Big Happenings

Crazy times, my friends, crazy times...

Currently I am a trainer for the new Peace Corps training group currently in Ghana. These young buttons are full of idealistic vigor and visions of grand works of development. It's my job to teach them about the environment in Ghana and help them navigate through their new PC life. So far I have found them all to be good people, and I look forward to having them as my colleagues. Although my own group has impeccable taste in fashion and music, as well as a gourmand's eye for local delicacies, I'm sure this newer, somehow dorkier group will fit in just fine.

I have been experiencing a rash of ultimate bad luck/good luck lately. It all started when I went on the Environment training group field trip. We took all these sweeties up to the north of Ghana and toured our way down. My brushes with fate began when we stopped for lunch in a town called Techiman. I ordered Banku with Grasscutter, which is a delicious jungle rodent. They never brought me my food, and finally when everyone was getting ready to leave, they brought it out. Not only was everyone inconvenienced by this, but I got chewy goat skin instead of grasscutter (-1)! Not a big deal yet. On our way to our first stop over, the Tamele Peace Corps Sub-Office, or TSO, it started to rain. My stuff was supposedly protected under a tarp at the top of the PC car. However, when we got to TSO my bag was partly soaked. For some reason only the pair of pants and my underwear got wet, but somehow the wetness was concentrated around the crotch areas, so it looked like each one had been pissed in (-1). Because it was still rainy outside I had to hang all my stuff inside, which made it look like a pee-pants party had gone on with great ferocity. Luckily it all dried by the next day, so no worries. The next day was a blast! We got to visit my good friends Kirsten and JJ's site. They have these awesome gardens they are working on and also work with a group of dance-happy women(+1). We also got to take pito, a local brew made from millet and eat some TZ with stew (+1). After words we went to the Paga crocodile pond. Paga is a town that protects it's crocodiles due to an old legend where a chief's life was saved by one of these beasts. Part of the show is to feed the crocs live chickens and they are so docile you can even sit on one of them! Real cool (+1)! Afterwards we headed back to our hotel for the evening. We went out for drinks that evening to relax and everything was chill. When we left the spot we all went to get egg sandwiches before going to bed. However, I got stopped by a no-nonsense immigration officer and hassled for half an hour before I was able to shake him and his non-existent threats to my freedom of movement in the country (-1). However, by then everyone got egg sandwiches and was leaving, so worst of all, I didn't even get one (-1)! So all right, to bed. The next day we were headed off to Techiman to go to a monastery where they practice organic farming. However, as we were getting ready to leave, the PC car ran over my camera (-1)! This is a $500 Nikon digital SLR, so it's not small potatoes. Although the photo card is fine, the camera is very very ill right now.

Techiman. We stayed at this monastery that was full of giant rocks and boulders and such that you can climb on. The place is so peaceful and fun to explore, it makes you want to give up all your priceless possesions, say a nice camera, and join the order and live there (+2). The food was also very good, full of vegetables and fruit and even cake (+1)! On our first full day there we went to the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary nearby. Some of the monkeys are quite tame and come within inches of you, while others jump around majestically in the tall trees. The forest is protected, so you can see what the jungle of Ghana is supposed to look like when undisturbed (+1). We also got to see the volunteer Greg Yeich's site, where he taught about sack gardening and other things. I ditched and took a rest (+0). Then back to the monastery for dinner. The dinner looked sublime: fresh fruit, cakes, and spaghetti with REAL CHEESE! A king's feast! However, my body decided that time was perfect to come down with the vomit-diarrhea combo of death. I was literally crapping and puking pure water every 20 minutes (-1). The next morning the training group all went out to the market to buy stuff while I recovered. Luckily I was miraculously 85% better by the time we left, thanks to that little white bit of magic, Immodium.

So then home. When we got back to the training site, I was ready for some well deserved rest, as well as the shirts I had get tailored for me by the first best tailor in Addo Nkwanta. Unfortunately they weren't ready. Sigh... (-.5). Over all, not a bad trip. Total Score: .5! All right, a better than average trip!

A few days after the field trip, all PCV's in Ghana were invited to attend Barack Obama's farewell speech at the airport (+2). It's nice that PC Ghana let's us do these things once in a while, and super awesome that the Ambassador here, Donald Teitelbaum loves Peace Corps Volunteers. First Ghana President John Atta Mills gave a speech, and the Prez Obama. He gave PC a shout out, which sent all of us PCVs into a frenzy(+1). Afterwards, he went around and shook everyone's hand. That's a dangerous thing to do with so many PCVs, and I'm willing to bet President Obama now has Giardia. I got to shake Michelle Obama's hand and get a Chicago shout out(+1). Us Chi-towners have to stick together, you know? I then spent the night a the home of a senior USAID officer and his wife. I got to take a hot(!) shower and eat the best pancakes in the world the next morning(+1). Over all, a good weekend. Total score: +5!

And to top off the entire week, my slut-cat, Bella, had kittens AGAIN. From two different fathers as well. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't my suspicion that she's also smoking again. So, three little balls of bad judgment for me to deal with again besides the sluttiness of my cat. Blurgh.

That's it for now, take care and eat well!

I want to recognize our Peace Corps volunteers who are here. You know, Ghana was the very first nation to host young people from the Peace Corps. And for decades, our two nations have formed vital partnerships and lasting friendships because of this program. So all of you in the Peace Corps, you are doing an outstanding job and we're proud of you. - Barack Obama, July 11, 2009

Yeah, that thing in the background? That's Air Force One.