Because my access to the internet is not good at this moment, my entry is reduced to a synopsis of the past few days. What I am doing is typing out my entries on my computer at home and saving them to post whenever I get around to an internet café; you’ll have to forgive me when some of the dates are a little off when I speak of yesterdays, last weeks, and such, because when I write my entries and when I post them have a few days in between.
Becky and I have been hanging out almost everyday since we’ve met. We’ve been out to a couple eating places, we’ve explored campus together, and found ‘the’ eating spot on campus, Taco Bell, yes it is called Taco Bell. You know I had to take a picture of it. The place has nothing to do with the fast food place in the United States, nor anything related to tacos, but what’s the kicker is the tagline ‘Where nice people meet’ (you’ve got to love Ghana). We’ve also become educated in the inefficiency of the university and banking system here in Ghana. It is really frustrating trying to get things done here, you have to be very patient. I have yet to fully register for classes, and this has taken about a week of going back and forth with different offices. Fingers crossed by the end of the week it’ll be done. Becky finally got money wired into her account tonight, so that was a small victory for our camp. Becky had come over to my uncles house Friday night and I decided to introduce her to the trotro world. Needless to say she’s been taking trotro by herself now, and I am quite impressed.
Sadly, my time with my family is coming to a close; I’ll move onto campus probably Wednesday (13th). I’m anxious to finally get into a routine that’ll be permanent, I think I was getting a little too comfortable in Ajingano. It’s cool finding little cute places to eat in Accra. Becky and I along with my friend Oku and Johnathan had dinner at this little café called Melting Moments in Laboni, it was really nice, particularly because of the change in menu. I like rice, but I know I’m going to get tired of it at the rate at which I am eating it here, that is lunch and dinner in some fashion everyday. The café had Paninis, fajitas, burgers and other traditionally Western foods.We’ll be going back! It’s a little trickier to just have a salad here, you cannot just get one from anywhere. With vegetables, at least for now, I have to be careful to get them from grocery stores and places where I know the food is handled well (washed properly, etc).
I also found an internet café that has fast internet by the Melting Moments; I just wish it was closer to campus. There are various internet cafes on campus, but the speed deters me from going and from staying on long. The internet café, Micro net, was only 1ghana cedi per hour (one dollar). Ghana just went through a redenomination of its currency, removing 4 zeros. 10,000 cedis is now 1gh cedi and both of these are the equivalent of 1USD.
Currently, Ghana is going through its registration period for new voters. Just like the United States, Ghana’s presidential elections are held every four years. There have been issues with voter registration (violence at some stations, particularly in the North, and stations running out materials). On my way to campus there’s a junior high school that I pass that is one of the voter registration stations. I took a picture of queue (line); the picture doesn’t do the situation justice.The line continued further! On the news people were explaining how they had been standing in line for hours and hours. I admire their determination, but the situation can and is acting as a deterrent for new voters to register.
I spent the weekend with my auntie Shelia, and that was nice change in pace. I went to church with her at RidgeChurch, and spotted some celebrities in the house. The past UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, and the flag barrier for the ruling party the National Patriotic Party NPP, Nana Kufuor Addo, were in attendance so that was neat. I had the opportunity to meet a film producer from England (he’s half Ghanaian) and his entire family, as well as the director for Ghana’s school of Journalism at an afternoon soiree that we attended.
Thanks to my lovely friend hannah, I'm actually trying out putting pictures on this thing, I've got to get ready for Ghana next year again. That's me and Ebo, my younger brother at Elimina castle in Ghana last year. Wow I can't believe it's been a year already!! Anyhoo check out Hannah's blog, she's so cool studying abroad in Tanzanian: http://hannahintz.blogspot.com/
Google is taking over the world and it's kind of crazy... I type in writely.com, what do you know Google owns it now...then I go to my eblogger, which as you can see I haven't been on for a while...what do you know I need a gmail account to access it BECAUSE google owns it. This is kinda creepy. Anyways just dropping a line to say to no one in particular, maybe i'll start writing more (I doubt it - but it seemed like the right thing to say just now). I do have a lot going on right now, namely my almost kinda definite, maybe trip back to Ghana this summer (yes I know!!!) for research....yes 'cough' research. I'll be researching the economic impact of remittances in Ghana. Fitting I know. Either way I'll be back there and it'll be great.
On another Google note, I do have to say presently Google Desktop is to me is the best invention since slice bread. That and the law library at UF. Who knew? It's my new home away from home. lol
wow i thought i would have time to type since i did like nothing, but it seems like I always had something to do, or never wanted to type. SO this'll be a quick run-down of the past two weeks now? wow, i've been here for a while now. I met this guy named Andre. He's cool beans. His family has been close family friends with snowdens. And him, his mom, and his brother were staying with them because of Sharon's birthday party on MOnday. Which ended up being a bank holiday, the monday after i first came. THey live in reading, which is about an hr out of london, but he's cool, going into his last year of college. On monday, 28th of august, we had Sharon's 18th birthday party thing. It was ok, i wasn't feeling being around people though because my head hurt, i wasn't feeling london, etc.etc. but the food was really good! lol. One thing that's nice about london, is that there's so much family and like ghanaians period here. So it's a nice step from gh. I realize that's what i love about gh. The aspect of being around family and close friends, you don't get that in the states. Oh this whole time, we're trying to figure out how i am going to get to the residence hall, with all my CRAP because sharon, yvette and auntie were going to NY and uncle had to go to work. I hate hussle and bussle and craziness, and putting people in inconveniences. I finally got settled, somewhat, i'm using sharon's old phone, i got my O2 chip with my number and credit! woo! Went on the tube, it felt ok. Auntie dropped all of us, andre and his family and i (cause they were going back to reading), so they helped me some. AND no i didn't take all my clothes. What i did was take like a drag along; because uncle was going to bring my stuff sometime during the week. SO it was ok, got in, got settled in. My roommates are danielle and lauren. Lauren was in FLA with me, but i really didnt' know her. Danielle i kinda knew from her friend monica, who went to leadershape with me. When they all arrived about an hr after me (the whole UF team), i was talking to lucy for a bit, and she made a face about daddy. i wasn't happy about that, cause we were talking about how he had done so much for me, and she was like ya he's presistent. Cause he had been asking her if she could bring my noteshells for class and even my computer. and i told him not to ask about the computer, cause you know white people. Seriosuly they do not like to be any kind of inconvenienced. whatever though. we ate dinner at this pub. The pub culture here is way too much for me. It's like everyday after work people go to drink at a pub..hmm. Ok so wednesday, i got a big surprise. OKu? txted me. Weird ya. he texted me. And he acted like it wasn't a big deal, but it was a big deal to me..lol. i was like hmm what?! ANyways we had orientations all day, and i got my piccell phone (which i intend not to use) because the rates are crazy, i don't even need the phone. it says 'omg all free incoming calls from teh States' when mommy and daddy can call me free and it doesnt cost me to use the other phone. We went to the British museum after our orientations, we walked around so much. Me, my two roommates and jennifer. we went to bukingham palace and trafagas sqaure..woo i bought a cute lil' scarf. Nice times, but my feet were killing me. Did i say oku started texting me? hmm... Ok thursday we had orientation, more orientation adn more orientation. We ended up eating at some NASTY Thai restaurant, we were kinda tricked into going that how i felt. It was gross. It was cool we stayed up late that night, just talking and talking and getting to know peeps. Friday we had, drum roll please...yess more orientation. But it was Huron's orientation. It sucked cause it wasn't continous, so it was back and forth stop and go, we would go back to the residence hall, which is like a 7min. walk from the school and then back to the school like 40mins later. So today was the day of doom. As i got a really not cool email from David. I won't really talk about, cause i'm not putting peoples business out like that, but we're cool now. hopefully. We ended up going to this club thing, called 101. Its funny cause besides the fact that i kinda left the roommate thing up to chance to see if i could get some people from other countries, and i got all UF kids, they really cool and kinda just like me. they weren't all about being crazy as some people are here, they like the aspect of saving money by buying groceries too, which i like . So at first we didn't want to go out. But i think there was a certain agreement that we should try to hang out with everyone cause we hadn't gone to any of the outings since tuesday and we didn't really want people to be like 'that rooms the room that doesn't go out...' not that it mattered but whatever. Oh did i say we went to this pizza place for dinner it was soo good, and it was 3pounds!! score! so the club/bar/restaurant thing was ok. TOO smokey as i'm learning all of london is (too smokey that is). My clothes were NASTY when we got back. So we went on a tube on Saturday!!! ya and because our oyster cards weren't ready, we paid 4pounds, friggn' 8dollars for it!! a bunch of us went to this market place, which ended up being closed. so we walked around some stores. We went to St. Paul's Cathedral, where Princess Diana got married, it was beautiful...and like 13pounds to go in so we didn't! lol. My roommates and I and jennifer ended up leaving the group, who wanted to go home to eat and then get ready to go out>..? ya...no. we wanted to EXPLORE LONDON. So we walked around some more...getting lost and loving it. We went over the Millenium bridge and that was nice, over the thames river. We ate at the nice trendy resturant which was doing lunch specials for 5pounds...and yes i'm going to bringing up the money factor as much as i can, because chale it ain't no easy here, things are so expensive here AND THEN you have to convert everything. We ended up going back to Byng Place (which is our residence hall) and then we walked to Regents Park and we saw an Open air theatre show. It was a lil' cold, but the play was nice. We saw Shakespeares 'taming of the shrew'. It was good except of the craziness of the ending, which eneded up showing the girl becoming TOO tamed for the man and doing everything he said, after he starved her and didn't give her nice things to 'tame' her...pff. On sunday, cause I hadn't gotten in touch with amanda, Danielle had heard Hillsong london church was close to us. and it was like 10min. walk tops. It was nice, really nice. www.hillsong.co.uk. i didn't even know they had a church in london, i only knew of the australia one, and they have one in paris too i learnt. It's really cool, cause the church is in a theatre, which they rent. They have three services a day, and it full. So we definitely did our share of walking on this day. Because we all had interviews coming up that week, we WALKED to ALL of our interviews places together (all of us, me, danielle and lauren) and i had two places. eee. but i ended up leaving them and taking the tube to the snowdens. like i don't think you understand when i say my feet were like trembling lol, it was funny cause lauren was like ' i can't feel my feet' lol. So i'm feeling all independent and stuff and i feel like i COULD live in london, it's a big COULD now, but a couple weeks ago i thought i really could. So when i get to auntie and uncle's house, literally i eat and then sleep. I woke up really early in the morning like 3am, and went online. I didn't really want to do much in the evening cause i dunno uncle johnny kinda made me uncomfortable to touch the computer and stuff (with their HUGE a$$ computer screen, it's flat screen adn it's huge) so i used yvette's laptop in her room. OH MY GOSH i didn't tell you, as we were walking to our places in the afternoon, we got to see the tour d'london, which was cool. But we saw a girl get hit by a police officer out infront leading the pack, it was kinda serious and crazy and we definitely made sure weren't crazy crossing the street from that day.
So i'm in London and it's pretty cool, but I'm telling you it didn't start off that way. Leaving Ghana was so hard, PHYSICALLY and emotionally. I'm not going to go into much, but I had my birthday party on the Friday before I left (25th of August) it was really nice. I enjoyed it. I think really that was like the first birthday party that I've had like FOR like since i was little. It was cause not all this attention was on me and stuff. Almost everyone I invited came out. Bianca, MJ, Dodua, Fii, Chioma, Eli, Oku, David, Nii, and Johnathon were all there. It was great. We went to this jazz club, real chill real low key, it was nice. we had drinks, some had food. We chatted and that was about it. Then we went home. I won't write about Saturday because it was just crazyyy...but all in all what happened was I had to leave some clothes, so I left them with under the stairs of the tettehs house. It's so sad. I left, flight was fine. My head hurt so badly, because I had braided it a few hours before. On sunday i got there, slept at a lil' and then i went to church...errr...seriously i dunno if i could grow spiritually here if i lived here for a long time. Something about the spiritual atmosphere here in london, it's different. We ended up going to the mall for a little while. Had some lunch and then 'window' shopped, which i will be doing a lot of here cause seriously what is wrong with the dollar?!! it's like almost half of the pound now. We watched a bunch of movies.
See you’d think that I would start the daily thing after I started on the 4th, NOPE. Lol. I don’t have the luxury of having a computer, though I could probably use Eli’s, still it’s just annoying, but I’ll try to write more. Since the 4th david and I have been trying to finish watching some movies we rent and only finished it yesterday. It was funny for some reason or another we couldn’t watch the movies each night. I left work really early on Friday and went with daddy and uncle Johnny (auntie Isabella’s husband). He was driving his brothers car – a freakn avalanche, yea dang it was nice. His wife drives a murango. You just don’t see those cars here in Ghana, they just bought the new infinitive SUV. Ya he’s loaded. Well he does real estate/ construction, he’s buying up nice pieces of property in Airport area and turning them in nice townhouses etc.etc. Like these things are going for $$250/300,000, DOLLARS PEOPLE…for 2-3 bedroom townhouses. Like people the market is here, ai chale Ghanaians have money. You just have to know how to get it from them. They are the ones abroad pulln the money into country; in the daily graphic the other day I read that remittances to be sent into this country will be $8BILLION, BILLION PEOPLE…why the hell is our country like this with people sending back $8billion back. It’s just mind blowing. So ya uncle Richard, uncle johnny’s brother is getting us all into property, and honestly I’m very interested. So the parents are buying one of the units I do believe. So is auntie Isabella. But like all the units are like sold already, all int’l companies are buying them up and embassies, so they can house people who come and work for them for a few years and then leave. It’s really cool what uncle Richard does, its definitely making him some nice change. Some the family really is knowing whats good for them, doing some good investments, rent it out, you good to go son. Hehe J so ya we went over to the site and I saw some of the units, they’re nice, but the units are close together. Anyways we left and were in traffic forever, finally got up to McCathy Hill, where the snowdens auntie and uncle are staying. We had to go to these people’s house for dinner, it was uncomfortable and I was annoyed. Finally when we left we got ready and went out. The snowdens were leaving the next day and I really didn’t get to hang out with them so that’s why I was there. The PLAN, key word, plan was we were going to Frankies to meet up with some people then go over to Afrodiasic (this club) with uncle Richard. He was going to meet us there and take us. Umm ya..well he’s mid-30s I wanna say, and he’s pretty young/cool whatever you want to say. SO we get all ready get over there, and I’m looking at Yvette (my cousin, 19) and I’m like ‘you got to be kidding me’ sitting at the table were some family friends (Melanie and Gracie) they’re like 18 and they had go to aviation earlier and picked up some guys, yes PICKED up these lil’ teenage boys, and I wake in and I’m like you’ve GOT to be kidding me. So Yvette had meet some guy somewhere I didn’t catch where, but he ended up showing up and he walks in and yvette’s like OMGGG he’ll think I’m this lil’ kid, and I was like ‘uh huh I know I would if I walked in and saw this’ lol lol omgg so we ended up getting another table from the ‘kids’. Like seriously they were soooooooooo immature. I can deal with 18 yr olds whatever, but these were like 17, 16 yr old immature boys that these girls picked up and I’m like what?? So we end up finding out that uncle Richard, big partyer is ASLEEP. So uncle Johnny is still downstairs (the whole night was a disaster literally). Yvettes friend had to go and originally he was going to meet us at Afro, but uncle didn’t want to take us there (it was never in his plans) so he was like you guys have like 40more mins here and then this girl Lord have mercy was like lets go back in there (so she could say good bye to her friend or whatever) i was like i am not going back in there people. But we did, i mean i did for my darling cousin. everyone was like looking at us in there, and i'm like oh Lord, this is usually what i'm staring at (little kids acting stupid in a restuarant) i'm not usually PART of their group. Oh Lord, so when the fiasco was over we were left, yvette got to say her goodbye and that was grandeeee... The next day I was supposed to go to see grandma with daddy and david was going to catch a ride with us to his parents house, but the car wouldn't start, so that was great. I spent the day with sharon, aria, and william watching movies. Finally I went back to the Tettehs and went to an internet cafe, I didn't really do much all day. David ended up leaving to go to his parents with other means of transportation, Eli was gone somewhere, so it was me, daddy, uncle and auntie and watch some cool documentary on Africans who smuggle across to Europe. It was so interesting. Sunday, daddy and I went to church with auntie and uncle, that was ok. I remembered their church very well, and the funny thing was that it was right by my work place in adenta. Anyways i'm sitting in the sunday school and the youth are talking about some party that they are having because it's youth week. Well turns up the party is on the 20th at uncle senyos house. And i'm like 'oh' that's whats where i'm staying. Daddy and I went along with uncle after church to see this neighborhood not too far from their house, called trasago or something like that. WOW, can we say wow. OMGG the houses were HUGEEEE...like i didn't even know i was in gh. and i've been in situations thus far this summer where i kinda forgot i was in ghana, but this was incredible, it was just like i was in florida with huge mansions. They said it was all footballs, foreigners that live there (or just have a house there) Kofi Annan also has a house there. All of a sudden I'm into real estate people!!! Probably as a hobby, but STILL i know where the money can be made now. After lunch we went to see some property that Uncle Richard (yes the same one) is selling. Seriously, his car..what??!?!?!? It's the new infinity SUV, the one that when you're backing up it shows on the screen whats behind you. It was serious. Anyways he showed us the townhouses for sale. Daddy's thinking of buying one, nice investment. I don't remember what I did that evening.
This is so overdue that I dunno where to begin, I guess I’ll go backwards some. Then after that, I might just cover topics and not dates. Ok so right now today is August 4th, wow time has flown by so fast. Currently I reside at the infamous residence of the Tetteh family. On Sunday mommy, ebo and akua left (that’s the brother and sister ppl). So ya if you can figure out from the last time I wrote, they were here and have gone now. And well my daddy’s still here. Because his new job doesn’t end up starting till like the 14th now, he decided to stay until the 9th, right now his flight is on the 7th, but he’s trying to see if he can move it to the 9th. A lil’ fyi’s I turn 20 in 18days eeeee. Omg that’s so weird. Then I leave for, as the Nigerians would say JAN (aka…LONDON) in 21 days ahh exciting. Not that I don’t love Ghana, though I did go through my sprouts of ‘oh get me outta here’ I’m getting excited lately to live in London for a while. Have I told you my cravings lately…a chicken cesear salad, omgg such a craving for a chicken quesadea, wow, lol not that I don’t love Ghanaian food I just miss some things, and have been a lil’ sick of rice and chicken rice and chicken rice and chicken (in all their various forms). Have I told you I gained weight…omgg, in my stomach I feel. From all the carbs and starchy foods here, it freakn doesn’t matter that I don’t snack here, I walk, Got malaria and didn’t eat for a while (we’ll get into that later) etc.etc. I gained weightttt…oh but friend I am surely losing that in London, gosh. Anyways ya been at the tettehs, just a lil’ fyi this journal is going definitely going to be all over the place because I haven’t written in a while and I don’t really remember dates and all so it’s all jumbled up ok. Ok so ya I’m at the tettehs, hanging with david and eli a lot. That’s always good, they’ve definitely MADE my summer, definitely. Yesterday I ‘took off’ work and I went to Ashesi university to hang with david. It was fun, love that kid. (yes he doesn’t like me calling him kid, but whatever, I call everyone kid). We hung out, got some lunch a lot of talking and stuff, he showed me around. That morning though I had met another relative of some sort and we ended up going to their house to see the kids (daddy and I and the mother) it’s a bizarre relationship: the lady’s sister is married to daddy’s brother in law or something I dunno. But her job is pretty cool, she’s been through some stuff though. She is the managing director to afri-net a communications providing service, they go into universities, estates/neighbourhoods, etc.etc. and set up telephone lines and wireless internet etc (right now they’re doing it for regimmanuel estates) I’m thinking now, where were you at the end of May? Cause she would have been an amazing interview, I’m going to give her info. Stuff to Dr. Spring. Anyways her children were cool, one is at trinity college in CT, and the other is starting Columbia this year. And I got the whole oh you must hang with them; you see when ppl say that now and I give the same generic ‘yeah definitely I’m here for like the whole summer till the end of august’, I really know whether I will or not, and really I don’t know if I will hang out with them.. haha, it’s not mean at all I just know with the time I have left, it seems I CAN do everything but I really know that I can’t do half the stuff I want to do. That reminds me, I’m going to start acquiring the things I wanna buy and take NOW, though I have three weeks, I just have a feeling if I wait I won’t get anything. Mommy when she was here didn’t get me anything clothing wise, etc.etc. because “oh you’re here for another month” ….ANDDDD mother?? Anyways so ya yesterday in the rain david and I went to rent a movie and then took a LONG ride home from taxi to trotro to taxi. Not fun, taking taxi in Adenta is so different from taking it in town (37 to be exact) ppl are definitely crazy, I didn’t like it.Yesterday was uncle’s 56th birthday, we had cake and JELLO that I brought…oooo jello haha. Then we watched the movie which we didn’t finish. I’ve been here since Tuesday and just going to work in the day, usually doing only a few accounts, it’s kinda very boring now, hence my ‘taking the day off’ yesterday, and then in the evenings hanging with the guys talking up a storm til like 2. but two nights ago I didn’t do that, we had gone out to osu (the oxford street of accra) and went to see fii, oh lord. So right when we got home I went to bed. It felt so good. So before coming here we were all at auntie shelia’s, home sweet home since we left the mission house after all the Florida people left. You all probably have no idea what I’m talking about, but what happened is that on July 1st 18 people from Florida came down with my family and we did about three weeks of mission work. We did free medical clinics, crusades, speaking in high schools about abstinence and motivations, etc. I could talk on and on about the team and the stuff we did, Oh Lord that’ll be like a whole separate journal with which I have to have the STRENGTH to write about it. The team left two Sundays ago (23rd) and that was the day of Grandmas and grandpas memorial service (actually it was like the whole weekend). That Friday we had a surprise party for my mom and it was fun times, we had it at auntie Shelia’s house, catered, many people there, dancing…oh it was fun, david, akua and I, eli, ms. Sandy (one of my most favourite people for the team: she’s a hairdresser in Clermont and goes to Celebration of Praise, she’s about mid-age 40, but she acts young) we were all dancing by the pool omggg it was so much fun. Like all the cousins were there, but they didn’t know what was good for them because they were in the house watching a movie, but everyone got to talk about mommy and how great she is, omgg she’s 50!! Awww my mom, she was crying, she was so happy and surprised, but not really. She said she suspected something small, but not what ended up actually happening!! See I told Akua that she knew, even just a little bit. I wish I could remember all and write cause that was a fun night. But I got my memories, see this is what happens when you don’t write down stuff daily, I’ve been so mad at myself for not doing that. But also since the mission trip and moving around and stuff I haven’t had access to the internet nor having no computer really I haven’t been typing anything on word or anything. SPEAKINGGGG of computerssss….umm we have some very sad news to announce, afua’s computer her baby computer is no more. We had gotten to auntie shelia’s house on july 24th Monday. I didn’t go to work that day, though that week was supposed to be going back to work after my three week break. So hung with the family some. Moving things around from the mission house at Manna (Teshie Nunga) to auntie shelia on spintex. I remember we went to get our hair done also, Finally permed. Can you believe I hadn’t gotten a perm all summer yet, it’s because I was waiting for mommy to bring the perming cream, because shanta (my hairdresser in Clermont) gave her some, for fear of whatever would happen here. So it turned out good, and we went to the one near the tettehs, so we just hopped over there after we were done, hung out with auntie Nyamekye for a bit (cause it was afternoon) then everyone else came home, we had been waiting for the parents to come pick us up, but they wanted uncle to drop us off at auntie shelias so we ate dinner there and then afterwards we went to get ICE CREAMMM wooo, which ended up turning into this long thing. Cause I thought oh we’re just going to get ice cream then home. But nooo we hung there (On The Run: fast food joint): tell me why the ‘gas station’ is the hang out. Like I’m talking ‘THE’ hang out. You see all these young people, and this isn’t the first time, out there they have a pool table, and a bunch of fast food places. But I was like what? a gas station. Whatever we hung there for a bit, then we ended up going to ‘visit’ fii in Kanda, which I also thought would be a short thing…nope. We went all the way to Kanda…meanwhile akua’s like loving this and I’m like...PEOPLE I have to work tomorrow. Eee. So we’re over there and then the kid comes out dressed. I’m like why are you dressed fii? like are we going somewhere?? oh but we are. I saw the guy that lives there, he remembered us, I totally didn’t remember him though. We got a brief tour inside of what all is going on there. Then we left for Osu, why? I don’t know. We drove around a bit, then we parked at Frankies, hung out on the STEPS of Frankie, why? Ask me again I DON’T KNOW it was kinda annoying. I was like why are we here, you just sit on the steps outside Frankies to hang out, so FINALLY they agreed that we could walk around, now that was fun, we walked down to the internet café supernet or something (we had been going there quite a bit with the team from florida when they were there) so we were walking around and like prostitutes were out there?? like trying to get all the ‘white’ tourists and all, haha it was pretty dang dog funny. We were all making fun of David cause a few of them were walking towards david, lol it was so funny, that was so fun. You could tell which ones they were cause it was like 12 and here are ladies dressed in club wear and there is no club on that particular strip of road. Oh don’t think I was shielded from insults all night long, Fii just loves to have his way with me seriously. But I’ve grown now I just let it slid. They wanted to walk across the street to the Ashesi hostel or whatever, but I definitely knew why they all wanted to and I definitely was not in favor of that, so I said no. oh hell no. lol. So finally we got home…i dunno what time it was, but I definitely had to wake up the next morning and GO TO WORK. It was good to be back on a regular routine, I have a new taxi driver now, he’s cool, but daddy took me a coupla times last week and even met some of the execs of APED. What do you know they all missed me. They weren’t all done the exit-client report so for most of the last week that’s what we worked on and did balancing of accounts, tedious work...eee. all the execs. Left Saturday for London for some two week training stuff so before they left everyone was scrambling to finish writing all the disbursement checks and all so we did a lot of that. Taking trotro again brought back the memories of the former days...lol like four weeks ago ‘former memories’! Lol. I take the kufour bus now, for some of the ride, now that’s a trip. They are the big metro buses, not as safe as the ones abroad let me tell you OR as clean, they kinda scare me how much of the road they take up and they just take on the pot holes like nothing else…lol. But they are only 1,000cedis so it so cheap. For most of the evenings last week we did nothing, ate dinner (the Clintons were all gone, because Amanda passed her bar and they went for the ceremony in London so we were all alone in the guest house). I do believe it was wed. or thurs. of last week that the tv fell, yes ladies and gentlemen the TV mounted on the wall in the guest house FELL on my computer, cracking the screen, like I’m writing this lightly right about now, this isn’t a light matter and I really am still not totally over it. You’d think I’d get some consolation from the fact that I’m getting a new one, BUT no I just want my baby computer back, with everything on it. Akua took it with her and they were going to see if it’ll get fixed, but HP won’t pay and I dunno what they can do. The computer is still working but nothing but black and white paint splashes are on the screen. So we hooked it up to a monitor for one of the computers we are giving the orphanage and that’s how I used my computer until they left on Sunday. I really should have saved everything of mine onto a flash drive to put it onto my new computer whenever I get it. But at that time I was thinking that it would be fixed (daddy was talking about something like the old laptop at home they could put the screen from that onto my computer) now we don’t think anything else but getting a new one will work. What I’m really going to miss is my outlook, I had it all configured and stuff, sniff sniff and my music, I really don’t care about anything else on the computer. So daddy says he’ll do it when he gets back to Clermont and then (because I told the college of business IT people my situation) either they are going to bring it to me in London or daddy’ll just ship it there. OH Lord why me and why now has been all I’ve been thinking. But praise God things’ll get better. On Friday I didn’t go to work. The day before that I had gone out with the family to see the land they had bought, it’s nice, it extends over a hill and the view is beautiful, but I don’t think the ‘rents are building the house there, auntie Shelia bought some plots beside it as well. On Friday I ran around with Mother. Doing all sorts of things, Pastor Solomon (I’ll explain more about him later, but he’s an assistant pastor at Manna mission and he’d been travelling around with us and the team during the mission trip) well he came and drove us around, because daddy took another car and we used Bianca’s as she is in London still. We went to Korle bu (it’s the premier hospital in Ghana as well as houses the medical school for the univ. of Gh., my mothers alma mater.) she heads up the alumni stuff for those abroad giving money to restore buildings etc. so we sat in the car, Solomon and I waiting forever for them (akua had gone with her, cause for some strange reason SHE’s actually thinking of coming to medical school in Ghana, and mommy thought she should meet people for connections and what nots, I dunno if she’ll last here, but hmmmm). After that we went to the family house at Latabeasquishi, I don’t think I told you that auntie shelia pulled it off. Well with the rest of the family who were running around fixing it up before the memorial. Everything got finished and even uncle melford and auntie Martha and Stephanie (my cousin, who’s never been to Ghana before, typically Londoner haha I love her though she’s sweet) anyways they’re staying there now, during their stay here in gh. After that we went to see uncle jerry, awww I love uncle jerry, well he’s my great uncle, but I love him the same. He’s so old now, but he’s so cute. He’s lost so much weight, I remember him when he was so fat, jolly, fibrant uncle who went to play golf all the time. But he’s still so sweet. After that we went to meet daddy for CHINESE FOOD…yum! Finally something different. We had noodles, spring rolls, omgg finally something different, and like scraffed it down, even though we were eating at the tettehs that night for dinner, I didn’t care I was like I want Chinese food (and we were eating a late lunch…oops) anyways fyi sometimes Solomon as you’ll see when I talk about him, is just TOO much for me (and not in a good way) anywayssss he finally left us, and we dropped mother at this lecture thing for her high school alma mater, Wesley girls high school was doing this reunion thing, so we dropped her there and headed to the tettehs. That was ok, I remember I really wasn’t in the mood for much stuff that night. We played video games most of the night, and then eli and I took this long walk to talk about ‘some things’ – we hadn’t been really talking for a lil’ bit, cause some stuff happened when akua and elinem first got here and well ya we were really talking much, so we had to sort that out. Thank God that’s over. It was like misunderstanding and miscommunication between us. When we got back we just all sat on the steps and talked for a bit till daddy and mommy were ready to leave. I remember it was a really nice night last Friday, nice and breezy.
You think i'm joking about on the run gas station, well check out the video, just found it on youtube:
Ps. 119: 50 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” I hate people. Boy word gets around my friends Eli I love you thanks for Sunday night – you’re the voice reason amongst stupidity…haha I’m definitely addicted to tea all of a sudden Those were some randomness from moi during the past three weeks. Yeah it’s definitely Wednesday July 5, 2006, and I’m writing about the past 3-4 weeks haha. MON. June 12th INTERNSHIP STARTS I’ve been testing my luck with my stomach seriously. With taking my anti-malaria on an empty stomach. And today it caught up with me. I definitely got sick in the taxi drivers car, I was like ‘omg omg I’m so sorry I’m so sorry’ he acted as if it happens all the time. First from his nonchalant reaction and also because he didn’t ask if I needed to go to a hospital or anything. Whatever, after that I was fine…eee. so I had made a deal with the taxi driver who had driven me on Friday, that I would be needing a taxi to Adenta, basically everyday and he agreed he’d take me for a cheaper price. Which my parents were STILL fighting about (75,000cedis there and back), which to them was too much. But the guy didn’t come, at this precise time, I’ve made deals with two other taxi drivers, neither of which returned the next day. Eee. But I do have a guy now that comes, mr. eric. Not auntie’s driver, but a taxi driver and he lives near by. For my internship, I was so pumped originally about it. I came in looking to change the world eh? Hmm…we had FINALLY (and I say finally) decided that I would doing a combination of things, but mainly the reports on exited clients (those that have left the program). To familiarize myself with APED more, for the first few days I'd been sitting on the training of the new credit officers that started on June 1st. They had just begun learning how to do the account recording, and I have to say I was quite quick on the application! This stuff had nothing on financial accounting at UF I'll have to say. Following that I was doing research: from the 2004 impact assessment (the exit client portion) and reading more on APED (I got a lot of booklets to skim through), therefore I got familiarized with their work and microfinance more; in doing the research, I devised the questions that I would be asking the exit-clients as well got a list of the clients. A few weeks ago three other interns came in (close to the finishing of the questionnaire) so they kind of dumped them on me to orient them…hmm not fun. I missed the credit officers in training. They’ll be back when I get back from the mission trip portion, because they are going up to the central and north region for more training at the branch offices. I miss them a lot, if I had written earlier I would write about each one. But there was this one guy, Sammy, he was cute, I’m in love with him…haha. For a little while, I had been tagged as the quick fix IT person (apart of the IT director himself) and that's thanks to Dr. Spring, who told them I'm a great IT person?!?!, but that was fine with me: I did a PowerPoint presentation and some other little stuff for people. At work for lunch they get local food, so the parents were all worried about being careful there. And to my knowledge I was, it’s local things like kenkey and fish, waakye, rice, etc. I notice that I’m all go go in the morning then after lunch all I do is look at the clock counting the time to leave. At the beginning and some at the end, it was definitely bored sometimes. I remember one of the first days I was there, Mr. Badu had a meeting to present to the office the impact assessment an outside consulting company put together, omggg it was like a 6 hr. meeting..NOT LYING. I was like ‘does this guy need an IDEAL workshop on running an effective meeting’ Lord have mercy. They had to turn in a quarter report or something during the first few weeks so really the new credit officers and I were left to fend for ourselves for a little while. I’m TAKING TROTRO people!!! Yes me ye Ghanaiani (I am Ghanaian). Auntie really still doesn’t like it, whatever. I was taking taxi in the mornings: I let the house boy get me a taxi each morning, between 30-40,000. so at most it's about 45,000 total a day (so far it's been) which is better than the 75,000 for both ways. As for the trotro and stuff I've been fine, it's humbling though: now when I get old I can do as daddy with the walking 12miles story with 'I had to take trotro everyday' story to my kids. The aped driver gives me a ride to 'the station' per se, zungo junction, or I take a trotro or get dropped by others, then I get the trotro going to ashiama which stops at the goil filling station on spintex and I walk to regimmanuel, like a 7min. walk. That costs me between 5000-5500cedis (expensive auntie says, but I have to pay the ashiama rate even if I'm stopping- I asked). I don’t have to be at work until 9:30, but this is a deal I made with the director, but this affected when I was going to do field work because here I am coming in when I’m supposed to, and they have already left to go to the field work to do interviews. This happened a couple times, and I had to do accounts crap…so boring. Balancing. OH I’m getting paid, it’s official people, it’s basically nothing, but whatever…400,000cedis per month. I don’t work Mondays, and some Tuesdays, so I go to the Clintons office, it’s a nice deal because I get high speed internet, and I just hang out there, help type things and such. It’s funny how people marvel, and I mean marvel at how I can type so fast.
it's about 4am, and i really have no clue why i am up. I haven't blogged in forever, and i don't knwo why because a lot has happened to write about. I'm just lazy. In about 2 hours we're leaving for Benin, MJ's hs graduation. Should be fun, because i've never been to Benin nor Togo, which we drive through to get to Benin. Today I didn't go to work (mondays I don't) I ran around still trying to get my visa for Benin adn Togo, as we waited last min. to get it. Quick story at the Benin office I fell asleep waiting and when i woke up about an hour later I went up to the desk and was like why is this taking so long and he says oh it' sbeen ready, i just didn't want to wake you! WHAT? kid I could have been sleeping for like hours, i was so mad. I did my hair today as well. That was ok, did the toes too. This past weekend I was at the SIFE national competition. It was good you know. Didn't know what all to expect, but it was a pleasant surprise. FOr half the time i was running around trying to get to the Univ. of Ghana's practice times (but then they were so forward in telling me that i was there 'honorable guest' hmmm) lol...they were great people, just not good with the communication aspect. It was funny being on the other side, and the funny thing was i was still nervous for them when they were presenting. The UG team is like Drury per se (as in they always do well) and it was really sad how like everyone was against them, because unlike drury they are actually nice. But during the awards ceremony everyone was like chanting for the other teams to win. It was sad, the announcer (who is the president of SIFE ghana AND an UG grad) was horrible in that he announced 2nd runner up and then the winner! and Ho Polytechnic won, so UG was just standing there as everyone ran up to other team it was really sad. So I kind of told the guy off later on, when he asked me what i honestly thought of the competition. Whatever... and then he wants to give a lecture to the UG team about "there has to be a winner and a loser...blah blah" and he was sooo annoying i just wanted to slap him. I knew it was going to be a close race adn whoever won between UG and Ho Poly, it would close. Ho Poly had better projects I'll give them that, but there presentation sucked. the Technology wasn't working for about 10mins. of the presentation, and that's a long time in a 24min. speech, and it tripped up there the presenters adn they were missing up. the UG's presentation was great, minus the needed excitement for CHANGING THE WORLD! lol. whatever though. we exchanged some gifts and that was good. Later on that night, i went to the A&C mall with Eli and David adn we got something to eat as well, i like them peoples...they're my buddies. I really don't knwo what i would do without their company sometimes. Yesterday after church, i mean the motivational speech, lol, Bianca and I went over to one of her long time friends' house for a Scrabble party (basically it's an excuse to have a party). It was mad fun, like mad fun! lol. I met some great people, and hopefully i'll hang out with them some. We danced and it was great times. I'm seeing them new phenomenon of ghanaian youngsters. Those that grew up IN ghana went to highschool here and not the International schools or american schools, but like the proper proper ghanaian schools and bordering schools, and then they go off to school in the states or London and they're traveling back two/three times a year. And these are the ones planning on moving back to Ghana much earlier (ie: late 20s). They are the modern ones who haven't lost their culture at all. Still very ghanaian: language and all, but still very modern. And they're marrying each other, which is really cute, because they're still doing the traditional aspect. Like last night there was one 'couple' and the girl was going around introducing the man to her uncles and aunties and such, it was cute...you know so there's hope..you know what i'm saying..HOPE...ahahha ok signing out... EA
TUES June 12th I’d just like to say I love Eli Tetteh, haha, who else would send craziness through the technology we call text messanging, throughout the day. Haha. Today I got to work early, 20mins. actually. I felt good. It only took 40mins. the spintex road was really good today, also because I left later. My taxi driver was upset with his 40,000cedis fare, umm…ya no, be easy sir be easy. I hung out with the newbies for the a bit, they’re super cool. I’ll miss them when they leave to their stations. I knew we were having a company meeting about the impact assessment, so we were chilling. Auntie Bella (we call everyone auntie, even our bosses…more-so especially our boses) well because Dr. Spring decided to tell everyone she met that I was really good at IT (because I can do powerpoint?) they have unofficially adopted me as the IT person, besides the IT manager himself of course. I got to put my skills to the test, as I made a powerpoint presentation for auntie bella in the morning. The meeting lasted…omgg about 6 hours. It was so long and boring 10:30-4:30!! I had read the material and was familiar with it, hence the boredom. It was funny, because I was answering some questions on statistical figures, some that the workers couldn’t answer, and I guess you couldn’t say that’s unfair, because I had just looked at it recently, but it was funny that even the ‘intern’ knew the figures. Mr. Spencer Badu (exec. Director) can talk and talk! I feel as though I should give him one my IDEAL workshops on running an effective meeting! But either way it was ok.
SUN. June 11th I love my big brother Church was alright, I felt it was more motivational than preaching the word of God, I dunno like keys to success as such. For some reason I wasn’t tired, but it hit me in the afternoon. I was definitely hungry in the morning! Ooo I saw this cute boy at church, wow I was like oh Lord have mercy on me there’s hope for my Ghanaian men…hahaha. So when Bianca and I got back we had some breakfast. And then I went over to the Tettehs, we had some good times, that place is definitely second home now. I do believe I’ll be over there at least every Sunday afternoon; it’s my destresser (what stress do I have exactly? Lol except for Ghana traffic, which I find more comical than stressful lol). We had a little devotional time, that was good. When Eli took me home, we definitely had a LONGG talkkk oh gosh, naw but it was good. He’s definitely my big brother. I love that kid. I was supposed to be typing interviews notes again while I was there, but I didn’t. I’m quite a procrastinator, but funny thing is I get it done still. I’m not sure when Eli left, but we talked for a while. Then I just went to bed.
SAT June 10th Just like the eve of yesterday, my Saturday was quite uneventful. I did have a nice breakfast and walk with auntie. I was supposed to do my hair and type interview notes, did neither. I did clean my room. But I literally did absolutely nothing, and you know how time flies when you’re doing nothing and then next thing you know it’s like 5pm and you wonder where the whole day went. I did have a good chat with the dear ol’ cousin Bianca, she’s really cool (most of the time...haha no I love her). So all of a sudden I’m into the worldcup, how’s that? I watched the ivory coast game. It was about 10pm and I’m thinking we’re doing nothing and my next step is sleep…hmmm nope. Bianca and I went to Monsoon again, but it had been raining some. So the crowd was a little lacking. We did leave the house at like 12 though, so I’m not sure if that had in bearing on that. You know how even if you’re with your best friend, if ya’ll have talked all day you really don’t have much to talk about later...well that’s how I felt when I went out tonight. It was good, but I felt like I was fishing for stuff to talk about to Bianca, though the conversation was good, I felt that way (because we had talk so much in the afternoon). Did I say money flows out like water here. Seriously, as auntie says if you don’t take care this place’ll make you go broke quick. And you’re thinking, it’s not bad (the cedis is 9,200/ dollar) but the junk adds up and inflation is crazy here. Gas costs more here than in the states, about a little more than $4 for a gallon (40,000cedis). From there we went to the office again, the music was better, but not by much. Haha. I wasn’t feeling the smoke at that point, we stayed there long than I wanted. But I leave the reasons of why, alone. I do remember though some nasty guy was hitting me and umm…ya didn’t want to be butt raped…haha. I’m laughing cause that’s what I call it when a guy comes and dances behind you when you OBVIOUSLY do not want him there. And I kept having to be like no…no…I’m saying though NO. lol. And then when I was leaving this other guy was like can I have you number, so I lied and said I have someone, which is what I always do (but it’s not really lying, because I’m dating Jesus right now haha) anyways we got home at a god-awful time, and I smelt like nasty smoke. Eeee.
FRI June 9th What a waste of a day yesterday, well I least I felt that way that morning. But it was fun not doing anything in particular yesterday, but you can’t do that always eh. So this morning I went to the IFC building (International Finance Corporation) or something. Mr. Eric took me and I do remember for some reason he really pissed me off today. They had the press conference for the ACCESS winners (the entrepreneurship competition). The 21 winners were being presented with the rest of their money (half). It was good, I met some of the people we had interviewed. There was a lot of press, and apparently it was on tv in the evening, but I didn’t get to see it. Gtv was there, tvafrica, etc.etc. really all I remember was that the catered snack food was good. I took a taxi home and slept for a bit, I was trying to get together for lunch with eli, but it didn’t work out. I took at taxi later on in the after (3 actually) to APED (where I’m interning at) for my orientation. This speaks bad on APED and Ghanaian business, and I’m not saying all is like this. BUT mr. Spencer Badu, the guy who told me to come in (a 100,000cedis taxi ride, there and back mind you) wasn’t even there. And so I sat in the finance director’s office for a while, reading my book. When finally at 3:45 we decided to call him; he was out at the field and he said he wasn’t going to be in an hour or an hour and a half. So me and the finance guy lay out what they are proposing me to do and what I want to do. And then I left, what a waste of my time! Eli and I decided cause we didn’t eat lunch we were going to do dinner, but then it was raining and pretty hard (and in Ghana rain shuts down like everything, people are more scared of rain then they are of crossing the street while a taxi is driving a few directly at them, and that’s no lie people). So I fell asleep, basically did nothing (yes I know a very eventful Friday).
June 8th Alrighty, FYI afua: because you were so lazy and had ample time to do these blogs, and you haven’t for a week and a half, these will be quick blogs. (I’m writing from Monday June 19th) so we’ll see what comes to memory. Today was the first day away from the hold of HERRR…lol. It was good. I had a late start, nice walk with auntie, and a nice breakfast. You know this is the life…lol. It must be nice though to own your own ‘successful’ company, key word. Let me not even say that, because a lot of people are crazy even when they could be relaxed. I just know I would like to work hard but then be able to ‘play hard’ also. Haha. Anyways I ran errands with auntie during the morning. I finally got some things that I wanted ie: my Ghanaian sponge. Mother called, wow you can always tell when it’s her, because all she does on the phone with her sisters is laugh and laugh and laugh. Lord have mercy. We ran to the registry, auntie and I because she was registering her other company. (come to find out someone has taken her name)…the company is a rental company where you can rent party cutlery etc. so auntie had bought all the cutlery and chairs and tables, it’s a very simple idea. I think auntie and I get along well, cause we’re a lot alike. She very entrepreneurial minded; besides the law firm, then they rent out the flat in London and then they have the guest house in achimota (which use to be their house) and then this party rental company. Very entrepreneurial, love it. that whole rich dad poor dad mentality (what poor parents don’t teach their kids, that the rich do) it’s a good book peeps. You know make your money not off your salary, that’s not what sustains you people, ok I’m done (finance isn’t my major so I’m done). When then moseslied over to Latabeaquashi and visited the house. (fyi after this summer, auntie’s planning on renting out the place…see). Anyways the visit was supposed to ‘short’…hmm like 3 hours later. Auntie was talking / having private discussions with uncle and the people at the house. I took pictures of the house, because auntie wanted a before and after of the place. Because the place is complete with debris everywhere and all, because she gutting up the floors. Which that too, eh Ghanaians, she’s having some trouble with the guy who’s supposed to be doing it. he keeps saying that him and his team will be in the next day to finish it up, top and bottom of the house. To this day (it’s the 19th people) we’re not done!! But she has drafted up a nice little letter for him, the perks of being a lawyer eh. Finally when we got back to the office, it’s about 3/4 now and Bianca and I were supposed to go out to lunch at Frankies. I heard her parents talking to her about it, and I was like I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. Whatever though, we went, it was good. I love sitting by the window and watching everyone below (frankies is on top of the restaurant) when we got home, of course sleep sleep and more sleep. I woke up at about 1:30am. Whats new, internet and such and then I went back to sleep.
June 7th I woke up really early, because I knew I would have to go and get mothers dress to give to Dr. Spring. But I ended up waiting for Mr. Eric and waiting and he kept saying oh 2min. 2min. we left like 45mins. later. HE ENDED UP WASHING ALL THREE CARS BEFORE WE LEFT AHHH. I know it’s his job, but he was doing it very slowly. We had to go to Osu get the dress and go all the way to Dansoma (not close can I just tell you) and of course I was late, but whatever. Sometimes I really don’t like Eric, he’s weird. Our first interview was with Web4Africa.com , which does domain names and such. They are ranked number 2 in Ghana for internet domain providers or whatever, but looking at the number one’s things, I think they should be number one. Anyways the head guy is from Nigeria, he was really cool (he just made these like squinty mad looking faces when he was thinking really hard). My mother calls in the middle of the interview talking about ‘can you buy small Ghanaian flags to bring with your professor. Remember she’s getting the dress to take with her. She’s sometimes quite annoying. This professor who’s already acting like taking this stuff to Gainesville is going to kill her; you want me to take more.eee. From there we had lunch at some Big Head or something fast food kind of place. I took pictures of it, because literally it looked like any other fast food place in the states. But the food sucked…eee. Some man just butt us in line, because Dr. Spring and I were talking about what we wanted and she kind of flipped out. What’s new though eh? In the car on the way to our next interview, I was mentioning how I hadn’t really taken pictures of the landscape/ scenery yet for people back in Gainesville to see how ‘Africa is really like’, and how I thought I should. Then she busts out with a list, which she asks me to write down (mind you) of things she thinks would be good to take a picture of. Mainly things she forgot to take pictures of and wants me to (this lady is a trip). Well our next interview seemed like on the other side of the city, which it actually was. We had to go to atomic junction, which was a ways. We visited Lizdon clothing store. It was a quick interview but good; her store is near auntie Florence’s place. Her stuff was really good, I want to buy some Lenin things now, I like the fabric, it allows for breathing, but it does wrinkle a bit. We saw her factory, she has really original designs. AT the beginning we were being some what ignored, because she was helping customers in the store, and of course as Dr. Spring cannot be inconvenienced made sure to mention that we could leave and we need to leave, because she had a flight. Whatever it was 2, her flight was at 9. I’m glad she didn’t leave, because she looked like she was enjoying the interview a lot. Hmm. Finally we got back to her place and she wanted me to come in a help her pack: when I told her about the flags, she wanted to make sure they would fit in her (as if if they didn’t I would have taken them back). haha. Needless to say, the dress fit OH really? and what do you know the flags fit too. I forgot to say somewhere in there we stopped at the art center, which I’m starting to despise, because they cheat you so much. I bought 10 mini Ghanaian flags. When I was leaving her I do believe there was definitely an awkward moment: as I swear I touched underwear of hers. Oh gosh, the butler type guy had opened her door and we didn’t know where he put it so we were searching the room (and of course she’s complaining) and upon searching on her bed I picked up something without looking to see if it was under it, and when I put it down I was like ‘oh God that was not her flashing pink underwear’ oh Lord. Lol. When I Finally got to the car (her driver was taking me home) she tipped him 30,000cedis I do believe, and he basically threw it into his seat, it was funny. When we reached regimmanuel (the neighborhood my auntie lives in) he sat there all quiet, and I asked him what he would like. He sat there and said he couldn’t take my money, but whatever I give is fine (Dr. Spring had a daily fare she paid, so truly didn’t have to tip him early) so I was like ok how much did Dr. Spring give you. He kept quiet, though I knew. So I said here’s 20,000cedis and you can add it to her 30,000cedis. It was funny, cause he was just sitting there quiet, not wanting me to know how much she gave therefore I would give him a lot. Hmm. Since I was home early I organized my life: aka: tallied up the finances, cleaned the wrong, wrote emails on outlook. And then I fell asleep, I’ve been having a weird schedule. And it’s not even jetlag anymore. Usually I sleep late afternoon/ evening and get up at 1/2am, because of the access to the internet and stuff. But today since I went to bed so early in the afternoon I woke up at about 6ish, had some dinner. I watched a lil’ tv, but I was so bored, but it was really nice out so I took a walk, it was beautiful weather. Yup me and Jesus did a lil’ walking and talking, it was good.
June 6, 2006 Today started early. I was up typing a bunch of notes from the interviews, man some of the stuff I don’t remember what I was talking about with acronyms and abbreviations and such, I guess I should have started the typing earlier…oops. But I did the best that I could, I’m not too worried, because it is Dr. Spring’s responsibility for her own notes. Well basically everyone was gone by the time I had to leave and because Mr. Eric had to make the trip there and back yesterday to Benin (6hrs. one way) he was off today. So what do you know another 50,000cedi taxi ride. But I was ok, because the interview was most definitely worth it. We almost didn’t have it, because Ms. Esther was out of the country. But we did go see Kwame’s mother, and let me just say I love her...She was amazing. A lil’ fyi I'm starting to hate dressing up everyday, and it’s only been a week and a half of it, but it sucks! Cause each morning I feel as though I can’t wear anything that I wore before and you still gotta look cute, you know what I’m saying?! Lol. Then you have to take in the heat factor, but then grab a jacket or cardigan because the AC is on full blast in some of these offices. Wow as I’m typing this and listening to my smooth jazz, wow a wave of omg I miss my room just overtook me…aaah it’s too early to start missing anything afua!!! Eee…it’s only been a week and two days. Geeze didn’t see that coming. I’ll be fine though..eee..ok back to Mrs. Cobbah, I hope and think she took a liking to me, I’ve kind-of adopted her as my mentor for here in Ghana and she’s invited me over, I think it’ll be fun. She is CEO of StratComm Africa, it’s a communications firm. She seems like my kinda woman. Another motivation to keep going. Her company started in one room in her house, and she was working on it as she was still working with other companies with her salary jobs, talk about going after your passion; you could just see that she loves what she does, and Jesus was all over it, it was great (they say follow your passion, the money will come right?). Sometimes I'm not sure how Dr. Spring feels when people are talking about JESUS in the interview; it's amazing how the Christian culture is here. Not to say everyone is, but a lot are (more than not) and then openly talk about it. And I know Dr. Spring isn't all about that. Anyway Mrs. Cobbah's story was amazing and I some-what got an internship offer, sort-of, if my internship with APED doesn’t go as planned, she said to hit her up. And even though it's communications, I believe I would learn so much from her company, so we’ll see though. After her we went to Frankie's for lunch, it was ok. After that we dashed over to the ministry of Women and Children. What an odd building, but it use to be the American Embassy (cause I thinking this is not your typical Ghanaian ministry building). wow what an experience. Dr. Spring said that she couldn't have planned it better to show me first hand how things really are in the governments. We interviewed the microfinance person at the ministry, and really she didn't help AT ALL! It was like pulling teeth with her just talking to her to get info. Her office was in disaray. it was bad. and when we asked for materials or anything (a standard question for every interview) she stared around the room and then at us blankly and said 'i wont be able to find it,' hmmmm?? whatever lady. Oh Lord, God knows it'll be the private sector to save this country not the government: I don't even care what party is in power. And Dr. Spring before I left said to take a look around and notice the differences between the government from the private sector interviews. The lady just gave us a lot of general information nothing concrete, no physical material, she sat there and stared at us blankly half the time and she didn't take fondly to Dr. Spring, but at least she smiled at me. Dr. Spring said this was a typical african government setting. From there we were done, well I was done, so at her next stop, which ended up being at Trust Towers, I took a taxi home. It was nice being home early (like 4). I rested a little, I couldn't go online, because they're internet is connected also at the office, so if someone is online there you can't get on at the house, AND the main house was locked because they lock it in the days, so I just hung out with myself. haha. The night was mellow. Dinner, reading (Dr. Spring gave me a book: in her shoes) i remember the movie, its ok so far. i dunno. So ya of course went online. Nothing significant.
June 5, 2006 I’m observing more and more this summers going to be a good growing period. And you know with growing comes those growing pains. I feel like God’s taking me through growing pains right now, physically, emotionally and spiritually but after that, I’m just going to be maturing like crazy and growing. We’ll have to see hopefully. Today started off well, I went on a walk with auntie and the dog. MJ was leaving with Mr. Eric so i had to take a taxi to Busy Internet. But it was nice, instead of our usual 10 beginnings we had our interview with the CEO of Busy Internet at 11. When waiting for her, Dr. Spring inquired of my weekend and I told her, I couldn’t read her, but she seemed to be a lil' some way about me not typing up the notes at all this weekend, but still doing all that i did. hmmm, I don't care. Our interview with Ms. Estelle went really well, what an amazing woman: just a great story. I don't want to sound conceded or anything, but you know those times when you just think to yourself i'm going to be somebody some day, you know? I'm going to be something great one day, and people like Estelle give you motivation to wait out the bull---- and just ride the storm. I’ll never forget something Oprah said was, yes I’m quoting Oprah. She was talking about when her mother or her aunt or grandmother, it was some female figure in her life was cooking or doing laundry or something (yes I retell a story well don’t I?) well this female figure, we’ll just say it’s her mother, as little Oprah was sitting there not really paying attention, her mother explained to her that she must pay attention because one day you’ll have to be doing this for your husband. And this is what Oprah said, she said she sat there looking at her ‘mother’ thinking to herself, ‘no I won’t’. I don’t think Oprah was looking down at her mother or thinking less of women who stay home and do all that jazz for the family and house and home, but she remarked that at that young tender age, she knew she was made for greatness, that she would not be like the rest of ladies in her family, but she was made to do something else, something great. Needless to say Oprah and I are different, but I thought it was a great story. I definitely wonder at times what I am going to be doing eventually with my life, but I feel it’ll be powerful in some shape or form. Anyways of course we ate lunch at Busy Internet, it’s funny because the waitresses know us there now. After that we went to the Empretec office, they do micro financing, but the interview was boring…I could barely keep my eyes awake and I was trying to pass it as I was writing stuff down, but Dr. Spring definitely kept looking at me, I couldn’t help it, one I stayed up late the night before, I had just eaten (got the ‘itis boy), and the interview was so boring. Apparently we really should have gone to the headquarters of Empretec and we had gone to the foundation. Anyway we then went to GHAMFIN again, because we were going to meet the ASFIN guy there, don’t ask what that stands for because I don’t know, but I do know it was microfinance as well. Needless to say I didn’t stay. I told her that because it was Monday I didn’t want to stay in traffic and achimota was really close, Dr. Spring’s driver took me to the office and that was a whole ordeal. I was hinting to the lady that the taxis are starting to put a lil’ dent in the pocket and she really didn’t seem phased, did I tell you this woman is a trip. I basically came out and asked her, can Mr. Isaac take me, I know it’s really close. For a few mins. she went from yes to wait, how long will it take, will be back by 5:30 (45mins. LATER) when we were 10mins. not even from achimota. I basically left after telling her he would, without waiting for a reason. When I got to the office, Bianca was about ready to leave, so I left with her. For some reason I can’t remember what I did last night. I know it was a bunch of typing (it’s Tuesday right now), I find it easier to type on word and just copy paste onto outlook. So I did a bunch of journal updating/ blog stuff, wrote some emails, I know I went to bed early and woke up early like 1am to start typing the notes for the interviews, because I told her I would send some. I didn’t even end up doing that, instead I did more blog stuff (this blog thing is kinda annoying to maintain), I went back to bed and woke up at 6:30 and typed up stuff until about 8:30.
June 4 Aww it’s Sunday. I went to bed considerable early, though I told Bianca I couldn’t go out with her because I was going to be up late because I had all this stuff to do: which I did, but …I didn’t do! Instead of going to Ridge Church with auntie, uncle and MJ I went to Bianca’s church: quite big. Central Gospel or something IGCC or something like that. It was good, very contemporary: ie: sang songs like alpha and omega by Israel and sang: yes Lord, and not that I was surprised, it was just like interesting. FLIPPN’ hot though. Now I know what NOT to wear to church, because no fans or AC inside, you’re at the mercy of the winds as the door are all open. And tell me what’s the use of makeup in Africa, you JUST SWEAT IT OFF, and it looks horrible. I need to put a mask on my face tonight, clean them pores I’m telling you, this place is not face or HAIR friendly. Omg my hair, it’s so dry. Anyways back to church. It was good, they had a visiting preacher, and I found it a lil’ long, maybe cause I was uncomfortable hot! That never helps the time situation. Thank God Bianca has AC in her car. After we went to Latabeaquashi or something like that. It’s an area in Accra where my grandmother and grandfather’s house is and where my uncle Ampi is living. We went to take him food and visit him. Apparently that area used to be the ‘east legion’ of the earlier years (east legion is where a lot of development is, ie: rich people lol…no just very modern (you forget you’re in Ghana sometimes) it’s where we’re staying). Grandmothers house is big and I bet in its day was great, but now auntie Shelia is doing complete remodeling on it. In July we’re having an Amoo-Lamptey reunion of the sorts: my mom’s side of the family. As they’re celebrating a 10yr. memorial of my grandmothers death, so the house is supposed to be done before mid-july..hmmm we’ll see, these Ghanaian workers. The area isn’t the greatest though. The visit with uncle was good, he gave me Naa Dodua’s number (his daughter, my cousin) because she’s at the university of Ghana and I haven’t seen her in ages (she also used to live with us in Tulsa Oklahoma). I got a hold of her later on that afternoon and we’re supposed to hang out sometime. When we got home auntie and uncle had gone to Frankies already and I found out the only reason, or the primary reason MJ goes to Ridge church with auntie and uncle is so he can go to Frankies for brunch: the famous Clinton tradition. Haha he’s a trip. We didn’t stay home long before jetting off to run some errands for MJ. He was picking up some food stuff to take back to school. He was leaving the next day (he only stayed for a day and a half). We did that and dropped him off at an internet café while we dashed over to the Tetteh’s. Eli had called me the night before and I told him I’d come over. I took uncle Senyo’s book to him and we chatted for a while. Seems like we’re going to have a fun summer with them. Fii was there…aww that’s my friend! Haha. I love that kid. We had a good visit. I’ll probably try to swing by this week, maybe Wednesday when Dr. Spring finally leaves. When we finally got home I thought auntie would be mad, because apparently she values Sunday lunches with the family and when we left we said we wouldn’t keep long (but she didn’t know about the internet café or Tetteh visit) so *shrug*, but she wasn’t mad. We ate something light (it was about 6ish by then). Because we were going out to dinner. Man they spoil MJ! Lol. It was all for him, because he only visits a few times and they want to take to all his favorite places while here, because he doesn’t eat in Benin. I took a quick nap and then it was up to go to this really nice Chinese restaurant (called imperial something). It was good, really good actually. But apparently not too good on a few peoples stomachs the next morning (MJ!). This night was when I realized how funny MJ actually is, that kids funny. I was cracking up a storm. And then of course Bianca has to bring up her plans of moving to NY BY December (mind you), this got uncle Michael all up in knots (with his lil’ bit of wine too). She wants them to pay and umm…they’re saying no. she is going to be 26, has free rent right now, free food, gets paid way more than the average lawyer in Ghana by working at the Clinton firm, and I don’t think she pays for her trips abroad too, and she complains about wanting to be independent in NY and if not now then when blah blah..Whatever…I shall have no opinion on this subject, except to say God bless her! HAHA. A lil’ FYI it’s always interesting to be on this side of society and see what the high-end of life is, I’m noticing the people we encounter in our different circles and different places: the restaurant, the neighborhood, the bar/restaurant, club, etc. it’s just interesting. The mission trip is going to be a good switch to observe as well (in terms of gratitude for things, and a different appreciation of life in the people we meet have). We finally got home, and I spent a considerable time online talking to oku and we had a really good conversation. Signing out EA
June 3 Saturday oh Saturday, days for sleeping in, but for some reason I didn’t. Well I sort of did. From last night I was pretty tired. I got up at 8 though, did some internet stuff, then I went back to bed at 10-12:30 and finally got up. I went into the main house and breakfast was laid out for me, I just had to warm it: you sometimes you just got to love Ghana. Haha. Not solely for the house help making you food thing though. So it was a very lazy day: I washed clothes, lazy’d around the house, watched tv, internet, etc.etc. oh and Michael john (my younger cousin and the last born at the Clinton residence) came to visit from school (he goes to school in Benin). He has lost quite a bit of weight actually a lot. He says the foods bad in Benin. He’s graduating from high school in three weeks, so we’ll all make a trip down, should be fun. I’ll actually get to go to Benin and Togo (as you drive through it to get to Benin), they said it was about an 6 hr drive. He’s still the same ol’ MJ, a lil’ more mature, but now I don’t find him annoying I just find him quite hilarious: he cracks on Bianca a lot, which is quite funny. Lol. Later on that night, Bianca tried to coerce me into going out again tonight, I’m looking at her like: no. she really tried hard, hmmm something about an ex-boyfriend that she needed to make an appearance with and needed a girls support there, but I stood my ground and said no. I also talked to Kobby and he said he was leaving and that he would call me when he got to London. Earlier that day, wow did I get grilled about him. For some reason Bianca can’t believe that I don’t have feelings for him like that. I’m talking she utterly thought I was lying when I told her I don’t think of him like that. So much so we had to have a ‘talk’. Where auntie went on about how she’s very particular about who marries into this family (WHAT?) and how Kobby was outstanding. A pilot (well still needs job), very good looking, a complete gentleman, loves Jesus, good family, etc.etc. and I was like CAN YOU BELIEVE This? Finally when they left me alone, they left it as keep my options open (hint hint: remain his friend and see where it goes). But honestly the way Bianca was going on and on about him (I mean on and on) and how he was sooo good looking and a complete gentleman last night, etc.etc. and I thought: do you want him?? Lol..and I honestly think she has a slight interest. HAHA. It was just funny because auntie was going down the line of eligible bachelorettes in our family that could snap him up. They stopped at Sharon: she’s like 17!!! Haha, Kobby’s about to be 22..i dunno the whole talk was a lil’ awkward. ESPECIALLY how they did it: Bianca comes into my room and says “my mother wants to speak with you” lol, wow the Clintons are a special group of people, only family eh? You gotta love them. And a lil’ btw (by the way) when did the hang out become my room?? Bianca AND MJ…….just come in use my stuff. It’s quite amazing how they see my room as the hang out. Ummm..can you leave? Can you not touch, thank you. haha
June 2 I’m finding out more and more that taxis’ are costing me a pretty penny, so it was nice that Mr. Eric could take me this morning. Dr. Spring agreed in Gainesville that she would pay for my meals and transportation when I was WITH her. But we didn’t discuss the getting to the first place each morning, so I’m coughing up the bill for that one. Mr. Eric is CRAZY, but then again so am I, so we get a long just great lol. Except he can give insults, but he can’t take it: he’ll put the ‘respect your elders’, when he feels insulted pff. Our first interview was great! It was with another group of winners from the SNV entrepreneurship competition. These, as the called themselves, were the powder puff girls. They were three strong women, all having their own other jobs (and they’ve known each other since Class III (grade 3 or something) and they got together and decided to submit their proposal for the competition. They have a job matching online service. Jobweb.com. They’ve found it a little challenging to get things going and though they were the first of their kind, since the competition a few online job matching companies have sprang up. They need a little time and boost, but I think they could do it. I really enjoyed their company. They are going to have a component of putting on workshops and such and holding career fairs for recent graduates and such. And I kinda got a job offer sort of…hehe. I told them that I was all interested in leadership and professional development etc., and they told me that hopefully by the time I come back for the ambassadorial program through rotary (God willing) a year after I graduate, they would really have this thing up on its feet and then I might hook up with them and assist them in that area. Next we went to Databank to see some Ken guy that Dr. Spring couldn’t stop talking about since we got there. He was really cool, he co-founded databank and it’s doing amazing. The only thing was that he kept blinking when he talked, it was kinda awkward. Then we went to Papaye on Osu road for lunch (for some reason I feel like I’m always eating chicken and rice in Ghana) and had lunch with Bianca. It was pleasant; to my surprise Bianca and I really get along well. It was funny, because I always know she’ll pay for me and when Dr. Spring paid for Bianca’s meal as well, she was very polite and expressed gratitude and just sat there. Haha…I’m laughing now, but it’s kinda bad. I didn’t even realize it. I guess I’m taking her for granted. That’s bad isn’t it?, but the funny thing is it’s just her, everyone else I’m saying thank you to: driver, waitress, etc.etc. so see how when you’re annoyed with someone you act rude. But later on after Bianca said ‘I was waiting for you to say thank you for lunch’, I felt bad so I said thank you in the car. Our next interview was with eshopafrica.com, our one and only found (physically in Ghana) E-commerce site, GHANA BASED. But the funny thing is none of the owners are Ghanaian. One is a Sudanese, another Canadian, another Italian or something, all women may I add. Dr. Spring was really into this interview and I thought we over stayed our welcome, the interview went so long. But I would leave and go outside and talk to Kobby during that time (we were trying to decide what we were going to do that night cause he was leaving Saturday). The Sudanese women (the store is in her garage turned office), her husbands consulting business is in another garage type thing turned office. And guess what? he was the Rotarian of the year in Ghana as well as last years president of the Accra chapter of the rotary club. How amazing is God?! So we talked about the ambassadorial program and how I wanted to do it, and he gave me his card and everything and said he would help in any shape he could! How amazing is that! My taxi driver on the way home was the cutest thing ever, he was so adorable, it was pleasant being stuck in Friday traffic with someone you can crack jokes with. So I told him I might be going to this place called monsoon tonight and he told me he would be there…didn’t think much of it, until I saw him there later that night. During the drive home he encouraged me to learn Ga because even the ‘white people’ know Twi now and there’s nothing special about Twi. Whatever. I’m only ¼ Ga and the university of florida doesn’t teach Ga they teach Akan (Twi) so that settles that. That night we went to this bar/restaurant place called monsoon. Bianca insisted we go (me, her and Kobby). Did I tell you how amazing Kobby is, well tonight really proved it. He commented on how lovely we ladies looked tonight about the moment he walked in, he drove us also. (You know it’s the little things, right?). At the bar place we were sitting in the couch area just talking and taking in the scenery (it’s up on a roof top place: you really feel like you’re in NY or London…haha that’s until you leave the place and then you realize oh wait “I’m in Africa”; the smells of the gutters kinda hit you lol) it was really chic or whatever, and when we got up to leave Bianca and I were trying to inquire about where you pay for our drinks or whatever, and Kobby was like ‘I got it already’…<- You know stand up guy you know! Lol. I love my friend. Opening doors etc.etc. sorry can’t help but put him out like that, he’s an amazing guy, sorry if you’re reading this Kobby. Oh, when we were crossing the street to the car, the taxi driver from earlier that day called my name, it was some what odd, I was called out hi either way. So from there we went to this clubbish thingy lol, I dunno it was ok. Some of Bianca’s friends wanted us to go so we did; it was called ‘the office’. Did a lil’ dancing but not much cause the music selection wasn’t exactly up to par ie: oldies but some classics I have to say. Bianca said if we had stayed longer the music would have gotten better as the night went on (I mean the morning lol). Kobby wanted to leave a little earlier than we did because of his flight the next day and what not. But I was able to meet some of Bianca’s friends, all the wannabes haha, jk jk they were fun people. All have lived abroad, mostly London so they are all a certain way. Eventually we left, fyi he paid the entrance fee as well. And did you know gas, excuse ‘petrol’ stations are not opened 24 hrs. in Ghana most close at like 10 or flippn’ before. Can you believe it? and Kobby was nearing the E line real quick. Random thought, speaking of E, Bianca told me this guy who was dancing all psycho weird was probably on E back at the office. eeeks. Anyways we made it to the Clinton residence with no problems (except Mr. manly man driving though ‘I have to ‘race’ other cars on the road’...lol and I did call him out on it! it was funny, I told him, “little boy, racing the cars doesn’t make you more of a man’ lol. And we had some police barriers on the way home). I was worrying some what for Kobby cause he lives in Adenta, and it’s a lil’ ways from Spintex Road. It seemed I was the only one worried, as Bianca kept saying on if the red lights not on, you’re fine…what who says that?! Lol so we tried to get gas from the generator eeee didn’t work. He decided to drive home and pray Jesus took him, lol and if not we said we would drive out and pick him up wherever his car died. Haha. Needless to say his car didn’t die, and he called me to say that he had made it home ok. My precious cousin is a real trip. Lol. Originally when Kobby wanted to leave the office, she didn’t, but did anyways. I wouldn’t have minded staying longer, but I knew Kobby had the flight the next day. But when we got home, she asked me if I wanted to go back out there…I looked at her like she was outside her mind….aaa no I don’t. lol. So that was an eventful Friday.
June 1 Auntie and I actually walked this morning, not that I’m really shocked, but you know how you set out to do the whole exercise thing and then day two comes along…hit me up in a week and see if we’re still walking. Today I actually got to use the driver. Mr. Eric, you have to love the man. Knows how to make a girl laugh, he’s so funny and funny to laugh at. I gave him a loan, made him sign for it and all (just so he could get units on his phone). I was going to do an interest rate and all haha, but decided not too because it was only 10,000cedis (about a $1) the loan is due in 30days haha, it’s the principle people! So I’ve finally discovered this thing called FLASHING. What happens is you allow the phone to run once when you’re calling someone and you don’t lose any units, and then the person calls you back (you don’t lose units when you receive calls). Mr. Eric was doing it to me for the past few days and all the while I was thinking he was just having problems with his phone or something. But nope, he wanted me to use my units to call him…not again my friend! So in part the loan was for him to be able to call me. HAHA…he remarked: “HEY chale you’re giving me loan to buy units to call you so then I pay you back, HEY” lol, it was so funny. Our first interview was at Women’s World Banking. It was a good interview, I was some-what bored too, and to think I was thinking of interning there…eee glad I didn’t follow through with that. From there we were off to our second home again, hmmm…Busy Internet. Some internet use and lunch. Next we went to GHAMFIN: Ghana Microfinance Institutions Network. I was really bored out of my mind there, I dunno how I’m going to like this microfinance stuff. It’s interesting theory, but I’m not sure if I’m cut of for the practice of it. I know it’s definitely not my passion; I love being able to give people opportunities, but I’m leaning all of a sudden towards leadership and professional development within the corporate setting, but as well as in hs and college years. I was tired and I just didn’t want to be with Dr. Spring any longer, that I called Mr. Eric after GHAMFIN and I told him to pick me up, thankfully we were only 10mins. away from Achimota, so he took me to the office. And apparently Dr. Spring told me later on that the next interview they had got lost and it took forever and blah blah. She doesn’t speak kindly of her driver at all, and that sometimes gets on my nerves. I came home with Uncle Michael, and his Mercedes SUV is quite the nice might I add. Nothing crazy at night, just went online (what’s new?) and ate something, a mellow night.
Wednesday May 31 This is all from memory of about four days ago (it’s Monday the 5th right now eee) so it might a lil’ rusty and my tenses might be off sorry…I have to say lol makes laugh out loud…btw (by the way)…
So me and auntie started walking, it’s quite nice actually around the neighborhood and we go with the dog every morning at 6:30, yes people I’m up at 6:30. Man Ghana’s going to change my scheduling and back in Gainesville I’m going to be liking 7:30 classes…aaa lets not go that far. Anyways I went to the office with Bianca, I went on the internet and to my surprise I got a lot of congratulations because I GOT REITZ SCHOLARRRRRR omgg how exciting!! Oh I was elated. I was really worried about it, there were so many people who applied!! God’s so good! $2500 smackers people! Eee I’m so happy! So that made the day great, if only just for that!! Then our interview with Auntie Cherub at SNV (a developmental organization) we weren’t sure if it was still on because we couldn’t get a hold of her, but Dr. Spring went there first and it was still on and I had to mad dash over there, needless to say I was late. The interview went well, Auntie Cherub was really helpful along the lines of women abuse and roles in society (and how that affects their business practices), etc. etc. If I haven’t mentioned yet the focus areas we’re dealing with they are: microfinance and micro credit, women in non-traditional industries, and e-commerce of course. Then it was off to Busy Internet, our new home away from home, it’s a great place. We got to interview one of the winners the entrepreneurship competition that SNV put on with the World Bank. They were in a Busy Internet incubator. And I literally feel in love with these guys. Real young guys, so sweet and cheery. Their product is a computer software game type thing that teaches ages 8+ about the computer. They gave me a copy, I was excited. And they said that I could come up to their incubator to use the internet (wireless) if I bring my laptop, so I wouldn’t have to pay; it makes you think you know there’s some stand up guys around. They were genuinely nice guys, it was great. So young too, they graduated from Nkrumah University in 2000 or 2001 something like that. Anyways hopefully I’ll take them up on their offer soon. Then we had a lunch at the Busy Internet restaurant. I’m telling you this place is amazing, latest computers all flat screen (12,000cedis an hr to use the internet) which is about a lil’ less than $1.50. After lunch we were picked up by my contact person for my internship, Harry Akama, and he drove us to APED (where I’m interning at: Association Of progressive entrepreneurs in development). Apparently he had gone to both of Dr. Springs presentations; a very pleasant man also. Really nice. But the drive from busy internet to adenta…EH it was about a hr. drive, I was like omgg I have to come all the way out here from Spintex road when I start working! The interview went well, but I got mixed feelings about the place: one, the commute wont be fun, and two when dr. Spring inquired of what I would be doing there (out of her curiosity) they really didn’t have a direct answer. This leads me to believe they don’t know and/or they don’t have much for me to do. So we’ll see how maybe I can work part time ie: 2-3days a week. And maybe I can do some stuff with Ms. Maureen at SNV or even with Ms. Abena with her consultancy firm. After this we ended up going to one of the monthly meetings of the women exporters association. Wow what an interesting experience. Let me just plug in here this women: DR. SPRING, is a COMPLETE trip…one of the biggest whinersss ever: it’s hot; traffic; people can’t drive, on and on, omgg shut up hehe J!! The bad part is she doesn’t do it in like a whiny voice, so she’ll make a joke about it instead, but she’s still complaining. I’m so over. Why can’t Wednesday come sooner? Ok back to the exporters meeting: The lady whose house it was owns about 4 or so clothing stores in Africa: here, south Africa, etc.etc. (like these were big time exporters, it was interesting). Another exported pineapple; one exported dried fruit, which was really good, I tasted it. What was funny was, they allowed us to speak a lil’ about what we were doing there and then the president of the group basically in so many words asked Dr. Spring, what can you do for us? “I know we’re helping you with your book and research, but what can you do for us.” It was the funniest thing ever; I was like”they don’t want you here” haha. And what was ironic was she INVITED us to come, originally all we wanted to do was meet with her and she told us about the meeting and invited us. So Dr. Spring talked about the exposure and the connections/networking that she could possible help set up. It was so funny, it was like ‘ambushed!’ lol. Deer in the headlights. Then on top of that, after some light refreshments, the president basically asked us to leave! Lol, seriously this was so funny to me! The fact that the lady asked us to come and then didn’t want us to stay for the official portion of the meeting, Dr. Spring was so taken aback. Anyways that’s not the funniest portion. But a lil’ randomness, the owner of the house introduced me to her daughter, Jane, and she went to GIS (Ghana international school) and was my year or something, so we exchanged numbers, we’ll see if we’ll hang out though. Back to us leaving. One of the lady’s husbands was there and she offered for him to take Dr. Spring home (I lived near where they lived, so I was going to ride with them, come back with the man and then go home, because of course Dr. Spring can’t ride by herself). When we got outside Dr. Spring told the man where she lived and he commented on how far it was. And I’m lying in the back going HINT HINT get yourself a taxi Dr. Spring, and they were dead silent for a while trying to formulate a plan, it wasn’t rocket science: you live far please get yourself a taxi. But she NEVER said anything: and we’re sitting in the car in the gas station by the A&C mall (yes people Ghana has a mall). The man keeps commenting on how far GIMPA is and how he doesn’t really know that area, AND that gave her a door: she took the card for the place called them and had them give him directions, I was like laughing at the back, MISTER you should have just told her to get a taxi…haha. This women is unbelievable, and the whole time she’s complaining about how she doesn’t know where she is and how she would feel very uncomfortable traveling at this time of the night with a taxi from an area she doesn’t know well, because “you know Ghanaian taxi drivers” (of course har har har in a joking way she does this) and then she would look back and me and I would give her a blank stare, mentally shaking my head…LOL, I am a horrible person. But I was thinking lady you are definitely on your own on this one. Sucks to live far away doesn’t it?! The man actually drove her home the whole 40min drive and then back another 40mins. When I finally got home, I was DEAD tired, it was such a long day. Bianca and I chatted for a bit, and I went online as I discovered auntie and uncle don’t care about the internet at night because it sooooooo cheap (apparently to them) so the only person I have to fight with is Bianca for the internet. She usually uses it evening time 6/8ish then from then on I have it. It’s dial up, but it’s quite reliable, has only cut off maybe once or twice and I’ve been using it for days now (and hours upon a time). I’m very blessed, because I have my laptop, plug in the phone chord and I have an adapter for my computer and I’m good to go, God’s so good. I essentially have unlimited internet, well sort of.
I've decided that some might not even know what i'm doing in Ghana, therefore half of these things dont' make sense, so i'll briefly explain: For the beginning of my trip I am traveling around with a professor from the university of Florida, Dr. Spring who I met back in Gainesville through another professor (she knew I was a business major, and was interested in entrepreneurship and especially GHANA), her name is Dr. McDade. The two have written many articles and a few books on African Entrepreneurship. Anyway Dr. Spring was presenting a paper at IAABD conference, as well as Dr. McDade (International Academy of African Business and Development). She asked me to work on a paper, which ended up turning into a presentation, which she presented at the conference: Internet use/ E-Commerce in Ghana Business. It was interesting, but really hard work. I didn't know what I was getting into when I said yes. So she had asked me to come to the conference with her, present, and then travel around with her interviewing different organizations, businesses and entrepreneurs for subsequent research and I agreed. I couldn't attend the conference, because of SIFE Nationals as well as the whole visa ordeal. But I'm traveling around with her interviewing people (which might I had I have set her up with the majority of the people we've been interviewing, about 85% or even more, if you think about people giving her more contacts...sometimes I wonder how she would have done it without me here haha)...she is quite selfish i'm finding and doesn't like to be inconvenienced, but ironically doesn't think much of it to put people in inconvenient situations. whatever... She leaves Wednesday (7th), but i just found out that she has interviews scheduled for wednesday morning, oh Lord and I thought I was free! AND she wants me to hook her up with kobby's dad so she can just go through check-in quickly. aaa you can't tap into all my resources, woman...that you'll have to do on your own. haha (i'm a horrible person) Anyway regarding the blog, I realize I do too much random commentary and extra notes and such, I'm going to reduce that and also as I know some reading this have never seen africa or understand what I'm talking about, I'll try to explain things better. alright ps - apart from facebook posting, I'll try to get one of these picture albums online, so people can see my pictures signing out, ~af ps - though it's sunday and i've only written about up till tuesday right now, i'll try to finish the rest of the postings SOON..promise love...
May 30, 2006 Aight what happened today? What an adventure in the morning. First I woke up late, but whatever I had enough to make it to Auntie’s office. I got a taxi called for from the house instead and then about half way there we realize he doesn’t know where standard charter bank was!! Omgg, so I told him we would go and see what happened. SO we on the road towards Accra central, but we hadn't reached there yet and I saw a standard charter bank, by Golden Tulip and I’m like that’s it. So I pay him get out and go in and ask for Ms. Florence Hutchful and the guy was like I’m sorry she’s at the head office on high street, and I’m like 'great!' And I freakn’ knew that too...omgg I was mad. SO I go outside and these nice guys helped me get a taxi. Thank God. IT was really funny when I was leaving the house initially, Uncle Michael was quite impressed that I was going to go out and venture into the Accra streets alone, whatever…he wanted Bianca to take me…aa no it’s ok, i can do it. Haha. So about 45 flippn’ mins. later we get to the bank. When we arrive, my bag gets stuck in the DOOR of the taxi!!! And the guy is driving away…omggg I start yelln’ HEY MY BAG, it was so embarrassing! Lol. I can laugh now, but I wasn’t laughing then. And ppl were lookn’, it was bad. Whatever though so I finally got to the receptionist and told her my name. She called auntie Florence’s secretary and was like afua ansa is here, I’m like no' Entsuah', geeze, then the lady’s said she’s in a meeting, and at that point I was 30mins. late, so I told her I think I’m supposed to be in that meeting. And she said she spoke to her secretary and she should know. So I waited about 25mins. thinking that ok maybe she’s in another meeting. Then I went BACK to that receptionist, I was so mad and said did a white lady, dr. spring come here and she said yes she’s in the meeting with Florence hutchful: are serious lady I’m supposed to be THEREEEEEEEEEEEee. FINALLY when I get in there they’re about done, can you believe that?! Whatever. We left and went to Osu road, how exciting, I GOT A PHONEEE finally from areeba. Then we had lunch at Frankie’s, wasn’t that good exactly. Went to a jewelry store and then we had another interview with kojo James’ mom AHHH…that KID!! Eeeeeeks. Haha. Whatever his mom was amazing. I really was interested in her line of work; I think it might be potentially what I want to do. I was REALLY tired during the interview. But what she does is consultancy for new associations and businesses, to better themselves. And I will be going to one of her workshops during June to see it's runned. Hopefully I’ll work with her some. After we left though, Dr. Spring asked me what I thought and I was told her I really enjoyed it and I am really interested in her line of work, and she proceeded to tell me that it’s a hard field, blah blah you have to have experience or something special like a language, blah, and I’m like WOMAN who are you talking to you?!! I was so pissed off. I don't know if she was generalize or specifically talking to me, but either way I was not hearing here at this point. So we left and went to her room, but before we got there we stopped by a clothing place for Dr. Spring, because she was going to be getting something made…and upon arrival I’m basically asleep in the car and she turns to me, my eyes closed mind you, and she asks do you want to get out, and I said ‘no I’m good’ and then she says ‘no I think you should’ …WHAT? What the crap is this. Like can you not do anything for yourself? And all that happened was I stood there as she talked to the seamstress about when they’ll do the measurements, once again: WHAT THE CRAP IS THIS?! Either way I throughout the past few hours I was trying to get a hold of kobby and I was getting him off and on because we were trying to decide what we were going to do that night and whether or not he wold pick me up at Dr. Springs’ place. The guy from ghanacityguide.com (our last interview) canceled his appointment, so I got to leave (yes!) Once home, we didn’t do much, watched Gastineau girls (Bianca bought the DVD back in Florida- don’t ask). So kobby and I decided we would just hang out, whatever that meant. We ended up going to papaye for dinner (basically fast food of ghana: mostly rice and chicken). Did I tell you I love kobby, not just cause he’s great guy, but because he’s so funny (not even having to do anything). Our waitress was REALLY bad, and he was so classy with her, to the point where I had to make comments about it and only laugh. For instance when we FINALLY got our check, he made the comment to her: ‘you’re not having a great day are you’ and she just looked at him and smiled…and I couldn’t help but laugh, it was funny, because the whole time he was being a gentleman to her and it seemed as if she was becoming a worse waitress as the night went on. So when we were leaving it was rainy cats and dogs (we are in rainy season in ghana right now) and kobby ran out there to get the car: aww what a gentleman. But seriously note to self, chivalry. I’m serious though. Kobby is a complete gentleman, inside I didn’t even have to look at the check, you know?! and the door and all, it was quite nice being taken care of...and it’s the little things, you know what I’m saying. He’s going to make some girl really happy one day (yes and I’m saying some girl). So when we got back we sat in the car and talked some, because it was raining hard still and we didn’t want to run into the house, haha it was first time I heard kobby cuss, it was kinda funny. What had happened was the gate man took FOREVER to open the gate (needless to say it was raining but still chale you’re getting paid to do this!). Anyways apparently when we were in the car talking, he was still standing outside under some small shelter by the garage waiting for kobby to back out and leave so he could close the gate and we didn’t realize this for like 10mins or so, and kobby turns and is like ‘oh S*** he’s waiting for me to leave’ I laughed, I mean it wasn’t funny that the guy was getting drenched, but the situation was kinda funny, I told him ‘kobby the guy does not like you’. So instead of coming inside, kobby decided to leave. So inside auntie and I had a good talk over some drinks and smooth jazz music (anything better my friends...nope). She was telling me the stories of workers trying to pull a fast one on her here in ghana; the stories were so funny though, people are so horrible and so stupid. When I looked up at the time it was only flippn’ 10! It seemed like 2 in the morning or something. Because Ghana doesn’t have day lights savings, the sun sets at around 5:30/6 and I mean it’s pitch black by 6:15ish. It’s soooo odd. And the suns up up by about 6 in the morning. So here people go to bed early and wake up early. This does explain my parents not understanding the late night phenomenon. So ends the second full day of my existence in Ghana EA
This’ll be quick, because I’m really tired. I woke up, great day, bright and early. Ate a little and talked to Dr. Spring, she hadn’t booked anything yet for the morning and she was coming here for dinner. I ended up going to office with Bianca, but not before running around, it’s so tiring driving in Ghana, it’s just so much work to GET to work you know?! And they’re doing some much construction around Achimota, it’s crazy. So they have Ethernet connection so I was on the net, my msn wasn’t working for some reason. I talked to the ‘rents and akua for a good 20mins. through the handy dandy skype, it’s a great tool. Finally Dr. Spring called, saying that she’d been trying to reach me, what’s new? So I got Mr. Eric to drop me at SNV (a microfinane NGO and our first interview), but not before I shelved 40,000 for gas for him. HAha. That kids funny, apparently the car broke down later that day. Haha. So the interview went well, I learnt a lot, especially that my interest/passion IS in need here in ghana, the business development stage (including professional/ leadership development). There was an interesting entrepreneurship competition that SNV put on last year, and I was definitely intrigued. Therefore I hope to see some of the winners with Dr. Spring and also to attend their group support meeting on June 9th. I completely forgot to call Kobby, I feel so bad. I told him I would, and he’s leaving Saturday ahhhh. I HAVE to call him tomorrow as well as get a flippn’ phone. So after that Dr. Spring insisted her driver take me to the office, but then we found out that her driver had an appointment, so he dropped me off at the achimota police station, good eh? I watched a lil’ soccer, as we beat Jamaica 4-1 woo woo. Bianca and Auntie picked me up within 15/20mins. we then went to the grocery store and then were in traffic for about a hr. and a half at least. EH Ghana traffic, it was horrible. But comical still. Especially trying to beg our way in infront of people with bianca's small car. haha. So we were late to the dinner, but Dr. Spring was even later, we started eating at 9!!! I was like omgg you got to be kidding me, for a 7:30 start time. Whatever the conversation was good, something’s wrong with Dr. Spring I swear. I can’t put my finger on her, but she's not correct all of the time. Anyways I went with Bianca to drop her, omgg I got kinda thrown off at each police barricade, it was scary. It’s like the first time I’ve ever felt like that in Ghana. They came with guns in hand and flash lights, always flirting or asking for money. And searching inside. It wasn't exactly fun, Dr. Spring, I could tell was scared. They say it's precaution for police barricades, but whatever, we got home. And that was it. Bianca drives fast. Mr. Eric their driver is so funny. HAHAH.
Awkward moment: Bianca getting stuck in the mud, half a mile from work this morning and having to call Mr. Eric to help her bail her out.
MARCH 27th - this is also typed from a written journal
Might as well finish this thing. Ommmggg I’m home!! it’s great, I love Ghana, you don’t even understand how elated I felt stepping off the plane and walking to customs: the air (hot), smiles, smells, people, I AM HOME. I love it. Customs went very smoothly. The guy on my plane next to me was surprisingly not over friendly. I met this group of white people though. It was cool, on the plane there was about a 2-1 ratio of ghanaians to white people, quite surprised. Anyways this family and some students were going to ghana... the wife was a professor from Utah and they had delivered medical equipment and they all decided to come over to show those how to use it. For a month they said! The daughter and father were really sweet. Now I’m wishing I had stuck around to get some type of contact info. so we could get to together while in ghana. As I said customs went smoothly. When checking my bag, they tried to ask me for money, not thinking I could understand what they were saying, that’s what ticks me off. Trying to take advantage of a sweet innocent Ghanaian abroad, but I was firm and asked why do they need money for? He said he would have to open all my bags if I didn’t give him money. I didn’t give him money, but I said sure open all my bags, ha he stopped after my drag along. QUASEA. I walked out and there was kobby! Awww kobby, my friend. ... I was sooo excited to see him. It was a nice drive, a short one ahh. I’m so excited! God home; like everyone was asleep! Bianca came to my aid. Great, I got the guest house and first I was like 'what? the guest house?' But I really like it. I’m wide awake because of the time change. I called Dr. Spring, she was excited about my arrival, and sounded like she was having a great time. I talked to Dr. McDade as well. I unpacked a little. They say I will only be out here for a few days, but I would really like to stay out here (guest house). So tomorrow we’ll see what is in store. Only thing was I didn’t have my camera during the journey, I’m taking it and extra batteries everywhere I go from now on. Hopefully apart from Dr. Spring stuff, tomorrow kobby and I can hang out. Awkward moment: thinking I didn’t have to get out of my seat, but only move my legs towards the aisle for the guy beside me to get out of our row and having him, butt and all ALL over me as he squeezed through. VERY AWKWARD Awkward moment 2: Almost tripping on the walking conveyerbelt at the airport haha. Alrighty night. AE
So I'm totally typing from the written daily i wrote as i was coming so ya...lets start.
MARCH 27th The airport ordeal, usually out of control, was surprising ok. I guess it's because I'm traveling by myself and not with the rest of the clan. God was good, we had a nice ticket lady and even thought it took a little long, we got my 3 bags checked in (70Ibs. each like on the dot may I add) and the approval of my 'special visa'. Of course I was searched, I swear I get picked 'randomly' to get searched everytime. I got special escort to security though, because I was really pressed for time (I know, what's new?). The Miami flight was a whole 36mins. of uneventfulness, except the guy next to me saw my neck pillow (Gators!) and we started up a conversation (his son was starting residency at Shands in the fall). Then it hit me almost wave-like, oh my i'm really not going to be back in the fall. Weird. The walk from the American Airlines gate to the British Airways gate in MIA omgggggg, daddy was not jokn'...talk about workout (about a 25min. walk/maze). It was crazy. This guy I was walking with was like 'I feel like I'm a mouse walking through a maze and at the end there's going to be cheese, haha). soo.. Awkward moments: 1. Sitting in the exit seat and having the stewardess up close and personal in my face asking if I was willing and able to do all that Jazz if we were to plummet to our death..jk.. and all the while wondering if she knew I was staring intensely at the lipstick all up on her teeth. 2.Going to the bathroom with luggage in the airport. Just doesn't feel right in the stall with you. haha 3. Sitting quietly (as I was like the second person to the gate) and then having a mob of a family come and literally encompass me. Sit infront, beside. And I love diversity, but this was too much. They were speaking/more like yelling Spanish across to one another when they were about a few feet away from one another, please stop yelling over me. Awkward turtle:Do I stay and remain awkward or leave to be a rude person. Hmm needless to say, I stayed and remained very awkward.
So I made my calls, said my goodbyes, last goodbyes. Awww ommgg 7months. (wait what am I doing? Ahhhh I canÂt believe IÂm doing this, kinda crazy man). Then itÂs off, I get on the plane and FYI: itÂs very lonely traveling alone, wouldnÂt recommend it to an international traveler. So I have a seat all comfortable and stuff, then the stewardess asks me if I would Âbe willing and able to  jk jk, no not in the emergency exit way this time, but she asks me if I would be willing to move so a family could sit together. Surprisingly a lot of people that booked their flights together were separated so there was a lot of reshuffling going on. I got moved from an aisle seat to the middle seat in the next cabin. In business class maybe aaa nope. Hehe. So IÂm sitting there and in walks in this, sorry canÂt even describe him, except to say Âthe typical uppity young lookn British guy and heÂs eyeing me and the whole time IÂm like Âwho is this kidÂ. Come to find out heÂs sitting next to me for the next 8 hours. Oh geeze. I couldnÂt even describe him: ripped jeans (which probably cost a small fortune), seriously IÂm not judging here, just painting a picture, with his Louis vuitton bag and von Dutch lookn hat, just a little bit to the side. Haha. It was cute, with his enquirer and GQ magazine. He slept most of the flight, didnÂt eat anything unlike the guy next to me on the other side, Oh God. Ate everything (you know those people who get plane food and act like theyÂve never eaten before), literally to the last rice in the bowl (picking it up with his fingers!!). Was all up on my side of the arm rest, snored when he did sleep, but what are you going to do. I watched the movie Casanova. There were some others, the one with queen latifa, a new world, goodbye and goodnight and some others. I was for some reason uncomfortable situated. And my left hand developed a muscle cramp and to this moment IÂm still aching. Awkward moment 1: that GQ boy thinking I told him ÂheÂs fine after he said sorry for needing to go to the bathroom. Which I did, but I was like Âoh youÂre fine and he was like Âwhat haha and I was like Âoh I mean...oh nevermind Awkward moment 2: Almost falling as I stood holding the handle on the shuttle at Heathrow. (MAN... never let chivalry never die eh? YouÂd think one of the guys on the bus could have let me sit as they saw me struggling to stand and hold on). Oh how excited I got when I first got on the plane and peopleÂs British accents came out. But I wonÂt be studying abroad for another three months. Either way IÂve gotten mixed reads from the Brits: only a few nice, most of them really short and rude, but with that sweet accent whatever. I pray all goes smoothly with immigration once IÂm in Ghana. Oh how IÂm excited in the plane, I have to honestly say I was second guessing myself a little. Really afua what are you doing? Aaahhh signing out AE
So you'd think i was in Ghana right now, or at least on the plane almost there. NOPE. But i'll start at the beginning. After leadershape and getting back from gainesville, I lounged around doing the presentation, driving guests around. Bianca was here and uncle and auntie Tettehs were here also. Then it was off to Kansas City, MO for SIFE nationals. I have to admit that I didn't look over my script until the morning before I left. Chris picked me up as we both were leaving from Orlando. The flight went well, Megan picked up us from the Airport. It was fun seeing everyone again. People who were there: Josh, Horace, Megan, presenters: me, scott, perin, julia, carlos, and ryan. Pamela was also there, joonbae, chris, roopak, bernard, peter kasser (whom i have to say i have a new found love for ... haha... that kids crazy), bruce and crystal met us there (that's my mentor hehe). It was some good times. First night was crazy, lights, camera, Friggn' action man. It was like an underground rave nightclub scene. We went to this bar for dinner, John's big Deck or whatever...use your imagination: not my choice and the guys thought it was so friggn hilarious. righttt. Anyways we practiced some that night and Monday we practiced, walked around the career fair, and presented at 1:30, it was really good. I felt good about it. My feet hurt like crazy though, because we stayed there the whole day (at the convention center). Then at about 4, we went back to the huge assembly, the nightclub rave scene, haha, (trust me i was not as enthusiastic about it). And what do you know it....WE WON OUR LEAGUE, how exciting we got into the top 20 out of the 140-something teams present. That night, monday, we went out to this I was SOOOO tired, i was falling asleep, our food took forever to get there. I barely ate anything. It was fun though, I'm going to miss the seniors leaving: cartoast, scumbag, youlia, 2pak, tseng, mentor. aww it'll be sad. So anyways we have a little quick meeting, a lil' FYI some people don't get mad, what they do is get sarcastic when annoyed. anyways we go over I guess you could say a lil' strategy for the next day. We got a SUCKY time, 8:00am, and in our league is flager, who won the entire thing two years ago. Meanwhile I'm all worried about my flight and stuff (basically I had two flights booked out of Kansas City for the next day, because megan booked me out for wednesday, which was when i was leaving for GHana, or so I thought, but we'll get into that later. ANyways I changed my airtran flight to tuesday, but their last flight out was at like 4:18 and if we had made it to the finals i'd be cutting it really close, so daddy booked me a flight on southwest for 6:50pm). So that night, yes I know this is confusing, whatever, I cancelled my airtran flight back and checked in online for my southwest flight). The next day, I was a little nervous, we were in a bigger room now and I FLIPPN" messed up. This is how it went, it was horrible. Carlos was saying his line and i COMPLETELY BLANKED out on what my next line was, i was like OMG OMG OMG he's done and I dunno what to say, so I started talking about FLA and WW and then I realized omg I'm saying my next line, so it goes back to him and he does his normal line THEN i remembered my line and went back to it adn it completely through him off and we stood there for a good few seconds. It's was horrible, but actually kinda funny. We picked up after that, but i still felt weird about it. Megan took us out to breakfast, showcase team. IT was good, everyone was trying to make my feel better, but like i didnt really need it, i just didn't feel like talking. We watched some other presentations, we ate at the career fair and got some more free stuff. Then we went into the awards ceremony. Funny thing, Flager and Drury, the winners last year and the year before, didn't make it to the final four. So throughout the past few days Scott has this way of capturing HORRIBLE pictures of me, and he took this very very very horrible picture of me, it was so bad. omg i could of died. And he proceeds to show everyone. it wasn't fun. Anyways i took the shuttle back to the airport, cause no one really wanted to leave, whatever it was fine. But Megan wanted to make sure i was there ON time, for a 650 flight, we made me get the 430 shuttle, and I had checked in online. whatever I got to the gate at like 515, 5:15 for a 6:50 flight. I was not in a good mood to say the least. Whatever. So I'm sitting there, and i'm texting scott to get the results, and we got third in our league, top 12!! we were so happy, that's the best we've done. I was so proud of our team. Anyways the airport tells us something is wrong with our plane and we aren't going to leave on time...ON TIME? ON TIME? We ended up leaving at 9:45!!!!!!! Because they couldn't fix the plane and we had to wait for a plane to come in from another destination. I got to Orlando at 1:30am!!! can you believe it, from all of that!!! EA
I don't know if i mentioned this already, but i cut my hair. It's like a cute lil' bob i think. Kind of like Nicole Richie's hairstyle right now. I like it a lot. Maybe I'll put a pix up soon. So i'm really not good at this blogging thing I'm finding out, but whatever not like any ones reading it. So from the last blog i didn't finish about leadershape. It was amazing, seriously at the beginning i thought it was going to be long, and through the days some stuff were boring, but all together omgg it was a great experience. I got to meet really cool people from UF (since we were hosting and had the most number of people there) and from other schools. At first I honestly didn't like my family cluster group, but they definitely grew on me at the end; we did so many exercises and activities that just got you thinking, it was crazy. We played this one game called StarPower and basically you were divided into three groups (social economic classes) and then you played the games by changing your chips, and they were worth certain amounts, and it ended up 'the rich group' (which i was in) kept getting richer and then at the end we could change the rules (representing how the rich use their money and power to alter the rules of society) and i knew it was just a game and stuff, but the rules we came up with, ie: you had to show your chips to change with someone in our group, you had to be invited to join our groups even if you had enough chips to join, they were just crazy rules. During the debriefing people were jumping down our throats like 'why wouldn't you guys make the rules so that everyone could get into your group, etc.etc.' it was VERY heated. ANd i was like seriously afua i know this is just a game, but still why did you make those rules or let it happen in the group. LIke human nature or something of survival of the fittest or whatever, but US, the leaders of today and tomorrow we could even make the rules so that everyone won in the game! Now its a little easier to see how people get sucked into that kind of stuff. ANyways we played this other game called Earthquake, where we all individually had to list in order (of the choices presented to us) what we would do from most pressing thing to do to the least important thing to do after an earthquake, then we came as a group and had to have a group consensus of what we would do. Seems simple right? NOPE, talking over each other, arguing, it crazy, and people were getting really upset that their opinions weren't being heard. It was a great activity. I had a good balance, I believe of letting my voice be heard, but then also being quiet. ANyways I drafted my goal in life i guess you could say. Which includes, but is not limited to..haha...developing a leadership training/ professional development company that does workshops, retreats, conferences, etc.etc. for hs, college age, and the corporate world in ghana. Can you believe it? That's kinda crazy eh. LIke I believe Africa, especially Ghana because it's OUR TIME (I just feel it) well we have the brains, the smarts, the ability, but we're missing the X factor to break through and do well (on all aspects) and it starts in the schooling system. One is not taught to think outside of the box, youre taught go to school: do your maths, sciences, english, history, etc.etc. and go work; people don't have anything like leadershape that allows them to explore themselves deeply or think outside of the box and interact with different people from ALL over with different views. And i think that this would be great for Ghana. ANd then on the corporate end I believe this would help also. Workshops and such on E-board conflict resolution, ethics, public speaking. I dunno if i'm going to own it and run it IN ghana, or i'll fund it. We'll see what God has in store. aight i'm done for this EA
yes i know it's been a lil' while. But i went to LeaderSHAPE btw was soooo amazing!! It was six days after my last post i do believe, it was the 6th-12th or something like that. And then a weekend of rest, but really because I was working on the paper, WHICh might I add turned just turned into a presentation on our findings and not a complete seven page research paper PRAISE GOD, though we definitely had enough for one, i was not sad Dr. Spring stated that we didn't HAVE to write the paper, all we needed to do was the presentation. So that's what we've done. The 15min. presentation I SWEAR is like 45min. now, as in the presentation is running on a little less than 50 slides!!! FIFTY, is she crazy? Either way I went to Gainesville Monday and was only planning on staying there monday, I came home wednesday night/thursday morning!! It was crazy, but she did feed me that was good. AND i got some quality times with the toosha and the jessica and ashley. As much as say crap, I will miss them. So i was thinking the other day, while at a pre-departure meeting for studying abroad, they had this whole thing about stages on studying abroad, and one was depression and i'm thinking who gets depressed? so i havent had the feeling of that, until this morning when i was like omg i'm going to go from not my home to not my home (from ghana to london) and then i got really sad, thinking that i'll probably want to come home at that point. i dunno, but we'll continue this later, i gost lots to do.
So I'm home, I got home yesterday. Today I went shopping got a few things for the trip. I feel like I'm going to need a lot of things, but whatever I know God'll provide. Speaking of providing, thank God woo I made an A in managerial econ. grande I know!! THis is how the next two/three weeks are looking...btw did I say I love smooth Jazz..sorry random I know...I'm sitting in the guest room listening to it while and organize my life (what's new eh?)..ya I'm in the guest room cause my room has everything everywhere..ha. Anyways tomorrow we have Ghana meeting, YAH I finally get to meet everyone going on the mission trip. Then Sunday it's back up to Gainesville to go to LeaderSHAPE. To tell you the truth I'm not too excited about it being SIX days of my life, as I'm finding out I really have a lot to do before I leave MAY 24th ahhh excited. Then I get back on Friday, we have our dinner fundraiser for the mission trip on Saturday the 13th and we'll (me, elinem and akua) be planning all weekend long (all week for me and elinem, as akua starts summer school on the 15th). Then on the monday I'll be back up to Gainesville to meet with Dr. Spring, hopefully somewhere in all that I'll be done the paper I'm presenting at the conference..ahhh. Then I'll probably up in Gainesville towards the end of the week to practice for showcase, which I leave on the 21st for (Kansas City, MO.) then as soon as I get back 23rd night, I'll be shipped off to begin my journey...GHANA 24th! well this is about it for now..i'm tired of typing. I don't my entries will be this long for very long, therefore enjoy while you can people (whoever you are reading this) EA
Here goes... So here starts a journey...a journey of seven months and who knows where it'll take me!! Hopefully up and on to better things. Today coming back from West Palm from presenting at the NACDS (National Assoc. of Chain Drug Stores) conference for SIFE, we (as in Megan, Bruce, Chris and I) came up with a SIFE name for me, because I was without one. It is 'Entirely Afua'. Not narcissistic at all, well I know, haha...but I think I'll have that as my pen name for this blog... Entirely Afua - aka EA
I call this blog ‘A Journey of My Own’ because though I am an ambassadorial scholar to Ghana, my heritage is Ghanaian. Therefore, though I will be studying at the University of Ghana, and serving with the Rotary Club of Achimota, I will also be learning more about my culture and heritage this year. I recently graduated from the University of Florida with my Bachelors of Science in Business Administration.
nything related to tacos, but what’s the kicker is the tagline ‘Where nice people meet’ (you’ve got to love Ghana). We’ve also become educated in the inefficiency of the university and banking system here in 
and dinner in some fashion everyday. The café had Paninis, fajitas, burgers and other traditionally Western foods.We’ll be going back! It’s a little trickier to just have a salad here, you cannot just get one from anywhere. With vegetables, at least for now, I have to be careful to get them from grocery stores and places where I know the food is handled well (washed properly, etc).
is one of the voter registration stations. I took a picture of queue (line); the picture doesn’t do the situation justice.The line continued further! On the news people were explaining how they had been standing in line for hours and hours. I admire their determination, but the situation can and is acting as a deterrent for new voters to register.
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