Helllooo friends :)
Just read your comments. You guys make me laugh. Am sitting at the same internet cafe with several other teammates,enjoying the AC. The cafe is a close walk from the compound so I'msure to be updating alot. This blasted keyboard is rather sticky so you might have to decipher my writing.
Not sure where to start. Every day is such a full day. It's only the 4th day that I've been here, and already I've been swept wholly into another world. Our insanely stuffy nights have been alleviated with the smart purchase of a fan by Phil(ippa.) I'm geting more used to my mosquito net. My roommates are quite easy to live with and I enjoy hanging out with them. I feel very much the clueless American (can I have the excuse that I was raised Chinese...?) maybe...? It's apparent when I'm conversing with the UK kids, and the little I know about the UK is from my work experience at Chorion (lol!) and hearing stories from friends who've been there. It's really quite interesting, the cultural difference between us in just the jargon. You know when you can bond with someone through humor, by making jokes? Totally not understood here. Hahahaha! Awkward...but we're learning. I want to pick up some UK knowledge, but am also kind of fighting to keep my US/CA accent (why do you still want to sound like a valley girl, Tina?) instead of picking up the UK phrases I hear about me. Folks here are from England, Scotland and France. I need to start writing the different vocabulary I'm learning- from my friends and their home countries, as well as the local Ghanaian words.
Better write bout the first day of school, as that's how I titled this entry. Think I'll write it in snapshots.
Snapshot 1: Me, Tory and Phil have been working pretty well together in coming up with impromptu lesson plans for the kids. Taught the 4-6 yr. olds today. Decided to do an "animal" theme for them- had them think of their favorite animal, make the noises, and draw them. There were about 30+ kids, and quite surprisingly, I got most if not all my Crayons back (had passed them out for coloring.) They are SO FUNNY. I think it's rare for them to see a non-white person, so they definitely remembered my name, and would just randomly call it to get my attention. Then I'd look up and they'd say- "Chinese-American!" It's quite confusing for folks here to understand that I'm Chinese and American, but I say I'm American...then I add- Well, Chinese-American.
Snapshot 2: Went to the woodcarver, Seth today. Amazingly humble, gentle and patient man. Woodcarving is a trade in his family. I'm so excited to learn this craft!! I am more familiar with using chisels than Tory or Phil, so I let them experiment with them first. We were inducted to woodcarving by practicing on chipping away the first layer of wood on this carving he's working on. Our own assignment is to make a mask for our moms. Haha. :) He's very thoughtful! I took photos, but still can't put pictures up yet. He also gave us the option to come an additional afternoon to help him sand and oil his sculptures. YEAH!! I'm so there...even if it means taking the tro-tro (very crowded public small bus/van) the 1.5 hours there...
Snapshot3: The tro-tro. Oh boy. I've been taking taxis most of the time. It's more expensive than the tro-tro but a very direct commute. The tro-tro we took today from Seth's work area (which is under these great trees off the side of the highway, hahaha) took forEVER to take us home. We had to take 2 tro-tros and transfer in-between, then a taxi. It was SO HOT and there were alot of stops, I swear 2 years passed in that couple hours. We were very much disheveled when disembarking.
Snapshot 4: Lady on tro-tro w/baby in sling on back started feeding her kid. None of the men even batted an eye, and she didn't think anything of it. How different it'd be in the States!
Snapshot 5: Meals at the compound- a mixture of Western, and African. The Western still cooked with an African twist(how can it not?) Many teammates seem to lack the spirit of adventure in trying out new foods. Some choose not to eat or just eat crackers. I'm glad Tory and Chantelle are open to trying things and even enjoy it. Example: Mashed yams and gravy. It was more like mashed sweet potato (was white colored) but the texture was quite sticky and not fluffy. I liked it...lol.
Drat, my time is about up at the cafe.
Will quickly end with Snapshot 5:
Yesterday, Tory and I were harassed by a pair of Rastifarian vendors. We were in conversation with them for about an hour or so. Not sure how to say it but they completely offended Tory with their speech, and we left really annoyed. It's kind of like the interaction you'll have with a vendor who won't leave you alone, and wants to persuade you to buy things by saying stuff like "you'd really make my day if you bought something." And then they get mad when you don't, even though you told them you weren't going to promise to buy anything.
Oh no, must sign off!
Til next time~ Thanks for reading. It's long, I know. Miss you guys.
