm working on my head-balancing skills... i drop a lot of stuff), and i can't tell what's inside, and franklin and sandra call him over and he pulls out one of the things and starts hacking away at the top with a machete type looking thing. he pulls the top off and hands it to franklin who hands it to me. i ask sandra what it is.. a COCONUT she says.
WHHAATTTT??!?! says i.
so i drank the milk right out of a coconut!!! amazing stuff. seriously. the inside of the coconut is kind of gross- dare i say frothy? but i like the milk a lot.
well- back to world i suppose.. just 3 work weeks left.. crazy.
Monday, July 14, 2008
told you i was bad at this..
happy monday!
the weekend was fun- franklin and sandra and i went out friday night and met some fun people.. still not quite used to the.. let's say.. forwardness of african men. haha. but it was fun.
church yesterday. sweet jeepers. i mean.. these people go to church. service is at least 2 hours long and the worship gets down right rowdy- people dancing and jumping and clapping.. the music is so loud you can't even hear yourself, let alone the person next to you.. so good voice or bad you can sing as loud as you can. haha. it's just nice not to feel.. i can't describe it. you never feel like people are looking at you, or that you're supposed to be doing a certain thing, or that certain things are frowned upon.. everyone is so caught up in praising God that it doesn't matter what you do- because no one notices anyone else. they know a lot of our old school praise songs.. so it's been a fun blast from the past at church and on the radio. the service is in 2 languages- the pastor preaches in english and then there's a translator to the local language. the whole place is alive..
i learned how to make fufu on saturday. :) you take plantains and mash them with the biggest morter and pistol i've ever seen until it's like a dough, and then you do the same thing to yams, and then you mash them together.. and there you go! serve with peanut soup- which has nothing to do with peanuts- and you have a traditional ghanaian favorite. sandra says everyone loves to eat it but no one likes to make it because it takes so long and it's hard to make the dough. last night evelyn and i walked down to one of the shops and bought local chocolate- they say it's milk chocolate.. but it tastes like it's halfway inbetween milk and dark.. it's really good though.. i'll have to see about bringing some home.
just hanging out at the office- half day today. we didn't get here until about noon.. haha. not a bad way to start the week.
:)
the weekend was fun- franklin and sandra and i went out friday night and met some fun people.. still not quite used to the.. let's say.. forwardness of african men. haha. but it was fun.
church yesterday. sweet jeepers. i mean.. these people go to church. service is at least 2 hours long and the worship gets down right rowdy- people dancing and jumping and clapping.. the music is so loud you can't even hear yourself, let alone the person next to you.. so good voice or bad you can sing as loud as you can. haha. it's just nice not to feel.. i can't describe it. you never feel like people are looking at you, or that you're supposed to be doing a certain thing, or that certain things are frowned upon.. everyone is so caught up in praising God that it doesn't matter what you do- because no one notices anyone else. they know a lot of our old school praise songs.. so it's been a fun blast from the past at church and on the radio. the service is in 2 languages- the pastor preaches in english and then there's a translator to the local language. the whole place is alive..
i learned how to make fufu on saturday. :) you take plantains and mash them with the biggest morter and pistol i've ever seen until it's like a dough, and then you do the same thing to yams, and then you mash them together.. and there you go! serve with peanut soup- which has nothing to do with peanuts- and you have a traditional ghanaian favorite. sandra says everyone loves to eat it but no one likes to make it because it takes so long and it's hard to make the dough. last night evelyn and i walked down to one of the shops and bought local chocolate- they say it's milk chocolate.. but it tastes like it's halfway inbetween milk and dark.. it's really good though.. i'll have to see about bringing some home.
just hanging out at the office- half day today. we didn't get here until about noon.. haha. not a bad way to start the week.
:)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
and by 8:30.. i meant 10
goooooooood morning!
chilling at bari house (where the office is).. excitement of a little while ago- we're all sitting here working and suddenly there's all this shouting from outside- and we run to the door (any excuse to stop working.. haha) and there's a guy running as fast as he can go past bari house along flattop junction (the road) with about 20 people chasing him. he was carrying a couple yams (note: yams here are about a foot tall and not eaten at thanksgiving.. which.. they dont' celebrate anyways... and the yams are white.. it's like a stretched out potato.. kind of.. anyways..) so we're standing up on the balcony (the office is on the second floor) laughing- i guess the guy stole the yams and everyone who had been standing near the stand and the owners were chasing him down. just past bari house he tried to hop in a cab- but couldn't get the door closed fast enough and some of the people caught him. they took the yams and started beating him with them.. which is funny. but the story isn't funny.. because after they beat him with vegetables franklin said they probably took him back behind the front row of stores to hang him- that's how people deal with local offenses around here..
one of the major problems in ghana is that they have a judicial system (not too unlike the one in the US) but people don't use it- they want instant gratification, or revenge i guess would be a better way to put it. the politicians keep coming on the radio and encouraging peope to take criminals to the police station.. not to just punish the criminals themselves..
here's how this morning went.. haha
time- 8:05, i'm sitting with benedict on my lap and franklin is working at his computer
Franklin: oh kayte, we would like to be leaving around 8:30
Me: oh ok.
*jump in the shower, get dressed and packed up, return to the living room at 8:25 ready to go. Franklin.. has not moved*
Franklin: oh kayte, my own words i am eating them.. let's say we will be leaving at 9.
Me: sure ok
time- 9:45. still sitting in the living room while franklin gets ready
time- 10am- we pull out. haha. surprised? nope. not in the least :)
but- we're just hanging out and getting some work done. i have to turn in a draft of the china-africa project on thursday so it's crunch time- which is fine with me. i love this project but it'll be nice to start something new.. one can only google for so many hours at a time before it starts to get to you.. haha.
the guys came to refill the water tank this morning which means no more bucket showers! usually it's just on saturdays, but the people were late coming so we had to wait until today. the water is kept in huge drums outside, and it gets pumped inside. when it gets too low, it won't pump through, so you have to go outside and fill a bucket and shower like that. sandra says that the spicket (i've never tried to spell that word... haha.. i don't think that's right.. ) we'll say the "tap" in the kitchen hasn't worked since they moved in- so we wash dishes with water in a bucket and things air dry. there's definitely no excess here- at home everything is excess. i mean- i'm the last person EVER to blab on about water conservation and environmentalism because i think it's a bunch of bologna. my point is that at home almost everything i do is excess- the variety of food i like to stay happy, the gagets in my room, the game systems we have down stairs, the 5 or so tvs in my house, the school i have the privlege of attending... i mean.. i don't know. i'm not saying we shouldn't have these things- because i'm not giving them up.. but i think we just need to be a little bit more thankful for what we have. when you have water pressure in your shower in the morning don't rush to conserve water- just be thankful that you have what you have. because there are people who don't have it.
ok... back to work. leaving around 5 today :)
chilling at bari house (where the office is).. excitement of a little while ago- we're all sitting here working and suddenly there's all this shouting from outside- and we run to the door (any excuse to stop working.. haha) and there's a guy running as fast as he can go past bari house along flattop junction (the road) with about 20 people chasing him. he was carrying a couple yams (note: yams here are about a foot tall and not eaten at thanksgiving.. which.. they dont' celebrate anyways... and the yams are white.. it's like a stretched out potato.. kind of.. anyways..) so we're standing up on the balcony (the office is on the second floor) laughing- i guess the guy stole the yams and everyone who had been standing near the stand and the owners were chasing him down. just past bari house he tried to hop in a cab- but couldn't get the door closed fast enough and some of the people caught him. they took the yams and started beating him with them.. which is funny. but the story isn't funny.. because after they beat him with vegetables franklin said they probably took him back behind the front row of stores to hang him- that's how people deal with local offenses around here..
one of the major problems in ghana is that they have a judicial system (not too unlike the one in the US) but people don't use it- they want instant gratification, or revenge i guess would be a better way to put it. the politicians keep coming on the radio and encouraging peope to take criminals to the police station.. not to just punish the criminals themselves..
here's how this morning went.. haha
time- 8:05, i'm sitting with benedict on my lap and franklin is working at his computer
Franklin: oh kayte, we would like to be leaving around 8:30
Me: oh ok.
*jump in the shower, get dressed and packed up, return to the living room at 8:25 ready to go. Franklin.. has not moved*
Franklin: oh kayte, my own words i am eating them.. let's say we will be leaving at 9.
Me: sure ok
time- 9:45. still sitting in the living room while franklin gets ready
time- 10am- we pull out. haha. surprised? nope. not in the least :)
but- we're just hanging out and getting some work done. i have to turn in a draft of the china-africa project on thursday so it's crunch time- which is fine with me. i love this project but it'll be nice to start something new.. one can only google for so many hours at a time before it starts to get to you.. haha.
the guys came to refill the water tank this morning which means no more bucket showers! usually it's just on saturdays, but the people were late coming so we had to wait until today. the water is kept in huge drums outside, and it gets pumped inside. when it gets too low, it won't pump through, so you have to go outside and fill a bucket and shower like that. sandra says that the spicket (i've never tried to spell that word... haha.. i don't think that's right.. ) we'll say the "tap" in the kitchen hasn't worked since they moved in- so we wash dishes with water in a bucket and things air dry. there's definitely no excess here- at home everything is excess. i mean- i'm the last person EVER to blab on about water conservation and environmentalism because i think it's a bunch of bologna. my point is that at home almost everything i do is excess- the variety of food i like to stay happy, the gagets in my room, the game systems we have down stairs, the 5 or so tvs in my house, the school i have the privlege of attending... i mean.. i don't know. i'm not saying we shouldn't have these things- because i'm not giving them up.. but i think we just need to be a little bit more thankful for what we have. when you have water pressure in your shower in the morning don't rush to conserve water- just be thankful that you have what you have. because there are people who don't have it.
ok... back to work. leaving around 5 today :)
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