how can we really help?
10/24/06
today as any other day was filled with highs and lows….my title of my last blog may not make sense to some but others may feel me…so much has been happening since I got here… things are starting to settle in and I feel the need to figure out how to really help…you know? I mean giving money and buying gifts is soooo temporary…when you look at the whole state of things …the question becomes… how do we really help? It’s a hard question and one that definitely needs attention.
I am having a hard time adjusting with the whole philosophy here of other people popping your child…. Let’s just pray that I don’t have to go postal on anyone…I mean is it bad that I feel that I can pop him and I don’t want anyone else to? He hasn’t gotten caned at school but a couple of people have popped him. Ahhh well maybe I am just too western huh? And I am sure that you guys don’t want to hear about my dilemmas and cultural adjustments or my refusal to adjust to that particular part of the culture. Being here is still new…I wonder how I will feel in 10 months. Speaking of time, we have been here a little over a month and Adom has developed an accent. He is not speaking twi but he is pronouncing EVERYTHING differently. When he got on the phone with his dad I could tell at first he was about to speak with an accent and then it was like he realized and then he reverted to his southern drawl. It is so weird to hear your child talking with an accent. I could only imagine how he feels right now.
Today I went to busy internet, by myself. I took the tro tro to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and then I walked to Busy Internet. It is probably the fastest internet service here in Accra. I usually pay for time on my account there and use the internet at the house. I went to get some more time and I stayed a little while and checked my e-mail. Then I had lunch of French fries and sprite and went back to catch a tro tro on the way I got some earings for 5000 cedis – which is a little over half a dollar. Nothing too fancy but I liked the style of them. Then I caught the tro tro back to the house and cleaned up a little before going to get Adom.
I am really disappointed with where he is in school. Initially they tested him when we had been here less than a week and they put him in nursery with 4 YEAR OLDS. Mind you Adom was tested as reading on a 4th grade level in the U.S. and he was tested right at grade level in other subjects. He was tested about 4 months before we came here. Within a week they moved him up to KG and they haven’t moved him up yet. Most of his age- mates or either in class 1 or class 2. The principal said he wanted Adom to finish this term in KG and then he may get moved up. I am seriously considering changing schools if he doesn’t because I don’t want my child to be stifled. The only problem is location and if you know Accra you know that it can EASILY take 2 hours to get somewhere and more if it is on a Monday or Friday. Also if I change schools then I will have to deal with other fees associated with beginning at a new school including buying new uniforms. Also Adom has begun making new friends and he seems to be adjusting to the school…I don’t want him to have to adjust all over again. He no longer has a tutor…it just wasn’t working out…so I will work with him. I am harder on him than the tutor and I AM a teacher so why not save the money and work with him when I can?
Ok so I have shared some of the not so fortunate issues …still others I cannot divulge over the internet…but why settle on the bad?…I AM IN AFRIKKKKKA and I am breathin, livin, learnin, and growin
10/23
today Lela, Adom, and I went to Nima and Tudu in Accra with Sulley for the Saladay (sp?) celebration; this is the Muslim holiday that is like Christmas. When I woke up this morning I saw children singing on t.v. they were all dressed in pink and the young girls were covered from head to toe with only their faces showing. We also saw women singing that were dressed the same way. We met Sulley in Achimota and then we went to his house in Ablenkpe. His wife had prepared Tizzert. It was delicious. A banku type dish in which the doughy substance is made from ground rice and the soup is made from ground nut (p-nut), a leafy vegetable, tomato paste and this one had cow meat and fish in it. Adom didn’t like it so I didn’t make him eat it. I think the texture turned him off he said it tasted like guey chopped up chicken into little pieces ;-)
The Saladay celebration was interesting. Men were riding horses and it was like a parade, I was terrified that Adom would get hit by one. He was walking with Sulley and he actually almost did at one point in time and when I tried to run for him the horse almost got me and Lela. You know I was trippin!!!!! The horses were riding up and down the street fast and some were doing tricks. It cost 300,000 cedis to rent the horse for the day. I didn’t see any women on the horses. There were also trucks and cars with lots of people in them riding and playing music. There were high life songs and then some western songs also. It is so weird to hear western music hear and the children are doing some of the same dances that are done in the states. In some cases they give them different names and they execute the movement a little differently but still it’s the same.
It’s been good to have Lela here. She is helping me to release some and not be so uptight…not sure if that is the right word. My first year of grad – school she and I said that we would write a Fulbright together – which I don’t think can be done but it is so interesting that now we are here together…everything happens for a reason
today as any other day was filled with highs and lows….my title of my last blog may not make sense to some but others may feel me…so much has been happening since I got here… things are starting to settle in and I feel the need to figure out how to really help…you know? I mean giving money and buying gifts is soooo temporary…when you look at the whole state of things …the question becomes… how do we really help? It’s a hard question and one that definitely needs attention.
I am having a hard time adjusting with the whole philosophy here of other people popping your child…. Let’s just pray that I don’t have to go postal on anyone…I mean is it bad that I feel that I can pop him and I don’t want anyone else to? He hasn’t gotten caned at school but a couple of people have popped him. Ahhh well maybe I am just too western huh? And I am sure that you guys don’t want to hear about my dilemmas and cultural adjustments or my refusal to adjust to that particular part of the culture. Being here is still new…I wonder how I will feel in 10 months. Speaking of time, we have been here a little over a month and Adom has developed an accent. He is not speaking twi but he is pronouncing EVERYTHING differently. When he got on the phone with his dad I could tell at first he was about to speak with an accent and then it was like he realized and then he reverted to his southern drawl. It is so weird to hear your child talking with an accent. I could only imagine how he feels right now.
Today I went to busy internet, by myself. I took the tro tro to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and then I walked to Busy Internet. It is probably the fastest internet service here in Accra. I usually pay for time on my account there and use the internet at the house. I went to get some more time and I stayed a little while and checked my e-mail. Then I had lunch of French fries and sprite and went back to catch a tro tro on the way I got some earings for 5000 cedis – which is a little over half a dollar. Nothing too fancy but I liked the style of them. Then I caught the tro tro back to the house and cleaned up a little before going to get Adom.
I am really disappointed with where he is in school. Initially they tested him when we had been here less than a week and they put him in nursery with 4 YEAR OLDS. Mind you Adom was tested as reading on a 4th grade level in the U.S. and he was tested right at grade level in other subjects. He was tested about 4 months before we came here. Within a week they moved him up to KG and they haven’t moved him up yet. Most of his age- mates or either in class 1 or class 2. The principal said he wanted Adom to finish this term in KG and then he may get moved up. I am seriously considering changing schools if he doesn’t because I don’t want my child to be stifled. The only problem is location and if you know Accra you know that it can EASILY take 2 hours to get somewhere and more if it is on a Monday or Friday. Also if I change schools then I will have to deal with other fees associated with beginning at a new school including buying new uniforms. Also Adom has begun making new friends and he seems to be adjusting to the school…I don’t want him to have to adjust all over again. He no longer has a tutor…it just wasn’t working out…so I will work with him. I am harder on him than the tutor and I AM a teacher so why not save the money and work with him when I can?
Ok so I have shared some of the not so fortunate issues …still others I cannot divulge over the internet…but why settle on the bad?…I AM IN AFRIKKKKKA and I am breathin, livin, learnin, and growin
10/23
today Lela, Adom, and I went to Nima and Tudu in Accra with Sulley for the Saladay (sp?) celebration; this is the Muslim holiday that is like Christmas. When I woke up this morning I saw children singing on t.v. they were all dressed in pink and the young girls were covered from head to toe with only their faces showing. We also saw women singing that were dressed the same way. We met Sulley in Achimota and then we went to his house in Ablenkpe. His wife had prepared Tizzert. It was delicious. A banku type dish in which the doughy substance is made from ground rice and the soup is made from ground nut (p-nut), a leafy vegetable, tomato paste and this one had cow meat and fish in it. Adom didn’t like it so I didn’t make him eat it. I think the texture turned him off he said it tasted like guey chopped up chicken into little pieces ;-)
The Saladay celebration was interesting. Men were riding horses and it was like a parade, I was terrified that Adom would get hit by one. He was walking with Sulley and he actually almost did at one point in time and when I tried to run for him the horse almost got me and Lela. You know I was trippin!!!!! The horses were riding up and down the street fast and some were doing tricks. It cost 300,000 cedis to rent the horse for the day. I didn’t see any women on the horses. There were also trucks and cars with lots of people in them riding and playing music. There were high life songs and then some western songs also. It is so weird to hear western music hear and the children are doing some of the same dances that are done in the states. In some cases they give them different names and they execute the movement a little differently but still it’s the same.
It’s been good to have Lela here. She is helping me to release some and not be so uptight…not sure if that is the right word. My first year of grad – school she and I said that we would write a Fulbright together – which I don’t think can be done but it is so interesting that now we are here together…everything happens for a reason
posted by shani-in-ghana at 6:28 AM
2 Comments:
HELLO it is soooo good to hear from you. You guys crossed my mind recently and I wondered why I hadn't heard from you. I sent you, Cicely, and Pastor Sterling text messages about two weeks ago. Did you get them? To send an e-mail click on the little envelope next to the word comments and it will allow you to type a message to send directly to my e-mail. Not sure what happened before but I am glad that you are now reading. Yes I remember what you told the nurse and we still laugh about that to this day. I am so overprotective of Adom I just had to have a talk with someone and I think that we are now on the same page. I am keeping in mind the other option with Adom and I am glad that I have that option. I love you too and please keep reading and leaving comments/e-mails it really does my heart good.
angel
Hello there..
This is Ahmeda 4m Voices of the Voiceless.. I have taken a journey from your myspace page and ended up here.. You writings are vivid, your experiences REAL.. By sharing you inspire.. Hearing and connecting with your Voice, I am moved to continue to do what I do.. Thank you.
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