"De Prince"

Some of my fondest childhood memories were times with my brothers and the Boardman boys, my other brothers, out on their farm, more specifically, the tack shed. Deeply inspired by “Davy , Davy Crockit, King of the Wild Frontier”, we would play for hours out in that one-roomed little shed. There were enough saddles for all the cowboys and some of the Indians. It would appear the saddles never moved from their rested position, but actually, they went miles on the back of a buckskin through rivers, forests and old west towns. Some of us had pistols, others had rifles, and some of us had cap guns. I am not really sure what about Davy Crockit fascinated us so much… there were so many things. Riding through the brushy green of Northern Ghana today on our way to Tamale, Davy Crockit came to mind with a smile as I drove through the wild frontier.

That was this morning, and that might be the last coherent thought I have had today. I am tired today… like really tired and it’s because of my cleaning escapades that I stayed up way too late. However, Kristi had a clean, Gail-approved room to welcome her to Saboba today. We picked her up from Tamale today. She is from Texas and will be here for six weeks as she completes her final rotation of  her final year of medical school. Exciting times for her.

We got caught in a rainstorm today on our way back from the hospital and were soaked to the bone by the time we reached the house. I stood out in it for a while again. It’s like I loose the capacity to maintain control of my actions when anything cool comes along. I see a freezer. Jump in. Cold glass bottle. Roll it on my face. Cool rains. Soak it up!

I am sorry things have been so dull these last two days. I need to revamp, which is why I am going to bed early. I have a reputation to maintain here people, and tiredness is not an option!

I am off to dream of cool breezes and Davy Crockit.

Much love to you all.

Ok team we’re back in business.

No more of this half-way “I’m tired” stuff. No one, especially me, likes those kinds of people.

There have been many “firsts” in Ghana… first time in Africa, first time seeing an elephant, first proposal… today was only a continuation of such a trend.

Today, March 15^th, holds the record for least amount of perspiration and discomfort. You are going to want to overlook this and think that was a really boring thing of me to say. To that I slap your hand. THIS IS MOMUMENTAL! The rains cooled everything off last night, and when I woke up wanting to sing to the birds out the window I just flung open like Cinderella. Kristi and I slept so well and so hard, we were both so refreshed this when we got up. Being from Texas, she is much more used to this kind of weather than I am, but regardless, this was a nice welcome to Ghana for her.

Today we spent the morning and early afternoon in one of the nearby villages named something like Nawulagunininiwaja. Not really. I just put a bunch of African-sounding syllables together and phonetically, I am probably pretty close. We went with two girls who do community outreaches through the public health potion of the hospital. Today, they were weighing babies and giving vaccinations if they needed them. We set up under a good shade tree, got some benches for the woman sit on, tied the scale to a branch and waited for our first costumer. What happened next was a slower version of what happens when here when I spill jelly on the counter… one ant comes and then two and three and pretty soon the whole anthill has arrived. Women, adorned with vivid color and cute babies tied to their backs, flooded in. As they were sitting, they undressed their babies and put them in their hand-made slings with leg holes, through the baby on the hook attached to the scale on a branch. It was the funniest thing to see a little baby swinging from a tree in a Johnny Jump Up or whatever their called.

Neither Kristi and I did anything medically, but our white skin certainly provided the entertainment. Some women want us to hold their babies, and the baby takes one look at you and sheer terror comes over its little face, making you feel like such an awful person. The moms all laugh of course, so you laugh the courtesy laugh while thinking, “Hi. I’m Nikki and I make babies cry. Let’s do lunch.”

By noon today, I had the record for longest time not miserable from temperature in Ghana, the first time being in a village and the first time find a RAT IN MY SOUP!!!

Honestly what is it with these things?!

Two of the women had prepared tizit and fufu for us, which was very kind, so we ate with the two girls we were doing the outreach with. Kristi got a major triple-whammy today with the village and all this new, crazy food, and she handled it like a champ! Nice work. We had the ayoyo soup again with the tizit, which is the nasty green looking stuff I took a picture of.  After I was DONE eating, Kristi asked something like what was in the soup we just ate, and that’s when I saw a RAT being lifted outside of the bowl I was just eating out off……… tail and all.

Oh my word.

Seriously, a rat in your soup is bad enough, but when it’s a nasty, bile green slimy soup, it looked so gross. I laughed so hard when I saw this. What else do you do? I was very impressed with Kristi because she pulled one of its legs off, literally, and tried a bite. I have gracious eaten everything that has been placed in front of me since I have been here, but this, this I had absolutely no desire whatsoever to try.

You will be so shocked when you see the pictures I took.

But these are the experiences I love. Yes, they are a little crazy sometimes, but they surprise you and push you out of your box… and I just refused a rat, but I think rodent-induced paradoxes are acceptable. However, I really like the thrill of it all. Another addiction I have, which could be problematic when I am supposed to settle down and behave.

We went to the hospital to see the fellas, and that is always a good time. They are such good people. We continued to a tour of the town so she could meet the fine people of Saboba. I keep forgetting to tell you about a new character. We’re really not that great of friend, but just cracks me up, and is his worth mentioning.

It does not matter where you go in this world, you will always find “that” girl or “that” guy- these stereotypical personality types that you instantly think of someone you know that totally fits that description.

Alright, well this is “that” guy who thinks he’s REALLY awesome. We call him the “Young, Rich Prince” because that’s how he describes himself. But the thing about him is that everyone, as far as I can tell, really likes him. Yes, he’s full of it, but he’s so likeable too. I asked Solo what they deal is with this guy a few weeks ago… “Is he a real prince?” He said yes, but technically, so is Solo and Jonah and probably everything guy here. And yet, the Young, Rich Prince really embraces his title like it is his for the taking. He is tall and handsome, and dark haha, and dresses very nicely. A lot of these boys have great taste and if they didn’t act like they were freezing in the US, no one would ever know they were from Ghana. I bring all this up because just a few days ago, the Young, Rich Prince decided to purchase himself a motorcycle. Stop traffic! Could one get any higher on the ladder of awesomeness? A resounding NO! But my very most favorite about this whole story is that he actually has a sign where the license plate would go that says “De Prince” on it with a Ghana flag painted underneath. I laugh so hard every time I see him bombin’ around. He just loves it and smiles ear to ear everywhere he goes, which was the case before the motorcycle, but it’s just bigger now. This evening I was walking to go to Trinity’s for our math lesson and he offered me a lift.

Who I am I refuse a ride from the Young, Rich Prince?

So fun.

I have now idea when I will be back in the cyber world as our internet access through this modem thing Bob has expired in about 15 minutes, so until he recharges it, there will be no more stories of rat soup and young, rich princes.

Let’s hope we get this problem fixed sooner than later!

I am not up on my news as much as I usually am here, but I am heartsick, as is everyone I am sure about Japan. It reminded me yet again about how life is so fragile and it could be gone at any moment. This is not a scare tactic, but if you don’t know where you are going when this life is all over, there is no time like the present. God loves you so very much and He is the only way to eternal life.

Tsunami that.