Living in the Village

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I am beginning to feel more like a resident of the village and getting to know more about it. Many of the folks live in these type homes. I am told built 60-100 years ago from the same type earth it is standing on. That soil is a granular clay that is hard as rock when sun baked, but can turn to red talcum powder by wheeled and tracked vehicles, and into red soup of various thicknesses when wet. The walls are 8-10 inches thick and built up layer by layer with no type of reinforcing in the mud. The right consistency was provided by placing the soil in a shallow pit, adding the proper amount of water and working it with the feet until ready to be put in place. Originally these building had thatched roofs which made them much cooler than today's corrugated tin. However you can see the erosion at the bottom of the building and the cracking so many are in need of repair. Available material, cooler inside and reasonably durable accounts for the many I see as I walk through the village. I have seen none under construction. The house I live in is newer and built using concrete blocks made at the work site. The outside of the house looks a little like a Florida ranch style, but the inside is just partially finished. I could easily have sufficient material to build one of the earthen homes from the soil in the front yard. Fortunately farms up in the hills that surround the village have dark, fertile soil in most places.

The rainy season is over. The storms just stopped, and although the mornings and evenings are still cool, the mid day is hot, hot. Many Ghanians just get inside. I am told it gets hotter and the soon the Hamattan winds will start blowing off the Sahara to the north. The Sahara is a good distance away, so not sure what to expect. Rainy season begins in March-April.

I look forward to the days ahead.

Main Street in the Village

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

This is main street in the village where I live. I am on my way home from school at about 2:30 PM, walking north. A major highway runs right through the middle of the village, mostly homes and small kiosks on both sides selling fast foods (fried yams, oranges, rice, etc) and small items for the kitchen or household. The highway runs south to the capitol city, Accra, and north of here branches west to Cote D' Ivoire, and north to the Upper West Region and then into Burkina Faso. It is heavily traveled day and night and the picture shows one of the large trucks headed south, likely to the major Ghanian port of Tema, 8-10 hours away. All kinds of goods and people move over the road in a wide variety of vehicles, most heavily overloaded. This area is the center of farming and the largest open air food market in the country is just a few miles south. People from all over Ghana and even the neighboring countries come to buy for their own kitchens or for resale in their markets. My house is about a five minute walk up the road, there is a food kiosk on the porch and my bedroom is very close to the highway. I am adjusting to the almost continuous noise of the vehicles, but sometimes late at night it seems the vehicle went right through the house. I am enjoying getting to know the people of the village and walking along their main street is a good place to meet.

In the farm land near my house

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

On the weekend I took a long hike up into the hills surrounding the village. This is the location of the villagers' farms, many a small plot of land where they can get in a couple of crops a year if the rain is sufficient. Currently corn, tomatoes and cassavas and we are getting rain in abundance. Not certain how they tell the boundaries of their farm, but I am told all the land belongs to the Chief and he not only parcels it out, but records the area. Interesting that what is grown here is a mix of what you can find in Florida and Virginia: peanuts, oranges, papayas, corn, beans, okra, watermelon, pineapple, mangoes, onions, tomatoes , cucumbers, red hot peppers, green peppers and of course yams and cassavas. I am anxious to get my kitchen set up so that I may enjoy more of these wonderful vegetables and fruits. The road up to the farms and around the farms reminds me so much of some of the terrain in South Vietnam. The road is of red clay, laterite, and there is no bare land. All is covered with crops or tall grass. It is peaceful here and since it was Sunday saw mostly women and children bringing home fire wood and the occasional bunch of bananas and some yams. However, if you want to see cashews on the tree come to Ghana. I am standing in a grove of cashew trees that are very common in this part of Brong Ahafo and are a significant export along with cocoa for chocolate. I could use some of the finished product, but most leaves the country.

I experience new things each day and although I miss the familiar, I continue to be grateful for the opportunity.

One Month as a Peace Corps Volunteer

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

I have completed the first month of my 24 months of service in Ghana and completed two weeks in the classroom. I have been assigned to teach mathematics and computer technology to the Form 1 (7th grade) and Form 2 (8th grade) students. I am familiar with the mathematics, but it is a first time experience to be teaching basic computer technology. Unfortunately the school has no computers and my somewhat limited abilities will make it a challenging year for me and of course the students. Class sizes of over 60 will make classroom management interesting. But, I am pleased to have started the job that I came here to do and anticipate a school year full of new experiences and opportunities to contribute to the education of these active, curious students.

I have moved into my house, not yet my home as plenty is left to do. However, I am dry when it rains, well fed with local food, and in good health. The next few weeks will end the rainy season and I can already feel the heat build later in the afternoons. The last week we have had thunderous rain storms, with lightening all over the sky, and a drenching downpour. Not seen any storms like them since experiencing one in Florida a few years ago that rolled in off the Gulf into the Everglades. The noise off the tin roof of my house is deafening. The positive side is I have plenty of rainwater for my bucket bath, tea, laundry and other needs. Don't have to walk over to the water point with my plastic containers for a few days.

Like many experiences in my life just hanging on and accepting where events take you is a big part of the adventure. I am hanging on and looking forward to the days ahead for me.

Packing out to move to my new home

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

The Junior High School where I Teach

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.

Saying Goodbye to my Home Stay Hostess

The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.