Hello!

This is going to be quick because I am supposed to be buying food right now so I can get back to work on time. Meals are a bit of a challenge right now. There is no "Sobeys" or Superstore! Everything is sold at small stalls along the side of the road. Fruit can be bought around the taxi area. There is a section in the middle of town for vegetables and toiletries, simple electricals, etc. But if you really want lots to choose from (Think relatively here) you go shopping on Tuesday. Tuesday is market day. I never intended to be a vegetarian, but that is what I have become! We buy tomatoes, carrots, green peppers (very small), onions, cabbage, and when we can find them, potatoes. Here they eat a lot of yam. Now that I've tried it myself I don't feel the need to buy potatoes. They are very similar. For fruit we get pineapple (delicious), oranges, apples (expensive) and bananas. You can buy peanutbutter and ketchup here! We've bought rice and pasta. We have tomatoe paste, salt, sugar, ginger, garlic. And with this we ckeep trying to be inventive in our meals. We also get bread and eggs.

At about 6:30 this morning it started to rain, and boy did it rain! I did run up the hill for the feeding of breakfast but no one was there. I was soaked despite my rain jacket. Everything was a river and it's a wonder I didn't get swept away. :) So I got a break this morning. Fortunately that meant it was cooler this morning. I feel like myself again. Although it is already warm and I am sweating. I've been having a hard week and I am sure that is in no small part due to the heat. It makes all the other stuff harder to deal with. But I am so encouraged by the messages you've sent from home. Thanks so much - it's awesome. Makes me excited and gives me some pep to get back at it!

On my way in to town they were reparing the road down to our village and beyond. It's a dirt road and was well washed out today. Even in town, things look different.

People in Nkoranza and much of Ghana speak Twi. So that has been difficult. I can't understand what's being said around me and sometimes to me. But many can speak some English, so if they have reason to talk to me I can understand them. The caregivers are always speaking in Twi, so it makes the day a little isolating since I often work with children who can't speak anyway. I am trying to learn some Twi. Hopefully I will be able to communicate soon.

But the people are wonderful. On my way through town just now, a man said hello to me followed by "Welcome!!!" I smiled and replied thanks, Again he said very enthusiastically "Welcome!!! Now how do you reply?" So I very enthusiastically replied thank you and all was well. Another woman asked me how I was doing in Twi and I replied in Twi. Then she said something else, to which I replied incorrectly. So she taught me what I should say and on we went. This is always happening. People are very friendly. Then I met a guy who's t-shirt I recognized. He sold me my cell phone and I gave him the free t-shirt that came with it. He called my phone but didn't reach me! Quite frankly, the way things go around here, I was surprised I hadn't heard from him - just because I'm the white lady and he knew my phone number! Always guys are saying I will come to visit you. But I have yet to have one visit!

So now I really have to run! Thanks for the messages - you can't know how wonderful it is to hear from you!

Debbie