Well, those last two weeks of school truly flew by!
First, there was the formal high school banquet, which turned out to be this fanTABULAR event. It took a LOT of planning on the part of the PTO and the student committee, but in the end it was well worth it...I know, cuz I was there! It was awesome! I was asked to chaperon the event with 4 other fellow teachers. There were appetizers, games, music, pictures, dinner, dessert, and at the last minute a TINY bit of line dancing. The girls were all gorgeous with their 'hairs did' and beautiful dresses; while the guys also looked very handsome. It was quite a change from the everyday red, yellow, and green AIS polos we're used to seeing them dressed in. Both of the Hallead boys attended the bash, so I had to get a family shot!
Carol got a SLAMMIN' deal on that dress as well ($3.00-Not lying! She rocks.)
Next came the fashion show fundraiser! A few of our high school girls were able to help out by modeling in a fashion show to raise money for a foundation that provides heart surgery for children whose families cannot afford it. They looked fabulous in designs by a mother of two of our students here at AIS. Children at the local orphanage down the street also did a little modeling, swaggering their hips and posing for the cameras. Near the end of the show, they also performed a few dance numbers:
It turned out to be QUITE a night and over $20,000 were raised!!
After the fashion show my mind sort of went on auto-pilot as my fellow teachers and I struggled and stressed in order to get those end of the year things in order. In all honestly I had about a week in there were I felt like I was being dragged behind a motor boat. One hand on the rope and the rest of me face-down, smacking the water, being pulled at full speed. However, as all things do, it passed. Then came some more fun stuff! My roommates all left me, while I don't judge them for going back to see their families as soon as they were able, I DO judge them for leaving all their chocolate behind for only ME to finish. The things I have to deal with...
Anyway, since they left, I've been spending quite a bit of time outside the 6 bedroom 'palace'...
First was a night at the Callis' (a couple who also teach in the high school at AIS). What I thought might have been a quiet dinner and movie with a few friends, turned into tons of people, barely enough food, cookie-decorating contest, hilarious movie night, with MORE FUN than we could handle!!! Obviously...
Haha, after THAT awesome evening I took a trip back to Kaneshie to visit Grandma, Grandpa, Amakye, and my old school! The visit at home was wonderful. I can't remember if I've told you all before but Grace has moved on to begin studying to be a seamstress like her older sister. Now there was a new cook, who didn't speak hardly any English, but I loved her laughter. I was able to share in quite a few conversations full of advice from both Grandma and Grandpa as I travel to the states and back. And from Amakye was the best gift of all! Amakye, as I've previously told you all, is studying at an art school. I've seen his paintings and have definitely been quite impressed. After telling him this quite often, he began to promise that he would paint something for me before I go back to the states. Now even though he knows I'll be coming back, he wanted to bring me a gift anyway. Now this painting was assigned to be an imaginative painting, because obviously Amakye has never actually SEEN a snowy mountain in person, but here it is, big as life!
Cool huh!
From there, my visit to Kaneshie Presby went SO well. As usual on my visits, when I walk into the room, my previous students burst out into the streak of songs that I taught them. It's incredible that their little minds can remember all of them, word for word, MONTHS after I've gone!
Next, was a bus to Ho to visit my buddy Kristy and our new German buddy Dori! The evening I arrived, I accompanied those two to their friday-night street kids program, where we were blessed by some local drumming. The next morning we left for Wli Waterfalls. I'll let the pictures talk for themselves...
We were staying at a hotel in town, so after we waited for an hour for a taxi with 8 people in what was supposed to be 5 seats, and a full load in the back, our taxi driver decided to take the back roads once we got into town. After a long process, of arguments in the native language that we did not understand, asking them to explain, and not really getting answers, we were dropped off at our hotel just after finding out that the cargo in the back of the taxi was a bunch of bags of illegal merchandise brought over from Togo and we had to take back roads in order to bypass the police station...haha. The next few days were packed full of things we wanted to accomplish, as it would be my last time in Ho. Among those were climbing to the highest point in the area in order to see Ho in all its glory.
It truly was fantastic...and the longest walk of my life. A few other great moments commenced among some good friends and sadly my time in Ho came to an end. I will definitely be going back for a visit within my time next year, but it is quite sad that it's goodbye for now. This also reminds me that within these next few weeks, I have that same feeling to 'look forward to' as I try to say goodbye to my Accra family. I will for sure be needing prayers in these last two weeks as I begin this process of leaving this place that has been my home for the last year. Thank you for your continued support and time and interest in what I'm doing over here. I TRULY TRULY TRULY look forward to talking to you all in person QUITE soon!!!
With TONS of love,
Meg
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