Have Fun But Think About AIDS

I'm a real, full-fledged volunteer!! Swearing-in was last Friday and was a hilarious occasion, of course. Peace Corps had us go sit out in the lawn for about an hour while everyone else (trainers, homestay families, country director, ambassador, etc.) came in and found their seats. Then Peace Corps had us get up and file out of the lawn so that we could make our grand entrance! Boy, was everyone surprised to see us! Peace Corps also hired a brass band that was about as good as most of the bands I heard in middle school. They didn't seem to be playing the same melody as one another and spontaneously burst into song throughout the whole ceremony! We also had to give several "cultural" performances. By this I mean our language groups had to perform a song, skit, or dance in front of everyone in our local language. The Dagbani song and dance we did about waist beads (beads women wear under their clothes on their hips) wasn't awkward at all. And the burning garbage a few hundred feet away provided a lovely aroma.

After swearing-in I began making my way to site with my little puppy, Sage. Yes, she is mine now! She has been quite the trooper travelling all the way from southern Ghana up to the north. On the way up to site I stopped at Lake Bosomtwe with a few friends for a couple nights. It was beautiful and relaxing. Kind of felt like high school spring break - we drank during the day, ate cheeseburgers, and played games (yes, I got roped into ping pong AND a card game). As several signs on the way to the lake noted, we had fun, but thought about AIDS. And yes, these are real signs. I'm not making it up. The lake was by far the most beautiful thing I've seen in Ghana so far and I even got to see a beautiful sunrise. And no, I wasn't still awake for it, I was actually awake that early in the morning.

So this morning we woke up at 4am in order to take a bus from Kumasi to Tamale. While standing in a ridiculously long line to buy a ticket for a bus before the sun even came up I began reflecting. I'm standing there with a puppy in my purse; my friend has a bunny in a box; and we are about to get on a seven hour bus ride. All around us are women with stuff on their heads (literally, water satchets, bread, wood, fish, underwear, etc. in bowls on their heads) and people yelling. It's loud and hectic and crazy. Sometimes I still think to myself - "WHERE AM I?? WHAT AM I DOING??" I've been here almost 3 months now and feel pretty adapted, but every now and then I have those moments.

Tomorrow after navigating Tamale to buy a stove, pot, utensils, toilet seat, laundry supplies and everything else I need to set up house (with a puppy still in my purse), I will go to Lungbunga to LIVE. For TWO YEARS. WOW. Of course I have mixed emotions, but I am mostly excited. I feel like I'm going home. Unfortunately my New Years and Christmas will be lame - the runoff election for Ghanaian president is Dec. 28 so Peace Corps is forbidding everyone from leaving their sites Dec. 24-Jan. 2. But I have little Sage to keep me company! She's a good dog - miraculously house broken somehow.

Oh and a headline from the Daily Graphic (Ghana's newspaper): "Leperacy Covered By National Health Insurance Scheme." So in case I get leperacy, I'll be ok. Oh, Ghana.

Happy Birthday Jim Morrison

I made it through homestay! Just moved out this morning. Thank God. Last night and this morning were especially noisy, maybe because of the election. People yelling and slamming doors at 10pm (I know, so late). Even though I am actually IN Ghana, I am still very unclear about the election results. From what I've heard it's very close and there might be a run-off. Maybe all of you and your reliable news sources will have more information. If so, feel free to pass it along.

I managed to pass my language exam last week so it looks like they will have no reason to send me home! Which means on Friday I will be sworn in as a volunteer!

The biggest news right now is that I might have a puppy! I say "might" because one of the trainers got her as a Secret Santa gift. First of all, who gets PUPPIES as Secret Santa gifts?? Only in Ghana...But it looks like I might end up with her. We will see. She is black and white and a little brown and FLUFFY! Fluffy dogs are very hard to find in Ghana, so I'm trying to take advantage. I found her yesterday, which was Jim Morrison's birthday, so I think she is a gift from Jim. If I keep her I will name her Sage after Jim and his girlfriend's dog.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! I am very jealous of the cold weather and all the good food. I am mopping my face with a sweat rag and wondering if I will get rice or plantains for lunch.