A Look Back ... Some Photos

Mary and little Fatima at work

Jim in the hospital ward

Our local Holy Cross Church

Jim with Mumuni, our night watchman

Walking safari at Mole National Park

Godwin, our cook, with his delicious bread

The waiting area at the hospital

Local scene, women and goats, Tamale

Our bedroom

Downtown Tamale

Sylvia, and me modeling the dress she made for me

Water supply poly tanks in the hospital

Visit to Mole National Park with Conor and Katie

Our new living room furniture, made by local carpenters

The COLWOD women at my bon voyage gathering

Jim, hard at work

Jim and colleagues in the OR

Jim and his nurses

Tamale market place

Young girl carrying water sacs

My Kenyan friend, Rosemary, on her visit to Tamale

The Marshall family from South Africa

Katie and Conor with our next door neighbor, Jabal

Relaxing at home

Travel

Last year, when I left Ghana in the fall, Jim had the arrival of our daughter, Beth, to look forward to in December. This year, two of our sons, Jim and John, plan to visit him in early November. Stephen will miss the trip as he is working knee-deep in election mania out in Nevada. After about seven days in Ghana, Jim, Sr., Jim and John will all board a flight to Casablanca. John is to continue directly on to the U.S. whereas Beth will then fly from New York to join Jim and Jimmy for a week of adventure in Morocco. I plan to skip this jaunt but hopefully we can select an interesting destination at which we can all meet sometime in 2009 (New Jersey is not Jim, Sr.'s first choice). Any recommendations?
Thanks for reading our blogs. Please look for photos to be posted in the near future.

Pizza, Ice-cream, Seminarians and COLWOD

After a traditional lunch at SWAD with Rick and Mmathuba, I transported my "take-out" order of three veggie & Hawaiian pizzas back to the house in preparation for the seminarians who I had invited over for a farewell party at 4 PM. Figured they may have had their fill of jollof rice and yams so an American feast of pizza and ice-cream made up the menu. Four of the young women from COLWOD also joined us and midst tears, smiles, and lots of photo taking, we had a great time. A highlight of the afternoon was our son John's call on SKYPE. The seminarians and the girls all took turns speaking with him and thoroughly enjoyed seeing one of the persons I'm always talking about live on screen with the computer's video camera. John's comments provided some great reactions and laughter and it was truly a special experience for my guests.

Guests For Dinner

Archbishop Gregory, Rick and Mmathuba came for dinner here on Tuesday. And, among the stories told, we learned from the Archbishop that Jim's unpopular regulation of making all patients wait their turn before being seen by him in the clinic (hospital staff are notorious for squeezing into the schedule a variety of relatives and friends) was even in place 30 years ago when Jim was working in the Upper Region West. At that time, Gregory was Bishop of the Wa diocese. He was having a problem with his ears and had heard about the new young doctor up in Jirapa. When Gregory arrived, the Ghanaians were thrilled to have their Bishop visiting and swiftly brought him right over to be examined by Jim. And then, - "the rule" went into effect. To the utter dismay of the hospital staff, the good Bishop was made to wait his turn like everyone else. Evidently, the incident did no damage to the relationship because they've both kept in touch throughout the years.
For the meal, Godwin outdid himself in the kitchen and a combination of Ghanaian and American cuisine was enjoyed by all. I tried to contribute a salad made with "peelable" produce - cucumbers, avocado and sliced onion - but ended up with just the cucumbers. The avocado was spoiled, and the "sweet" onions I thought I bought at the market were so strong that I was afraid people would hesitate to even open their mouths to talk after eating them. Nonetheless, the dinner was a success and included mashed yams with a vegetable cream sauce, and boiled plantains with palava sauce (a mixture of spinach-like greens and local beans). Cordials of Takai and Amarula topped off the evening.

Generators and Shoes

Time to consider getting a generator for power outages - at least one with enough capacity to back up the refrigerator and a bedroom air conditioner. We haven't had to use anything but ceiling fans for the past few months but one says that A/C can be a definite priority in the dry season. And, although electrical power has generally been better this year, it does go out periodically - one recent night from about 9PM to 6AM. On another evening, it went just as we were getting dressed to have dinner at the home of friends (who happily do have a generator). We left the house with flashlight in hand but I arrived stylishly wearing one black and one tan sandal.

Rain but No Water

Last week was a rough one for our friend, Damien. He slept at our place Sunday night as he was flooded out of his own home earlier that morning. The plains in his area simply gave way to the overflow of the river from all the heavy rains we've had. He had to trudge through waist-deep water to re-enter the house in order to retieve some of his clothes and personal belongings - this after battling an episode of malaria for the previous five days.
At the same time, usable water has been in short supply around us. The weekly delivery to the poly tanks in our back yard has actually been pretty consistent but unfortunately for many others this has not been the case. Our shower was open to guests. It's difficult to understand why an efficient system is not in place to take advantage of conserving the large amount of precipitation that occurs during the rainy season - especially when facing the very hot, dry months ahead.

Approaching Another Farewell

The date for my return to the U.S. is fast approaching and as with last year, I have conflicting emotions. One difference, however, is this time I leave Jim living in our own rented home, and more entrenched and well accepted by his colleagues at the hospital.
The other evening we attended a farewell dinner for four Cuban doctors who are returning to Cuba after completing a two-year assignment in Tamale. Several hospital personnel - physicians, nurses, and administrators - came up to me and sang Jim's praises. He was even encouraged to say a few words to everyone and like a true Ghanaian, followed a speech with one of his tried and true jokes.
We are now in the middle of Ramadan and sometimes the Islamic call to prayer seems louder than usual. Actually, I think I'll miss the assortment of sounds in Tamale - the hypnotic Muslim chants, the beautiful singing and playing of drums during Mass on Sundays, the ever-reliable roosters waking us up each morning, and the amazing variety of bird calls during the day.
Life here in the Northern Region of Ghana continues to be alluring in its own exceptional way.

Jim Makes Progress with Dagbani

Jim remains diligent in his effort to learn Dagbani. Early every morning before our night watchman leaves for the day, one can hear Jim practicing his numbers and reciting the days of the week for Mumuni's (we used to call him Mahama but I think we finally got it right) approval. And a taxi ride with Jim can be pure entertainment (we have yet to purchase a vehicle of our own). The most serious driver stares in amazement as my husband tries to communicate some thought or request in a fractured combination of syntax and pronunciation. Fellow passengers (the taxi usually picks up at least four people before moving) are sometimes convulsed with laughter but at the same time compliment and congratulate him for attempting to speak the local language. Acually, more often than not, he makes himself well undersood. We arrive at the correct destination, receive the right change, and are rewarded by a genuine smile.

Two-Way Learning Experience

My love of the French language and the interest of Mmathuba to learn it have provided us with an ideal opportunity to develop a welcome friendship. We have a one-on-one tutoring session on weekday mornings and, in addition, always manage to squeeze in some news of our children, facts about Mmathuba's native country, Botswana, and frequent trips into town. We can commiserate on the length of time it takes to prepare fresh vegetables in Ghana and can appreciatiate the ease with which we are able to prepare the same meal "at home."
My previous background knowledge of Botswana has only been limited to what I've read in the popular "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series written by Alexander McCall Smith. Now I am learning first-hand about a nation that shares the same continent as Ghana but which is very different in culture, customs, and progressive development.
It is a win-win situation for us both.

Yea for SKYPE!!!

Being able to download the SKYPE program on our computer has been great! By connecting to another SKYPE user via the internet, not only can we chat (for free!) but with cameras attached, the two parties are able to see each other live as well. With speakers on and the computer screen in full view, it's almost like being in the same room with someone who is actually so far away. Yea!!!

Deluges of August

The heavy August rains are determined to make their presence felt as torrential downpours frequently pummel the landscape. During the day, when the warm sun manages to shine through for a few hours, roads dry quickly only to be drenched again a short time later. The resulting spurts of cool air are most welcome, and as long as the mosquitoes are held at bay outside our nets, sleeping at night can be quite comfortable especially with the ceiling fan overhead. Electrical power is much more consistent this year too ( as compared to last), except of course for our particular wiring dilemma in the house. The underlying mystery of fuses occasionally blowing and appliances spoiling is yet to be sufficiently solved. Non-functioning transformers for some of Jim's medical equipment in the hospital continue to be a huge problem as well.

Surprise Visit From My Kenyan Friend

My Kenyan friend, Rosemary, who is a Medical Mission Sister now working on assignment in the town of Techiman in Ghana (about a three-hour drive from Tamale), brightened my day with a surprise visit. We first met last year during a course at the Tamale Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies, struck up a great friendship, and have since kept in touch. Sadly, Rosemary has just returned from a home leave to Kenya when a few short days after arriving, her beloved and only sister, Monica, died during childbirth. As happens with far too many African women, complications which might be readily treated in a hospital are not addressed when giving birth in a rural village setting. Monica leaves behind seven children who have already suffered with the burning of their home during recent violence there.
Opportunities abound every day for me to count my own personal blessings.

The Little Things

Since our two house guests have returned to the U.S., our daily routines are pretty much back in place. Jim continues to be a welcome presence at the hospital (the weekly medical conference has grown in attendance) and I plug along with household tasks in between conducting a class at the Christian Brothers compound or manning the front table at COLWOD. A new project I enjoy is preparing calico to be made into colorful wall hangings. After making a particular sketch (animals, trees, etc.) on a large poster-sized paper, I then place a section of calico on top of it and am able to trace an outline on the cloth of the drawn pattern underneath. One of the COLWOD ladies then applies her talented skills with wax and dyes, transforming it into a colorful piece.
Do I miss Manhattan and the suburbs of New Jersey? Yes. But, I can also appreciate the pace of life here and will miss "the little things" when I am back in the U.S. Like the generosity of spirit the other rainy morning when we were waiting for a "shared taxi" to travel to church. A cab going by (in the opposite direction, no less) stopped, its three passengers got out, offered to wait for another one to come along, and insisted we take theirs instead. And the spontaneous greetings of the Ghanaians while one is walking or when entering a building - A maraaba! (Welcome!), Dasiba (Good morning), A gbihira? (Did you sleep well?) Maybe I'll give this greeting thing a try the next time I stroll down Kearny Avenue or ride the subway in the city.

Safari at Mole

Our weekend at Mole National Park was really successful in that we were able to observe a variety of wildlife in their natural habitat. Chance combines with the expertise of the ranger leading a safari, especially in the rainy season when the animals are not forced to visit the large watering holes close to the lodge. Luck was with us, however, both on walking safaris and on the one we took by vehicle through the reserve.
Have to admit that after two hours of traipsing through the tall grass and intermittent swampy areas in my high "Weltie" boots, with the sweat exiting from every pore in my body under the hot African sun, I barely had the energy to look towards our guide's outstreched arm pointing at creatures hiding a few yards away in the bush. Nevertheless, we were well rewarded by seeing baboons, monkeys, warthogs, various species of deer, huge elephants and a herd of water buffalo. Exciting!
Katie and I experienced too much of a close encounter as we took the last few bites of our breakfast sitting at an outdoor table. The baboons and monkeys near the lodge are notoriously agressive in grabbing whatever food they see. Before we knew it, an extremely agile monkey leaped on top of our table and midst dishes flying under a shower of spilt tea, he skillfully swiped his target- a small container of sugar cubes.
Jim and Conor, on the other hand, were placed in a much more precarious situation during their second safari walk (Katie & I were sitting this one out- choosing instead to have the monkey join us for breakfast). With a few large elephants just a short distance from where they were standing, two young girls started to walk towards one elephant who had already decided to approach their group. This was not very prudent to say the least as the ranger quickly had to run and call after the hopeful photographers to hastily retreat.
All in all, a great get-away from Tamale- about a three-hour trip partially on a paved road and the remainder on a typically bumpy dirt road, navigating the ruts.

Glitches Galore

Not a particularly good day on the Ghanaian home front. Carpenters not showing up for the upteenth time and a flying insect invasion were minor problems compared to the unfortunate result of the electrician's recent "repairs." By his not checking to see that the main power switch was turned off before tackling the tasks at hand, our voltage regulator, water pump, and coveted electric washing machine are now all "spoiled" as the Ghanaians say. Bottom line, they don't work anymore. I like the electrician, Abraham, and one can't help but feel badly for him as well. His usual bright smile is nowhere to be seen today.
On top of the domestic problems, Jim's frustration threshold is further tested by the often preventable inefficiency at the hospital. After surgically repairing a patient's extensive lip laceration (caused by a human bite), the orders he left for the necessary antibiotics to be administered throughout the night were never followed.
Sure hope our traveling visitors are having a better time in Bolga!

Two Young House Guests

Two friends of our children in the US arrived last week. Katie, a medical student in Philadelphia, and Conor, with the Teach For America Program in Baltimore, have livened up our household with their summer decisions to experience a taste of West Africa. They've had an introduction to "town" getting duplicate keys made and shopping for plantain, pineapple & watermelon, and spent Saturday evening relaxing first with a drink at the Jungle Bar then enjoying the ever-tasty veggie and Hawaiian pizzas at SWAD. Both have already spent time at Tamale Teaching Hospital but for the next couple of days, they're off to explore some areas further north such as Bolgatanga, capital of the Upper East Region, and Paga, home of the sacred crocodile ponds. At that point, one is very close to the Burkina Faso border so a visit to Ouagadougou is also on their agenda. Hopefully, a great adventure!

Dealing With Dirt

Trying to keep a clean house in Tamale is anything but easy. The fine, light brown dust from the dirt roads accumulates everywhere, seemingly to reappear within seconds of being wiped away. And this is the rainy season which doesn't even compare to the dry months especially when accompanied by the Harmattan. Somehow, I've managed to be out of the country when this annual dust-laden wind from the Sahara - in January (sometimes Dec.) to March - makes its way across Ghana. I'm told that even with the windows closed and protected with curtains, the rooms are continually covered with the persistent dust that blows in. And yet, midst dirt & dust, avoiding mosquitoes & malaria, dealing with ants, miscellaneous bugs/insects, keeping an eye on the level of one's water tank, and shrugging off a power outage, life is still balanced by a relatively relaxed tempo as people go about daily chores, care for their families, and enjoy many social interactions throughout the day.

Setting Up The Household

Am attempting to add a woman's touch to our home here in Tamale but I must admit that credit for all the basic and important groundwork goes to Jim. Having borrowed an electric drill for the day, he was a man with a mission going from room to room making holes for curtain rod brackets at each window plus extras for pictures and mirrors. In addition to his job at the hospital, he is plumber/electrician/carpenter - a veritable jack-of-all-trades - as he deals with poly tanks, gutters, drain pipes, electrical power and closet shelves. I'm having enough trouble trying to figure out how many yards of fabric I need in order to have curtains made.

Godwin Returns

After about ten days of being AWOL, Godwin, our cook and washer of clothes, has returned. Yea! Actually, except for the heavy load of wet towels and trying to cook in between disinfecting for germs and ants, I kind of enjoyed the challenge of being creative with a cabbage, a few carrots and a can of tomato paste. Nevertheless, it's nice to once again be able to "assist" in the kitchen and have the luxury of taking over on Godwin's days off.
Evidently, he had had an accident with his motorcycle - not while driving but while pushing it up a steep incline after it developed a flat. Somehow, he lost his balance and the bike fell back on top of him, causing a kind of hip injury. For reasons of his own, he opted for treatment in his village rather than at the hospital. From the description, it sounded like his village person made some "adjustments" to the hip area followed by suggested rest and the application of a brownish colored ointment.
Guess Jim will now be easing up on his jaunts to the market.

Vignettes

Tamale - a West African city of over 300,000 people:
Gray, black, white, and brown goats meandering alone or in a group - on the roads, walkways, everywhere.
Bicycles and motorcycles weaving among pedestrians, taxis, cars, trucks and lorries with any resemblance of a one-car length rule non-existent - a one-inch rule (with no exaggeration) being the norm. Pedestrians: beware! - moving vehicles appear to have total right-of-way.
Roadside stands for furniture, metal works, x-rox copies, haircuts, food, electronics, phone cards, tailoring, etc., etc.
Women and young girls of all ages carrying heavy containers filled with the likes of water, food and fabrics on their heads.
Open markets with grains, yams, potatoes, fruits, meats, vegetables, soaps, utensils, clothing and gadgets galore.
This is Tamale - Awakening to the sounds of birds calling and roosters crowing; greeting an early evening usually accompanied by the strains of a Muslim chant in the distance.

Man in the Market

My husband, who was rarely known to pick up so much as a loaf of bread on his way home from work in the US, is now a regular in the market place. He thinks it fun to stop and bargain for mangoes, tomatoes, yams, plantains and beans and consistently surprises me with his latest purchase. Now if I can only get him to peel, disinfect/wash, boil and prepare the above, I'll be all set.

Taxi Update

The taxi continues to be our primary mode of transportation in Tamale although I now have a broader knowledge of its "scope." When hailing a cab on the main Bolga Rd, which is just a few steps from our house, one is fairly sure of entering a decent vehicle, complete with unblemished windshield & operating door/window handles. Not so on the more rural routes. Having decided to visit Regina (Reggie) on the Archbishop's compound, I took my old route to the western residential area of Tamale from the center of town and there I found myself facing the familiar shattered windshield with nary a door or window handle in sight. Also learned, however, that even the Bolga route has its problems. On our way back from a delicious dinner at the home of our Canadian friends, Nancy and Frank, Jim & I jumped into a taxi which thankfully delivered us to our home in one piece. The driver consistently faced the front passenger side window & proceeded to drag race and yell at the vehicle to his right. As Jim tapped the fellow's shoulder, suggesting he slow down, I was ever so grateful to zoom over the last speed bump and get out.

Changing Lives

A team of specialists with the Ghana Cleft Foundation from Kumasi came up to the Northern Region and spent the entire week at Tamale Teaching Hospital performing cleft lip and cleft palate surgery. It was a wonderful opportunity for Jim to scrub in with these dedicated and skillful Ghanaian physicians. Over 30 patients (children of various ages and some adults as well) had their lives virtually changed since individuals with this deformity can easily be considered outcasts in society here. Word about the successful surgeries began to spread into the villages and important, too, was the foundation's "no fee" policy if the patient or his/her family did not have the government health insurance. Without a doubt, this medical team's next visit will be eagerly anticipated and most welcome.

Working Out My Work Schedule

Visited the Christian Brothers compound yesterday and had a nice reunion with my former students. It was decided that I teach a class on Thursday afternoons using the "50 Great Short Stories" paperbacks I brought over along with miscellaneous English language materials generously provided by my good friend at the University of Notre Dame - Professor Noreen Deane-Moran.
Tuesday mornings will be my regular slot helping out at COLWOD in addition to any other times the need arises. In actuality, the young women there are very welcoming and I feel free to stop in even if just to sit & visit.
Thus, one can readily see by the "relaxed" schedule described above, I am left with plenty of time to do "hard labor." And that, as it appears, seems to be my destiny for the moment.
Jim admits now that for some time he has had a suspicion about the possibility of Godwin's departure. And so, those basic chores of marketing, preparation of meals, and doing the laundry - things one automatically & quite easily does at home in the US - involve a lot more time and effort in Ghana.
We did purchase a small washing machine here in Tamale which runs only with a very light load. Having pushed in the start button at 7:45 this morning and seeing that at 10:30 it was still leisurely going through its cycles, I decided to do our towels & sheets by hand. Guess I'd clearly forgotten how heavy a large plastic basin of wet towels could be as I lugged them out to dry in the backyard.

Was It Something I Said?

Well, I tried very hard to work around Godwin and to respect the system he had established - demonstrating a sincere interest in learning how to prepare plantains and beans while emphasizing the distinct need for him to remain "chief cook." However, for reasons not yet determined, he disappeared after being given most of the weekend off and hasn't shown up since.
Today is Thursday, and I've now finished both 1) heating up what he had already cooked and 2) preparing the odd raw potatoes, carrots, cabbage and onions left in the refrig before he left. The adventures of the open market are ahead and the creativity of my Ghanaian cusine is on the line.

Spurt of Social Life

Friday evening at the home of Rick and Mmathuba, we dined on hummus, crackers & wine, sliced beef, mashed potatoes & gravy, a vegetable dish of cabbage, carrots & beans, and even a wonderful salad (salad, alone, takes quite a bit of preparation cleansing the greens with a special treatment mixed in with the water). The piece de resistance was a delicious carrot cake topped with vanilla ice cream. If I can even come close to making a meal like that here, I'll really feel like I've accomplished something. Mmathuba, born in Botswana, and Rick, born in Canada, have lived in various African countries & are now in Tamale for a two-year assignment dealing with food security.
Saturday evening, Susan and Wyatt, both distinguished professors of African history with long-time ties to Tamale, invited us to join them for dinner at their Ghanaian friend's new guest house for goat soup, guinea fowl, jollop rice, fried rice, yams, cabbage, and chips. They live in Louisvillle, Kentucky which has been a "sister city" with Tamale for quite some time. Susan, in fact, has been made a "chief" and comes for about six weeks every year, staying on her palace compound. She is instrumental in providing ongoing scholarships to deserving students entering secondary school here in town.
Sunday was a delightful time spent with the Marshall family from South Africa. Damian works on a mango project outside of Tamale and his wife, Chriss & children, Ross & Emily, are here for a visit. After Mass at the Carmelites, we had breakfast at our house and later, the Marshalls hosted a beautiful outdoor lunch at Norrip village.
Think I've eated a month's supply of food in the past three days but will definitely get back to a more normal routine today.

Perspectives

It was 9:30 PM on Monday evening and Jim was not yet back from the hospital. Godwin had left mashed yams with cream sauce & some fried cabbage rolls in the refrigerator for dinner and I was reading & puttering around the house. Jim, as it turned out, was doing his best to help save the life of a one-year old child who had swallowed an earring which had aspirated deep into the lung. I may sometimes wonder what I'm doing in Tamale but Jim has no doubt about why he is here.

Waiting One's Turn

Jim doesn't like to play favorites and tries to abide by his own rules in the Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic. So, when a sweet, elderly Carmelite nun came into the hospital and asked to see him, he told the receptionist to have her wait her turn behind several patients. After about two hours, the good sister was ushered in - only to present Jim with the convent's homemade bread and jam as a gift. No medical complaint at all. And so it goes....

Security

It is cusomary to have a watchman for one's home so although we opted not to have any during the day, Mahama is present daily from 6 PM to 6 AM. He guards the house (when not sleeping) - thus hopefully, our protection is secure. I didn't really believe Jim when I asked if Mahama had any weapons but sure enough, there in the backyard in Mahama's little storage space, was a bow and arrows. That was quite enough for me to see so I didn't look further for the machete.

And the rains came....

When one says we're in the rainy season, it really means RAIN! Torrential downpours are fairly frequent this summer & although they cool things down in between the hot & humid hours, the incidence of malaria also increases. A deluge of miscellaneous insects infiltrated our bedroom last night & since Jim then did such a thorough job of spraying it, I convinced him to watch a few episodes of "Frasier" (which I had brought over on DVDs) in our living/dining room area until we could safely breathe again in the bedroom. I can imagine what these heavy rains must do to the mud huts and the other less than sturdy dwellings. The damage to the dirt roads and flooding are additional problems but when the area doesn't see a drop of rain for months at a time, it is usually considered most welcome.
Our good friend, the Archbishop, is presently traveling for six weeks in the U.S. We missed seeing him by one day when we arrived in Tamale this time. Other friends are also away for a month or so - either in Accra or abroad. Sr. Jacqueline from COLWOD, in fact, spent a few days in early June with us in New Jersey & New York before flying up to Montreal for a few months' home leave. This Friday, we're invited to dinner at the home of a couple who we met briefly last summer. He is Canadian and she is from Botswana. People are very welcoming & make every effort to ease one into the Tamale lifestyle.

Week-end Doings

Yesterday (Saturday), we invited a very nice young Dutch couple Jim met a few months ago here in Tamale to our home for lunch. Rik & Dini are both employed by the Ghana government; he is a computer whiz and she is an educator who instructs Ghanaian teachers on methodology and subject matter. I tried to make a cake for dessert & evidently used the "hard flour" instead of the "soft" one. My cake raised all of one-half inch and looked an extremely unappetizing color brown. We made do by covering it with the local chocolate Fan Milk ice cream.
This morning (Sunday), Jim and I went to Holy Cross Church for Mass at 7 AM. By Ghanaian standards, it was a relatively short service of two hours. The choir of about 25 young people sounded more like 100 and the church was filled to capacity. Upon exiting, we were invited to return to the 10 AM service which was to have a special dance performance but we decided to pass on that option & head for home.
Godwin, our cook, does not come at all on Sunday & I'm glad for the chance to become more familiar with the kitchen. During the week, he had been accustomed to arrive at 6 AM to prepare breakfast and later to leave for the day after making something for Jim to heat up for himself in the microwave for supper. Since neither of us need to have lunch prepared Monday through Friday, we decided to ask that he return around 4 PM to cook a hot dinner right from the stove. In any case, I'm using our new little gas range and boiling a lot of water. Working on a system to remain healthy!

Warm Welcomes

Walking back into COLWOD, the little shop in which I helped out last summer and fall, was a beautiful experience of warm welcome. The girls rushed out to meet me, practically lifting me off the ground with their hugs and screams. Fadila, Sylvia, Mary (with her baby Fatima), Grace and Hubertine are all ready to make curtains for our house as soon as Jim and I get a carpenter to construct the rods & brackets to hold them.
The other day, I went to the Tamale Teaching Hospital and saw first hand the difference Jim has made since arriving in July of 2007. Everyone there was happy to see him return from his month's visit to the States and he, in turn, was really pleased that the weekly medical conferences he initiated continued without a hitch in his absence. The hospital, itself, is still in need of a lot of help but certain improvements and further potential can be seen. The two top administrators, for example, have been replaced with men who seem both energetic and open to new ideas. A beautiful intensive care unit has been renovated although it continues to remain empty and unused while awaiting building code occupancy approval....But to see the Zeiss operating microscopes, the Storz endoscopes, the Jedmed equipment, etc., etc. - things that once outfitted Jim's office in the U.S. - and all the other items generously donated by various companies - is pretty amazing.

Back On African Soil

After Jim's month-long visit home in the States, we returned to Ghana, - this time taking Delta's direct, non-stop flight from NY to Accra instead of connecting through Europe. Preferred choice of itinerary still up for debate with the pros & cons of longer travel time stopping over in London or Amsterdam as opposed to an 11 hour stretch on a plane.
We spent two days in the capital city so Jim could complete the necessary steps towards obtaining his Ghanaian pilot's license as he's still hoping to do some recreational flying/gliding while working here. Treated ourselves to a nice stay at the Mahogany Lodge before taking the in-country flight up to Tamale in the Northern Region. Enjoyed a delicious meal of "cassava fish" at Captain Hooks near the lodge.
And now, "back home" in Tamale! Jim has done well with the new house what with all the frustrations of plumbing & electrical problems, some of which remain ongoing. The bare essentials are there - beds, a few tables & chairs, bookcase, and a couple of desks. He added a nice touch to our bedroom by hanging some prints of Paris on the walls (much appreciated) & both he and our cook, Godwin, have done a pretty good job of outfitting the kitchen. Actually, I think the kitchen & cooking may be my biggest hurdle. I love to cook but I also like to work in a clean setting with an organized system - not to mention the luxury of having plenty of clean water. When previously living as guests on the Archbishop's compound, I really had it easy. I didn't have to deal with the kitchen on a daily basis & happily ate whatever meals were placed in front of me by Reggie, the Archbishop's niece who is his longtime cook and housekeeper. Here in our own home, it's a different story. First of all, I'm not used to having my own cook, and second, the kitchen is where I spend a good deal of the day at home in the US. Our having a cook here is the norm for both marketing & preparing with local ingredients so I hope we can learn from each other and that I can eventually feel comfortable maintaining a Ghanaian household.
There's plenty for me to do though and so the hunt is on for living room furniture, curtains, mirrors, shelves, etc., etc. Challenges await!