Sorry I haven't been writing, I couldn't figure out how to post since my profile was in italian... Anyways, I LOVE it here, and I am having sooo much fun!! All the volunteers are really cool, people in the community and really friendly and inviting, so it's easy to feel at home here >( That was supposed to be a happy face, but apparently the keys don't mean what they say... so just assume it's a happy face from now on >( Actually, that looks too angry... assume this is a happy face ,,)
The village is beautiful! There are so many goats, chickens and dogs here I just want to take some home!! Then we could eat fresh Ghanaian chickens and keep the goats and dogs for pets! ,,)
The home base is really nice, and even though you'd think in this heat that cold showers would be nice, they are really hard to get used to. My showers generally consist of soaping up and running back and forth through the running water. Then I do a sort of odd back bend to get my head in there without freezing my buns off... Too much information? Too bad!
Oh my god there's the cutest little lamb outside right now I just want to pick it up and squeeze it and name it Yooo!!!
Sorry, back to the blog...
This country is very laid back. You may have heard of the expression "Ghana time." Basically, you'll see people when you see them, but don't expect anyone to arrive within 1 to 3 hours of when they say they will. Hopefully I'll come home and find a balance between Ghana and the extreme fast pace in the US.
The display of friendship here is beautiful. Men hold hands with men, women with women, and their sexuality is not questioned. People are very close with each other throughout the community, and they welcome us yevus with open arms. Yevu is the word for white person in Ewe. Generally, all the children shout it at us as we pass, not in a derogatory way, but with smiles on their faces, determined to make new friends. ,,)
Today was the first day at our placement. We got to the hospital around 8, only to wait outside for an hour and a half as the director "finished up paperwork" aka when Ghana time had passed. I worked in the Female Ward. Sounds exciting eh? More frustrating to be honest. I knew to expect the lack of resources, lots of patients in one room, etc. What I did not expect was the staff's unwillingness to use the resources that they had. A man was in the ER with a baby who had been in a car wreck. The baby's head was bleeding and had bled through the dressing. He was arguing with the nurses since they took off the bandage and then tried to convince him that the baby did not need any more bandages as blood was dripping onto the floor. The father finally got the frustrated that the nurses gave in. Standing there watching and not being able to say or do anything is really hard. The hospital placement is for observation only, and so it goes.
I plan to finish volunteering at the hospital for this week, but next week I will switch to an orphanage. I look forward to observing and learning as much as I can within this week at the hospital, but I am here to be involved, not stand back and watch.
The children here are very friendly. Many of them play outside the home base after they get off school, and they are happy to read books and play games that you bring them.
I have so many stories to tell, but I will try to keep writing to everyone now that these technical difficulties have been solved.
Love you all!!
~Bear
Oh ya, sorry the phone got cut off today mom, but I love you too!! And I will be sure to keep writing in my journal!!! Muah!!
The village is beautiful! There are so many goats, chickens and dogs here I just want to take some home!! Then we could eat fresh Ghanaian chickens and keep the goats and dogs for pets! ,,)
The home base is really nice, and even though you'd think in this heat that cold showers would be nice, they are really hard to get used to. My showers generally consist of soaping up and running back and forth through the running water. Then I do a sort of odd back bend to get my head in there without freezing my buns off... Too much information? Too bad!
Oh my god there's the cutest little lamb outside right now I just want to pick it up and squeeze it and name it Yooo!!!
Sorry, back to the blog...
This country is very laid back. You may have heard of the expression "Ghana time." Basically, you'll see people when you see them, but don't expect anyone to arrive within 1 to 3 hours of when they say they will. Hopefully I'll come home and find a balance between Ghana and the extreme fast pace in the US.
The display of friendship here is beautiful. Men hold hands with men, women with women, and their sexuality is not questioned. People are very close with each other throughout the community, and they welcome us yevus with open arms. Yevu is the word for white person in Ewe. Generally, all the children shout it at us as we pass, not in a derogatory way, but with smiles on their faces, determined to make new friends. ,,)
Today was the first day at our placement. We got to the hospital around 8, only to wait outside for an hour and a half as the director "finished up paperwork" aka when Ghana time had passed. I worked in the Female Ward. Sounds exciting eh? More frustrating to be honest. I knew to expect the lack of resources, lots of patients in one room, etc. What I did not expect was the staff's unwillingness to use the resources that they had. A man was in the ER with a baby who had been in a car wreck. The baby's head was bleeding and had bled through the dressing. He was arguing with the nurses since they took off the bandage and then tried to convince him that the baby did not need any more bandages as blood was dripping onto the floor. The father finally got the frustrated that the nurses gave in. Standing there watching and not being able to say or do anything is really hard. The hospital placement is for observation only, and so it goes.
I plan to finish volunteering at the hospital for this week, but next week I will switch to an orphanage. I look forward to observing and learning as much as I can within this week at the hospital, but I am here to be involved, not stand back and watch.
The children here are very friendly. Many of them play outside the home base after they get off school, and they are happy to read books and play games that you bring them.
I have so many stories to tell, but I will try to keep writing to everyone now that these technical difficulties have been solved.
Love you all!!
~Bear
Oh ya, sorry the phone got cut off today mom, but I love you too!! And I will be sure to keep writing in my journal!!! Muah!!
3 comments:
So is Ghana-time kind-of like mom-time... only you feel a panic coming on the entire time?
Happy to see a blog post from you! I'm at Capitol Records right now! Reading about goats... well at least my sister writing about goats... whoa... I just had dejavu. I must have also dreamt of me at Capitol Records mastering my album while reading about your thoughts on goats. How do you like them apples?
i love you!
Dude! Bring me back a goat! You can even name it for me if you want. Thats crazy about the bleeding baby. But it doesnt sound too different than Molly's experience in upstate NY - although I think that was more incompetence than unwillingness to use resources. Anywho, It sounds exciting! Keep the blogs coming!
This is your mother. Do not bring home any goats. I already got one for Matt for Christmas. I've named it Donteatthat.
About the time comment... OH CRAP! I'M LATE!..................
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