We Are NOW "Volunteers"!!

Before I say anything else, a BIG hug and deep appreciation for Caitlin's mom (some day I'm going to have to ask her your name!). You cannot imagine how much it meant to get the package of Oreos that you sent to me with her latest package! I know it sounds silly for a 60 year old man to get all mushy about a package of cookies but I was having a down day (that happens sometimes over here ..... but then again, that happens sometimes in the States!) when Caitlin walked over and said, "Hey, look what my Mom sent you". It was so sweet (literally) of you to respond to my little joke in my last posting about the Oreos and the timing could not have been better. Thank you.

OK - Now the rest of you can listen in. Happy Chanukah to my Jewish friends and relatives as that is coming up next week and I don't think I'll find any Chanukah cards in Daboya!! Everyone please eat an extra potato latke for me! And just in case I don't get to make another entry before Xmas, Merry Christmas to all of my Christian friends. Have a little extra turkey and stuffing for me!

Now for the BIG news, and the Title line of this entry: WE DID IT!! We had our swearing in ceremony yesterday and we are all official Peace Corps Volunteers now. There was great excitement, a bit of apprehension, and some sadness as we lost another member of our group. Brenna came to realize that this was not her path after all and is now on her way back to Kansas. There have been 6 from our original group of 48 that have now gone home. It was the right decision for each of them and I totally support them in that but that doesn't prevent me from feeling the sadness in my heart. That is also part of the Peace Corps experience.

Eleven of us jumped on a "tro" this morning and came up to the Peace Corps Tamale sub-office. We'll spend a day or two here shopping for pots, pans, blankets (yes, it does get cold at night during the dry season!), stoves (more like a Coleman than a GE!), and all the other little things you need to create home. And then jump on different tros and head to our respective sites.

I got to visit Daboya (my site) for a few days on a site visit a couple of weeks ago and see where I'll be living although I didn't get to stay there as it wasn't quite ready. I'm hoping it is now! It really should be quite comfortable and I'm thrilled that I have electricity including an overhead fan (HOORAY!!)although no running water. I spent time with Musah, my "counterpart" (the man who will help me integrate into the community and help me get started on my project) and he seems like the perfect person to help me get to know the community. He is headmaster of the JSS (Jr. High) School and I got to teach an English class AND give an HIV/AIDS presentation to a group of 15-18 year old students during my site visit. Though that is not part of my primary project, they are very short on teachers so I plan to volunteer to teach one period/day...at least early on. I may have to let that go if my primary project begins to take all of my time. For you teachers - you would LOVE the students over here. When the teacher walks in the room, they all jump to attention, greet you respectfully, and then quietly take their seats! They raise their hands, call you "Sir", "Master", or "Madame", and a "problem student" is one who gets to class late!

My primary project has to do with helping develop tourism in the community centered around a type of smock weaving that is not done anywhere else in the world. I'll save comments on that for after I'm working on it for awhile.

Oh - the worst name for a business I ever saw was in the marketplace in Techiman, Ghana. Many of the businesses use religious references in the names of their shops. Would you ever go to "To Err is Human" barber shop??!!!

For anyone who might like to communicate with me, and I would LOVE to get letters, you can now send letters to me at: Larry Pearlman / Daboya Vocational School / Box 1 / Daboya-Tamale, N/R / Ghana, West Africa. Packages (ohh, for things like Oreos, Snickers, red or black licorice, AA batteries, and lobster tail with drawn butter) should be sent to: Larry Pearlman / Peace Corps Ghana / Box 962 / Tamale, N/R / Ghana, West Africa. They will get here a lot faster if sent in a padded envelope rather than a box.

Well, I've got a line of people waiting to use the 2 computers that are in the sub-office so I'd better close for now. Thanks to everyone who continues to follow my experience here. I can feel the support and it feels warm and cozy!!

Love and Hugs.............Larry