Computer Savvy

Monday, December 06, 2010

Exams started today. I was not invigilating. It turns out that the day of my French exams is the very day I was hoping NOT to have the exams- Friday. I had spoken to Julianna weeks ago about seeing if I could have mine earlier so that I could be freed up to do community visits with Fei and wrap up the last of the donations/purchases and other organizational support sort of details before I leave (one of which is to write a letter to Dell regarding their YouthConnect program for underprivileged or “underserved” youth, getting them set up with IT equipment. So far there has yet to be an African YouthConnect donation). Julianna obviously did not and, well, I am scheduled at the very end of the week (primary science will be most likely Thursday).  I had to laugh though at the way the “universe works”. I may have been putting a bit too much focus on the end of the week (let it not be the end of the week, not the end of the week) and the “universe” received (or the energy/intention I was focusing) the message – end of the week- so I got it! There is a theory among those who believe in energy work that there is no such thing as negatives in intentions, that when you focus on something, whether in the negative or positive, the energy is always in the positive (i.e. money is not a problem for me or money is a problem, are the same thing… you are giving the focus on money being a problem, vs. I have all I need, money is in abundance for me etc..).

This afternoon, Ben (junior school IT teacher), Fei and Emmanuel (another Appiah- the senior school IT teacher) and I met to discuss the situation with the computer lab. It turns out that 3 of the computers need replacement hard drives, one needs a keyboard and another, a mouse. Ben had come with the Zain modem that I have which is what allows for broadband connection and, with a “switch/portal”, connecting all the computers, there can be internet access for all the machines. I quickly calculated the estimated cost and realized that I could cover these purchases from the personal donation my brother, Mark, (through the Mont Tremblant Rotary club), had made, basically funding this trip. We also discussed what the next step is (creating a second priority wish list) and came up with: 2 new computers (approx. 1000 cedis each; 700$) and a projector for the teacher, to walk the class through the steps of manipulating the computer, creating documents etc.. (13,500 Cedis- $900); this is especially important when their class sizes and only 4 (or eventually 6) computers. We also talked about a webcam to teach the senior students video calling. Ideally, as with many NGO initiatives with schools in developing countries recently, the computer lab would be entirely set up to allow the students to communicate with a class in another country (i.e The Canadian Rotary Afghanistan Challenge Project, connecting schools in Afghanistan, with those in USA and Canada; see www.crcid.org/)

After our meeting a quick lunch (I showed Julianna that I can cook rice), Ben, Julianna, and I went with Fei downtown. It ended up being a very convoluted, lengthy, loud, tiring, polluted endeavour, but we managed to get the money transfer from Western Union (thank you again Mark for depositing this in Montreal, and Mom and Ron for donating the money) for the 4-in-1 printer (scanner-fax-copier-printer), changing almost all of the rest of my money to Cedis and buying the “nuts and bolts” mentioned above to get the computer lab minimally set up. Unfortunately, the 4-in-1 printer we had seen last week had been sold. We went to a few more places and have a couple of options I need to do some internet research on tonight before we decide on the next step. Bummer though. I didn’t think to ask if that was their last one. I should have known though, not to take anything for granted. Oh well. 

After this we went by another part of town to pick up my dress (the one Julianna’s seamstress made). In true Ghanain style, it was being finished as we drove up. We were to have picked it up Saturday, then Sunday…good thing we waited until today. When we walked up to the dressmaking shop Julianna and I (the men stayed at the truck and were exceedingly patient) were directed to the alley behind the shop where we came up to the back courtyard of a house, with a little cement building set off to the side. It is hard to describe, but picture back alley access to apartments in Montreal and make the wood and metal steps all cement, hang up some clothes, add some cute, dirty children of all shapes and sizes (one bumped her knee coming down the stairs and rather melodramatically nursed her boo-boo with a piece of fabric the entire time we were there), a grandmother on the ground by a big wooden bowl and a young girl in a dress, hefting a long wooden pole, pounding the FuFu, as her grandmother turned it and added more chopped plantain and cassava root. A woman was up on the balcony of this wee side building, which was full of fabric, sewing the last sections of my dress. While we waited I watched the scene, so wishing I had my camera. The young girl who was pounding the FuFu (no easy job, I can tell you), stopped long enough to call her young brother (I assumed) up to the fabric “warehouse”, changed him out of his school uniform and into his play clothes as he danced about, singing and talking to himself, and then he went back to playing and she back to pounding. Amazing.

When the sewing was complete, I was taken into the fabric room to try on the dress and final adjustments were made; it is gorgeous.  It cost me all of 12 cedis; actually 22, as 3 yards of fabric was 10 cedis, so the total cost of a handmade dress was less than 15$.

The drive home took FOREVER as we were caught in a deadlock of traffic in these tiny side streets which seem to all flow into each other back to the main road.  While we were crawling along, it poured rain and I couldn’t help thinking how it would clean things up here, washing away the dust, some of the garbage etc.. it certainly cleared up the air and cooled it off. 

I came home to a dark house as the power was off again, but it has, fortunately, come back on so I can post the blog and research the 4-in-1 machines available. I am exhausted. I will get right to that now.  

Tomorrow morning Ben, Emmanuel and I will set up the lab with the items I bought. Oh yes, we also ended up having a computer from Fei for Julianna’s office (this is where we’ll set up the 4-in-1), so she will have a computer! She is excited about this and the opportunity to use it to communicate with her Masters supervisor (I will hopefully be able to buy her a webcam and her own modem, but, in the meantime, she can use the computer lab one in the meantime).

Oh, I need to just quickly mention…Ben set Julianna up with “wallpaper” for her phone: JESUS in his glowing white glory. She showed me with such pride, saying “Beautiful”. OK- that’s over the top for me…over the top.

Skipping church

Sunday December 5, 2010

I didn’t go to church this morning. I honestly just didn’t feel like I could pull off the enthusiasm expected. I told Julianna that I was not feeling well, which, in fact, was sort of true, I did have a bit of a headache and definite backache (an ongoing issue upon waking here), but I could have gone if I had felt (emotionally) up to it. It ended up being for the better as, it turned out, the service was extended for harvest festival (in recognition of Farmer’s Day I presume), making it a 5 hour service rather than a 3 hour one!! I do feel like I have marked the day with a spiritual practice of my own- self Reiki (thanks to an Ipod of meditations I downloaded from Mom before leaving). I also feel like I am paying a penance and have not managed to actually miss church service as the church down the back way from me has some very powerful speakers and has been blaring (the sound quality is atrocious, making it even more pervasive) their service, shrieking minister, exhuberant shouting congregation and all, since this morning (we are going on hour 6 at this point!).  

This weekend I am feeling like I was ready to go home, with the constant noise, dust, heat, religious fanaticism, a little cabin fever at times (I am not supposed to go out alone remember, so I end up, when not with Appiah, Julianna or Fei, literally locked up in the house) and lack of privacy (I had kids here off and on yesterday; last night Martha came by at 9pm with another set of new friends to visit the Abruni- I feel like a circus act- and Linda came by again this morning at about 8:30, to the front door this time at least, “Kym, Kym, Kym…”hello…Kym, Kym, Kym” and trying the door, peering through the windows etc.. I sent her away). Enough is enough. Linda was here 4 times yesterday and all afternoon. I had to send her and her young cousin home at 5:30. I now know why Julianna had discouraged me entertaining kids here. It starts with one or two and then they return with their friends (their “brothers” and “sisters”) at all hours. Like I said, I feel a bit like a circus act. I think I will speak to Marta. If she sincerely feels the need to connect with a female figure, fine, but she comes alone so we can talk. Last night was a giggle fest which I was not in the mood for. Anyway, I know this is all part of the experience, including the feeling of it “all coming to a head” and feeling like I want to go home. I have done enough traveling to know this is part of the process and also what adds to the learning experience and the value, upon reflection, when I am back home in my familiar surroundings and quite possibly even wishing I were here again! Fickle human…

Abaa came in today with some Po Pos (a local fruit- orangey red in the middle; the outside kind of look like a cacao pod actually) for Fei (I encouraged him to take on home to his family) and then began to sweep the floor, with the intention of sweeping and then mopping the entire house (because of the red dust in the air here this time of year, this has to be done regularly). It was strange to be sitting, having breakfast, watching him work. It made me think of what it must be like in South Africa, where it very common for whites to have black servants. I also thought about the southern States before the abolition of slavery, what it might have been like to be a conscientious, ethically minded white landowner; what would you do? The experience, as you can tell, was not a comfortable for me, so I ended up taking the opportunity to clean as well (Abaa ended up sweeping and mopping the floors and I wiped down the furniture, light switches, bathrooms etc..) There was no way I could just sit there and watch him work! 

Mom and I spoke about the religious zeal here and how to see it is just a different way of viewing and expressing spirituality and appreciation of/emphasis on positive values.  This has been what I have been thinking about as well, trying to tell myself that even when Appiah is playing his gospel music on his phone when he comes by, it is good, he is focusing on such a positive, responsible way of being, and get my head away from thinking of organized religion from my superficial standpoint as brainwashing and a loss of independent thinking. I’m trying.  

I did some research last night on distance learning for Samuel (Appiah) and I have sent an email for information to an Alberta Distance Learning High School one of my past Sedbergh’s students is using for her grade 12 year.  It has the option for text-based curriculum rather than online exclusively, and the option to fax assignments rather than emailing them, so they are obviously aware of the constraints of some students regarding internet access.  I don’t know how this sort of thing works with regards to the Ministry of Education here and whether or not a degree completed through this sort of program will be recognized or whether it even needs to be, say, if Appiah decides to go to University outside of Ghana. There are many questions that need answering before we can finalize this, so it is doubtful I can arrange this before I go, besides, the computer issue needs to be sorted out first, for the school as well as for Samuel (if the school’s are up and running, he might be able to access the computer lab off hours as he works here).

I just had Abaa and Samuel here for a late lunch/early dinner. I laughed, thinking about my nieces and nephews, seeing their healthy Aunty Kym drinking coke and frying plantains… they do love their fried foods here. Why is that I wonder? I know that the African Americans are famous for their “soul food”: and affinity for fried foods like chicken and fritters etc.. Hmmm.

Off to watch a local soccer/football game. After which Samuel is coming over to check out the info on the distance learning and then to study Math. THIS should be fun- the Math I mean. It’s been awhile for me, like, say 25 years, awhile…

New phrases (fist 2 make me laugh)

Eventually (maybe I already wrote this one): Nkra ka nkra

I am hot: O huhu ademe (phonetically spelled)

When someone is leaving: Nante yie (actual spelling): means “walk well” - lovely

kids kids and more kids

It amazes me how many children people have here. They may not even have money to feed themselves yet they are having 5-6 children... it baffles me.
I say this as Ben's children arrive outside in torn and dirty clothes, probably not having eaten.

Some free time

 Saturday, December 04, 2010 AM

I am thoroughly enjoying the morning to myself, with no itinerary today, except to go to town to pick up my dress later with Julianna! Julianna has her friend visiting from Cape Coast which means she is worrying less about me and taking some time for herself. I have puttered around, cut up some fresh mango to make up a fresh fruit plate for my inevitable visitors, swept, tidied, and made an egg salad to give to Julianna. She said the other day after tasting one it for the first time that “my daughter is a good cook”. Ha! That was easy.

I did have Linda at my bedroom window again this morning saying “Kym, Kym, Kym, Kym”. I spoke to her about the inappropriateness of doing this and that I had gone to bed late and was sleeping. She returned later on her way to church and we had a good chat about her “Sunday School” (it’s Saturday, so not sure what to call it) book and lesson of the day. It reminded me of my lessons with Terry Paquette (our family friend, Lachute High School religion teacher, monk and priest). He used to being me the greatest story books on the bible stories and we would discuss the lessons. I “ate it up” back then, being very much the devout Catholic at that point of my young life (this ended right about the time I discovered boys).

Few thoughts/observations:

• Interesting comment Julianna made the other day when I mentioned wanting to invite some young students along with us to the butterfly forest reserve and wondering if the protocol was such that  should visit and make the request to the parents/guardians. She said that this was definitely necessary and that “In Ghana, you must be very careful when offering to do something for someone. If something bad happens, they will stretch you out like an elastic”.  OK then, duly noted. It turned out only Elisabeth came along so Appiah and I both went over to ask permission of the grandmother (for good measure I brought over a dozen eggs).

•   I have already mentioned , I believe, the increased responsibility here on children, even the very young. You see even 4-5 year olds fetching water or food from the market for their parents. The older siblings are expected to help with the chores and caring for the younger ones. Here generations of families and the extended relatives often live together, so job sharing is n essential way of life and caring for one another.

•  I am not sure if I mentioned this already, but electricity is not common in the rural areas, so, by nightfall (now 6pm), most people are huddled by their cooking fires outside their homes or by candlelight. This week in Arundel and Harrington, the wet, heavy snow caused power outages and when I described to the students who were visiting that night how we are almost debilitated being without electricity, they were astounded. Here most live as though camping (the closest thing I can relate it to), where they cook, wash clothes, do dishes, just as you would camping: with cold water unless heated on a fire (here they use either round metal cook bases, with holes around to stick firewood, or little square metal sawdust or coal stoves), up with the sun and winding down with the sunset.

• At 5:30 am or so on most days the local radio broadcast comes on over a loud speaker which I muffle out with earplugs. This usually plays until 8 or 9 am and then starts up again around 4 or 5pm until sometimes as late as 10pm. It is the background drone to daily life here. I may not appreciate this sound at 5:30 am, but I do love to awaken each morning to the glorious sound of birds chirping, chattering, squawking and warbling. It is incredible he numbers of species who make their home here or who migrate here from further north this time of year. This is accompanied by the scratching and clucking of chickens and a regular cockle doodle doo from one of the many roosters wandering about. Inevitably, day or night, I can hear the rustling sound outside of some foraging animal; clutches (is this what they are called?) of hens and their newly hatched chicks, dogs, goats or sheep (most famers let the sheep and goats roam wild, to the disapproval of some, who have to fence in their agricultural land as a result).

• I have discovered that black women here don’t shave. They think body hair is beautiful (it is actually fine and not noticeable, unlike a European white woman’s black fur!). They, do, however, trim their eyebrows, as I have seen, along the roads in esthetic shops (most usually no more than a table and an umbrella), with razor blades. I will stick to my tweezers and wax methods thank you.

The power has gone off again (second time this morning), so must post this and get off the computer. I was hoping to do some research on the laptops I saw for sale here, but may have to wait on this. It also turns out that 3 of the 4 refurbished desktop computers in the computer lab at the school don’t work. Appiah/Samuel told Fei/Prince yesterday. I hope we can sort this out next week. I don’t even know when the exams are next week (I think the first thing the junior and senior schools needs to do is increase their overall organization and teacher accountability) so can’t schedule with Fei our remaining visits and getting these kinds of things taken care of before I leave. I will speak to Julianna’s assistant, Dorothy, Monday about when my exams are so I can effectively plan the remaining time I have here (sorting out a few more resource donations (printer etc..), fixing computers, maybe getting the school set up on Broadband for internet access, laptop options for Fei, Samuel and Julianna).

Butterfly Forest

Friday, December 3, 2010 PM

It was wonderful to be in the forest today, hearing the birds, the insects instead of the cacophony of beeping and blaring car horns, and loud voices and smelling the clean “green” smells, instead of car exhaust, dust and burning garbage. I was in heaven. I do have to say, though, that it was apparent I was still in Ghana, with its developing country mentality with its natural world. The guided tour was even focused on the ethnocentric attributes of the trees (apparently it is not the season for butterflies as they are further north now; they are here May-September, although we did see some), as in their medicinal properties (which I enjoyed) as well as how they are used in the lumber industry (i.e. house frames, tools, furniture) which turned me off somewhat, along with the fact the guide insisted on hacking off a piece of bark of each tree to show us. It was also interesting to note that some of the uses on the signs for the trees were a little antiquated, as in, from the time the reserve was first opened in the 40s or 50s: i.e. for carriage frames or horse-drawn carts. Apparently they have some 60 acres of reserve shared between research and lumber, which makes me think that their parks are more like the US parks rather than Camada’s; seen as resource allotment and use rather than for preservation or conservation. Too bad as Ghana is quickly losing what pristine wilderness it has at a break neck pace, only to be accelerated with the emphasis on increased agriculture and emphasis on exportation to boost the economy.

Besides just being in the peacefulness of the wilderness today, I have to say one of my favourite parts of the day was hearing the story told by our guide about one of the vines called Dalbergia Lactia. He prefaced it by saying that you when you have a crazy person, you can give them medicine. I asked for clarification on “crazy person”, really wondering is he was talking about mental illness or what. It turns out he was talking about someone who is highly agitated. You can apparently give them a sedative medicine which calms them down (cures them apparently) from this vine. BUT get this… if you don’t follow these specific instructions exactly, the person will die from the liquid drawn from the plant. Here are the instructions: you must come between 4:30-10pm, with 2 eggs and schnapps to offer as libation to the ancestors at the base of the vine. You then have to pray to them for the use of the liquid, draw the liquid and then walk away, WITHOUT looking back or else, here is the best part, the DWARVES will see you and make you lose your way and you will never be seen from again or you will end up poisoning the person. I forgot to ask Fei what he thought of this story, being a Christian and not believing in libation, but both Elisabeth and Appiah believed it completely as did a friend of Julianna’s I spoke to tonight!I then asked Julianna about her take on dwarves, which seem to be as part of the mythology of the people here as witches and witch doctors. She said that “seeing is believing” and that she has never seen a dwarf, so could not say she entirely believed in them, but she has heard many stories and accounts of people who have been taken by them who return to their village to become shamans or herbal doctors. Apparently the dwarves live in the deep woods and take children for 2-3 months, to teach them the ways of the herbs. One man, according to Julianna, who became his village shaman, accounted getting lost in the woods as a child, and then, hearing giggles, turned to see these small people whose language he could not understand. They crushed leaves and put the liquid in his ears and he then could understand everything they said and was able to learn from them. Wild or what?!

I stepped outside tonight to hang up my washed clothes (I wash every day the clothes I wear as they are full on red dust and sweat) and gazed at the stars. As happened last night, I could hear the shrieking of a pastor from the church down the road from the guest house (beyond the backyard and farm acreage). It wasn’t as dramatic tonight, but still made me shudder at its almost irrational fervor. Last night’s tirade was scary, in fact, like I was listening in on a cult gathering. It sounded like he was hitting something over and over to make a point and then jabbering and shouting I would imagine an exorcism would sound like. It reminded me of Bill Graham and the evangelical southern services I’ve seen glimpses of on television, healing people and slapping their foreheads so they faint and fall backward into the waiting arms of disciples. This, and the sound of families shouting at each other, (like the sounds wafting down the back alley in an Italian neighbourhood), and children being slapped and crying, are not sounds I will miss. At these times I find myself longing for the silence of the Canadian country-side or backwoods at night, especially the silence only winter can offer, a heavy, crisp, velvety silence. 

I will, however, miss the glowing smiles of the children, and the embracing warmth of the people, especially the women. I think I function somewhat better on “Ghanaian time” then the North American anal-retentive, “have it done by yesterday” mentality or the philosophy of arriving 10 minutes before a deadline as professional etiquette. 

BUT- I will NOT miss the ever-present focus on God and religion that clings to everything here. I know that I am only experiencing the Christian perspective here and will go home without the Islamic or “Fetish” experience, but, those, too, have the same pressure of conformity and suspended belief or faith that I don’t share or support. I do think that the formal religions have afforded positive progress to this culture of people in their ways of behaving and supporting one another and in their capability to function in today’s global village. During our hike today Fei and the guide were giving credit to God for the attributes of the trees and making nature the way it is,  and I found myself feeling cynical and rather judgmental, to be truthful. I think one has to be here to experience the sort of blind ignorance that seems to accompany this perspective that, to me, is so irksome.  Charles stopped by this morning (by 8:30 am I had had 4 visitors)  For such a solitary individual as myself, I think that the privacy and quiet of home will be a welcome change from this reality’s incessant flow of visitors from daybreak to bedtime (I had to send a group of 10 youngsters away tonight at 9pm after water and candy were doled out, they had given me some Twi lessons and I had pointed out some constellations and Jupiter). I have to eke out time for myself here to reflect and write and get rest. 

Oh yes, what was I saying about Charles? He stopped by today on his way back from getting water for his workers (building a barn, I think, for his animals. He is starting to raise animals for food to add to the three or four other responsibilities he has (he owns a business consulting company, a cement or brick-making company (or something like that), a roadwork company, and one other I can’t remember. Anyway, he asked me if I believed in God and I had to answer him with a tactful, careful answer. At first, when I said something like “not the way you do”, he began to preach to me, so I quickly began to explain myself (back-paddling basically) and made amends. Here is a guy who has lived in London,  England, has a place in Dallas Texas, has worked in government and now a prominent businessman, past rotary president etc… he talks in the same breath about how it is alright for men in Ghana to have a wife and a mistress and then about how you owe your life and good fortune to Jesus and God and that, they alone, an protect you from the devil ???  If any of these people knew my true beliefs about all this, I doubt I would be as welcomed and as appreciated as I am now. It is too bad, but this, too, shadows my experience somewhat and when I am asked if I will return to Ghana, as much as I think I would love to, for all the wonderful aspects and the way I can be positively involved, I feel like I am living a bit of a lie or at least an untruth while I'm here, almost pretending to be something I am not, which is uncomfortable at times, to say the least.

Enough ranting about religious “fanaticism”.  I am off to bed after a glass of Milo (I am in love with this cacao, B vitamin mixture I hope I can track down at home).

Achina (until tomorrow)

Link to latest pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/20101203?feat=directlink

Akwaaaba and Brofoyeduru

Friday, December 03, 2010 AM

I have had such a difficult time getting caught up on my journaling/blogging. The past 2 evenings when I have planned a bit of time to sit down and write, the power has gone off! When I ask about this, people simply blame “the government”, saying they are trying to save money. So, I am up this morning to do it before Fei picks me up to take me, Elizabeth, the school’s Rasta art teacher, Appiah and I to the butterfly garden (wildlife refuge/park- I have had a need for clean, dustless air and pristine nature!) and maybe the Ashanti Museum if there is time.

This morning I was awakened by a young student (at my bedroom window, which is somewhat disconcerting), Linda, seeking consolation as her mother has been taken to the hospital this morning; I gather from the symptoms she described, for malaria, which seems to be accompanied by a chill, headache and nausea.  I now know 4 people(Appiah, Charles (past rotary president), Nana and now Linda’s mother) who have contracted it in the past 2 weeks, so I am, consequently, being extra cautious, sleeping with a bed net even in the sweltering heat and taking my malaria pills.

Monday, I gave two tests- my JS 3 (grade 9) French and primary 6 science. I have no idea how the teachers here deal with this workload. I never see any of them going home with the piles of books I left with that afternoon (120 or so), but, yet, they share miniscule offices with only one desk, between the classrooms, and somehow get all their marking done throughout the busy work day?

 It was very obvious, while doing my hours of marking,that all but maybe 4 students did not study (those who did got marks like 76% or 90%, while others had more like 4% or 12%!) and that cheating seems to be a common transgression here. I had to remove student’s books from those who were copying off others and then, when marking, saw that several had the exact same answers as others (wrong answers too, of course), so I noted their names, kept the books aside and advised the headmaster (primary) and mistress (Julianna- junior/secondary). Julianna spoke to the JS 3 class when I was not there but the primary headmaster, addressed the grade 6s with me. I have to say, I had a hard time dealing with the consequences myself! After we spoke to the students about next week’s exams and that all students found cheating would receive a 0, I handed back the books of those who had copied off one another. The headmaster stood up front and whipped each of the students backsides with a switch (I have now seen this used several times lately by teachers following homework not being done or misbehaving in class, along with, for talking in class, collecting pails of rocks)! I just about cried! I now realize why the students are so respectful of the teachers and principals! It does make me think of how “soft” we have become with our youth, (not that I condone corporal punishment), who have no such immediate, visceral consequence of their actions, and their often disrespectful, lackadaisical attitudes in school are reflective of this. I do have to say that the students were very attentive after this!

Tuesday evening I was invited by Fei to a dinner at a very posh hotel, called the Golden Tulip, with their Rotary District Governor, whose district covers West Africa’s 14 countries!! I have no idea how the previous governors would be able to visit all the clubs with the transportation systems the way that they are here, but he has managed nicely, being a pilot and owning his own plane. I found out that his business is in wood export (in Cote D’ivoire), mostly African wood to Europe, but recently has gone to Quebec to exploit our lumber resources (I bit my tongue about old growth forest issues and asking about his reforestation program, but was glad to overhear a couple of rotarians, namely a thoughtful professor and one moving from Oshawa Ontario to retire, speaking about reforesting their own properties and asking for advice from Marwan). He was very kind and spoke about creating close bonds between clubs, so that their families knew each other, such that their projects were shared passions. He also spoke to me about how he often supplies his own money to communities that are really struggling. He came from one recently, in Nigeria, I think, where there were some 500 students sitting on the dirt floor of a one room schoolhouse and he donated his own money for desks and chairs and the beginning the building of a school, to be completed as a rotary project (rotary can’t build but it can renovate or complete unfinished work).

Speaking of money, (not on this scale, mind you), I gave Samuel (Appiah), 50 Ghana Cedis to pay the remainder of his school fees for this term. He was absolutely delighted. Now he can keep the money he was saving up for food and day to day essentials. He came by Wednesday evening and we had a computer tutorial (along with Martha and a friend/sister Belinda). Appiah is so keen. I showed him skype (I video called an ex-student in Mexico) and he, the girls, and Ben, through the window from outside, watched in amazement and took turns introducing themselves. Appiah stayed up late writing a letter on a word document. It must have taken him close to 3 hours to get a paragraph down and was so proud of his accomplishment. It was a reminder of what we so easily take for granted. 

Unfortunately he had to go to the hospital again yesterday (he hasn’t been well) and was given medication for malaria although he hasn’t had blood test. Julianna was telling me that he has struggles with headaches from having been physically abused by his stepmother as a child (I know, the stories are never ending of challenges overcome), often hitting the children across the head. 

On that note, Elizabeth, a 15 year old JS1 student, has a similar story to Appiah, with having to drop out of school due to lack of money (her mother died when she was 6 and her father fell into a depression before the past government implemented free primary-junior education). She has since moved in with her grandmother and resumed her studies but is behind as a result. She is the one who played my hostess during the athletics day, escorting me around, taking my hand to cross the road etc.. and told me her dreams to become a doctor (because of her father’s struggles).  She is living in the next town over called “Brofoyeduru” (means English- Brofoye- is heavy (difficult)- duru; as many there do not speak English). 

This week, before school one day,  I was visited by 3 very powerful women: Julianna, and her two friends she calls sisters. The purpose of the visit was to give me the gift of 2 dozen eggs and to give me a Ghanaian name (one of their names- Ama Ampose- we were both born on Saturday, hence, Ama), an obvious and unexpected honour!  

This is only one of a few honours I received this week: another was a traditional dress made by Agnes (VERY roomy, comfortable, to wear about the house), with what time, I’ll never know, as on Tuesday she was off on an all-night bus to Togo for more fabric and I only met her Sunday! Another gift was from Linda, a cut-as-a-button grade 6 student (who stopped by this morning) and avid student (her English is extraordinary), who came by yesterday with a lollipop for me and another 6^th grader made me a pencil case from Mickey Mouse tape and paper. This may not seem like much but consider the situation, the lack of money and luxuries…

I will have to go to point form not to get in the little details I have taken note of lately (Fei will be here soon and I am still in my PJs):

• Mark, Ron, Fei and I figured out how to wire money with Western Union to buy the printer. The money is in and I will pick it up Monday with Fei and buy the 3-in-one printer. Fei wants to do a formal presentation for it to put in the local media (exposure for the Adumasa Link projects and for the charity) as well as on the website.

• It is Farmer’s Day today-  government holiday- where the government awards “the best” (?) farmers for their hard work. Many students are busy studying for their first set of exams next week. Unfortunately I don’t think most know what they are studying for as the schedule has not yet been give to either staff or students!

• Abaa continues to take the seeds from the fruit I eat to plant as well as the tops of the pineapple (stick right into the ground) for here and his own small farm. I love this full circle…. Many people here have their own plots of land and animals to be relatively self sufficient, kind of like North America’s grassroots movement to return to the land.

•  Akwaaba here means welcome. In English we say “you are welcome” in response to thank you as well as “welcome” to someone to come in etc.. they find that very confusing here. There is no response here for “you’re welcome” to “thank you”.

•  Ben and Julianna were teaching me how to be discerning when buying from street vendors. They will only buy uncooked consumables (i.e. ice cream/slush, water etc..) from those who look well kempt and clean. Why? Concern of cholera which is rampant here.

•  I am finding I am careful with my speech here. The English spoken here is so proper, even with those who only speak a spattering. I realize how “lazy” an English speaker is with jargon, expressions etc.. For example, they will use the word “attire” for clothing, “Indeed”, instead of “for sure”, “rather” instead of “instead”.

• No one knocks here, I assume because of the mud or concrete structures and it not being heard clearly, or no doors in some cases (curtains are used for air flow). They SAY “I am knocking”… This is the case for the low concrete, open structures (picture a small maze) which are their latrines- to see if there is someone in there, they say” I am knocking” as there are no doors for privacy. Those public latrines absolutely “weird me out” (speaking of last English).

• I had an interesting discussion with Appiah recently. He told me more than Fei about witches, shamanic/fetish priests etc.. He said that they are still popular (is Fei in denial?) and that even the Christian priests will seek their counsel. He says that they use animals in ritual and he thinks, like most here, that they have special powers and can perform miracles, can make you rich (at the exchange of your soul however), make you healthy etc.. and that witches exist, are evil and cause sickness and misfortune to people. He does agree that most people use them as “scape goats” however, for their own selfishness or poor choices (i.e. drunk driving causing an accident- they say the witches were out!)

•  I went with Julianna to her seamstress to have my measurements taken for a dress (I brought material I had bought from a woman who stopped by the hairdresser in Bebu). 

• It's strange, people here think nothing of cleaning their noses with their fingers. It is a tad gross from the foreigner perspective, but, I gather, because of the nature of the dryness and dust here, it is not seen as rude. Fei even cleared his nostril (to clear out dust or something- no mucous or anything) in the living room the other day, the way I do when I am x-country skiing or running. I was taken aback, the same way when he or Julianna, in all other ways acting "proper" will spit out a piece of bone etc.. onto the floor while eating.

The power just went off again and I must get dressed to go anyway!

The links to the recent pictures: 
http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/Ghana20101201?feat=directlink
http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/20101202?feat=directlink