Thursday, January 21, 2010

January 21, 2010-- Fufu, Fish & Grasscutter Rodent-eating

January 21, 2010

I missed writing yesterday but it was a good day. We made bracelets yesterday. And I also tried FuFu yesterday. I think you are going to have to try it sometime. Wow!!! It is different. I have found out that I can’t eat the fish here. I just lose my appetite with the smell and/or taste of it. So instead of getting the Okra with fish, I got the Okra with grasscutter. It is some kind of rodent. It tasted like Chicken. I was also introduced to Jessica, Tina, and Auntie Mary at the Clinic. I will hopefully be able to start there soon. The thing that most surprised me yesterday was the children though. I have come to understand that they no longer say please and thank you. They just take things. I was talking to Elisabeth, a volunteer who came here 6 months ago, and she said they did not used to be like this. They would be gracious and kind about everything. Now she says, because of how the volunteers treat them (some would say spoil them) they have some to expect everything. Goergina would take the gifts and puts them in a closet. That closet is really full of toys and other things that have not yet been used. That really surprised me. Georgina, one of the workers at the orphanage, left today. So Theresea and Annika stayed at the orphanage last night and tonight. Last night, we went to oasis to celebrate because 4 of the 6 USA volunteers were leaving. We had Choco Banana Smoothies which were pretty good. But around 12 when I was in bed, I started getting stomach cramps. So I didn’t sleep well and when I woke up at 6:00 to finally get up after not sleeping, I discovered I was nauseous and had to use the bathroom a lot. So I took something for my stomach (Thanks dad for making me bring it) and went on my way to the clinic this morning. As it turns out, we were supposed to start and go to houses this morning but there was a women in labor, and we couldn’t leave until Auntie Mary came and relieved the other girls from that job. I was very tired and still not feeling well so they told me to sleep on their bed. I did and when I woke up with Aaron’s call, I discovered that we no longer were going to go so I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t have spent that time with the children but that is okay. I knew that laundry was needing to be done, and it feels like parts of my hand have only one layer of skin left until they bleed so they are pretty sensitive.
The rest of today went well. AnnLouise, Asha, Annita, Theresea and I went to cape coast. I used the ATM, bought fabric, went to this store were volunteers like us are working to support come children in Baobab. It was very nice. I had an avocado sandwhich and it was pretty good. The pineapple here is so good!!! The fruit is just fresher. We eat oranges that are green and pale yellow inside but they taste amazing. You eat it by cutting the outside skin to make sure you are not sucking on dirt or anything and cut a little top. There you will suck and sweeze the whole orange out. After the juice is gone, you can open it up and eat the insides. I like eating it that way. Fresh orange juice!!! I am becoming very good friends with the community and volunteers. I keep thinking about how I am going to go visit Northern Ghana but I haven’t figured out a plan yet. I want to see it but I will need about a week I think and I can’t travel alone, so I am not sure yet. Today, at the orphanage, I helped collect water, played Red Rover and Red light Green light with the Kids and helped them do homework. They also started playing tug-a-war and one boy got a bad rope burn. We turn pink with a rope burn, but this burn was weird. It was white. So anyways, I pulled out my handy-dandy first aid kit and we got it resolved. I then came home and learned partially how to make banku. Umm, yumm I guess. I am very tired and want to go to bed earlier so I will go over to Elvis’s house and hopefully email this very quickly and be on my way to sleep. I am also buying some books while I am here and reading them. I am excited for this weekend. We are going dancing tomorrow and I want to travel to Accra and see some things so we will see how the weekend goes. And for tonight, I had the family try some jelly bellies. They say they are very good. We are going to work on all of it the next few nights. That was a great idea!! Love you!!!!

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