I LOVE Living In a Soccer-Loving Country!

As I speak, there’s a wedding party going on outside our back window (it’s like this huge courtyard, so Chuks owns a business that does parties and events there).  I can hear a dj/announcer, loud music with good beats (some African/some American), and people cheering.  When I looked out the kitchen while doing dishes, I saw tables with people eating around them, an open space where people were dancing, a dj booth, and a HUGE projection of a soccer game (and it‘s not off on the side or something - it‘s smack dab in the middle…like  12‘ x 12‘).  I’ve been back to the window a couple of times and there hasn’t been any slideshow or video of sentimental value; just this random soccer game…haha = )
Earlier today, I got to see a lot more of Ghana on our way to and from the airport (when I first arrived, it was already dark).  This lovely drive was thanks to one of my bags arriving - yes, one = /   I called them so many times yesterday, and they were getting so annoyed with me because they told me they’d call when it was ready.  But in the end, thank goodness I did, because one arrived and I only knew it because I called…again.  So far I can’t tell what all is missing because I forget what was in that one and what was in the other, but I’m pretty sure they got my soccer ball and pump = (  All the stuff was a mess, and my toiletry case was emptied and scattered, but if that’s all that’s missing I will be so grateful (and hope that some children are getting some good use out of the ball = )  So yeah…back to seeing more of Ghana; on the way to the airport I saw a group of kids playing soccer on this huge, open field of dirt and patches of grass that was covered in trash and bottles, etc. (I can’t imagine that they don’t get all cut up in their bare feet).  I was kicking myself for not taking a picture, but then I got a pic on our way back - this time it was a couple of teenage boys playing.

Not a great pic...but it was from a moving car

Me, Chuks, Mandy, Chi-Chi, and Hank

Our trip today also included a visit to the mall (this paragraph is totally unrelated to soccer) so that I could get a phone and credits (the way that the internet and phone work here is that you buy credits - no pre-paid plans) and exchange my money.  The mall is HUGE and really nice and SUPER crowded (it puts Ala Moana to shame) and as we were walking through we saw Hank Anuku sitting at a table signing autographs to promote his new CD (he’s a REALLY famous actor and they were so excited to see him…which made me really star struck, too…haha = )  It’s weird though, here you have to pay to have an autograph, but I guess it’s partly because they take a pic, too.  Anyways…we also got lunch at the mall (salad here doesn’t mean green salad…it means mac salad…shucks) and I don’t know if it was the salad or jollof rice or chicken, but I got kinda sick…but not bad…phew!

Chuks's brother - but that's Chi-Chi, not his niece.
That would've been a inappropriate pic...haha

 And then on our way home we stopped by Chuks’s brother’s house (I didn’t even realize they live like right across the alley!) to see his brand new niece, Passion.  On our way in there were some boys on this small, concrete slab playing, you guessed it, soccer = )  I made the mistake of asking if they were playing soccer, to which I quickly corrected myself and called it football = )  That little comment made them beam!  After going into their humble home (it’s crazy what disparity 100 feet can make) and meeting Passion (well sort of - she was feeding the whole time) and her exhausted mother (I can’t remember her name), Chuks asked me to run out to the car to get my camera.  While I was walking by the boys playing with the soccer ball, their ball came towards me, so I kicked it back in to them.  By the looks of wonder on their faces you would’ve thought I had just walked on air…it was so cute!  I guess they’re not used to seeing white ladies kicking soccer balls…haha = )  But yeah…so glad I got the camera because I got some pics of Passion’s older brother, Miracle, who has to be the CUTEST little kid ever (well, after you, Zeke = )

MIRACLE = )

And…they have Monday Night Football…but it’s soccer! = )