So I have decided to return back to America as scheduled. I think it would be better to leave when I'm supposed to with the memories and relationships I have made thus far. Plus, I really am starting to miss home.
I would however love to take another journey sooner rather than later- but this time I'm thinking Europe. And maybe just as a tourist and not a volunteer.
The flies are eating away at all of us... all of our bug bites have turned into holes in our skin from the flies- it's so disgusting, and very annoying. We are all covered in band aids all the time!
Tonight the kids are having a goodbye ceremony for me and we're going to dance and party... I'm going to wear my new African dress that I had specially made for me. Leaving at 5am tomorrow morning to get a TroTro to Accra, where I will leave my stuff at the volunteer house there while myself, Alex, Karima, and Bailey head to Kokrobrite Beach until Sunday. We're staying at "Big Millies" where there is authentic African drum music on Friday night and live music on Saturday... which should be a blast.
Yamba John called me his mother yesterday... Evans was trying to hit me with a rubber bat and Yamba told him not to beat his mother. Adorable. Bimbi would like me to send her an "ackage" (package) from America... Richard would like me to fit him into my suitcase and take him with me, even after I told him he wouldn't be able to breathe, eat, or go to the bathroom in there. Esther asked why I was leaving and I told her I had no money to stay so she offered me 60 paseweas (about 60 cents) but I told her that would not be enough but thank you so much anyway. Sillas wrote me a letter on the back of a drawing of the American flag that he did, telling me how much he loves me and when I come back I should buy him a football (soccer ball), socks, shoes, books, and everything. Nsambey will not let go of me the entire time I'm at the orphanage. Etkins falls asleep in my arms every night after dinner while the kids do prayer songs. Memm John says it is no good that I am leaving. Collins looks so sad everytime someone mentions that I am leaving and just hugs me forever. Akwayme will not stop giving me kisses on my cheeks and arms and legs, he is so adorable... when he's not punching the other children. Neko whom I call Turtle Bug because he looks like a turtle, and a bug, tells me everyday "My name is Neko" in his adorable African voice because he doesn't understand why I call him Turtle Bug. Nana sat on my lap yesterday for over an hour, just cuddling....
...it's going to be so hard to leave these kids. I will be a mess of tears this evening.
See you all in about a week, where I will show you hundreds of pictures so faces can be put to names.
Love you and miss you, see ya'll soon!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The closer I get to leaving the more I don't want to.
I feel like I'm just getting comfortable and accustomed to the lifestyle here and finally embracing it for everything that it is and everything that I'm doing here. I've told the kids I'm leaving on Friday and they all tell me I'm not allowed and then ask me if I will come back again. It's a heartbreaking feeling to know that I most likely will never see their little faces again, or see what they turn out to be when they are older. All I can do is send letters and and love from afar, hope that it is received, and pray that I've made enough of an impact on at least one child that he/she will grow into an amazing adult and live a happy and fulfilling life.
We found out today that one of the orphans, Mary, went to a funeral for some King of some county (I know that's not very detailed but I wasn't quite sure what was going on) and since he had no children and Mary happens to be named after the King's grandmother, she is now the heir to all the land and money. They slaughtered cows for her and dressed her in amazing clothes and when she turns 18 she will gain all of the land and wealth and become a Queen!! It's the most amazing thing. They are having a ceremony for her on Friday, and we would like to go but we are scheduled to head to Accra on Friday morning to spend the weekend at the beach before I leave on Tuesday.
I'm really so sad that I'm leaving soon. I have made such great friends with the other volunteers and am proud to say I have friends in so many different places across the world now and that in the future if I travel to London or Australia or Canada I will be welcomed with open arms and have connections there. I definitely want to do more traveling, if anything I have gotten out of this trip it's that there is an entire world out there that I was aware of before, but now that I've actually been able to see it with my own eyes I know it is possible to visit all of these different places and emerse myself in a culture completely different than my own.
There are so many things that mean nothing about this trip and would be so hard to explain to anyone besides the other volunteers here- fried dough balls and fanmilk... the excitement you feel when you realize you can buy a box of corn flakes for 8 cedi (the most expensive but most delicious box of cereal I've ever had in my life)... hearing goats outside your window at all hours of the night... and no they do not "baaa"... they actually sound more like dying children. I complain about all of the food I miss back home but it's so great to have something as simple as a piece of fried chicken and know what a treat it is, every bite is amazing and you savor it until there's nothing left. Walking down the dirt road on Mondays during market day and all the people from Nkwanta and surrounding villages are selling their products, the women carrying everything on their heads and babies on their backs... music playing loudly from every shop on the street.... it's such a simple, happy life. I'm scared of returning home and falling so quickly back into normal life, although I do miss it.
I miss Heather, and my mom, and am sad that I was not there to see the series finale of Lost last night... I miss Zeeks and the Sundown... but there's nothing compared to being one of the only white people in a 3rd world country, where everyone thinks you're a movie star, wants to know about you, always says hello, good morning, good evening, how are you, where are you going....
Went to church yesterday- quite the experience. Everyone was praying and singing and rejoicing... the pastor welcomed us to the fellowship and provided us all with translators, which was cool but I think I would have rather not had one, and just watched everything that was happening. We had to get up in front of everyone and say our names and where we are from- everyone laughed at me when I spoke and I found out later it's because I talk fast- which apparently Americans do... according to almost everyone I've met.
I'm also so excited to get home so I can finally tell everyone exactly what has been going on here... it's hard to remember everything I want to say when I get the chance to write here. There are so many little things that will be so much better in conversation. I also can't wait to show everyone all the pictures and videos I've taken- which will bring all of my stories to life and put faces to all of the names everyone will be hearing.
Oh and be prepared, I have picked up a Ghanaian accent so please don't make fun. It's easier to communicate with people out here if you speak like them- with a simple sentences and broken up words, adding a "yo" or "yah" or "aye" in every now and then... give me a little bit to get back to being a full blown American :)
Well, not sure if I will be updating again before I leave so wish me safe travels and I will let everyone know when I am home and safe!!
I feel like I'm just getting comfortable and accustomed to the lifestyle here and finally embracing it for everything that it is and everything that I'm doing here. I've told the kids I'm leaving on Friday and they all tell me I'm not allowed and then ask me if I will come back again. It's a heartbreaking feeling to know that I most likely will never see their little faces again, or see what they turn out to be when they are older. All I can do is send letters and and love from afar, hope that it is received, and pray that I've made enough of an impact on at least one child that he/she will grow into an amazing adult and live a happy and fulfilling life.
We found out today that one of the orphans, Mary, went to a funeral for some King of some county (I know that's not very detailed but I wasn't quite sure what was going on) and since he had no children and Mary happens to be named after the King's grandmother, she is now the heir to all the land and money. They slaughtered cows for her and dressed her in amazing clothes and when she turns 18 she will gain all of the land and wealth and become a Queen!! It's the most amazing thing. They are having a ceremony for her on Friday, and we would like to go but we are scheduled to head to Accra on Friday morning to spend the weekend at the beach before I leave on Tuesday.
I'm really so sad that I'm leaving soon. I have made such great friends with the other volunteers and am proud to say I have friends in so many different places across the world now and that in the future if I travel to London or Australia or Canada I will be welcomed with open arms and have connections there. I definitely want to do more traveling, if anything I have gotten out of this trip it's that there is an entire world out there that I was aware of before, but now that I've actually been able to see it with my own eyes I know it is possible to visit all of these different places and emerse myself in a culture completely different than my own.
There are so many things that mean nothing about this trip and would be so hard to explain to anyone besides the other volunteers here- fried dough balls and fanmilk... the excitement you feel when you realize you can buy a box of corn flakes for 8 cedi (the most expensive but most delicious box of cereal I've ever had in my life)... hearing goats outside your window at all hours of the night... and no they do not "baaa"... they actually sound more like dying children. I complain about all of the food I miss back home but it's so great to have something as simple as a piece of fried chicken and know what a treat it is, every bite is amazing and you savor it until there's nothing left. Walking down the dirt road on Mondays during market day and all the people from Nkwanta and surrounding villages are selling their products, the women carrying everything on their heads and babies on their backs... music playing loudly from every shop on the street.... it's such a simple, happy life. I'm scared of returning home and falling so quickly back into normal life, although I do miss it.
I miss Heather, and my mom, and am sad that I was not there to see the series finale of Lost last night... I miss Zeeks and the Sundown... but there's nothing compared to being one of the only white people in a 3rd world country, where everyone thinks you're a movie star, wants to know about you, always says hello, good morning, good evening, how are you, where are you going....
Went to church yesterday- quite the experience. Everyone was praying and singing and rejoicing... the pastor welcomed us to the fellowship and provided us all with translators, which was cool but I think I would have rather not had one, and just watched everything that was happening. We had to get up in front of everyone and say our names and where we are from- everyone laughed at me when I spoke and I found out later it's because I talk fast- which apparently Americans do... according to almost everyone I've met.
I'm also so excited to get home so I can finally tell everyone exactly what has been going on here... it's hard to remember everything I want to say when I get the chance to write here. There are so many little things that will be so much better in conversation. I also can't wait to show everyone all the pictures and videos I've taken- which will bring all of my stories to life and put faces to all of the names everyone will be hearing.
Oh and be prepared, I have picked up a Ghanaian accent so please don't make fun. It's easier to communicate with people out here if you speak like them- with a simple sentences and broken up words, adding a "yo" or "yah" or "aye" in every now and then... give me a little bit to get back to being a full blown American :)
Well, not sure if I will be updating again before I leave so wish me safe travels and I will let everyone know when I am home and safe!!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Coconuts, scorpions, and refridgerators
One and a half weeks left... I feel like this trip has just flown by, but I also feel like I have so much time left! I am really going to miss all the kids and the other volunteers and all the people I've met in Nkwanta... it's amazing the connections you can build with people over such a short period of time.
I don't even know why I come to the internet anymore- the only thing I'm ever able to do is update my blog. Facebook never lets me comment or update anything or do anything because this internet is just horrible! It's so frustrating to not be able to respond to people's comments and e-mails. You can e-mail me at my hotmail address also (wyld3cg@hotmail.com) and I will be able to respond there.
I'm getting very tan! Still not used to the heat though- I'm sweating constantly, it's so uncomfortable, but it's nice to know you have a guaranteed hot sunny day ahead of you! It's also nice to not have to care how you look or worry about doing your hair or putting on makeup everyday, and no one else cares or notices either.
Yesterday was Monday, which is market day here in Nkwanta. I spent the majority of the day outside in the sun at the market, buying food for the orphans for the upcoming week, and some little things here and there for myself. Bought some oranges- I've been craving them like crazy! Also got some fabric that I need to take to Esther, the seamstress, so she can make me some clothes. I think I'm going to wait to buy souveniers until I get back to Accra before I catch my flight home so that I can go to the cultural market, where there will be more things that I can buy for friends and family. The stuff here isn't really souvenier type stuff... it's mostly food and necessity items. There are no vegetables here either- I can't wait to have a big salad when I get home! This morning for breakfast we had the usual, tomato and onion omelettes with pineapple. Last night for dinner was yam porridge, which is my favorite meal here- very yummy! I don't much care for the authentic Ghanaian dishes like FuFu... I just can't get past the texture enough to be able to eat it.
Bought some coconuts for the kids at the market yesterday, oh man was that an event. "Oh please! Me! Me! I didn't get! Megan! Oh please! Give to me please Megan!" Little hands just everywhere and you don't know whos hand belongs to who and who got and who didn't get. Everything starts out in a line but that quickly falls apart.
Johnny (orphanage coordinator) got bitten by a scorpion yesterday! I didn't even know they existed here, but apparently so. I haven't seen one, thank god! He went to the hospital after putting garlic on it to draw out the poison, and is in some pain but he will be fine. Still around and talking a mile a minute without breathing so everything is normal.
Another volunteer, Charlotte, leaves tomorrow morning- we'll be down to 5. Then I'm next, but when I go, more will come since it will be the beginning of a new month.
OH! We got a refridgerator today!!! It's so very exciting to be able to have cold water now!!! We still don't have a light in our bedroom, the bathroom, or the shower, but oh well- we have a fridge. It's a start!
It's going to be weird coming back to civilization after a month of living a life like this in a place like this... but I'm sure it will be easy to fall back into old habits, which is something I'm not sure if I want to do or not. But now that I've had this experience and seen these things for myself, it will stay with me forever and I know change some things about the way I view the world and help me to be a better person in my own life.
I had a dream that I missed Thanksgiving while I was out here and didn't get to have my Thanksgiving dinner. Glad that didn't really happen. My dreams here are so strange. Must be the heat.
Update next time!
I don't even know why I come to the internet anymore- the only thing I'm ever able to do is update my blog. Facebook never lets me comment or update anything or do anything because this internet is just horrible! It's so frustrating to not be able to respond to people's comments and e-mails. You can e-mail me at my hotmail address also (wyld3cg@hotmail.com) and I will be able to respond there.
I'm getting very tan! Still not used to the heat though- I'm sweating constantly, it's so uncomfortable, but it's nice to know you have a guaranteed hot sunny day ahead of you! It's also nice to not have to care how you look or worry about doing your hair or putting on makeup everyday, and no one else cares or notices either.
Yesterday was Monday, which is market day here in Nkwanta. I spent the majority of the day outside in the sun at the market, buying food for the orphans for the upcoming week, and some little things here and there for myself. Bought some oranges- I've been craving them like crazy! Also got some fabric that I need to take to Esther, the seamstress, so she can make me some clothes. I think I'm going to wait to buy souveniers until I get back to Accra before I catch my flight home so that I can go to the cultural market, where there will be more things that I can buy for friends and family. The stuff here isn't really souvenier type stuff... it's mostly food and necessity items. There are no vegetables here either- I can't wait to have a big salad when I get home! This morning for breakfast we had the usual, tomato and onion omelettes with pineapple. Last night for dinner was yam porridge, which is my favorite meal here- very yummy! I don't much care for the authentic Ghanaian dishes like FuFu... I just can't get past the texture enough to be able to eat it.
Bought some coconuts for the kids at the market yesterday, oh man was that an event. "Oh please! Me! Me! I didn't get! Megan! Oh please! Give to me please Megan!" Little hands just everywhere and you don't know whos hand belongs to who and who got and who didn't get. Everything starts out in a line but that quickly falls apart.
Johnny (orphanage coordinator) got bitten by a scorpion yesterday! I didn't even know they existed here, but apparently so. I haven't seen one, thank god! He went to the hospital after putting garlic on it to draw out the poison, and is in some pain but he will be fine. Still around and talking a mile a minute without breathing so everything is normal.
Another volunteer, Charlotte, leaves tomorrow morning- we'll be down to 5. Then I'm next, but when I go, more will come since it will be the beginning of a new month.
OH! We got a refridgerator today!!! It's so very exciting to be able to have cold water now!!! We still don't have a light in our bedroom, the bathroom, or the shower, but oh well- we have a fridge. It's a start!
It's going to be weird coming back to civilization after a month of living a life like this in a place like this... but I'm sure it will be easy to fall back into old habits, which is something I'm not sure if I want to do or not. But now that I've had this experience and seen these things for myself, it will stay with me forever and I know change some things about the way I view the world and help me to be a better person in my own life.
I had a dream that I missed Thanksgiving while I was out here and didn't get to have my Thanksgiving dinner. Glad that didn't really happen. My dreams here are so strange. Must be the heat.
Update next time!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Ahayede (Here is sweet)
Let's see where to begin...
Well for starters, my health is good. I am back to normal! Eating and sleeping well, and back to regular African life in Nkwanta.
2 of the volunteers left today... Ivy and Teo. They will be missed, now there's only 6 of us here, all girls except for poor Alex.
We had a party for the kids last night, it was great fun! Everyone got juice boxes (which some then had stolen out of their backpacks and could not be consoled. You would have thought someone close to them had died they way they cried) and lots of candy. Everyone danced and danced and stayed up late, it was quite the night.
One thing though, I am getting so tired of people asking me for money. They assume because you are "oburni" that you are rich, which is definitely not the case. There was a man today at the Tro-Tro* station who kept pestering myself and 2 other volunteers to buy a ticket so that they could sell them all and get going on their way... the Tro-Tro won't leave until all the tickets have been sold. We kept telling him we would not do that, that the little money we had was for the children. He told us to forget the children and help him. It was getting quite obnoxious.
Even the people who run the orphanage... they ask us for money every day. I paid $5000 to come here on this trip... and the program fees were supposed to pay for my housing and food and all my accommodations- yet we have to buy the food for the orphanage, buy them clothes and shoes, give Tina money for our own food, buy toilet paper for the house, etc. It is really getting tiresome. All the while we're being asked for money to help build the new orphanage, and finding out little things here and there about Johnny telling us quotes and prices on things are actually not as expensive as he is passing them on to be. You can't trust anyone.
Other than that, it's a great adventure. A few days ago was Bob Marley day, so all of us volunteers went to The Local (what I suppose you would call a pub) and had a few drinks and danced. I didn't really like dancing there, you had to be very strict with the locals that they need to keep their distance while dancing because they just come up and grab you and dance on you. At night after we have a long day with the kids we all come back to the house and have dinner together and discuss the day, laugh at little things that happened, maybe go out for a drink, and are usually in bed no later than 10:30 since we have to be up so early.
Went to the hospital yesterday for a check up and it took 3 hours just to see the doctor because they couldn't find my folder from my last visit- I don't even understand why they needed it, all the doctor did was ask if I was feeling better, take my temperature, and then tell me the Malaria is gone. He wanted to give me more tablets to take for worms, even though I don't have worms... everyone wants money. While I was waiting though, one of my kids, Augustine, came in- he had broken his little tiny hand. So after I saw the doctor I stayed and waited with him, since that's what a mother would do. I spent 6 1/2 hours in the hospital. Augustine is okay now, he has a cast on his hand that weighs more than he does, but he's dealing.
The kids have been so bad the past few days- they fight over everything! Collins and 2 girls, Theodora and Gloria, got in a huge fight the other day because the girls wouldn't share their coloring book, and Collins wouldn't talk to me because I forgot to bring him paper that day. He knocked Theodora good though and made her lip bleed. They all fight like grown men, sizing each other up, snide comments when they walk by, fists are flying and everyone starts yelling. If they get caught by Johnny or Manpon (another one on the staff) then they have to kneel down with their arms in the air until they are told they can get up, which is usually awhile. That or they get caned. It's sad, but it's their culture. It's rough to watch the kids get in trouble, even though I know they need some sort of discipline and structure or else they would all kill each other or run around like rabid animals, I just don't necessarily agree with their method of punishment.
Tomorrow is Saturday, so we are free to take a weekend trip if we would like... I think we were talking about taking a day trip tomorrow but I'm not sure if that's still in the works or not. I would like to take a trip but I also don't really want to spend any money on traveling too much. I'd rather spend money on minutes for my phone to call home, or souveniers to bring back, or stuff for the kids. And it's nice to have money to buy a cold Coke or a popsicle on really hot days. I never thought a Coca-Cola would be such a treat!
I'm starting to crave food from home. The majority of what I've been eating is mangoes, bananas, oranges, rice, eggs, and bread. We drink treated water that comes in a bag... you just bite the corner off and there ya go. Except it's warm because we don't have a refridgerator at the house... but I heard a rumor that one should be coming in a week or 2... but I'm done in 2 weeks so it doesn't really matter to me.
I'm already half way done! And half of that time was spent sick in bed... but these next 2 weeks I plan on spending the most of my time at the orphanage with the kids... it's so amazing the connection you can make with someone so quickly.
I can already sense a change in myself, even after such a short period of time. The lifestyle in the states is so fast paced and self centered- it's nice to kind of have a detox period of reflection to realize that some things really aren't that important, and the things that are important get over looked too much. Everyone that lives here helps each other in any way they can. Time is not of importance to them, and they will stop whatever it is that they're doing to show you the way to somewhere or help you with whatever you need help with. They call each other sister and brother, even when they have no relation. The lifestyle here is so slow and simple, and yes it's nice to have the things that we have at home and the luxuries and opportunities that are available to us, but we live among people everyday and never think twice about their lives, or if we have something that we don't need that could be beneficial to another. No one says hello to a stranger walking down the street and everyone puts themselves first. It's sad really when you think about it.
On the same note... I could really go for a Bic Mac and some french fries right about now :)
Well for starters, my health is good. I am back to normal! Eating and sleeping well, and back to regular African life in Nkwanta.
2 of the volunteers left today... Ivy and Teo. They will be missed, now there's only 6 of us here, all girls except for poor Alex.
We had a party for the kids last night, it was great fun! Everyone got juice boxes (which some then had stolen out of their backpacks and could not be consoled. You would have thought someone close to them had died they way they cried) and lots of candy. Everyone danced and danced and stayed up late, it was quite the night.
One thing though, I am getting so tired of people asking me for money. They assume because you are "oburni" that you are rich, which is definitely not the case. There was a man today at the Tro-Tro* station who kept pestering myself and 2 other volunteers to buy a ticket so that they could sell them all and get going on their way... the Tro-Tro won't leave until all the tickets have been sold. We kept telling him we would not do that, that the little money we had was for the children. He told us to forget the children and help him. It was getting quite obnoxious.
Even the people who run the orphanage... they ask us for money every day. I paid $5000 to come here on this trip... and the program fees were supposed to pay for my housing and food and all my accommodations- yet we have to buy the food for the orphanage, buy them clothes and shoes, give Tina money for our own food, buy toilet paper for the house, etc. It is really getting tiresome. All the while we're being asked for money to help build the new orphanage, and finding out little things here and there about Johnny telling us quotes and prices on things are actually not as expensive as he is passing them on to be. You can't trust anyone.
Other than that, it's a great adventure. A few days ago was Bob Marley day, so all of us volunteers went to The Local (what I suppose you would call a pub) and had a few drinks and danced. I didn't really like dancing there, you had to be very strict with the locals that they need to keep their distance while dancing because they just come up and grab you and dance on you. At night after we have a long day with the kids we all come back to the house and have dinner together and discuss the day, laugh at little things that happened, maybe go out for a drink, and are usually in bed no later than 10:30 since we have to be up so early.
Went to the hospital yesterday for a check up and it took 3 hours just to see the doctor because they couldn't find my folder from my last visit- I don't even understand why they needed it, all the doctor did was ask if I was feeling better, take my temperature, and then tell me the Malaria is gone. He wanted to give me more tablets to take for worms, even though I don't have worms... everyone wants money. While I was waiting though, one of my kids, Augustine, came in- he had broken his little tiny hand. So after I saw the doctor I stayed and waited with him, since that's what a mother would do. I spent 6 1/2 hours in the hospital. Augustine is okay now, he has a cast on his hand that weighs more than he does, but he's dealing.
The kids have been so bad the past few days- they fight over everything! Collins and 2 girls, Theodora and Gloria, got in a huge fight the other day because the girls wouldn't share their coloring book, and Collins wouldn't talk to me because I forgot to bring him paper that day. He knocked Theodora good though and made her lip bleed. They all fight like grown men, sizing each other up, snide comments when they walk by, fists are flying and everyone starts yelling. If they get caught by Johnny or Manpon (another one on the staff) then they have to kneel down with their arms in the air until they are told they can get up, which is usually awhile. That or they get caned. It's sad, but it's their culture. It's rough to watch the kids get in trouble, even though I know they need some sort of discipline and structure or else they would all kill each other or run around like rabid animals, I just don't necessarily agree with their method of punishment.
Tomorrow is Saturday, so we are free to take a weekend trip if we would like... I think we were talking about taking a day trip tomorrow but I'm not sure if that's still in the works or not. I would like to take a trip but I also don't really want to spend any money on traveling too much. I'd rather spend money on minutes for my phone to call home, or souveniers to bring back, or stuff for the kids. And it's nice to have money to buy a cold Coke or a popsicle on really hot days. I never thought a Coca-Cola would be such a treat!
I'm starting to crave food from home. The majority of what I've been eating is mangoes, bananas, oranges, rice, eggs, and bread. We drink treated water that comes in a bag... you just bite the corner off and there ya go. Except it's warm because we don't have a refridgerator at the house... but I heard a rumor that one should be coming in a week or 2... but I'm done in 2 weeks so it doesn't really matter to me.
I'm already half way done! And half of that time was spent sick in bed... but these next 2 weeks I plan on spending the most of my time at the orphanage with the kids... it's so amazing the connection you can make with someone so quickly.
I can already sense a change in myself, even after such a short period of time. The lifestyle in the states is so fast paced and self centered- it's nice to kind of have a detox period of reflection to realize that some things really aren't that important, and the things that are important get over looked too much. Everyone that lives here helps each other in any way they can. Time is not of importance to them, and they will stop whatever it is that they're doing to show you the way to somewhere or help you with whatever you need help with. They call each other sister and brother, even when they have no relation. The lifestyle here is so slow and simple, and yes it's nice to have the things that we have at home and the luxuries and opportunities that are available to us, but we live among people everyday and never think twice about their lives, or if we have something that we don't need that could be beneficial to another. No one says hello to a stranger walking down the street and everyone puts themselves first. It's sad really when you think about it.
On the same note... I could really go for a Bic Mac and some french fries right about now :)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Bit of a rough patch...
So... I have been pretty sick for about a week. High fever for 2 days, followed by 2 days of a horrible migrane. Threw up once, only to then realize there was no water to flush it down. Not good. Went to the hospital yesterday to have a hot, long, exhausting, horrible experience with everyone there staring at me from the second I walked in- got left there alone because Tina had to return to the house to make lunch for the other volunteers, realized that a white person crying in the middle of an African hospital gets you served first, then found out that I have Malaria. Woo hoo. Just what I needed!
Anyway it's very common and I got lots of medicine and I am feeling much better. Today is the last day I have to take my pills and then I should be good to go! So don't worry, I'm absolutely fine.
While I was sick I was so very homesick because I wasn't going to see the kids, I was stuck in the volunteer house with another girl who twisted her ankle and can't walk right now. I really wanted to come home. But now that I am better and got to see the kids last night, it put me in such a better mood and made me rememeber why I am here and why I need to stay here.
Everyone has been very kind and very accommodating to me while I'm not feeling well- Johnny even went out to God knows where and found pasta and cheese so we made some ghetto mac & cheese for dinner last night! (Although I'm pretty sure he bought it with money we have given him...)
To answer everyones question about sending money- it would never make it here in time, I would probably be home before it arrived. But next time I am on here I will post the address to the orphanage and feel free to send clothes or books or donations for the kids there.
I'm getting tan! Well my arms and shoulders are at least. My legs are still pure Seattleite :)
Richard had a cut on his face last night and he was so sad and just kept crying, he did not want us to put a band aid on it at all! But we did, and then I told him he looked like Nelly, and explained to him who Nelly is, and then told him now he is a cool American rapper and he got so happy and excited. :)
I am taking sooo many pictures and will post them all when I get home- it took me almost an hour just to get this website up to update today, there's no way I could upload any pictures!!
On Thursday we are having a party for the kids- we hired a DJ for 25 cedis and everything! I am going to take lots of video footage so everyone can see how amazing these children can dance!
I have to get going now- I only have 4 minutes of internet time left, but I will update again soon!
Anyway it's very common and I got lots of medicine and I am feeling much better. Today is the last day I have to take my pills and then I should be good to go! So don't worry, I'm absolutely fine.
While I was sick I was so very homesick because I wasn't going to see the kids, I was stuck in the volunteer house with another girl who twisted her ankle and can't walk right now. I really wanted to come home. But now that I am better and got to see the kids last night, it put me in such a better mood and made me rememeber why I am here and why I need to stay here.
Everyone has been very kind and very accommodating to me while I'm not feeling well- Johnny even went out to God knows where and found pasta and cheese so we made some ghetto mac & cheese for dinner last night! (Although I'm pretty sure he bought it with money we have given him...)
To answer everyones question about sending money- it would never make it here in time, I would probably be home before it arrived. But next time I am on here I will post the address to the orphanage and feel free to send clothes or books or donations for the kids there.
I'm getting tan! Well my arms and shoulders are at least. My legs are still pure Seattleite :)
Richard had a cut on his face last night and he was so sad and just kept crying, he did not want us to put a band aid on it at all! But we did, and then I told him he looked like Nelly, and explained to him who Nelly is, and then told him now he is a cool American rapper and he got so happy and excited. :)
I am taking sooo many pictures and will post them all when I get home- it took me almost an hour just to get this website up to update today, there's no way I could upload any pictures!!
On Thursday we are having a party for the kids- we hired a DJ for 25 cedis and everything! I am going to take lots of video footage so everyone can see how amazing these children can dance!
I have to get going now- I only have 4 minutes of internet time left, but I will update again soon!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Maa Chi! (Good Morning!)
Got good luck again with the internet cafe! So far I'm 2 for 2. The sun isn't even out today and it's hotter than ever.. I just sweat and sweat.
I have already fallen completely head over heels in love with a few of the children- I love them all but there are a couple that honestly do not leave my side from the time I arrive until the time I leave. There's Collins, who I mentioned in the last update, and Richard- who is so shy and quiet, I didn't hear him make a sound for a few days until yesterday morning I picked him up and tickled him and he giggled like mad. Now he follows me everywhere. He doesn't really talk that much but he's missing all his front teeth so when he smiles it's so adorable. Yesterday we did some lessons with the kids, Richard stuck with me the whole time. I wrote him out some easy math problems to figure out what level he was at.. he knew how to add and subtract so I moved on to multiplying, which he didn't know how to do, but I taught him. He understands it so well and can do almost any problem I give him. It's so amazing to see how hard he is thinking and how excited he gets when he realizes the correct answer. It's such a great feeling to know that I single handedly taught a little boy something like that.
I don't really like the director of the program. His name is Johnny, and he can be very nice to us but he is always telling us how much more money they need. The landlord isn't continuing the lease on the orphanage, which is up in September, so some past volunteers bought a few plots of land so that they can build a new one for the kids... but it's a very slow process. Johnny tells us every day, more than once, how much they need for concrete and all that- we all feel pressured to pay for it, because that's pretty much what he's asking us, or telling us, to do. All of us want to help as much as we can but just coming here was so expensive and we buy the kids food and treats in the market, we just can't afford to pay for the new place to be built. A bag of cement is only 13 cedis though, so I think we're going to buy a few bags today. We still have some money being wired from past volunteers also, except we just ran out of what was left from other volunteers today. Today we went to the pharmacy and bought medication- all the kids have scabes and ringworm so we have been giving them penecillian and some creams for their skin and the rashes are clearing up fast.
It's so strange how quickly your mood changes out here. I'm laughing and playing one second, and the next I watch one of the kids do something and I could easily just cry and cry... but you can't cry because you don't want the kids to see you upset. All the volunteers went for some sodas yesterday, up the road from the orphanage, and Collins followed us there and hid behind the building while we sat and talked. I went and sat with him and split an orange soda with him and I had to hold back tears the whole time we sat together. He has the brightest eyes and the prettiest smile. I want to bring him home.
I think when I get home I'm going to do some research on how to set up school fundings- some of the older kids are about ready to go onto highschool but they need to get out of Nkwanta and they need money for tuition... if the older kids are able to do that, the younger ones will see it's possible and strive to do the same.
Bath time is the best. It's chaotic and there are kids everywhere and you get soaking wet, but it's so much fun. The other day it was pouring during bath time and all the kids were running around butt naked dancing and laughing and playing in the water. I'm taking a lot of pictures but it takes too long to upload them here so I will have to wait until I get home to put them up. The kids love to take my camera and take pictures of everything... sometimes they aren't very interesting pictures, and they don't always get any people in the shot, haha. They love seeing pictures of themselves, and I take videos of them and play it for them and they think it's the funniest thing. I taught some of the older girls how to do the Macarena and they sing it all day, it's getting obnoxious, haha. I took a deck of cards yesterday and taught the little ones how to play "go fish". It's their favorite activity now, except they don't really understand the concept of taking turns and they all look at each others cards. There's an older boy, Williams, who is about 13. I read with him yesterday out of his school book and he's pretty behind. He was struggling with a lot of the words, so today while we're in town I'm going to buy some beginning reading books and have some one on one time with him to see what kind of progress we can make.
Alright well, that was a long update! My fingers are sticking to the keyboard, it's so hot!!! I got a little sunburnt but it's not too bad, I've been loading on the sunscreen like crazy!
Hope all is well in the states and I will update again as soon as I can!
I have already fallen completely head over heels in love with a few of the children- I love them all but there are a couple that honestly do not leave my side from the time I arrive until the time I leave. There's Collins, who I mentioned in the last update, and Richard- who is so shy and quiet, I didn't hear him make a sound for a few days until yesterday morning I picked him up and tickled him and he giggled like mad. Now he follows me everywhere. He doesn't really talk that much but he's missing all his front teeth so when he smiles it's so adorable. Yesterday we did some lessons with the kids, Richard stuck with me the whole time. I wrote him out some easy math problems to figure out what level he was at.. he knew how to add and subtract so I moved on to multiplying, which he didn't know how to do, but I taught him. He understands it so well and can do almost any problem I give him. It's so amazing to see how hard he is thinking and how excited he gets when he realizes the correct answer. It's such a great feeling to know that I single handedly taught a little boy something like that.
I don't really like the director of the program. His name is Johnny, and he can be very nice to us but he is always telling us how much more money they need. The landlord isn't continuing the lease on the orphanage, which is up in September, so some past volunteers bought a few plots of land so that they can build a new one for the kids... but it's a very slow process. Johnny tells us every day, more than once, how much they need for concrete and all that- we all feel pressured to pay for it, because that's pretty much what he's asking us, or telling us, to do. All of us want to help as much as we can but just coming here was so expensive and we buy the kids food and treats in the market, we just can't afford to pay for the new place to be built. A bag of cement is only 13 cedis though, so I think we're going to buy a few bags today. We still have some money being wired from past volunteers also, except we just ran out of what was left from other volunteers today. Today we went to the pharmacy and bought medication- all the kids have scabes and ringworm so we have been giving them penecillian and some creams for their skin and the rashes are clearing up fast.
It's so strange how quickly your mood changes out here. I'm laughing and playing one second, and the next I watch one of the kids do something and I could easily just cry and cry... but you can't cry because you don't want the kids to see you upset. All the volunteers went for some sodas yesterday, up the road from the orphanage, and Collins followed us there and hid behind the building while we sat and talked. I went and sat with him and split an orange soda with him and I had to hold back tears the whole time we sat together. He has the brightest eyes and the prettiest smile. I want to bring him home.
I think when I get home I'm going to do some research on how to set up school fundings- some of the older kids are about ready to go onto highschool but they need to get out of Nkwanta and they need money for tuition... if the older kids are able to do that, the younger ones will see it's possible and strive to do the same.
Bath time is the best. It's chaotic and there are kids everywhere and you get soaking wet, but it's so much fun. The other day it was pouring during bath time and all the kids were running around butt naked dancing and laughing and playing in the water. I'm taking a lot of pictures but it takes too long to upload them here so I will have to wait until I get home to put them up. The kids love to take my camera and take pictures of everything... sometimes they aren't very interesting pictures, and they don't always get any people in the shot, haha. They love seeing pictures of themselves, and I take videos of them and play it for them and they think it's the funniest thing. I taught some of the older girls how to do the Macarena and they sing it all day, it's getting obnoxious, haha. I took a deck of cards yesterday and taught the little ones how to play "go fish". It's their favorite activity now, except they don't really understand the concept of taking turns and they all look at each others cards. There's an older boy, Williams, who is about 13. I read with him yesterday out of his school book and he's pretty behind. He was struggling with a lot of the words, so today while we're in town I'm going to buy some beginning reading books and have some one on one time with him to see what kind of progress we can make.
Alright well, that was a long update! My fingers are sticking to the keyboard, it's so hot!!! I got a little sunburnt but it's not too bad, I've been loading on the sunscreen like crazy!
Hope all is well in the states and I will update again as soon as I can!
Monday, May 3, 2010
AFRICA!
Yay! The internet cafe is working!! It costs 1.5 cedi for an hour and the connection is pretty slow, but I'm able to update some...
The trip here was super long... I arrived at night on the 29th of April. Spent 2 nights in Accra for orientation, got a phone (which later found out doesn't work in Nkwanta) and traded in my money. I have been in Nkwanta since the 1st of May- I absolutely love it. There are 8 volunteers total and we all live in the same house together with a local woman (Tina) who cooks for us. We eat a lot of rice and bread, mangoes and pineapples.
The kids are AMAZING. They are adorable and happy and they are so excited to see us everytime we go there. All the local kids run after us yelling "oburni! oburni!" which means "white person! white person!" Everyone stares, but most are friendly and want to say hello and shake our hands. We go to the orphanage every morning at 6 am to give baths and get breakfast served- they are all on holiday from school right now but will be returning there soon so we will have to get them there on time so they don't get caned by the teacher for being late. After baths and breakfasts we go home to eat and rest for awhile, go to the market, or check if the internet is working. Back again to play and do laundry, home for lunch/nap/bucket shower (which is actually very refreshing) and then back to the orphanage for dinner, more baths, and play.
I already have a favorite- his name is Collins- he made me a necklace today out of string and a piece of wood.
I'm going to try to upload some pictures, but with the connection I'm not sure if I will be able to get them on the computer. Check my facebook for pictures.
I'm very hot and very filthy and am up and down emotionally all the time. Each day seems to be so long and my mood changes quickly. I am having an amazing experience and already don't want to leave.
I love and miss everyone! I will update again when I can.
Blessings :)
The trip here was super long... I arrived at night on the 29th of April. Spent 2 nights in Accra for orientation, got a phone (which later found out doesn't work in Nkwanta) and traded in my money. I have been in Nkwanta since the 1st of May- I absolutely love it. There are 8 volunteers total and we all live in the same house together with a local woman (Tina) who cooks for us. We eat a lot of rice and bread, mangoes and pineapples.
The kids are AMAZING. They are adorable and happy and they are so excited to see us everytime we go there. All the local kids run after us yelling "oburni! oburni!" which means "white person! white person!" Everyone stares, but most are friendly and want to say hello and shake our hands. We go to the orphanage every morning at 6 am to give baths and get breakfast served- they are all on holiday from school right now but will be returning there soon so we will have to get them there on time so they don't get caned by the teacher for being late. After baths and breakfasts we go home to eat and rest for awhile, go to the market, or check if the internet is working. Back again to play and do laundry, home for lunch/nap/bucket shower (which is actually very refreshing) and then back to the orphanage for dinner, more baths, and play.
I already have a favorite- his name is Collins- he made me a necklace today out of string and a piece of wood.
I'm going to try to upload some pictures, but with the connection I'm not sure if I will be able to get them on the computer. Check my facebook for pictures.
I'm very hot and very filthy and am up and down emotionally all the time. Each day seems to be so long and my mood changes quickly. I am having an amazing experience and already don't want to leave.
I love and miss everyone! I will update again when I can.
Blessings :)
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