Miadago, I hope

So, I've been back for almost a week and well...I miss Hohoe and all of my fellow CCS volunteers like crazy. I am so thankful that I was able to spend those four weeks of absolute joy and awe in Ghana with them. I don't care if it does sound trite, that trip changed me in ways I don't really understand. It opened my eyes and, more importantly, my heart. So thank you to everyone who helped me get there with their encouragement and support.

Here's the last of the entries from my journal.

Sunday 13th
The rest of yesterday continued nicely. Went in the pool. got my shorts and t-shirt completely soaking wet, but so totally worth it. The sun dried me off anyway. Had some chocolate ice cream. Went for a canoe ride on the river with Navi. Aylo's for dinner.
Am home now. Met some of the new volunteers.
I am looking forward to Grace's cooking.

Monday 14th
My last Monday. I am everywhere assaulted with noise, from so many mouths, flapping flapping, and so many! I just want silence and isolation. I guess that means I'm ready to leave. I'd rather everyone else left. But that would be illogical, not to mention inconvenient.
At school I took off my shoes and ran across the hard prickly earth with my arms out; a whim of the students who wipe the hair from my face and bury their heads against my stomach. The kids were pretty well behaved by I am continually disappointed by their lack of progress. Tried to teach them how to play 7 up. Epic fail.
After lunch, I walked with Nicole down to the market. It was a nice walk, besides being about a million degrees. This has to be the hottest week yet. People are saying that it's because it hasn't rained in a while. God, I hope it rains soon.
Anyway, bought 3 yards of fabric (2 different prints) and then was beckoned by some woman into her booth where she complimented my necklaces. I gave her one; she picked my favorite, the gray one. I walked away her declared "best friend" wondering why I gave it away. I still don't know why. But she was ecstatic and brushed her hair before Nicole could take our picture. Weird, but that's Ghana for you.
I had intended on going to Christ today; but the Trotro left without me while I was inside changing. So I did my lesson plan instead, sitting on the porch with Ariel and a dozen or so of her students.

Tuesday 15th
Good day. Really good. The kids were wonderful; they were super excited by the Mouse Paint activity and I basically just really enjoyed them. I brought my camera - chaos. During break I took my shoes off and played football in my bare feet.
After lunch went into town. Bought a t-shirt from Jawel for 6CD. Ordered a silver charm bracelet from this dude. I had to give him 15CD before hand, for materials he said. A little nervous, but it should be gorgeous.
Then jumped in a crowded cab with Mark and went to Christ. The kids are beautiful and i sang and chased and ran and turned my white shirt brown.
Not much to say though. No news is good news, I suppose.

Wednesday 16th
This morning school was wonderful. The kids were great right off the bag: enthusiastic, cheerful, responsive...just wonderful. I had a great time with them and it's only now that I'm starting to notice how attached to them I am. I don't want to leave.
We finished the alphabet today and it really felt like the end. They did so well during the review too. Even the teacher commented on their participation.
After break was less fun. Teacher went a little cane-crazy which just put of the rest of the class time off.
I've started packing, with great reluctance. Seeing how much STUFF I have makes me feel guilty and materialistic. Then I think of how it is only a small fraction of the "MY STUFF" that I'll be returning to. Compare that to any person in Hohoe. It actually makes me feel a little ill. If I have learned anything, it is that very little is needed to survive and only a little more than that to live happily. They say money can't buy you happiness. But who ever thought happiness wa marketable in the first place? Happiness is children laughing, young men chasing girls, old men still in love with their old wives. Happiness is Grace's cooking, Rebecca's intuition about the weather, Alfa's bat. Happiness is the breeze, the sky, the baby goats. Happiness is a handshake that ends with a snap. And I'm pretty sure all of that is free. You just have to reach out and take it.
Went to Emmanuel's birthday party tonight. At first I was really shocked and flattered that he had invited me; I barely recall which of the many boys who hang around he was. Turns out I'm not so special; he invited a bunch of newbs on the spot the first time he met them. But actually, I think it's sweet how excited he was.
So we all trekked about five minutes down the road to his home where his mother, a mammoth of a woman, was pounding away, making fufu. The scene reminded me a bit of the stone age. Tourists that we are, out came the cameras and we all snapped away at the poor woman, blinding her with firework flashes in the dark night. I felt immediately that we should not have brought our cameras; though I am as guilty as the rest. It somehow turned the occasion into something novel, on par with the waterfall or the slave castle. It was disrespectful in the sense that we turned Emmanuel and his family into souvenirs we'll take home and show to people. "And here is me with a little village boy and his first birthday party ever." I am torn between wanting to photograph and document everything for later and wishing to enjoy the now more fully and with distraction or disruption from my other world - say cheese!
Despite the cameras, the night was sweet and simple. We, the white people, and Emmanuel ate first, sitting around a tiny table on wooden benches. We ate fufu with chicken soup and fried plantains with our right hands and from the same dishes. I liked that. It made the meal something intimate, something truly shared. It was almost beautiful.
Ran into Rebecca on her way to church as we walked home. Good thing too as it turns out she won't be here tomorrow or Firday. I'm glad I got to say goodbye to her.

Thursday 17th
Last full day and I am so not ready to leave. Kids were great again today, but school let out early because the teachers had meetings. This was a little annoying because I only got through half of my lesson plan. But Believe (Billy), Redeemer (Regima), Joshua, David, and some kids from KG2 walked me home and we colored on the porch for a while. They are so sweet. I can't imagine leaving them. After we colored I went into down and David accompanied me the entire way, holding my hand. I bought him a lollipop and sang with him.
On the way to walking David back home after the bank, ran into Sam. Sam went with me to see if the bracelet was ready. It wasn't. So we bough some soda and chocolate and wandered before running into Sydney. Second trip to the jeweler met with success. The bracelet is pretty. The metal work ins't hte best, but I'm happy. I picked 4 symbols: knowledge/wisdom; unity; diversity/co-existance; and adapibility. Nicely represents this journey, I think.

Friday 18th
Last night in the bunk, last cold shower, last breakfast of bread and a banana. Too many lasts.
Last night, we had the Kente cloth ceremony. Pictures, clapping, awkward handshakes.

And that folks is, more or less, all she wrote. In any case, that's all she wrote for you to read. It is not nearly an adequate account of my time there. It's hard to see the magnitude of the experiences you are living when its just another day. Looking back, I feel that all these words are a joke in the face of what I have felt and seen in Ghana. But they, and a few pictures (which I will get up eventually, I promise) are all I have left to share with you. So I hope you enjoyed them.

Miadago, my friends, we shall meet again.