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!