Saturday, June 20, 2009

My home away from home...

So this is probably going to be a short blog but I thought I'd update! I got to my home stay a few days ago and my family is wonderful! They don't speak very much english...so that keeps things interesting and they really want me to learn Twi but I had to explain to them that I'm learning Dagaare (my site placement is in the Upper West Region). My host mom is so cute, her name is Ya Atah and my fathers name is Daniel (what a coincidence huh?). Daniel weaves Kente cloth which is amazing and he gave me some as a present!! It's beautiful. They always feed me tons of food and my Grandmother is always upset that I can't eat all of it. I pounded Fu Fu which is very very hard and my host mom is so strong. They laughed at me and I had to explain to them that it's my first time! It's a good work out though!

Training has been a little unorganized (I expected this though). I have to leave around 6:30 in the morning and usually stop and great about 10 people before I make it to the station. One of my neighbors always asks me to marry him every morning and I tell him "not today, but maybe tomorrow". It's pretty funny. A taxi driver today pulled over with a car full of people and asked me to give him my number so that he could teach me Twi. I asked him if he knew Dagaare because that is what I have to learn and he said no so I said I could not give him my number.

The people here are wonderful and very loving. Training has been busy busy busy but I'm trying to stay organized. Thank you for all the wonderful comments!! You guys are all great! Mitch and Jamie, let me know whats going on with your house!! And I want to know who the new supervisor is?!! Miss you all!!

Elyse

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Yay Internet and Yay Ghana!

Hello Everyone!! So I finally made it to an Internet cafe! I've been trying and the Internet has been down everywhere I go but alas I'm figuring out that that is Ghana. Alright well let me see if I can try to capture what has been happening. We've been traveling a lot!! We were in Accra which is just a crazy ridiculous big city, and then we went on our vision quests and now we're in the Eastern Region!

My vision quest was great and scary all in one. The lovely Maria fed me and led me around her village called Sankpala in the Northern region. She was putting on a HIV/AIDS week so we did a presentation at the clinic and then a fun education/game/station thing at the school. To end the week there was a teacher student football match so of coarse I had to play. Someone passed me the ball and I started juggling and all the kids freaked out! I'm probably the first white girl they've seen juggle a football. So I put on a Jersey to play with the teachers (who I was soon to find out all played on a team for the city and were very very very very good) and a group of little girls just gathered around me in awe. They were so excited I was going to play too. So I have decided I need to start a girls football club at my site in August. The girls just don't get a chance to play and they all want to. Anyway, I'm thinking we're all going to play in like bare feet and sandals...hahaha I was wrong. All the kids run to their huts and come back with cleats (boots). They may not have real shoes but let me tell you they all have football boots! Priorities right? So here I am in my Chacos and a little boy Abikari asks me, "Madame! Madame! Are you going to play?!!" I'm like, "I guess so but I forgot to bring my boots" and he just laughs and runs to the field. Now the field is like all dirt with no lines, so I ask one of the teachers where the lines are and he says, "No, its ok, we just know." I'm thinking oh man this is going to be interesting... We start the game and there is a huge audience and there are drums being played the entire time. I maybe touched the ball twice...but they were all really great and tried to pass to me. There isn't much passing since the ground is so uneven and I am in really bad shape but I had a good time. I plan to improve.

We move in with our home stay family tomorrow so I'm really excited and really nervous. We've been getting shots, going to meetings, and playing a lot of cards so its been pretty relaxed so far. I just bought a cell phone so hopefully I'll be able to call some of you soon! I miss you all soooo much!! I just got a letter from you Grandma so I'm excited to read it!!! Please send letters they are awesome!!! And then I feel cool when they say my name. Hahaha.. Hope all is well in the states! Bye Bye!!

Monday, June 1, 2009

In Philly!

After two uneventful plane rides and a really expensive cab ride I made it to my hotel in Philadelphia!! No one really knows who all the other volunteers are but if they're wearing chacos its a safe bet. I've only met a few other people but so far everyone is great and excited and completely not sure what to expect. I started losing my voice which is convenient since I have to meet a lot of people...but I found meds so I'm set. No worries. Other than that I saw the liberty bell, had a Philly cheese steak, and met another volunteer that's doing the same project as me! I plan on future blogs being a tad more interesting.... but I'm here and ready to go!! I miss everyone a lot but hopefully they'll be keeping us busy so I can stay focused and motivated.

Love you all!!
Peace,

Elyse