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.