Oh Ghana!

This is a common phrase which is spoken at least a half a dozen times a day. It's more of an explanation as to why something that is quite ridiculous and the furthest idea of common sense there is ... oh Ghana !

Been having a good time. For some reason haven't had that oh my God moment I'm in Africa that's usually reserved for sitting in a boat in the pouring rain after spending the long weekend at the beach or the10 or so baboons running across the road on the way to the home base after said long weekend but let me start at the beginning.

Arrived at the airport phone not working ... typical but whatever I'm in Africa. So go pick up Amber the other volunteer from the hotel she was staying at and on our way onto Hohoe (pronounced Howay which is probably why the immigration officer pissed himself when he asked me where I was staying and I replied so proudly 'HOHOE" in my best santa claus impression to date)

So it takes about 4 hours to get from the Capital Accra to our home here in Hohoe. So the first couple of days seemed like torture since we didn't have placement until Tuesday but arrived on Saturday. With not much to do except read and twiddle our thumbs. We both kind of looked at each other and thought 'what the hell are we doing here? Africa, alone, really?

It also sucked since most the other volunteers were away so we only had our own impressions on what this trip was going to turn out like. Thankfully it's great and I love it, tough couple of days at the beginning but that's to be expected.

So my placement is at a orphanage called happy kids. I and Amber both are there and one of the other volunteers goes there a couple times a week too. So the first day was great since Julianna the volunteer who goes there a couple times a week came as did her mum and brother who were visiting for the week. So we got to sit back a bit relax and see how it's done. The kids are great there not all orphans, actually most aren't I think but I'm still trying to figure out who is and who isn't it's kinda hard to tell. And some who do stay there actually have families but they can't afford to have them stay.

In our class there's about 20-30 kids depending who bothers turning up.The ages range from 3 to 9ish. It's really hard keeping kids entertained for so long (3 hours seems like forever) especially since there all at differing academic levels and they have no books or learning aids expect a blackboard which is only got one leg so the other side is propped up on a rock. Did I mention our classroom is under some grapes vines, dirt floor, and a bunch of rickety
wooden benches with barely enough room for everyone to sit on. Also the headmistress/Madame of the orphanages is one of the meanest people ever. Not sure that running an orphanage is something you should do if you don't like
kids which I have a strong suspicion, she doesn't. There is also a guy who teaches the nursery and walks around with a cain in his hands which he hits the kids with if they've been naughty even the little ones when they don't know the answer to things like 2+2 ... I'm not sure if he's aware of the fact that kids who are 18 months old and can barely talk don't know
how to do maths. The kids are great though just got to teach them that's its not ok to hit, kick, push etc although since they get cained I'm not too sure if that hypocrisy is already ingrained in their little heads. But again they're great, I love them. Every time you come they all rush to the gate to great you and hug you and all want to hold your hand as you go to the park and
call you teacher with wide eyes or youvu (spelling isn't right) but which pretty much means white person. Everyone calls you that here walking down the street kids calling to you waving as if youvu is your name ... love it. Especially since I'm already accustomed to my family calling me the white one for so long.


We went to the waterfalls, the biggest in Ghana or West Africa or something to that effect, mid week which was really nice and refreshing since I've been hanging out for a swim for a while. Contemplating getting someone to send me over a paddling pool ... any takers?

A couple of the volunteers are working at the hospital, well were, they were asked to not come back yesterday but let me explain. There are 2 kids at the hospital there about 2 and 9 i think. They came in with severe burns from a chemical fire. They came in on
Saturday (when the volunteers weren't there) and weren't seen until Monday, nothing. So they are basically torturing these kids. They are only on paracetamol and when the volunteers wanted to give them something stronger they were told to give them a fanta and they'll
be fine because Africans have a higher tolerance for pain ... they are 2 and 9. Anyway the volunteers were trying to get them transferred because the nurses and doctors and this hospital and clearly inept (when they change there dressing they do it when it's dry so they rip
half their skin off at the same time) but there is no room at any other hospital in the burns unit so miraculously they managed to get in touch with a charity in the USA that deals with burn victims exclusively and they were willing to come and get them and transfer them
to Boston at their top notch hospital only catch is they needed the doctors to sign a form, that's it. Of course the doctors won't sign the
form and their total lack of empathy and compassion has led to the volunteer's being kicked out and told that they should never work with children which makes complete sense ... Oh Ghana.

So this weekend we ended up going to Ada Foah for the long Easter weekend which was great or awesome as my American friends would say. It's a beach about 4 and a half hours away. We jumped on a tro-tro (mini van with as many people packed in and possible
operating like a bus but there is no time table it just leaves when it's full). So off Amber and I trooped with 3 of the other volunteers meeting up with us the next night. Was really nice and relaxing although on Sunday I had to sleep off a little bit of a hangover in
a hammock since the night before we decided it would be a good idea to drink 50% Gin for the cheap price of about $3...nice. Although the spiritual did perform for us so all in all a good day. So on our way home we had to wait for our bill to be calculated which took a good 45 minutes in which time a storm decided to hit. This would of been
fine expect the only way to get the tro tro station from where we were was via boat. So we waited a bit till the rain eased and jumped in the boat and which time it decided to piss down. So 15 minutes later and completely soaked we got on a tro tro which looked like it was about to
fall apart. Had to change tro tro's a couple of times finally jumped on the last one which was meant to take about 2.5 hrs. Well our driver decided to take the 'scenic way' which included him stopping at his house to pick up his reading glasses and his dinner ...
Oh Ghana. So off we went then our FULL tro tro decided to stop and pick up 5 more people ... this bus was full already. So on my row meant for 3 MAYBE 4 people there were 7 people squished in totally ridiculous ... Oh Ghana. All in all a great weekend.

I'm sorry but no photos this time I'm at a really slow Internet place and it would take forever but hopefully this weekend I'll go into Accra and upload them there.

Love Jamie xoxo