Sunday Service break through

The last post I briefly talked about doing what you love in life. The feeling you get when you are doing something involving that emotion (love) is immeasurable. I absolutely loved my trip here; in fact today I thanked God for it. Now don’t get me wrong I have thanked him for this trip on numerous occasions but this time was different. I said “Lord, I thank you for losing my job”. LOL, I was in church. We were in prayer and I raised my head, opened my eyes, and smiled. Here I am in the middle of what I thought was my life’s biggest catastrophe and yet love is what I felt. I was never happy about losing my job or anything else that had been taken from me at that time. Quitting is all good, but who wants to loose their job?! So I found it delightfully funny that I made that particular prayer. Despite the oddness, it felt right to say and the words were truly from the heart so I knew then I was ready to move on. I think that is what this whole process has been about. Sure, I liked what I was doing, but this journey was preparing me to move on to a career and lifestyle that I “love … because ‘liking’ is not and never will be enough.” Is it okay to quote myself? lol

These are some of my favorite things

This was my first night back in the States. I stayed the night in New York because I missed my connecting flight. Our plane from Ghana to New York was delayed 3hrs! Not because of Volcano ash in Europe, not twisters in the midwest, not oil spills in the Gulf, but because the pilots did not know how to fly from Ghana to New York! True story! They had no flight plans and were trying to figure out which countries they could and could not fly over. It was a very questionable experience for a well known carrier. It was Delta after all and they fly here all the time, how does that happen?! Anyway, I was very happy to be back and I still have to write a post on the thoughts I had while in route. Very unique for lack of a better word, but give me a few days and I will share.

BTW I had no idea I was cutting off half my face, sorry lol

This will probably be my last post while actually in Ghana. Where did the time go? Seems like it just came and went. Tomorrow I go to church with the school head (Nana Simmons) and a few students. Afterwards they are going to host a good bye party for me. I am sad and happy and regretful and enthusiastic all at the same time. I have had a wonderful experience here. You just don’t realize how precious and short our time here in this world is. I am still working on my “in conclusion” speech :) but today I will leave you with this… God placed us here to live not exist, to experience not observe, and most of all... love, because ‘liking’ is not and never will be enough.

For those interested I will continue the blog for sometime after I get back home. Like I said, I have plenty of pictures, videos, and stories if you would care to listen, watch, and learn. And please post questions of things you want to know or issues you were curious about. I may have answers.

I am not my hair

Taken today at the WEB DuBois center

Maan! I got followers and comments! I know I am no professional blogger by any means but, I am definitely feeling myself right now :). So I want to talk a bit about my hair. I have been letting it grow. It was not my idea originally but after a friend recommended it I fell in love with the idea on the spot. I have always wanted to let my hair grow but, what is considered acceptable for people of color is that even steven or some rendition of a fade….boring! I tried in elementary school, I tried in high school, I tried in college. No matter the period of life I have attempted to alter the appearance of my hair I have been met with a negative consequence. Why can’t twist and braids and afros and locks be acceptable looks? Yeah, I know the answer to that, I am just venting. Anyway that is the 1^st reason I decided to let it grow, no consequences here. The 2^nd reason was I did not want to bring extra attention to myself while here. Because I am a Black American it is assumed that one of my parent’s is White, and of course “white means right”. I asked my students how ridiculous is that when I am darker than half of them? Well maybe more like a third, these are some “colored” mofos lol (Another story for another day). But yeah, they think you have money because you are a foreigner and I did not want to run the risk of being robbed so I chose to look like a bum (which has worked out flawlessly until I open my mouth). Concerned with my bummy look, today I was asked “Chris what is with your hair?” They have barbershops on every corner here and I look rough even by their standards (which are actually about the same as ours). So first I questioned to myself why she asked since she does not know me well enough to know how I usually carry myself, and then I simply replied “I am getting twist”. Well she said my hair was not long enough and I should get a perm to straighten it first. What?!?! So to naturally style my hair you want me to put chemicals in it! Let me think….NO. I was totally against it and before someone tries to put me on blast I will come on out and say it. I had an S-curl in high school LMAO, yeah it was 2001 but I kept it tight though lol! Anyway my hair has been coming up a lot these days so I thought I would share a few thoughts on where I am going with it. Long story short, I figured I would see some different hair styles while here, and I had hoped to get my hair long enough to try one.

My 1^st “This one time in Ghana” Story

This one time in Ghana I was with Hayford (Ghanaian organizer) and Megan (Canadian volunteer). Hayford had taken us to see this older lady who had taken a small business loan, I believe. Hayford and I got out the car first and they lady spoke in Twi. I did not reply because I did not understand. However, I did notice she gave me a look (kind of like eye rolling). So to ease her mood I said Menim (I don’t understand) then I said I speak English, but it was too late, she was already insulted. By this time Megan was getting out the car after me and the focus turned quickly to her, but not before I heard the lady angrily say “What Ghanaian can’t speak Twi?!” under her tongue. She was definitely offended but when she saw Megan her mood brighten as she went “American, American”. Megan corrected her with the quickness “Ca-na-di-an”! Who know Canadians hated being called American, lol? They are part of the continent after all. So anyway Hayford pointed towards me and said “He is American”. LMAO they just looked. My gosh! they were sooooooooo puzzled. “No, No, Noooo, No… he is not American!” And we laughed as the argument continued for a good minute. They assumed from my hair that I was just some poor local Hayford was helping out. Then they called me white boy (obruni) after they heard my American accent. AWWW! I WAS SO HURT. Ain’t that bout some stuff, first I am not African enough and then I am not Black enough!!! Sit back and think on that one. They pulled my Black card on a whole new level. Yeah my feelings were slightly hurt but it was all good.

Keep it real though, if I loose my passport between now and next week I am not getting out of this country! They will take one look at me in the American Embassy and be like “Naw, he isn’t one of ours”. Of course, that is assuming I even make it inside. The embassy guards would probably be like “Boy, get out of here wasting these nice white folks time…crazy street rat” lol.

BTW I hate the bum stage when you are letting your hair grow, too short to style and too long to brush. How long does it have to be for twist? I have at least an inch and I thought that was long enough :(

Thanks for listening friends

Living in a box

I was working on a blog post a while ago that I could not post. I was thinking about those horror stories about people being trapped and forced to grow up in side of a basement or dungeon. Being trapped in a house for decades at a time?! One of the more recent stories was an Austrian woman who was thought to be dead. Her kids had never seen the world outside of that prison! Can you imagine? My most memorable childhood experiences were the many camping trips my Dad took me on. What’s yours? Swimming in the ocean, catching your 1st foul baseball (Go Braves!), or maybe that sleep over when no one actually slept? Most of everyone’s major experiences have taken place outside of their home. Well, let us take the concept a little further. What if those four walls were your city, state? I initially hated it, but moving to Texas was a huge blessing in disguise. I was totally ignorant to that portion of the country. I thought I would see cowboys and Indians with their long rifles and bow n arrows. I was shocked when I saw skyscrapers and automobiles. I was looking for the OK corral and horse drawn carriages. Are you starting to see my point? When you live in a box you miss out on experience and you tend to lack a certain understand about life/ lifestyles. The person who has never stepped foot outdoors can’t understand that the sky is the limit because the ceiling is in the way. Realizing America was my box I am glad for this off chance to make it out. Circumstances can dictate our opportunities (which is the reason I am trying my best to share my experience), but if you have the chance see the world take it! You will be surprised at what it has to offer you.

Nouns and verbs

So my countdown to return has started. I only have one more weekend (9 days left to be exact). My time here has made me better appreciate the quality of life we live in the States. I don’t really know what to write about or what I would like to share. There were a lot of things that just make you go ‘hmm?’ but not much that you could sum up in a blog. These were experiences and personal accounts that you have to sleep on. I think I may have found what I was looking for; or maybe I just found that everything I needed was there all along. It’s hard to say. In fact a lot of things are hard to say right now. Lately I have written 2 or 3 unposted blog entry because I can’t find the words. I think some of the things I have been feeling are so overwhelming that it is just going to take time for me to understand and eventually explain. And then of course I have so many “this one time in Ghana” stories to tell. I have not made as many entries as I had planned and the majority of my trip is still untold, but I hope the few posts that I did make meant something to someone. I really wish I could have done a real world style video diary. I should have and posted it later. There is still time, maybe I will for the next couple of days.

Change is good

How do I go on being the same person? I am forever changed. The drastic difference between what I have known and what I have now witnessed I can not begin to explain or predict how it will/has affected me. Nothing will look the same when I get back. Everything has a new meaning, a new perspective, a new feeling. What I am trying to say, I guess, is that I am uncertain of this next life chapter. This is the part of the story where there may be a huge plot twist and you know me, I like to prepare for the unexpected no matter how futile it may be. I do thank you all for the encouraging words on and off the blog. It has been a difficult path to walk the last few months and I have managed to continue smiling through it all. I have you all to thank for that. God’s grace is never that far away with friends and family like mine.

I don't know what it was but I ate it

These pictures are in no particular order but I hope the story still gets through




This was a familiar dish, Chicken and fries. I was so happy to eat this. We were at a beach side club so I had to get up and do my happy dance


Banku (huge rice ball) , some soup that I believe is call ground nut soup (peanut) and mystery meat.

You can't really this picture well but I made toast and eggs with pineapple jam. Best thing since sliced bread. You don't really appreciate that saying until you have to slice your own bread! Its really hard to do without a genju knife. My slices come out smushed every time



FINALLY! PIZZA! I went to the mall and found a couple of westernized places. I sat I ate I drank I people watched and all the normal things I do. I ate that whole pizza by myself.


We are not the only ones who love Obama. These were crackers the kids were eating. "Yes we can" throw these in the trash. They were not good at all


I think I regret eating this. This was one of the dish I had on the day I got sick. They force you to eat their food and its imposing but after a while you give in. This particular day I ate everything they gave me and lets just say it I skipped teaching the next day


This was my very first Ghanaian meal. It was chicken fried rice, cabbage and pepper sauce (the black stuff). They put pepper sauce on everything, its there ketchup (hot sauce). Honestly it was pretty good. The chicken tasted like they had just killed it...After a few days of seeing chickens running around i realized that was actually close to the truth.


Birthday Cake! And Birthday Dinner! This was my last meal and Tjones hooked it up!


I could go for some of this right now!



I figured I was in Dallas why not have a whatachicken, some whatafries, and a whatatea!


I had never seen a rooster before...Please no cock jokes lol


This was steak and rice at the crocodile pond. The restaurant was really nice. It was an outdoor spot nestled in the middle of the pond, with a great view. Just don't fall over the balcony because crocs were feeding below us


They have spaghetti in Ghana?!! It was cool, it was just that huge bone sticking out of the bowl that made it unfamiliar.


Cream crackers. The first couple bites were good but after a while the taste began to turn. Give me my ritz.

Waakye (raachi), Yeah that does look pretty questionable but I said my grace 2-3 times to make sure it got through to God and I went to work. Its bean and rice mixed with some other stuff like the pepper sauce and there is an egg on the side.



Hard candy. Chocolate cover caramel. Soap box moment: I don't want to get too deep but when I think chocolate I think Swiss. Did you know Ghana is the #1 exporter of cocoa? I mean really, what tropical cocoa tree was I thinking would grow in the snow covered Alps?! Never clicked. However, the cocoa is not accessible to the locals. It really made me think about our global economy and some of it's disadvantages. You read about things like this but its total different and insulting to actually see it. People work to grow food that they will never taste...and beg you to bring some back on your next visit. You would think they sale chocolate on every corner yet the only place you find it is in the high end grocery stores and that isle only consist of maybe four (4ft length) shelves. We have more chocolate in the checkout lane.


Papaye is the pepepe (equal) to popeyes. They wear yellow and red smocks like McDonalds. The burger was okay but I was hungry so at the time it was delicious!!!


Sacrificed Cow with rice. Everything with rice, so tired of rice. Rice is their corn.


Tiger nut milk. I refused to drink something made out of tiger nuts so Princess decided to play with the plastic sack it was held in. You know how we use to have those plastic milk pouches. Their water is distributed like that and a few other drinks like this one. BTW Tiger nut is a real nut. You chew it for the juice and spit it out the rest...again no jokes ;)


Cow intestines, I thought this was a great action photo so its included


Ever seen a cow butchered? me neither. Look close, these guys were walking around bare foot and there was blood...lots of it.


First meal at Papaye's was garlic chicken. We need this in the US, Garlic chicken was pretty good



Another one bites the dust. I am pretty sure I ate him not too many days after this photo was taken. Of course I was too naive when I first got there to realize that all the meat was coming from the animals out side the gates. The have goats and chickens running around freely like cats and dogs.

I will bring my gun to school tomorrow and shoot you

Education, what does it really mean? Is a bad formal education worst than none at all? Imagine everything you were taught was wrong. What if history books outside the U.S. reflect Christopher Columbus as a lost two bit ship captain who thought he had docked in India thus giving rise to the term Indians for Native Americans. Or maybe you attend a quiz bowl that questioned what European settlers pretend to be upon arriving on any foreign land. Traders would be the correct answer, lol! Of course both these examples are things most of us already know but it is hilarious for me to read it in a history book or witness someone insult Christopher Columbus. We have songs and a holiday just for him! Just for all his glory! When I am standing over that turkey feast with my head bowed every November I thank God for Christopher Columbus sailing the ocean blue lol.

What I am getting at is what they learn, the way they learn it, how they study and the method they teach here is different from that of the states. I like to sit in on classes when I am done teaching. The classes are small and you learn as one (as a group) instead of as an individual. It reminds me of my Morehouse days, you know, the whole “I got my brothers back” idea. They talk, debate, and consult with each other and decide the best answer amongst themselves before giving the correct answer. They share work, they look on each others paper as if it is there own. Now you may read this and jump to the conclusion that there is no learning going on but this is a class with no individualized pressure to out perform your peers. We stress over others laughing, being labeled (dumb… or nerd), tests, having the wrong answer. They don’t have those problems. Its almost like a group study session being lead by someone who has taken the class already. I don’t teach, I explain and discuss. There is room for jokes and opinions in the discussion, every one is involved, and most importantly it works. Very well I might add. Their worst schools have hand made desk, chalk boards, no a/c, and 1 heavily used book for every 2.5 student. Yet they could compete with our best even with all the internet computer labs, libraries, smart boards, and all the other learning tools we have like paper! I sit in on these classes and watch these kids spit facts without books in front of them to look at. Reminds me of the potential that each of us carry around with us.

I do see one common factor though. One of my classes is mixed, boys and girls. I find that both sex are easily distracted with the additional presence of opposite sex. Smh, Young thunder cats and their hormones! Some things never change, lol. I have a player or two in my class and the word for player is opinpay which also has something to do with goats lol. *Wow! This kid just said girls are a b---h! They have no understanding of curse words! Before I go deeper let me explain. They are discussion troubling situations and in his answer of such a debacle he gave an example involving women but instead of using the vocabulary word obstacle (or even trouble) he used B---h as a synonym. So to be absolutely clear his context for the word was not to degrade but simply to say girls ain’t nothing but trouble (Will Smith song). The funny part about it was nobody reacted but the teacher and me. The words fail on ears that were death to the alternate meaning. The teacher corrected him and warned him about using words they hear in AMERICAN rap music.* Sorry I just had to share that tidbit

Before that happened I was about to talk about puppy love, but I rather move on now to something else. Some of the students have become frustrated with my lack of language arts. I am really trying to learn the basics in Twi but it is very hard and confusing. Twi is the most common language used here and it’s a b---h  (obstacle) lol. They speak it so fast and the words they form are unnatural to an English tongue. Plus I learn by word association and I have nothing to relate the words or phonetic sounds to. By the way, we joke and south park jokes about Africans clicking there teeth to speak. Well they do click but it is not any different from when we suck our teeth to show disappointment. I have not heard it much but when I hear it, its usually to express that you are thinking of something, the English equivalent would be “ummm’. So let’s have a role reversal. If they were to make fun of us they would suck there teeth and repeat “ummm” and “like” over and over again. LOL “ummmm, like ummm, ummm, like ummm”. I don’t know about you but that’s hella funny to me! I mean I am seriously  cracking up over here.

I am reviewing this post and there is a lot of randomness to it. I apologize for that, but there is a lot I would like to say but I can’t type the thoughts out completely before I get impatient and tell you about what else I learned! Its so many little things you learn here that create the bigger, over all experience.

Oh, I almost forgot! The title of this entry comes from one of my students today when I asked him about personal protection. He said “Yes, I have a gun. I will bring it to school tomorrow and show it to you.” I thought he said “shoot you” i.e. perfect title for an entry about the nuances of learning and communication….I am thinking you would like to know about why we were talking about guns? That deserves a post of its own.

And internet has been crappy so sorry, no pictures...i am doing good to stay online long enough to post

Lazy Sunday

I am chilling today. I had a great weekend and more pictures and videos piling up until I get back home. I made a few changes to the blog. Nothing major but I did make it easier for anyone to make comments, hopefully no spam comments will show up. So yesterday I went to the rainforest (the jungle!). And let me tell you it was every bit wild and untamed as you could imagine from any movie. The scenery took me back to the 1^st predator movie and forest gump lol. You know when he is running through the jungle trying to find bubba and they are bombing and napalming behind him! Yeah it was just like that minus the fire. I saw the biggest mosquito and it was just floating in the air like a dragonfly as if it was choosing between us for its next meal. 

 

BTW they make malaria seem like it is everywhere or at least everywhere there are mosquitos/ standing water. Coming from the states dealing with mosquito bites are a way of life. Well surprise! There are very few if any mosquitos here (Unless you are in the jungle lol). The misconception comes in to play because we assume they have just as many or more mosquitos as us but they don’t. Now I am not saying don’t take any safety precautions, I am just saying it’s not as big as a concern as I thought it would be. I mean, I never considered how many people live here and they don’t have it nor do they use Off. I have to record riding in traffic here, you would not believe how people drive and what they are driving (no American cars) and what they are driving on. I sat in traffic yesterday for an hour and only moved a quarter mile….Okay crap, I went off on a heck of a tangent. 

We were talking about the rainforest, not flies or traffic. So I was at Cape Coast, where they have slave ports, castles, and national rainforest parks. I saw everything but the ports and castles. And it was brought to my attention that I missed the biggest reason to go to Cape Coast. They also explained 1^st Lady Michelle brought her 2 youngins to see the port which is believed to be the same one her ancestors went through. So yeah I get it, really big deal. However on the journey back to Accra (4-5 hrs) I did not feel bad about missing the ports and castles. I mean after all if my ancestors had the choice they would have missed it too lol. Slave history is peculiar because different people find value and honor in different portions of it. I celebrate juneteenth but my Mom hates it. However she would have likely loved to have seen the castles and ports. To me the freedom (end) has more value than the indoctrination (start). True, you gotta know your history but at the end of the day…whoop dee do a slave castle. Give me some gasoline so I can go back and burn that motha down. What you want me to go visit a plantation next?!?! LOL, I think I touched my own nerve. 

Anyway back AGAIN to the rain forest…better yet how about I just post pics and video bc words can describe it anyway.

I was debating on naming this post Atliens because this picture looks just like the video and the mini comic inside the album cover (remember to right click and view picture to see it all)

 

Hard to tell but that red speck is Angela, my  travel buddy for the weekend (remember to right click and view picture to see it all)

 

Hanging out in the tree tops. Please note there is NO safety net below...just lions tigers and bear sized rats!

I got that shirt in 2001, Morehouse NSO, so this trip has been 9yrs in the making! I finally made it home to my tribe and it feels nice :) *exhale* I was a freshman 9 yrs ago and now I am here...I am really here, can you believe that?!

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE *Guns & Roses voice*

Hope you liked these pics bc it took a solid 2-3hrs to upload them! Good night all

African Heel Toe: I so got it!

I forgot I had this video, it was short enough to post. This was during a ritual last week

Searching for stars

It is night time again; it is very peaceful and serene here at night. I have never seen the stars like I can see them here. They actually twinkle and glimmer in the sky. There is even a difference in color you can notice between them. Looking up I find myself pondering about what I will do when I get back to the U.S. As much as I try to stay focused on my experience here, I can not help it. And the truth is that I don’t really know what to do. You ever felt like you had the potential to do anything and yet have the desire/motivation to do nothing? I feel I have been given the grand opportunity to do whatever I want but what is that? I could work and make money? Yeah that is what I need to do but it is not what I want. I can not find my drive any more. There was always a dream or a goal to follow but on this cloudy time in my life there are no stars. So as I look up at this sky overwhelmed with stars I can not help but to feel the sorrow stemming from the knowledge that there still may not be a single star in my sky back home. I hope I am not bringing anyone down; it is just how I feel. I came to Ghana hoping that at the end of my trip I will see the bigger picture. Thus far the picture has been growing. I just pray for the patience to see it all the way through.

I teach you , you teach me

I am almost to the point where all the students are comfortable with me. So soon I will began to take pictures and videos of them. I taught electrical energy yesterday (my favorite subject of course). The classes tend to go on as long as you want them or until you decide you are finish. I started at 9 and stopped at almost 1pm! Can you believe they paid attention the whole time. They have more on the line than American children so they are more motivated to learn, plus being smart is not frowned upon here. Did you know the country wide high school graduation test in Ghana consist of 10 essays! LOL, thats ridiculous! And get this, it was just reduced from 12 last year. They have to write in 4 different languages (language art section) and they have to write an essay over math, social studies, science and whatever other courses they are taking. They set the standards so high so that only the best of the best of the best can get into college...why? There are only 6 colleges in the country and they can only hold so many students. It is extremely rare that you get the opportunity to study abroad. I am still learning about there education system.

We had a great discussion after my marathon length lecture, btw I tried to give them a DSP (digital signal processing) crash course. It did not go as well as it should have. Anyway back to the great discussion. We talked about culture and history and food. Oh my gosh! The food conversation was sooooo funny! They told me they ate snails and worms, I d--- near threw up. I told them we ate sushi (raw fish) they d--- near threw up! LMAO, you should have seen their faces. One of them even scream cannibal lol. Which was ironically funny on so many levels. So they went on to describe other foods that they eat and they eat mostly everything that has meat. I explain to them that our industrialized farming makes it so we only eat a few select animals (chicken, cow, pig, fish). Then a guinea fowl (I will have to take a picture of one) walked by, I pointed and said I would eat that. In fact I am open to eating anything considered a bird. I will eat an ostrich, parrot, cockatoo, flamingo, penguin, eagle, peacock, hawk, pelican. I think you get the picture lol. If that joint got wings i will fry it up in a heart beat and wont think twice about it. They have lizards like we have squirrels, they come and go as they please. I explain to them a squirrels is like a rat with a bushy tail. Well of course they have a giant rat here called a grass cutter and they eat it (really common food to eat). So they tell me squirrels would not exist! In other words they would be an endangered species in Africa! They have what you call a cassava yam leaf that they eat with rice (the leaves) and its tastes like a spicy spinach. Its is actually good and I don't like spinach at all. So I told them the absolute best leafy vegetable was the collard green! I love me some collards, I got excited tell them about those. Anyway they shot me down with a joke telling me they (greens) probably taste like grass cutter seasoning. What is grass cutter seasoning you ask? Well in remote parts of the country they use the droppings of grass cutter as seasoning...yeah gross lol.

I have not posted pictures or videos lately so i will do so tonight, just wanted to share that while it was fresh on my mind

I'm A Little Mosquito: Unknown Ghanaian

I'm a little mosquito, brown or black.
I have a round head and two wings on my back.
I have two big eyes, I can see very well.
With my two antennae, I feel and smell.
I'm a little mosquito, brown or black.
Look out for me now. I 'm on your back.
I'm a hungry mosquito, green or tan.
I hatched from an egg. I live in a can.
I am very hungry. I want something to eat.
Look! My meal walks down the street!
I'm a little mosquito, green or tan.
Yesterday you saw me coming and you ran.

Unknown



This was a Ghanaian poem I saw posted on one of the class room walls. I liked the poem and so I took a picture of it so that I could share it later on. I did not get much sleep yesterday so I am going to call it a night sorry I have no amazing story to share tonight. I did teach today but i will bring you up to speed on my day tomorrow. But before I say goodnight I wanted to let you know I am going to Cape coast this weekend so the exciting weekend adventures will continue on. I was home sick this morning so somebody pick up the phone and tell my Momma I love her...No one will answer when I call :( Medici (thanks)

Easter Monday

They just be dancing! I mean break out 'getdown' sessions all day!







You can see what I see





Super wide panoramic view

raakye

You have not partied until you party Ghana style. Man I swear these Ghanaians manage to fit a drum in there back pocket where ever they go! Today I celebrated Easter Monday! Easter Sunday Jesus arose from the dead. Monday he went back to heaven and that's what we were celebrating. The service (Presbyterian) started with song. There was a huge tent that everyone gathered under. It half circled around the outdoor pulpit. Before the choir could shout out the 1st hallelujah they were already out of there seats dancing. I was there with Nana Simons (the school head), Charles and Nathan (students). The drums got me amped for a minute but I did not go out there and dance with the people because I am shy ;) After that came the message and it was all in twi except for a few “Jessssssus!” Shouts. We left the main area to eat and I had raakye. BTW I am patting myself on the back right now for not only knowing the word but spelling it correctly!!!! I rock, but anyway raakye is a spicy rice and bean mix with a boiled egg on the side.


After lounging in the shade watching these kids play soccer…excuse me, football I decided to go back to the service. It was offering time, let the church say amen! Funny how their offering line looked like a soul train line while ours looks gloomy and morbid. I mean they were doing the kappa stroll and what I call the “get it” dance (just poke your booty out and get it! Lol, u know). I say its funny because their level of poor is so far beneath ours that most of us can not comprehend it until we see it, but yet their offering line was off the chain. Just makes you go hmmm. What exactly are we pouting about? And what exactly are we missing in life that money can’t fix? (Not to go off on a tangent but whatever it is, I think that is what I came here looking for, that special joy in life) So after that I went back to the Kise & Amasaman area which is the town name of the church branch I was with (The meeting today was like a convocation). I chilled for another minute and watched these girls play a jumping footsy game I had never seen (I have video). After that guess what’s next??? That’s right, Monday night football (soccer)! The different communities played each other tournament style. It was pretty fun to watch although I didn’t… the heat was starting to take a toll.


By now it is about 4pm (11am StL/DFW) and I am beat! But oh no, the party for Jesus is not over yet. I hear the dagum drums again and I already know what time it is. But this time was different, I had my 2nd wind and those drums finally got to me… I had to let it out so I gave my best African dance moves which looked more so like the pool palace. Yeah I tried to do my thang but no one I knew would join in so I felt out of place. However, by the time I leave Ghana I am sure you guys will see me in a few video dancing and will not be able to tell which person I am.


So this day of getting back to my roots did not end there either. Imagine the crunkest party bus you have ever been on, change the music from “Blame it on the alcohol” to “Blame it on the lamb of God”, now throw in a random dude with a drum and that is the church bus ride home! It was crazy! Absolute mad house! They’re hanging out the window, standing on chairs, dancing in the isles as if they were not in their 40’s and 50’s lol. Oh and the story still does not end. We got off the bus and started a random parade saaaaaaan?!?! (Really?!?!). Today was so fun, I have had the most amazing time and its only been 7 days!

Killer Kitty (Part 2)

Same thing, low volume but the good news is I learned how to post videos. I have to wait late at night when internet traffic dies down and let them upload while I am sleep so more to come.

Let the church say amen (part 1)

Turn your volume all the way bc I don't think I was talking loud enough and I am trying a new brisk, rough neck, unkempt look so whatever to any jokes you want to crack lol

MTV Cribs: Ghana

*I just preview this post, u have to click the pics to get the full photo*

First let me start off by saying my camera is the bees knees! Panoramic view! That's hot right? and the coolest part is your camera can't do it :)


Anyway the picture about is part of the multi unit house/ compound I stay in... along with about 7 other people. My building is to the right, its a kitchen 3bd/1bth that I share with a Canadian woman named Megan.




Another picture of the same main building except with the gate and the infamous spider parked out front. This car is worst than mine! LOL, Sorry Hayford







Try to connect the dots because these pictures are not in order. My building is now on the left. The courtyard you see has a berry tree of some sort, a papaya tree, and the last one is avocado I believe. There is a coconut tree and a few others around the property. I don't care for avocados (which is called a pear everywhere but the U.S. , I found out the hard way) but it was decent. Sorry for the laundry airing out in the picture. Oh, btw, would you believe I have a maid?! Yeah I know, sucks to live in Africa lol!!! Anyway for all you guys worried that i was going to be living in a tipee or hut and using the bathroom out side just know that my biggest problem every day is trying to figure out what exactly did she cook me, lol. I had rice and something that tasted like spicy spinach. It was actually really good but it looked horrible! I have been taking pictures of all my meals so I will have to do a special post on that...internet! How I missed you!

Cause I'm Black yall, I'm black y'all, I'm bl- bl- black black yall!

Hayford Siaw, founder and local entrepreneur. I searched the internet for years look for the right opportunity to volunteer and experience an African country. At the age of 23ish this guy may have very well started the 1st and only African based volunteering nonprofit org. He is a product of Ghana and because of that he can provide you with opportunities that foreign non profit could only dream of. vpwa.org if you are interested in an experience of a life time
Portia (Ghanaian) and Megan (Canadian). I am the guy in the middle, lol. Yes that's me, darker than most Africans care to be!
Just chillin, working on my tan
Independence Square this is where Ghana 1st announced it's independence from colonial rule in 1957. Can you believe they were the first African country to do this??? I knew they were the 1st but 1957? Really?!?! But I won't get into that...kind of makes me mad.

They say never put your money in your back pocket and never go out alone and never leave your things out. Man these pick pocketers and beggars ain't worried about me. They take one look and assume i am one of them and proceed to ask the Canadian chick (obroni) for money. They refuse to believe I am American, they continue to speak Twi to me like its nothing. I hope I don't loose my passport because I won't make it home if i do, lol. U.S. government would send me right back like "Naw he ain't one of ours"

It feels good to finally have internet, its slower than I thought so pics take a while and videos may have to wait until I get home. Lets hope not because I witnessed an African religious ritual that most AFRICANS have never even seen but on tv. I can not tell yyou what happens! You have to see it! Son...Son, it's crazy son! I am going to try and post it tonight but long story short i stay with an African high priest (how cool is that?!) and as most people know, Christian holidays are usually at the same time as non-Christian holidays.

Tomorrow I will work on finding an easier way to post pictures because blog style is not it

Random accounts from my phone

Since I had no internet I kept a journal on my phone with the expectation of emailing it to the blog later…internet requires 3g which is not here. Therefore I have to retype it in so these next two entries are from my phone.

Getting on the plane (3/29):

I was absolutely terrified after I got on the plane. I had realized that I was by myself. All these people around me, black people, and not one word of English. D--- I messed up. This was a really bad idea! What the h--- did I just get myself into? Just a few of the thoughts running through my head. What if when I get there I am caught up in an African money scheme of sort and there is no org? As I sat in seat 28b I closed my eyes and said the Lords prayer and afterwards a calmness fell over me and I was straight. This rather loud gentleman tapped my shoulder and pointed saying “Be careful with bins”. I told him I haven’t a clue what he said. He repeated it in English. I said thanks as I was again reminded of my new minority status. There were Europeans, there were Africans, and then there was this southern born black American who had not a clue about anything outside the U.S. Some may consider it fearless and brave to travel to any place in Africa. But I thought little of the horror stories of worried individuals. But you know what fear kept me awake the whole flight? Public restrooms! LOL, they always have and after 7.5hrs w/ 1.5hrs left I have yet to get up and pee. I just find it funny that I am about to pee on myself not bc I am in a plane traveling over shark infested water guaranteed to drown me while on the way to a far away land that only God know what will be waiting on me, but bc I refuse to use the restroom…weird.

Car broke down (3/31):

Hayford, the founder of vpwa, car broke down. I am reflecting while standing on the side of the road with the sun at its brightest. I have learned quite a bit since I have been here. Lots of differences in culture and words. Pear is not a pear but an avocado is a pear. Men holding hands is far from gay (think of it as a really long hand shake lol). Speaking of which you snap after a handshake to youth and you shake gently with both hands to elders. You NEVER make exchanges with your left hand, its disrespectful although snapping, whistling, and hissing at ppl to get there attention is not. I have not tried that much food yet. I had bread and a pear (avocado) this morning and I had fried rice, cabbage, and chicken for dinner last night. My 1^st nights rest was cool after I sprayed for bugs. It is incredibly hot here and there is no ac plus the power went out over night…sweltering heat but I slept well regardless. The house is nice it was off a dirt road and when we turned from pavement to dirt I panicked bc there was nothing but shack like houses on the dirt street. BTW streets have no names here, which is very hard concept for me to understand. They use landmarks to describe where they are and to give locations… seems really tough.

Vodafone (cell) and Zain (internet)

If I could do this all over again I would get an unlocked phone in the states and one of those internet anywhere modems. Everything is spotty here and its frustrating because of it. I had to borrow a phone that is worst than the 1st phone I ever had (2 line black and white text display) its complete garbage. I plan to go out this wknd and find a better phone which may be the reason no one can call me outside of Ghana btw try 0203775014. My Mom asked me for my address, surprising thing about Ghana...THERE ARE NO STREET NAMES! It is beyond me how people find each other and give directions but if you need mail you use a PO number. Sorry Mom but soon I hope to have internet strong enough to upload videos so you can see where I am.