Feeling it out...

I believe this is my 5th morning (well afternoon) in Ghana and I am starting to feel alright about the next 6+ months. I am getting a bit weary however, the two girls I have been all of my time with (Katherine and Isabella, both are not with my program) are leaving by the end of next week. There are two girls from my program that are supposed to be moving in to the project to start teaching but they have been sick since they arrived and I have not spoken with them much. So far I have used Katherine and Isabella as my crutch for everything, even though both of them have had to figure out most things for themselves, I see them as my mentors. This is both good and bad because I am going to have to be on my own for quite a bit of this journey. We are leaving tomorrow for the weekend however. The three of us, plus Emily (the other American from my program and Jeanette from Denmark) will be heading to a Lake about two or more hours away. I have forgotten the name of the Lake as it is difficult to pronounce but Katherine has been there and says it is just lovely. We can lay on the sand, swim in the lake and rest in hammocks. There is a cheap bed and breakfast hostel right on the lake that we can stay in. This should be a nice way to spend the weekend. Apparently it is a good idea to try and leave most weekends as there is not much to do at the school. Most of the children are bused in and there is only so much to do in the town.
I am still coughing and also have a mild cold but mostly it is just annoying because I do not feel sick. Although it is hard to be in the front of a hot, humid classroom with dusty floors and made to write in chalk (as this only makes me cough more). I have been asked many times if I have medicine and that I should try local remedies. As for food...there is plenty but I am already growing tired of rice (although it is something I can always count on). I am not a picky eater but sometimes the food just does not appeal to me. Breakfast is fine, usually a rice porridge or oatmeal with bread and tea and lunches have been fine but the other night I was given a red curry type dish with egg. I began to eat it then had to stop chewing to pull out a few bones, one of which got stuck in my throat and then I turned to Katherine who showed me a fish head in her bowl. They use dried fish here and then crush it into a stew. That is one dish I do not think I will ever get used to. I still have some trader joes nut and fruit mix and a protein bar or two but they will not last. Once I get my address...mom and dad please send some protein bars. It is somewhat difficult to get protein here, other than eggs.
I don't think I will ever get used to the driving here although I don't cover my eyes as much. It's as though there are no driving rules what so ever and no lanes. Also it is your own risk to cross the street so watch out. I have seen a few other "whites" walking around but not many. When in town the other day I actually saw a young boy and his father, both with hair blond like mine. We just smiled at each other. We are stared at quite a bit while walking around but for the most part I have not once felt threatened or like a complete odyssey. The centre of Kumasi is bustling with so many people, mostly selling various foods or TONS of second hand shoes and clothes. I have seen a Kobe Bryant jersey and a sonics jersey so far and plenty of american and european brands. I still don't know exactly how hot it is here but I am going to guess in the 80's with HIGH humidity. I have gotten a few bug bites lately but overall not too bad.
Teaching...the school is interesting. I feel very overwhelmed because most teachers just expect I can come in and do anything when really I know not the first thing about being a teacher. I know how to work with children and offer love and friendship but to try to formally teach children in levels one through 5 is quite tough. There is actually just one computer right now and apparently there is a computer teacher, although she does very little I am told. So I am abandoned teaching computers for now. I have taught two class sessions to level 4 and I feel so frustrated, like I am not helping at all. It is so hard to come into a classroom where the students should be at a certain level but are at all different levels. I tried to teach some lessons using adverbs only to realize that they hardly know the difference between nouns, adjectives and verbs. I guess I will just figure everything out. I keep being asked what I want to do by the headmaster Mr. Odame (although he does hardly anything himself and hasn't a clue about anything really) and I never know how to respond. I am hoping to start a tutor program. I want to be with each level one day a week, taking a few kids out of the class at a time to work more one on one. Today there were a few boys who really wanted to grasp the ideas of nouns, adjectives and verbs, and adverbs so I was quizzing them and could see a huge smile when they got it right. There are also a large number of young kindergartners so just run up to you and cling, shouting obuni, obuni (white person). They have such wonderful smiles and just love to touch my hands and wrap themselves around my legs (and the other volunteers of course). I have much to learn but also a lot of time. The girls before me were smart and brought many colors and crafts to make the classroom colorful (since they have nothing). The school is pretty much a huge cement room with cement dividers between each classroom. There is no lights although during the day that does not matter. The floor is compacted dirt but because it is so dry, dust flies everywhere. I have taken pictures but have not figured out the best way to get them on the blog. March 6th and Ghana's independence day and all 52 prep schools in the district will be marching. That should be a fun event. The district is very small as well so there are literally schools everywhere although I assume they are all similar.
I will get the hang of things soon I am sure but I do anticipate being homesick too. I am happy to say that it is quite easy/inexpensive to make calls home (but the 8 hour time difference has been an issue). But please leave comments and write emails. I am in the centre again today but there is an internet cafe much closer to where I live so I expect to be online closer to 3 times a week. Alright, time to go to the pizza place the girls have told me about. There is this place to get pizza and ice cream and it is also the place where any European in Ghana goes. I am looking forward to eating something other than rice!
Have a great weekend all and I will write more soon.
-Erin