Busy Bee

It's been a couple of weeks since I've written a proper update since I've been rather busy. This phenomenon of busyness is quite an anomaly for me here. Part of the reason for being busy has been the computer lessons I've been giving my fellow teacher and friend Zak(aria) since last week. Since I now have one of the donated desktops setup in my house, he wants to learn the computer. It's good practice for me too since I've never taught someone how to use a computer from scratch before. Though training people is right up my ally from my former professional life. The headmaster and I have been discussing writing a grant for a computer lab since we got the computer donated. As of last week we decided to renovate an existing building (the former JHS which has one semi-decent classroom standing) instead of building a new one from the ground up. I think this will help a lot with budget and timeline of a project like this. Right now we're working on getting cost estimates for everything- getting a new roof, replacing doors and windows, and additional computer equipment. Additionally I've been bringing my form 1 babies (they're the youngest kids in the school) to my house in groups for them to see the computer. I have this program called Mouse Trainer that I let them play games on at once I finish with the lesson to practice clicking and double clicking. It's a fun way for them to learn and they really seem to like it.

Last Friday we held a Swearing In Program for our new prefects. There are 13 of them total and their posts include Senior (Boys and Girls), Discipline, Health, Library, Sports and Entertainment. I served as the photographer for the program which I was happy to do since it enabled me to avoid any speech making. Ceremonies here follow a very specific format and this one was no different but it was rather short in length thankfully. After the program itself, the teachers enjoyed Malta (malt beverage that tastes like cereal in a bottle to me) while the prefects took Sprite, Coke, or Fanta. We also took some group photos and I also snapped some individual ones too. In Ghana it costs the equivalent of around 75 cents for one print so I plan to print them in the US when I come home in August to save the students some money. My two library prefects wanted to wait and snap their photo with me in my house. Then they decided to wait until Monday so they could make sure they had their nice socks and shoes on. The same day we learned that the assistant library prefect Janet will be moving to Tamale to stay with her mother's sister (who is probably a cousin rather than an actual sister since she hasn't even met the women) who is a teacher there. She is one of my sweet girls who loves reading; we bonded over her coming to borrow books from the library. I am really sad to see her go but I hope the move will be good for her. I know she has a bright future ahead of her.

Besides one of my favorite girl students leaving (pictured here on the left), two of my madam friends are traveling to Kumasi to do some coursework there for the next two months. Madam Rose is the one who gave me the donut maker and has already left for school. Madam Diana and her son Nathan (the one who wore a three-piece suit on his first birthday) will be leaving Thursday. I am also sad to seem them go especially since I will now be the only madam at our school. I just realized recently how the babies/toddlers in my community are a good marker of my time here. Like when I first came Nathan was just a 5 month old baby but now he's got a full set of teeth and is a walker/runner. Also some of the babies who go to my church are getting big. One girl Martha in particular was terrified of me when I first came but now that's she's older she'll let me pick her up and will tell me 'bye.' I have no shortage of cute stories about my children here. Recently I've been trying to exercise my body more and so go for a short run 2-3 times a week. I always go the same route to the dam and so the kids who live on the path come out to greet me and give me high gives. Some also join me while I'm running, laughing all the way having a grand old time. Last week I had 3 kids who started with me at my house and by the time I reached the end of my loop there were around 20 kids running with me. I really wish someone could've taken a photo of the spectacle that we were. I honestly enjoy the company immensely because it keeps me going. If I stop then they'll go home telling their parents 'O madam had to stop running because she got tired' and so on.

Last week I had to go to Navrongo to pick up the funds for the school latrine project. While I was there this small little guy (he could walk but couldn't talk) just came right up to me. That doesn't happen very often since most kids are scared of me. He was super friendly and gave me his 20 pesawa coin. When I motioned if I could keep it he nodded his head yes but of course I gave it back to him. Later when I was at the counter picking up the money he came up and grabbed my legs. Then we started playing a game of peekaboo with his handkerchief. I would put it over his face and then every time I pulled it away he let out a loud laugh. We repeated this about 15 times with the same result. His dad and some other people waiting (the bank was absolutely packed) were laughing too. I have a story from volunteering with Operation Smile a few weeks ago but I'll save it for another time.

On the food front, I find myself with a lot of time to fill on weekends and I usually use some of it to try to cook new dishes. This past Saturday I made my own cheese per demonstration and instructions from a volunteer during our All Vol conference. I wasn't sure it would turn out but it did and I even added added Italian Seasoning to make fancy cheese. I then used it to make myself misshapen pizza again. It was definitely better the second time and with the homemade cheese. Zak was over working on the computer and I let him try it but he said he was sure he'd like it better if he had it again. But this was Chris' second time eating pizza and he agreed this one was better. This week I plan on making stove top brownies in celebration of my upcoming one year anniversary in Ghana.