Olfactory Memories

While walking home from work this afternoon, I caught a familiar scent. I was underneath an overpass and a big old truck had just passed by, leaving a black cloud behind. There were pigeons roosting in the eaves and pigeon poop covering the ground. I could smell the fumes from a nearby painting project. It smelled just like the heart of Accra.

I'm so flippin' famous

I know it's been kind of a radio silence here since I got home. This site was put up for a specific purpose, a purpose that has kind of ended (obviously). I'm not ruling out posting here in the future when the mood strikes me, but I'm not going to be updating constantly. However, the hometown newspaper did write a feature on my trip, so I thought I'd link to it here. Having actually written a few newspaper articles in my day, I was a little wary of the entire thing, because I know how hard it is to give an accurate portrayal with the snippets you get from an interview. Michelle did a really excellent job, though, (as I knew she would, have worked under her tyrannical reign at the Warrior Spirit) and I was very pleased. The only tiny error would be that the orphanage is actually in Ve-Deme, within Ghana's Volta Region. If any Lebanonites/children of the freakin' editor of the paper have a chance to get me a hard copy, it'd be much appreciated.

Lebanon grad teaches in Ghana

The Sounds of Kente

Here are a couple of videos of boys weaving kente cloth at Tafi Abuipe. Not only is it amazing to watch them do this, but it sounds neat too.

African Drumming

Another quick video, this one of some of the boys at the Volta Home School. They are drumming during the Wednesday morning religious service. Despite my dislike of the church services, I loved hearing the kids singing and drumming. You'll get a taste of it here.

Rainy Day at Volta Home

This is a very short video that tries to show you what life is like in Ghana when it rains. The point is that we all just sit around waiting for the rain to stop and that the noise it makes is so incredibily loud that you can't even hear yourself think. The little boy in the front trying to talk to the camera is Abraham. Ama and Godwin are just behind him.

Yumm.

David's Pizza: sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and lots of cheese. Delicious.

I'm Home

...and tired and sick. Probably just a cold (and the likely ensuing ear infections, knowing me). No fever, which is a good sign. I've started uploading photos on flickr, but I'm not really in the mood for labeling and organizing right now. Over the next few day, that will happen.

It's good to be home.

In other news:

- A copy of the film Forts and Castles of Ghana finally arrived in the mail today. I put it as number one in my queue in February. Ironically enough, it was waiting in the mailbox when we got back from the airport today.

- Spokane Public School District contacted me today. I have been hired as a substitute for the school year. So I've got to complete the orientation program for new substitutes and I'm in. This is good news.