I'm driving down the street in Phoenix (no - not now - yesterday) and it feels to me like I went to bed last night, had a very vivid dream about going to Ghana for over 2 years, and then woke up this morning still in Phoenix. Did I really go to Ghana? Well, if I didn't, then how did those Ghanaian smocks get into my closet and why don't I own a car anymore?
Yes, I really did go and it was quite the adventure. Now I'm back in the U.S. and, though I'm a bit unsettled because I don't know what's next for me (anybody out there want to hire a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer??), I have not experienced the difficulties re-entering American society that so many people do. I'm having a great time visiting with friends and family, taking hot showers, eating my way through the country, watching movies, bowling, golfing, enjoying COOL weather, and helping people understand more about Africa, Ghana, and Daboya.
Just to catch you up on some items I left hanging in my last posting:
* I never did get a replacement PCV in Daboya. As a result, I had a good time giving away all of my stuff to people I cared about in the village. Let's all cross our fingers and hope that Daboya does get a Volunteer from the next batch in 2010 if not sooner.
* We did have our Visitors' Centre ceremony. Along with about 400 - 500 folks from Daboya, we also had the District Chief Executive and his entourage, some folks from Tamale and the TV and radio crews. I did hear some radio coverage of it before I left but didn't see us on the TV news. Hopefully that happened after I left. The ceremony started very late as we waited for the TV crew to arrive but was very successful.
* The Daboya Chiefs gave me a going away party and the Paramount Chief presented me with a beautiful smock which I have been showing off in the US. When I got off the plane in Newark, NJ I was wearing it and the first person I saw in the visitor greeting area pointed at me and said, "Daboya". He was from Ghana originally and immediately recognized my smock. How cool is that??!!
As to what's next, I'm considering several options including applying for a job as a Peace Corps Regional Recruiter. So ... who knows... I may be talking to YOU some day and helping you embark on your own Peace Corps adventure.
Love and Peace ...................Larry Pearlman, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Last Word from Ghana.............Or Not.
I just spent however much time composing an entry for my blog. And it was really good! I mean, I was impressed with how wonderful it was. And then the internet got jiggy and, as far as I know, I lost it all. Now, of course, if it magically saved itself and I recover it and post it, then I'll have to edit this bit since YOU might not think it was all that wonderful. Hell – it's easy saying something was wonderful if nobody ever gets to see it, right? Fishermen have been doing that for centuries. Anyway – that's not really my point. My point is that if this had happened to me 2 years ago, I would be REALLY upset – saying foul things about this computer, the internet, Bill Gates, and whoever invented the blog (anyone know WHO invented the blog??). But now, there was just a mild reaction and then on with doing a new entry, with maybe some stuff I remember from the lost one, into a WORD doc which I can cut and past into a blog entry if / when the internet comes back up. I must have learned SOMETHING during my time here living with people with infinite patience and a deep understanding that it's much easier on your body, mind, and heart to learn how to move with Life than it is to try and force Life to move with your plans. Now if I can just hold on to that understanding when I move back into the western world.
Which is happening in about a month. Three weeks from now I will be packed and leaving Daboya for Accra. Less than a week later, November 12th to be exact, I will be on a flight to Newark, NJ (with a 5 hour layover in Amsterdam). So this will be one of my last entries on this blog site. My next entry will likely be posted from the US with some comments on what it's like to be back and perhaps some final reflections on the experience.
Which brings me to thanking you all for sharing this experience with me over this past 25 months. Some of you have come along for the whole ride and some have popped in and out at appropriate spots for you. All of you have provided support for me whether you have written responses or not AND you are the reason that I even write anything on this site. So you truly have been an integral part of this interchange and I appreciate it. Thanks.
As to current events, I just received some potentially great news today. Because of a change in Peace Corps timing, there was not going to be a replacement volunteer available to hand the reins to in Daboya. At least not for 9 months. This is a critical juncture in the development of tourism in Daboya and not the best time to leave them without an active PCV (you should all know what that means by now). My APCD (5 brownie points to anyone who knows what that acronym stands for) has been very aware of the situation and watching out for any possible solution. Today he called to tell me that there is another SED (OK – I'll give you this one: Small Enterprise Development) Volunteer who may have to switch sites. If so, Daboya will be the first choice. Should know by the end of the week. That will not only be great for Daboya but will solve one challenge for me. I was trying to figure out who to give all my stuff to. If I have a new PCV coming, then I'll just leave most of it to him and just give away a few things that I know will be meaningful to certain people.
We've set a date for the Visitors' Centre inauguration celebration – 10 / 24 and gotten our invitations out. Now all we have to do is finish planting the grass and flowers, complete the exhibits we wish to put inside the building, plan the agenda, invite the speakers and emcee, plan the entertainment, plan, buy, and cook the food, establish a Welcoming Committee, invite the media, and, oh yeah, figure out how to pay for it all. We have a proposal before the District Assembly to foot the bill (about $700) but if they don't come through, not sure how we're going to pull this off. I may be sending an email to all of you asking for donations!!
We've also made good progress getting the information together so that our good friend Dada Pramananda of AMURT, an NGO (OK – who knows that one?) in Accra can finalize a proposal to potential funding sources for our library and regional marketplace.
Did I mention that we had our 2nd annual election for DTMT (Daboya Tourism Management Team for those who are tired of guessing Acronyms) executive officers and now we have a stronger team than ever in place to move forward? And that NCRC (Nature Conservation Resource Centre) provided a weekend training in how to do a development plan for the DTMT? And that we have a follow-up training planned for later this month on management skills? So things are popping in Daboya and pretty soon you'll see us on websites should you begin to think about vacationing in Ghana. Hey – it doesn't have to be two years – just two weeks will get you acquainted with some of the warmest-hearted people in the world.
So that's probably it for me from Ghana, although you never know. See you all back here after I jump over to the other side of the pond. For anyone who has been sending packages and / or letters (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!) don't send any more. Much as I love them, there is a better than even chance that anything sent from here on out won't get to me before I leave.
Thanks again for sharing these experiences with me.
Which is happening in about a month. Three weeks from now I will be packed and leaving Daboya for Accra. Less than a week later, November 12th to be exact, I will be on a flight to Newark, NJ (with a 5 hour layover in Amsterdam). So this will be one of my last entries on this blog site. My next entry will likely be posted from the US with some comments on what it's like to be back and perhaps some final reflections on the experience.
Which brings me to thanking you all for sharing this experience with me over this past 25 months. Some of you have come along for the whole ride and some have popped in and out at appropriate spots for you. All of you have provided support for me whether you have written responses or not AND you are the reason that I even write anything on this site. So you truly have been an integral part of this interchange and I appreciate it. Thanks.
As to current events, I just received some potentially great news today. Because of a change in Peace Corps timing, there was not going to be a replacement volunteer available to hand the reins to in Daboya. At least not for 9 months. This is a critical juncture in the development of tourism in Daboya and not the best time to leave them without an active PCV (you should all know what that means by now). My APCD (5 brownie points to anyone who knows what that acronym stands for) has been very aware of the situation and watching out for any possible solution. Today he called to tell me that there is another SED (OK – I'll give you this one: Small Enterprise Development) Volunteer who may have to switch sites. If so, Daboya will be the first choice. Should know by the end of the week. That will not only be great for Daboya but will solve one challenge for me. I was trying to figure out who to give all my stuff to. If I have a new PCV coming, then I'll just leave most of it to him and just give away a few things that I know will be meaningful to certain people.
We've set a date for the Visitors' Centre inauguration celebration – 10 / 24 and gotten our invitations out. Now all we have to do is finish planting the grass and flowers, complete the exhibits we wish to put inside the building, plan the agenda, invite the speakers and emcee, plan the entertainment, plan, buy, and cook the food, establish a Welcoming Committee, invite the media, and, oh yeah, figure out how to pay for it all. We have a proposal before the District Assembly to foot the bill (about $700) but if they don't come through, not sure how we're going to pull this off. I may be sending an email to all of you asking for donations!!
We've also made good progress getting the information together so that our good friend Dada Pramananda of AMURT, an NGO (OK – who knows that one?) in Accra can finalize a proposal to potential funding sources for our library and regional marketplace.
Did I mention that we had our 2nd annual election for DTMT (Daboya Tourism Management Team for those who are tired of guessing Acronyms) executive officers and now we have a stronger team than ever in place to move forward? And that NCRC (Nature Conservation Resource Centre) provided a weekend training in how to do a development plan for the DTMT? And that we have a follow-up training planned for later this month on management skills? So things are popping in Daboya and pretty soon you'll see us on websites should you begin to think about vacationing in Ghana. Hey – it doesn't have to be two years – just two weeks will get you acquainted with some of the warmest-hearted people in the world.
So that's probably it for me from Ghana, although you never know. See you all back here after I jump over to the other side of the pond. For anyone who has been sending packages and / or letters (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!) don't send any more. Much as I love them, there is a better than even chance that anything sent from here on out won't get to me before I leave.
Thanks again for sharing these experiences with me.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
So What AM I Doing Here???
A cold bucket bath – bargaining with a taxi driver – pit latrines – walking 200 yards to GET to the pit latrine – eating Fufu with Okra stew with my fingers out of a communal bowl with 3 other people – seeing women carrying heavy loads of firewood, water, goods for sale, and so many other things on their head – going weeks without seeing another white person – seeing the most beautiful colors in what was unfamiliar clothing – actually seeing the Milky Way clearly along with a zillion stars – knowing that EVERY day will be 100 degrees and there is no A/C – watching baby goats play in the most joyful way – being greeted by just about EVERYBODY when you walk down the street – never hearing an airplane, helicopter, or train – living without DVD’s, TV, movies, bowling, golf, or fast food – walking in a stately procession with 20 Chiefs enroute to the weekly Chiefs’ meeting.
These are just a few of Life’s events that started out 2 years ago as “experiences”, as in, “Now THAT was an experience!” Then all those individual experiences began to blend into a grand adventure. Before I knew it, that adventure had become simply my life. Now, and I say this with some sadness, it has all become part of the routine of my day. Which is not to say that I don’t still appreciate the joy and the beauty that I see around me OR that I don’t mutter under my breath at times about the uncomfortable things, but it’s no longer the same as it was when I first experienced these things.
Think of it as dating. Remember the glorious excitement and wonderful discoveries at the beginning? You may still love the person after 5 years or 50 years. In fact, the love may be much deeper and more significant than it ever was when you were in the early days. But the feeling can never be the same in the sense of the discovery of newness. What was once strange and/or exotic or simply unknown and is now known cannot become unknown again, no matter how wonderful (or awful) it may be.
This is what truly sets Peace Corps apart from most, if not all, of the other organizations working to help developing countries. You can’t understand a culture during a two week vacation or even a 3-6 month working assignment. And you don’t get to really get the pulse of a village by living in a condo in the big city and visiting the site in an air conditioned SUV 1-2 days/week. This is not to suggest that other NGO’s and governmental organizations aren’t doing good things. Obviously they are and Peace Corps relies heavily on good working relationships with many of them. After all, Peace Corps brings no money to the table, although it takes over a year living in the village to convince them that you’re not rich and do not have the means to fund a library, high school, futbol (read “soccer”) field, and bowling alley (OK – nobody in Daboya has asked me for a bowling alley but it sounds like a neat idea). So how do we make a difference? By blending into the community and discovering from the inside what they REALLY need and want and will support. Then, a PC Volunteer (PCV) can go to work and find ways, many include NGO’s and government organizations, to fund these projects, help to supervise both the external parties and the village people involved, and train local personnel in everything from tree planting to annual reports so that the project becomes sustainable long after the foreign faces and accents are gone from the community.
A tourist gets the “experience”. A 3-6 month NGO volunteer gets the adventure. But only people like missionaries, those who move to a country to live there, and PCV’s get to make a new culture part of their lives and established routines. I’ve had my ups and downs here (and thanks to all of you who have supported me in SO many ways to ease the way through those “downs”) but I am very glad that I got to move through the whole cycle to come beyond “me and those interesting people” to simply “us” and having “my living quarters” morph into “my home”.
And, when all goes well, there might, or might not, be something tangible to show for our efforts. In the case of our tourism efforts in Daboya, we actually now have a building (thanks primarily to Nature Conservation Resource Center and funding from the European Union). So feast your eyes (if I can get the photo to download properly) on Daboya’s new Visitors’ Centre!! We still have some landscaping to do and the signage isn’t up yet but we are open for business so ya’ll come!! We can share a bowl of banku with groundnut stew or, if you’re a wussy, I’ll make you a fruit salad and tuna sandwich!
These are just a few of Life’s events that started out 2 years ago as “experiences”, as in, “Now THAT was an experience!” Then all those individual experiences began to blend into a grand adventure. Before I knew it, that adventure had become simply my life. Now, and I say this with some sadness, it has all become part of the routine of my day. Which is not to say that I don’t still appreciate the joy and the beauty that I see around me OR that I don’t mutter under my breath at times about the uncomfortable things, but it’s no longer the same as it was when I first experienced these things.
Think of it as dating. Remember the glorious excitement and wonderful discoveries at the beginning? You may still love the person after 5 years or 50 years. In fact, the love may be much deeper and more significant than it ever was when you were in the early days. But the feeling can never be the same in the sense of the discovery of newness. What was once strange and/or exotic or simply unknown and is now known cannot become unknown again, no matter how wonderful (or awful) it may be.
This is what truly sets Peace Corps apart from most, if not all, of the other organizations working to help developing countries. You can’t understand a culture during a two week vacation or even a 3-6 month working assignment. And you don’t get to really get the pulse of a village by living in a condo in the big city and visiting the site in an air conditioned SUV 1-2 days/week. This is not to suggest that other NGO’s and governmental organizations aren’t doing good things. Obviously they are and Peace Corps relies heavily on good working relationships with many of them. After all, Peace Corps brings no money to the table, although it takes over a year living in the village to convince them that you’re not rich and do not have the means to fund a library, high school, futbol (read “soccer”) field, and bowling alley (OK – nobody in Daboya has asked me for a bowling alley but it sounds like a neat idea). So how do we make a difference? By blending into the community and discovering from the inside what they REALLY need and want and will support. Then, a PC Volunteer (PCV) can go to work and find ways, many include NGO’s and government organizations, to fund these projects, help to supervise both the external parties and the village people involved, and train local personnel in everything from tree planting to annual reports so that the project becomes sustainable long after the foreign faces and accents are gone from the community.
A tourist gets the “experience”. A 3-6 month NGO volunteer gets the adventure. But only people like missionaries, those who move to a country to live there, and PCV’s get to make a new culture part of their lives and established routines. I’ve had my ups and downs here (and thanks to all of you who have supported me in SO many ways to ease the way through those “downs”) but I am very glad that I got to move through the whole cycle to come beyond “me and those interesting people” to simply “us” and having “my living quarters” morph into “my home”.
And, when all goes well, there might, or might not, be something tangible to show for our efforts. In the case of our tourism efforts in Daboya, we actually now have a building (thanks primarily to Nature Conservation Resource Center and funding from the European Union). So feast your eyes (if I can get the photo to download properly) on Daboya’s new Visitors’ Centre!! We still have some landscaping to do and the signage isn’t up yet but we are open for business so ya’ll come!! We can share a bowl of banku with groundnut stew or, if you’re a wussy, I’ll make you a fruit salad and tuna sandwich!
Monday, June 22, 2009
June is Bustin' Out All Over!
This has been a productive month. Our permanent Visitors’ Centre has moved to the next level. All construction materials are on site and boy was it interesting watching 30 or so young men from the local youth group transport 100 bags of cement, 50 plywood sheets, 74 long iron rods, a large Polytank (to handle the water for our flush toilets (YAY!!), many 5 gallon buckets of paint, about 10 boxes of nails, about 70 metal roofing sheets, a bunch of lumber, and assorted other materials to the site. All of that had to be unloaded from the cargo truck on the other bank of the river, then loaded on to canoes (many trips!) to cross the river, then loaded on to a hand truck, tractor (2 loads), and heads, shoulders, and backs to get it up the hill to the site, then unloaded, and finally moved into our temporary office where it will be stored. Ladies, you would have enjoyed seeing all of these rippling muscles glistening with sweat as these young men went about the task easily and with joy – even though we didn’t finish until 9:00 at night. Tractor loads of smooth river sand and rough sand were brought to the site and a crew molded the cement blocks needed to do the job. The trained construction crew from Nature Conservation Resource Centre (NCRC) – the NGO who is providing this building – will be back in July to finish the construction and then it will be time to CELEBRATE!! It promises to be the nicest building in Daboya.
And FINALLY our area sanitation meetings are happening. It took me a year to figure out that when it comes to something like this it is better to work through the elders of each of the 16 areas of Daboya than try to coordinate the entire village. It also took a long time (Hey – I’m a little slow, OK??!!) to figure out that it is better to have area meetings at night (8pm). Farmers are all back from farm, fishermen from fishing, weavers have packed up their looms, women have finished all chores, and people actually come to the meetings! So we have now had meetings in just about all the areas and the response has been very good. Now we just have to hope for consistent follow through and we will have a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Daboya!
Ghana Tourist Board is helping us put together a preliminary brochure and a lot of the same information will be useful for websites. I have provided the information to 3 different organizations for inclusion on websites they are working on.
A Guest House (hotel – sort of) has been built by a private citizen and is just about ready for use. It has a FLUSH TOILET AND REAL SHOWER!!! In the future, he will be adding a kitchen and bar as well as a store to sell the smocks, hats, dresses, and other items that are woven here. I’m hoping that he has the facility open for business by the end of July and they you can all come and visit!
AND one of the Peace Corps Volunteers in my group got married this month as well. His wife is a wonderful, beautiful Ghanaian woman and it was a kick to attend the wedding. For those who are wondering if we danced semi-naked around a huge campfire to the sound of rhythmic jungle drums, I have to disappoint you and tell you that they were married in a Pentecostal church! Nevertheless, it was interesting to see the cultural differences that show up in small ways in the wedding ceremony and at the reception. Since there were 12 Peace Corps Volunteers among the 100 or so guests, it was also a very nice reunion for us. The wedding was in the southern part of the country so I hadn’t seen any of these folks for quite some time. It was worth the 7 hour round-trip bus / tro-tro ride that I endured as part of a day that started at 4:45 am and got me back to Tamale at 8 pm.
Now we look forward to July and all that will fill it.
Bye for now……….Larry
And FINALLY our area sanitation meetings are happening. It took me a year to figure out that when it comes to something like this it is better to work through the elders of each of the 16 areas of Daboya than try to coordinate the entire village. It also took a long time (Hey – I’m a little slow, OK??!!) to figure out that it is better to have area meetings at night (8pm). Farmers are all back from farm, fishermen from fishing, weavers have packed up their looms, women have finished all chores, and people actually come to the meetings! So we have now had meetings in just about all the areas and the response has been very good. Now we just have to hope for consistent follow through and we will have a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Daboya!
Ghana Tourist Board is helping us put together a preliminary brochure and a lot of the same information will be useful for websites. I have provided the information to 3 different organizations for inclusion on websites they are working on.
A Guest House (hotel – sort of) has been built by a private citizen and is just about ready for use. It has a FLUSH TOILET AND REAL SHOWER!!! In the future, he will be adding a kitchen and bar as well as a store to sell the smocks, hats, dresses, and other items that are woven here. I’m hoping that he has the facility open for business by the end of July and they you can all come and visit!
AND one of the Peace Corps Volunteers in my group got married this month as well. His wife is a wonderful, beautiful Ghanaian woman and it was a kick to attend the wedding. For those who are wondering if we danced semi-naked around a huge campfire to the sound of rhythmic jungle drums, I have to disappoint you and tell you that they were married in a Pentecostal church! Nevertheless, it was interesting to see the cultural differences that show up in small ways in the wedding ceremony and at the reception. Since there were 12 Peace Corps Volunteers among the 100 or so guests, it was also a very nice reunion for us. The wedding was in the southern part of the country so I hadn’t seen any of these folks for quite some time. It was worth the 7 hour round-trip bus / tro-tro ride that I endured as part of a day that started at 4:45 am and got me back to Tamale at 8 pm.
Now we look forward to July and all that will fill it.
Bye for now……….Larry
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Running With the Sheep
OK - so there really is no such thing as "Running With The Sheep" in Daboya (and I'm pretty sure anyplace else in the world!). But there are times when, for no apparent reason, an entire flock of sheep will just go running full tilt. So I'm thinking, OK - maybe it wouldn't be near as exciting as running with the bulls in Spain, but it looks like it would be fun and it would be a whole lot safer. I mean, come on, when was the last time you heard of anyone getting gored or stampeded by a sheep?? I haven't done it yet, but next time a flock goes running by, I just might join them.
Speaking of sheep, they are very different here than those I've seen in the U.S. or other places in the world. No big fluffy wool coats on these sheep. In fact, they look like goats with floppy ears. And I'm darned sure they are not sheared for their coats. For one thing, they would be pretty paltry coats! And, for another, NOBODY in Ghana needs a wool ANYTHING! Not like it's a real problem to stay warm here. Nevertheless, they are very cute. Wonder if I can smuggle one on the airplane.....
I can't remember if I ever talked about what I eat here but since I don't feel like going back through all of my previous posts, I'll just forge ahead. Who knows, maybe my diet has changed since I wrote about it last time (if I did). I do eat Daboya food on a regular basis but also mix in items available in Tamale (2 hr bus ride away) and enjoy REI freeze-dried dinners (thank you Carol and Phyl) maybe once - twice / wk or when I don't feel like cooking. The Daboya food that I like includes lightly fried yam (ajo), jollof rice (shinkafa), banku (made fro corn), TZet (made from corn), FuFu (made from yam), tubani (made from ground beans), and barbequed corn on the cob. Also available in Daboya are packaged spaghetti (talia), tomato sauce, condensed milk, tea bags (basic black), hot chocolate and coffee wannabe powders, canned mackerel in light tomato sauce, and popcorn (at times). You can also buy beef at an outdoor butcher shop and different kinds of fish since we are on a river so fishing is a big industry here. But I tend to stay away from the meat and fish. Fruits and vegetables available locally include mango, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, banana, plaintain, oranges, coconut, tomatos (but they are NOT Jersey Beefsteak Tomatos!), onions, and garlic. Oh - and the ever present pepe (peppers) which I avoid. Hey - I didn't eat jalapenos in Phoenix and I'm not going to eat Ghana hot peppers either. Call me a wimp if you want to. All of the aforementioned foods are available only in season in Daboya.
When I shop in Tamale (about twice/mo), I pick up apples, carrots, lettuce or cabbage, green peppers, potatos, green beans, onions (the ones in Daboya are tiny), canned tuna, corned beef hash (which I NEVER ate in the States), jam (pretty good, actually), raisins, processed cheese, frozen hamburgers, frozen turkey hot dogs, baked beans, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, oats (for breakfast), corn flakes (some Chinese brand!), canned corn, peas, or other veggies, sugar, lemon drops, and household stuff like dishwashing soap etc. Oh - and, although I can buy bread in Daboya, I always buy it in Tamale because I have this incredibly wonderful bread lady - Imama. She always has the best bread. I buy two loaves and she always "dashes" me a third loaf. In addition, if I haven't been in Tamale for awhile, she'll send a loaf on the bus with someone to deliver to me - FREE! We've developed a mutual admiration society and she sends me things she knows I like - green peppers, pineapple, bananas, tomatos - and when I come to Tamale, I bring her fish or buy her stuff in Tamale. She is also my ace in the hole for getting a seat on the bus. She always sells her bread by the Daboya bus so I let her know when I will be going back to Daboya and she makes sure to save me a seat on the bus. You don't realize how big a deal that is until you have tried to battle the crowd to get a seat! People in Ghana are the kindest, gentlest, most helpful people in the world ... unless they are trying to get a seat on a bus. Then it is survival of the fittest... and trust me, I'm not the fittest! So thank God for Imama.
Ok - back to bread. Forget about HealthNut, Whole Wheat, 7 Grain, Rye, Pumpernickel, or most other types. Here you get your choice of white bread but it comes in different varieties. Sugar Bread is my favorite. Has a sweet (duh!) flavor to it and I love the texture. I think the most popular is Tea Bread (no idea why they call it that)which is kind of like French Bread without the good taste. Then there is Special Bread which is suposed to be the best but I don't taste the difference from Tea Bread. I'm sure there are a few others but those are the main ones.
Fortifying my diet (and I mean that in the best way possible) is a whole variety of goodies (Oreos, Peanut M&Ms, licorice, and a whole host of others)provided mostly by my brother Rob, Phyllis, Ed & Alice, N.K. (she knows who she is)and a number of other friends who have contributed over the past two years. I even get healthy stuff in that category like dried fruit, cashews ad trail mix. So - over all, I'd say I have a pretty complete and balanced diet. Aren't you jealous?? Don't know how I'll survive when I get back to the States. Maybe some of my friends here can send me CARE packages.....
Speaking of sheep, they are very different here than those I've seen in the U.S. or other places in the world. No big fluffy wool coats on these sheep. In fact, they look like goats with floppy ears. And I'm darned sure they are not sheared for their coats. For one thing, they would be pretty paltry coats! And, for another, NOBODY in Ghana needs a wool ANYTHING! Not like it's a real problem to stay warm here. Nevertheless, they are very cute. Wonder if I can smuggle one on the airplane.....
I can't remember if I ever talked about what I eat here but since I don't feel like going back through all of my previous posts, I'll just forge ahead. Who knows, maybe my diet has changed since I wrote about it last time (if I did). I do eat Daboya food on a regular basis but also mix in items available in Tamale (2 hr bus ride away) and enjoy REI freeze-dried dinners (thank you Carol and Phyl) maybe once - twice / wk or when I don't feel like cooking. The Daboya food that I like includes lightly fried yam (ajo), jollof rice (shinkafa), banku (made fro corn), TZet (made from corn), FuFu (made from yam), tubani (made from ground beans), and barbequed corn on the cob. Also available in Daboya are packaged spaghetti (talia), tomato sauce, condensed milk, tea bags (basic black), hot chocolate and coffee wannabe powders, canned mackerel in light tomato sauce, and popcorn (at times). You can also buy beef at an outdoor butcher shop and different kinds of fish since we are on a river so fishing is a big industry here. But I tend to stay away from the meat and fish. Fruits and vegetables available locally include mango, pineapple, watermelon, papaya, banana, plaintain, oranges, coconut, tomatos (but they are NOT Jersey Beefsteak Tomatos!), onions, and garlic. Oh - and the ever present pepe (peppers) which I avoid. Hey - I didn't eat jalapenos in Phoenix and I'm not going to eat Ghana hot peppers either. Call me a wimp if you want to. All of the aforementioned foods are available only in season in Daboya.
When I shop in Tamale (about twice/mo), I pick up apples, carrots, lettuce or cabbage, green peppers, potatos, green beans, onions (the ones in Daboya are tiny), canned tuna, corned beef hash (which I NEVER ate in the States), jam (pretty good, actually), raisins, processed cheese, frozen hamburgers, frozen turkey hot dogs, baked beans, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, oats (for breakfast), corn flakes (some Chinese brand!), canned corn, peas, or other veggies, sugar, lemon drops, and household stuff like dishwashing soap etc. Oh - and, although I can buy bread in Daboya, I always buy it in Tamale because I have this incredibly wonderful bread lady - Imama. She always has the best bread. I buy two loaves and she always "dashes" me a third loaf. In addition, if I haven't been in Tamale for awhile, she'll send a loaf on the bus with someone to deliver to me - FREE! We've developed a mutual admiration society and she sends me things she knows I like - green peppers, pineapple, bananas, tomatos - and when I come to Tamale, I bring her fish or buy her stuff in Tamale. She is also my ace in the hole for getting a seat on the bus. She always sells her bread by the Daboya bus so I let her know when I will be going back to Daboya and she makes sure to save me a seat on the bus. You don't realize how big a deal that is until you have tried to battle the crowd to get a seat! People in Ghana are the kindest, gentlest, most helpful people in the world ... unless they are trying to get a seat on a bus. Then it is survival of the fittest... and trust me, I'm not the fittest! So thank God for Imama.
Ok - back to bread. Forget about HealthNut, Whole Wheat, 7 Grain, Rye, Pumpernickel, or most other types. Here you get your choice of white bread but it comes in different varieties. Sugar Bread is my favorite. Has a sweet (duh!) flavor to it and I love the texture. I think the most popular is Tea Bread (no idea why they call it that)which is kind of like French Bread without the good taste. Then there is Special Bread which is suposed to be the best but I don't taste the difference from Tea Bread. I'm sure there are a few others but those are the main ones.
Fortifying my diet (and I mean that in the best way possible) is a whole variety of goodies (Oreos, Peanut M&Ms, licorice, and a whole host of others)provided mostly by my brother Rob, Phyllis, Ed & Alice, N.K. (she knows who she is)and a number of other friends who have contributed over the past two years. I even get healthy stuff in that category like dried fruit, cashews ad trail mix. So - over all, I'd say I have a pretty complete and balanced diet. Aren't you jealous?? Don't know how I'll survive when I get back to the States. Maybe some of my friends here can send me CARE packages.....
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
VACATION!!
Yeah – I know – I just had a vacation when Phyllis was here in January but that was in country. This was my first foray out of Ghana since I've been here. Besides – all work and no play……….
Hey – I just realized that I never said anything about my holiday with Phyllis. How rude of me. You must ALL (not sure if there are thousands who read my blog or just my brother and sister) be despondent, having waited a month to hear about my vacation and then I come up with some lame entry about the heat in Daboya! Well, I need to rectify that but I don't want to write an epic this month so I'll summarize the previous vacation. A good time was had by all! Ok, Ok, cheap shot. Here's a bit more.
Phyllis (for those of you not fortunate enough to know her, she has been a good friend since we were teens in White Meadow Lake. I'm proud to say that she considers me one of her closest girlfriends!) flew into Accra on Wednesday. Unfortunately, I got to Accra to meet her on Tuesday! No worries, mate. I discovered my error before shlepping to the airport and my friends in Accra, Raj and Birgit and their brand new baby (who is sooooooo cute!) were kind enough to put up with me for a second night. I recommend their place for anyone visiting Accra. Bed is soft, food is great, and the price is right (Just kidding Raj – hopefully you won't have a line of people at your door next week asking for the Pearlman Special Rate). We had a leisurely day shopping in Accra followed by a whirlwind Thursday where we took an early flight to Tamale, were picked up by my friend and tour guide Walisu and taken on his wonderful tour of the villages around Tamale, then off by Metro bus for the 2 hour ride to Daboya , canoe across the river and the 15 minute trek to my place in 117 degree heat. Then Phyllis collapsed and told me not to bother her for the rest of the week.
Trooper that she is, she rallied the next day to get a tour of Daboya (with my good friend Musah as guide) and sit in on the very end of the Chief's meeting …. With the Chief's horse standing right in the middle of it!
Oops – this is turning into that epic so I'll go to fast forward. We saw elephants, baboons, monkeys, warthogs, and different types of antelope type critters at Mole Park (where you have to lock your door to keep out the baboons who want to steal food), enjoyed a lunch with new PC Volunteer Hannah at The Junction (thank you Hannah), relaxed into a VERY (we were the only ones there) peaceful time at Kintampo Falls where we cooled off sitting on a rock with our feet in the water. Spent a night at the soul-restoring Kristo Buase Monastery north of Techiman and explored their gorgeous grounds the next morning before stopping in Nsuta to visit the family who hosted me during my 10 week training period. Then down to Cape Coast to enjoy the quaint quiet of this fishing village on the ocean offset by the stark horror of the slave trade story which came to life as we toured Elmina Castle. A bit frazzled by this point in our travels (we covered a lot of miles!), we stopped at Anamabo Beach Resort for a scrumptious lunch and a few hours of walking in the surf, watching the sand crabs, and laying on the beach (hey – it's a tough life but SOMEBODY has to do it!). Then back to Accra and the next day Phyl winged her way back to the Western way of life and I took the 16 hour drive back to Daboya.
NOW – South Africa. Along with the long bus ride to Accra, this trip entailed a long red-eye flight from Accra to Johannesberg but, after riding in tro-tros for 18 months, airplanes are comfortable! Besides, I got to watch two movies that weren't Nigerian films. BIG plus! HUGE shout-out to my good friend Louise who not only put up with me for 3 weeks but also planned our whole time together. Easiest vacation I've ever taken. Thank you, thank you, thank you Weezy!! It was a lovely mix of seeing great places, meeting awesome people, a fun road trip (and we travel well together so NO bickering) through some incredibly beautiful country, enough down time to relax, GREAT FOOD, participation in two Emissary Sunday services and an Attunement Workshop weekend (for those not familiar with attunement, you MUST contact Louise at lbroomberg@gmail.com and begin a dialogue), quality time with a good friend, and delightfully COOL weather.
First (well, OK, obviously this isn't "first" so I should say "Next" but that just doesn't sound right), I'd like to mention the amazing people that make up Louise's relatives, friends, and acquaintances. I can't begin to talk about all of them so I'll slight everyone by not mentioning anyone except to say how much I enjoyed their buoyant spirit, open hearts, and fun personalities. OK – I will mention 4 people. Rinky and Denny (Louise's sisters) made the time feel like home rather than vacation which made it a very special vacation. Sylvia, Louise's mother, has enough life substance that it is a pleasure just being in her presence. And the entire 3 weeks was infused with the spirit of Louise's Dad, Harold, who passed away recently. My frynt, it was good visiting your home and feeling your love.
Louise greeted me by telling me that I was the guest speaker at Denny's meditation group the next day. It was a small, intimate group in a comfy living room setting after tea and cookies and we had a time of sharing heart space that was a lovely way to start my time in Joberg (hey – that's what the natives call it). We followed that with the Attunement Workshop which was held at HighView Gardens – a fairytale beautiful place on the highest hill rising up over central Joberg. Louise was brilliant (as always) in her presentation aided and abetted ably and passionately by Trish. Everyone in the workshop had at least some experience with attunement so there was rich substance to work with and it was an excellent weekend.
Monday we headed off on our road trip to Zimbabwe ("Zim" to the locals). Here are some random reflections on the trip:
* Zim may be a political and economic mess but the country is beautiful, as are the people
* We were warned about the terrible potholes in the roads but it would be one of the nicest roads in northern Ghana!!
* We were also warned that it would take HOURS to cross the border while standing in endless lines but we whisked through in very short order in both directions.
* Zim police are not impressed with a Peace Corps ID Card and will find some reason to fine you!
* Victoria Falls – what can I say? I could wax eloquent for pages but I'll just say that everyone should go see it and get soaked like we did.
* Bought a $100 TRILLION bill for $1 and they threw in a $10 Billion bill and a $20 Billion bill. Now that's some serious inflation! They have now scrapped the
currency completely and began using the S.A. Rand.
* Nice hotels and B&B's are a bargain compared to US prices
* Seems like most of Zim is game preserve so we saw all kinds of interesting
game animals all over the place including an elephant 10` away.
* A very special time at the Gwaai Hotel. Ask Louise for details.
After great hospitality by cousin Dave in Bulawayo and friend Trevor in Vic Falls, we returned to Joberg out of cash (can't use debit cards or credit cards in Zim!). Highlights for the last week included offering a noon time presentation on "Thinking Outside of the Box" for Rinky's company, a vibrant (to say the least) dance / music show depicting South African music from ancient times to today, sitting in on a rehearsal of the world famous Soweto Choir, and a visit to an elephant sanctuary which I loved. Always wanted to ride an elephant and now I have. Much safer than bunji jumping!
During this 3 weeks I became addicted to cricket, "Idols" (both American and S. African versions), and "The Great Race" so I'm going through withdrawal now.
OK – this really did turn out longer than I was planning and I could go on for days. In fact, be warned, I WILL go on for days when I see you in person!! But for now, it's time to let you get back to your email.
Love and Hugs from Africa…….Larry
Sunday, March 15, 2009
"And the Winner is…"
Last year, before I got a thermometer, I wondered if Daboya was hotter than Phoenix. Now, the data has been gathered and the verdict is in. The envelope please. And the winner is……….DABOYA!! With apologies to my long-suffering friends back in Phoenix, it's not even close. Since entering hot season here (March / April), which compares to summer in Phoenix, my thermometer (mostly in shade) registers 117 -119 routinely with "cool" days still hitting 107-108. We get 117+ in Phoenix but it is rare. Here it is almost daily. Granted, I've seen 122 in Phoenix and nothing over 119 in Daboya but that was once in 30 years and I've only been watching temps in Daboya for a few months. Plus, it's early in the hot season. I'm sure we'll see 120+.
Although I'm hoping to miss it. Mrs. Pearlman raised no fools so, after experiencing hot season last year, I set up a 3 week vacation to S. Africa this year from 3/16 – 4/7. If I'm lucky, rainy season will start early and I'll come back in time for the cool weather.
OK – so let's talk about the "cool" weather. The coldest time here is Dec / Jan (just like Phoenix) when the temp range is 65 – 105 compared to 30 – 75 in Phoenix. So – NO CONTEST – Daboya would win the "fry an egg on the sidewalk" contest….except we have no sidewalks here! In fact, we have no asphalt here. But at least we have eggs here!
Interestingly, it doesn't feel as hot here but I'm sure that's due to relative contrast. In Phoenix I would be writing this in an air conditioned building at maybe 75-85 degrees. Then I would go out into 105. In Daboya, I'm writing this in 119 degree heat and then I will go out into………119. Of course, inside feels more comfortable (I have learned that "comfort" is a relative term!) because of the shade – until nightfall when the radiant heat from the zinc roof makes it hotter inside than out. But the point is, if you're already hot, going out into the "heat" doesn't feel as bad as going from comfortably cool into the heat.
Well, as I've said for 30 years in Phoenix, I may not like heat but I HATE cold so I can't complain too much.
Something occurred to me this week and I thought I should mention it on the blog. The mail service in Ghana, although not terrible, is not necessarily dependable. Therefore, it is entirely possible that a letter you may have sent to me never made it to me or one I sent to you never made it to you. Rest assured, I reply to any letter I get within a week (I have really learned to appreciate letter writing here). It may take another week to get to a post office and then 2-3 weeks to get to you from when it is mailed. Factoring in 3-4 weeks for your letter to have gotten to me, and you should hear back from me within 2 months from when you mailed your letter. Soooooo…. If you sent me a letter more than 2 months ago, it either didn't make it to me or my reply didn't make it to you. Please feel free to write again and we'll hope for better luck.
'Til Next Time..........
Although I'm hoping to miss it. Mrs. Pearlman raised no fools so, after experiencing hot season last year, I set up a 3 week vacation to S. Africa this year from 3/16 – 4/7. If I'm lucky, rainy season will start early and I'll come back in time for the cool weather.
OK – so let's talk about the "cool" weather. The coldest time here is Dec / Jan (just like Phoenix) when the temp range is 65 – 105 compared to 30 – 75 in Phoenix. So – NO CONTEST – Daboya would win the "fry an egg on the sidewalk" contest….except we have no sidewalks here! In fact, we have no asphalt here. But at least we have eggs here!
Interestingly, it doesn't feel as hot here but I'm sure that's due to relative contrast. In Phoenix I would be writing this in an air conditioned building at maybe 75-85 degrees. Then I would go out into 105. In Daboya, I'm writing this in 119 degree heat and then I will go out into………119. Of course, inside feels more comfortable (I have learned that "comfort" is a relative term!) because of the shade – until nightfall when the radiant heat from the zinc roof makes it hotter inside than out. But the point is, if you're already hot, going out into the "heat" doesn't feel as bad as going from comfortably cool into the heat.
Well, as I've said for 30 years in Phoenix, I may not like heat but I HATE cold so I can't complain too much.
Something occurred to me this week and I thought I should mention it on the blog. The mail service in Ghana, although not terrible, is not necessarily dependable. Therefore, it is entirely possible that a letter you may have sent to me never made it to me or one I sent to you never made it to you. Rest assured, I reply to any letter I get within a week (I have really learned to appreciate letter writing here). It may take another week to get to a post office and then 2-3 weeks to get to you from when it is mailed. Factoring in 3-4 weeks for your letter to have gotten to me, and you should hear back from me within 2 months from when you mailed your letter. Soooooo…. If you sent me a letter more than 2 months ago, it either didn't make it to me or my reply didn't make it to you. Please feel free to write again and we'll hope for better luck.
'Til Next Time..........
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
What's Happening with the Chief?
Well, we are DEFINITELY in the dry season. NO rain since October 11. Feels just like Arizona! This part of the dry season (Harmattan)is when the winds bring the dust down from the Sahara. Nights and mornings cool off (get "down" to 65 or so) though afternoons usually still go to 105 and above. My favorite part of this time of year is NO BUGS!! Well, OK -- something is still biting me but it is sooooooo nice compared to the proliferation of insects during the rainy season. It's nice walking around outside at night and not getting dive bombed by a virtual flotilla (cool word, huh?) of flying pests.
It feels like I haven't been working much lately but our temporary Visitors' Centre is ready for business (y'all come!), the foundation is laid for the permanent Visitors' Centre, the gound has been cleared for a regional market place, we have a committee working with an NGO to build a library, our fishermen have formed an association and met with another NGO to start an exciting progrm that will hlep restore and preserve the White Volta River while improving their bottom line, a group of students has put on a play to increase awareness about HIV / AIDS and people living with HIV and plan to do additional performances and create a video, and my Vocational School students are preparing for their Feb. exams. So, I guess I must be doing more than crossword puzzles!
Oh - and I'm no longer on foot. I finally got a bike and it didn't take long to spoil me! Amazing how much faster I can get around now. If I can just keep avoiding the rocks, deep sand, potholes, chickens, goats, sheep, cows, toddlers, children, pedestrians, other bicycles, tractors, and motos. Who says there's no traffic in Daboya??!!
I start vacation tomorrow along with my friend Phyllis who is coming to visit. She will get to see all the things you just get to read about on my blog! I'm hoping to even have her come to a Chief's meeting! In addition, we'll do the tourist thing together so I'll get to see Mole National Park, Kintampo Falls, Fuller Falls, Kristo Buase Monastery, Elmina Slave Castle in Cape Coast, and revisit Anamabo Beach for a few hours to finally relax after all that! We'll let you know how it went next entry.
Much Love from Ghana..........Larry
It feels like I haven't been working much lately but our temporary Visitors' Centre is ready for business (y'all come!), the foundation is laid for the permanent Visitors' Centre, the gound has been cleared for a regional market place, we have a committee working with an NGO to build a library, our fishermen have formed an association and met with another NGO to start an exciting progrm that will hlep restore and preserve the White Volta River while improving their bottom line, a group of students has put on a play to increase awareness about HIV / AIDS and people living with HIV and plan to do additional performances and create a video, and my Vocational School students are preparing for their Feb. exams. So, I guess I must be doing more than crossword puzzles!
Oh - and I'm no longer on foot. I finally got a bike and it didn't take long to spoil me! Amazing how much faster I can get around now. If I can just keep avoiding the rocks, deep sand, potholes, chickens, goats, sheep, cows, toddlers, children, pedestrians, other bicycles, tractors, and motos. Who says there's no traffic in Daboya??!!
I start vacation tomorrow along with my friend Phyllis who is coming to visit. She will get to see all the things you just get to read about on my blog! I'm hoping to even have her come to a Chief's meeting! In addition, we'll do the tourist thing together so I'll get to see Mole National Park, Kintampo Falls, Fuller Falls, Kristo Buase Monastery, Elmina Slave Castle in Cape Coast, and revisit Anamabo Beach for a few hours to finally relax after all that! We'll let you know how it went next entry.
Much Love from Ghana..........Larry
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