Starting out....

I was granted a few days to settle in to my life in Ghana before I started work today. I spent the time opening a bank account (amazingly this only took 4 hours, which I am told is record speed, it took one girl 8 trips to the bank!). I went with my fellow Accra volunteers Jude and Mike, we filled in form after form and I guess it is fair to say witnessed a few in justices whilst waiting for what ever took the bank 4 hours. I found the post office, popped a few bits in the post and went to see about getting a PO Box, people don't get post sent to their home here, the fact that alot of roads don't have names let alone house numbers and taxi drivers have to be directed most places, gives you a little idea as to why we thought it would be a good idea to get a PO Box. Alas the delightful post mistress informed me that the list for a PO Box was very 'tall', it also costs a third of what I get paid a month to have one for a year, surfice to say I didn't even bother getting on the list...makes you realise how people stuggle to get out of poverty though, can't get a bank account, can't have post delivered to them etc.

After my administrative tasks I headed to the market(I LOVE MARKETS!!!) and had a fantastic time wondering around on my own, meeting some local women (which is pretty hard) having some JOKES with my newly obtained language skills. I bought some coat hangers but declined the ladies offers of giant afican snails for lunch...they are quite the delicacy I'm told!

The weather continues to be hot and I am quickly picking up a colour. We don't have any water at the moment so washing and drinking is having to be carefully planned, as is flushing the toilet!!! We have 2 big tubs to collect water when it is on and then when it goes off (which can be for up to 7 days at a time) we use this water, it is going down quite quickly with my hair washing!! Obviously all water is boiled for cooking and filtered for drinking so this is a definate job on the to do list!

Today I had my first Disability Network Meeting, it is fair to say my first meeting in Ghana where I have been the only non Ghanaian. It was a very interesting (and very enjoyable)expereince, it started with me getting in a four by four squished in the middle between the very charming but very deaf President of the Deaf Society and some blind rasterfarian in full gear. We arrived at the Coconut Grove Hotel and went into a room full of people some fully able some with diabilities. It was a great meeting and so encouraging to hear what is happening in Ghana to bring about change, the key theme being employment for people with disability and income generating projects - really interesting, thought provoking and motivating. I met alot of journalists who I hope I can work with and all the key charitys you would have heard of were there, Sigh Savers, Oxfam, Care etc. All meetings in Ghana open and close with prayers. The highlights for me have to be the 30 minutes it took to approve the minutes of the last meeting (right down to every typo - poor minute taker!) and the regular breaks in the meeting for the rasta guy to perform a tune or 2 getting the big wigs to join in the songs!!! The meeting closed with a rap group singing to us before we went in to lunch. You can't have a meeting in Ghana without lunch provided and what they call 'snack' which is basically tea, juice and some heavy sandwich or sausage roll like thing at about 10.30am....perks up a bad meeting but if you want to hold a meeting you HAVE to find the funds for this, which can stop you holding the meeting as people won't come without what they call T&T!

Gosh there is so much to say...have been trying to make friends and socialise as well!!!

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