A Day in the Life...

Hi all! Last time I promised to give you a picture of my day-to-day activities and so I shall. But first.....THE BIG NEWS: There is Phone Service in Daboya (Trumpets blaring!)!!! Unfortunately, I lost my phone on a trip to Kumasi; however, someone found it and I'm hoping to have it back in a few weeks (hey - nothing happens FAST here!)so anyone who wants to will be able to reach me at 011 233 27 311 0018...probably by the end of this month.

Also - a word to the two friends who replied to my last posting. Ed and Alice: Yes, I got your wonderful package and enjoyed everything in it! I wrote you about it but I'm never sure if my letters will get there in 2 weeks or 2 months so I thought I'd also thank you here. Susie Q - Thanks for filling me in on all that is happening Stateside. I hope your Avalanche make a playoff run! And yes, I would love it if you would send me the new contact info for Serah in Cameroon. Never know when I might get down there. If you don't mind, I'll reply to your questions in this public format since it fits in with the theme of "what do I do all day?". I'll answer your questions first and then add details.

I THOUGHT I was acclimatized to the heat here but then along came March 1 and the REAL heat! It's kind of like when people from back East think it is hot in Phoenix in May and then comes June!! I realize now that I am going to HAVE to start sleeping outside. The cement walls and tin roof of my house just soak up the heat and then radiate it inwards all night. Even the ceiling fan doesn't really help much. Fortunately, I was warned when still in Phoenix and I went down to REI (shameless plug!) and bought a "Bug Hut". Hey ... I'm not making this up...that's what they call it! It's a very small tent made of mosquito netting that's designed to let you sleep outside free of bugs. I will try it starting tomorrow night.
Yes, the kids (of all ages) play a lot of futbol (that's soccor to you Americans!) in Daboya but no, I do not play with them. Hey - I think I'm in reasonable shape for 60 but I'm not going to try and outrun 12 year olds, much less 20 year olds! I'm not Jack LaLaine you know! My Gonja is coming along bre bre (that's small small)but a goodly number of people here speak English anyway. Since the official language of Ghana is English, all school classes are taught in English. Sure helps me get through the English class I teach!

As for my biking, I don't do any. Never bought a bike. I walk all around the village and there really aren't too many places outside of the village that I would bike to. At some point I may get one just so I can get around faster. It takes about 8-10 minutes to walk to "downtown" from my house and about 15 minutes to get to my counterpart's house or the river or the Chief's Palace.

As to supplies I could use (outside of goodies), I'm thinking that the vacuum packed camping meals they sell at REI and other outdoor places might be something even I can cook so those would be helpful and easy to ship.

So - what's my daily routine like? Well, I'll tell you how it has been but I think that is about to change. I get up around 6:30 and do my morning exercises and bathroom things and then decide what I want for breakfast. As you retired folks can probably attest to, it is amazing how much of your day gets eaten up by just simply living: making, eating, and cleaning up after 3 meals, laundry, fetching water (there's no running water here), cleaning (you HAVE to sweep every day or the dust will swallow you!), cleaning the water filter, and so forth. Then there is reading (which includes a TON of Peace Corps materials as well as spiritual and just plain fun things I like to read), maintaining written correspondence with many of you, journaling, and doing various games and puzzles just for entertainment (along with listening to CD's and the BBC on shortwave). And THEN there is what I am here for...interacting with the people of Daboya!! That includes the English class I teach to 15-18 year olds, shopping in the market, learning about Daboya by hanging out with weavers, dyers, sewers, farmers, fishermen, the market women, my good friend Musah and anyone else I come across in my wanderings, sitting in on the chiefs' meetings on Friday mornings, interacting with my tailor (had to have all my pants taken in from size 38 to 36, make curtains, and have some shorts made), my carpenter (built a wooden toilet, screen door, and support system for my room-divider drape), other teachers, religious leaders, and the postmaster (I now officially pick up all Daboya mail on my trips to Tamale). And that brings me to my travels. I have already been to Tamale many times, Mole National Park a few times, Damango, Bole, Sola, Kumasi, Kumasa, Sonya, Larabanga, Lingbinsi, Techiman, and Magnori. All of these trips are to see other tourism sites, meet with NGO's that will be assisting the project in Daboya, meet with government agencies, research possible resources, and, of course, shop for stuff I can't get in Daboya!

So ... why is that going to change now? Well, I think it is finally time to get this project off the ground. I met with the chiefs last week outlining a tentative 3 year tourism plan. Next week we will set up our first community meeting to open this up for feedback and input from the community. So now, part of my days will be working with the people in Daboya on all of the details of creating a first-class tourism experience: everything from basic sanitation to life jackets in the canoes, a visitor center to public toilets, marketing to providing cold drinks. There is a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to it. Maybe some of you will visit Daboya some day as tourists and I certainly want you to have a great experience!!

I think that's enough for now. Smells to me like dinner is ready!

Love and Hugs from Daboya...............Larry