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.