One Month Gone

It has been just under one month since I left Kumasi. I can't really believe that. Where did that month go? I said I'd update this thing a couple of weeks ago, but yeah, clearly that didn't happen. Coming back home the second time is actually alot different than coming home the first time. When I got back last year I was so pumped to see everyone and get the food that I was craving. This time, I was excited to see everyone again, but it was definatly different. I didn't have a list of food that I wanted to eat when I got back, like I did last time. Last year when I came back I had almost my entire first week of meals planned out of food that I wanted. This year I was asked what I wanted to eat for my first supper back and I didn't really care that much. All I know is that I didn't want rice.

I can't really say why it is so different this time. Maybe its because I knew more what to expect coming back this year. It was the same going to Ghana a second time, it was easier to get into a routine the second time. And coming back the second time is a lot easier.

What was really nice coming back this time was that a week after I got back my parents had their 25th anniversary celebration type thing, so the house was full for a couple of days. I saw people that I haven't seen in a long time.

One story that I don't think I've told on here before (forgive me if I have) happened at one of our wednesday night meetings. One of the volunteers that was there at the time was from New Zealand. Quite often we would have quiz nights, the team who lost in the last quiz had to be the "Quiz Master" for the next quiz. The guy from New Zealand was the quiz master on this particular night. After about 30 questions, 2 teams were still tied for first. The team I was on, and another one. So the quiz master had to make up extra questions to break the tie. One of the questions was, Where is the Rugby World Cup being held this year? So naturally I said, loudly, that nobody cares about rugby. Which in most other situations would just slide by. Well not so much this time, at the time I was the only volunteer from North America. And what I also didn't know, but could've helped at the time, was that rugby in New Zealand is the same as hockey is here in Canada. Basically their nuts about it. The look I got from the guy from New Zealand was quite hilarious.

And actally, I have watched more rugby since I've been home than I have in my entire life. Its actually pretty good to watch. Just a day after I got back, Canada played New Zealand in the world cup. So naturally I had to watch it. Canada lost, by a lot. But to put it in perspective, the commentator said that New Zealand playing Canada in rugby is basically the same as what would happen if Canada played New Zealand in hockey.

Ok, I don't know what else to tell you. I really enjoy being home, no matter how much I say I miss Ghana, which I do, tons.

Stay tuned, I'll probably update this place again at some point in time.

Homeward Bound

Hey all,

So after 1 bus ride, 3 plane rides and way too many hours spent sitting in airports I have finally made it back home. In the end I had been awake for 48 hours and had less than 4 hours of sleep during that time. Its nice to be back home and see everyone. Its too cold here though.

Although it is great to be back home, I miss Ghana already. The thought that was running through my mind as I was sitting in the airplane at the end of the runway in Accra getting ready to take off was "no, no, no, stop, stop, stop". I have found that you can't stop time as much as you want to. It took longer this time around for me to be excited about coming home. Last year as soon as I got to Accra I was excited about coming home, this time it wasn't until a lot later. But I'm still excited to be home.

I got to Accra at 6pm on Thursday night and my flight left at 8:50 pm. Thanks to possibly the slowest taxi driver in all of Ghana, I didn't get to the airport until after 7. I was worried about missing my flight. The taxi driver didn't understand how fast I needed to be at the airport. Finally I got there and got checked in and through security in no time and waited at my gate for probably an hour. When I got to Frankfurt I had over 8 hours to spend there. I actually fell asleep in the airport, which I wasn't going to do, but I was so tired that I couldn't stay awake at all.

The flight to Toronto wasn't too bad. I watched some movies and listened to some music. I got to Toronto and had a couple of hours there. It was raining and once we boarded the airplane it took forever for it to actually move. I actually fell asleep on the airplane before it took off, it was only for a few minutes though. I got to Saskatoon at 9:45pm and seen everyone again. It was awesome. My luggage all arrived which is always nice to see.

I don't know what else to tell you right now. I'll update this place again next week sometime. After I've been back home for a couple days. I'll have to make the rounds and see everyone and show off my pictures.

Last Post from Kumasi...

for this year anyway, oh wait, maybe I shouldn't have added that last part. Forget you read that.

I was going to go to the Cultural Center today and pick up some stuff, but its raining so I likely won't make it there today. So I'll have alot of shopping to do tomorrow. But its not like I didn't do the exact same this last year and leave everything till the last minute. Actually this year is a little better, I did a good amount of shopping on Friday.

I went to church on sunday, my last sunday and the pastor of the church I went to lives right beside where I do and invited me, so I made sure to be there. When I got there, me and the other person I was with tried to sneak in and sit in the back. Well, as an obruni, its impossible to sneak anywhere, the pastor seen us and brought us up to the very front to sit in on of the six chairs that they had at the very front. Not one of the at least 144 chairs they had sitting there (yeah, I counted), nope, one of the 6 chairs they had at the very front, facing the 144 chairs. And then we had to introduce ourselves, yeah, just draw more attention to the obruni sitting directly infront of everyone else.

I also had someone come and sit beside me and translate what the pastor was saying, because the majority of the service was in twi. Then near the end I was told that they wanted me to stand infront of everyone again, and talk about what I do at the childrens home. I had about 2 minutes to think of something interesting to say and then talked to the well over 100 people there. Then they had a guy come and stand beside me and translate everything I said into twi.

It was an interesting experience and I'm glad I went to the local church. Now that its all said and done anyway. I wasn't to happy about the speach part when they told me about it. But there was no way I could say no and not do it.

I have 2 more days at the childrens home and my flight leaves on Thursday night. I still don't want to go, although there was one point during the weekend I was actually excited for a minute or two about going home, so it will all be good. Once I start my journey back home I'll cheer up, that's what happened last time and hopefully is the same this time.

Don't know what else to tell you guys, I'll update everyone when I get back home. That is after I'm done catching up on sleep that I will have no doubt lost flying for a whole day.

Have a great day everyone and I'll see you guys when I get back.

Its a Conspiracy

I'm not sure if its to keep me from coming here or to keep me from leaving. Last year it was the Icelandic volcano/ash cloud that delayed me coming here. This year it was the Canada Post lock out that had me worried for a while about whether I woud get my visa back in time. And its also the Air Canada strike that happened before I left and also was close to happening this week. Jeez, what did I ever do?

I have officially less than one week left here. Its not awesome. I don't want to leave here. I'm really enjoying my time at the girls home. And since schools is back in, its really quiet during the day, so I will often go over to the one boys house and hang out with the little boys, who are really cute too.

Although I won't miss the time limit on the internet. Its frustrating, I'll be here for a while, and its not till I have 5 minutes left that I find something interesting to look at, or see someone on facebook to talk to. There has been a few times where I look up and realize that I have 20 seconds left and have to quickly say goodbye to whoever I'm talking to on facebook.

I realize I haven't put many pictures up here in a while. Sorry 'bout that, I got some for you now. Although my one memory card is completely full and is sitting back in my room, so you don't get all the pictures I would have wanted.

Some of the little girls playing

These girls were chasing away the goats that were walking around.

Truck that I had to walk by for a couple mornings, and yes, the stuff does look like its going to fall off. It was scary walking beside it.This picture was taken about 30 seconds before it started raining, and I got soaked on my way back from work.

One of the little boys.

Thats about it for now, I'll try to get back here before I leave, so it will be either Monday or Tuesday, I don't know how busy I'll be. If I don't get back I'll update everyone when I get back home (Canada home, not Ghana home).

Back Again!?!

Everytime I leave the internet I always think of something that I should've put in my blog, then when I get here, I can never remember what it was. Like right now for instance.

If you read the blog entry from last week, then you'll know about how I got a taxi ride with the same driver that I had had before. Well, I was leaving the internet on thursday and wanted to get a drop taxi back home, and I got the same guy again. The Toyota Corolla guy, I was suprised, but I think he just parks his taxi outside of the internet, because he knows there are always obruni's at the internet. But it was funny because I had to keep my story straight. He asked about how my kid was doing. It was funny how much he actually remembered.

I only had 8 more days left at the childrens home. It sucks because I know how much I am going to miss those girls. But at the same time, I can see now that the ones that I remember from last year that are still here are doing (relatively) well. And I do know that some do get adopted and thats also great. Esther, the one little 8 month old that we have, is now adopted by a couple from Slovenia. I'm so happy for her.

I'm actually really cold right now. They must have the air conditioning in here up really high because it seems alot colder than it usually is. But I know what kind of rush of heat you get when you step out of the doors, so I can live with the cold.

Speaking of cold. When I get back home, it better not be really cold. I'm going to freeze if its even kinda cool. Compared to here, where 25 degrees is considered cold, I'm not looking forward to what its going to be when I get back home.

Is a series of shorter posts just as good as fewer really long ones? Because thats what you have been getting the past week or so. Its likely what you'll get until I leave, but you never know.

That's if for now, I'll be back later at some point. Oh, and fyi, I fly out on September 29, the Thursday night.

2 Weeks to go..

Two weeks from right now I will be headed back to Accra to begin my journey home. And I don't really want to start that journey. I like, check that, love it here and although I do really miss everyone at home, I just really want to stay.

Ok, now back to the stuff that's actually happening. At the childrens home, school has started back up so instead of a lot of little girls at the girls home, there is only a few. Its really quiet. Today I sat with one of the girls for most of the day. She fell asleep on me at one point. It was a nice day. Not to much screaming and crying for a change.

Of the 4 1/2 total months I've been in Kumasi, I'm still being suprised that there are still times when I get in a tro from the market, and I go a different way back to Asabi. I've done it 3 different times this year. Last year all the tro's went the exact same way back home. Its weird. There seems to be a lot more traffic this year. I'm not sure what it is, but there always seems to be a line up of cars everywhere. I don't think there was that much last year.

Don't know what else to tell you. Its been pretty good here. Athough I won't miss the stupid chickens that like to stand right outside my window and make tons of noise. I hate those things. That and the power going out for several hours the past 3 days. It sucks at night because the fan isn't on then, and it gets really hot in my room.

That's if for now. I'll be back at some point.

Third Post this Week...

On Wednesday nights here in Kumasi, all the volunteers in the city head to the Projects Abroad office for our weekly meeting. Which usually involves a quiz, the meetings are quite a lot of fun and a good chance to see the volunteers that you don't see during the week. After the meeting we usually head out for supper somewhere and have some good food. Most of the time its about 8 or 9 when we head back home. We all just get drop taxis, which sometimes takes a while. Last meeting, after supper we were standing on the street waiting to get a taxi, and I was talking to one of the drivers, we finally agreed on a price and I jumped in. He then told me that I have been in his taxi before, and he has taken me back home once. I was suprised being as there are sooo many taxis here, that I figured I'd never be in the same one twice. But after talking to this driver for a few minutes, I think I actually had been in his taxi before. I kinda remembered him.

Every once in a while you will get a taxi driver who really likes to chat. This guy was one of them. He was asking me if I had a kid, the answer was yes, and I told him I had a 2 year old son. And when he turns 3 I will have another kid, a girl this time. He asked me where my kid is now and I said that he's back in Canada, and my mom is looking after him. He asked if I was married, the answer was yes, the answer is always yes to that question.  Then he proceeded to tell me that all the cars in Africa are too old and that I should talk to the Canadian gov't and get them to send over 5000 Toyota Corolla's. I told him I'd see what I could do.

Short post today, I don't know what else to say, I got less than 3 weeks and it really sucks that time went by so fast. But don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean I don't want to see everyone back home. But if your reading this you know how much I like it here. Maybe when I win the lottery I will pay for everyone to make a trip out here and see what I like so much.

Rider Pride...

Wow, 2 posts in two days, that normally doesn't happen. Ok, I remembered something that I was going to write about yesterday, but forgot to. I think its considered being a die-hard Rider Fan, when the day of the Labour Day Classic, I couldn't go to sleep until I got the last update from the game on my phone. Which was plugged in and charging on the other side of my room. I was in bed just laying there when I would hear the ring and get up, crawl out from under my mosquito net (which is a pain by the way), and walk across the room to check my text and see what was going on. I was quite tired the next morning but it was alright. And also the fact that the minute that I got onto the internet yesterday, the first 10 minutes of my time (I only had 1 hour) was spent reading about the game and watching highlites of it.

Oh, and I couldn't believe my eyes while riding in a taxi today. I glanced to the sidewalk and seen a Roughrider Grey Cup t-shirt that some local was wearing. It wasn't on a volunteer but someone who actually lives here. If I hadn't been in the middle of a taxi ride, I would've gotten out and taken a picture of the guy. I actually almost got out of my taxi to do it though. It was actually funny because when I first seen it I just looked away, then thought, wait, this is the other side of the world and that's a Rider shirt. So I looked again, I must have been staring at the guy, but he didn't notice it. I couldn't see what year it was, the shirt looked new, but I don't know from when it was.

Ok, back to the children's home. I forgot to update you guys on Anita, the little one with the injured hand. She got back to the children's home 8 days after she was admitted and although I haven't seen her hand with my eyes, I think its doing alot better. She will rest it on me, or the bench, or whatever she is sitting on/beside. Which she never did before. So hopefully that means its doing better.

Also, I have found out that the little girls at the orphanage are really bad at the whole fake crying thing. There are 2 of them that if they are not sitting on you, will "cry". But its kind of a give away when you can still see them smiling while "crying". They have done this for the past 4 days I've been at the childrens home. 

I'm still having a great time here. Although when trying to sleep last night the power went off. Which normally wouldn't be a bad thing, except that means that the fan went off and it was really hot in my room. But it came back on at somepoint during the night, so it worked out. And just as I typed that, the power went off in the internet cafe. But the computers are still on, just the lights and air conditioning went off.

Ok, that's about it for now. I'll be back at some point, don't ask when. If its not the weekend then Monday or Tuesday of next week. Although you might be lucky and I may post again this week. Who know...

Have a great day!!

24 days and counting...

Hey all, I figured I should blog somemore before I get messages telling me I don't do it enough. Since last week, nothing much has changed. Everytime I call home I always get asked what I'm doing for the weekend, and so far, the answer has been "nothing". Which sounds boring but I like it. Last year when I went it was everyweekend I had to be doing something. But this time, I've seen all the things that I really wanted to see, so its nice to relax and not do to much for a couple of days.

I'm still the only volunteer at the house right now, which is not to bad. I spent the weekend washing some clothes, by hand. Which is not to bad actually, and its not with a stick on a rock down by the river, as my Dad would have you believe.

Just over 3 weeks left, the time has really flown by this time, I think moreso than last time. I'm not quite sure if that's possible. I will definatly come back again though, just like I said last time. And just like last time, the people here still don't believe me, so I'll have to prove them all wrong again. But this time I'll have to bring some of the family with me, and show them around. Because it doesn't matter how much explaining I do, you have to see it to believe it.

I may end up going to church this weekend again. I think I may have to. I didn't go yesterday. But still listened to the church that is across the street from the house. For a couple of hours in the morning and then again at night it was loud and long. I don't really miss that part when I leave. Especially when its 7 in the morning and I'm trying to sleep.

Ok, this post was going to be longer, but thanks to 3 facebook conversations going on at once. Its not as long as I would have liked. I'll be back here sometime. Not sure when though. Probably this week.

Halfway There...

I've been told I haven't updated my blog in a while, and I just checked and its been 10 days, sorry about that. I've been busy...kinda. The other volunteer that lived in the house with me left on Saturday, so now I'm all alone in the house. I've actually never been all alone in the 4 months total that I've lived here. Its really quiet.

Right now is the halfway point. I leave Kumasi on the 29th of September. I can't believe I'm half done my trip. But I guess I can't stop time, as much as I want too.

As you might have noticed, I've been kind of running out of things to write about. So I've decided that today will be a market blog. The market in Kumasi is one of the biggest in open air markets' West Africa. And truthfully if you haven't been here, all my explaining will not describe it accurately. But I guess I'll try. The market is (from what google is telling me) 12 hectares (or one site said 25 hectares) of craziness. If your like me and have no idea how big that is, just think really big. Or go to Google Maps and type in Kejetia, Kumasi. Its hard to miss. It hold 10,000 traders in it.

I go through the market pretty much everyday. Well, kinda through it. I don't go down into where all the roofs are, but I do walk through part of it. Probably the busiest part of it. You have to watch where you step, or you'll step on someone's feet, or a hole in the cement, or the shoe's that they have layed out that you can look at to buy. But you can't just watch your feet, you have to keep your head up and look out for people carrying things on their heads, which are everywhere. I got hit in the head a couple of days ago with something because I wasn't paying attention.

If you actually go through the market, right into it where the heart of it is, there is no way that you cannot get lost. You will take one turn and have no idea how to get back out, but just ask as someone is sure to help you out. It looks like there is no order at all. But actually there kind of is, you will walk by different sections, like the fabric section, spices sections, and if your unlucky, the meat sections (it smells really stongly).

After walking through part of the market, everyday I take basically the same route up to Adum, where I am now, where the internet and the banks are. You have to cross a couple of streets, which means taking your life in your hands. Then walking by some of the street sellers, which is usually not to bad, they'll yell at you "Obruni" every so often, but your so used to it that its not to bad. Until you get to the one part, you have to walk up the sidewalk right by all the street vendors, and in this one part they all seem to be 20-something year old guys selling clothes. So naturally I'll be really lucky if someone doesn't grab my arm and say "hey, my wife/girlfriend". You just have to ignore them and pull your arm away from them. I'd say there is about 40-50 of these guys on the one part of the street, and you can't avoid them at all. So its an adventure everyday.

Usually after getting to the internet/bank/supermarket or wherever I was going, I'll walk down back to the market, past all the same street vendors, and back through the same path in the market to get a tro-tro back home. I've always wanted to get a video of where I have to get a tro from, but don't want to get my camera out and have people yell at me, because they will. So I'll try and explain it, which can only do so much. After walking all the way through the market, and past the taxi's, you get to where some of the tro's are. I say some, because there are alot more that don't park there, they park in a different area. But where I go, is the same. You have to keep a look out to keep from getting hit by tro's that are coming or leaving. Because there is a little hill, they have to take a run at to make it up it (when they are leaving).  The Asabi (the one I catch to get back home) tro is always in generally the same spot. So you just have to walk down the one side and you will inevitably get asked where you are going. So you say Asabi and they will point down the side more. Until you get to the general area, and you have to actually get in the right one. The tro-tro drivers and mates (the person who collects the money) will usually be standing in front of their tro yelling where it is going. If there not, you just have to ask anyone and they'll usually point you in the right direction.

Overall its really quite fun, after you get used to it. For my first month here last time, everytime the market came into view, I would just dread having to go through the market. But once I got over that, it turned into quite the experience. Its not even to bad.

So there you have it, what I go through pretty much everyday. But like I said, if you haven't been here, all my expaining can only get you so far. I haven't gotten any pictures of the market yet, but if you google Kumasi Market, you will get quite a few. There is even the odd video on youtube of the market. Although I believe some of the videos are a couple of years old.

I hope this will make up for the lack of blogs in the last week or so. Now I'll just have to think of something else for my next one. Any suggestions/questions you may have about anything here are welcome.

Until next time, keep fit and have fun! (haha, anyone remember what that's from)

They really like Cameras

I knew they liked cameras, but wow, the kids at the childrens home were all over me when I brought my camera out. All I heard for the next hour was "obruni, picture" followed by "last one, then I go". It was crazy but I got a lot of awesome pictures of the kids.

On Wednesday, I'm not sure what got into the girls, but wow, the oder ones were jumping all over the place. And mainly on top of me. I was sitting on the bench for a while, with them all over me, then I stood up. That was a bad idea, they nearly pushed me over several times. And they were all screaming and making a lot of noise at the same time.

We had our weekly meeting on Wednesday night and there were a few new volunteers. When we went out for supper, I realized that I am the only volunteer here that is from North America.  Which means almost everyone else loves soccer (sorry football), and there is nobody here to talk CFL and hockey with.

I bought a new phone on the street last week, but only because I was sick of the one I had been using. While bargining for it, one guy that was selling some other phones, looked at the person that was with me, another volunteer I live with, and said, "you are not obruni, you are an albino". It was possibly one of the funniest things I've heard while I've been here. I can now play music on the phone I have, and have become addicted to the Maroon 5 song Moves Like Jagger, its awesome.

Don't really know what else to tell you guys, I'm not travelling this weekend and will probably end up at church, which I have yet to go to during all my time here. Basically it will take several hours and it will be nothing like what we know as church back home. I've heard that you should go to church at least once while your here just to experience it, and that may be this sunday.

That's it for now, I'll be back sometime later, I'm not sure exactly when though.

Is this the real life...

"Is this just fantasy..."

Extra point if you can name the song, or know the next line...

Everyonce in a while I look up from the taxi, or from the ground when I'm walking and realize that this is exactly where I want to be. It is where I wanted to be for the past year. During my long drives to and from Melfort to work and back home, I would try to think of a way that I could get back here. Initially I had no idea how I was going to make that happen. But it all worked out in the end, and I can't help the grin on my face.

An update on Anita, the little girl with the injured hand. We went to the hospital on Monday to change her dressing and they seen that her hand was infected. So she is now admitted to the hospital. The nurse from the childrens home was going to go back to the hospital today or tomorrow and check up on her and I wanted to ask her how she was.

I had gone back to the boys house today to see if I recognized some of the boys from last year. I walked in and it seemed like every second boy I looked at I recognized. It was great to see how they've grown over the past year, and how much they can walk around now.


Picture time, to make up for less writing...

Feeling Better

So, I didn't have the greatest day on Wednesday, as you probably read. And so I wasn't all that excited when Auntie Esther asked me to accompany the same girl, Anita, to the hospital again on Friday. Auntie Esther called Anita my daughter, so I really had no choice but to go with her. I also wanted to be there for her.

We got to the hospital, and I carried her up to the same room, we had to change our sandals again. They actually started to change the bandage quite quickley compared to last time. She still cried and screamed alot. And I had to hold her arm still for a while, while they changed the bandage. But her had looked a little better. As in it wasn't dripping blood like last time. I'll spare you the details of what it looked like. If I've told you, then you know how bad it was.

They wrapped it back up and we were on our way out of the hospital again. She held onto me really tightly they whole way out to the van. The nurse that came with us from the childrens home bought some peanuts for Anita from the side of the road, while we were stuck in traffic. I thought that was really nice of her to do.

Now, back to the good stuff. I've seen a few hockey jerseys around, just like I did last time. I've seen a Doug Gilmour Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, a plain Toronto Maple Leafs Jersey, and a Montreal Canadiens Jersey too. While waiting in a tro-tro yesterday, I seen a Toronto Raptors hat the some guy was wearing.

I'm not sure what else to tell you, my time at the girls home has been awesome, and I already know how much I don't want to leave this place. I think it will be harder the second time around. But I'm not sure.

That's the girls home back there.

I don't like hospitals

Now before you think anything, its not because I was sick or injured or anything like that. But at the childrens home, about once a week they take some of the kids to the childrens home to the hospital for checkups and stuff like that. Usually just the ones that aren't as healthy. Well, since I've been here, there's been one little girl, I think about 3 years old, that has had her right hand bandaged up. (there may be a picture of her in the post below, she would be the one sleeping on the bench).

Auntie Esther asked if I could accompany her to the hospital today, so I said sure. When we got there, it was just me and a different house mother that walked up to the room where we needed to be. We had to change our sandals because it was more of a sterile room, but in reality, it wasn't really that sterile. Anyway, I'm sitting on a chair with this girl, Anita, and after finding out what exactly happened, (she stuck her hand in a pot of boiling water or soup, from what they told me is what happened), one of the doctors started to cut off the bandage on her hand to change the dressing. While I was still holding her, he was doing this and she was screaming and crying like crazy. When he finally got it all off, the look of her hand I can't even describe, and don't really want to describe actually. I will just say that is was still bleeding alot. So they just let her hand stay there, hovering over some gauze, so the blood didn't splash to much, for about 5 mins or so while they discussed something or other, I'm not sure what they were waiting for. She was screaming and crying the entire time.

When the house mother from the orphanage took her from me to take her to another room to check something, I finally started crying. I had tried so hard not to, but it was impossible. One of the doctors, or nurses, I'm not sure which one, told me to come with him out of the room. The other nurses were laughing at me because they have all seen worse, but I definatly haven't. So me and this other guy sat on the bench outside the room while the doctor finally started to put the clean dressing onto her wound. She still screaming during this, because they did not give her anything to dull the pain at all. Finally the guy looked in and said its all right to come back in. So I came back in, still crying and eventually we left the room, me carrying Anita, and went to meet up with the van that would take us back to the childrens home.

Needless to say, it wasn't the best of mornings. I've only ever been to the hospital here once before, and it was last year. And the little girl I held while we were there, passed away less than a week later. So I haven't had the best of luck.

Anyway, that's all for today. I'll be back here later, probably next week, but you never know, it may be this weekend, If I don't have any plans. And it will hopefully be with happier news than this was.

Have a great day everyone...

Not even a Week...

While sitting at breakfast today I was thinking that it feels like I've been here forever. But in reality, it hasn't even been one week yet. Wow, it is amazing how quick you get back into the swing of things. The waving when you here someone yell "Obroni", ignoring the marrage proposals, having to tune out the honking of the taxis, and everything else that goes along with being in Ghana.

I've been at the childrens home for 4 days now, and its been amazing to be back. The girls yesterday were playing with my cell phone and decided to call my house. It had started ringing on this end, but I caught it in time that it didn't ring back home. Which was a good thing concidering it would have been 5:15 am at the time.

I got to the girls house today and as soon as I walked in there was about 12 girls standing around me hugging me. It was a little crazy, then I sat down and everyone wanted to sit on or around me. It was hard to listen to anyone say anything because they were all talking at the same time.

It will be a short post today, but I'll give you some pictures.

Akwaaba v2.0

Hello all!!

I know it been a while since I was here, but due to being busy with the orphanage, then getting to tired playing basketball, this is the first time I've been able to come to the internet. And of course the first thing I checked was the Rider game, since I didn't get a text telling me what happened from a certain someone...

My trip here was actually pretty good. There were no flight delays at all and I didn't have to rush anywhere, it was nice compared to my last trip. I got to Accra at 7 on Tuesday night. Met the Projects Abroad guy at the airport and then waited for a few minutes to get the other volunteer that was on my flight. We then jumped in a taxi and headed to the office where we could sleep. It was quiz night for the volunteers in Accra, but we were too tired, so we went and hung out in my room and talked for a while. I went to bed early because I had to get up a 3 am to catch the bus to Kumasi. I had done that last time and wasn't looking forward to the bus ride. The bus left at 4:30 and we got off the bus in Kumasi at 9:30.

The ride wasn't too bad actually. When we got off the bus, I was looking around to see if I knew where we were, and right away I knew exactly where we were. I was then picked up by Anthony, the projects abroad guy that lives in Kumasi, and he took me back to Beatrice's house. After a quick breakfast where Anthony asked me how much I remembered from here, we went to the market. And instead of him taking me on induction, I took him, he wanted to see if I new my way around. So when we got to the market I led him around and didn't get lost at all.

It wasn't at all like my first day last year, because this year I knew what was going on and it was more like two friends walking around then having lunch than anything. After lunch, we headed out to the meeting where I called home for the first time. I patiently waited for Gabby, Enoch and Cheif to show up, they work for projects abroad and I got to know them well last year. It was like meeting really old friends. Anthony said that I have been the only volunteer to come back to Kumasi and volunteer. Even though everyone says they will, he didn't believe them anymore. But he said I proved him wrong.

I went to the Kumasi Childrens home on Thursday morning, and was worried that I would not be able to work in the girls home like last time. Due to a situation with another volunteer at the girls home. But I was hoping that Auntie Esther would remember me and let me stay, and she had no problem with letting me stay. I was so happy. I quickly looked around for the girls I remembered, and most of them were there. I asked Auntie Esther about the few that weren't there, and she said that Grace and Tenguay had left, whether to their parents or adopted she never said. I asked her about Adwoa, because she wasn't there either, but she said she didn't remember, so I'm going to have to bring a picture of her and see what happened. I'm kinda worried, because she was my princess and she was not very healthy, and I'm not sure if anyone would have adopted her, but you never know, I'll see on monday hopefully.

I did check in with some of the boys and will have to update the other former volunteers through facebook about what happend to some of them and whether they are still there or not.

I don't really have many pictures yet, I've been just enjoying my time. But I will post more later.

This is from a tro-tro today on the way to the market. The tro ride took probably 45 mins. We were stuck in traffic for ever.

Its weird here because I don't feel like I've left at all, but its been almost a year since I was here last. It feels like I've been here forever and really it hasn't even been a week. I already know that I don't really want to leave this place.

I'll update more later, more about where I live and stuff. I don't want to take all my time on the internet on this post.

Oh, and comment if you want. I love getting comments.

Saskatoon Airport

Hey all, right now I'm sitting at the airport,with my awesome cousin waiting to board my flight to Calgary to begin my journey back to Ghana. I am defiantly excited that I can finally get my trip underway. I'll update you all later. Oh and it's not just my cousin, that whole family is here as well.

Almost Goodbye...

-Malaria Pills - Check
-Ghanaian Visa - Check
-Flights Booked - Check
-Place to live - Check
-Place to work - Check

T-minus 588 hours and I'll be on my flight back to Ghana and I can't wait.

This month is definatly not going to go by fast enough. When I went last year, the whole month before was excited and nervous at the same time. I wanted time to fly and to slow down at the same time. I couldn't imagine being in Ghana. This time around, I want time to go by much quicker than it is. Ever since I found out that I'll be back at the Kumasi Children's Home, I've wanted to pick up and go back now. I don't want to wait the 3 weeks to go back. But I guess I have no choice.

My visa just came in the mail today, that was the last piece that I needed to pick up before I leave. I was only a little worried about it. I put my visa application in the mail the day before the Canada Post lockout, and was trying not to think about it possibly not getting here in time. But it all worked out.

If you don't know, I'm going for 2 months back to the Childrens Home. I was there for 3 months last year and loved it. I'm going back knowing it will be a great time, because Kumasi is a great place, but at the same time, knowing that it will be a different experience with different people. I'm looking forward to seeing the kids at the Children's Home, and looking forward to seeing how they have grown up since I've seen them last.

I'm going into this trip knowing more what to expect, so there won't be as much shock. Although last year I didn't really have any culture shock, I don't know how I managed it. I think I was just so tired and miserable from the more than 2 day trip to get to Kumasi, that I just decided to go with it. I remember it was in the airport in Calgary when I knew I would probably miss my connecting flight in Frankfurt, that I decided that I couldn't control whether the plane would get there in time. I thought that there was no point stressing about it and to just try to not get to wound up about what was happening. I'd say it worked pretty good, especially while standing in a lineup for 2 1/2 hours only to have the guy at the front tell me he couldn't help me. Ahh, good memories....

I'll write more later when it is closer to when I leave, which is on August 1st, if you didn't know that.

PS. The title of this post is the name of a song, can anyone guess who sings it (leave a comment, I like comments). The lyrics don't really work with the post, but I love the song, and the title fits, so I'm leaving it.

One Full Year

One year ago right now, I was on a plane headed to Ethiopia, have a 2 hour layover, then fly to Accra. Wow, time flies. It seems like it was just yesterday when I was saying goodbyes at the airport and jumping on an airplane to fly halfway around the world by myself. It seems a little crazy now. But I wouldn't go back and change my decision to do it, for anything. There was only one moment that I thought, what am I doing, am I crazy? That was just after I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, missed my connecting flight, then stood in a lineup for 2 1/2 hours, got to the front of that lineup and have the guy say, "Sorry, I can't help you." Ha, that was fun. After a few minutes of asking for help and getting absolutly none, I found a someone willing to help and she pointed me in the right direction and a found the right place to go in about 2 minutes. So thanks, to the random worker at the Frankfurt Airport.

Since I've been home, I've been trying to tell all the stories that happend to me while I was there. I would think I've told everything, but quite often I'll remember something that I haven't told anyone. Just a couple weeks ago, I told a new story to my parents, they were suprised to still be hearing new things.

To be honest, I'm not quite sure why I decided to start another blog. I just wanted to start writing again.  It was a couple weeks ago, when I came home and found that water had came into the basement through my bedroom window. I stood at the top of the stairs and thought, I don't want to go downstairs. I didn't want to see what had happend to my room. My journal, that I wrote in everyday for 3 straight months, and where I put all my little bus passes and all my little papers inside of my journal, was sitting on a shelf right below my window (where the water came in). I didn't want to go into my room, I didn't want to know if that jounal was completely wrecked or not. Finally, I went into my room and discovered that my journal was actually perfectly fine. I'm not quite sure how, the water came in right above where it was sitting, and came down the wall right behind it. I was more happy that it was fine than anything else.

In the past few months, I have spoken about my trip at a few different places. If you know me, you no that I am definatly not a public speaker. But they have gone actually pretty good. I think its because I know what I'm talking about. Might I say I've actually enjoyed public speaking, wow, I never thought I'd say that.

Its funny, at least once a day I will see something or hear something that will make me think of something that happened in Ghana, or something that they have in Ghana. I'll stop, smile, and keep going on with my day. I can't believe its been 9 months since I've had a FanIce, that was the best. I actually had a craving for it today. Ok, maybe FanIce isn't the most important thing in the world, but I couldn't possibly list everything I miss. The list would begin with the girls at the Children's Home and go on from there. I have several pictures of them up on my wall in my room, and as my background on my computer, among other places.

That's about it for now. But stay tuned...