I couldn't resist...

The first picture is from our first weekend here; you know, that walk in the rainforest i needed the machete for?

The second picture is of Constance, another one of the oh so cute orphans. I have a couple of pictures of her playing with the "skipping rope".

The third picture: Some of the UK volunteers brought in a parachute that the kids had a BLAST playing with.

Fourthe Picture: This is the waterfall we visited on our way to Northern Ghana. I think my favorite thing about this pictures (besides it showing how white I am) is if you look in the lower right hand corner you'll see my friend Aaron sliding down!

A few more....

...Cause who wants to work on a paper when you can upload pictures! (For those educators reading this, don't worry, I've got time before the paper is due...)

The top picture is from Mole National Park. Yes, friends, that IS an elephant in the background! And next to me is my roommate Chelsie. See a family resemblance? A lot of Ghanaians think we're twins!

The second picture is me with Alina, one of the orphans i wish I could bring back home with me. She was so excited when she saw this picture she began to call people over to look at it, even the girl who took the picture! She's basically got the cutest smile I've ever seen. She's 5, but doesn't know here alphabet or numbers very well, so I've been trying to sit down with her and go over them when I can.

More pictures to come! I'll be home next week!

Good day :-)

Today has been a good day so far. Began before 7, though I didn't mind the alarm so much. Breakfast was the usual egg sandwhich from downstairs, plus a new found love: Nestlecafe latte in a can...that may sound funny, but it's a nice alternative to instant coffee everyday.

Things at Peace and Love went well too, which is a good thing, given that Monday was one of the most discouraging days there.

We arrived and things seemed in good order; had to be, really, since the lady who funds the whole orphanage was visiting today. Kwame, the 7 year old orphan who usually picks fights, was all smiles from the beginning, which I took as a good omen.

The teacher actually had somewhat of a plan for class today. And by plan I mean, she told me I could teach the kids a song, since I hadn't yet. So "Itsty, Bitsy Spider" it was. We went over the lines, the motions, and the melody quite a few times, and I'd say the activity as a whole was moderately successful. After that we did the hokey pokey (after all, that's what it's all about), and other songs the kids knew. We got cut off at one point, though, since the head lady was accepting a donation or something from a group of people, and the video camera was picking up all the noise.

So, plan B. We took our chalkboard slates and began drawing. It was suppose to only be for the 20 minutes the lady needed, but probably was more. At this point I just decided to have fun with the kids. At first I sat down next to this one little boy who kept showing me his drawings. Mind you, everytime he started over he erased the board with his hand. And everytime he wanted to show me his finished product he would tap me on the arm, so by the end I was almost as covered in chalk as the kids!

I did some going around and looking at the other kids drawings until I started getting asked to draw things. Before long the kids were clammering around asking for me to draw them "Zeblas", goats, lions, elephants, bicycles, horses, houses and the like. I did so with pleasure, though after a while started asking the kids back "No, you draw ME a rabbit", which they would giggle at and eventually relent to.

During the break in between playing with different sets of kids, I learned from one of my classmates that the statement we heard before about the orphanage not accepting HIV positive kids was not true; in fact, some HIV posititve parents send their kids to Peace and Love so that when they pass and the kids have to live there, they will already be used to it; a chillingly smart idea.

After break we left. The teacher didn't really have anything planned for the kids, since they were suppose to take a final exam today, but the exam wasn't ready. By that time, though, many volunteers had arrived, so I trust the kids were in good hands.

We took a trotro back, and I headed to the Agricultural Economics building in order to meet Dr. Asuming-Brempong (a professor who went to Grad school with some of my UF professors) and my roommate for lunch. Neither was there at first, but I ran into the department head, who I had met the week before. He took me to the computer lab to check my email, then eventually sat down with me and my roommate when she arrived.

He was proofing some papers on the Cocoa industry, and began telling us about it. Fascinating stuff! Seriously, I have a new appreciation for chocolate. We later got a little bit into the IMF, and infrastructure, and government, and NGOs. Basically, had the kind of conversation I've been wanting to have since I got to Ghana (I've had a few before in bits and pieces, but not extensive like this).

When Dr Asuming-Brempong arrived, we went to lunch. I finally tried fufu! It was...interesting. It's this doughy thing you don't really chew, but eat with soup. The soup I had was goat soup- pretty good, kinda spicy, with new tastes and smells. I also ate redred, which is probably my favorite of the Ghanaian dishes. It consists of plantains, accompanied by black-eyed peas in a palm oil kind of sauce. Mixed together (which i would never dream to do before) it is really tasty!

Next I went to the school computer lab, which provides us with limited free internet, and was unfortunately, only discovered at the end of the trip. The only downside is that it won't let me access my blog, so I had to write it email style, and am now posting it in our hostel internet cafe. The rest of the day was spent reading, cold-showering, napping (or trying to- our hostel gets really noisy when everyone is about), and eating dinner. My roommate and I successfully turned tomato paste into an acceptable tomato sauce for pasta! Woot!

I'll be in America in 10 days...I can hardly believe it!

Winners Church

Today we went to our friend Gina's church: The Winners Church of Ghana. Yes, that's right, the Winners Church. I remember seeing billboards for it around town and thinking how goofy that sounded, but we went, and it was actually pretty good. I found myself taking note of things both as a Christian and as an observer of Ghanaian culture.

We arrived late (no surprise there) to the church after waking up at the butt crack of dawn, catching a trotro, then waiting for Gina to pick us up to go by taxi the rest of the way. The church building is HUGE, and open on most walls. We were not allowed all the way in at first, because worship through music was going on- a contrast to the American churches I've been to where such reverence is usually reserved solely for prayer.

The music was good: modern band, choir, worship leader. Some was in Twi, some in English. It amazed me how the churches here can take (forgive me if this is wrong to say) dull sounding church music, and turn it around into joyful songs of praise, which cool rhythms and big sounds. I've become very grateful for clapping, which I can do even when the song is in Twi. And clapping here isn't just on the offbeats, they do different rhythms. We were tired from lack of sleep, but man, there's no sleeping at church here!

At one point in the service, they called up a newly wed couple and their family to pray blessings in their life -very cool. Now, mind you, when they asked the families to come up, it was a WHOLE LOTTA people. The extended family is still a BIG part of Ghanaian culture- also very cool.

At one point they had a female pastor come up to give a short word. It was an interesting little short word on marriage, complete with yelling at people, claiming promises, and praying blessings onto the married people and the single people.

The message given by the head pastor was also interesting. It would have been easy to write it off as a message in line with the prosperity doctrine, but i tried to keep an open mind (once again, trying to learn what I could as a Christian, a student of culture, and to a certain extent a student of economics). He made some really interesting points, such as, the prosperity of a church and the prosperity of a nation relies on the prosperity of its individuals. He was speaking specifically in monetary terms at first, but by the end branched out into other areas. He said a church or a nation that consistent of mostly poor people, and only a few rich people could not be considered rich. He pointed out that this historically has lead to revolution and revolt. Now, I'm not sure if he was charging those who were rich to give to those who had need, or if he was telling those who were poor that they could be rich. There was a little bit of practical advice -i.e. don't spend your money on frivolous things, but not much.

One of the points he made at the beginning of the sermon was really cool. He was talking about the Israelites reaching the Red Sea after leaving Egypt; he considers it a GOOD thing that the Egyptians came after them! If they hadn't, the Israelites would have turned back, but God wanted them to pass through. In the same way, problems can push us to trust God and let him open a way for us to move forward.

There's probably a lot more I could write, but I'll leave off here for now. I have some school work to do (yes, I'm actually studying here), and a few more errands to run. I can't believe we've been here for over a month and that I go home so soon! Time is starting to fly!

Many more to come

The picture above is one of many pictures to come! Mostly likely i'll get to post them when I get back to the states, which is in less than two weeks! This picture is from the Kumasi children's home we went to last weekend.

I hope you are all doing well, can't wait to share my stories with you!

SO MUCH TO WRITE- Kumasi and Northern Ghana

I think I will probably run out of time and words by the time I get through all the events from this past weekend, but here goes trying to squeeze as much of it in as possible!

Thursday morning we left for Kumasi, a region north of here. We spent many hours on the bus -too many really. Arrived and stayed at a pretty decent hotel.

Friday we left for Northern Ghana. On the way we stopped by a beautiful, beautiful waterfall and got to swim (sorta)! There was a group of Ghanaian students there, too, and when we went in, they helped push us up under the waterfall so that we could slide down! So much fun! The goofy thing, too, was that they wanted pictures with US as if we were the novelty: "And this picture is me with a white girl" Go figure!

As we rode north, the road got bumpier and bumpier, and the scenery also began to change. We were surrounded by more and more beautiful green hills, and areas where the only thing scraping the sky were the trees reaching stories high. The towns began to change into villages, and we saw less and less tin roofs, and more straight up mud huts with stick fences. At one point, we turned onto a dirt road for a few hours, and the bus was shaking so much, my California friend told me it was what it felt like to be in an earthquake.

We arrived at Mole National Park, and after dinner crammed four to a room and went to sleep.

Saturday we woke up early and went on a walking safari (a hike, essentially). We saw baboons, a couple of other kinds of monkeys, water bucks, kops, warthogs, a rabbit, birds, and ELEPHANTS! The day was overcast, which is was good-not as hot. As we approached the waterhole our guide turned to me and said: "Ah, I am happy today!" "Elephants?" I responded.
"Yes"

There was a group of about ten of them right in the middle of the waterhole, most up to their heads, just chillin. Every once in a while they would use their trunks to bring water up to wet their heads. A couple of other elephants were just walking around, too. I think they're my new favorite animal.

After lunch we went to see the oldest Mosque in Africa. For the sake of time, more on that later.

Sunday we set out early back south to Kumasi. We all cheered after we got onto paved roads! We ate lunch at an art center, which had stores where we could by paintings, and carvings, and the like. We did some shopping there, in an environment akin to a shopping mall.

That night we stayed in the nicest place we've stayed so far: AC, TV, hot showers, big beds!

Monday we once again woke up early and visited the Kumasi Children's Home (an orphanage). I'll try to write more on this later, as it was very touching, especially when making comparisons to peace and love.

After that we went to: a wood carving place, a cloth stamping place, and a kente cloth place. I really wish I had time to write all about them. They were very intersting, but also very intense. As soon as we got of the bus the haggling would begin: "Sister, sister, come to my shop, it's over here" and once inside "I like you, you are my sister, I want to sell this to you, I will give you a good price."

After spending literally all the money left in my wallet, we set back for Accra. As nice as the last place we stayed at was, it was nice to be back in Hostel sweet Hostel.

I could go on and on about each individual experience, and will try to later, but for now friends, I must go. See you in a few weeks!

SO MUCH TO WRITE- Kumasi and Northern Ghana

I think I will probably run out of time and words by the time I get through all the events from this past weekend, but here goes trying to squeeze as much of it in as possible!

Thursday morning we left for Kumasi, a region north of here. We spent many hours on the bus -too many really. Arrived and stayed at a pretty decent hotel.

Friday we left for Northern Ghana. On the way we stopped by a beautiful, beautiful waterfall and got to swim (sorta)! There was a group of Ghanaian students there, too, and when we went in, they helped push us up under the waterfall so that we could slide down! So much fun! The goofy thing, too, was that they wanted pictures with US as if we were the novelty: "And this picture is me with a white girl" Go figure!

As we rode north, the road got bumpier and bumpier, and the scenery also began to change. We were surrounded by more and more beautiful green hills, and areas where the only thing scraping the sky were the trees reaching stories high. The towns began to change into villages, and we saw less and less tin roofs, and more straight up mud huts with stick fences. At one point, we turned onto a dirt road for a few hours, and the bus was shaking so much, my California friend told me it was what it felt like to be in an earthquake.

We arrived at Mole National Park, and after dinner crammed four to a room and went to sleep.

Saturday we woke up early and went on a walking safari (a hike, essentially). We saw baboons, a couple of other kinds of monkeys, water bucks, kops, warthogs, a rabbit, birds, and ELEPHANTS! The day was overcast, which is was good-not as hot. As we approached the waterhole our guide turned to me and said: "Ah, I am happy today!" "Elephants?" I responded.
"Yes"

There was a group of about ten of them right in the middle of the waterhole, most up to their heads, just chillin. Every once in a while they would use their trunks to bring water up to wet their heads. A couple of other elephants were just walking around, too. I think they're my new favorite animal.

After lunch we went to see the oldest Mosque in Africa. For the sake of time, more on that later.

Sunday we set out early back south to Kumasi. We all cheered after we got onto paved roads! We ate lunch at an art center, which had stores where we could by paintings, and carvings, and the like. We did some shopping there, in an environment akin to a shopping mall.

That night we stayed in the nicest place we've stayed so far: AC, TV, hot showers, big beds!

Monday we once again woke up early and visited the Kumasi Children's Home (an orphanage). I'll try to write more on this later, as it was very touching, especially when making comparisons to peace and love.

After that we went to: a wood carving place, a cloth stamping place, and a kente cloth place. I really wish I had time to write all about them. They were very intersting, but also very intense. As soon as we got of the bus the haggling would begin: "Sister, sister, come to my shop, it's over here" and once inside "I like you, you are my sister, I want to sell this to you, I will give you a good price."

After spending literally all the money left in my wallet, we set back for Accra. As nice as the last place we stayed at was, it was nice to be back in Hostel sweet Hostel.

I could go on and on about each individual experience, and will try to later, but for now friends, I must go. See you in a few weeks!