homestay etc.

I am slowly getting assimilated into Ghanaian culture. I won't lie, at times it's rough. Like when you have to wait for 45 min. to catch a tro-tro to the other side of the city, which of course is another hour's commute in a van crammed with at least 20 people. Good times.

This morning I took two tro-tro's one to La Place and another to the U. of Ghana, Legon where we are taking classes. At LaPlace there was a line for Legon about a half hour's wait. A preacher showed up and people passed the time listening to him and singing together. Ghana is a very religious country. Poverty is evident, and it is the people's incredibly strong faith which drives this nation.

Over all, things are going well, a few people in my program have gotten sick after eating questionable food from vendors, so far I've been lucky. Very very tired but that comes with the crazy schedule. People here don't sleep. Many are up by 4:00 AM. I've been waking up at 5:00 when the rooster starts crowing, and I'm at the tro-tro by 6:00 to get to school by 8:00. Oh well, it takes a bit of getting used to.

I'm enjoying my home stay a lot. We spend most of our time watching the African Football Cup, and the news. Last night I made a portrait of Papa Tony, my home stay dad, and began some drawing lessons with him. He says when he was in Germany studying someone there taught him some techniques but he doesn't remember much. We leave for Kumasi on Tuesday. Until then, the Twi lessons keep coming, as do the lectures on Ghanaian culture. The greatest learning, however, has been in the tro-tro's and markets speaking with the people, most of whom have been incredibly hospitable.