Akwaaba

Akwaaba means that you are welcome. This word is all over the Accra airport. I've arrived!

The flight was fine and I met some nice passangers on my way. The camp is really interesting. Rows and rows of houses and stores. I'll post some pictures when I get my camera out. Since the first of the month is a Sunday our first day on camp is a vacation day. I exchanged my cash for cedis, went to a restaurant that makes a wonderful egg sandwich and found the internet cafe! There are two other new volunteers living in House #1 as well as a bushel of experienced volunteers. I haven't met the veterans but the other newbies are really very cool.

I attended a church service this morning at an Assembly of God church on the camp. An amazing experience! Bright colors as the women dress up in really nice African robes. Singing and dancing, the joy is contagious.

So far, I've taken a bucket shower (which was very refreshing!), slept under a mesquito net, (which is quite lovely-just pretend your in a little fort), eaten shortbread (our Sunday rations) and used a bucket flush toilet...uh, more on that later. Why oh why is it so hard to remember not the throw the toilet paper in the toilet. All in all I'm off to a good start.

The weather here today has been really nice. Cool with a nice breeze. I spoken with a couple of Liberians about the temperature today and they are cold! This leads me to believe that coming back to Rochester in the middle of winter will be quite rough. This is the last month of the rainy season and right now I can hear the downpour that started after we made it to the cafe.

Tomorrow is our first of two days of orientation. I am looking forward to finding out what I will be doing while I am here. I'm also looking forward to getting to work.

Stay tuned...next up: I have no idea. But I do have a teaser about Wednesday night activities, when an all star Liberian team (from the camp) takes on a Ghanaian team in a round of football! The Liberians are going to win, I can feel it!