A month done

Hello everyone-

I have now been in Ghana for over one month. It seems to have gone by so quickly already. I guess that being so busy with work helps. I am finally getting settled in a bit more, and meeting more people which has helped exponentially. Last week I met with a new ngo partner, he is really quite young, only 25, and his running his own ngo. It is so impressive to see all of the amazing work being done by young people here in Ghana. He also runs an orphanage, I joined them for a trip to the beach on Sunday which was really quite nice. Monday I made a trip to Accra and back (about 7+ hours in a car that day) and I am still feeling a bit drained from all of the running around.

The first weekend of September I will be going back to Accra to pick up the volunteers that are coming in. I will have four arriving that weekend and there is also a festival going on. It is going to be my first orientation and group that I handle on my own, but I think everything is ready and I shouldn't have any problems at all.

The last post I wrote about things that I miss, but there are things here that I enjoy as well. Here are just a few:

1. Red red, probably my favorite Ghanaian meal, made with fried plantains and a spicy bean mixture.

2. The fact that I can hear waves crashing on the shore pretty much all the time from my room, which is quite nice in the evenings.

3. The weather has been pretty nice so far, not anything I can't handle.

4. People are very friendly.

5. Lawrence- My project coordinator is fantastic so far, and makes my job much more enjoyable.

6. Being able to have clothes made with fabrics I pick myself- all at an excellent price.

7. The amazing work I see being done by local Ghanaian people to help their communities and the less advantaged. Some of our project partners are inspiring. We have one partner, a woman not much older than myself who began her own NGO at 16, and she does fantastic work. Thank god people like her exist.

8. TIGO days- My cell phone uses little credits you can buy from anywhere, on TIGO days, you get double whatever you buy and those minutes can be used to call the US as well.

I am sure there are more, but for now that should suffice. My love to all of you.