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.