Do Not Be Alarmed!

This was originally meant to be a sort of cautionary email to Janers (mom), in preparation for her visit to Ghana next year. But then I thought, well, Eileen (David's mom) is also visiting next year; she too might want to read this. Then I thought, well, the whole Mooney family should also probably have a look at it.. So then I just decided I would post it on my blog, thereby making it available to everyone! Here it is.

Things occur here in Ghana, which, by American standards, would be perceived as odd or even shocking. By Ghanaian standards, however, these occurrences are nothing more or less than normal. Here are some things you should be prepared to encounter. Do not be alarmed by the following...

Someone petting your arm. Your white skin is different and weird. It's not rudeness, it's just curiosity.

A man exposing himself to take a pee on the side of the road. It happens all the time and is considered totally acceptable public behavior.

People staring at you. You might be the first white person they've ever seen in real life!

Children saying/singing/yelling “Obruni” around you. It just means white person. They will be so happy if you just wave or smile at them!

Diarrhea. Ugh.

Church. People will cry, laugh, dance, fall to their knees, lay on the ground, roll around, speak/ yell in tongues, scream, bang their fists on the walls/ pews/ ground, or any number of other symptoms of hysteria.

Breasts. Women will breast feed openly and at anytime: on the bus, in church, on the street, while cooking dinner, in the market, or anywhere else the baby is hungry.

Policemen with big guns stopping your vehicle. The police do routine “customs checks” at the borders of districts and regions. If your driver hands the policeman some money then continues through, it is payoff. It happens.

Physical punishment. If a child misbehaves, sometimes he/she will be caned or otherwise beaten. The cane is just a long thin tree branch. It is just part of life here.

The amount of oil in/ on your food. Just know that Ghanaian foods are generally very oily.

The crappy-ness of the vehicle you're in. Yes, it is a tad woebegone, but yes, it will get you there!

Chaos. Tro stations, markets, and cities appear to be in a constant state of incredible chaos at all times.

People asking for money. Because of the media and rich tourists, some Ghanaians assume that Americans are loaded and ready to pass out the bills.

People trying to overcharge you. Again, it is because you are white. If you are aware that it is happening, don't allow them to charge you more. Insist on the correct amount.

Smells. Some places are really stinky.

Animals. Goats, sheeps, and pigs are everywhere. There will be one in or on top your tro at some point.

Yelling. It seems like people do a lot of yelling here. You might think someone is angrily shouting at you,but in actuality, they are just saying hello or asking where you're going.

Gigantic scary machetes. Everyone has one, and it is just their lawn mower. And tiller. And tractor. And axe. And shovel. And scythe. And butcher knife.

Google and Nana Bread

The Peace Corps mission statement consists of 3 goals. Today I accomplished each these 3 goals, even if only in little ways. :)

[Note: Adilla is the female student who helps me a lot around the house. Eman is the male student who comes to help Adilla make fufu. James is my counterpart/ bff]

GOAL I. Build man power. Today, I taught Adilla how to use a laptop.

Due to lack of funding, the computer classes here at Menji are taught with a chalkboard and a single virus-ridden desktop PC at the front of the classroom. James is the ICT teacher and bless his heart, he does everything he can! But because of this, Adilla hasn't had much practical instruction/ experience on a computer. She said she has used a desktop PC a few times before, but is usually too shy to visit the internet cafe, because she's unsure about computers.

We started from step 1: turning the computer on. Then we went through the organization of the Windows operating system. We talked about the desktop, the start menu, shut down/restart/sleep mode, My Computer, the Library, the Recycle Bin, etc. We talked about MS Office, particularly Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. [Side note: I keep my chemistry grade book in an excel spread sheet, which Adilla thought was neat. Unlike the in America, students here in Ghana rarely know anything about their grade before report cards release] Then, we did a little internet tutorial... how to connect to the internet using a USB modem, the different browsers available, Favorites, History, Tabs/ Bookmarks, search engines, Wikipedia. I even told her a little bit about torrents, which she seemed to get. By afternoon, she was looking up information on squids and playing Minesweeper. All while jamming to my music collection. She and Eman both really enjoy Basshunter. Swedish, sorta techno/ dance party music.

In America, kids learning computer science is taken as a given since virtually every child has access to a computer lab at school and a PC at home. Even my little hometown elementary school had a computer lab when I was there 15 years ago! Here in Ghana though, only a handful of high schools have computer labs. Even fewer middle schools have labs. And I have yet to see a primary school with computers. Ghanaians learning computer technology is integral to their development as a nation.

Adilla will use computers throughout the rest of her life. Now she can go to the internet cafe with confidence. And the information won't stop with Adilla. She mentioned that she is excited to share the things I taught her with her younger siblings.

GOAL II. Share American culture with Ghanaians. I love banana bread - Ghana has a lot of bananas - I have an oven. Therefore, I decided to make banana bread this morning. James, Adilla, and Eman all thought the idea of bananas in bread was strange, to say the least. Eman, the nicest boy ever, just nodded and said, “Oh that is very interesting.” James didn't say much, but the look on his face clearly said “That sounds weird and gross.” And Adilla, whose blatant honesty frequently cracks me up, exclaimed, “Ah! If I eat that, I might vomit!”

Despite their initial reactions of aversion, when the banana bread had finished baking, I took each of them a slice topped with a little butter. It is now evening, and every last crumb has been finished. In all sincerity, I had one piece of banana bread today. Upon finishing about half the loaf, James declared, “Yes, we will make the banana bread often!”

Food is an important aspect of Ghanaian culture, as it bonds families and communities. Although precious, food is always shared, and is thus a symbol of both prosperity and unity. Families and friends often eat with their hands from one communal bowl. Furthermore, when eating anything, at any time of day, if there is anyone even vaguely nearby, you invite them to your food. Just the other day, a clearly under-nourished little boy blithely invited me to his dinner. His large, bright eyes glanced down at the small bag of rice and red sauce clasped in his left hand. For some unknown reason, I had put a blue lifesaver in my pocket that morning.. I was happy to remember it was there, because he liked it a lot more than I would have.

Anyway, James, Adilla, and Eman were quite pleasantly surprised by the banana bread. They were so happy that I had shared not just food, but American food with them. They were even more delighted when I told them banana bread is a tradition in my family. I explained that while growing up, I was always so excited to see brown bananas in the kitchen.. It meant Mom would make banana bread! When I was little, my job was mashing the bananas. But as I got older, Mom allowed me more and more responsibility, until one day I was baking all on my own. So thank you Mom for teaching me this delicious American tradition, so that I could share it with Ghanaians.

GOAL III. Share Ghanaian culture with America. Paragraph 2 of GOAL II just accomplished this goal. Ok, well, that's assuming SOMEBODY back home reads this thing :)

Alright I am going to bed. Good night everyone!

B

Living Pretty!

Let's be honest. Living in Africa isn't the easiest on a body. Actually it is sort of an esthetician's hell. To combat the damaging effects of a harsh environment, I've started developing some little tricks to make life easier and prettier! :)

Oatmeal Avocado Mask... This is great and very soothing if my face is at all irritated or dry. Directions: Bring a cup or two of water to boil in a pan. Add a handful of oatmeal. Cook the oatmeal for a few minutes, while crushing up the avocado with a fork. Pull the oatmeal off the burner and mix in the smooshed avocado. Wait until the mixture has cooled to luke warm. It should be fairly thick in consistency. Spread the mixture across face and allow to sit for 15- 20 minutes.

Lemon Green Tea Mask... I use this face mask to treat a break out (ew!). Directions: Mince a few lemon peels and put in a small pot. Tear open a sachet of green tea into the pot. Add two cups of water and a and boil for 5 minutes. Add a handful of oatmeal, and cook a few minutes. Remove from heat, and wait until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. It should be fairly thick in consistency. Spread the mixture across face and allow to sit for 15- 20 minutes.

Tropical Pedicure... I do this every Wednesday night. Directions: Boil a few cups of water with the peels from 1 or 2 oranges. Mix orange water with some cool water in a roomy bucket. Should be hot but not scalding. Allow feet to soak for 15 - 30 minutes. Using a small piece of bamboo, push back cuticles and clean under nails. Scrub feet thoroughly with a tough brush or sponge. Slather feet in sunblock (Banana Boat... smells great and is nice and thick)!

Cane Sugar Hand and Body Scrub... Once weekly for super soft skin! Directions: Go to the market. Buy shea or cocoa butter and sugar cane sugar (the crystals are much larger than commercially produced white sugar). Mix in a small bowl: 2 parts cane sugar, 1 part shea/ cocoa butter, 1 part cooking oil (soy, veg, olive.. whatever you have in the kitchen). After washing with soap and water, use on hands or all over body. Rinse thoroughly, but do not use soap again. Pat dry.

Ginger Lemon Facial Toner... A perfect morning face wake up call. Boil water in a pot. Slice lemon peel and fresh ginger into thin strips and place in a small bowl with a sachet of green tea. Pour in some boiling water. Allow to steep for a few minutes. Using clean terry cloth swipe mixture gently across skin. Good morning, face!

Mr. Darcy

This week I had a pet for a day. We found him rustling about in the leaves late one evening.  Ghanaians have the power of night vision (in addition to fire-proof hands), so James immediately identified the creature and carefully picked him up. We brought him into the living room. I inspected the creature. About the size of a softball and covered with ¾" grey/black spikes, it appeared to be a large sea urchin.  

James said, "It's like a rat."

DING DING DING

LIGHT BULB MOMENT

"Oh it's a hedgehog!" I exclaimed.

We waited quietly for some time.  Finally he unrolled and started exploring the living room. Unball-ed, he was about 6" long and 4" tall. His paws and face were white with a dark nose and large dark eyes. Using my Audubon Guide, I identified him as an African Four-toed Hedgehog, Atelerix albiventris.   This species can be found in most of the wooded savannah across sub-Saharan Africa. He house is a nest made of twigs, and he dines on insects, small eggs, fruits, nuts, and seeds.  His most important characteristic... African four-toed hedgehogs have been observed battling and killing poisonous snakes.

So that evening, he spent some more time sniffing around the living room. I gave him a snack of candy corn. Then he decided to sleep behind some paint cans.

The next morning, I awoke to find him snuggled up cozily inside my tennis shoe. SO cute! I decided I would name him Mr. Darcy. I left some raisins outside the shoe and went to school. When I returned home, Eman (the student who comes to help around the house) was there making a snack. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to inform Eman of Mr. Darcy. He left the backdoor door open, as we usually do, and Mr. Darcy had made his escape! Though only after consuming all the raisins.

So Mr. Darcy was my pet for one day. And now I can say that once I kept a hedgehog as a pet.

I only took videos of Mr. Darcy so here is a picture of one of his relatives.

11/11/11

At 5:55AM, I was awake, completely refreshed, and ready for action. For breakfast, I cooked some left-over white rice in a small pot with milk, honey, cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins (thanks for the care package Janers!). Over breakfast and tea, I read the Count of Monte Cristo.  I WILL finished that book. Adilla came to prepare herself an egg sandwich. She needed the energy, as later in the morning was her big debut.

She and about 10 other students have been preparing for a play. And we're not talking some light-hearted comedy... The play depicts how detrimental the Muslim practice of early marriage** can be to the lives of young girls.

**Background Information: Here in Ghana about a quarter of the population is Muslim. According to Muslim tradition, a man may take more than one wife. As men age, they look outside of their demographic for wives, sometimes taking girls 20, 30 or even 40 years younger than themselves. The girls are pulled out of school (even primary school) to marry and perform the duties of a wife. Gross right? Well my students think so too, because this morning they went to 2 neighboring Muslim communities to put on this play in protest of early marriage.

Although I was sad I wouldn't get to see my little Adi acting, I was proud of her for confronting such a major social issue!

I finished breakfast and dawned a rather snappy outfit of tan Born sandals, bootcut chinos, a purple sleeveless top, and a festive aqua, lime, and purple bead necklace. In my brain, I was adding the finishing touches to the senior chemistry lab for next week. I headed to school.

Upon arrival, I was surprised to discover that there were only about 6 students present. I was confused, but went to the staff common room to work on class notes. A few minutes later, Mr.Yawkuu, the assistant head master, poked his head in and asked why I hadn't gone along to watch "the drama." I replied that I had class to teach. He explained that most of the students not in "the drama" had also excused themselves to either sleep in or tag along to watch the play. He went on to say that on their way to their second show they would pass through Menji, and I could join if I like.

I spent a little more time in the staff common room writing the procedure for next week's "Limiting and Excess Reagents" lab. Then I packed up, walked down to the Bui junction in the center of town, and plopped on a wooden bench to call David. A few minutes later, I heard drumming in the distance. Although drumming is not an uncommon sound in Ghana, the drumming seemed to be getting closer. As I listened, to the beat of the drums was added singing voices and the groan of a diesel engine. Up pulls the familiar yellow bus with black block lettering, "Menji Agric Senior School." But instead of sitting vacant and weary in school lot with grasses growing up around the tires, the bus was now undulating with life. Packed with about 30 students, the government teacher (Abu), the headmistress, and 4 drums, the school bus had become a party bus! I hopped aboard, and was greeted with cheers and hand shakes.

The rhythms of the drums and songs shook the bus to its frame.

When we reached Namasa, the headmistress, Abu, and I alighted. We were to first greet the chief. We walked up a large house, and after Abu spoke with a few women, we entered. The compound was even larger than it appeared from the outside. The expansive mango tree in the center of the courtyard offered shade to 4 women (ages 25 to 60) who were busily washing linens and pots. I guessed these women were the chief's wives. We walked to an open but covered area on the right side of the compound. There were a dozen or so wooden chairs decorated with shiny gold and silver metal embellishments. 

There was also a small cot on which a old man was resting. Perhaps 80 years old, he wore light blue linen trousers and a white cotton t-shirt. Both articles of clothing were quite loose as he was quite thin. His large sunken, but friendly eyes were opaque with cataracts. A tall muscular boy of 18 or so with high cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes brought us tan plastic chairs. We arranged ourselves in semi-circle around the old chief's cot. The linguist arrived shortly (no one speaks directly to the chief but rather through another person, his "linguist"). The chief spoken in a light, crackly voice that reminded of stepping in a pile of raked leaves. As custom demands, he asked of our mission. The linguist relayed the message. Abu told the linguist that we were teachers from the neighboring village and had brought our students to Namasa to put on a play. The chief nodded. After a few more words were exchanged, we took our leave.

We then went to a smaller house across town to greet the Imam, the leader of the mosque for the community.  After removing our shoes, we ducked under a blue curtain which covered the doorway.  The Imam was small thin man of about 70 years.  He was seated cross-legged on a raffia mat on the floor.  The room was dark and smelled very pleasantly of musty incense.  We sat on the brown floral couches to the side.  Abu greeted the man and began telling him of our mission.  Soon, a little boy with no shirt, a distended stomach, and bright yellow sweatpants came running in.  After giving us a quick glance he sat down next to the Imam, who smiled and put his arm around the little boy.  The little boy spent the remaining few minutes staring and smiling at me.  His big round eyes were shiney and dark.  He was missing his left front incisor.  After exchanging a few more words, we bade adieu to the Imam.

We went to the center of town where the students were organizing for the play to begin. I took a seat in a plastic chair in the shade.  The play went... GREAT! There was over 100 people in attendance, and their reaction seemed very positive. I don't want to tell you too much about it, because I filmed it and will post it here soon! I was so proud of the kidzos for not only realizing, but actually doing something about a major social issue.

Oh and also, the lady by the maternity clinic from whom I regularly buy stuff gave me the deal of the century later that evening. 11 oranges, 17 bananas, and a ziploc full of dry roasted peanuts... All this food... ¢2.50GH! Which is equivalent in America to $1.66. 

Yay for 11/11/11!

Bueller... Bueller... BUELLER???

Problems/ issues/ dilemmas/ whatever you will call them are part of life. Not every moment of every day is all smiles and rainbows**. It is true of life in America, and it is true of life in Ghana. Although here in Ghana I don't deal with some of the issues I would encounter back in the States (i.e. constipation from too much cheese), I now have a whole new set of issues. Since this is my blog (and my party and I'll cry if I want to) I am going to tell you some problems posed by life in Ghana.

• Scorpions. There are two common species of scorpion native to my area. The first is smaller, about 2 inches in length, and tan-ish brown in color. This smaller type of scorpion has a thin malleable exoskeleton, quite vulnerable to the smashing force of my shoe. The larger of the species is black and nearly the length of your hand. This rather horrifying arthropod possesses a hard, thick exoskeleton, making it much more smash-resistant. Although I have not personally had any unfortunate experiences with scorpions, I certainly do not wish to start.
  

  This fellow very politely died before we met.

  
  
• Diarrhea. I don't really have to get into this one.
  
  
• Language barrier. Honestly, this is the least problematic of the issues listed here. I used to think it was frustrating to play volleyball in another language, but now I hardly notice and have even started using some Twi phrases in play! Well and actually, the language barrier can come as a relief. It's easier to ignore a loud-mouth, when they are blathering in another language!
  
  
• Lack of steak. All I want is a 6oz filet with garlic roasted asparagus. Dang...
  
  
• Army ants. These monsters form black rivers, 1 inch wide by over 10 meters long, that patrol the terrain surrounding my school. This terrifying line of demons marches tirelessly, searching for lives to destroy. During the day, they are of little threat, as I may simply hop over the ant river and continue on my way. During the night, however, the malevolent black river is masked by the darkness of the night. Imagine you are alone, walking along a dirt path at 9:00PM contemplating life in the Peace Corps.  All of the sudden, your right foot burns and stings with a fire surely straight from hell. You frantically direct your flash light downwards. Much to your dismay, your foot is engulfed by 100 large black ants chomping on your flesh, because you made the fatal error of stepping on their river.
  
  
• The final problem I would like to tell you about it is one I have just recently encountered. Last week, another teacher complained to me that students had been skipping his class. [Yeah so, what am I supposed to do about it?] Furthermore, he was doing so while I was teaching a chemistry class. [Hey buddy, can't this wait, I'm sort of busy!] The teacher went on to say that he his missing students were sitting right there in my chemistry class. [Oh. That's why class looks so full] So my problem is that too many kids want to come to chemistry class. I asked one boy why he was skipping another teacher's class. He replied, "We come here because you are very interesting and we learn alot." I almost cried sending him away. Partially in happiness about such an adorable compliment and partially in sadness that he wouldn't hear the end of the lesson on periodic trends.
  
  
  Ok, bye!
  
  
  
  
  **Or so I'm told anyway.. :)

Acids and Bases

Elective Chemistry, Form 4
Practical #1
Acid-Base Titration

THEORY

One common type of chemical reaction is acid-base neutralization. All neutralization reactions follow the same basic formula:

H⁺ + OH^- → H₂O

Acid + Base → Water

When acid and base have completely reacted and the solution is neutral (pH = 7), the end point or equivalence point has been reached. In order to determine the end point of a reaction, a process called titration is used. In titrations, acid is slowly added to base just until the solution has been  neutralized.

My boys just doin some chemistry.. Studs!

An indicator, which has no effect on the reaction, is added to the base to signal the pH of the solution.

(pH )         2       3       4       5      6      7      8      9       10      11

(Color)      Pink   Orange   Yellow      Green   Blue   Violet

Trials 1, 2, and 3

Good.. Better.. Best!

Titration is a very useful technique in a chemistry laboratory. For example, the unknown concentration of a base can be determined from a titration with an acid of known concentration.

Concentration = Amount of Substance (moles) / Volume of Solution (dm³)

In this particular experiment, hydrochloric acid, HCl will be titrated against ammonium, NH₃. The formula for this neutralization reaction is as follows:

NH_3(aq) + H₂O₍₁₎ → NH₄⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq)

NH₄⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq) + HCl_(aq) → H₂O_(l) + NH₄Cl_(aq)

OBJECTIVE

Determine the unknown concentration of a solution of NH₃ from a titration with 1.8M HCl.

METHODS

Perform three (3) trials of the following procedure:

1.) Using a plastic funnel, carefully add 1.8M HCl to the burrette.

2.) Record the starting burrette volume.

3.) Using a 100mL graduated cylinder, measure 20mL NH₃ into a 250mL beaker.

4.) Add 5-10 drops of Harris Indicator to the NH₃.

5.) Open the burrette stopcock so that acid flows in a slow steady stream into the beaker containing the NH₃ and indicator. Swirl the contents of the beaker as acid is added to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed.

6.) When the solution turns yellow, immediately close the burrette stopcock. Record the final burrette volume.

:) I am SO proud! (:

PS. The reason this is so impressive... These boys had never been in a chemistry lab before.

A Few Slight Misconceptions

Ghanaians admire America very much. They hold our nation in the highest esteem. The face of Barack Obama graces the front cover of many of my student's notebooks. I have even seen one notebook displaying the portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Ghanaians also love American music. In particular, Celine Dion, Micheal Bolton, and Akon. Along with their great affinity for America, they also have a great curiosity. As my students have become more comfortable around me, they have started asking more questions about me and the United States. Some of these questions have been very serious, regarding culture, government, or economics. Other questions have down right stumped me. Example: How do the tall buildings in New York City with so many levels not fall over since the earth is spinning so fast? Uhhhhh we have good engineers? I honestly didn't know how to answer.

Others questions.. still other questions have been so flipping funny that it has taken everything within my power not bust up laughing on the spot. Today, I'd like to share a bit of that humor with you. Here are some of the questions about America and/or white people that my students wanted cleared up:

• “If I go to America, will I get too cold and die?”
• “Do all Americans have a million dollars?”

• “So, in America, you don't eat fufu or banku or ampesie or tuo zafi... What do you eat?”
• “I heard white ladies don't breastfeed.” Ya know... this kid was sort of right. Why are we so darn weird and uncomfortable with breastfeeding in America?
• “Do you run [get diarrhea] every time you eat Ghanaian food?”

• Do you know President Barack Obama?
• One of my girls, who is such a peach, said this to me a few weeks ago, “Madam.. There is something I have wanted to know... Do white women get pregnant?” I told her it was all just the same. She nodded and concluded very thoughtfully, “So that means white women do menstruate.” Hahahahhhaah, yes, unfortunately.
• [I made pancakes and offered some to a couple of my female students who happened to visit] “...But if we eat that... won't we vomit?”
• “Do all Americans have guns? Do Americans shoot you with their guns if you miss-speak English?”

Food.. Yay for Macronutrients!

There are three primary macronutrients, defined and differentiated by their chemical structure, that living organisms consume for energy: fat, carbohydrate, and protein. 

I estimate that an average Ghanaian's total caloric intake is 20-25% fat calories, 65-70% carbohydrate calories, and 10% protein calories.** Here, breakfast, lunch, and dinner follow the same formula: a large lump of carbohydrate (fufu, rice balls, banku, TZ, or ampesie), some oily soup or stew, and a small portoin of meat, fish, or a hard boilded egg. Let us consider an average meal prepared here in Menji... A mound of fufu (one or two softball-sized servings of straight starch), abenkwan (a bright red soup prepared from palm nuts, which have a high oil content), and a chewy chuck of goat meat (usually two to three ounces including the skin, bone, fat, and connective tissue). Approx 20:70:10. Another example, let us consider a normal Ghanaian “snack.” Meat pies are scone-sized and shaped peices of pasty stuffed with a meaty-oniony filling. These devils are sold on the street at around $0.33 USD. 25:65:10.

**NOTE: I will use macronutrient ratios throughout this post. So be ready for X:Y:Z, where X is the percent of total caloric intake obtained from fat, Y is the percent obtained from carbohydrates, and Z is the percent obtained from protein. Also, as different as a Ghanaian's diet is from that of an American, the relative macronutrient content is surprisingly similar... very interesting!

As you all are probably aware, I might have a slight obsession with the world of human “health.” I'm an avid runner and athlete, I'm fascinated by the study of nutrition, the Body Worlds exhibit was the single coolest thing I have ever seen in a museum, and I love to cook and eat “healthy” foods. Last winter when I was living in Indiana, I changed my diet drastically by starting something like the “Zone Diet.” Essentially I was trying get a macronutrient-balanced diet / approximatelyequal calories from each of the macronutrients / 30:40:30. I ate alot of lean proteins (fish, egg whites, poultry, dairy), vegetables, fruits, olive oil, whole grains, and almonds. I really liked the way I felt and looked. Then later in spring, with a little persuasion from Caleb (OK well alot of persuasion), I started including more fat, specifically fattier proteins (more nuts, fatty meats, whole eggs) while also cutting dairy and gluten. Hello bacon and almond milk. My macronutritent ratio was around 40:30:30. And I have to tell you guys, I felt even better. I had great energy, my skin was clear, I didn't get hungry, I ran faster and longer, and the tendonitis in my right knee had all but disappeared. As much as I wanted to punch Caleb every time he threw out the obnoxious buzzwords “zone-paleo,” there truly was tangible basis (feeling and looking f'ing fantastic) to eating that way.

Furthermore, most mornings I was eating fruit, bacon, and eggs over easy, which had been fried in the bacon fat... HELLO best breakfast EVER.

So you see, there is a conflict in the type of meal I was preparing in the states and type of meal that is prepared here in Ghana. In one day, my macronutrient ratio went from 40:30:30 to 20:70:10. How has my body reacted to this abrupt and rather extreme swing in macronutrient intake? Well, let's start with the negatives.** 1) I've noticed a loss of lean muscle mass. My clothes are looser but my triceps suck. 2) I don't stay full. 2.5) I get incredibly hungry and fussy if I don't eat every 4 hours. 3) My overall energy level is slightly lower.... which probably isn't a bad thing for all the people who have to deal with me :).

**NOTE: I cannot attribute all of these reactions soley to the change in diet. I have not lifted weights since May. Which, is a seriously confounding factor. The changes listed above probably have as much to do with the diet change as with the lack of strength training.

Let's move to the positives. 1) I'm generally in a happier mood. I read an article once about carbohydrate consumption and the subsequent release of endorphins. I don't know neuroscience though, so I'll stop there. 2) I'm learning to appreciate and enjoy the foods produced by the land around me. All that hubbub about “locally grown” foods... In America, hipsters (not environmentally friendly people or hippies, but hipsters) like to talk about locally grown foods to be cool and trendy. It used to really annoy me. However, now that I live in Ghana, I've realized that there is something truly fulfilling about eating the foods your neighbor grew on his farm or slaughtered with his machete. 3) I LOVE RICE. Rice makes me happy. I think this will be a life-long love affair. [Dad, you've always been right on target with your obsession with “rice-based meals”] Rice to me is like fufu to a Ghanaian. It's like pizza to a college dude. It's like pasta to an Italian. It's like a cheesesteak to a Philadelphian. It's like a croissant to a Frenchman. I think you get the point.

So you see, I'm beginning to understand the diet that makes my body and mind happiest... From what I can tell, it is meat/fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts /seeds, rice, oils, and a healthy dose of salt. Between living on the equator and running or playing volleyball daily, I sweat alot. Plus, as Auby would tell you, I straight up like salt. Nom!

Realistically, if I do my own cooking using the foods available in the market, I think I can get my ratio to around 40:35:25. I don't think I can get my protein number much higher. Why? Well A) I can't really afford it and B) I can't cut fat in lieu of protein like you can in the States. I can't just pick up a bag of Tyson skinless bonesless chicken breast. And also, I won't throw away egg yolks or cut the skin/fat off meat. I live in Africa... you don't throw away anything, let alone good food! I think it is a practice that I will take back to America with me. It reminds me of the Native Americans... Use everything. It's satisfying. Waste not, want not.

You might have noticed that bread didn't make the cut. I think I was onto a good thing cutting gluten. The more I read about it, the more I wish those damn ancient Mesopotamians or Egyptians or whoever hadn't figured out how turn wheat into food. I will write an entire post on that one day. For now, let's just leave it that I will be avoiding wheat. Since I live in Ghana, I don't have to worry about the dairy/lactose issue, as milk products do not exist in this country. I guess besides the crappy canned and powdered milks. Another food group I won't bother debating is legumes. I've maybe had three legume-containing meals since coming to Ghana in early June. For all you Ghana-knowledgable folk, I NEVER eat red-red or waakye. And it's not because I don't like them. Because I do like them. I just never eat them. I don't know. ....I really miss hummus, somebody send me some dried garbanzos.

Before ending, I want to tell you about three really neat parts of my Ghanaian diet.

1. Everything is completely natural. My diet contains ZERO manmade crap... pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, preservatives, shelf-life stabilizers, genetically-altered anything, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, artificial flavors, emulsifiers, or any other chemical. Furthermore, virtually everything is grown/ raised locally, probably within a few kilometers of my house. It's like what the Trader Joe's people wish they could say about their diet.
   AND...
2. My diet includes some really healthy, delicious, and interesting fats!
   1. Palm oil is made from milled palm nuts, which are little bright red-orange “nuts” that grow in clusters on palm trees. The oil is the same bright red-orange color as the berries, has a rich but mildly fruity/nutty flavor, and is LOADED with micro-nutrients, particularly vitamin A. I like to fry eggs in palm oil for breakfast. It adds a full, rich flavor to the eggs, much the way bacon grease does.
   2. Coconuts contain a healthy dose of lauric acid, making them a new craze in the health community. This medium chain fatty acid increases HDLs while lowering LDLs. Yay for healthy blood chemistry! More importantly that that though, I can buy a fresh coconut on the street for 30 cents, drink the milk, then eat the flesh, and it is so yummy!
   3. Avocados are incredible. They are nutritious beyond compare. I won't get into why, it would take too long. Go look it up. And yes, avocados are widely available in the US, and yes, I have always been an avocado-lover. But here... they are larger, more delicious, and are grown just down the road. I eat avocado at almost every meal now. As a matter of fact, sometimes I'll eat an avocado (with a little salt, of course) as the meal. It is fun experimenting with new ways of incorporating avocados into my cooking.
3. I consume close to zero sucrose (refined white sugar). I take my tea unsweetened, I prefer eggs to pancakes in the morning, and desserts are few and far between in Ghana. The only sweets I ever consume here are bolfulut (deep-fried, baseball-sized, unglazed doughnut things) and Fan Ice (a sweet icecream-like product). However, neither of the aforementioned items are available in Menji, so byebye sucrose! I'll take monosaccharides from pineapple, papaya, and honey thank you very much.

I will close now by telling you this: I'm about to go to Nsawkaw to buy some aponkyenam (goat meat) to BBQ, then make some guacamole and homemade hot sauce.

LIFE AND FOOD IN GHANA, YES!

-Ama Fati

I WANT ONE

Who put that link on my "Mef Dreams" post?

Because I LOVED that article.  Fascinating!!  I want to own one.  Although I would probably only share like 2% of my dreams.  Out of fear that someone would admit me to an asylum.

So anyway, thanks for the fun read! If anyone ever has interesting article recommendations (esp tech/science), definitely post them! [:

Advice from Bub

I journaled this, but thought I should share it with you guys. It is the advice my 12-year-old host brother, Emmanuel, gave to me the Sunday before I left homestay a few weeks ago. He is an old man in a young boy's body.  I think it is what Grandpa would say to me if he were still around and were Ghanaian. Anyway, Bub sat me down in the yellow plastic chairs outside my room and said:

“Ama, Ama [my Ghanaian name], listen.. You are leaving home now, and you will not have me to watch you. So you must be a good girl. A very good girl! And do not forget what I told you. You can't just go walking about. No! You must be careful. You must be very careful, because some of these people are no good. Those people, those people are no good at all! You have to watch for them. You must be a good girl and be very, very safe. You must find a good boy, too. Yes, a good boy! But you must stay away from the black boys. They are lazy. And some of them are rotten. Some of them are no good at all. You must find a good white boy. Like you. A good, good boy who works very hard. You must be safe and you will be very happy.

Ok, yes, Ama, you will be a very good girl.  Now go.. Go pack your things.”

How funny is that?  A 12 year old said those things.  I think I'll call him tomorrow to check in and let him know I've heeded his advice :]

Bub Masterson

Mef Dreams

The malaria prophylaxis given to me by the Peace Corps is a once-weekly 275 mg mefloquine hyrdochloride tablet. It has worked so far, because I don't have malaria. Well, ok, actually I do, but I don't and won't show symptoms, because the prophylaxis keeps the blood pathogen level low. However, it is not the fact that I won't die of malaria, in all seriousness, the best part of taking mefloquine is the dreams. I have always had fairly cool dreams, but since starting mefloquine my dreams have become more perspicuous, vivid, and creative. I remember these wild dreams almost every morning and in great detail.

The reason I am writing a post today is the mef dream I had last night. I sent Raven a text about it immediately upon waking, because I knew she would appreciate the truly awesome nature of this dream. It is (and I hate that frat boys ruined this word talking about getting stupid drunk and passing out in their own vomit) EPIC.

The setting of the dream is a dark, frigid night in a small rural town nestled into the side of a mountain on the coast of Norway. A terrible blizzard is raging across the landscape.

Now, the plot. You can't write this shit.

I am battling an über-evil super villian, who has been destroying villages across the countryside. He is cloaked in all black, and his face hidden by a disfigured red mask. He as well as I have powers of flight and super strength. He can control the blizzard. I can control water, although only weakly. We are battling at a farmhouse down by the water. I summon and attempt to drown him in a tidal wave. But before the wave reaches him, he freezes the water, turning it into sharp daggers of ice, which he sends hurtling in my direction. I dodge all but one of the frozen shards, which leaves a large bloody gash across my cheek. I try again to create a tidal wave, but my powers have weakened. I can only summon small, gentle waves to the shore. The villian in black picks up an old barn and hurls it at me. The barn crashes into my body, and I go flying through the air with the barn towards the mountain. I can stop neither myself nor the barn. I am crushed into snow and rock on the side of the mountain by the barn. Everything is dark. I think I am dying. But, slowly and painfully, I work my way out. I am exhausted. But then I have an idea. I rip off a piece of the barn's sheet metal roof. I snowboard through the air on the piece of metal down the side of the mountain, and because of the blizzard's powerful gusting winds, I pick up incredible speed. The snow and wind burn my face. As I get to the bottom, the villain picks up a massive slab of concrete with which I know he could destroy me. But I am so close. I am only a few yards away. I kick away the piece of metal. The sheet metal spins through the air and cleanly decapitates the villain. The slab of concrete drops from the air onto his body.

Then I wake up.

I couldn't make that up if I wanted to.

Thank you mefloquine for allowing me to defeat the darkest, most sinister of Norwegian evils in my sleep.

The M3PP

 The Peace Corps assigns every volunteer a member of his or her community as a “counterpart.” During our two years of service, our counterpart functions as our business partner, adviser, volunteer-to-community liaison, and friend. Although we are assigned this counterpart initially, we may choose to change or add counterparts. The counterpart I was assigned is my high school's ICT teacher, a man named James Kwadwo Tannor.

James is the best counterpart ever!

Why? He is very aware that Ghana is a developing nation, and wants to do everything he can to help... which includes being incredibly supportive of me in my work with the Peace Corps. He is a forward thinker. He has both passion and work ethic. He is efficient. He is intelligent. He is resourceful. Basically, if you need anything done or reasonable advice, ask James. He advocates women's rights and gender equality. He truly listens to, respects, and values my opinions. This doesn't sounds like a big deal, but here in Ghana it is, especially for a young female working with an adult male.

And James isn't the best counterpart in terms of only work, but also on a person-to-person level. He is so kind and hospitable. Right now, until I can obtain my own, I am using his spare mattress, refrigerator, cooking pots, and several other items. Until yesterday, I was even cooking with his stove and gas tank. He invested his personal funds so that the school could provide me with toilet facilities, a Peace Corps requirement. Furthermore, he is helpful on a level I can't even begin to describe... He's helped me travel, meet the elders of Menji, hang my mosquito net, buy food, cook food, communicate (I'm not exactly fluent yet!), set up my oven, buy electronics, hang my curtains, put up a laundry line, … and you know, just be a person living in Ghana. Also, he has an absolutely adorable family. His wife's name is Millicent, his son is Edmond (3 yrs), and his daughter is Grace (2 weeks). Yes, Grace is brand new :)! Her naming ceremony was just last week.

I am introducing you to James now for several reasons. He is my counterpart, so I will be working closely with him for the next two years, and thus mentioning him frequently. And also, I want you to know something about him before I tell you the product of our conversation a few days ago.  I haven't really done much with this idea yet, but I wanted to share the roughest draft with you guys, so you can see how the project progresses.

Anyway, now that you know James, here is what we came up with...

MENJI THREE PART PLAN (M3PP)

Peace Corps Ghana

Volunteer Betsy Conway

Counterpart James Kwadwo Tannor

Location Menji, Brong Ahafo

GOALS

Keep Menji Agricultural Senior High School (MASS) students in Menji and occupied during academic holidays.

Provide financial and social opportunities for students. Educate students on farming techniques. Educate students on sexual health and HIV/AIDS. Reduce teenage pregnancy rate. Reduce AIDS transmission rates.

BACKGROUND

MASS operates on a trimester-based academic calendar. The students are in session for three months, then are allowed a one month break. During the breaks, many of the students move to larger cities, namely Kumasi, to work menial jobs. They do so to earn money, although very little, and also because living in a small rural community is not “fun” or “cool”.

TARGET GROUP

MASS students, particularly those who move to the cities during academic holidays. The M3PP will benefit both males and females by providing increased economic, social, and educational opportunities.

A specific target group of the M3PP is the “kayayei.”  Kayayei is the local term given to the group of girls, as young as six years old, who throughout Ghana move from their homes in rural communities to the larger cities to engage in menial work. These girls usually work as market porters, selling food or other goods on the the streets. As they are often homeless for extended periods of time, they are subject to theft, rape, and coercion into sex work.

METHODS

Part 1. The PEPFARM. The “PEPFARM” will be a student owned and maintained farming operation. MASS is in possession of uncultivated, unused land southeast of the school's campus. Using funding from PEPFAR, a fence will be installed around the land to protect against grazing animals such as goats. The remainder of the funds will be used to purchase seeds, tubers, etc for planting. Students interested in participating will be gathered, and individual plots within the PEPFARM will be allocated among students. The farm work will be the sole responsibility of the students: clearing, tilling, planting, maintaining, and harvesting. Throughout the process, other Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) will visit Menji to give agriculture lectures and demonstrations as well as HIV/AIDS seminars. The produce harvested from the PEPFARM can be used for both consumption and selling in the market. The PEPFARM would provide students with three essentials: food, work, and money.

Part 2. The Mooney Volleyball Club. Because Menji is a small rural community, life is a little less “exciting” than life in a city. The Mooney Volleyball Club would provide a much needed fun, social aspect to life in Menji. Tantrum Volleyball is an American volleyball clothing company owned and operated by Scott Mooney, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Scott has agreed on behalf of Tantrum to sponsor a volleyball club in Menji. Students could form teams, hold practices, and host tournaments. Eventually, neighboring high schools could be incorporated to form a league.

Part 3. The Girls' Girls. As a personal project, I want to establish a chicken coop. I will provide the funds for the coop, chickens, food, and upkeep, while the female dormitory students will provide the labor necessary to maintain the coop. I will keeps some eggs and the students may use or sell the remainder.

SUMMARY

The M3PP is designed to keep MASS students in Menji during academic holidays and away from potentially dangerous menial work in the cities. Part 1. Plots of land within the PEPFARM, a PEPFAR-funded farming operation, will be given to students to cultivate produce crops for sale and/or consumption. Part 2. The Mooney Volleyball Club will give a fun, positive, social aspect to students' lives. Part 3. The Girls' Girls chicken coop will provide work, food, and money for the female dormitory.

CONCLUSION

The most difficult part of implementation will be applying and waiting for the PEPFAR grant. All other parts of the plan are already in motion. The school currently owns land for the PEPFARM, which the students can begin to clear in the meantime. Several PCVs have shown interest in giving agriculture lectures, demonstrating farming techniques, and/or conducting HIV/AIDS seminars. Tantrum Volleyball has already agreed to sponsor the volleyball club. Finally, other PCVs have volunteered to help in construction of the coop, which will be built as soon as possible.

Ain't Life Funny

From what I've experienced thus far, Ghanaians don't really tell jokes, they don't really use sarcasm, and in general they don't really go out of their way to be humorous. At first I thought that Ghanaians just aren't very funny people. But every day that goes by, I realize that Ghanaians don't have to try to be funny, because life in Ghana is funny on it's own. The best way to explain what I mean is examples...

• On the reg, I will be walking down the street and a child (who is squatted over the ditch taking a deuce, mind you) will wave, say good morning, want to know my name, and how I am doing.
• A chop bar (fast food kiosk thing) in Takoradi advertises “PORK SHOW” on their sign... hahahah what?
• A six foot blonde speaking an African tribal language.
• Ghanaians LOVE Michael Bolton...WTF
• In Ghana the greeting process is very structured and fairly lengthy compared to that of the greeting process in America. As I was walking through Old Tafo one night a few weeks ago, I went through the greeting process with an elderly man only to realize at the very end that he had been peeing throughout the entire exchange.
• The other day David and I were on a tro in the far backseat. We were talking about something benign like the trees or the weather, when all of a sudden a weird guttural animal noise comes from directly underneath our seat. We look at each other like, “WTF was that!” and start cracking up. Turns out there was a cute little goat hanging out down there.
• Amit heard an adult woman yell at a little boy who was loitering around her store, “Fuck off you fucking kid."  Don't mess with her, I'm telling you.
• I saw a car traveling about 80 mph with 2 sheep standing on top of it. I don't even know if they were tied down.
• The other day Caitlin was in a cab, the car hit a bump, the key fell out of the ignition, and the car kept going.
• A goat just strolled into my living room, pooped, and walked out. Literally 5 seconds ago.
• This one is a favorite among my fellow volunteers... I have a Ghanaian name. “Ama” (pronounced ah-mah) is my first name, which indicates that I am a female born on a Saturday. My second name is “Fati” (pronounce fah-tee), a Muslim name given to me by the elders of Menji, which means gift from God. Thus, my Ghanaian name is “Ama Fati.”
• One of the teachers at my school said to me this morning, “Look at this guy,” (putting his hand on the noggin of a ~9 year old boy), “He is so funny. Sometimes he can be so annoying that I just have to beat the shit out of him.”
• A chop bar in Koforidua is painted with the words “Mind God, Not Your Wife.”
• Unclean water or unsanitary food prep or any number of things can lead to diarrhea. A Peace Corps volunteer pooing their pants is funny no matter what type of sense of humor you have.
• Condom demonstrations are an important and universal part of HIV/AIDS education programs. Common on, a giant wooden penis? Ahhhhhahahhaa I die laughing thinking about the guy who carves and paints wooden dicks for a living.

So you see what I mean? None of these things were meant by any means to be funny. They were just a regular moment in a regular day. But, sometimes I just have to crack up at the amusing nature of life in Ghana.

Oh hey there.

7 Breath Taking Days

Day 1 (Saturday, August 27)... Good Bye Ceremony.  The Peace Corps office in Kukurantumi hosted a get together for the 69 volunteers and their host families.  It was mostly a thank you to the people of Kukurantumi, Old Tafo, Anyinasin, and Maase for giving us a home for the past 3 months.  All of the volunteers were in beautiful Ghanaian clothing and head wraps.. some matching their host parents.  The host families were presented with gifts from the Peace Corps, a set of cooking dishes.  After the celebration, we went home and Cube made me my favorite dinner of jollof  (spicy tomato-y rice) and chicken.  Bub and I played our favorite game of bottle cap soccer.

Day 2... All day packing and gift exchange.  I gave my host father a watch, my host mom a set of dish towels (hand-knitted by Janers), my sisters bracelets, and I gave Bub a harmonica.  They presented me with a beautiful piece of pale green cloth with gold and silver embroidery.  I think I will eventually have it made into a dress.  I cried a lot this day.

Day 3... Travel to Accra.  All volunteers met at the hub site in Kukurantumi and loaded onto buses which hauled us to Accra, specifically Valley View University, the place I spent my first 5 nights in Ghana back in June.  I drank wine and played volleyball with the friends I've been growing so close in the past months.

Day 4... Swearing In at the US Ambassador, Don Teitelbaum's. Big white house with lush green lawns, large patios, and a pool.  The ceremony took up most of the morning and afternoon.  Speakers included the Country Director of Peace Corps Ghana, the Ambassador, the Regional Director of Peace Corps Africa, and Ghana's Director of foreign affairs.  We were sworn in as the 50th group of Peace Corps volunteers in Ghana, the oldest Peace Corps program in the world.   Furthermore, the first PCV's were math and science teachers... :)  In the afternoon we drank aperitifs, ate hors d'oeuvre, and chatted. Also, I was welcomed by the current Brong Ahafo volunteers who were also in attendance with a shot of whiskey and a machete.  Not kidding.  After the celebration, we went back to Valley View to spend time together drinking and having fun.

Day 5... Accra with David.  David and I decided to take a personal day in Accra, so from Valley View we got a ride with a couple of dudes in a pick- up truck.  When we asked their names, one replied something that sounded like "My Wiener."  I got really car sick.  Ew.  They dropped us off next to the Accra Mall, which was exactly where we were headed.  We cruised around a little bit, then found pizza and ice cream.  Following food, we went to get drinks at an incredible sports bar called Rhapsody.  Of course, I had wine and he had beer. We watched a rugby match on TV... All Blacks vs somebody.  Finished drinks, then went for an afternoon matinee of Captain America.  Shout out to Ryan Cook.  The movie was perfectly entertaining as was the company.  Popcorn and all.  Following the movie, we returned to Rhapsody for another beverage and dinner.  I had more wine and a calamari salad.

Important note: David has quite the affinity for talking to strangers.  He says it's a good way to 1) hear interesting stories, 2) make new friends, and 3) network.  And he's right.  Continuing with the story.

David steps out to take a call, and down the bar I see a group of 50 to 70 year old men drinking vodka and red bull.  To make things even better the vodka was contained in a skull shaped bottle.  Shout out to Auby.  So, taking a page from David's book, I decide to chat up these fellows because they looked too funny not to!  We end up talking awhile with these guys, who are incredibly interesting, kind, intelligent, and successful human beings.  We might have taken shots of Jäger with them. And a particularly nice man with whom I had been talking, Walter, invited us for dinner Friday night.  We exchanged numbers and parted ways.

Day 6... President of Ghana.  Along with all the other volunteers, I dressed up nicely after breakfast and got on the bus to the main Peace Corps Office in Accra.  We hung around there awhile.  Biddle and I left to walk around the grocery store near by to stare at cheese and ice cream and seafood and all the other lovely things unavailable in rural Ghana.  Around noon, we got on the bus again, and they took us to the presidential castle in Accra where we had lunch in the gardens. The president of Ghana, John Atta Mills, addressed us, thanking us for our service to his country.  It was an incredibly special ceremony to be a part of.  I feel very honored to have met and been thanked by the President of Ghana.  I did not and will not take his words for granted.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=624712#!/photo.php?fbid=909999421898&set=at.900488766328.2382067.19701239.625355&type=1&theater

Day 7... US Embassy and South Africa.  David and I tagged along with a couple of current volunteers to the US Embassy to a party hosted by US Marines.  Burgers, wine, beer, YES.  I mostly chatted up Marines while David made connections with USAID people.  I also got to say hi to the Peace Corps Ghana Country Director and the US Ambassador who were also in attendance.  Furthermore, I was invited to the Marine Ball at the embassy in a few months... Count me in.  That evening, David and I called Walter, the South African businessman.  He sent his driver "Bismark" to pick us up.  We then proceeded to spend the evening talking, eating, and drinking with a group of ten-ish South Africans. Walter made paella on the grill (oil, onions, peppers, tomatoes, rice, broth, chicken, shrimp, and scallops.  It was a really fun evening of talking with many intelligent and successful people who have very happily made their home here in Ghana.  It was inspiring to hear their stories of hard work and finding happiness.

Needless to say, my batteries are recharged and I'm ready to take on PC in rural Ghana.  My next blog will likely be very different... Maybe something about scrubbing bat poo with my bare hands.

LOVE YOU ALL AND MISS YOU XXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXO

Roosters Suck

This was just going to be a private email to Holly, but I thought that a story of this caliber needs to be shared with the world.

**Important note: Arnold is Holly and Dad's rooster.  He's a total asshole.


HollzBallz,

Greetings!! How's everything been going? Nursing school, Jacky, the chickens, the cats? Well I wasn't going to come to the internet cafe today, because it's an hour trek, but I did because something happened this morning that I HAD to tell you about.  So actually there's 2 things that I want to tell you about, I'll start with the slightly less thrilling of the two things.

1.) I found box wine... That's right.  A one liter box of "Don Garcia" which is just cheap red table wine that actually tastes pretty darn good.  And by cheap I mean CHEAP.  A 1 liter box costs 3 Ghana cedi = 2 US dollars.  HELL YES.

2.) Yesterday, after a month of travel, I returned to my host family in Old Tafo.  My host dad proclaimed that he would slaughter a chicken in honor of my coming home.  So I thought, sweet, we'll slaughter a hen, eat it, and it will be delicious.  This morning, when I got up my host brother, Emmanuel or Bub Masterson as I call him, told me it was time to kill the chicken, so I got my camera ready for action.  Host dad walked over to where the chickens were standing together in a group and with incredibly agility snatched up - not one of the hens - BUT THE ROOSTER.  I starred in disbelief as he held the massive rooster in one hand by the base of its wings. 

Important note: During every morning and evening meal, I had to watch this damned rooster have sex with the chickens (definitely against their will) more violently and more frequently than Arnold ever does!  Not only that, but also the jerk crows right outside my room every morning starting at 4AM without fail.  Thus, I have come to hate him even more than Arnold.

So host dad had previously prepared for the slaughter by getting ready a large bowl of boiling water, a massive knife, and large pot of water boiling over the fire.  He walked slowly over to the knife and bowl of boiling water.  He put the chicken on the ground, kept its wings pinned together under one foot, pinned its feet under his other foot, held its head in one hand, and the knife in the other.  With an incredibly swift movement he deftly sliced halfway through the roosters neck.  He continued to hold it still for about 2 minutes, while it bled out into the bowl of hot water.

When it was done bleeding, he took the rooster over to the pot of bowling water and tossed it in.  He left it to boil approximately ten minutes, then pulled it out with a stick.  He proceeded to then completely decapitate the rooster and very skillfully de-feather the body. 

It was such an incredible process, I had to tell you about it.  Especially since we talked about slaughtering Arnold at least once a week.  So tonight I am going to eat rooster, FRESH rooster for dinner.  I will pretend that at the same time you are roasting or maybe bbq'ing Arnold.

MISS YA, BYE FOR NOW :)
Betsy

PC Ghana... Best Decision EVER!

First internet access in over a month!  Time for some serious updates.

I traveled for most of July.  And am STILL traveling actually!  I'm currently in Takoradi, a coastal city in the Western Region.  So here's what's been happening...

Sunday, June 3... Travel to Techiman, Brong Ahafo Region for language training.  We (me + 8 other trainees + 2 trainers)|** stayed in a small community called Ofurikrom outside Techiman with host families.  I totally scored as I got to stay with one of the sub-chiefs and his family.  ("Nana" means chief) So he went by Nana Adams.  His wife's name is Grace; everyone called her Madam Grace.  There were 2 daughters, Ayissa (26) and Kessewwa (13).  Ayissa studied Nutrition at the University of Tamale and is now a chef.  So she cooked for me all week, and the food was AMAZING.  Also, her sense of humor was hysterical, so we joked about men, sex, and booze all week. 

So during the week we did classroom style learning and practical learning (in the market, etc).  I feel like my Twi really improved!  But that's less exciting so I'll tell you more about the good stuff.

Joe, a current volunteer who works with cashew farmers around Techiman, is the bomb, so we hung out with him a lot.  We were all craving an American food fix so we made hot dogs (sort of) and guacamole/ plantain chips at his house one day for lunch... Another night we went over there to drink and managed to construct a very crude but effective game of beer pong.  And for those of you that know me, mixed drink pong, of course.

But I have to tell you the absolute coolest thing we did that week was visit the magic caves.... A older dude named Kwaw walked us around and told us what was what... First we walked up to a beautiful, peaceful teak forrest with rays of light streaming through the canopy onto the soft rich brown earth.  Then Kwaw started yelling, and honestly at first, it scared the shit out of me... I thought "holy shit, wtf is he doing??"  Then he turned to us and explained that he was alerting the spirits of our coming.  Ok, sweet, good idea.  So we walked through the teak trees to a rock mountain/boulder ... Just picture a rock the size of a high school gymnasium.  In the rock there was an opening to a cave about 30 feet high.  We walked into the opening and Kwaw starting clapping like a crazy man and again, scared the shit out of me.  Then a swirl of bats came flying around and out of the cave.  He pointed back into the cave and explained that the chiefs and kings of the old days are buried in there.  Also sweet, hundreds of years worth of dead guys.  And not just any dead guys, African tribal leaders at that. So anyway, we left the cave, and made our way to the top of the gym-sized boulder-mountain.  The view was incredible!  Sort of in between savanna and rain forest.  Oh, also, on the way up to the top we had to crawl through a 10 foot section of cave, an area in which one is not permitted to talk.  That is because the cave is magic and was historically used to protect people in times of war, so the opening can magically close up in case of an attack.  There are magic words that close the opening to the cave, but over the years those words have been forgotten... So to avoid accidentally uttering the magic words and being crushed by rocks, you just don't talk at all!  Spencer bumped his head and accidentally tested out the words "oh fuck." Fortunately they didn't end up being the the correct magic words.  Whew!

**The other trainees I traveled with were Bird, Biddle, Sam, Paul, Amit, Spencer, Ernie, and Tasha.  We called ourselves the "Techi Men."  Our trainers were Papa Moses and Michael.

Ugh, have to leave the internet cafe, but I promise I will post more soon!!