week 1: preservice training in Anyinasin, Ghana

I have just completed the end of my first two weeks in Ghana.  With no internet and a very particular phone that the peace corps sold me, or rather brought some vendor. We are required to own one so that they can contact us and visa versa.  Our first week was at a dormitory at Valley View University.  Where they tried to prepare us for homestay pre-service training.  We practice Ghanaian Twe, Visited with the US Ambassador and our Peace Corps Country Director; got to know each other (there are twenty five education volunteers in our group); and shopped in Accra.  While there we also learned how to take bucket baths and do our laundry.

Angel, me and Bob, Trainees near construction at Valley View University, Accra, Ghana

On Monday (6/10) they bussed us to our homestay families where I stay in a nice room with a family.  Each volunteer has his or her own family and we are one of their children while we are here.  The kids look out for us and the mama feeds us and makes sure we are cared for.  We greet everyone we meet on the way to our classes which are held either in a large Presbyterian church or a large Methodist church.  Each day is full with instruction and we have each presented two short lessons one to  other Peace Corps volunteers and one two an actual Ghanaian Junior high school class.  Next week we will begin Practicum teaching where for one week I will teach some regular 70 minute math classes while my partner teaches science.  Then for a week I will teach science.  All under the direction of working Ghanaian teachers and four working volunteers who have come in from their assignments to instruct us.

My homestay sister, Amma, in front of the house
where i will stay for the next few weeks of training

So far I have taken a bucket bath every night, but my sister has kindly offered to do my laundry (yea!)  Last night my homestay father, Atoko asked me if I liked warm or cold bucket baths.  I said cold was okay, but I would prefer it to be a little warmer, so he sent my sister (Amma) to put some hot water into my bucket.  Oh!  If I had only known!   It was wonderful.   I miss everyone a lot, especially since I have not had the chance to e-mail anyone.  But I am very busy with language and teaching practice and trying hard to do a good job for this part of my training. 

week: 0

Tonight I'm in Leonardtown, Maryland, enjoying a weekend with Matthew, his son Chris, and daughters: Addie and Frankie.  Michelle and Alexis went to the beach to celebrate Lexi's 16th birthday. A severe thunderstorm last night gave way to to a lovely day for a l-o-n-g baseball game and a graduation party for one of their friends.

The past week was full, beginning with a Memorial day with Dan's family.  It rained us out so we fried the chicken while Dan played with the National Guard Band in Tacoma.  Last minute packing and visits with friends packed the remainder of the week, but left me enough time to see a great preview performance of "As You Like It" in Seattle and see Dan lead 4 middle school choirs and 4 bands in a great performance.  Monday I check in for Staging and Tuesday night, 25 of us fly to Accra.  I will update this again when I get a combination of a little spare time and access to some kind of computer–which may take a while.

Goodbye to my late blooming dogwoods & rhodies;  Chris did get two good hit in this game, but not this one.

Matt, Addie and Frankie show off at the Leonardtown Ballfield--June 2, 2012

week: minus 1

Memorial Day–time to remember heros. Not all heros are soldiers.  Today I want to take time to remember one who cared for four little boys, ages one to six, while her husband spent a year in an unpopular war.  Neighbors, if they didn't simply ignore her, freely shared their opinions of politics of that time. Still she "soldiered on" starting the older ones in school and caring for the mishaps of the younger.  She lost her own war against cancer almost 5 years ago or else we might be making this trip together (if i could pry her away from her grandchildren.)  I envy those who can.

Tahoma National Cemetery, Washington

I finally got around to watching an animation blurb on importance the education of girls in poor areas.  Not to ignore the boys who also need attention to become capable fathers, I think this helped me sense the possible importance of those who serve in the Peace Corp at this time: http://www.girleffect.org/video

Lots of water in Snoqualmie Falls this spring-with Rayleigh, Erin, Isabel & Evan; James, Dan & Chantell in back.

Speaking of girls, I must mention James wife Stephanie–not in the picture, who packed up so efficiently that they were able to comfortably drive three children to their home in Denver, in a 7 year-old Prius! (baa–bye car).  And Chantell, Dan's wife, who has spent two days with me helping me organize clothes and papers that I will not pack with me next week.

Coal Creek Falls, hiking with Evan, Chantell, Isabel, Zoe & Dan

week: minus 2

We got a warning from our desk officer that we may not have internet or phone for a few days after we arrive in ghana.  All should "adopt the mentality that 'no gnus is good gnus.' ”  Do they even have gnus in ghana?  I'll let you know one way or another.  Another beautiful week in Washington!  I think the weather is trying to make me feel sorry that i'm leaving.  We took a two day trip to Canada and visited Manning BC Provincial Park which I drove through about 48 years ago.  It was beautiful, as always, but it was sad to see so many trees affected by bark beetles both in Canada and Eastern Washington on the way home along the Okanogan River and over Bluett Pass.

The Marquardson's at the ward threw a nice open house for me Saturday night and i showed some of the youtube vids of Peace Corps' teacher and volunteer housing.  These may give you and idea of what it may be like where i will ultimately be assigned:

Housing in Africa:
Someone asked about housing and kitchens.  Here you go!  A teacher’s house in Ghana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-NTa-db9EM

This is from Niger, but comparable to what your more rural PCV colleagues will live in (non-teachers): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgOQohnJzcc&feature=related

fun (and a little scary) stuff!

We took a sunset walk a ways into Manning Park toward the ski lifts

Then a long drive back to Bellevue the next day.  Gas in Omak was .20$ cheaper than Seattle–I wonder why?

week: minus 3

I got my orders!  Our staging event will begin June 4th in Washington DC; from there we will leave Reagan International for Accra on the night of June 5th. This is starting to look real.  On Wednesday the Doc took one last look at my blood pressure and counts and everything looked fine.  On Thursday Ken and I attended a farewell party at the University of Washington for all the Peace Corps volunteers who have been nominated or invited.  Quite a few former volunteers (RPCVs) attended.  I was the only invitee for Ghana, but there was one RPVC, Rhoda Karesartes (sp?), who taught high school science in the Volta region from 2009-2011. Quite a few former PCV's were released early and just back from Mali.  Some in this group had formerly been invited to Mali, but were transferred to other countries because of the recent political instability there.  I also spend some quality grandchild time this week, a Friday night pizza and movie night with 19 year-old Breauna and a Saturday morning baseball game with 8 year-old Evan. Evan got 4 hits! and two runs!  Busy Week.  Happy Mother's day all you moms!

Me, with Doug Angell (another math teacher invitee who was transferred from Mali to Tanzania),  and Rhoda (a returned PCV from Ghana–2011). We are enjoying a pot luck recognition event at the University of Washington.

This was a perfect week for riding, sunny and cool every day (i'm gonna miss this place),
Mighty Evan is at bat and he got a hit on the first pitch.
Then we played bingo and hiked along the Yakima River on a beautiful day in Ellensburg, Washington.

week: minus 4

Bummer! the corps made me change my password and i didn't write it down.  Now i must beg them for a temp.  Getting home to Seattle was mixed.  I enjoyed my short trip to Germany and Utah, but all the things i needed to do to get ready for this new "job" crowded my mind at 2 am and often made it difficult to get back to sleep.  In Salt Lake City, Kwadwo, a Ghanian who lived two blocks from my sister's house, fixed fufu and goat stew for me. Interesting, I think I can get used to it–I have to get used to it.  He also helped me with my Twi pronunciation and showed me some Fante words.  I was so lucky to meet up with him.

But, now I am home and can do all the things that kept me awake at night in Germany, but i'm so slow at checking off the list.  Mike (PC Director-Ghana) Koffman's letters reminded me of all the forms i still need to fill out before Staging.  Good News!  Rumor has it that we will Stage in DC.  That will give me a few days to see Matt's family before we meet.  (yea!) I only fit in two bike rides this week because of all day rain (whata wimp) but they were nice.  Ken and I rode the Cedar River Trail out to Highway 18–about 30 miles round trip–cool dry day, nice and flat.  Today is Cinco-de-Mayo and it's time to get back to work on my "list".  30 days to go.

Left to right: Ensign Peak Utah, Kwawdo's kids (Levi, Ama & Caleb), and my Pink Dogwood (I will miss the dogwood's in Washington each spring)

Week: minus 5

I returned to my sister, Jeanne's home in Salt Lake City on Friday after a memorable but short stay with Mike, Cami and Cosette in Germany. I spent time walking around Weil der Stadt, visiting Cosette's school for her fencing lessons and to see a student-written play performed by her 4th grade class.  Cosette was outstanding as the wicked general who overthrew the king and sent the prince away on a suicide mission to slay a fire-breathing dragon.  Mike and I toured Ritter Chocolate factory on the way to buy a new foil for Cosette's fencing tournament.  Cami and I munched croissants and travelled to school, soccer practice and other fun things while everyone else was hard at work (right!?) While there, I studied Twi, some cultural conditioning instructions and read some the interesting blogs of serving volunteers and my soon-to-be staged comrades.  On the flight from Paris to Salt Lake City, I sat by a charming woman who had herself served in the Peace Corps in Morocco before she was married.  She was very encouraging.  How lucky was that?

Ritter Chocolate factory, gets cocoa from all over the world, including a significant amount from Ghana, noted for its "very rich flavor".  Yum!