song titles

Appropriate song titles for this leg of MEEWT:

1. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

2. Afternoon Delight

3. RESPECT - for the school commissioner who either won't make eye contact with me because I'm female or a white devil or just thinks I'm stupid.

BTW, a man yesterday who was bitching about me (an American) being around got hit by a car and is in a coma. PDQ karma.

I leave for the airport in a couple hours - Becky's [volunteer] boyfriend is coming in when I leave. I met all the other volunteers here and they're a very nice group.

Huge thanks to those who donated clothing, money, books, etc. - everything is SOOO appreciated!

It's been so much fun to see all these old friends and run around camp hashing out details. Washington has been a godsend and has a whole bevy of awesome contacts for me. It was funny to introduce him and Dayton - the posturing was very much like two roosters meeting for the first time. They're both very nice guys, alike in many ways such as the way they quietly watch situations, so nothing awkward would happen, and Lawrence who is friends to both (quite the boys' boy) made things jovial. But I got a little entertainment. And William Siah, the principal of the school, was so exuberant to see me he literally swept me off my feet. He has just recovered from cholera, which recently hit the camp very hard. All the PCO staff I like came to visit me, so I didn't go to either the office or the Awutu guesthouse - all of which is fine with me.

Anyhoo, a good trip on all accounts. A scene to treasure - Dayton washing my clothes by hand as I left yesterday to run around working. He has been really great all the time.

And I'm an uncompromising fool.

Cultural discontinuities du jour

WTF is up with people visiting at 8 am on weekends? Yesterday I was still asleep then and visitors returned later, but today I had barely risen and there they were and I was hardly dressed. And it wasn't like close friends - I'm very fond of them, but the relationship is much more professional than me sitting around chatting while only in a towel.

But it's nice, to be sitting court in a way. They show up and we visit long time, though this morning I did excuse them early so that I could pay an overdue visit to the latrine. When I left the "facilities" the man in the booth charging asked, "How much dash you gonna give me?" At this point, I did not say, "I just crouched in urine and shat over a hole in a concrete floor. Exactly what percentage tip would you like on the charge for that, because this service isn't listed on my gratuity help guide card?" Instead, I pretended I didn't understand him, until the woman nearby giggled to save us all face and I had a handy exit.

We had a nice rousing huge loud political argument last night, so I felt right at home. Morris had brought a new volunteer over to meet me, and I think she was a little overwhelmed with our interactions. Once again, Morris and I are eye-to-eye, and we took on Fred and Dayton's anti-Lebanese prejudices, eventually persuading Bismark to our side. Then today Washington and Lawrence came over - I knew I really liked Washington, though this was our first real chance to talk in-depth. They're all expecting just a little too much of my research there, so we need to set some things straight when the posse comes back over tonight (apparently I have a research posse - or groupies).

It's a lazy Sunday around camp - hot and humid and good nap weather. I invested in an electric fan, just so I don't completely overheat (Dayton just got electricity, which is a conflict issue, but I'll make the best of it). When I sit outside to read, I get involved in interesting neighborly (often political) discussions - all of which is very nice, but sometimes I like to just sit and read. And everybody is really respectful of that - because there is so little actual privacy, it's constructed through various other mechanisms (such as not pushing conversation, and pretnding they can't see me when I'm showering).

I do love being back here - while my American accent is strong now and hasn't been Liberian-softened yet, in most ways it takes just a day to feel really comfortable again.

Monday and Tuesday are very busy days of visiting all camp authorities and various schools and other individuals - Morris is a fantastic facilitator and I have no idea waht I would do without him. So, Ill just follow him around camp until I cannot walk another step.

This keyboard sucks so much I must go.

Estoy en Los Angeles

OK, not to curse things, but it is thus far an amazingly perfect day. I rushed to pack up the truck and got the fingerprinting place with one minute to spare and no wait time. Then unloaded at new - Fontana - house. Left - no traffic on the road to LA and none at airport - which was good because I had no idea where I was going. Found a nice man to tell me where I was going and found it.

My biggest stressor was my luggage - two very heavy bags, one over the weight limit, the other with no wheels. And at every single step of today, there has been somebody to help me. And the overweight charge was only $25, which ain't bad. Hopefully all these donated books and clothes will get there when I do, but now it's out of my hands.

So, a great start to this adventure. Hopefully it continues to be great once I get to Ghana in about 22 hours. Yawn.