Akwaaba - Welcome!

Hello Friends,

I have never kept a blog before; in fact, I have only rarely ventured onto them when I have tried to "back-up" other people's music on to my computer. If I could hand-write a letter and mail it to you all, I would. I don't hate technology, it's just that I prefer the tangible to the digital.

Anyway, now that I have gotten off to a hilariously deep and pretentious start (befitting a blog I think) I'll let you know what's going on.

I'm volunteering in a small medical clinic (the Nsaba Health Clinic) in Swedru, Ghana. If Africa is an "Allen key" then Ghana is just to the left of the "Allen" of the key. If, instead, Africa is a Tricerotops head (looking eastward), then Ghana is at the base of the frill. It's three to left of Nigeria, and on a standard world map, it's almost right in the middle. I'm just letting you know so that you have some idea of where I'm going. About two months ago I hadn't a clue either. My doctor thought it was in South America - that's Guyana.

Ghana, properly (and more sensationally), The Republic of Gaana, is pretty neat. It means "Warrior King" in reference to the many warring kingdoms from which it was comprised in medieval times. Fortunately the militaristic tone is now only titular, as the country itself is among the most peaceful and IS the most democratic in all of Africa. It was one of the first African countries to be taken from the Portuguese by the British in 1874 - a mere seven years after Canada's somewhat similar fate, though it was the French who were done out. Not wanting to be outdone, Ghana was then the very first African country to gain independence. First in, first out. In December a man named John Mills was voted in as President (America isn't the only country with a black President). While, apparently, he's a pretty swell leader, he has the most comparatively uninspired name.

My homestay family is comprised of: grandma Queen Elizabeth (who goes by Mrs. Elizabeth), mother Philomena Fynn, brother Kofi (19) and his sixteen year old cousin Blessing. Other common Ghanaian names are: Godswill, Godstime and Precious. "Ryan Say" might make me stand out, but I think my skin colour will take care of that.

Last summer was the first time in my life that I had ever managed to tan (and only slightly at that). Prior to that I'd transition from white to second degree burns (with the intermediate "lobster-red" stage). Just as we lump the African peoples' great cultural (and indeed geographic) diversity together with the label "black people" to them we are all white. My new friend Navi (who is of Indian heritage) worked in an orphanage in Ghana. When she was with the blond child of another volunteer the Ghanaian children assumed that she was the child's mother. But, Navi told me, although we may seem to stand out, Ghana has a sense of community that even the Gulf Islands could aspire to. People run on "Ghana time" meaning that they may be late for work because they bumped into someone they knew (or didn't!) and had them over for a fine chat!

Anyway, thanks for reading even this far. I just wanted to give you a bit of an outsider's (soon-to-be insider) introduction to the country that I will be living in for the next three months. Just to manage all expectations, when I arrive in Ghana the nearest internet connection will be a good half hour away (at least) so I will aspire to no more than bi-monthly blogging. Feel free to e-mail me at rsay@uvic.ca or send me a facebook. While I will take pleasure in reading the messages I receive, I can pretty much guarantee that individual responses will be unlikely. That is the glory of the ubiquitous blog.