12 September 2007

I’m still here and all is well. I’ll try to answer some of the questions I have been asked.
1. Where is the village? Answer: In Ghana in the rain forest region. I don’t want any bad person to have any info about my kids.
2. Can I visit the home? Answer: YES, go to the website http://www.nafofa.org/ for more information.
3. Are you out of your mind? Answer: YES!
4. Did I get the rest of my luggage? Answer: YES!
5. Did you get my emails? Answer: Yes to Beth, Marsha, Joy, Pegge, Kathryn, Kristin, Betty and Karen. I rarely reply directly but rather through the blog because it is easier. But, I do love hearing from everyone so please feel free to send more.
6. How can I help? Answer: Come to Ghana or donate to NAFofA.
7. Can I send you books for the library? Answer: Yes, but the shipping costs are outrageous! Right now we’re looking to the community to provide some fiction books. The Asanse (spelling?) spider books are stories the children will have heard from their grandma’s in Twi. We’re hoping the wealthy people from the community will purchase some of these books for the children to read. We’ve had a very favorable response from all the community leaders we have spoken with about the library. Before spending any more on funding the library, we need to see that the children will frequent it and that the community will continue the project. But, thank-you so much for the thought. Feel free to start collecting non-fiction books anywhere you can find them. I can bring them next time or you can donate them to a school near you!
8. Did the NAFofA board approve the funding for a library? (OK, this question I just made myself but I’m sure the board members are asking themselves this!) Answer: No, I never told them about it. BUT, this is NOT a NAFofA project. It is another one of those Florence got a wild hair and started something things. The good news is we’ve told the community that we are just starting and planting the seed for the community library. It will be up to the community to continue it or not. I’m providing the rented room for 3 years, the bookshelves, books, and reading benches. We really hope the community will fill it with books and then provide a larger spot. NAFofA will not be providing any future funding for the library without the board approval. I truly believe that we (NAFofA) have other more pressing needs that must be met first.
9. Have you solved the problem of the children misbehaving? Answer: We’re a work in progress! The kids were visiting their hometowns and returned on Saturday. This Sunday we had a big family discussion on “Ghanaian children” and “Family Rules”. Of course it is starting out well with a few adjustments needed here and there. The mothers are actually relieved and happy that I am the one making the changes. The children were told the mothers will be sacked (fired, dismissed, canned, let go) if the mothers do not discipline the children. The mothers will also go and get them from school if they do not do the following before leaving for school: 1) Do their morning chores 2) Bathe and 3) Eat their breakfast. No child wants to hear their classmates laugh at them if this should happen. But, you know kids one of them will test this rule also.
10. How in the world does Mark put up with you? Answer: Quit asking this damn question!!!!


A little piece of info to help you appreciate this next story, 9,000 cedis equals 1 US dollar.

Somehow, even before I speak people can tell that I am obviously not a Ghanaian. The other day when traveling alone a taxi driver quoted me a price of 100,000 cedis. I knew it should not be more than 30,000. I told him so and offered 35,000. Since other people were watching our negotiations he drove off. A second taxi driver said he’d take me for 80,000. I said no thanks, I’ll walk. (I’m carrying 2 heavy bags and it is at least 10 miles away.) He drove away, made a U-turn and said he’d take me to where I could catch a shared taxi for 7,000 cedis. No thanks, I’ll walk. Ok, 5,000 cedis. Now I get in. I’ve just argued with the man for less than 25 cents US. But, in Ghana I don’t think in terms of US money, I think in terms of Ghana money. I later learned that 5,000 cedis was the correct price for where I was going. I then got to where the shared taxi stand was. A shared taxi waits for 4 people who are going to the same location. The cost was 8,000 cedis per seat so my offer of 35,000 was very correct.

A few days later I was doing some marketing in the same town. I was wearing my last pair of clean pants. The only problem was that I had lost the drawstring that holds them up! So, I tucked them into my underwear and went to the market. About half way through the day, they started falling down as I was walking past a dress makers shop (OK, so maybe it wasn’t the first time they started to fall down.) I asked the seamstress if she would fix the pants for me. She said yes she had some elastic and I said a drawstring or elastic or whatever she had would be fine with me. She gave me a cloth to wrap in while she fixed the pants. After I had my pants back on I asked her what was the charge and she replied no charge just take the pants.

One last bit of information about the above pants story mostly for Mark but also for Pegge who is laughing hysterically while visualizing the pants around my ankles. I am wearing an East Indian man’s outfit at the time. The tunic comes down to my knees and I can tuck my pants into my underwear from the pocket in the tunic. At no time do the pants ever actually fall down. It makes the story less interesting but more accurate. I don’t want Mark to think his wife is wandering around Ghana without her pants on!!!!

P.S. I have decided to stop sending out emails to tell you that I have updated the blog. They take forever and a day. So, please just check in every couple of weeks. Thanks!