LETTER TO UPDATE MY PEOPLE

So here is the update. When I first found out where Tamale was, my first thoughts were regarding how far appeared to be from the ocean on the map. On the ground I found, that it really was as far as it seemed.

Since then, I spent about five months in the northern region, with a view venture to Accra (for the hospital, the Jay-Z concert and my birthday), to Kumasi (to meet up with my friend Pierette from Toronto in Ghana via Kenya, and to visit with my friend from Tamale, Nuri-Haque), to Cape Coast/ El Mina / Takaraodi (to see the slave castles with Pierette and Sebrina – also from Toronto, to visit Anita at Cape Coast Univiersity, and to visit the Ackerson’s family and Kary), to Bolgatanga (for a conference with Somed from Radio Justice), and Mole Park (with Adwoa, Idrissa and Kary – all from Canada). While that was quite a bit of traveling, I still spent a lot of time in Tamale.

In Tamale, I got to know the city quite well. I also got to know the basic greetings and words of Dagbani, though I didn’t speak it much due to my apprehension of people saying more to me and not knowing what they were saying. Looking back, I see that I really shouldn’t have been so apprehensive as that is probably the best way to learn. I was also there during Ramadan. Being that the area is mostly muslim, I got to really experience Ramadan in a way that affects the lives of everyone, whether you are fasting or not. I made a lot of friends in Tamale, and made great progress at Radio Justice – especially in the latter half of my placement. I enjoyed having no traffic, the passion of the people that I was working with (mainly Layata and Somed), and even playing ping pong and shooting pool with Janey (who was working for JHR at Diamond FM in Tamale). I was also adapting to the growingly dry and dusty atmosphere of the West African winter known as ‘the hamatan’. The hamatan is actually a weather system from the Sahara Desert which brings a dusty atmosphere, extremely dry air, a complete void of rain, heavy winds (often carrying dust), and a contrast of very hot days and very cold nights.

While in the very productive month of November, I began to feel ill again. After being quite sick to my stomach and feeling weak and feverish, I was admitted to a private hospital and treated for Malaria. That was the second hospitalization: the first being Typhoid Fever and Malaria (though in neither case did any tests turn up positive). After four days in the hospital, I was feeling much better and released.

When I was sick before, I was told by JHR that they would move me to Accra if I fell ill again in the north. I remembered this commitment, but I didn’t call them on it. Things were going very well in Tamale, and I could not see how being in Tamale would put my health more at risk than being in Accra in any way that I could bring to JHR. In the midst of this, I found out through a colleague of mine that was visiting from Accra that the Governor General of Canada was coming to Ghana and had invited everyone from JHR to meet her. That news was too good to be true, as her story is one that I have followed.

With that said, I wasn’t sure why I had not been told about this monumental event. Turned out that I was being excluded from the event for two reasons: for the time I missed while ill (though I was told that was not being held against me) and, more so, and impression that I was not committed to my job or deserving of such a privilege. That really hurt, and stirred me with a mixture of discouragement and motivation, frustration and inspiration.

After speaking at some length about the situation, their decision remained. I would be the only JHR staff in the country not invited to take part. I voiced my disagreement with that decision, but I focused and determined that I would continue to give all that I had to give. They had what I felt was an unfair impression of me, but I took the lesson of how important it is to cover yourself and resolved that I would turn this perspective around.

Within a week, two incredible events unfolded before me. One of those events was that the Governor General was coming to Tamale. Not only did I end up meeting her, but Somed and I were able to attend a lunch with her and her entourage, we were driven from the various events in a truck with members of the Ghana Intelligence Service (the presidential entourage was full of SUV’s, police escort, and an army tank trailing us).

I was also sent an email indicating that they would like me to remain in Accra after the Christmas break to begin working at the University of Ghana.

When I look back, this was the ideal design. I got to live in the north, I was able to travel a lot, I am missing the brunt of the intense hamatan season, and I get to work at the university. Having visited the campus a few times, I have imagined myself sitting and writing in the majestic library which is the largest in West Africa.

With that email, I had about a month to wrap-up all that I had been doing at Radio Justice. That had me busy. Five days a week I was in the office from about 8am to 8pm, as well as some hours on the weekends. The list of tasks completed was huge! I was satisfied with what I got done, part of which was ensuring continuity of what we were working on through the staff at the station and the next person to be coming to Radio Justice for JHR.

On my last weekend in the North, I hosted Adwoa, Idrissa and Kary at Mr. Fresh’s house. One of the main intentions that we had was to go on a walking safari through Mole Park, found in the Upper West of Ghana. That weekend was really nice. I think I would have felt more sadness had I felt that I was not coming back to Tamale at all – but I was planning to return in February. It was a blessing to have this move, as it prepared me for what I would be experiencing come March would my wrap-up would not be heading to Accra, but heading to Canada via London.

One problem that we ran into was that all of the bus tickets were sold out for a week due the upcoming Christmas holidays. Opting not to take another bus line which would drive overnight to Accra, and having the taxi we arranged fall through on us on the morning that we expected to depart, we ended up in a 2006 Nissan SUV that brought us safely into Accra. Though the driver was getting a little bit risky in his driving in the last stretch of the trip (which we were all very vocal about), we got to Accra and we were not exhausted.

I headed to Sakumono to stay with the Ackerson’s (my friend Melezia’s family) who were expecting me for the holidays and I had mangoes and smoked guinea fowl in hand.

Getting settled in Accra was great, as there were so many people to see and so many things to do (I still have not been able to see everyone!). In addition to all of the people already in the city, my friend and former co-worker at Canada Basketball was coming for Christmas and New Year’s.

A few highlights are as follows:
Hanging out with Bella, a friend of Layata
Living in a two bedroom apartment with ten people
A quiet Christmas eve watching The Sound of Music
Christmas Day with Tamara’s family (which included sushi, turkey, fried fish, and NFL Monday Night Football)
Coco Beach with Emmanuel, Micky (from New York) and his brother Roland (who lives downstairs)
Bojo Beach (that place is gorgeous!) a couple of times with a couple of groups of people
Lunch at Frankie’s and dinner at The Caribbean Restaurant
The 60th birthday party of the first African woman to be appointed as a judge for The Hague, international court in Switzerland

For New Year’s Eve I headed out to the area known as West Legon to go to church with Idrissa, Adwoa and Sandra. The service was great, and I enjoyed our seats which were actually in the courtyard outside. It surprised me when, at midnight, people began lighting and throwing fireworks in the church courtyard. The Pastor spoke up about it asking people not to throw them near the cars…no mention of throwing them near the people!

I also attended a basketball tournament for High School students. Wow, they sucked. They seemed to love the game, but they really couldn’t shoot. One game was 4-2 after twenty minutes. I’ve never seen so many airballs (even on freethrows). The highest score was 14-12. There was also an emcee battle which was far worse in terms of talent. In the malay, I got my phone picked from my pocket without even noticing it! One thing about the battle was this one big guy, who was nuts! He was screaming for one guy named Metalic. He ran laps around the crowd that was assembled on the edges of the basketball court, he shouted out rhymes, and even would even run through security (who were scared of him) and lifted Metalic onto his shoulder while he was rapping.

After some drama with talking to the guy who stole my phone by dialing my number, then the guy who bought my phone from the guy who stole it, I was able to get my same number back, minus all of the phone numbers that I hadn’t written down. I was also, thank God, given a phone to use until March by Tamara’s Dad.

The lesson…pay even more attention and don’t let my phone and my calls distract me from having God first.

After that whole situation, Tamara and I headed off to Busua beach (just west of Cape Coast) to do surfing lessons. We had a villa on the beach, bonfires at night, lobster dinner, fruits and pancakes for breakfast, and we both got up on some waves. I learned to surf in Ghana. That was one thing I hadn’t expected, though I recall see some Sengelese people surfing when I was there in 2001.

Most recently, I began my placement at Radio Univers, the campus station at the University of Ghana. The grounds there are extremely beautiful. The environment is gorgeous, the hilltop view is great, and the buildings have a very historical feel. While the students are not all back yet from their holidays, I am excited about being in the academic environment. I have met most of the staff, and it’s now about getting to know them and getting to work.

I am three-fourths of the way through an incredibly blessed life changing experience. At one point I could hardly imagine visiting Ghana, and now I can’t imagine not coming back.

With that said, my exit from the country on March 15th has both the hint of sadness and excitement. Sadness over leaving this place that has been so good to me. Sadness over leaving all of the people that I have come to meet here. Excitement at all that is before me. Excitement of seeing the many people that I have come to love and appreciate even more than what was already so powerful. I am excited at how everything will look through an expanded and deepened perspective.

I will be here for the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence (the first on the continent), then I will go for my first visit ever to England for two weeks. After that, I will head back to Toronto. Wow.

I am doing my best to enjoy every moment to the fullest.