Over the past week I have been feeling sick. What I initially thought to have been malaria has now passed and I am left with nothing but a sore throat. However, this week of sickness has meant that I was able to catch up on missed sleep which was SO nice. I also managed to make a chicken noodle soup (from scratch), bake banana muffins and tidy my house. Turns out I get domestic when sick.
But I have been busy. Last Saturday I had a fun time at a lady's house from church, Ruth. Ruth sings in the choir and invited me around to learn how to cook. I arrived promptly at 8am. But seeing as I am living in Ghana, 8am to a white person actually means 9 or 10 for a Ghanaian so I watched some Ghanaian evangelism TV while waiting. We went to the market and bought our ingredients and began cooking. I can't believe how much I ate in the space of about 3 hours.
1) I ate her left over Banku (heavy dinner meal),
2)then we had Fried Plantain (delicious),
3) followed by Tilapia (whole fish). The Tilapia was cooked in some incredible tomato hot sauce.
4) Following this we had Rice Balls and Groundnut Soup. I helped make all this but I doubt that I can recreate any of it. Many more lessons to come.
All of this is eaten with your hands.
This Saturday, my girls' group are coming to make Jollof Rice at my house. I am expected about twelve 14-15year old girls to be coming. I am sure conversation will revolve around boys, cell phones and scandals that happened at lunch the previous day. Photos to come.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
It's been a long time...
I am guilty of bloggers neglect. Apologies.
My routine in Ghana has finally been set and I am enjoying being busy and helping out. Yesterday I had my first day at a creche run by S.AID. The creche usually has upwards of 100 kids with about 7 other helpers. I was escorted to the creche by one of the social workers who, after proposing that we marry, told me all about the plight of street children in Ghana. In one publication, it says there are about 61, 492 street children in Accra. Most are from the rural regions (76.9%) who have come to Accra in search of money. He introduced me to one girl, who lives in a squatters village, that sells food on the streets in the times she is not at school. People live incredible lives.
The creche that I will be working in is for street children whose parents work during the day. They get dropped off in the morning then picked up anytime after 3. The children are taught for 3 hours, receive lunch, have a nap and then are free to play until their parents come. I will be helping out in a classroom, as well as with feeding and then will get to play with the kids. This will be for 2 days a week.
I have recently had two other associates stay with me for a couple of days. They have been working in the north and came down south for a holiday. It is so cool to hear about what others are doing. The north of Ghana sounds like a completely different country and I am hoping that I will get to go there sometime.
As for culture, I am learning Azonto (some dance that is not made for white girls). People laugh but I take that as encouragement. I am going to the market every week and sitting with some ladies that only speak Twi, so slowly I hope to improve. I have become addicted to buying the icecream which comes in plastic wrappers. It is called FanIce. Bit of indulgence especially after a hot day. I still love the number of Hawkers (people who sell stuff on their heads on the streets) that come up to the cars. You can do your whole weeks shopping if you go through enough traffic lights.
Today I am off to the market to buy some more cloth for dresses/skirts (I am getting addicted to Ghanaian cloth). Another associate and I are also showing a new associate around the market.
I am loving my time here, even though it is getting busy!
Thanks for the encouragement.
My routine in Ghana has finally been set and I am enjoying being busy and helping out. Yesterday I had my first day at a creche run by S.AID. The creche usually has upwards of 100 kids with about 7 other helpers. I was escorted to the creche by one of the social workers who, after proposing that we marry, told me all about the plight of street children in Ghana. In one publication, it says there are about 61, 492 street children in Accra. Most are from the rural regions (76.9%) who have come to Accra in search of money. He introduced me to one girl, who lives in a squatters village, that sells food on the streets in the times she is not at school. People live incredible lives.
The creche that I will be working in is for street children whose parents work during the day. They get dropped off in the morning then picked up anytime after 3. The children are taught for 3 hours, receive lunch, have a nap and then are free to play until their parents come. I will be helping out in a classroom, as well as with feeding and then will get to play with the kids. This will be for 2 days a week.
I have recently had two other associates stay with me for a couple of days. They have been working in the north and came down south for a holiday. It is so cool to hear about what others are doing. The north of Ghana sounds like a completely different country and I am hoping that I will get to go there sometime.
As for culture, I am learning Azonto (some dance that is not made for white girls). People laugh but I take that as encouragement. I am going to the market every week and sitting with some ladies that only speak Twi, so slowly I hope to improve. I have become addicted to buying the icecream which comes in plastic wrappers. It is called FanIce. Bit of indulgence especially after a hot day. I still love the number of Hawkers (people who sell stuff on their heads on the streets) that come up to the cars. You can do your whole weeks shopping if you go through enough traffic lights.
Today I am off to the market to buy some more cloth for dresses/skirts (I am getting addicted to Ghanaian cloth). Another associate and I are also showing a new associate around the market.
I am loving my time here, even though it is getting busy!
Thanks for the encouragement.
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