Happy Sweeping!

I've learned a new way to sweep!

Water

I realized just today that not having running water isn't abnormal for me.  I thought about getting into the shower but wondered if I had enough water in my bucket to take a shower.  

My water...

I realized this is not how I was raised but I don't even think twice about having to use a bucket to bathe anymore.  I actually started to think about how odd it will be for me to take a shower with warm/hot water actually dripping from a faucet above my head.  I am not sure I want that.  I know this will change once I arrive home but as for now, I enjoy working (physically) for my basic needs.  

I also started to realize why it can be so difficult for missionaries to be "okay" with returning home to all of our amazing gadgets and blessings we have been given in America by our forefathers sacrifices.

I've taken the smallest things for granted.

I realize this more and more each day I spend in Ghana.

Just a Few

As I walk down the streets of Accra, I experience things that I would never experience in America.  

I think about them often and thought I would share a few of them.

A few phrases made here:

"You're invited" rather than, "would you like a bite?"

"Shop" rather than "store" (I need to stop at the bookshop.)

"Pain" rather than "hurt" (My head is paining me.)

"How do you find _ _ _ _" rather than "How do you like _ _ _ _" or "What do you think of _ _ _ _"  (How do you find Ghana?)

"Flash" me rather than "Call" me.  This has been a bit odd for me when someone tells me to flash them.

"You say" rather than "what did you say" or just plain "What" or "pardon me?"

"See you on your way" rather than "I'll walk you out.".  However, the Ghanaians actually walk you down the street rather than just to their door.

"I'm coming" rather than "I'll be right back"

The traffic signs say, "Overspeeding kills" rather than, "Speeding kills".  This explains a lot about the traffic here.

"Small" vs "short" (Let's stay just small." rather than "Let's stay just for a short while.")

I saw a billboard today that stated, "New Homes starting at $32,000".  Keep in mind that $32,000 is in the Ghanaian Cedi which is far less than the American $.


Gas is $1.50 per gallon.  I can still remember when gas was $1.50 in America.


A package (six bars) of Dove soap here is about $35 USD.


Most women wear beads around their waists.  They receive the beads when they are babies and never stop wearing them.  The original fathers of the country started this tradition because it symbolizes a woman's healthy body.  It truly is so cute to see a little baby girl crawling around with nothing on but the beads around her waist.  I know this sounds strange but it symbolizes so much here.  It may be something that needs to be experienced to fully understand.


Cell phones here are never on silent or vibrate.  It can be a bit annoying but its the Ghana way.


I hardly ever see public display of affection.  This includes holding hands or kissing goodbye.


I see stickers on vehicles that end with an "'s" but the "'s" is so tiny.  At first I thought they didn't leave enough room on the sticker to add the "s" so they just made it tiny but I realized this maybe the way they intend it to be.  It's pretty funny.


Anything and everything is placed in a small plastic black bag.  Even if I were to buy a small pack of gum.  When I let the checker know that I don't need a bag they always ask me if I am sure and give me an odd look.  The black bags and the bags that hold drinking water for the locals are what I see all over the ground.


I rarely hear someone say, "goodbye" when they are finishing a phone call.  It appears that they just hang up.  They'll be in the middle of a conversation but then all of a sudden they put the phone down and go on about their day.  At first I figured they lost their phone connection but over time I've realized I was wrong.

These are just a few of the observations I have had while here in Ghana that I've found interesting.  There are far more that I will share as time goes on.  

I learn so much daily about the difference in our cultures and I am not sure how I will feel once I return to America.  

There is so much that I absolutely love about the culture here.  

I hope I can continue with a few of them once I return home.

And Lights Out!

Happens all of the time; daily basically.  

No electricity and no one knows when it will come back on.  

There is no reason to call the power company because its just part of the life in Ghana!  

I love it!

Maxwell

Remember Maxwell?

I am the only white person this little guy has seen so every time he sees me he screams. I don't mean a small whine, he screams!

The way the Ghanaians toughen up their children is by throwing them at their fears. So, his Auntie made him sit with me but the poor little guy never stopped screaming. I couldn't take it anymore once I saw his tears streaming down his little cheeks. She wasn't being mean at all. The kids here are a very tough bunch and it's because they are taught to face their fears from a very young age.

I truly think this is the only child that I haven't been able to get to warm up to me...

...my mission isn't over!

I have been working on him the entire time I have been in Accra.  There were times throughout the month that I could sense he started to trust himself enough to trust me.  

He would inch closer to me but this would only cause him to be frightened again.

  

Here is a prim example:

He spots me...

Gains enough courage to run past me to his mother...

Makes it to his mothers arms and takes a second to rethink the plan of action he just took.

On the very last day of the term I was working double time to get this little guy to trust me.  I tried offering him candy, my phone, my sunglasses, all of the tricks I could think of but NOTHING from him but blank stares!

But....

All of a sudden, out of the blue, he ran over to me and hugged my legs.  I didn't dare move incase he didn't realize those were my legs in the black pants he was hugging.  

His mother was just as shocked as I but she told me to pick him up.

Mission accomplished!

In the final hours but accomplishment nonetheless! 

Happy 30th Day Anniversary to Me!

There have been many days where I have been so beyond homesick here but this past Saturday was my 30th day of living in Accra!  I cannot even believe it!  During my homesick times, I feel time can't move fast enough until I get to see my loved ones again.  My little sister mentioned to me the other day that it seems I get homesick the most over the weekends and she is absolutely right.  Sundays especially because that is our family day at home.  

A few people pointed out to me the other day that I have been gone for a month and I was in shock!  Time flies when I don't sit around feeling sorry for myself because I don't have my family here.  I've realized the best thing I can do is to stay busy; even on Sundays.

...but I allowed myself a day all to myself this past Saturday for my Anniversary!

One of my guilty pleasures!

I've heard about the beaches here in Accra and that I need to be careful when choosing the one to visit.  Some have thieves, some are used as personal toilets (I'm pretty use to that now!) and some just aren't safe in general.  

However, Bojo beach is amazing!

When I first arrived I was the only person on the private beach.

You must cross the little river by boat to get to the white sand beach on the other side.

The picture below sort of shows what I am talking about.  I was on another boat on my way to the beach when I took this picture.

If I could speak their language, I would have asked them for a ride along the beach!  They looked so peaceful.

It was so interesting to watch the river behind me though.  So many different people float up and down this small river carrying just about anything they can on their small boats.

Food, weeds, animals, seafood, people, etc.... all while just using the one stick as their paddle.

So me being me, could only lay still for about an hour before I had to get up and move around.  I noticed all of the big boats out in the sea and was fascinated by it.  So I grabbed my camera and took a walk.

I came around a small bend on the beach and saw....

I was so excited to see all of the fishing boats and couldn't help but think about how much work goes into making a small amount of money here in Accra.

Yes, those small objects in the picture are people.  The place was packed!

In fact, I was so caught up watching the hundreds of boats and people that I didn't even realize what I had been walking over!!!

Please, someone, for the love of all, tell me what this snake creature is!  

I looked down and they were all over the sand...dead!

Then I looked further down the beach and all I could see were sick little crabs scurrying along...

...and rubbish!

I realized that I had been able to escape the dirty city for only about 100 yards.

People work so long and hard here that they sleep whenever and wherever they can.  I actually almost stepped on a girl the other day in a small shop.  She was sleeping under one of the racks and luckily, I saw her little hand sticking out before I took another step.

The girl in the photo loads up the bucket next to her with anything she can sell, places it on her head and walks all over Accra for the next 12+ hours.  Just to make enough money to make it through the next day....I'm talking about maybe $5 per day!

You can see some of the larger homes of Accra in the back.  There are a lot of big homes offered here as vacation rentals for about $350 per month is all; which is a lot to the Ghanaians.

Look at this beautiful man!

He is who returned me safely to land from the Ocean.

He said he has been working on the sea all of his life.  He is as happy right where he is as he could ever be!

He was thrilled to see his picture on my camera after I snapped it.

So cute!

It was just the type of day I needed.  

I thank the Lord for giving us such a beautiful world.

Update!

I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago regarding the Osu Children's Home.  I just spoke with an administrator from the home asking her what I need to do to visit the four children who attend my school.  She didn't have much of an answer for the first few seconds but then turned it around and asked me why I want to visit the children.  I let her know that they've ask that I come to their home and I've been telling them that I will do my best.  I actually felt a little sick after saying so because I worry she will be upset with the children for asking me to come visit them at home.  She seemed to relax a bit though.  She told me I need to bring a letter with me from Lydia, who owns the school where I am volunteering, stating I am who I say I am.  I also would need to call ahead of time to let her know when I am coming to visit.

Easy Enough!

I truly hope to visit the four little orphans before Christmas.  

I want them to feel excited that they get to have a visitor!

My African Brockers

It seems like every Sunday I have a new friend at church.  

This is how it always plays out:

1. The baby spots the glowing American from across the room
2. He stares for a while, never looking away
3. He wriggles out of the arms of his parent
4. He slowly feels brave enough to walk towards the glowing light
5. He never smiles at me but looks at me like I am an alien in which he is studying
6. He feels brave enough to walk towards me but usually runs when he reaches my row
7. He slows his sprint once he is past my row and then repeats himself on his way back
8. The next time he walks rather than runs
9. The next time he stops and stares just outside of my reach
10. Slowly, he comes closer...
11. Closer...
12. Puts one hand on me
13. Pulls his hand away and runs back to his mom or dad
14. Turns around and looks to see my reaction and if I am looking at him
15. Repeats the entire process again but this time he skips the running past me and just walks
16. He stops and stares while one of his hands is on me
17. By the time sacrament is over, he is usually either sitting on my lap or standing next to me with his hand in mine with a huge smile; still staring

Here is this weeks little buddy with the initial 'brave enough to stop at my row and stare' part of the cycle....

He ended up just standing next to me every so often during Sacrament Meeting.  He would keep both hands on my leg while at my side.

His beautiful mother seems like she is maybe 18 years old, and trust me when I tell you, this little man is a HANDFUL!!!! 

So, the two of them come walking into Relief Society and the second she sits down, he wants down to do his own thing.  

He starts screaming and hitting his mother because he isn't getting his way.

Until he spots the glowing girl.

He stops dead in his tracks.

Slowly finds his way from his mothers grasp and....

...at my feet or on my lap is where he stayed the entire duration of class.

Notice the change of clothing from the first picture?

His diaper soaked through his first outfit and just like most mothers, she knew to bring a change of clothes with her.

We played the same game the WHOLE hour:

He closes my small mirror and then hands it to me to reopen.

However, towards the end of class, he started to get sleepy and the mirror game wasn't keeping his attention.

But throwing anything he could get his tiny paws on at the counter sure kept him awake.

This is where my amazing experience with my nephew, Brock, all summer came in handy.

Yes, Megan, he is my African Brock!

Brock/My new friend:

Persistent

Relentless

Determined

Tenacious

Strong-Willed

Stubborn

All the while being:

Adorable

Lovable

Charming

Darling

Captivating

and most of all 

an innocent child full of nothing but genuine love to give.

I hope that I was the Relief that his mother needed during the one short hour of class.

She is the mother of a baby that I am in love with.

I have a very strong feeling he will be back studying the white girl next Sunday.

I can't wait!

I can't thank the Lord enough for the children he continues to bring into my life.