Joy Family Lodge.

One of the most over all experiences I've had with my stay in Pokuse has been the guest house I stayed in while in Pokuse. It's call the Joy Family Lodge, which is about a 10 minute walk to Pokuse and has easy access to Accra. It's not in the hussle and bussle of Accra, just on the very outside. It was the haven we need when Pokuse and Accra was too much.

It's owned by a very hard working man named Ohene Bonsu, We called him, Mr Bonsu. He's very welcoming and had enormous integry as a businessman and as a citizen of hte world.

The staff is very friendly. They helped us feel comfortable. They answered every quesiton we had about ghanian life and helped us find whatever they needed.

Every night I ordered chicken and fries with red sauce. I thought the red sauce was a simple tomato paste with onions and cayenne pepper. The last day, Veronica, let me watch her make the red sauce. Wow I was wrong. It was an hour process to chop tomatoes onion,blend it with anise and cayenne and curry. It had fresh tuna and shrimp buillon (boil?). and just other things. I wrote down the recipe, so I can make it when I get home.

If you ever get to Ghana, I hope you can make it to Joy
family lodge. They are very special.

Wells

Yesterday, I left Pokuse for the Cape Coast. It was hard to say goodbye to everyone. My last work day was spent taking pictures of the wells.

There are 5 wells in Pokuse. Four that work and one, the oldest is broken.
3 of the 4 working ones are run by electricity and one is run by solar electricity. They say the water is safe to drink, but no one really does, because of the salt. They are not dug very deep, only 30 feet or so. People also get their non drinking water from the river, which looks more like still water to me.

One of the most interesting wells, was the one by the mosque. It was on the outside wall of the mosque. Not to far away from the well is a place for people to wash their feet before they go into the mosque to pray.

Most people buy drinking water, either in large 1 liter bottles (80 cents.) or they buy them in plastic square bags. ( 4 cents. )

Coffee hour

Just a quick note about church.. St. Silvanus.

Coffee hour is very similar to St.Therese in alot of ways.. people talking to each other, kids running around, donuts,. The big difference is instead of coffee it's home made brew they serve in a hollowed out coconut?

Also, I have to say that I sit in the same spot at St. Silvanus as i do at St T. Left side towards the back. Habits are hard to break.

Esi and Akosua

One of the first things I was asked when I got to Ghana was which day I was born. I, of course, said, December 26th. (my birthday). That wasn't the answer they were looking for. They wanted to know which day I was born. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wed...etc. Mind you this was a question I was asked 10 times the first day I arrived in the village.

Ghanians name their children, at least part of their name, with a name that is attached to day they are born. It bothered me that i didn't have a truthful answer to question. I began just saying Tuesday.

It was so important that I know my Ghanian to one certain school master I met, that she contacted me twice so she could tell me. She had a book with birth dates and years. She was so sweet.

I went yesterday and found out I am Sunday born. My Ghananian Fanti tribe name is Esi. My Ashanti name is Akosua.

I'll have to write out all the names for the weeks later. I found out that my mom and sister, Ellen, are also Sunday bborn and are Esi and Akosua. My dad was also Sunday born,so his is the male version of Esi. My brothers however are Thurs (Tim) is Yaw(fanti) and Ekow (Ashanti) and Monday (Danny) is Kojo(fanti) and Kwadwo (ashanti)

I can't quite get a straight answer if there is some characteristics to a Sunday born or a Monday born . However, when I at church last Sunday, they had people paying some fee , instead of aphabetical order (like A-K, L- S, T-Z), they anounced all monday born pay Kwame, all Tuesdya born pay PHilip. Etc. I was thinking it's an effectient way to organize a people where some are preliterate.

Ghana Stay for awhile.

I wanted to let everyone know that I've changed travel plans. I've decided not to go onto Kenya. As much as that would have been an amazing experience. (thank you Silanus and Ann!) I decided that just jumping over there for a short week, was just too much after being in Ghana for 6 weeks. I"m going to stay in Ghana for the remaining time traveling hopefully to the Cape Coast, and Mole National Park and else where.


I want to know Ghana better before I move onto another AFrican country. I will make it to Kenya andother time, when I can really taken in Kenyan culture and enjoy it to the extend it deserves.

I am still returning on the same day.

I"ve tried to change ticket and leaver earlier, but the KLM flight is booked through Aug. (Sorry Barb and Milan, I"ll have to get to Austin this year. ) :(

PS. I recieved a sizable refund for the Kenya ticket.

Cooperative Learning in Ghana

Last Thurday, I had the opportunity to teach the science class for girls class. It's a very basic science curriculum. We talked about observations and inquiry. (asking questions)

I modified the curriculum to cooperative learning techniques as the activities. I loved it and I think the girls did. Girls were working in groups, interviewing each other, and we did a gallery walk! (That's when you have , in that pictures they had drawn on the wall , and walk around quietly with partner and discussed and gathered info to present.) We even changed the desk that were in rows, to fit group work. I don't think the girls know what actually happened.

I have to let you know that for Ghana, it's been my observation, that group work and cooperative learning techniques aren't happening here. All the schools, I've observed have used the 'old British' style" (teacher standing in the front of the room, demanding the children learn, through lecture and reinforced with threats and physcial punishment.)

So, I take them through this lesson and the girls are a little hesitant, but they soon loosen up and relax. There were able to no only hear about the topic of observing and inquiry, but use it and discuss it for themselves. for about an hour.

I think the funny part came at the end of the class, they all sat in their desks, which were in a circle and seemed to be waiting the "real class" to start. (Real class meaning the yelling and threatening.)

Happy Birthday Ellen

Happy Birthday Ellen. She's my sister who is wise and wonderful! She's an excellent mother to her fabulous daughters, Maggie and Erin! She's wicked smart, too.