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)
Monday, August 29, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
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...
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...
Saturday, August 13, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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...
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...
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
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.
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.
Monday, August 1, 2011
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.
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