Update

This past week was a strange one. We got back from Accra on Sunday evening and found out that there would be no work on Monday due to the end of Ramadan. Then on Tuesday, we found out that there would be no work because of UN Day. So Monday and Tuesday were very different from normal. It is easy to go stir crazy if you have too much time on camp without working.

Wednesday was back on track, Thursday and Friday were so hot that it was hard to do much of anything. Everyone slows down when it gets really hot. Turns out November and December are some of the hottest months of the year here. Good planning Bree, good planning.

Wednesday night, our whole house went to God's Time Photo Studio and had our picture taken. One of them turned out really, really well. Everyone in the house will get a copy and we are giving one to the international volunteer coordinator as well.

Thursday night, Drew and I prepared an Indian dinner for our house. It was delicious, if I do say so myself. Chick peas, carrots, tomatoes, an amazing curry sauce (that was Drew's doing - I can't cook curry worth anything), potato samosas (bought frozen), rice and steamed naan bread with a choice of red or white wine. Tasty!

Thursday's football (soccer) match was one of the activities that I have enjoyed the most since coming here. I played on the Central Office Team. We played against the CBW Teachers. They wore red uniforms and we wore blue. It is really rare here for women to play football. The girls play kickball and the boys play football. The young girls get really excited to see a woman playing football and it was really cool to be doing something that was empowering for the girls. We played with the men and held our own.

I got really involved with talking to the team coach, he made me assistant coach for the second half of the game. The game ended in a tie with a questionable penalty kick made in our favor. Everyone had so much fun that CBW has made it a permanent fixture at the end of each month before the leaving ceremony. A ton of kids turned out to watch their teachers play and when the red team scored a goal, a huge mob of kids would rush the field cheering. It was amazing. The CBW motto is: Let the children play. On Thursday, more than ever, I could see how that is such a positive influence in the lives of these kids. So many of them are orphaned or have been through transient, unstable living situations. It was great to see them excited without any strings attached. Nobody was trying to get or give anything, no one was hurt or scared, everybody just had an amazing time.

I got one little boy named Eric to cheer for our team. I would shout and then he would copy me. We have a cheer, it goes like this:

Me: "Go Blue!"
Eric: "Go Blue!"
Me: "Huh!" (guttural sound, possibly made while flexing your abs during martial arts)
Eric: "Huh!"

I'm going to see if I can't work my way into the coaching position by the end of the month. I've actually just started telling people that I'm the coach. It is all in fun of course. Everyone teases everyone else about who will win.

The leaving ceremony was amazing for awhile and then hard for the rest of the time. I don't feel that this leaving ceremony was that representative of how the rest will go. I will wait until next month to give a proper run down.

This weekend, Friday and Saturday anyway, all the IVs (minus Drew) stayed on camp for the wedding of a CBW employee. It was absolutely incredible. I am so glad I was able to attend! The wedding took place in traditional african dress. The bridal party dances down the aisle and the people attending the wedding dance as well. The women of the church get into a conga line and dance around and we joined in! Again, the joy was contagious. It was great to see so many people turn out to support this couple and wish them well. I do love the communal feeling in the camp. People keep an eye out for one another and share their joys and woes. Five international volunteers took part in the ceremony. When it came time for the toasts at the reception, the man representing the groom's family talked about house this wedding was black and white. People brought together, united, rather that divided. All of the IVs that participated were looked just as much a part of the group as anyone else. It was very cool.

That is a run down from the week...

Today, I am going to head to a nearby beach for some fish fillet and possibly ice cream. Tonight is the halloween party at the PECO house ( a NGO that works on camp, but is housed the next village over). I'm going as Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. All I have to do is wear my glasses, hold a newspaper upside down, act a little out of it and make false assertions all night.