I've had such a lovely end to the week this week, yesterday I even had one of those moments where it once again dawned on me ... 'I live in West Africa!'.

After I wrote my last blog on Friday, some really exciting things came up at work that I have been asked to work on, including supporting some school appraisal meetings where advocacy is key, and supporting World Vision's programmes on raising awareness of child rights and educating communities on the inclusion of people with disabilities, and so I left work feeling much more content about 'what's next' for me volunteering-wise.

I've met a lot of people around my house who are really lovely so feel I have company if I need it (and it sometimes turns up at the door even when I don't hehe). The rains have continued to come this week - continually in the in form of crazy middle of the night gusty storms,and things are getting greener and greener!

It's also been nice to see some friends too, Friday night I got a life over to Bolga where I could see lots of other volunteers live and we just sat on their roof terrace under the moon and stars singing and acting daft which was a lot of fun! It's nice to know that there is a social life not far away! Saturday I went shopping at the lovely Bolga markets (much calmer and quieter that the insanely hectic Zebilla market) and came home with bags of beautiful brightly coloured material that I can have made up into tops, dresses, skirts - this was much much fun! Yippee a bit of girlieness! And I bought a tonne of great food so I can continue practising my cooking skills! There are many things I can get in Bolga but not here including limes, tangerines (first time I have seen them, very exciting!), pineapples, and things like carrots potatoes, cucumber, spring onion! Its mad how all kinds of food and ingredients like this become so exotic when the selection has been limited, they taste so much better than at home, and it's heaps of fun attempting to cook different things and be experimental!

So all in all life in Ghana is rolling along pretty nicely. I came home yesterday to lots of colourfully dressed people gathered in an area just outside my house, with lots of traditional African music and dancing which went on all afternoon. It all happened right outside my window, and I watched and enjoyed the music and singing as it went on into the night - right outside my window. It was for a funeral, and although this might sound a bit strange it was really nice. This was my "I actually live in West Africa!!!!!!!" moment, very nice indeed.

The funerals here are such lavish affairs. They can last for many days, anywhere between four and fifteen (!) and are bountiful with many many people, extravagant dresses, rainbows of colour, big stripes of black and red that traditionally decorate the funeral areas, music, beats, drumming, singing, eating, and of course lots and lots of dancing. The dry season, which we are now coming to the end of, is the peak time for funerals, as at other times of the year such large gatherings are simply not possible - everyone is too busy farming and the rain can cause disruption to the whole event. When someone dies they often perform a small burial, and then have the full funeral later in the dry season when the harvest is complete, the harmattan winds have died down and people have time and space on their hands. This also gives families time to save up and raise the funds for a funeral. They are extremely costly affairs.

This point is a real issue up for discussion in Ghana, especially here in the rural north. Families rely on subsistence farming, and poverty is rife. In some areas here, poverty levels reach over 80%, which is excruciatingly high, and many families live hand to mouth. To pay for funerals can be a very debilitating affair. The cost of a grave, of the set up, the music, the food and the drink, and even the t-shirts that many families print (with pictures of the deceased relative and logos that say R.I.P or 'In loving memory of...') can really add up to way beyond what the average family here can afford. Many families don't have an actual income, as the crops they grow are used to feed their many family members, and sometimes borrow money or takeout loans to cover the cost of a funeral.

Many people I have spoken to here believe strongly that efforts should be made to encourage communities to decrease the amount they spend on funerals. But from what I understand of this issue, this is a deep rooted cultural tradition, and is something that will certainly not slip away in the night.

The last few weeks I have seen more and more funerals being performed, as though people were realising the end of the dry season was nigh and thus attempted to get their funerals underway in time. Even around the house, I saw five new graves pop up in a week!

This particular funeral that I was witnessing through my window was of the father of a teenage boy who sometimes comes to help with chores around the house. His father died when his house set on fire a few weeks before I arrived. As seems to be usual here there are a number of different stories as to what actually happened.

And so I watched this funeral take place through a beautiful sunset; the sun glittered on all the bright clothes and decorations, glinted off the canopy roof, lit up the faces of the relatives, and shed a gentle light on the newly built grey stone graves. It was strange to see such a mix of sombre and celebration all in one place, and overall a real reminder of the deep appreciation that Ghanaians have for family, community, and life.

With love,

Em

xx