Kumasi
Right now it's 6:46 PM according to the Internet cafe clock. Two little yellow lizards are scampering around on the wall in front of me, and Elton John is blasting from the radio. It's very amusing and a bit unnerving (the lizards, not Elton).
My apologies for neglecting the blog for a bit. The trip to the beach in Accra was quite an adventure. The beach its self was wonderful, but on the way there my friend almost had her backpack stolen by a little kid who just reached right through our cab window, which fortunately wasn't rolled down far enough for him to succeed.
The waves on the beach were unbelievable and the sand was glorious. No sea shells, although there were plenty of people trying to sell some. There were also several fishing boats set up on shore, so I pulled out the paints and tried to capture the moment. About ten little Ghanaian kids ended up congregating around me and I taught them how to paint a fish. My sketchbook now includes a lovely fish done by Edwin, a little boy who was especially interested in the paints. A few parents and vendors stopped by as well, which was fun since I was asked if I was an artist and would I sell them my painting? It's great to proclaim, Yes, I am an artist, whatever that really means. I'm realizing now that this trip is partly about helping me define that and, more importantly, the best way I can express it.
I am now in Kumasi, enjoying a great home stay, which is literally right on the campus we are taking our drumming and dancing lessons. Not having the two hour commute in the morning is just one of many things that makes this stay fantastic.
The family I'm living with has three children 2, 7, and 12 years old. The two-year-old has taken to following me around everywhere; he is absolutely adorable. I've been entertaining the others with tic-tac-toe tournaments and story time every night. Last night was Princess and the Pea. They are a wonderful family. The father is the registrar at the University here, although he does graphic design on the side. The mother is a seamstress, working out of the home, so there are constantly 15 other women around sewing and trying to involve me in their conversations in Twi. Fortunately, I found an in by helping out with some of the sewing. The other day I learned to embroider some Akan symbols, one a sort of web representing the soul and another a heart shape representing "taking heart through mistakes and trials" since all are good for growth. I wish I could post my pictures on the blog and show you, but I haven't quite been able to get to a computer with the right usb connection.
Anyway, I love you all! To those who don't have the luxury of being on the equator, stay warm!
My apologies for neglecting the blog for a bit. The trip to the beach in Accra was quite an adventure. The beach its self was wonderful, but on the way there my friend almost had her backpack stolen by a little kid who just reached right through our cab window, which fortunately wasn't rolled down far enough for him to succeed.
The waves on the beach were unbelievable and the sand was glorious. No sea shells, although there were plenty of people trying to sell some. There were also several fishing boats set up on shore, so I pulled out the paints and tried to capture the moment. About ten little Ghanaian kids ended up congregating around me and I taught them how to paint a fish. My sketchbook now includes a lovely fish done by Edwin, a little boy who was especially interested in the paints. A few parents and vendors stopped by as well, which was fun since I was asked if I was an artist and would I sell them my painting? It's great to proclaim, Yes, I am an artist, whatever that really means. I'm realizing now that this trip is partly about helping me define that and, more importantly, the best way I can express it.
I am now in Kumasi, enjoying a great home stay, which is literally right on the campus we are taking our drumming and dancing lessons. Not having the two hour commute in the morning is just one of many things that makes this stay fantastic.
The family I'm living with has three children 2, 7, and 12 years old. The two-year-old has taken to following me around everywhere; he is absolutely adorable. I've been entertaining the others with tic-tac-toe tournaments and story time every night. Last night was Princess and the Pea. They are a wonderful family. The father is the registrar at the University here, although he does graphic design on the side. The mother is a seamstress, working out of the home, so there are constantly 15 other women around sewing and trying to involve me in their conversations in Twi. Fortunately, I found an in by helping out with some of the sewing. The other day I learned to embroider some Akan symbols, one a sort of web representing the soul and another a heart shape representing "taking heart through mistakes and trials" since all are good for growth. I wish I could post my pictures on the blog and show you, but I haven't quite been able to get to a computer with the right usb connection.
Anyway, I love you all! To those who don't have the luxury of being on the equator, stay warm!
posted by Lisa | 10:37 AM
1 Comments:
Lisa, this sounds like an absolutely incredible experience. Africa sounds amazing.. I really hope I can make it there someday. Keep writing, I love reading this blog!
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