I have fallen into a routine ever since my last post. As some of you know I have started my Ghanaian teaching career in the past few weeks. I have postponed writing about my experience until I felt I had captured the full affect. While I know there are many new experiences to come, I have been privy to many things that I most definitely need to share. So here I have put together a "short" story about "Just a Typical Day" in my Obruni (remember that means white person) shoes.
The Ghanaian sun seems to rise earlier on the weekdays. Normally I wish to push it right back down where it came from but not today. This is a typical school day and I must get up at this 5am hour if I wish to be at school on time. Because my new diet consists of mostly carbs and...carbs, I use THIS time to run. Before the whole city comes to life with street vendors and talkative neighbors, I attack the rocky dirt road, willing myself to work hard if only for 15 minutes. Back to the house to stretch and have a quick shower where I have fallen in love with Pantene's 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner for its speed. Breakfast consists of Corn Flakes and toast. After I throw my towel on the line to dry and straighten up my room, Grace always asks if I have eaten and if I am full. My answer is always, "Yes, thank you" and she closes the gate behind me as I start my trek to school. I only walk a short distance to the Tro-Tro stop where many people await the same 12-passenger vehicle as I. Usually it takes about 15 minutes to catch a car, if it is a longer wait I must resort to a more expensive taxi ride. This is normally shared with 3 other passengers so the cost is lowered. After about 20 minutes I tell the driver or the boy who collects the fare on the Tro-Tro, "Mate, Mepa wo kyew, mesi wo Polyclinic" which tells them "Mate, please I will drop at Polyclinic" which is the name of my stop. After I squish through the laughing passengers (an Obruni who speaks Twi?) I'm on the ground walking about 10 more minutes to school. Calls of Obruni usually follow me wherever I go, which I have learned to ignore but as I near the school "Obruni" morphs into "Teach-ah Adjua". These calls, I am happy to receive with a smile because they are coming from the yellow and blue uniformed students from Kaneshie Presby School where I have been introduced as a guest teacher with my day name, Adjua. This particular day has a surprise in store though I don't know it yet. The teacher I have been assisting for the first week has come down with Malaria so she is currently at the hospital. This is one of those moments where you say TIA (this is africa), send up a prayer for Auntie B in the hospital, and feel the rush as the shock of 44 six and seven year olds in my care alone sets in. It is now 7am and the world doesn't stop for my problems. I begin to collect todays feeding and studies fee [feeding-for their lunch if they didn't bring one; studies-for the teachers pay, I think] in a currency that I am still struggling to adapt to. We manage to get through the next three hours with a few songs (thank the Lord I went to church camp-p.s. Dr. Mick: if you could e-mail me that revised camp song book that would be GREAT), many rounds of 7-up and a skewed football version of hang man I hastily created. During our 30 minute break I am briefed by the teacher next door with the agenda today. I quickly realize it will not fill the last 4 hours of our schedule. This is when I wish I had Mrs. Heinrichs and Mrs. Cowger on speed dial. After break, we review our math from last year and begin to look through our reading book. It is my duty to mark the 44 Math books one-by-one while the students stand in a line before me. you can imagine the "happy" chaos that ensues. Thankfully, I have in my possession a "cane" which I have chosen not to use on the hands of the students but it makes for a perfect attention getter when rapped heavily on my desk. Usually sometime in the early morning a worker from the cantine (or cafeteria)comes to ask what I will take for lunch. So, by 12 when I have given the students their lunch tokens and they have skipped from the classroom to leave me with my thoughts, and older student would have so graciously brought my lunch to me. My lunch hour is used for planning and visiting with my new young teacher friends, whose advice I welcome gratefully. 1pm starts the next 2 1/2 hours of handwriting practice, English study, and any other ideas God decides to bless me with. As 3:30 rolls around, the kids have sung their closing song, swept the concrete floor, and bounded out of the classroom, leaving me to padlock the door, breathe a sigh of relief, and start my journey back home. Being that my school is so close to the market, every Tro-Tro that passes is generally full and leaves me to take a taxi or to start walking. And because it's not raining and I have a good pair of walking sandals, I start the hour and 15 minute walk towards home. I am happy to use this mode of transportation though because when I walk I HAVE to stop to take a break. And why not do it in the air conditioned internet cafe? Seeing as though today is an exceptionally hot day (remember, 6 degrees above the equator here...) I think that's just what I'll do. I walk in and say hello to my friends Richard and Elliot, buy a ticket and begin to read and type. This here is where I have found my weakness. Adjusting to my new schedule, a new culture, and an entirely new way of life are the sort of things that will drive a girl to find comfort. My struggle is instead of walking to the internet cafe where I can always expect MANY messages of love and comedy and words from HOME (thanks to all of you incredible people), I need to keep walking and use that time to continue building relationships and a support system here in Ghana. All that is to say instead of every few days, my internet browsing may turn into a less frequent event.
After my time has run out I start to make my way home. On the way, I have begun to make friends with the store owners I pass. There is one in particular whose name is Kwami, that I always take advantage of. You see this is where I get to stop, take off my shoes and juggle the football with Kwami's three young boys. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't walk past because those boys can see me coming (anyone can see me coming) and the ball is out and ready when I arrive. After a short time I sadly say I must be going home and pass the last few blocks a little sweatier than before.
Finally home, I am greeted with a kind smile and more likely a jeering "Afternoon, Teacchhaahh Addjuuaaa". I am asked what I will have for dinner, then I make my way to my room where I flip on BBC radio and more importantly the fan. It's about 6pm and I have done a little reading before I am called to dinner. It usually takes a while to finish my mound of rice or friend yam balls. Then my favorite part of the day commences. I make my way out to the back where my friends' quarters are. I sit, watching Amachi do his art homework or Grace make funny phone calls to friends or watch a little football with John. Basically "we are jovial" just laughing and having a good time after a full day. Soon Grandpa will call us in for our nightly prayer and Bible study time before we make our way to our beds. I my bed, before I sleep, I think about my family and friends and how much I miss them. But I always fall asleep with much comfort, knowing no matter WHAT struggles and stresses I might have, I am exactly where God wants me to be.
Thanks for reading...for those who need something lighthearted...
Here are some funny greetings I have received when walking to and fro:
What's up, white lady!?!
How are youuuuu????
Are we having fun today!!??
White! Hey white!!
And my personal favorite:
George Bush! How are you???
Haha...normally, I just keep on walking with a straight face, but I couldn't help the laughter that busted out of my mouth when I heard that one!
24 September 2007
11 September 2007
Ghana...
So, my parents and I have been fielding quite a lot of questions ever since I have moved into my new home. So I tried to put them all into their own little category and explain away. So if you don't have any questions in a certain category, just go ahead and skip it. Happy reading!!
My Ghanaian family
First, there is my Grandpa, Osofu (means Reverend) Oteng. He is the head of the family. You can feel his authority when he walks into the room. The first evening at his home we had a chat and I learned about his past (including his history of serving 18 years in the military and his school years over in California at Azusa Pacific). And like a true military man he mentioned in a playful tone his need for everything to be just as he likes it. Using his cell phone as an example by moving it only centimeters. I took note of this and on my way out from a very nice talk I bent down and moved one of his books just an inch. He was still laughing as I closed the door and walked down the hall. Next, my Grandma (they call her Mama Osofu), who prays to be a good helper every day for the family. I can tell she tries very hard. Although for 4 years now the family has a cook to help out around the house, she still helps out and always comes to my room to make sure everything is okay. You can tell with her children she had a stern but loving hand. You can barely see the years she has lived, I hope to age as she has. She is so beautiful and I cannot wait to learn from both her and Grandpa during my year in their home. Also, there are the people I would consider my brothers and sister. Grace is 19 and has helped around the house, cooking and cleaning for 4 years now. She has an AMAZING spirit and always laughs at my jokes or at my horrible attempt at a Twi greeting. She has been my partner in crime as I learn to tackle this area of Accra (called North Kaneshi) by foot and Tro-Tro. I love it when she grabs my hand and yanks me closer to the side of the street which is a GENTLE reminder that pedestrians, or in this case Presbyterians, do NOT have the right away. Her 22 year old brother John has also been living and working here. He will leave to go to college in a few weeks, closer to the Volta Region which is Northeast from here about 3 hours. He is also a great helper when I am trying to learn Twi. He just laughs and corrects me. Amchi (Ah-MAH-chee) is around our ages as well. He is studying Art and Design in Accra. I've seen his work and it is incredible! He is the nephew of my Grandpa and wants me to call him Nana, which means chief in Twi. I have obliged JUST until I learn a better word for "big-ego" in Twi. haha As you can see I've been incredibly blessed with an amazing family who could not have been more perfect.
Food
So apparently food is next to family here. It is VERY important. Sometimes I feel as if my whole day is centered around it. I need to nap after lunch because of my stuffed stomach and when I awake it's almost time for dinner! Some of the main dishes I am having a hard time getting used to, like Fufu. Fufu is a playdough-like texture made from a root and yam found here in Ghana. Mom, Dad, Matt, and Hannah you know very well I have a hard time with texture right? Well, this is going to be a hurdle I will need God to help me get over. That is something to pray for if anyone is interested. Food is closely related to showing love here. So please pray to help me show MORE LOVE. Jollof rice however is something i LOVE. It's a tomatoey spicey rice with little green beans and onions in it. Sooo good! Most dishes are served with a bowl of soup or stew. It's basically a variety of spicey brother with all kinds of meat in it. And people, you KNOW that includes the bones and chubbiness of that particular animal.
Church
My grandpa is the pastor to a few churches here within the PCG (Presbyterian Church of Ghana). Most churches are run this way. They have an ordained pastor for a few churches. He performs things like weddings, funerals, baptisms, and communion at each. Then other people step in while the pastor is at another church. Of course that is just what I have derived from the situation, it could be off base. When I went this past Sunday to one of my Grandpa's churches I was amazed at what took place. When I walked in, every woman donned the beautiful colors, and unique patters of dress that I have seen most days, but never in such a density as this. The service, complete with many, many praise songs, a great message (fairly long of course), 2 times of required offering, and a few hymns thrown in for good measure, was 3 hours in length but was through in NO time. Never have I stood up, dancing with my handkerchief, shaking my hips, singing words I had no idea of their meaning, IN CHURCH! Being that my Grandpa is the Osofu, he mentioned to the woman giving the message to do a summary in English for me, JUST for me and she did. Oh have I forgotten to mention that the entire service was in Twi? haha well it was. But it really is hardly an issue when you hear the passion and see the understanding in the faces of the congregation. That is a message in itself!!
Football
The other religion I am happy to participate in is that of football (of course I mean this game you Americans call soccer) haha. Every 3rd male is wearing a football jersey. Probably every 10th female. One of my first days here in Ghana, the girls and I were having a Ghanaian wait-for-45-minutes restaurant experience when we heard the outside erupt in applause and screaming! We had no idea until that moment that a game was on. The people here in Ghana go CRAZY for their Blackstars national team. I love to see that passion and am quickly falling into the Blackstars world. Maybe a tattoo is in order?? haha, kidding mom :)
My Health
Here is just some quick info so my BIG supporting family knows I am well. By the good grace of God I have had extremely good luck with the mosquitos. I don't think I've had one bite yet! Or course my tummy needed some adjusting, but that's over. I haven't been burned, I have only accumulated pretty bumps on my face and some additions to my waist! haha. Oh! And a note of praise, no more ecscema(sp?)!!!
Climate
So it's definitely the rainy season. If you do not lay things out in the sun every once in a while, your clothes will start to get this pretty white fuzz on it. You get used to sweating here. To all my girl friends at home who have complained about pitty-sweat, you know who you are, haha, you would be right at home here. To my soccer girls, swazz is normal. And THIS is the COOL season. haha...
Language
Twi (pronounced like a little kid saying tree=ch-wee) is the commonly spoken language in the greater Accra area. I already have learned how to greet in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I know how to ask how people are doing, and I can quickly respong with a "good" but only that, so if I'm not good...I'm out of luck. My Grandma felt the need to teach me how to say "stop talking" which should, I guess, come in handy some day? And a few other miscellaneous things. Aren't you proud momma Heinrichs???
My Birthday!!
I had the most wonderful birthday yesterday!! Thank you to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes!! I woke up to a few cards and a few SWEET birthday presents. One was my birthday lunch of VERY tasty Spaghetti-Os (thanks to my amazing Aunt and Uncle) and next was some gorgeous material from my Grandma to make a dress! I was able to relax and go to the internet cafe. When I returned and after lunch I was met by the most FANTASTIC surprise...Chocolate ICE CREAM!!! And OH was it the perfect treat. Made with REAL Ghanaian Cocoa! My Grandpa said it was not spoiled by other chemicals, just yummy Cocoa. It was just a nice relaxing day that was every so often imporved by a whispered "Happy Birfday" song from my Grandpa as he passed by my room. What a treat!!
Well I hope you all know how much I miss you. Especially my Mom and Dad and Matty and Nanner. I wouldn't be able to stay here without knowing how much you support me and love me. I love you all more than you could EVER know. Thank you too, to everyone who has supported me thus far with prayers, finances, and interest in my story. I would please like to remind you to kindly continue to pray for rain for Ghana. We need it badly. Thank you everyone for everything I miss you and long to hear updates of your lives as well.
With lotsa love,
Meg
My Ghanaian family
First, there is my Grandpa, Osofu (means Reverend) Oteng. He is the head of the family. You can feel his authority when he walks into the room. The first evening at his home we had a chat and I learned about his past (including his history of serving 18 years in the military and his school years over in California at Azusa Pacific). And like a true military man he mentioned in a playful tone his need for everything to be just as he likes it. Using his cell phone as an example by moving it only centimeters. I took note of this and on my way out from a very nice talk I bent down and moved one of his books just an inch. He was still laughing as I closed the door and walked down the hall. Next, my Grandma (they call her Mama Osofu), who prays to be a good helper every day for the family. I can tell she tries very hard. Although for 4 years now the family has a cook to help out around the house, she still helps out and always comes to my room to make sure everything is okay. You can tell with her children she had a stern but loving hand. You can barely see the years she has lived, I hope to age as she has. She is so beautiful and I cannot wait to learn from both her and Grandpa during my year in their home. Also, there are the people I would consider my brothers and sister. Grace is 19 and has helped around the house, cooking and cleaning for 4 years now. She has an AMAZING spirit and always laughs at my jokes or at my horrible attempt at a Twi greeting. She has been my partner in crime as I learn to tackle this area of Accra (called North Kaneshi) by foot and Tro-Tro. I love it when she grabs my hand and yanks me closer to the side of the street which is a GENTLE reminder that pedestrians, or in this case Presbyterians, do NOT have the right away. Her 22 year old brother John has also been living and working here. He will leave to go to college in a few weeks, closer to the Volta Region which is Northeast from here about 3 hours. He is also a great helper when I am trying to learn Twi. He just laughs and corrects me. Amchi (Ah-MAH-chee) is around our ages as well. He is studying Art and Design in Accra. I've seen his work and it is incredible! He is the nephew of my Grandpa and wants me to call him Nana, which means chief in Twi. I have obliged JUST until I learn a better word for "big-ego" in Twi. haha As you can see I've been incredibly blessed with an amazing family who could not have been more perfect.
Food
So apparently food is next to family here. It is VERY important. Sometimes I feel as if my whole day is centered around it. I need to nap after lunch because of my stuffed stomach and when I awake it's almost time for dinner! Some of the main dishes I am having a hard time getting used to, like Fufu. Fufu is a playdough-like texture made from a root and yam found here in Ghana. Mom, Dad, Matt, and Hannah you know very well I have a hard time with texture right? Well, this is going to be a hurdle I will need God to help me get over. That is something to pray for if anyone is interested. Food is closely related to showing love here. So please pray to help me show MORE LOVE. Jollof rice however is something i LOVE. It's a tomatoey spicey rice with little green beans and onions in it. Sooo good! Most dishes are served with a bowl of soup or stew. It's basically a variety of spicey brother with all kinds of meat in it. And people, you KNOW that includes the bones and chubbiness of that particular animal.
Church
My grandpa is the pastor to a few churches here within the PCG (Presbyterian Church of Ghana). Most churches are run this way. They have an ordained pastor for a few churches. He performs things like weddings, funerals, baptisms, and communion at each. Then other people step in while the pastor is at another church. Of course that is just what I have derived from the situation, it could be off base. When I went this past Sunday to one of my Grandpa's churches I was amazed at what took place. When I walked in, every woman donned the beautiful colors, and unique patters of dress that I have seen most days, but never in such a density as this. The service, complete with many, many praise songs, a great message (fairly long of course), 2 times of required offering, and a few hymns thrown in for good measure, was 3 hours in length but was through in NO time. Never have I stood up, dancing with my handkerchief, shaking my hips, singing words I had no idea of their meaning, IN CHURCH! Being that my Grandpa is the Osofu, he mentioned to the woman giving the message to do a summary in English for me, JUST for me and she did. Oh have I forgotten to mention that the entire service was in Twi? haha well it was. But it really is hardly an issue when you hear the passion and see the understanding in the faces of the congregation. That is a message in itself!!
Football
The other religion I am happy to participate in is that of football (of course I mean this game you Americans call soccer) haha. Every 3rd male is wearing a football jersey. Probably every 10th female. One of my first days here in Ghana, the girls and I were having a Ghanaian wait-for-45-minutes restaurant experience when we heard the outside erupt in applause and screaming! We had no idea until that moment that a game was on. The people here in Ghana go CRAZY for their Blackstars national team. I love to see that passion and am quickly falling into the Blackstars world. Maybe a tattoo is in order?? haha, kidding mom :)
My Health
Here is just some quick info so my BIG supporting family knows I am well. By the good grace of God I have had extremely good luck with the mosquitos. I don't think I've had one bite yet! Or course my tummy needed some adjusting, but that's over. I haven't been burned, I have only accumulated pretty bumps on my face and some additions to my waist! haha. Oh! And a note of praise, no more ecscema(sp?)!!!
Climate
So it's definitely the rainy season. If you do not lay things out in the sun every once in a while, your clothes will start to get this pretty white fuzz on it. You get used to sweating here. To all my girl friends at home who have complained about pitty-sweat, you know who you are, haha, you would be right at home here. To my soccer girls, swazz is normal. And THIS is the COOL season. haha...
Language
Twi (pronounced like a little kid saying tree=ch-wee) is the commonly spoken language in the greater Accra area. I already have learned how to greet in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I know how to ask how people are doing, and I can quickly respong with a "good" but only that, so if I'm not good...I'm out of luck. My Grandma felt the need to teach me how to say "stop talking" which should, I guess, come in handy some day? And a few other miscellaneous things. Aren't you proud momma Heinrichs???
My Birthday!!
I had the most wonderful birthday yesterday!! Thank you to everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes!! I woke up to a few cards and a few SWEET birthday presents. One was my birthday lunch of VERY tasty Spaghetti-Os (thanks to my amazing Aunt and Uncle) and next was some gorgeous material from my Grandma to make a dress! I was able to relax and go to the internet cafe. When I returned and after lunch I was met by the most FANTASTIC surprise...Chocolate ICE CREAM!!! And OH was it the perfect treat. Made with REAL Ghanaian Cocoa! My Grandpa said it was not spoiled by other chemicals, just yummy Cocoa. It was just a nice relaxing day that was every so often imporved by a whispered "Happy Birfday" song from my Grandpa as he passed by my room. What a treat!!
Well I hope you all know how much I miss you. Especially my Mom and Dad and Matty and Nanner. I wouldn't be able to stay here without knowing how much you support me and love me. I love you all more than you could EVER know. Thank you too, to everyone who has supported me thus far with prayers, finances, and interest in my story. I would please like to remind you to kindly continue to pray for rain for Ghana. We need it badly. Thank you everyone for everything I miss you and long to hear updates of your lives as well.
With lotsa love,
Meg
03 September 2007
One just isn't enough...
So my friend Nadine and I decided to stay for another session, just because one just isn't enough. Nadine and Kristy are the other two girls who are with me in this Young Adult Volunteer Program here in Ghana. We have grown closer than close while trying to adjust to this foreign world. So far we have been in Accra (the capital), Ghana for about a week and have experienced more than we could ever put in a blog update. hehe...First of all I learned my name in Ghana is Adjua. That is because I was born on a Monday. When people ask our names on the street, they expect to get an Obruni(person from america-which is often chanted on the street as we walk by) name. But when we come out with Adjua, they turn to their friends and LAUGH. LIke WHOA these Obruni girls actually DO know something about our country!! Some other things we've seen: Lizards, toads, and snails!!! These were NOT expected. ESPECIALLY when you almost step on them in the middle of the night. I did not mention before about the Akosombo Dam that it is just 3 feet above emergency level, which is VERY low considering the rainy season is almost over. So if you want something to pray for??? Pray for RAIN. Any of you feel like doing a rain dance for Ghana...I won't laugh. ps..people...its HOT HERE!!!! and also ps...this is the coolest it gets!!!! ut oh...I think this Adjua is going to be sweating off the Fufu and Rice that she has been eating. (Fufu is the common food here, it is the root that is boiled and chopped and boiled and smushed until its this playdoh like material. It's REALLY REALLY good...but of course all carbs. Don't expect the same megan to come home to you all, I'm just telling you all right now so you can get used to the fact that the Michilin man might be coming home in my place, hehe) I did take a run with my buddy Kristy-don't ever do that in Africa!! It's insane! We showered right away, and were immediately understanding of the fact that the showers were cold! :) Umm, okay so yesterday was church day. It was only two hours! And THAT is because it was an "international" church. (half white-U.S. missionaries and the other Ghanaians) The music was INCREDIBLE...ESPECIALLY during the offering...hehe I think Northbrook should give this a try, everyone was dancing and singing and MUCH happier to give MUCH away. Today was the biggest day yet. The GREAT TRO-TRO adventure!! Tro-tros are the mode of transportation here. They are like 15 passenger vans kinda...but way skinnier, and hotter, and WAY more packed! Kristy, Nadine and I were on a mission to find all these different stops, and figure out how to buy certain things, and what are good prices. Our avenue of information? The Ghanaian people. Thank GOODNESS they are so willing to help, because we needed a LOT of it! We would ask which way to go and some guy would be like THIS ONE! GO GO GO! and he'd yank our arms and throw us on the bus and tell the driver where we needed to go. The only way we knew where we were going is our seat-partner. And you HOPE they speak English well enough to understand your panicked voice! haha. We had some fun today!! Though it was CRAZY and there was tons of walking and lots of new...smells, we learned a ton and gained a few new friends! Let me just tell you, I'm glad I know a TINY bit about soccer (FOOTBALL) because that is the only thing that can get the sales-persons mind off what they are trying to sell me. They say, "Obruni, Obruni...just 4 Ghana Cedi's" (the currency here) And I say, "oh, (looking at his jersey) you like Manchester United?? Who is your favorite player?" This is me being veri veri crafty folks, then they spout off for a few minutes and you wish them a good day and they smile back, forgetting they ever asked you in the first place to buy something. I'd like to think they are saying in their head (what a nice Obruni, I hope she comes back). Okay I'm starting to ramble, but this GREAT new world is in front of me and I love it so much I want to share it with everyone. I hope you can forgive the scatterbrained-ness I have shown. I hope that if you have not, you can all find a time to learn about or visit some part of Africa, we have a lot to learn from this culture, I feel as if my knowledge is growing with every dusty step. Thanks for putting up with the length...again I miss you all and will write again soon!
love
meg
love
meg
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