Part 2 Q&A

Medamfo, etesen? Eye? Nyeme Adom!!

First, I'd like to thank the Turner family and the Wilson County Baha'i's, Aunt Linda and Uncle Mick, Tracy and Mom and Dad for sending me packages and money! It means alot to me! And it was nice to get some artificial flavoring and preservatives in my body! :)

Second, can you believe it's been over 7 months since September 3rd, 2008?! I sure can't! It feels like just yesterday that I was packing my bags for West Africa!

Here's part two of the questions you asked me to answer!

What kind of fruit do you have in Ghana?

Ghanaian fresh fruit is absolutelly awesome! Bananas, oranges, mangos, papya, pineapple and these things Junior and Kwasi call "white mans apples"-which taste exactly like a green apple Jolly Rancher- are my favorites. And what's best about it is that it's cheap. You can buy 60 oranges for 3ghc (2.17$), 22 mangos for 1ghc or 6 bananas for about .20ghc. Also, ripe plantains are good. And what's even better than the price is that it keeps you regular-if you know what I mean-, but sometimes a little to regular. While i've been in Ghana (my appologies to the people who find it odd to talk about your bowel system!) I've either been constipated or had diarrhea, it's two extremes and they both suck. Either I'm going constantly or I'm thinking to myself "Dude, you have fufu in you from 5 days ago!". It's one or the other. That's why I keep a bottle of fiber and a bottle of anti-diarrheal on my bed head board so I can be prepared for anything. I always keep Junior and Kwasi updated on my bowel movements and always blame both constipation and diarrhea on the fufu (Its the cure to all complaining: "It's because of the fufu!"), which in return I get "Rich, you always say it's the fufu!". Sometimes the most thinking I'll do in a day is whether I will or will not go to the bathroom! haha. I'll end with a quote from Lil Donkor aka Junior: "Ha! White people don't fart? You don't know Rich! When he farts, it knocks me down!"

Is witchcraft very prevalent in Ghana?

It is very prevalent. I find it a bit comical, but at the same time very sad. I find it funny because pretty much everyone believes in it. And when I try to explain that in America there aren't any witches or that we believed in witches in the 1700's but it was all a mistake, I get "Well, there just aren't any in America." But it's sad because good people get labelled as witches and sometimes get shunned. For example, the next door neighbor is supposedly a witch. Though when I've talked to her, she was very sweet. Luckily, I don't think they kill witches, they just send them to a special witch pastor(which is another story). I can remember one day Junior and Kwasi coming home from school and telling me that a pastor came to their school and told the whole school that there are over 30 witches at their school, I cringed when I heard that. And the African and Ghanaian movies just back up the belief in witchcraft when they constantly put it in the storylines. And then of course if you don't like someone, you can just go to a witch doctor and put a curse on them. But like I said, it's sad because alot of good people are "witches", but I think witchcraft is a signature trait of a third world country.

How is your Twi?

My Twi is getting better, or I guess I should say "Me ti Twi kakra.". I regret not trying harder when I first got here to learn. But latelly I've surprised myself with what I'm able to say. When I bought phone credit a few days ago, I spoke totally in Twi to the lady. It wasn't hard Twi, but it was still Twi. It seemed to impress her. I can understand it more than I can speak it, which coincidentally means I can usually only understand the insults: "KWASIA!", "JIMMYPAA!". I do try and use my Twi just to let people know I am make an effort.

What chores do you have to do?

I try to pull my weight around the house. I do enough sitting around that I usually try and find work to do. The chores I do on a daily basis include sweeping, cutting (casava, plantain, yam....I just sliced open my finger for the first time in 7 months, I was pretty proud), starting the fire for cooking, putting away dishes and on some days pounding fufu. Once a week I go to the garden with Kwasi to dig casava, weed grass (which usually turns Ghanaians heads), help clean the bathroom, and of course I clean my own room and clothes. And with the new addition of 1,200 chickens, I've been helping in the coupe. I'll help Kwasi give out food, water and clean the dishes and keep the coal on fire. I enjoy helping with the chickens other than the raunchy smell and stepping in the chicken poop. And eventually Ill get to eat Chi-boms.......egg sandwiches! And I'll help out with other odds and ends. And of course I'll help Junior and Kwasi with their homework, which isn't a chore, though it can be a pain explaining things to them!

Tell us a funny story about your brothers!

Oh, the stories I have to tell about Junior and Kwasi! I'll give you a really cute story about Junior. I'll give you the background to this conversation. Anytime I give Junior anything(food, pencils, q-tips, etc.) he always tells me "God bless you Rich! God will give you plenty money!". I always got a kick out of that, then I started thinking about what he was saying and eventually told him that I didn't want money, but instead good health. I told him that I didn't think that money could buy happiness and explained why. So now when I give him anything, he'll tell me "God bless you Rich! God will give you the good health!" Now to the conversation. Kwasi was reading a book I recently bought for him, while me and Junior prepared to play football:

Rich: Yen ko bobo! (Lets go play football!)

Kwasi: Dabi, I'm reading. (No, I'm reading.)

Rich: Kwasi, you're a smart kid! You keep reading and get good grades so you can go to the university! Then get a good job, get a wife and make lots of kids, and make lots of money!

Kwasi: Oh, I will do, I will do!

Rich: But you know, I don't think money can buy happiness?

Kwasi: What?

Rich: Junior, blah! (Junior, come!) Junior, what doesn't money buy?

Junior: Happiness!

Kwasi: Yes it can!

Junior: No it can't! Because when you die, God doesn't want anything but you! Only you go to Heaven! Nothing else!

Rich: Hahaha! Junior, wah ya dia! (Well done!)

I had not told Junior anything other than that I thought money couldn't buy happiness! I got such a kick out of him saying that. The funny things kids say! I'll miss my brothers so much!

3-17-2009 Sunyani, Ghana

Before I start I need to restate some of my past comments. In my last entry I said that I would only remember the Ghanaians that shout and pester me. I quickly realized how wrong of me it was to say that. I should not, and will not, let myself remember those people. But instead the people like my host family, the people who helped me when I passed out at the hospital (oops!), Isaac the egg sandwich man and all the other people who just say hello to me each day! If I were to only remember the rude people, that would make me just as ignorant as the guy who told me that all Americans are decietful liers. So, not only do I appologize to you for making a very false statement, I also appologize to all the Ghanaians who are kind and genuinly nice to me!



Now, to the other part of this blog.



The three worst things about my experience in Ghana:

3) The weather. I know your probably sick of the cold, but I'm sick of the heat! The heat is so relentless! It feels like its gotten hotter since I've been here! There is really no escape. Its hot 24/7. I think during the day it hovers around 90 degrees, not including humidity during the wet season. And at night it doesnt get much cooler. I hate falling asleep sweating, but it happens more often than not. And then I'll wake up in the middle of the night and my sheets will be drenched in sweat, which consiquently makes them smell. Oh, its glorious (sarcasm of course)! And when I go back it'll be the middle of Tennessee heat and humidity! I keep wondering what would happen if a blizzard hit Africa. That might be a bit disasterous! I do applaud Africans at how well they cope with the heat!



2) The food. The food can be a bit of a downer. I've come to my peace with eating fufu so often. I just think to myself At least I have food. Ghanaian food just kind of sinks to the bottom of your stomach. And Kwasi made a fair point that its not the fufu itself I dont like, its the soup. I do like the food, I just hate how often we eat it. I have little variety for breakfast: porage of ripe plantains. But for lunch and dinner its the same thing, kenkee for lunch and fufu for dinner. On Tuesdays and Thursdays me and Wesley go to Isaac the egg sandwich man. We joke that its the best thing we eat during the week. Coming from a family where we eat something completelly different each night then coming to a place where the same food is eaten so often was a bit aggrivating. Never again will I complain about eating the same thing twice in a row when I get back home. Like I said, Ive come to my peace with the food and I do like most of the food, but when Im not in the mood for it I usually can only get some of it down. Thats why (if the scale is correct) I've lost 30+ lbs, have had to renotch my belt 4 times, renotch my watch 2 times and am no longer called "Obroni kaklakaka" by school children. Sometimes when I get hungry Ill buy a loaf of bread-I will say that Ghanaian bread is fantastic- and put some Blueband margerine on it and eat it in one sitting. Or Ill buy some Gari-ground up casava- and put it with water and sugar, and thats a good snack. Itll be nice to get back to eating good ol' hardy meals when Im back. Ive already started my "meals to eat when Im back home" list,Dad!
ps. Happy St. Patricks Day! Enjoy your corned beef and cabbage!

3) School. The weeks go by very quickly, just not when Im in class. The teaching style is so different from what used to. I sit through 80 minutes of notetaking, that is to say the teachers even come. And its not even in the sense of the teachers explaining what they said they just read striaght out of a book. And the desks dont help. Niether do the 50 screaming students. Me and Wes compare the classroom to the scene in Anchorman when the four newsmen are in the bosses office and Brick just screams out "LOUD NOISES!". Its exactly like that. At school is when I get hassled the most with the Twi screaming, "OBRONI BRAH!"ing, and "Take me home with you" antics. I will say that what Im lacking in a formal education, real world experience and patience makes up for it! And-unlike other AFS students- I go to school everyday! Though I hate school, Ill feel guilty for not doing what Im supposed to be doing! I try not to let school get me down, but its harder done than said.

The 3 best:

3)My host family. I feel like God couldn't have given me a better host family. Home is the one place I can go after a crazy day and just chill out. My host family-in particular Junior and Kwasi- have taught me the most about Ghana and its culture. The majority of AFS students in Ghana have problems with their family and/or contact person. But not me. That is not in a boastful way, but I feel fortunate! My biggest problems with my host family are almost comical: we eat to much fufu, Adu turns up his Celine Dion greatest hits cd up to loud on the weekends and I have to fill out these stupid NPP membership cards. Other than that, its terrific!

2) The realization that "Home is where the heart is". Never have I known that getting put 10,000+ miles away from your home and family can suck, alot sometimes. I took for granted having such a suppotive and loving family. My family has been the one thing that has never changed in my life. Things come and go, but my family has been the rock in my life. They've been there since my birth and will continue to love and support me till death. I have a special unbreakable relationship with each of my family members that no one could replace. Sometimes I've made mistakes,but my family was the one who corrected me and guided me to the right path. I couldn't ask for another family!

1) Living in an overall poor and simple lifestyle. I think that's the best part because it's made me realize how much I can go without and still live comfortably. How I can spend 3 ghc (2.17$) a day and think that that's how much I'd spent on gas just to get me to school. How I find entertainment in reading and writing instead of browsing the internet or watching tv. Realizing that in life, money can't but happiness. Because in Juniors words "When you die, none of this stuff comes with you to Heaven!" Life is more about family, friends and learning about yourself. Not 300 dollar shopping sprees or trying to be the most popular kid in school. It's the simple things that make this world go round. I think some people could use 10 months in Africa or any other third world country to get their priorities straight. Because I know my priorities got fixed pretty quickly after landing in Accra.

Photo Update

Adu's new chicken coupe extension. Its going to hold 1,500 chickens. Thatll be alot of noise.

Sweeping is not my favorite chore and it doesnt help when Junior takes pictures of me. haha.

More Ghanaian Premier League action, Sunyani Chelsea vs. Hearts of Lion

It only took 6 months, but we had our first AFS sponsored activity, Tie and Die/Batik.

Cleaning out the water tank. I felt like a pansy when Kwasi literally ran up the ladder into the tank and I was scared climbing the ladder. haha

My host mother Felicia, My host father Rev. Owusu Ansah, three of their outlaws and Kwasi and Junior.

Ampesi and Coco Yam Leaves

This is my "Junior, stop wasting my camera battery" look.

My awesome host brothers and best friends, Kwasi and Junior.

Q & A Part 1

Hey everyone! Here's part one of the questions you sent me to answer! Enjoy!

Have you made alot of friends?
I have to a certain extent. I do have plenty of friends at school, but rarely see them otherwise. But I dont mind because I enjoy being at home with my host brothers. My younger host brothers- Junior and Kwasi- have become my best friends and Ive become quite attached to them. Ive also become good friends with Wes, another American AFS student in Sunyani. Ive enjoyed his company and being able to "vent" to him. But I have made numerous allies as I like to call them. The egg sandwich man, the haircutter, the internet cafe guys, the bicycle repairman, some of the regular Baakoniaba taxi drivers(they dont rip me off), the "Nice Lady Provisional Store" as i like to call it(I go there for all my needs becuase the family is nice and dont rip me off) and then just the people that I see on a daily basis.

Do the locals fish and hunt animals?
Well I do know they fish alot on the coast which they will either dry or sell to cold stores. And I have seen some ammunition stores, so I do think they hunt in more of the bush areas. But they do have problems with bush burnings, because of people wanting grass cutter and other local animals.

Do the students at school participate in sports?
Yes, they do. Mainly futbol, which is obvious. Also track and field, volleyball, and handball. But they mainly compete within the school. The school is split into six houses which they compete against each other every trimester. I dont participate becuase I get laughed at and yelled at enough just walking through town, let alone playing on a team. And when I first arrived in Ghana I played futbol a few times with a large group of people, but the NEVER passed me the ball! I just figured they didnt want me touching their holy ball. But of course after we would finish playing, they would tell me Im not good at playing futbol, even tough I never even touched the ball. Logical thought proccess, right?

Has your diet changed and have you lost and wieght?
My diet has changed drastically. I still eat fufu 4-5 times a week, which ive learned just to get down. Meals have turned into something I have to do because I have to live, not because I enjoy it. This is what my meals look like on a normal school day: Breakfast is either ampesi or porage, Lunch is kenkee, and Dinner is fufu. And it rarely varies from that. Im used to being able to look forward to dinner, but here i semi dred eating fufu with the same soup everyday. And its not that I hate it or anything, its the fact that we eat it so often! Think of a meal you dont like in the first place and then think of eating it 5 times a week. But I keep telling myself that Im here to experience the Ghanaian culture, and if that means eating fufu everyday, then so be it! And weight, I have lost some. I just dont eat as much and Im more active.

Do you miss home?
Does Willy Wonka like chocolate bars?! YES! I miss home so much! Im constantly thinking about what my family is doing and wishing I could be eating a bag of Cheetos. haha. But I try not to let it get to me. I think about home, then go back to what i was doing. And I NEVER realized how much I loved America until I got here. I miss the American society where, for the most part, everyone is accepted(not to say that peole arent accepted here, but its a bit....different). And the diversity. How readily accessable things are. School, food, sports,transportation,weather, carpet,A.C.,everything! But I especially miss my family and my family structure. And I hate getting laughed at for doing nothing. I walk down the street and get laughed at and called obroni. And getting stared at sucks to. But I kind of think that its just a one-minded society. And no one really looks into what I have to go through everyday. Its a loose loose situation for me. Because, if I just keep quite and mind my business people think in a snob for not stopping and talking to them,if I stop and talk to them in Twi they laugh at me for even trying to speak their language, and if I speak to them in English they tell me "You've been here 5 1/2 months and you dont know Twi?!!?!" and tell me that Im not trying hard enough. But again they dont look into my shoes. I find it difficult to learn the language because I get discouraged from all the people laughing at me when I use it, in school we're only allowed to "SPEAK ENGLISH", and at home I find it more important that my younger host brothers know english than it is for me to know Twi. So in all situations, laughter at the obroni is involved. And when it happens numerous times aday for 5 1/2 months, it becomes a bit overwhelming and my spirits get a bit trampled on. And then of course I go home and eat fufu. Thats when I start feeling bad for myself and start missing home. But not all Ghanains do that, but the only ones ill ever remember are the ones that make fun of me. But, for now, ill just try and enjoy my time in Ghana.

More Photos of Ghana

For some reason they were making....dirt?

An oncoming storm with the moon in the upper righthand corner.

The seat where I find myself reading,writing or just laughing another day off.

Taking the trash out with the next door neighbor...ADOM and my younger brother Junior

Fufu....thats all I can say

My weekend cleaning with Kwasi

I love this picture......another beautiful Ghanaian sunset with a church in the foreground. Churches work with what they have!

Yen ko bobo!

Kwasi, Junior and I went to our first Glo Ghana Premier League football match on Sunday. It was Sunyani Chelsea versus Tema Youth at Corrolation Park. It was a blast. It seemed like it showed more of the true "Spirit" of football. No quater million dollar scoreboards, corporate sponsors or halftime shows(Yeah I said it Fluhart!). Just 22 football players playing to win. But not having corporate sponsors doesn't mean no action. Though it ended 0-0 it was alot of fun seeing a really good match. And I wouldn't doubt that some of these players are the next big stars of the English Premier League. Michael Essien started out with Liberty Professionals and now hes a starting (well hes injured now) midfielder for Chelsea.

Corrolation Park is a nice park. It holds probably between 5-10 thousand (im not to good at estimating) and only costs 20,000 cedis (2$) to enter. I had bought a bunch of stuff for the three of us, and probably spent about 6 or 7 cedis on food and drinks.Its alot of money for here but when I compare it to paying 6$ for a coke at a Nashville Predators or Vanderbilt football game i found it to be quit the deal. haha.

It was a great atmosphere (other than the few arguments and a fight in the stands. But hey, that always seems to happen at games). The section we sat in reminded me of Cell Block 303 at a Preds game. I enjoyed the chanting and constant drumming, though I could only understand bits and pieces of what they were saying due to my improving Twi. But nonetheless, I had a great time goofing off and hanging out with Junior and Kwasi!

1-8-2009 Sunyani, Ghana

Atta Mills

Nana Akufo-Addo doing the NPP dance, the "Kangaroo dance". Which originated for Michael Essien.

Hey everyone! I hope all is well! Im sorry that its taken me awhile to update my blog. I find it hard to think of topics to write about. So if you have any suggestions or questions feel free to email me and ill try and include them in my next blog! I would also like to thank: Mom,Dad, Aunt Linda, Uncle Mick, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Sandy and Beth for sending me Christmas gifts and packages!

A Ghanaian Christmas is a bit different from an American Christmas. Its pretty much strictly religious, which is how it should be spent. The few weeks leading up to Christmas were pretty much like any other week in Ghana, other than the Christmas music which i thought was a bit out of place. "Dashing through the snow" just doesnt work in a place where you wake up drenched with sweat on Christmas day. It kind of felt like ( in Wes' words) Christmas was taking a year off. On Christmas day me and Kwasi killed the two roosters i bought at the wednsday market the day before. Kwadwo cooked those into a tomato ( or Ntosi) stew over a bowl of rice, then into Adu's infamously delicious "Light Soup" over a bowl of fufu. I have to say eating waws the best part of christmas other than the few gifts i had to give out. I got into saying "Afriyeah paa" to everyone i saw and i enjoyed the "did the obroni really just say that?" looks. Afriyeah paa means Happy Holidays and in responce you say "Afinko Metwieh"(the spelling is wrong but you get the drift.) which means "Another year has passed and im still happy". I loved saying that coming from a country where you cant say Merry Christmas without getting sued. I was pretty homesick though. I missed my family alot, but that all part of the experience. I also havent had a Mt. Juliet Christmas since 2006 ( Though I loved our Hawaiian Christmas in 2007! Mele Kalikimaka J,Tracy and Kristen!), so that made me want to be at home even more! But other than the little annoyance i had for awhile, Christmas was great! Also the fact that i didnt have to go to school was awesome!

The Ghanaian Presidential election took place on December 7,2008. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate was Nana Addo-Donkwa Afuko-Addo, The National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate was J.E. Atta Mills and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) was lead by Paa Kwesi Nduom plus all the other little dinker parties (that played a big role this year) that get like .123556168736523 of all the votes. When i first got here it seemed like the NPP was going to blow everyone out of the water. The Current President Kofour is NPP and has done(at least it seems like it) some great things for Ghana( I believe Ghana is one of Americas biggest African allies). So not only did i think they would win because of that but also because the last time the NDC was in office, J.J. Rawlings was president for 20 years and i think he did it by military force. So I figured the NPP (Who my older host brother works for) would win. The polls came in on Dec. 10 and the NDC had 47% and the NPP with 49%, but you have to win by 50% + 1. So there was a runoff, which incredibly the NDC won by 1/2 a point. I think that if some of the NPP voter wouldnt have messed up there ballot the NPP would have won. haha. My host dad had told me that everytime the NDC was in office a Democrat has been in office for America. So i figured John Mccain and Nana Akufo-Addo would win for Ghana. But i was completely wrong: Democrats are in office for both countries. haha. My host dad also told me that because alot of people are illiterate, some people just vote for the person with the most charisma. Some other funny things about Ghanaian politics are that every party has its own theme song and its own dance, which everyone would do! If i asked a NDC person who they wanted to win if they lost, they would say CPP, and that would be the same answer for a NPP advocate. So the CPP was the middle man. But what Ghana should be very happy about is that this election was the first peacefull non-violent African election in along time! So i am very happy for Ghana and i think they deserve alot of credit for that!

Thanks for reading and dont hesitate to email (Richpon09@gmail.com) me if you have any questions or suggestions!

-Rich