June 4, 2007

I noticed that I always include something about the weather in my updates. That seems to be the most commonly asked question. My answer is usually the same. "It's hot!" That's true even now, but it's not nearly as hot as it was one month ago. Mid-90's during the day. High humidity since it's rainy season. Sometimes it gets down to low 80's at night. Everyone is busy farming, including me. I'm doing a garden again this year - cucumber, green peppers, cabbage, red hot peppers, and basil. I'll farm groundnuts and my favorite type of bean here - bambara beans (in Kusaal, it's called sumanga).

This is also peak malaria season! 75% of the cases I see at the health clinic are malaria. Mosquitos are really bad this time of year so I try to be more careful. I've been lucky so far (knock on wood) ... I haven't had malaria since living in Ghana. Of course, when it comes to stomach dis-tings (that's the word Ghanaians use when they can't think of the word that they mean), I haven't been so lucky. But I have been healthy as of late. I think my stomach has finally adjusted to the water and food here, and I'm more careful about what I eat and drink.

I also noticed that my updates tend to be about work and people here. Not so much about what it's like living here or being a volunteer. I've been thinking a lot recently about my emotional state of mind here. The roller coaster of extreme highs and lows. The smallest thing can send me to downward spiral of depression. And at the same time, something as small as a nap, a good chapter in a book, learning a new phrase in Kusaal, or getting new music from a neighbor can send me back up to cloud 9. I don't know why it's like that here but it's common. Peace Corps taught us in training that most volunteers experience this roller coaster of extreme highs and extreme lows.

Despite being on an emotional roller coaster, most days I like being a volunteer. Getting work done is a challenge, but my patience level has certainly risen and I've learned to change my definition of "productive". I'm certainly looking forward to the day when I make more than $5 a day! People recognize and are extremely appreciative of the sacrifice for me to come live here, and I'm very welcome into the community and into people's homes. I felt like a celebrity when I first came here - kids always pointing and giggling at me; adults touching and pulling at me to get my attention - but now I've just come to realize they just like strangers. Of course, they assume (because of the color of my skin) that I have pockets full of money at all times, so the begging can get annoying. I've never lived in a "small town", but I think living in Binaba is probably a lot like living in a small town at home. Lots of gossip. Not much entertainment ... which leads to more gossip. I don't claim to know everyone in Binaba but I've been told recently that I am very free with the community (I guess compared to other volunteers who foreigners who have lived here). They especially appreciate all the family who have come to visit.

I told you last month about my adopted daughter, Mary, delivering her baby. It's customary to have a naming ceremony for the child. If the family is Christian (or pagan), this usually takes place 1-2 months after the child is born. Muslims tend to name the child very soon after he/she is born. Mary and Johnson asked me to name the baby so I decided to do the naming ceremony at my house. I hosted them and their mothers to my house for a nice dinner. And I conveniently picked the night of my birthday so we could celebrate both at the same time. You see, in Ghana, birthdays are not really celebrated. People will spend so much money for a funeral but it's up to the birthday girl or boy to throw her/him-self a party and buy gifts and drinks for friends and family. Thus, very few celebrate their birthday. Plus, birth records are not kept very well (especially in small villages), so many people don't even know when they were born. I had a few unexpected birthday surprises this year, though, so it was nice.

So, as I mentioned last month, I decided to name Mary's baby Leslie. I started calling her Leslie almost as soon as she was born so Mary could start getting used to it. Well, a few days before the naming ceremony/birthday celebration, Mary came to the house and asked me to reconsider the name I had chosen for the baby. She said it was difficult to pronounce, especially for the illiterate mothers. I said "absolutely not! You asked me to name your child and this is the name I choose! With time and practice, you will be fine." Well, the name stuck and people are learning to say (and spell) it with no problem. The name always get a double take and Mary just explains that the white lady named her baby.

I can add another "new meat" to my list. Have I included the list in my update before? If not, here goes ... goat, dove, rabbit, guinea fowl, donkey, and now DOG! We aren't telling Sophie, Berkeley, Odie, Gracie, George, or any other of my canine friends. My mom sent me a text message calling me a trader (signed by all dogs in the USA.). The amusing part of this experience was sharing the meat with 4 well educated men who proceeded to tell me the benefits to eating dog meat. 1) Prolonged life span. 2) Improves vision and sense of hearing. 3) You won't have bad dreams at night. Amazingly enough, there are no disadvantages (imagine that). For the record, I had a very difficult time actually swallowing the meat. It was completely mental, though. The meat tastes like dry beef.

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