feeling better

9/28

today was a good day…I cant really remember what happened yesterday other than I rode the tro tro for the first time…it was okay…traffic didn’t seem so bad in the tro - tro…I guess when you are on public transport you don’t have as high expectations so you don’t get as angry…funny though many people around here and in accra think that I may be Ghanaian and many times people will speak to me in their language wether it is twi or some other language and me being the person that I am I just act like I understand them and this makes for some really interesting encounters…it hasn’t happened much but its funny when it does especially to eddie (the rasta who has been helping me) on the tro tro the guy who takes the fare was saying to me to move out of the way so that someone else could pass and I figured by his actions what he said and I did it…eddie said that it was weird the way I responded right after he said it…I cant really explain it…part of it is me reading the actions of the people and the other part is me just listening and feeling like I kind of understand it …hard to explain…no I do not know twi, ewe, or any other language and sometimes I am listening at a loss but other times I feel that I understand

oh I also bought paw paw (papaya) oranges that looked green and are supposed to “clean your heart” and pineapples…we bought them from a lady named monica…she said that she would maybe come by the center and teach me some adowa , which is a dance from the Ashanti region

today was a good day…after eddie showed me how to ride the tro tro to adom’s school we went to the art center where the big market is in accra…I wanted to meet some more rastas….from what I have been told many people don’t really like them here….the feel that they should cut their hair and be gentle…cut their hair and shave so that they could get a job and such….however on the other hand I have received a lot of kindness and genuine niceness from people who call me hey ras or mama ras … I actually like mama ras ;-) I have to admit that I am not a rasta and I have said it to some people here but because of my hair this is what I am called…so today I got a inside look at the market…I was with eddie who is a master drummer…he told the people at the market that we just wanted to walk around and so they didn’t really push us to buy…I played the drums in the market with eddie and another guy…we played kpalongo… I met all the rastas in the market and they were really nice…not tryin to flirt or anything….today I was called EMPRESS, PRINCESS, GODDESS, AND QUEEN!!!!!! Much different from pssss hey lil mama can I get yo # well f-ck you then I didn’t want it no way….no offense guys but it felt good to be called such wonderful names and REALLY with no alterior motive I had two bracelets made for me and a ring made for me and then I also got a necklace all for about 60,000 cedis which is wonderful…a rasta named Kelley made it and he also makes these wonderful shoes that are woven yarn…red yellow and green….other colors too…I’m going to have him make me some boots later … I am in no rush to buy things…thats when you make mistakes…I will take my time…(I haven’t forgot about you Currie) ;-) I will also get adom some shoes made and maybe even a hat too…I will get it larger so that he can wear it later…we were in the back of the market … this is the part that I didn’t see last summer when I was here…today I also got some different anti malaria pills … I guess I will try doxcycyline again despite my fainting spell last summer…mefloquine just didn’t sit right with me..it seems to work ok with adom and I guess this means that I have enough to last the entire ten months for him,,,,,,,,malarone would have been ideal but it is entirely too expensive even in Ghana. It is the best one with little to no side effects but it costs 1million 92,000 cedis for 10 days worth of pills this is well over 1 hundred dollars and basically insane…so I got 20 doxycyline pills for 6,000 cedis which is less than one dollar…he told me that I cant take it for more than 3 months though…so I will have to switch to something else…I also got some treatment medicine for both adom and me in case we should get it and we are so far away in Medie that he said I should just start the medicine and then go to a doctor the next day…at any rate getting the treatment medicine made me feel better and I got all of that for 107,000 cedis at an exchange rate of 9095 cedis to one dollar you do the math…I like the fact that you do not need a prescription for the medicine here

I met the oldest rasta and his name is ras kunta…I think he lives way in the back of the market where it doesn’t even look like the market anymore…you can see the water from his house….the ocean is behind the market

He talked to us about Jah and how you have to be careful how you use your words, not saying things like understand…instead say overstand, and hello (not using the word hell) he offered me some ganja but I politely declined … he stressed to me that many are called but few are chosen…he said that when he first saw me that he knew that I was smart…he said that he could see it in my eyes…it made me feel good…so nice to be appreciated and unfortunate that sometimes you have to go away to be appreciated

Before we picked adom up from school I got some butter bread for 5,000 cedis for a big loaf…when we got to Adom’s school they were sounding out words on the board and Adom was right along with the rest …today he said that he lliked his class… whenever I get to his school I greet the principal, the director, the secretary, and Adom’s teachers…so nice to do this and feel like I don’t know cool with them and not that they are so far away… I plan to teach at Adom’s school….i will teach ballet. Many of the students and teachers have no idea what ballet is so this will be FUN…I am interested in some things aesthetically as far as teaching ballet to Africans…since ballet was created by Europeans……..more on that later…..in short I don’t want to change them too much…the principal asked me to teach a class tomorrow so that the other children can be excited. When I asked him how many students he said we will start small about 20…and I looked at him and said lets start with 10…. Oh my goodness I cannot teach a ballet class to 20 students on my own…that’s crazy. At any rate tomorrow the dancers are going to perform at a funeral and they are leaving at 12:30pm and the funeral starts at 2pm….the class that I am to teach at Adom’s school starts at 2pm… so I have to decide…..teach ballet class- go to funeral…I think adom has decided it for me …every Friday is p.e. day and they even wear a different uniform …all week he has been wanting to go outside and play on the playground but they have been waiting for p.e day…he does not want me to pick him up early so I may not go to the funeral…and teach the class…

After we got to the house I cut up my pineapple …It was divine…..so sweet …so I ate my pineapple and shared it with everyone at the house, I also ate my butter bread sweet and good . Adom fed the goat leaves…he has been having fun chasing chickens and trying to tell if this is a goat or sheep and male or female…

Later Adom, Mike, and Julius created a band and took turns alternating instruments between two xylophones and a set of snare drums and a djembe drum

Afterwards I ate some bangku that Grace prepared and I gave Adom some …he said that he didn’t like it but I think he is just looking at it like it is weird so he doesn’t know if he likes it or not…so I made him some ramen noodle soup outside on the coals in a pot

Earlier while adom was feeding the goat I called his doctor in florida and told him what happened, he told me that Adom was fine and assured me that the head is pretty durable…as long as he did not go unconscious when it happened, not complaining of headache, and no blurred vision…This boy has been ENJOYING HIMSELF to the fullest and seems normal…so I am happy…he doesn’t worry at all and I worry for both me and him

After I ate I took a shower while Adom watched Zorro on my laptop and then he took a shower…even though there is a hot water heater here I have trouble trying to figure it out and since sometimes the generator may be going or the petrol may be out…the hot water heater may be too much…so we are somewhat adjusting to the cold showers and they are actually quite refreching…Saturday we plan to go to the mountain … I hear there is a pineapple farm there and you can get pineapples for about 1,000 cedis which is a little more than a dime I think….i will let you know though

Now adom is sleeping and I have chased the cat out of my room like 4 times…she like to come in and find one of my suitcases and sharpen her claws there until I chase her out…or she will just hide under the bed until Julius pulls her out. This morning when I woke up and opened the door she was waiting there and just ran in the room….i called her and then I picked her up and put her out and as I was walking into the bathroom she grabbed my leg with both arms and then jumped back when I looked at her and called her name she started running sideways away from me……her name is mandie or slimantuwa…they seem to use mandie more…..also there are four cute and flicked looking small dogs here… and a pregnant goat that eddie says got pregnant without a male…so there is so much for him to get into….i will post pics

Good night
Angel

Please forgive any typos and mistakes, I am assuming that I am among family and friends here and no need to do extreme editing……this is more like stream of consciousness….

Also ask questions if you have them


9/29

this morning on the way to the tro tro some one said to me in twi ahhh princess how are you? I didn’t understand a word he said so eddie told me what he said and how to respond which I have already forgotten…this evening I will have to take the tro tro alone…I’m afraid….and I will also teach a ballet class to a small group of girls (10) at Adom’s school

wish me well ;-)

first week

Well, well, well what can I say? I have been here for 6 days now and I have experienced so much. Adom was sick our first night here…which terrified me. He woke in the middle of the night crying and walking aimlessly, he wouldn’t answer me at all, he was sweating and had a fever. He seemed as if he wanted to throw up but didn’t. He was crying so loud that Steve came downstairs to check on him and he told me that their youngest daughter just finished throwing up. I think he may have picked something up before coming here and also that night he had to take his malaria pill - which may not have agreed with him. I may try and give him one more dose and if he doesn’t work well with it I will have to switch his medicine to another kind. That night I wondered if I made a huge mistake by even coming to Africa. Here I am in the middle of the night with my baby crying and I am just so scared. I began praying and wondering if I should just maybe go home…it definitely became an option.

The next day I had my briefing at the public affairs office. I gave Adom some medicine (Tylenol) that morning and he seemed to be fine as the day went on. I also got a different malaria medicine for myself because I didn’t like the way the mefloquine made me feel after one dose. Mefloquine is the medicine that is usually prescribed for anti malaria but it can cause some bad reactions in a small percentage of people. When taking mefloquine some people may have kidney problems, some may experience extremely vivid dreams, some may experience psychological problems and in some cases people have had suicidal tendencies. After taking one dose I didn’t necessarily experience any of these problems but I did feel a sense of aggression that made me uncomfortable. I cant really explain how I felt I just didn’t like it. Another fulbrighter and I went to a local pharmacy and picked up a local anti malarial called daraprim. It cost 35,000 cedis for six weeks worth of pills the exchange rate is 9095 cedis to 1 us dollar. I also bought Adom some amoxiklav, which cost 70,000 cedis and I did not need a prescription to get it. I just told the pharmacist what was going on with Adom and she gave me the medicine. Wish it were that easy in the U.S. Later that day Sulley (who I am working with) came to get us and he took us out to Medie pronounced med-eee-yeah. I like Medie in that it is far from the city with all of the sounds and exhaust and smoke but I am somewhat concerned that being so far away from the city may cause a problem because if we get sick we may have a ways to go to get to a doctor or clinic. During traffic it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get from Accra to Medie. Since all of my bags would not fit into Sulley car I had to leave some at the house of the Bucheles and Sulley and I planned to get them the next day. Before Sulley came for me Susan’s husband Steve took me to Osu so that I could get a cell phone and a voltage stabilizer…this will prevent my computer and other equipment from being damaged. The cell phone was 420,000 cedis about $45 This included a cute little basic phone with flashlight and a card for the phone (kind of like t mobile) and 50 units which were gone after calling mom. When I called her on Wed she said that she was just about to call the Embassy to check on me ;-) it is free for me to receive calls so you guys should go and buy a calling card from a gas station or on the internet (about $5) and call me! My number is 0246781839 I think the correct way to dial the number from the U.S. would be 011233246781839, oh by the way I can get text messages too and they really make my day ….so send me some…the voltage stabilizer was 450,000. It was kind of weird walking around Osu with Adom and Steve who is white. Since I have been here I have experienced some people thinking that I am from here. It is only when I open my mouth that they can tell that I am not. So I bet some people thought that Adom was our child…funny…


While we were walking back I fell down and hurt my ankle on one of those sewage drains…this came after fussing at Adom for carelessly jumping over them, my ankle is still sore…..still no rest for the weary I have already begun dancing and I haven’t even been here 1 week…there is a performance on Tuesday at the house of an American ambassador. So I have been dancing Bamaya, kpalango, and I think I may learn some more today…yesterday was the first day dancing. The culture shock has set in and I shed some tears today…just frustrated and tired.


Adom wanted to go to a school close by where the boys that live in the same house as us go. The name of it is Acropolis. Sulley took us by there and I talked to the headmaster (a woman who all the children call mommy) From the time we got there until we left the children were so amazed by Adom they just kept touching him and pulling on his shirt and laughing. They kept calling him “Obruni coco…Obruni coco” I saw a different side of my son. He stuck his chest out and threw his arms behind him and was fighting every little person he could …he just kept getting into fights……he even tried to take up for Julius (one of the boys who lives with us who is 10)

We then went to look at another school called Silicon Valley International School. The web address is www.siliconvalleyinternationalschool.com. This seemed to be a better option since Adom would not be the only child of his skin color…I saw at least 2 more and then I also saw a little girl who must have been Indian or something. When we got to the school Adom was tested and he didn’t do very well even though his teacher in the U.S. tested him and said that he was reading on a fourth grade level and comprehending what he read on a 3rd grade level. The principal says that this always happens with children from other countries…….they basically teach different…so Adom will be in a classroom with children younger than him, four years old and then some his age. If they see that he does well then they will move him up. My main concern is that he learns. I know that he wouldn’t have at the other school. There was too much fun and fighting (which has somehow become fun to him) and running around to do for Adom, he just didn’t seem to gel well. I am sure that if I would have put him in this school with time he would have been fine … but I don’t feel like we have a lot of time for a major adjustment and I really want to make this transition as easy as possible for him.

We decided to get Adom a tutor so that he will excel. Sulley worked with Adom some yesterday and he talked to a tutor today. He may get tutoring 3 times a week. The school cost about $300 US the first term and about $200 each term afterwards and there are 3 terms in a year…my grant does not cover his educational expenses so I had to use some of the money to pay for that. After the second day of class, Adom teacher who everyone calls Auntie Mary decided to put him up to KG which is kindergarten…keep in mind Adom tested at a 4th grade reading level in US but he is somewhat behind here…some of this can be attributed to the traveling, I mean we haven’t even been here 1 week but really they just teach the children different here. We have also been talking to the director of the school and the principal about me teaching ballet to the students there. They seem interested but they are concerned of what will happen to the children once I leave. They say that 10 months is too short…will I come back because after I leave the children will just be bumping their heads not knowing what to do. They are so protective of the children, which is good. The director asked me to teach ballet to his daughters…

On Saturday we woke early to the village boys waiting for Adom to go and play soccer. They waited for him to put on his soccer uniform from when he played in Tallahassee (about 4 seasons) and then he went to the local field. I could tell he felt like a champ. Before they played they all just took off running around the field and before I knew it Adom was off running too. Most of the local boys only had on shorts and nothing else no shoes no shirt. Adom on the other hand was wearing his red, black, and white soccer uniform and long soccer socks and cleats. I didn’t want the shin guards on because I felt it may be too much ;-). At any rate he didn’t care and they didn’t either…he played hard and they were all older than him and seemed to take special care to him. I think he likes it here so far. There is always a baby around for him to play with and he LOVES babies. There is also always some little boys to play with. Adom had three skate boards and he gave 2 away to Julius and Bismark…the boys that live here. He kept the other one so they usually all play on it. Also the boys have created a game called “rough play” which they love and I HATE…they basically beat up on each other and laugh … I don’t see how this is fun but Adom loves it. He’s playing with older boys and they are usually pretty light on him. Today 9/26 he was swinging on they arms of two chairs and apparently he fell and hit his head on the concrete tiled floor. I was in the kitchen when I heard the distinct yells and cries of my baby …….when I made it to him a saw a huge bubble developing on his head and I just felt kind of numb…not knowing what to do. Here I am in Africa. And I guess I didn’t mention that where I am staying is far away from the city (Accra) it takes about 45 minutes to get to the city and besides it was night time. This is when fear and a feeling of being stupid sets in…like what was I thinking and what am I doing???????? Well Julius got some ice and everybody seemed to appear from no where and check on him. Of course I was praying to dear God internally. They assured and re assured that he would be okay and that it would go down…I wondered if I needed to get him to a hospital and even if I did what they could do. The knot is still there and I am just believing that it will go down. Actually it was a time for the family to tell stories of other incidents that may have happened to them. I just hope and pray that everything will be ok. I may not get much sleep tonight. Ahhhhh the joys of being a mother!!!!! Sleep one hour watch Adom for 10 minutes, sleep one hour and a half watch Adom 5-10 minutes this will go on all night. Oh well it’s all part of the job and boys will be boys I am just praying no brain damage….i gave him a small test and asked him to count to 20 and he counted to 100 while laying down and dancing…so I guess he is ok ;-)

I have been dancing already. For my research I have been talking with Sulley and have decided to focus on 2 dances from the north and 2 from the south. I will look at bamaya, fume fume, bawa, and kpalongo. I will travel to the northern region (Tamale) to look at the dances in the villages as well. I will sit in and take part in rehearsals here at the Dagara Music Center in Medie and look at the same at the University of Ghana Legon. I will also set a contemporary piece on the dance ensemble here at the Dagara Music Center. Before I set the piece I will teach them a class. I may also be teaching ballet at another school in Accra. Sulley wants to set up a performance for the t.v. station. It’s all so very exciting and hard to separate life from study…the trick here is that life is study…what a pity ;-) no really it is hard to decide when to break out the camera or to write and when to just live.

Speaking of live, I am getting used to it. There are about 2 or 3 mountains or huge hills here behind where I am staying. We keep planning to go up the mountain…Julius told me that there is a pineapple farm on the mountain and they cost about 1,000 cedis which is robbery considering how good I remember those pineapples being when I was here last summer. The thing I like most about where I am is the thing that I like least…I don’t like being so far away from everything…just like tonight he fell right on his head and now I am sitting here looking at this big know on his head….but in the city there is so much exhaust from all the cars and so much noise and SOOOOOOOOOOOO much traffic….in fact just for me to make it into the city in Sulley’s car as a passenger takes about 45 minutes. I wish something could give

Today I took the plunge and ate some of the food that was cooked here at the house. Up til now I have been eating things that I bought from town and heating it or something that I already had. Basically cans of soup, noodles, and such. Well I tried the yams with soup (tomato, chicken, egg, bell pepper) IT WAS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Oh my goodness. But I got so full so fast. I have been trying to avoid eating the food because I don’t want to get sick but I feel fine and it was really good. I even gave Adom some. He says he didn’t like it but I could tell that it tasted ok to him he was just trippin because it was new and different.

On Sunday I cried. I missed home and people. Keep In mind that where I am living I am the only one from US. Well on Monday I saw a red bird….so meaningful. I felt better and it was a good day. My feelings of culture shock can best be described as feeling closterphobic and trapped in Ghana but it is ok now a little better…I just have to keep focused on why I am here …so many reasons

Tomorrow I will try the tro tro Eddie will come with me so that I know what I am doing next time. I hope this is a good enough update and that you enjoy the pics I took…I am going to bed or should I say I am going to go and stare at Adom’s head.

Angel

i tried to put the pics but they were taking too long...i will try later

WE ARE HERE

okay we are here. the flight was okay not too bad...i actually was supposed to pay about $125 in houston at the airport because each bag was about 70 pounds but the lady forgot to charge me and i realized it when i got inside the airport and didnt go back to tell her. i cant lie i am afraid...adom actually left houston sick...i thought it was just allergies...but last night after we got here he woke in the middle of the night crying with a fever...so i think it is some cold or something my neice was at my house and her mother told me that she had strep throat about a week prior and that she shouldn't be contagious...well i think she may have been ... at any rate he is running a fever of about 99 - 100 degrees and i have been giving him tylenol...other than that he seems to be in good spirits and when the plane first touched down he was looking out of the window and the first thing he said was "momma i thought you said people in africa dont have much?" i guess from what he could tell it seemed that people had a lot. he has been somewhat playful and his usual self other than the discomfort of this cold or whatever it is...I HATE THIS...him being sick that is...

we spent the night at another fulbrighters house last night...a family. the wife has a fulbright and her husband is a pastor and they have 3 children 11, 14 1nd 15 i believe...we ate spagetti, salad, apple slices, and bread.....talked...i think they may be considering getting a church here...at any rate they like it...she teaches computer science courses at ashesi university and they are from austin texas

today after my briefing with the pubic affairs office i plan to go to the pharmacy ( i stopped taking the mefloquine...side effects) get a phone, get a voltage stabilizer, and try and get out to medie where i will me staying...seems like so much...i cannot wait until i get settled

if any1 talks to my mom tell her that i love her and that i miss her

until next time

angel

so soon

my feelings right now

calm
happy
excited
anxious
afraid
nervous
faithful
hopeful
crazy
like i'm on the brink of...

next time i post i will be on the other side ;-)

angel

preparing to leave

i am preparing to leave ... 10 days from now. to go to ghana for 10 months, i am feeling so many different emotions now it is unbelievable! i plan to blog as often as possible so please check back and send messages often

shani