Week One

It is about 5 o'clock on my first full day in Tamale and I am in an 'internet cafe'. This same room has just served as a classroom for young girls who are going to school on sponsors from people in other parts of the world. I taught them the very basics of WordPad, and will be their computer teacher for one or two days a week for the next three months. They are shy, and very sweet:-)

Today I was taken around Tamale by Frances. For a very brief synopsis....We went to the bank...which was somewhat of an ordeal, a big open square where many people were rehearsing for the independence day parade next weekend(should be fun:-), the market where food and things are sold, the clinic i'll be working at, and the culture center, which was a like a craft market - such beautiful things! It is all so amazing, but also overwhelming.

I don't have much time, and the internet here is very slow, so it is hard to decide what to write about...I'd like to share my favorite things so far

First off would have to be the laid back, no worries way of life here. In my 'predeparture packet' from volunteering solutions it said this might be frustrating, but I love it. People walk slower in the streets, and generally take time to do things, they even speak slower, and like I experienced in India, * o'clock, does not necessarily mean eight, it might mean 9. It's better than India though because there is not the survival of the fittest way of thinking everywhere. Here, it's like...everyone is in it together, and anyone will take the time to help you. It's kind of a gray thing to describe but basically, there is just no rush-rush and it's comforting.

Secondly, Ghanaian's laughter. When I first spoke to my host mother on the phone what most stood out to me was her laugh, and how loud and joyous it was. It somehow made me feel like she was an authentic person, and I assumed it was unique to her. However, after spending a few days with different people, I have learned that a kind of high-pitched, drawn out and enthusiastic laught is rather ubiquitous, and it is also comforting:-)

I had wanted to write more, but I'm running out of time, hopefully more soon.
Love you all