2013 in Review

I don't usually do an official year in review to be shared with others but I have a lot to be grateful for and I'm in a reflective mood so here it goes.  It had its ups and downs as life usually does...overall 2013 was a tremendous time of blessing in my life.

Went on a walking safari at Mole National Park in Ghana and saw wild elephants close up in their natural habitat

Helped other volunteers hold 2 successful HIV testing events in our region the Upper East

Saw my trained peer educators step up and fulfill their role in amazing ways by educating their peers on HIV prevention (so wonderful to see hard work pay off in work that sometimes doesn't see its impact until years later)

Got to "ride" a camel!  I've always wanted to do this!

Saw hippos in the wild

 Enjoyed all the sights Barcelona had to offer with my fiance (especially Gaudi's architecture) and ate delicious food- perfect treat for a Peace Corps volunteer!

Saw the Mediterranean for the first time!

Our Peace Corps family lost a dear, amazing sister; she was a friend to everyone and an inspiration to all of us

My niece Care graduated from high school which I hated to miss but couldn't be prouder.  She also started at Tech this fall- continuing the Jackets tradition in our family!

 
Saying my goodbyes in my village was definitely a bittersweet time but closing out my Peace Corps service felt great!

 
I took a "Close of Service" (or COS as we call it in Peace Corps) trip to England and met my sister and brother-in-law there.  We had a fabulous time in London and touring the countryside, including some Jane Austen sites.  I also went to Edinburgh a few days alone.

Started my part-time evening MBA at Kennesaw State and through my assignment as a graduate research assistant met the President of Ghana

Married my best friend and love

Became part of the Yeargan family

Honeymooned in Hawaii- highlights included a volcano, sea turtles, a luau, stargazing, hiking, and ample relaxation on the beach

I have all my stuff in one place for the first time in at least 3 years!  Feels good to start a home with Ed (my niece did this painting of our house for us for Christmas)

Added a black cat named Salem to our little family (Abby the German Shepherd is still getting used to her sister)

First married Christmas and at home with the family in 3 years!

Happy New Year everyone! Farewell 2013, cheers 2014

Titus

I really wish I'd written about Titus before I left the village while I could better remember all his details. But somehow all the details involved in finishing my Peace Corps service well kept me quite busy. My friend Chris introduced me to Titus within my first few months in the village. I blogged about him a couple of times before, namely in the Too Cool for School post.  Because of that post, I came into contact with Rae who commented that she wanted to help Titus by translating the text to Braille- with a machine. So much easier than the laborious process we had begun!  The picture to the right was taken with one of the first boxes we received from Rae.  She not only sent the Braille of the English textbook but also magazines for Titus to read as well as some books of the Bible to help him teach Religious and Moral Education at the School.

I asked Rae what inspired her to help us and this is what she wrote: Titus's story lies at the intersection of two interests: Ghana and braille.  I was a high school exchange student in Ho and I now do freelance braille transcription work.  Whenever I tell people what kind of work I do, the first question they have is, "Why is braille still necessary with all the technology that is available?"  The simplest answer to this question is, "Braille is literacy". The number usually quoted in the US for braille literacy rates is between 10-15 percent and the vast majority of blind people who are employed read braille. Even in the US parents often have to fight to get braille instruction for their students. Reading that Titus was a braille reader and was eager to teach but didn't have a braille textbook, I wanted to offer my help. In this situation, technology actually makes braille more accessible. With only a slate and stylus, copying the book into braille is a huge task.  Being able to do the work on the computer makes the process much quicker.  I'd love to be able to go to back to Ghana and do braille production work there. Serendipitously, the school I attended, Mawuli Secondary School, opened a resource center for blind students last year and I've been collecting braille books and magazines for them.  Most of this material would otherwise be thrown away. Knowing how scare braille is in Ghana, I try to find a second home for whatever I can.  

Both Titus and I are so happy Rae helped us out!  It's amazing how blogs can connect people to work together when they've never met.  Big shoutout and thank you to Rae!!!

But the story doesn't end there.    Titus is smart as a whip but has only completed junior high school because of some unfortunate circumstances with his high schooling.  But he still has dreams and aspirations of returning to high school.  Titus wants to be a lawyer in the future but right now he's having a hard time coming up with the funds.  Before I left Ghana I helped Titus write a letter to the District to ask for their support because they do receive funds from the government to help disabled members of the community.  I keep in touch with Titus on the phone from time to time but the last time we talked he hadn't heard anything back from the District.  Last week the volunteer who replaced me called to let me know that she'd finally gotten in touch with the District and they're taking their time to give an answer.  She decided she really wants to try and help Titus by raising funds for him to start school next term by contacting her friends and family back home and asked me to do the same.  We're still trying to figure out the logistics of moving the funds and ensuring accountability but please contact me if you're interested in helping Titus.  I believe he's a good investment!

Update- Urinal Pit

Since being back from Ghana I haven't touched my blog at all despite having a few loose ends I wanted to tie up.  So I'm going to attempt to do so in the next week or so and somewhat close out this amazing, challenging, once-in-a-lifetime chapter in my life :) first up an update on one of the projects that was completed before I left the village.

My Friend

Awong outside of her house

In her fancy dress

My friend and me

Being sassy with Chris

I have a friend from church who I always make a point to greet when I see her.  I blogged about her when I first met her a while ago.   My friend Chris and I were walking one day came upon her fetching water at the well nearby her house.  And to be quite honest when you look at her you feel sorry for her.  She’s stooped with old age and uses a stick to walk but once you get to know her you see she’s just fine.  She’s quite spunky!  She admonished Chris once after we hadn't been to visit for a while and ask why he hadn't brought me to see her.  She's just one of the amazing people I’ve met in Gbedema.  Here’s the interview with Awong by Awenlie (that’s me) translated by Chris.

Name: Agambiel Awong

Age: in her nineties

Best Food: Rice and beans with palm oil

Family: Married in the nearby village of Kanjarga to a man with two wives.  She gave birth to 7 children and only 1 made it into adulthood that she knows of but has since passed away.  She believed her rivals (the other wives) killed 4 of her so she left the man.  2 more of her children left and never came back.  She has 10 grandchildren one of whom founded an NGO in Sandema called CBR.  

How has Gbedema changed in your lifetime?

It’s now modern Ghana here.  In the olden days there weren’t lights, loud music, or a grinding mill so we used stones to grind our millet and corn.  

Tell me about your church life: She started attending church during Kwame Nkrumah’s time and now attends the Catholic church.  

What gives you joy? (I asked this question because whenever I see her she is always smiling)

My family is not into witchcraft.  I like joking with people and insulting them in a playful way (I’d say she’s spunky and sassy) and not fighting.  This makes me happy because I don’t quarrel with anyone.  Also I like making people laugh like at church I’ll be dancing and people have been laughing. 

What else would you like to share? 
Her amazing story:

When she was young after her mother died, she went to Kumasi often since she was trading apeteshie and other things at the time.  (Note: I got confused on the timeline but I think this was after she married and left her husband) On the way back from Kumasi on one of her trips, she was involved in a lorry crash with 12 people.  9 died and only 3 lived including her.  In the accident, her leg was injured and ever since then she’s had a leg problem.  One doctor even wanted to amputate but another doctor disagreed and she kept her leg.  Her grandson wanted her to move to a nearby village to be closer to family but she refushed. 

Today she lives on her own in the village and farms millet and groundnuts herself around her house, cooks all her own food, fetches all her own water, does all her own chores, etc.  Chris believes this is why she's lived to be so old because she doesn't have people disturbing her all the time! The last few times we visited her we decided to take photos.  The first time we came back she didn't wear her fancy dress she wanted in the pictures so we had to come back the next day and do more photos.  I printed some out for her in Bolga as a goodbye gift and she was exceedingly happy.

Family Dinner

With my daughters (and their nephew)

The students

My sons and me

A few weeks ago I planned with my daughter Linda for her to come to my house one Sunday after church to cook groundnut soup and rice balls.  She asked specifically if she could cook could that for me because it’s more special to her than eating TZ which she eats every day.  The day before she was to come my son Michael was over at the house with his friend Chris just hanging out and I invited him to also join us.  The next day it turned into a family dinner when Linda brought her sister Grace and my other son Edward happened to drop by and I also forced him (it didn’t take much) to stay to eat with us.  

I should explain that when these students call me mother (or “Mommee” as Linda pronounces it) and I call them my sons and daughters it can just as easily mean aunt and nephews and nieces which makes more sense given my age.  It’s always a matter of clarification in English since there’s no words in Ghanaian languages for aunt/uncle, nephew/niece.  Everyone in your family is either your grandmother or grandfather, mother or father, sister or brother.  If my student says “She’s my sister” I usually follow up with the question “Same father?” If no, then she’s really a cousin and that’s that.  If she’s a sister I can usually then ask “Same mother?” The answers to these questions aren’t really important to my students but I find it fascinating.  I digressed...back to family dinner time.

Linda and Grace cooked up a wonderful dinner and then we all enjoyed it together.  I thought it was pretty hilarious that they all decided to try and use forks or spoons to eat with while I used my hands in the proper Ghanaian fashion.  At home they of course eat with their hands so I’m not sure if they were trying to be fancy since they were at my house.  Any way it was funny and an epic evening for the books.  I think we will all look back on our family dinner with fond memories.

New Favorite

Painted calabashes

My new favorite item (after my northern smock) I'm bringing home are these two painted calabashes. I'd heard the madam who comes to do the Catholic church service I sometimes attend paints them beautifully and was hoping I could get some from her.  Before I could even ask her for them, she gave me these two lovely ones last Sunday at church.  Here calabashes (made from a gourd) are typically for drinking pito ("beer" made from fermented millet or guinea corn) out of, serving flour to guests, or as bowls when selling products such as shea butter, shea fruit, and eggs.  I'll definitely be using them as wall decorations once I'm home- I think they'll be a great reminder of Ghana.  Speaking of home, I now only have 1 more month in Ghana!  It's pretty surreal and I think I'm in denial about saying goodbye.  I'll be traveling in England for about two weeks and will return to Atlanta around August 1. 

Ice Cream Party!

Congrats Candidates!  with me :)

I love this picture so much!  It was the first "crazy" one we took.  Please look at Michael with the C and shocked Paulina (not sure why) next to him.  Then jubilant Robert with the O

Time to celebrate!

Friday was an extra fun day at school because I decided to celebrate with my form 3 students.  On Sunday they'll leave for Fumbisi to write their BECE.  Translation: take the big, week-long exam which determines if they'll go to high school and where they'll go.  I taught these guys ICT and Math all last year when they were in form 2 and now teach them ICT in form 3.  Needless to say we have a pretty strong bond now.  As a goodbye present, I gave each of them a photo of myself kind of like school photos (dorky, I know).  But when I ordered them I thought they'd be closer to wallet size but in fact they're tiny like passport photos.  I told them any time they miss me they can look at the small me which they thought was funny.  I also gave our my contact info in America which prompted lots of conversation about how to call the States and vice versa. 

Next I bought an "ice cream" for each of them as a treat.  It's really flavored ice (ours was fruit from the baobab tree) but is delicious.  Finally we ended with holding up the signs in the photos above.  If you missed my recent post about my niece graduating from high school, my students held up signs for her a couple of weeks ago and then asked if I could also do one for them.  Of course I couldn't say no so modified the old ones to say "Congrats Candidates!"  That's what they're called the year they take their exam.  This week we'll finish up class with them, bid them good luck, and send them to Fumbisi.  I asked them to come and say goodbye to me before I leave.  I hope they do and that I can at least keep in touch with some of them to see what they end up doing in the future! 

Madam-o

Tomorrow I celebrate my two year anniversary of first coming to Ghana!  It's been quite a journey and as ready as I am to come home I can't quite grasp the fact that I will be leaving next month.  Being a madam is one of my favorite parts about being here and as frustrating as teaching is sometimes I will miss it because of my students.  Back in March, I held club meetings with the boys first and then the girls to discuss self-esteem which they better understood explained as confidence.  I pulled a few exercises from my favorite Peace Corps book the Life Skills manual and used them to help in the meetings.  The first exercise had the students write ten sentences about themselves starting with "I am..." such as "I am intelligent, loving, lazy at housework, etc." 

Then we did the second exercise where each person wrote their name on a piece of paper and passed it around for other people to write nice things about them on.  I decided to throw in a paper for myself just for fun (and let's be honest- sometimes we all need a little encouragement).  The boys were pretty easy because they all wrote positive things and there weren't as many of them so I could easily write on each paper.  But the girls took a little more work since some were being mean (one wrote you are ugly on another girls paper- which I thankfully able to scratch out before she saw) and that day we had a full house and of course each girl wanted me to write on her paper so they lined up for me to so.  No pressure to come up with 40 different adjectives!  I really love all the comments I received and had to take photos of my papers to not only share but treasure forever :)

I had a funny conversation with my students last week when I told them about the MBA program I'll be starting in August once I'm home.  They were surprised I wouldn't be madam again one students commented that instead of being called madam I would be calling my teacher madam.  So I explained first that we don't use madam in the States and second that at the university level you call your teachers professor or doctor.  It's something they haven't been exposed to here that I'd never have thought about but was interesting and to explain.

I think I will really miss being called madam...especially by my special boy Awenaab, Madam Diana's son.  He is always delighted to see me and greets me "Madam!" or addresses me by saying "Madam-o" and "Madam-eh."  He loves it when I chase and tickle him and we play a lot of football or jump from the steps at school saying "1-2-3-JUMP!"  Yesterday he came to visit me in my house with his cousin Awenwe and we had a big time playing and taking photos and videos.  I wish that I could post one of the videos but it will have wait for the high speed internet of America.  Admire this photo of my buddy instead.

 

Girl Child Education Themed Artwork

Teacher talking about malaria while one girl is sleeping and dreaming about all the work (cooking, sweeping, washing) she has to do in the house

Artist Chris with friends Caesar and Michael

Ama, a pregnant girl, is going to school speaks to one of the challenges of educating girls in Ghana.

Last week I helped a few students do artwork for a contest for Girl Child Education themed artwork in the district/region.  It was fun to have them draw and come up with ideas to depict challenges facing girl students in Ghana.  I also lent my support by giving them colored pencils and Sharpie pens to use.  I love that helping with artwork is currently part of my job!  Who knows if that will ever happen again!

Goodbyes Begin

With Dan's family

Kiddos!

Erasmus

Last week my closest neighbor Alex's assistant headmaster/counterpart dan invited us over for a goodbye party before he left for Accra to do a program until August.  His family prepared lots of food for us and we enjoyed drinking minerals too.  They toasted us and thanked us for our service both in words and gifts.  I'm now the proud owner of a Northern smock!  The weeks until I leave are going to be filled with goodbyes which I'm not especially looking forward to but I want to do properly to have closure here about leaving. 

Happy Graduation Day!

Getting ready for the real photo- before I told my students to smile

Congrats Care! from my students and me with smiles :)

Custom made Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket batik!

Today my lovely, one and only niece Carey is graduating from high school! I'm always proud of her but am so proud right now. She's grown into such a loving, caring, beautiful, compassionate lady and I love her dearly. Missing big milestones makes being away from home especially hard and I really wish I could be there to hope celebrate. Since I can't be there in person I decided to color CONGRATS CARE! letters and include my students in wishing her a happy graduation ceremony. I also had custom batik made of Buzz since she'll be attending Georgia Tech in the fall. I can't wait to see what she accomplishes at Tech and beyond!