marriage proposals

...yes, that's right - MARRIAGE proposals!! Although this comes as no surprise, it is quite amusing EVERY time it happens (which is nearly a daily - if not more - occurance)... The conversations often go something like this: "Akwaabo (welcome)" "Thank you - how are you?" "I'm fine thank you. What is your name?" "My name is Teresa. It's nice to meet you." "Oh Teresa - like the first lady (the president's wife or something like that...)! Teresa, would you marry me?" hahaha To which I try and come up with some sort of witty response, which they do not accept... Good times, good times. Today I had a 36 year old man trying to persuade me into marrying him - he said he could cook, drive, had a good job, knew that love and human beings came before money, etc - but when I asked him if he played the guitar, he said no, so I told him "sorry! Don't quite fit my standards..." HAHA Good fun.

This weekend I (along with the rest of the volunteers who are here now - 18 of us in total, all but me are British) took a trip to Ghana's Cape Coast. There, after a long and crammed 'mini-bus' ride (like the tro-tro here, which is their bus) we went to Kakum National Park where we did the canopy walk (so fun!!), but unfortunately it was raining so the monkey's weren't out. From there we went to a hotel where spotting crocodiles is an attraction, but unfortunately the crocodiles were sleeping and fully fed for the day, so they weren't out. After checking into our hostel and having dinner (chicken and rice...again!), we spent the evening at the local petro station (haha) where there was a bar and music. The power was out, but they wanted us to stay and dance so they got the generator going and then the party started! It was some good fun - those Ghanian boys sure like to DANCE! After not enough sleep, we got up and had our breakfast and then set off for Cape Coast Castle, which is one of the castles where the slave trade was done. This particular castle was built and run by the British. WOW, what a humbling experience. The harsh way these people were forced to live is just unbelievable - truly unbelievable. I encourage anyone who hasn't seen it yet, to see Blood Diamond. It will give you a small picture into the way African's lived during that time. We also got to see some fisherman hard at work pulling in the nets, going out on their canoe's, etc which was amazing. After that we travelled to another town to see Elmina Castle, which was a larger, older slave trade castle - one that the Portuguese built. Much of the same story, SLIGHTLY better conditions, and again, very humbling. We also walked around the harbour of this fishing town for a little which. So many ask for money, and so many need it - it's so hard to turn them down and keep on walking. Some of the conditions of these homes, their clothing, etc was just so awful. I'm seeing these things with my own eyes, talking to these people with my own mouth, shaking their hands with my own hands and it is unbelievable. It's hard to even fathom how someone can live like that - but ultimately, it's because I've seen and lived with SO much more. Ignorance REALLY is bliss. I don't think I've said much about Accra, either, so maybe I'll talk briefly about that...

Accra, the capital city of Ghana, is where I'm living. Ghana itself is said to be one of the, if not the most well off African country - and this is quite evident in Accra. Much of the city is quite developed and there are many, MANY nice houses, roads, places to eat, etc. There are some (jampacked, dirty) areas that are quite poor - but much of this city is not that way. The house I'm living in (which pretty much is as good as it gets - how lucky I am!!!) has both running water (a HUGE luxury here) and electricity, with a generator so that there is power for the bi-daily power outages. My host mother is a retired Civil Servant and her husband was a wealthy man, so they have done very well for themselves. I'd like to talk more about her - but that will have to be another time. ...but anyway, we are very lucky. So for me to leave Accra for the first time this weekend and see what the rest of the contry looks like was very good. It's so humbling to drive by, in a nice bus with food and water, and see these mud huts, shacks built with sticks, where many of the homes only have partial, broken roofs. There are people selling things at the side of the road and they try to sell everything to you. And then when you get off the bus, it's amazing to see the children coming running towards you and try and be brave enough to be the first one to touch or talk to the 'obronni' (white person). What an experience... What do these poor, starving Africans have that we, wealthy North Americans (and British) don't? I really don't know - but it's evident. In a few weeks time I take a tour around Ghana and will visit some of the northern villiages and sites - it'll be neat to share some of those stories.

Well, this email is plenty long and my time is up, so I must go to bed. But thanks again for your notes - I really, really appreciate hearing from you. Although it is wonderful being here, it's so nice to hear from those back home.

Blessings to you all,

your non-married (hehe),

Teresa