Short Break From Technical Training

Hi! I'm so thrilled to update with a post! Usually I'm able to write a post ahead of time, but Kris has the laptop (since I wouldn't be in a laptop safe environment for three weeks), so bear with me. I've been in Gushie (north of Tamale) for the past 2 weeks for "intensive technical training." We've helped construct a pit latrine, mozambique latrine and a soak away pit. I've also been able to help out at a community baby weighing... pictures to come... I've taught an hour lesson to 4th graders about Malaria and a similar length lesson to Mango farmers about HIV/AIDS. Tomorrow I'll be teaching a lesson to Junior High kids about HIV/AIDS. Once back in my home-stay community I'll be teaching a lesson to 6th graders about hand washing. Besides prepping for all of these sessions, we've been having learning sessions ourselves on how to teach and facilitate. Kris got to our site yesterday afternoon, I talked with him briefly and he seems pretty happy with it :) It has 4 rooms and a pretty large outdoor cemented-in area. The bedroom has a bed in it (wow!), the living/sitting area has several tables and a book shelf and the kitchen has 2 tables and a storage area/cabinet. I will post pictures soon so this all makes more sense. Our bathe-room is attached in our outdoor cemented-in area; it's open to the sky with high enough cement wall. We have a cat named kitty (female) and a rabbit (female) named bunny. I welcome more creative name suggestions. I slept outside 1.5 nights of my stay at sight. Night 2 was interrupted by a pretty dramatic rain storm. We have a huge garden including a bunch of Moringa trees (which I will be making into soap and protein rich powder)! To buy anything to eat or cook with I have to walk/bike 3KM into Kpassa. Unfortunately there is a pretty big hill in the middle of this commute and the road is dirt with some gravel and craters mixed throughout. I will have very large calves when I get back :) We have a latrine, very simple I believe it to be a V.I.P. (no, not very important person: ventilated improved pit). It's just a hole, so I'll be getting in some quality squatting time. The main road in the Volta Region is the worst in Ghana. I can even say this around Ghanaians or experienced PCVs without getting contradicted, it truly is.

My health: Had a malaria scare the other day, so I took a rapid test, which was negative. About 30 minutes after taking the test I had my first experience of thinking I was urinating when it was really from another source... you get the picture. So now I'm on Cipro along with at least half of the other WATSAN volunteers who also had fever + diarrhea. We're all feeling much better though now. Prior to getting sick I was trying to tend to those with high fevers (good nurse Tricia), I also made an antibiotic run on which I had my first car accident... well, more goat vs. car accident. The goat did not stand a chance, but unfortunately left the van leaking coolant all over the road. Poor PC vehicle. I sleep in a mosquito net... even in a screened in porch, I just really don't want malaria. My latest issue has been getting a mosquito in the net with me. Try as I might I usually manage to have one sneak in and miss my flashlight beam as I do the sweep... maybe I have poor technique. Nonetheless I am taking mefloquine which kills malaria in my blood so I don't get the symptoms as long as I take it regularly, which I have been doing.

I'm pretty excited to be heading back to home-stay on Sunday, Kris will be getting back around the same time, it'll be nice to see him after 3 weeks! We'll be stopping at a waterfall on our way back... I can't wait. I had the chance to sit on a crocodile the other day and see/hike some beautiful rock formations. Although there aren't many "wild animals" Ghana is truly a beautiful place filled with even more beautiful people. I'm missing Madison right now as summer is in full swing... concerts on the square, farmers market, terrace, but am really enjoying the work I am doing. Most of the people I've been able to talk with have thanked me profusely for sharing my knowledge with them. I'm convinced this is where I need to be right now and I can't wait to swear in and really get to know my community. Miss you all.