Mimi-Lynn

I first really got to know Mika when she was a sophomore and I was a senior in high school.  Yes, we'd lived together our whole lives, but it wasn't until then that we became more than sisters; we became friends.  Mika and I were given 2 weeks to tie up our lives and move across the Pacific to a foreign country.

We started out living with our dad in his hotel room, going down to the Denny’s-type restaurant below each morning for breakfast, and then heading off to school (I can’t even remember now, but I think we caught the bus).  Since our dad was usually at work, and at school we knew no one, we really had to rely on each other.  I remember being SO grateful that I had her at lunch, because that was the scariest part of the day and I didn’t know how I would’ve done it alone.  Even after she started to make friends (of course, with her friendly, outgoing, effervescent personality, she did this quickly), she let me tag along with them until I had made some friends of my own.

It wasn’t long before an amazing woman in the ward (her name is Aunty Lahapa)  heard that we were living in a hotel and, having just sent her last daughter off to college, asked us to come stay with her.  I remember I was always running late (I know…hard to believe, but true ; ) in the morning, but I’d come downstairs to find my breakfast waiting on a paper towel so I could eat it on the go, and my backpack packed and ready to grab.  Like really?!  What little sister does that?!  But I wasn’t even surprised at the time (extremely grateful, yes, but not surprised) because it was such typical Mika behavior.  She loves taking care of other people.  She’s always had such a strong nurturing, motherly instinct (I know, lucky little girl she’s having), and even though I’m the older sister, I’ve often gotten to be the recipient of that.

Fast forward a few years (don’t ask me how I got by without her during this time, but somehow I survived = ) and we were together again.  This time, she was a freshman and I was a junior, and I was so excited to be reunited with my friend!  We did everything together that year (again, she let me tag along with her friends = ) and really became best friends.  Mika had a dining plan, and so generously treated me to salads and wraps, soft serve cups with rainbow sprinkles, the best rice crispy treats ever, Cannon Center breakfast buffets (oh man, those killed me every time since I LOVE breakfast foods, but I guess I‘m a glutton for punishment because I returned time and time again…haha), and…the best…Fast Sunday dinners, complete with Creamery ice cream.  Even when she got so scared and upset during a certain rice crispy treat incident, she didn’t ban me from dining with her = )

Which brings me to Mika’s forgiving nature.  She’s always been a step above the rest of us earthlings.  She was the perfect child, and as much as this infuriated me growing up, it was something I grew to admire SO MUCH!  Mika didn’t have to make stupid decisions so that she could learn valuable lessons; she was able to learn from the mistakes of those around her (ahem, her older sisters).  She was a little bit more patient, a little bit more humble, a little bit more loving - a little bit more like our Savior - than the rest of us, but that never made her think that, or act like, she was better than us.  Even though I did things that Mika never would’ve because of her good nature, I never felt judged or looked down upon by her.  Rather, she has a way of pulling up those around her to higher ground.

That’s not to say that Mika’s not fun.  In fact, Mika has always had SO many friends (sometimes it was hard to share her with all of them) because you just have a better time when Mika’s around.  And so you can imagine how much fun that year was for me, since I got to be with Mika practically all the time = )  Almost every weekend you could find us at a dance, whether a BSU campus dance or an off-campus “rager”…haha…and still today, it’s hard to have fun at a dance without her.  She’s an incredible dancer and an awesome singer, but you wouldn’t know it because she’d rather cheer on others than steal the limelight for herself.  And we loved hosting people at the condo for movie nights, dinners, “parties,” etc. (Mika’s also an amazing cook, so I guess it was more like she hosted people at the condo, including me = )

I have always looked up to my younger, shorter sister…haha…and am so grateful to have been the blessed recipient of her wonderfulness! = )

Multi-Stake Conference

The past two days have been a spiritual treat!  We got to attend the Accra Multi-Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday.  It was huge because it was all four Accra/Tema stakes...which were divided into SIX stakes in the Sunday session.  That makes Greater Accra the region with the most stakes in all of West Africa!  The church is growing so fast over here, and it's so exciting = )

The Saturday session was wonderful!  Every speaker was so interesting and faithful and humble and spiritually uplifting.  One of the visiting Seventy said that he had some good news, but first he had to talk about some problems.  The problems he discussed were death, sin, and disappointments.  He said the good news was that the atonement of Jesus Christ covers all of those problems.  We can be given hope, forgiven, and comforted through our Savior’s ultimate gift and sacrifice.  The presiding Elder of the Presidency of the Seventy gave such a cool talk.  He spoke about how his uncle got to see the blueprint for the Salt Lake Temple, and how he’s sure that no other building on earth would have the exact same specifications.  He said that the Savior organized his church on the earth in the New Testament, so the Bible is the blueprint for what the Lord’s church should look like.  He then went through scripture verses stating what the organization of Christ’s church looked like, the ordinances in His church, and the teachings/doctrine of His church.  It was clear that, although other churches have some of the same specifications as the blueprint given in the Bible, the only church that follows the blueprint exactly, and thus is Christ’s only true church on the earth today, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We have a Prophet, Apostles, and Seventy.  We teach that baptism is an essential ordinance and should be done by immersion.  We receive the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands by the authority of the Priesthood.  We also participate in the sacred ordinance of baptisms for the dead.  We teach that God the Father and His Son are two separate beings who have a body of flesh and bones.  We pay tithing.  We believe that God still speaks to his children and continues to give revelation through his Prophets.

Yesterday, the Sunday Session, was wonderful because we got to hear many of the new stake leaders bear their sweet, humble, powerful testimonies.  One man told a story about his friend who wanted a new plant for his compound.  He searched for a long time, and finally found a plant that he thought would be perfect.  He took it home, planted it, nourished it for six weeks, and saw that it had only sprouted two leaves.  He went back to the man who had sold him the plant to complain.  The plant-seller told him that that was the way the plant grew, and that he needed to prune it now.  Prune it?!  How could he prune a plant that only had two leaves?!  But the plant-seller promised him that this was how the plant would grow.  So the friend went home and cut off the top.  A few weeks later, the plant had grown new branches and sprouted hundreds of leaves.  His friend said that now that plant is the most cherished and beautiful plant on his compound.  The speaker said that, like the plant, he doesn’t feel ready or adequate enough to fill his calling, but he knows that the Lord knows best, and that through this pruning he will be able to become the leader and man the Lord wants him to be.  There were also excellent talks.  The thought that stuck out in my mind was, one speaker said something like, “If you had the opportunity to be told ONE thing that you could do, that would keep your children from going astray, what would you pay or give to know that secret?  Probably anything, right?  Well, President Kimball promised parents that their children would not go astray if they held meaningful Family Home Evening each week.  Your children may wander for a time, but they will remember the truths that they were taught at some point, and return.”

The Fashion Show

Last night I went with Melinda to my first ever fashion show! = )  She went to the Accra Polytechnic School, and every year the students in their final year design and sew 2 outfits to showcase at a fashion show.  So she invited me to come along (she was invited by one of her friends who designed for it this year).

It was like a HUGE production!  Well, first, she told me that everyone dresses to the nines for it…so I was a little concerned because I don’t have any nice clothes here.  But with the help of Mandy (hmmm…I don’t know if help is the right word, considering my outfit and all of the accessories were hers), I was able to dress appropriately = )  Anyways…the fashion show was held at the National Theater, which is a BEAUTIFUL building that’s built to look like a large ship.  The architecture’s so neat!  And it was televised, had a celebrity host, and was a much bigger deal than I was expecting.

The tickets said that it started at 6 pm, so I met Melinda at her place at 4:30 and we caught a taxi to Accra (we were planning on taking a trotro…but Melinda didn’t wanna ride in a trotro all done up…haha).  We got there a little before 6, but had to wait outside for her friend to arrive because Melinda had her ticket.  She was getting worried because she wanted us to get good seats, but little did we know we had nothing to worry about!  We got in at like 6:30ish and the place was almost empty.  I guess everyone else knew that starting at 6 Ghana Standard Time meant it wouldn’t start until almost 8!  By the time the show started…the place was packed.

It was really fun…there was lots of entertainment (dancing…salsa of all things…haha…and singing) along with the modeling of the designs.  And some of the dresses were amazing!  Like total Project Runway winner status.  There were also some really creative designs, although some were verging on being too costumey.  Unfortunately, since the show started so late, it began to drag as the hour got later.  Some of the audience made it very clear that they were over it, and they had to rush the second half of the show (I feel bad for those designers, considering how much work I’m sure they put into this night).  But at the same time I was kind of relieved because if they had continued at the pace of the beginning of the show, it honestly wouldn’t have ended until like 2 or 3 am.  As it was, it didn’t end until 11ish…and I was very tired…but one of Melinda’s friend’s boyfriend had driven, and they lived in Adenta, so we were so fortunate to get a ride home = )

Terry’s Hometown Visit

So...you may have noticed that we were supposed to visit Terry's stepdad over the Easter weekend, but never ended up going because we stayed in Kasoa.  So a couple of weeks later, we went to Amanokrom in the Eastern Region to visit him and see where Terry grew up.

It’s only about an hour and a half from here, and the drive was absolutely beautiful!  We went really high up into the mountains, and were able to see all of Accra from there!  And because of the elevation, Amanokrom is so much cooler than Adenta.  It’s also much greener, and there’s virtually no dust and dirt!

Oops…I’m getting ahead of myself.  So once we alighted at our stop in Amanokrom, Terry showed me the house where he grew up, and we walked up a paved road and down a dirt road to his step dad’s house.  When we got close, the view behind his step dad’s home was breathtaking!  His house is on the edge of the mountain, and below it’s just lush, green valleys.  And his home was awesome.  It was like the perfect definition of indoor/outdoor living, with a hallway that is covered, but open, and then rooms of the hallway that are enclosed.  His step dad was so friendly and warm, and we just sat outside and talked for awhile.

That evening, he showed me around his town a bit (it was cute to see how excited people got when they saw him! - it‘s been about two years since he‘s been back), and then we went and watched the Barcelona/Chelsea game.  It was so fun!  There were a couple of different places that the game was being shown in town, but we went to this, ummm, barn-type place that had all these benches lined up and was PACKED with people on the inside and even had little kids trying to peek through the gaps in the wood from the outside = )  There was a huge screen projecting the game, and even though we got there late, they put out a new bench in front a couple of minutes after we arrived, so we had prime seats = )  Unfortunately, Barcelona lost, but the energy in the room was so awesome…and the celebrating that went on inside and outside in the streets when Chelsea scored was so cool!

After that we met up with his cousin, Akua, and their friend, another Akua, and got drinks.  I didn’t talk much with Akua the friend, but Akua the cousin was SO friendly and we had a great time chatting.  Then we went back and had a delicious dinner of yam and stew.  Funny story.  I was serving us stew, and put two pieces of meat on his plate and none on mine because it looked to me like goat meat.  Well, he noticed and put a piece of his meat on my plate.  I tried to tell him through my teeth that I didn’t want meat, but he insisted that lizard meat was really good.  LIZARD MEAT?!  Oh what I would have given for it to be goat meat!  Well…I tried to get out of it, but he assured me it’s really good and I didn’t want to make a scene, so I tried a bite!  And it was actually really yummy!  He then explained that I probably liked it so much because it was chicken!  I have no idea why I thought it looked like goat meat and how I didn’t recognize it was chicken! (I guess since the tomato stew had dyed the meat, I couldn‘t recognize it)…but we had a pretty good laugh = )

The next day was more sightseeing and visiting of friends and family.  He showed me his Junior High School, and we ran into his form 3 Social Studies teacher.  It was so cute; his teacher was so shocked and excited to see him = )  And then, too soon, it was time to leave.

Cape Coast, Baby!

One of the things I've totally wanted to do before leaving Ghana was visit Cape Coast, but I didn't think I would get the chance because it's quite far and I had no way to get there and no one to got with.  But...Terry went to school at the University of Cape Coast, so he invited me to go along with him to visit!

We ended school on a Wednesday, and on Thursday we left in the morning.  When he came to pick me up, I felt incredibly over packed.  He had one backpack, and I had a small suitcase, my huge brown duffel-purse and another bag = /  We waited for a car for awhile, but when we couldn’t get one (he said that since it was Easter weekend, everyone would be traveling and it would be hard to get cars (cars as in trotros) we caught a taxi to Madina Station, I think (at this point in the trip, I still didn‘t know where we were half the time…I‘m doing much better now = ).  From there we caught a car to Kasoa (it was about a two hour ride) to stop by his house, and from Kasoa we caught a car to Cape Coast (it was about a five hour ride).  Trotros are not the most comfortable mode of transportation - even my short legs can’t fit without my knees being pressed up against the seat in front, and you’re packed so closely to the people next to you that it gets very hot when you’re not moving…which, with the traffic here, is pretty often - but I totally enjoyed the ride! = )  There was so much to see; we were on open road for the most part, so we had a nice, cool breeze; when Terry and I got to sit next to each other we had a fun time chatting; and when we couldn’t be next to each other I got to listen to my music.

Once we got to Cape Coast, it was exciting walking through the hustle and bustle of the city center.  The architecture of the buildings made me feel like I was walking through Lahaina crossed with somewhere in Europe (a mixture of rusted, partially-rotted buildings with historic charm).  The streets were packed with automobiles and pedestrians and vendors…and we snaked our way to a station to catch a taxi to the University of Cape Coast campus.

Then we found our way to his friend‘s, Abo Abo‘s, place.  It was amidst a maze of huts and homes in one of the villages that skirts the campus.  The place was a duplex of sorts, although each “home” was just a small, single room.  Inside our room was a small table with a chair, a propane tank and two burners, a bed, and another mattress on the floor (the couch, I suppose).  Outside, was a large dirt area.  On the side closest to us was a little wooden stall with a toile-type thing (that didn’t flush of course) and on the far side was another wooden stall with a moldy, concrete floor for bathing.  At first it was a bit of an adjustment, but the first night that I bathed indoors again, I missed the company of the moon and the wind.  It was like, we had everything we needed, and not much more, and life was so simple and wonderful.  Don’t get me wrong…it would be difficult to live that way for long, and I totally admire the family that lived next door…but there’s something beautiful about the simplicity of having your necessities met without worrying about all those other things that get in the way that are really of little importance.

The kids who lived next door were so beautiful and warm and friendly and loving!  It was actually really hard saying good-bye to them at the end.  Since their place was so small, they were usually outside.  There’s something intimate about brushing your teeth with someone and walking to and from the toilet and shower in front of them (especially when you can see them over the tops of the doors…haha) that allowed us to really bond.  I especially fell in love with the girl, Abigail, who was extra friendly, and the baby Kukua, who was SO cute!…and fell asleep in my arms on the last day.  It was amazing watching how happy they were, even with having so little.  The boy, Samuel, was playing with a large knife/small machete, cutting a can the first day I met them, and the girls were just standing around, all in their underwear or tattered shirts.  And yet, each time I saw them, they greeted me with as much excitement as the first time I met them!

Okay, so after dropping our stuff off, he wanted to take me on a tour of his campus.  It was HUGE!  It’s like divided into three sections.  We lived near Science (the three sections are Science, Old Campus and New Campus), so he took me there first.  It was really nice.  There were some older buildings like UH’s law school and some new buildings that were really beautiful.  Campus was really open and clean and cool…I liked it a lot.  Then, I can’t remember if we walked or caught a taxi to New Campus.  I think we walked because I remember walking for a long time…but I also know that the three sections are really far from each other…so when I started writing that we had walked, I had to stop because it felt like I might be lying.  Anyways…at New Campus he showed me the halls.  They’re HUGE - like HUGE!  He brought me into one so that we could play pool, but the pool table was locked.  From there we caught a taxi to Old Campus, and he showed me where he lived and where he used to hang out and stuff.  Then we got food and went back to where we were staying.

The next morning, we set off for Kakum National Park.  I won’t bore you with the details of all the transportation, but just know that every time we went anywhere it was a whole process of getting to the right place to catch the right car, hoping we’d get one, waiting for a long time at times…and the whole time I was just in awe of how he was able to navigate it all!…trying to learn as much as I could at the same time = )

At the park, we got our tickets, I used the bathroom (that’s one thing that’s nice about going to places that have a lot of white people - they usually have bathrooms with toilet paper, sinks, and sometimes even soap), and we waited for our tour to begin.  When it was time, we hiked up to the canopy bridge (it wasn’t very far and wasn’t a difficult hike at all…but it was so hot and humid that I was already soaked with sweat!)  The canopy bridge was so cool!  It was a rope bridge in the tops of the trees…well, actually it was a  series of seven bridges…and they started out quite tame, but got a lot steeper and more wobbly as we went along.  In a place or two I was a little…scared’s not the word, maybe startled…but more than anything what I felt was motion sick…like sea sick almost.  And even after we got off the bridge, I felt like I was still rocking a bit.  On our way down there was a rest-stop selling coconuts and cocoa.  The coconuts were yummy…but the cocoa was SO good!!!!  It’s kinda disgusting looking, but you suck the sweet, slimy stuff off the seeds and the flavor is delicious!  After resting for quite awhile (I think we were the last ones to leave), we hiked the rest of the way down and exited the park.

On our way out we were stopped by a guy who was trying to sell us stuff…and he took us to his little place across the street and entertained us (he was so friendly and hilarious and crazy!…haha = ) while he made us bracelets with our names on them.  He also told us about a wild monkey preservation down the road where we could see real animals since, in the park, we hadn’t seen any.  So after having a nice little rest on his porch, he caught a trotro for us and we headed to “Mrs. Doolittle’s.”

Here we met another wonderful, crazy man = )  The owner of the place was from Holland, and he ran it with his Dutch wife and a couple of local guys.  After our tour, we sat and talked with them for awhile.  They said that they moved here 8 years ago and haven’t been back since…and don’t miss it one bit! (except for their family and friends) because they’ve become bush people = )  But really they are…the wife introduced us to the littlest monkey they have, who sleeps in bed with them because she lost her mother, and to two other monkeys that can’t be out in their preserve yet…who currently reside in her kitchen!  As for the animals we saw on the tour…there were such cool animals that I’d never even seen pictures of before!  There was a bush cat and a bush dog that were both really freaky!, lots of wild monkeys, beautiful birds, an antelope, I think he said, turtles and tortoises, crocodiles (that he said don’t bite humans!)…and that’s all I can remember.  It’s really cool because a lot of their animals are endangered, so they’re working on breeding them there and then gradually sending them out into the wild.  The monkeys have mostly been rescued or sent to them by people who’ve rescued them and won’t be able to go back into the wild because they’d be shunned once the other monkeys smell the scent of humans.  But yeah, they’re mission seems to really be one of saving the animals, which was really neat!

After that, we went back to the main town, and he showed me the castle (we couldn’t go in because they had already stopped giving tours).  But it was neat…we took pictures around the outside and enjoyed the view of the ocean.  Then we went to this nice restaurant and got drinks and kebabs and watched some street performers dance traditional dances.  It was SO fun!

The next day was our beach day! = )  Abo Abo came with us, and we went to Morrie Beach.  It was hard to get there because it’s really off the beaten path, but we eventually made it = )  It was so cool, too…on our way in we passed where they carve their fishing boats.  They’re like these GINORMOUS canoes!  It was amazing!  We also passed a bunch of people of all ages walking with these similar containers on their heads.  Terry said they were fetching water.  I can’t imagine having to watch such great distances, up steep hills, just to get water each day.  Man, am I ungrateful!

So Morrie Beach is actually a small beach resort.  It was beautiful and quaint.  There were about ten or so little beach bungalows, a food counter, tables with thatched umbrellas, wooden pool chairs (the kind that you can lay out on), showers and bathrooms (a totally luxury!) and a beautiful white-sand beach = )  We played in the water for awhile (the waves were really big! and really strong!), showered, and ordered some food, and enjoyed the scenery and people-watching.  Then I laid out on one of the pool chairs (the wood’s really not very comfortable and I had some pretty mean markings on me afterwards…haha) and got my tan on while the boys talked.

Too soon it was time to go.  Luckily, the taxi that dropped us off that said it would pick us up really did (otherwise I have no idea what we would’ve done!…but it’s common for a taxi-man to say that he’ll pick you up after he’s dropped you off, only to not be able to get a hold of him, or even just to have him flat our lie and say he’s on his way and never show up).  We headed back to town so that we could tour the inside of the castle.  But we got there too late again! = (  Terry decided to just check if we could still get in, and they let us join the last tour that had just started! = )

Gosh…talk about feeling guilty for being white!  Going on that tour was honestly a life-changing experience that I wish everyone could experience.  It’s so sad, and almost unfathomable, to think what human beings have been, and are, able to do to each other.  We learn about how awful slavery was once the slaves came to America, and the terrible conditions on the ships coming over, but I never even realized what hell they’d already experienced before they even left their own soil.  The tour guide explained that men and women were brought there from all over Africa (which, of course, meant that they arrived absolutely exhausted after walking hundreds of miles) and then forced to live in these dungeons with no windows (which means no light or fresh air), no toilets (the waste on the bottom of the dungeons was like a foot thick), no beds - nothing humane.  There was a separate cell for the women who refused the white men, where they were kept in even harsher conditions (hard to think it possible) as punishment and to serve as an example to the other women.  In contrast, the quarters that the white folks lived in were bright, open, clean, and beautiful.

I didn’t know this, but many African Americans (include Michelle Obama) trace their roots to Ghana because the majority of slaves came from Ghana.  They were such a warm, inviting people, so when the British came and asked for something, they gladly handed it over.  Rather than being grateful, they took advantage of the hospitality and enslaved the Ghanaian people.  It’s a wonder that the country is as strong as it is, considering that, not too many years ago, all of the strong, able-bodied men and women who could build up the country were shipped out.  It was explained that, while the Ghanaians are still such a warm and friendly people, they’re not as trusting as they once were.

The worst part, to me, was the way that they got the slaves.  They turned family against each other, tribes against each other, and countries against each other by trading guns and ammunition for slaves.  Up until that point, the wars had been fought with old-fashioned weapons.  But the British introduced guns, exacerbating the death and damage of the wars already in effect.  They also caused an explosion of new wars as clans tried to conquer other clans so that they could trade those conquered for more weapons.

So indicative of the type of people they are, the tour guide still cracked jokes here and there (I didn’t see any white people laughing, but some of the Africans did), and I didn’t once feel like I was being judged or hated for being white.

After the tour, we visited the gift shops, got kebabs from the same place, and walked through the town, before heading home completely exhausted.

The next day it was time to leave = (  I packed my things, bathed, ate breakfast, and spent some time with the kids.  It was Easter Sunday, so they were all dressed to the nines.  I was so humbled knowing how little they had, and yet seeing the effort they put into presenting their best to God.  They looked beautiful!…and I was so glad that Abo Abo said he’d take pictures of us because those are images I want to have in my mind forever - “’Til we meet at Jesus’s feet.”  After seeing them off to church, we walked up to Science to catch a taxi, and said bye to Abo Abo there.

We wanted to catch a tro tro on the road, but there were none with empty seats, so we eventually caught a taxi to town to see if we could catch a bus.  Terry found one going to the right place, so he bought our tickets and we got on (it’s lucky we got on when we did because we got the last two seats together).  It was so hot!…so I told Terry I’d save the seats while he could go stand outside.  Of course, he came back soon after with chilled water and frozen yoghurts = )  We still waited for a long time…but eventually the bus was off.  We were in the very back, so we had the sun beating on us the whole time, but once we started moving and had some breeze, it wasn’t too bad.  I guess I hadn’t slept well during the trip because I was really tired and slept almost the whole time.  I don’t really remember much else from the bus, except that Terry got a call while we were on the bus that his cousins had prepared food for us, so we were going to stop over at his house and eat before going on to the Eastern Region to visit his step dad.

So we got off in Kasoa, and went to his house.  However, lunch turned into 2 days…haha = )  I’ll explain that in a bit…but first, it was so fun to meet everyone!  I met his cousins, Gloria, Mary, Pandora, Diana, and Paa Kwesi.  I met his Aunty Ama, his Uncle Albert, Albert’s wife, Akos, and his Grandmom and his Granddad (as well as seeing Linda and Esther again, the two I‘d met the first time I went).  It was so fun, because over the course of the two days I got to really have a bonding moment with pretty much everyone.  When we first arrived, it was Gloria that I talked to for a long time while Terry (Br. Kwame or Kwame to his family) said hi to everyone.  She’s teaching class 2 right now, and is absolutely beautiful!  Then I talked to Grandmom for a long time, and Ama joined us for part of the conversation.  It was a true talk with a grandma = )  She taught me a lot about Ghanaian customs and such, and taught me all of the names for the different days.  Somewhere in there we ate, and I found out that the reason why we were staying was because his cousins wanted him to drive them to the beach the next day…haha = )

Well, we had a nice, leisurely morning.  I had the most delicious, beautifully presented breakfast laid out for me = )  Terry cut Pandora and his Granddad’s hair (the kid just keeps surprising me with his many talents!) while I sat out on the porch and relaxed with them.  I walked with Diana to buy phone credits (they were sold out in the first two places, so we had a long time to chat…and she is such a sweet, bright little girl! = ), tried to learn from Mary how to make banku…and helped a little = ), tried to learn from Mary how to hand wash clothes…and helped a little = ), and watched the Adjustment Bureau with Terry and Pandora.

Then it was off to the beach.  Terry drove, his uncle sat in the passenger seat, and Gloria, Mary, Pandora, Diana, and I squished into the backseat.  The traffic was CRAZY!…so it took us years to get there…haha = )  Oh but, goodness gracious, I was so grateful to have a car because there were TONS of people walking…and it was FAAAARRRRRR!!!!  When we finally got there and parked (oh my gosh…I could write a whole page just on getting into the parking lot and parking…but suffice it to say I was already exhausted by the time we arrived), we ate the delicious lunch that the girls had packed for us, and made our way to the beach = )

The beach was SO crowded!!!!  Every inch of sand and water was teeming with excited people.  I’ve learned that guys at beaches here just don’t understand boundaries…so that got really tiring!…but we still had fun = )  We found a group who were passing a volleyball in a circle…so we joined them, and that was really fun!  And we played in the waves for a long time.  And then when we were pretty tired and ready to get out, Pandora and Diana told us they wanted to go in…so we went back in with them.  I had a great time with Diana!  She was really daring…and got us caught in a wave once that almost took us out and got a whole bunch of water up my nose…haha…but just seeing her childlike excitement and joy of being in the water was contagious.  We had a blast! = )

When we were totally exhausted (at least I was…haha), we made our way back to the parking lot.  They were turning one of the buildings into a club that night…so we hung out at the truck and danced and stuff for awhile.  We even attempted to go in…but as soon as Terry saw that it was mostly guys inside…he turned us all right around…haha = )  Poor guy…trying to protect all five of us girls = )  But we still couldn’t leave because we were blocked in…so we waited in the car for a LONG time…until we finally got an opening to get out.  But getting out of the “parking stall” didn’t mean getting out of the “parking lot”…we still had a long wait and had to fight our way out.  And then getting out of the “parking lot” didn’t mean getting onto the road.  We still had to wait for a really long time.  And then getting onto the road didn’t mean that we were moving.  Basically…it took us FOREVER to get home!…but along the way Terry made a stop and got us all frozen yoghurts…so that cheered us up = )  The poor girls (Pandora and Diana) were so tired and kept trying to sleep…but they couldn’t get comfortable in that packed car.  I kept trying to help make them more comfortable because they looked so miserable…especially poor Diana whose head kept falling and jerking back up.  Oh yeah…and it was so sweet!  On the way in, Pandora just grabbed my hand (I think she saw how stressed I was becoming by the traffic) and held it the rest of the way = )

Well…we finally got home (again…I was really grateful that we at least had a ride…because I so didn’t envy the poor people walking the whole distance!), and the shower felt SO good!  Then we ate the banku that we had prepared, with fish and pepper (yum = ) and crashed!

The next day, we packed our things, loaded up the car, and went with Linda and Akos to the hospital for Linda’s baby, Blessing’s, 2 week check-up.  The hospital was really far, so it was nice to get some time to spend with Linda and Akos, because they were the ones that I’d talked to the least there.  Akos was rarely around and I hadn’t really had the chance to talk to Linda.  But by the end of the trip I felt more bonded with them…and Linda actually said she hoped to see me soon = )  But yeah…the scenery on the drive was breathtaking!  I kind of felt like I was on the northwest side of Oahu…it was so green and mountainous, and unlike anything I’ve seen in Ghana thus far.

After the hospital we got dropped off at Kasoa Station, and made our way home.  What an amazing adventure!

(We took tons of pics...too many to fit here.  So check out Facebook to see them = )

I'M SO SORRY!!!!

So...we haven't had internet for the past month (I had over 700 new email!!!!) and I still won't be able to get on very often, because now the only way to get on is using Chuks's modem which he is usually using, and which uses a lot of money because you have to by credits for it.  But yeah...I can at least update you with I've written during this time offline (I know...I've been slacking, knowing that I couldn't post it anyway).

But yeah...I feel SO bad for those of you who have been worried!  It wasn't until my mom mentioned that some people had been asking if I'm okay that I even thought of the fact that me not posting would cause concern for my safety.  I'm HAPPY, healthy (except for a cold...haha = ), and totally safe!  Thanks, Jules, for thinking to post an update!  Funny that the day you think of it I can get on = )

So yeah...here's an incomplete summary of what my past month has been like.  I didn't write about some of the biggest events and happenings...so I'll get those things typed up and hope to post a lot more next weekend = )  Oh...and I have tons of pics...so I hope to be able to post those next weekend, too!

This Little Piggy Went to Market

I never knew what a hard job this little piggy had!  Well…at least if it was going to market here, it was not an easy task at all!

Chuks, Mandy, Chichi, and I caught a taxi this morning to Madina Market.  Madina is the town next to Adenta (where we live), and is older than Adenta, so has a much larger, more established market (which is unfortunate because the one in Adenta is very close…but it doesn’t have everything all the time, and the prices are usually higher).  When we got there, I was overwhelmed by the size of it all!  It’s HUGE!  I don’t even know what to compare it to…but I definitely would’ve gotten lost if I hadn’t have stuck to Mandy like glue the whole time (which was difficult because there are so many people and they walk through the markets like taxis drive on the roads here).  We dropped Chuks and Chichi off at a restaurant in the corner (restaurants here are few and far between…pretty much everything is just food stands or drink spots) and, of course, I had to use the bathroom - which was a wooden stall outside with a concrete floor (and a small hole in the corner for drainage) and walls so low that I could see all of the people passing by a couple feet away…haha - and then it was off to shop.

The whole place was crowded and busy and chaotic.  Outside there are tons of people selling, well, everything, and taxis and trotros and people all trying to get around each other.  Then inside, it’s even more packed, but luckily with no automobiles.  I don’t even know how one decides which person to buy from because there are tons of ladies selling the same products…but Mandy skillfully wound us through the maze, finding all of the things that she needed.  Now, when you don’t have a shopping cart, the load becomes VERY heavy and burdensome.  I swear, if our grocery shopping in the states were changed to mirror market shopping in Ghana, gyms would go out of business.  We got our cardio and weights…and I was definitely sweating just as much as when I go to the gym…haha = )  Oh…but I guess we’d still need gyms for the men because I could count on one hand the number of men I saw.  But yeah…it was so sad, too, because there were all these young girls walking around with buckets on their heads asking us to use their services (you pay them to carry what you buy).  My heart just broke for them because some had to have been only 7 or 8...and when I, a grown woman, struggled with the load for just the half hour or so that we were shopping…I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for them.  I was just glad it was Saturday because if it had been a week day and I knew that they were there instead of in school, it would’ve been all I could do to not drag them out of there and into a classroom = (

The produce in the market was just beautiful!  I’ve never seen such red tomatoes in my life!  And there were mangoes and bananas and pineapples and plantain…mmmmm-mmmmm!  That was actually pretty much the extent of the fruit that I saw…there aren’t a lot of kinds of fruit here it seems…but the variety of vegetables was amazing!  There were so many things that I’d never seen before…and unfortunately it’s not an atmosphere where you can stop and ask questions, especially if you’re not buying.  But yeah…there were the fruit and vegetable stands, as well as fish stands, baking stands (with bags of real wheat! - Mandy’s gonna teach me how to cook a breakfast with it = ), packaged product stands, egg stands, a groundnut paste stand, yam stands (oh man…the yam here are so delicious and SO ugly! - never judge something by its appearance = ), leather stands (where they sell the skin of cows, and goats, I think), snail stands, and that was just the food stuffs (oh gosh…I’m sure I’m forgetting tons of them).  But yeah…our last stop was to get meat, but I had to wait outside because it’s this room full of men (here was where I saw 90% of the men I saw in the market) cutting up animals…and just the sounds and the little bit I could see through the screens told me I wouldn’t be able to handle being inside.

At this point the bag was cutting into my hand so badly (Mandy had TWO!…and used to go to market by herself!  I really have no idea how it would’ve been humanly possible to carry our load on her own…talk about a strong woman!) and was so heavy (she said that one passerby told her that she was really making the obroni, white person, suffer…haha…I guess I gotta toughen up), but by some miracle I made it outside = )  We met up with Chuks, caught a taxi, and headed home.  These are the experiences that I really love!…getting to see what it’s like to live as a local = )

I So Admire Ghanaian Women…

…and any other person in the world who does their laundry by hand - which I’m sure is far more than those who have a washing machine.

For those of you who’ve never washed by hand, let me explain it to you.  I had a bucket of water that I put some powdered detergent in.  I dropped in a couple of white shirts first that were really dirty, so that they could soak while I washed the rest (the water ended up so dirty by the end, that I think I dirtied those shirts more than they were in the beginning = /)  Then I put the first garment, and used bar soap to scrub the armpits, collar, and any stains.  Then it was dunk and scrub another part, dunk and scrub, dunk and scrub, until every surface of the shirt had been scrubbed (whatever you don’t scrub by hand doesn’t get clean, so you have to be really thorough).  After washing about 30 pieces of laundry, my back was sore, my arms were tired, and I had spent about an hour and a half washing (and these were just shirts and skirts and such - no jeans, towels, sheets, etc.).  But at least the hard part was done, right?  Wrong!  Then I had to totally clean out the bucket and start rinsing the clothes…and it was so hard to get all of the soap out of the clothes (which I never actually accomplished = /…at least I’ll have fresh smelling clothing = )  And by that point, wringing the clothes out was so hard because my arms were literally at muscle exhaustion.  Then it was time to hang all of the clothes, and 2 ½ hours after beginning, I was finished…with ONE LOAD!  How any mother gets anything else done when she’s washing for a whole family is beyond me!  I just think about how my mom would be doing laundry all day when we were growing up, as she washed our 5 or 6 loads of daily laundry, and that was with a washer AND dryer!  It’s just amazing!

The Last Day of Volleyball

Wow…what a great day with my girls today! = )  It was our last practice…and it started pouring in the middle of it…but they just kept right on playing…even when the boys ran for cover = )  They worked so hard, ran with little complaining, were excited to do our circuit training, only needed gentle prodding and pushing to complete it…haha = ), didn’t get mad at or criticize each other when we were playing, and showed so much improvement in their game!  At the end, I felt like we needed to do something special for our last practice, so we gathered in a circle and shared one thing we learned and our favorite part of the season.  The things they learned were so thoughtful, some remembering all the way back to the very first day when I gave them a lesson on calories in/out, metabolism, etc.  But Nana Yaa said, “I learned that you aren’t mean to people.”  Oh my gosh…it almost melted my heart!  I’m like close to crying right now just writing about it!  And then when we talked about their favorite part, they all said stretching!  Who woulda thought!  So we ended with their favorite stretch, the one where you lie down and cross one leg over the other while keeping both shoulders on the ground and your arms stretched out.  As I lay there serenely, feeling that wonderful stretch with the rain (which had settled down from a torrential downpour to a light misting) falling gently in my face, I thought, “This is a perfect moment.” = )

Most of my volleyball girls = )

We Found Love In a Hopeless Place

When I moved home from college and was learning how to adjust to fit into the dynamics of the family at home, I had a difficult time.  I was a different person and they were all different people; I wasn’t used to living with them and they weren’t used to living with me.  I especially had a hard time getting along with Ayo.  We were so similar that we clashed!  We would often get into these huge arguments, and we’re so stubborn that neither of us would back down.  We’re also both so sensitive that little disagreements could become very emotional and heated.

But it didn’t take long for those similarities to become the binding that tied us so tightly together that we became inseparable.  If I went somewhere without her, someone would always ask where my “other half” was.  Our similarities meant that we loved doing the same things, said the same things at the same time, and loved talking to each other because we had a lot of similar opinions.  We were best friends…and said that we would get married when we found guys who were like the other.

Funny thing…she married my twin (okay…not really…he actually has a real-life twin…but he’s, like, me in male form).  I am so grateful because he’s SO good to her and for her…and she deserves nothing less than exceptional!

She is always thinking about ways to serve and bless others.  I still have these texts on my phone that she sent me every day for a week straight when I was going through a hard time.  Each day it was a new thing that she admired about me, and they were so detailed and thoughtful.  And when I first moved home and was a poor college graduate with no clothes, she graciously allowed her wardrobe to be mine also - and in a house full of girls that’s HUGE! ; )  I remember, once, I needed a shower in Kaneohe because I wanted to play rugby in the morning and attend a baptism at the Stake Center at like 11.  There was no way I’d have time to go home to Kailua in between.  And if you know me and my sports, I would’ve been really bummed if I had to miss rugby.  So Ayo kindly let me intrude on her boyfriend’s home and use his shower.  When I got there, she knew I would be in a rush, so the towel was laid out already, and the shower was stocked with great products.  And then, when I got out, she had made me a portable, DELICIOUS breakfast burrito that I could eat in the car since she knew I’d be hungry after playing all morning.  I was overwhelmed by her kindness and thoughtfulness!

Ayo is BEAUTIFUL!!!!  She always has been, and I was always so honored whenever someone said we looked alike = )  She also has such great style, and taught me how to shop (haha…I don’t know if I should be grateful for that or not ; ) and dress myself.  I’ll often put together an outfit, only to realize that my style inspiration totally came from her = )  For my birthday one year, she helped me get ready for my party by shopping for an outfit with me and curling my hair (which I totally am so bad at, which is unfortunate because I love my hair curled that way), even though it took her a long time and got her all sweaty.  But that’s just Ayo…she’s always willing to help someone else try to be as pretty as her = )

Ayo is HILARIOUS!!!!  It’s funny to me when people think she’s quiet and reserved because SHE IS NOT!  She’s the biggest drama queen around…and her acting chops include great comedic timing - humor! ; )  When you’re with her, you’re gonna have a great time.  She brings so much life and energy and laughter to all that she does (except when she’s stressed about her wedding…haha ; )  I always want Ayo there, whether we’re playing a board game or going to the beach, because she’ll make things so much more fun…chanting “Yahtzee, Yahtzee, Yahtzee” or going along with my crazy beach workouts…haha = )  I’m digressing from the topic of this paragraph, but speaking of going along with my crazy workouts, she’s my reliable Zumba partner, my P90X partner, my running partner…and she even came with me to play ultimate Frisbee even though she hates it.  If there’s a way to my heart, it’s definitely through exercising with me = )

I could go on and on about her incredible qualities and talents - she’s the best singer I know (I used to bribe her to sing for me), so musically talented in other ways…like song-writing and piano playing, the best listener, huge-hearted (I don’t know if that’s a real term…but when describing Ayo it must be), an amazing artist, brilliant, a quick learner, a great healthy cook = ), a perfectionist…in a good way = ), persistent, hard-working…like I said, could go on and on.  But the best thing about Ayo is that when you have her in your corner rooting for you, any happiness, sadness, excitement, disappointment, accomplishment, failure that you have is her own.  She is so selfless in the way she always wants the best for me, even if it’s not the best for her.  She laughs with me, cries with me, and buoys me up.  We’ve had our ups and downs, but now I understand why guys are always best friends after they get in a fight with each other.  It’s been the great times that have bonded us (oh gosh…saying that is reminding me of a certain bathroom-cleaning incident that we got to share together…haha! = ) and the hard times that have sealed that bond, so that nothing could EVER break us apart.  My Ayo-lyn…I LOVE YOU SO MUCH and am SO grateful that God placed us in the same family so that we can be together forever! = )  Happy birthday sister!!!!

My BEAUTIFUL sister = )

The Weekend

Yesterday was really fun = )  The boarders asked me to come (well, told me I had to come…haha = ) for the Sports Festival that they decided to put on when they found out the Sports Program at the neighboring school was cancelled (the school, which is like a really good, highly sought after school is called De Youngster’s Academy…just think that’s funny = )  They did such a great job organizing it, going back and forth between girls’ games and boys’ games (I was very impressed with the time they gave to the girls = )  And the girls actually really got into it, especially when it was the Form 2s and Form 3s playing against each other (that’s the oldest and second-oldest classes).  They seemed to have so much fun, and everyone was watching was really entertained…so it was pretty great = )

Of course they didn’t start when they said they would.  I was told to come between and 11 and 12 because they’d be starting at noon, right after lunch.  Well…when I got there at 11:30ish I was told, rather, that lunch was at noon, and we’d start after.  We eventually ate lunch at 1:45...haha…and started after that, at about 2:30.  I thought Hawaii and Mormon Standard Times were bad…but we got nothin’ on Ghana Standard Time…haha = )  But yeah…those extra hours gave me the chance to practice some plays and drills with the boys…meaning football plays and drills, of course…haha…so that was really fun!  I never really get the chance to just take shots or dribble around.  I even taught them butt traps, which they weren’t really getting, but we all had fun kicking the ball high up in the air and trying to be the first to it = )

When I got home, Nana Yaw, Natasha, Dante, and Iris were over watching General Conference with Chuks and Mandy and Chichi!  I hadn’t even remembered it was this weekend since I was told we watch it really delayed here.  But Chuks had spent 20 cedis to buy enough credits to watch the first session, and then another 20 to watch the second.  I got there right for the closing song of the first session, but I got to watch the second.  I wished I had been more prepared.  I didn’t have the same experience that I do when I’m going into it with questions I want answered and spiritually ready, but it was still great = )  For the second session, Natasha brought up delicious, homemade popcorn that transported me home a little…watching conference while eating popcorn (or anything for that matter…haha = )  I got to talk to Julia later that night (which was WODERFUL!!!!)…and apparently I had missed that Elder Whiting was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy!  So cool!  I guess I shoulda taken notes because I can’t remember anything right now = /…thank goodness I’ll get to watch them again and read them!

Today was an awesome Fast Sunday!  I have such a testimony of the power of fasting!  I haven’t felt the Spirit very strongly for a long time, but today sacrament meeting was so wonderful and the Spirit was so strong, and I believe it had a lot to do with me fasting.  It was also very special because today was Chichi’s blessing (they call it a “naming” here).  She received a beautiful blessing…and looked so beautiful in this glittery, pale pink, poufy dress (that got glitter all over Mandy, Chuks, and me…haha = )  Patriarch and Sister Opare were there, and both shared their testimonies, recounting the miraculous experience they had in regards to Sister Opare’s healing.  And then some youth boys shared such sweet, simple, humble testimonies.  Oh yeah, and there were THREE confirmations today!  A young boy, a young adult woman, and an old man.  They weren’t related in any way…and it was SO neat to see the Gospel taking hold in such different lives - it really is for everyone and God is no respecter of persons.  The young boy was sitting right behind me, and when he came back to his seat he was just glowing! = )

A lady in Relief Society shared a story about when she came to gain a testimony of the divinity and importance of Visiting Teaching.  I didn’t understand all of it, but she said her landlord told her (she’s a single mother…I don’t know what happened to her husband…but divorce here is VERY rare) that she had two weeks to get out.  She had been longtime friends with him, so didn’t really believe him (the culture here is one of a lot of empty threats).  The next week he told her she had one week, and if she wasn’t out she’d see the bad side of him.  She was so hurt and lost and at her wits’ end…and she just sat down and cried with her children.  She decided that they’d all be better off if she just poisoned herself and them.  It was then that her visiting teacher stopped in…and ended up finding a place for her to stay while she got back on her feet.  The Bishop also intervened, allowing her family to stay with his family for awhile and assisting her in finding work.  Wow!  Talk about people living the way Christ wants us to!  That’s really what the Gospel is all about, isn’t it?

Tonight we got to watch Conference again = )  Like yesterday, there were a lot of technical difficulties, and I thought about how much more spotty it is when watching it over the internet (at least when it’s not a good connection) than on TV.  Then I wondered how often my sweet Obachan silently deals with these same kinds of problems when she watches General Conference in Japanese over the internet.  Of course, if she does have problems when watching, I’d never know because she never wants to trouble us.  Mom…please tell her how much I love and miss her!  I especially loved Elder Anderson’s talk, where he kept asking us to ask ourselves, not “Do other people know that I’m a Christian?” but “What does Jesus think of me?”  That’s something I want to do so much better at - caring about what Christ thinks of me more than what others think of me.

Talk About Modern-Day Conveniences

My boots (soccer cleats) are spoiled (the sole is coming off from the top along the outsides of both, where it’s like my foot is totally popping out).  I was worried because they got a lot worse yesterday, when we were training for our match.  I didn’t think they’d be usable today.  Terry was like, “Kay, well, we’re just gonna have to sew it.”  I was like, “Okay,” but then afterwards, as I thought about it, realized that I don’t know how to sew a shoe, and don’t have any sewing materials even if I did know how.  I was asking some of the girls who I train if they have sewing materials that I could use to sew up my shoe, and Grace was like, “We do, but our needles are for sewing material, not for sewing shoes,” looking at me like I had just asked for a trip to the moon…haha = )  Sometimes I feel so dumb.  But yeah…then she told me that I just needed to find one of the guys who walks around hitting the wooden box.  I’ve never seen one of these guys before, so I was curious about what they do.  She said, “They’ll repair your shoes.”  So they just have cobblers who’ll fix your shoes on the spot for a couple of cedi!

It’s amazing what services and goods come right to you!  In the office, we’ve had people come in selling clothes (they know the sizes of the ladies who work there, and bring them clothes that they think they’ll like in the right sizes!), jewelry, bags, shoes.  People walk around selling all kinds of food…my favorite, of course, being the ice cream man = )  Wait…have I told you about these guys?  They have these carts that have a compartment for ice cream (I don’t know how it stays frozen in the scorching sun with no electricity!) in front, and then a glass box for like egg roll things and meat pies and pastry things and other hot foods on top (I know how these things stay warm…haha…but it’s still a wonder that they don’t spoil).  And they squeeze these little beepy horn things as they walk by…which kills me when I hear it from my room…haha = )  It’s like ignoring the ice-cream-man-song multiple times a day = )

Disappointment

The boarders’ program for this Saturday (2 days away) was just cancelled today = (  The girls were so down about it at practice today (I was so proud of them for still wanting to practice, though, even though we were originally practicing and learning to play against the host school)…but the worst part was how well they took the news.  When Ampadu (the guy who’s been coaching the boys’ football team) told me, and saw how sad I was, he tried to console me by saying, “It’s okay.  They’re used to it.”  And by the girls’ reactions, I could tell this was true.  It was as if they were expecting it = (  But when they saw how sad I was for them, they started to open up about how disappointed they really were.  It’s just that they never get to leave…and so this was so exciting for them.  They were gonna get to spend the day outside of the gates with other kids their age.  They had also put so much hard work and time into preparing for it!

But I guess there was a lot of good that came out of it, too.  The kids developed some “school spirit and personal pride” = )  The girls started exercising and being successful at a sport, which they loved!  And I got to get closer to the JHS girls that I coached.  One even came and confided in me after practice.  I felt so honored.  I’m just so proud of those girls, I can’t even put it into words.  They’ve come so far, and it hasn’t been easy.  There’ve been a lot of setbacks and difficulties and frustrations…but the girls have become increasingly persevering and determined.  It’s been such a neat transformation, and such a blessing to watch and be a part of = )

My First Bucket Shower

We ran out of water tonight (I feel so bad…I did a load of laundry last night…so it’s my fault = /)…but, luckily, I got to use a bucket to bathe, instead of baby wipes = )  And it was actually really quite fun = )

When I first got into the shower and was standing next to the bucket of water, I had no idea where to begin.  My main concerns were keeping the water clean and not running out (because if that happened, I’d be stuck).  So I took a clean sock (I don’t have a washcloth) and started dipping it in the bucket and squeezing the water over me.  The sock washcloth worked really well for cleaning and rinsing my body.  But then it was time to wash my hair, which I thought was going to be the trickiest part.  I just ended up bending over and dunking my whole head in the bucket.  It worked quite well, except for the getting water up my nose part…haha…but it just made it feel like I was swimming = )  Rinsing the shampoo out was difficult because there wasn’t really room for both my head and hands in the bucket, but I managed = )  And by the end, I was so impressed with how little water I had used!  It was only like six inches of the water gone!  So now I had an almost full bucket with all of this soapy water, which I just had to pour down the drain (I couldn’t think of how else to use it…although later I realized I shoulda put it in my toilet tank…shucks), but if any of you are looking at ways to conserve water, might I recommend bucket showers = )

How Trusting Is Too Trusting?

I’m pretty ticked off right now.  Sorry…I need to vent.  If you don’t want a downer, go ahead and just bypass this entry.  There’s a guy who lives right by the school, and we first met when I was looking for the money that I dropped out of my pocket that one time when I was running.  He was really caring and really helpful…and after that, he started coming over and chatting every time he was around when I was walking by.  So I gave him my number when he asked (I have a hard time saying no to anyone…especially someone who’s been really nice and who I know I’ll see all the time).

A couple of weeks ago, he texted that his uncle didn’t believe that he had a white friend, so he wanted me to go with him to the internet café so that he could prove he wasn’t lying.  I’ve been busy, but finally…today, on my way home from work, he stopped and asked if I could go right then.  I knew that every other afternoon this week I’d be leaving school late because we’re picking up volleyball practice again tomorrow, and I had nothing to rush home to tonight…so I figured I’d just get this over with and go (he’s been calling and texting a lot about it…so I wanted to do it sooner than later).

We walked to an internet café, and everything was fine.  Once we got there, we had to wait for awhile because the open computers weren’t working, and then the power went out (I was getting worried as it got later and darker), but eventually we got on and got connected.  Oh yeah…while we were waiting, I got the full story that his uncle is Muslim and moved to Saudi Arabia for work, and I’d be meeting his uncle’s friend who was the one that didn’t believe me.  Well…we got on, and were like chatting (typing) with video, but there was no sound.  I don’t know how I could be so stupid!  He kept telling me what to write…but I was glad because the whole thing was awkward…and I really didn’t know what to say.  I thought it was strange that he wanted to type as if it was him talking…but again…it didn’t register what was going on.  Some of the comments the guy made were strange…but I chalked it up to language barriers.  It wasn’t until I was getting off, and the guy I was with started typing, “Please help me…sms me later…byeeeeeeeeee” over and over again that I started to realize something was fishy.  And it wasn’t until the walk home that everything finally made sense.

He didn’t know this guy.  The whole story about his Muslim uncle’s a lie.  He was me!  Or I was him!  And he wants the Saudi Arabian guy to give him money or something…who knows what…and had me pose as the person the Saudi Arabian guy has been texting!  I’m so frustrated right now!  It doesn’t help that I had to walk home after it was completely dark, so was kinda freaked out, and, of course, had a creepy guy stop his bike right in front of me and didn’t want me to pass until I gave him a hug (I didn’t…in the mood I was in I had no trouble saying no).

On a lighter note = )…the guy we were sitting next to in the café said, “Moshi moshi” to me…so cute!  I was like, “I actually am Japanese (since everyone else seems to think I‘m Chinese)!  How do you know moshi moshi?”  He was like, “I studied in China for a little bit.  Do you remember me?  I saw you when you were running.”  I couldn’t remember who he was at first, but I think he’s a guy that was in a car and yelled something in Chinese out the window.  Because traffic was so bad, he slowed down to my pace, and I guess I must’ve said that I wasn’t Chinese, I was Japanese.  Anyways…it was awkward because we passed a couple of times after that since traffic was so backed up…haha…but how random that I’m seated right next to him at the café!

A Little Bit o’ This, A Little Bit o’ That

We haven’t had internet for the past week and a bit.  I don’t know how long it’ll be down, but I know it’ll be a while, so I decided to just write down thoughts I have during this time so that I don’t overwhelm you with a million entries once I can get on.  So here they are = )

• “Aunty Jackie.  My teacha told me to go see Aunty Daclyn.  Whea is she?”  This cracked me up! = )
• Natasha has given me some fantastic readings on how to improve my teaching practice (she’s been doing tons of research so that she can help train the teachers here).  One article that she gave me had a part in it that I loved!…and that I think would be useful to any parent, teacher, future parent out there.  

The work of a child is to play - not “play” in the frivolous sense - but to collect, manipulate, practice, and experiment with the stuff of life.  Most often, their play is based on imitation.  The Montessori approach capitalizes on this innate need magnificently.  First, the lesson is modeled, usually silently and very precisely, for the child, who is then invited to try it - as often as they wish.  If the lesson is not understood, the teacher simply presents it again, usually silently, as often as needed.  Direct correction is minimal or non-existent.  The child “plays” (experiments, practices) with the lesson until mastered.  Pay is the natural inclination of a healthy child and a highly effective learning and teaching tool. 

Our job is not to chisel too early, but to feed, nurture, encourage, and build up the child.  If he tries to stretch himself, but is then made to feel that his experiments have failed to produce a good product, future attempts at anything “risky” at all will not be much less likely to occur.  He will “play it safe” in order to avoid being “wrong.”  Aptitude will shrivel.

• “Aunty Jackie, we want wotah.”

“Okay, so go get water.”  

“But we don’t have any money to buy.”

Boy, did I feel guilty running those girls so hard when they weren’t gonna be able to get water until I don’t know when.  The things we take for granted!  Another reason why exercise isn’t as common here, I bet = (

• The subjects they study in school are so interesting!  Every school and every child takes the same classes (no electives = /) because they take country-wide exams at the end of Junior & Senior High School.  The subjects they’re tested on are English Language, Social Studies, Integrated Science, Mathematics, Basic Design and Technology (includes pre-technical skills/building skills, sewing, catering/cooking, and visual arts), Religious and Moral Education, Ghanaian Language and Culture, French,  and Information and Communication Technology.  
• Amanda likes me! = )  I’ve been walking 3 girls to school everyday…Grace (Aunty Belinda‘s daughter - one of the ladies who lives downstairs and cooks the school’s food), Naa Adoley, and Amanda (Aunty Vero’s daughters - another one of the women who lives downstairs and cooks for the school).  Everyday I try to hold 3-year-old Amanda’s hand, and some days she’ll let me at the beginning, but about a minute into our walk she’ll shake her hand free and grab her sister’s hand.  And if I try to talk to her, she just stares at me.  Today…I don’t know what came over her!…but she talked to me = )  I didn’t even realize she was talking to me at first, since it’s never happened before…haha…but when I leaned in close, I realized she was asking me my name.  Then, SHE GRABBED MY HAND!…of her own free will!…and let me hold her hand ALL the way to school! = )  That was a triumphant moment for me = )
• We haven’t been able to play volleyball this week because it’s the week of exams.  Well, first I have to say, the girls actually came to and said that we’d better not practice because they would need the time to study - really?!  Talk about self-discipline (and they really wanted to!)!  But yeah…exam week is so intense here!  Each student is tested on every subject, beginning in nursery!  Exams last for five full days, and then the teachers mark for three days (and the kids just do….I don’t know what…because they’re still in school those days).  The last day of school, results are announced.  And by results, I mean that each child is ranked based on how they did on the exams, and those rankings are shared publicly.  They’re even posted out front of the office for the oldest children.  
• Natasha and I were talking, yesterday, about how neat it is that people here dress so modestly.  It seems like a lot of the values that used to be normal in America 50 years ago are still the norm here.  I wasn’t in school 50 years ago, but it sounds like education is also still very much like it used to be in America. 
• It’s so fun being at the place that I am with my relationships here!  Yesterday, when I came home, Julius, Amanda, Princess, and Obaya came running at me with hugs = )  This was especially wonderful because I was in a lot of pain, and bummed that we didn’t get to play football…even though volleyball with the teachers was fun, too.  I don’t recommend playing volleyball for 2 hours with a football, unless you’re prepared to have bruised & swollen forearms.  And today, when I got to the school (I promised the girls I’d come help them practice volleyball…even though I knew I‘d be putting my arms in even worse shape = /), the girls came running out of their dorm rooms cheering and yelling, “Aunty Jackie’s here!  We’ve been waiting for you for hours!”  It was so unexpected (not only are most of the girls pretty reserved, but I still wasn’t sure, until today, whether they even liked me)!
• At church today, they were announcing that Stake Conference will be held at the Accra Conference Center (it will be 4 stakes meeting together).  The last part of the announcement was, “Parents will be expected to provide water for their children.”  Isn’t that crazy that that has to be addressed.  In a place where there are no water fountains (at church, the Bishop’s office has water sachets for the members), something so seemingly becomes a little more complex.  The things we take for granted…
• The people here are BEAUTIFUL!!!!  Now…I know from what I’ve written, you already know how beautiful their insides are…but I am repeatedly struck by how gorgeous the people here are!  For one thing…their bodies are amazing!  The guys don’t have to lift weights or work out, and they have cut arms, six packs, etc.  But the girls…it’s amazing!  They have these tiny waists and thin legs…and still have huge booties and, uh, aren’t flat-chested.  Like seriously, their bodies are just naturally like super-human…what we in America would die for!  Even heavier women still have these beautiful shapes.  And then there’s their skin.  I’ve never seen such flawless skin in real life!  It’s as if it’s air-brushed or photo-shopped or something…no pores or wrinkles or anything (granted the OLD people have wrinkles…but everyone looks so young for their age because the aging process doesn’t seem to hit them until way later).  Many of the girls, and some of the women, have super short hair, like almost shaved (some schools require that their hair be kept this way), and still they look so feminine and gorgeous.  And when the women are wearing their African wear, a lot of times they have their heads wrapped in cloth, so all you see is their face.  Now, I don’t know if you’ve noticed how much of an effect hair has on making a person “beautiful,” but it takes an extremely beautiful face to be able to look good without hair.
• Anytime you’re driving and have a screaming child in the car, be grateful.  During my traveling over Easter Weekend, I was so impressed by the children (and mothers) who were cramped in the trotros (usually the children didn’t even have their own seats) and not complaining.  I couldn’t believe how well-behaved the little kids and babies generally were, and I felt so bad for them and their moms on the rare occasion when they were unhappy.  One woman was traveling with 2 little kids and a baby, as well as some baskets and such, on a couple hour long ride, and I was just amazed!  To think we complain about trying to buckle a child in a car seat.
• My favorite thought from church today came from our Relief Society lesson.  We were going over Sister Thompson’s talk from General Conference, titled “Personal Revelation and Testimony.”  She tells a story about a German sister, Hedwig Biereichel, who suffered much during World War II.  Even with her own great needs, she shared the little food she had with starving prisoners of war.  When asked how she was able to “keep a testimony during all [those] trials,” she replied in effect, “I didn’t keep a testimony through those times - the testimony kept me.”  

I feel the same way!  It has been during my hardest times and my lowest lows that I’ve wondered how anyone survives difficulties without relying on the strength, comfort, and companionship of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The very next sentence in the article, however, reminds us that, “Because we have a strong testimony doesn’t mean it will always remain that way.  We must nourish and strengthen it in order that it will have sufficient power to sustain us.”  This was such a good reminder to me, as I’ve become kind of spiritually complacent recently.  

So how do we strengthen our testimonies?  Through personal revelation (thus the title of her talk).  And she gives the criteria that we need to follow in order to receive personal revelation.

• Desire to receive it
• Don’t harden you heart
• Ask in faith, truly believing that we will receive an answer
• Diligently keep the commandments