Off To Do My Volunteer Teaching in Hanoi

The day of my trip as arrived. The Polar Express wind storm in Portland last night was brutal in some areas with lots of power outages and down trees. Today, Wednesday, the wind doesn't seem to be so bad, thank heavens but you don't want to be outside for very long. I feel sorry for those working outside this week. Tomorrow is suppose to be colder but I should be long gone by then.



Most of my thoughts and efforts today were spent making sure I had everything done before I left and packing. For the first time, I am planning to take just a carryon bag, no checked bag. Last year I took the same trip but almost didn't make it on the plane because of a huge error on my part. I went to check in with Alaska and she told me I didn't have a valid passport!! I thought, that is impossible. But I had accidentally brought my expired passport. WOW!! Into a panic program I flew. I had to go back home and get my current passport. Somehow I made it. So even though I had checked several times today, I was a bit nervous until I got the boarding pass. Now, I am waiting to board my flight to Los Angeles.



My two hour flight was FULL. Alaska Airlines encouraged anyone to give their bay/carryon to them and they will transport it to LAX and you could easily pick it up at the exit door. To me, it is a no brainer. Why would you want to hassle and wrestle putting your bag in the overhead compartment when you can just have them take care of it. I guess if you have very valuable items. Me, on the other hand, just took a few things out of my carryon, and checked it. It worked slick.



Now at LAX and getting my boarding pass to Hong Kong and Hanoi. While in line, I met a Vietnamese man who is retired but is going back to Hoi An to honor his teachers. WOW!! He goes every year. I think that is Great!! I told him what I was going to do too. After getting my boarding passes, I had to go through Security. Even though I have Global Entry Pass now, it still can be stressful. First, there is a looonnnnggg line. But it moves quickly. Some how as I get near the checkin part, I can't find my boarding passes. Eek! So then I begin to look around. I spot a employee holding someone passes. He asks me to tell him my name first. haha! I guess they slipped out of my bag while is was serpentining the masses of flyers. Moving into the real inspection now, I have my hand swabbed. I ask about it and he tells me they are checking for explosives. I don't think they do that in Portland. Later, I get swabbed again. Now, I go through the actually screening and I was chosen for a random screening. That made three times. Lucky me. But finally through and now waiting for actual boarding..






My 14 hour flight was good but always grueling to endure. I find it always difficult to sit for that long even though you can sort of get up and walk about. I try to sleep but no position seems very comfortable, so it is always interrupted sleep. I did meet a Vietnamese man who lives in CA and comes back to Vietnam to organize a special Teacher Day in his home town. He also brings clothing to the needy countryside near his home town.



My last fight was only 2 hours thankfully. There were many vacant seats which seems so unusual for me these days. But in this last flight I thought about how I really like to travel. I enjoy seeing the sights and meeting lots of different people. It makes me think about how blessed I am.



After I arrived in Hanoi, I had to get my Visa On Arrival. I had my paper work all completed already so I thought it was going to be just a matter of minutes. No No!! Welcome to Vietnam! Even though they took my paperwork second, I waited and waited for them to call my name. Here is where I have to practice my patience. Finally after about 45 minutes, my name was called and I was out the door to find the hotel taxi.



The drive to the hotel took about 50 minutes. It seemed like the traffic was less than last year. Hanoi is about to open a new airport in about 47 days, plus there is a new road to the airport that will open soon. All signs of an emerging country. I did sleep after checking into the hotel and now I feel rested. Weather is great as about 70 degrees with no rain but soon I will busy volunteering. Hopefully more to come later.






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Weekend with Gonzolo and Family

I managed to find a professor at UTEQ who I originally meet in 2008. He is not an English teacher but teaches in another department. I also saw him in 2010 when I was here. At that time, he took me to his son Gonzolo's kindergarten graduation and then out to lunch, where I met his wife and other two children, Leo and Diego. So when I found him in his office during the week, he asked me if I had plans for the weekend. I told him " not yet" so then he asked me about going to a family gathering with him on Saturday. I agreed, so on Saturday afternoon, he picked me up at the hotel.

First, he drove to his house to get his wife and children. He lives in a nice neighborhood and has a modest house that was recently remodeled. His wife Lucy works too so they are quite busy. The children go to a bilingual school which teaches English, so his children could speak to me in English. Now, the children's ages are 8, 6, and 3. It was while I was at the house that I learned that we were all going to a family reunion.






It was a short drive to the reunion. This is a reunion the family has every year with Gonzolo's fraternal side of the family. We were one of the first family's to arrive but soon the rented hall was almost full. Maybe about 200 people. I was introduced to many people, like Gonzolo's parents, sisters and and uncles. All were very nice. All brought food, so it was like a potluck. I especially like the shrimp cocktail and spicy marinated pork. I did worry that the food might make me sick but that never happened. My other concern was the alcohol. I tried to drink very little but all kinds of drinks offered, especially tequila. I didn't want to be sick and hungover. haha! Later they sang songs-Karaoke-some amazing singers. Everyone seemed to get along and it was quite enjoyable..



The next day, the family took me to Pena de Bernal. This is the third largest monolith in the world. It was about one hour drive to Bernal. The town is small but full of little shops and easy to walk around. It was good to get some exercise and the weather was great, as usual. The hike up the mountain is quite a challenge and I only made it about halfway up. The path is not that steep but the surface is very uneven and some places it is like mountain climbing almost. Lots of people were climbing that day with us too. It was a good experience and I thought my legs might be sore the next day, but I felt fine.



Some volunteers have been sick in our group but so far I have avoided the malady, thank heavens. University students have been great, with a wide range of speaking ability. The teachers we are working with at the university are very happy to have us in there rooms too, so it has been a great experience. I would gladly recommend this city for vacation and travel. It is safe and very friendly..
In a few days, I will be home again. I hope the sun will be shinning in Portland. :)

First week of teaching

This week has been chocked full of activities with teaching and everyday has a slightly different schedule, which keeps you on your toes. Some days start at 7 am with class, others at 9 am. On Wednesday, we went to a new univeristy which has just been built. UTEQ, a school I have been to twice before, seems familiar as I recognize many of the teachers and know the layout of the buildings. The students are new but seem the same as previous times. Some of the teachers remember me too which is nice as they have had a many volunteer teams here. One teacher at the school has lived in Portland and Alaska, but I have yet to meet her.
Generally, because we are such a large group of volunteers, about 4 of us go with the teacher to the English class. Then the teacher divides the class into four small groups, and assigns each volunteer one group. So generally, I am working with about 4 to 5 students during that hour. The students level of English can range from basic beginning to intermediate. Most are shy to begin with but it doesn't take long for them to relax and then they begin to try to converse. These students are getting an accosiate degree after two years and will work in manufacturing. Most all students are eager to practice their English and appreciate of having volunteers in the room. Some groups I have had twice now so I am getting to know them better. There are about 5000 students at the school and each student will take 5 terms of English out of 6 terms for two years.





In the evening, the group of us go out to dinner. It is always a challenge to find a restaurant that can accommodate us all. This city has many restaurants and the historic colonial area is easy to walk around but we are constantly lost or walking in circles. hehe! So far, we have always tried to eat ethnic and local. The other day, we ate polzole which is very popular with the locals. We have eaten enchiladas and tamales too. I think I might be eating too much and not getting enough exercise. hehe!






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Queretaro

I left Portland on Saturday, Feb. 9 for two weeks in Queretaro Mexico with Global Volunteers. My flight out of Portland was on time, landing in Houston for a connecting flight to Queretaro. United Airlines only allowed 45 minutes between flights which is great IF the flight is on time and you can manuever the maze of Bush Int'l in Houston. I worried that it would not be enoough time, so as I got off the first flight, I immediately ask about the second flight and where to go. United didn't really give me much help, just pointed me in the direction of the gate. So, I tried not to walk fast, talking moving walkways where I could. I did have to go ride the shuttle to another terminal first but then I saw the sign for the gate. I thought I was home free. But the distance to the gate was quite far. As I arrived at the gate, they were already boarding but at least I made it. On this flight, I thought it was strange that the airlines person spoke no Spanish.



I am staying at the Hotel Hildago, a very nice colonial hotel in the central part of the city. I am here with Global Volunteers to teach English for two weeks. I have been here twice before so it is nice to reacquiant with some of the teachers as before, and even some of the hotel staff. This team of volunteers is large-twenty two - my largest team ever. I know about 5 of the volunteers from previous GV programs, like Vietnam, Italy, and China. Also, I know the program leader so this makes it all easier. The weather here is ideal. During the day it probably gets to about 85 and at night I need a blanket to sleep. Sunny all day and everyday so far.


To get to the school, we all ride in a large university bus. The ride to the school is about 30 minutes on the outskirts of the town. Queretaro has a population of about 2 million, with 5 Walmarts, a Costco, and Sam's Club. I haven't been to these stores but I have seen some of them on the bus ride. At the school, the English teachers seemed thrilled to have volunteers in the room. Because there is a lot of volunteers, each teacher has about 4 volunteers then we each work with a small group of about 4-6 students. Pretty ideal and this may spoil me for other programs in the future. Hehe!


This is like a community college where students get an associate degree. It is possble to get a BA or BS but few do. Most try to get a job after two years. The students all have to take 5 terms of English and finish the two years after 6 terms. Even with 5 terms of English, most can't converse in English. In working with my students, they all seemed pleased to listen to me, but frequently, they didn't understand or had to have me repeat, which is fine. Some freely admitted to me that English was there most difficult subject but still tried very hard to speak to me. Generally , the regular teacher gave me free rein to talk to them about anything and everything. They were all so honest and open so it was very refreshing. Most of my students have been young men, only one group had a majority of women.


So far, I have only taught two days and 5 hours per day, but still fairly warn out at the end of the day. We eat out as a group every night. It is a challenge for us to find a restaurant that can accommodate such a large group. But so far, we are finding plenty of good food.



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I am home now, enjoying the cool weather, such a change from Senchi Ferry, Ghana. My three weeks in Ghana were wonderful and I would like to go back again someday.  Now that I am home, I find myself thinking about my time there.

So here is some of my reflections:

1. Water- everyday I had bottled water, as much as I needed. I couldn't drink their water as it would have made me sick. I even used water to brush my teeth. If I carried my water in my hand when I was walking, sometimes someone would ask for it. Or at the school, during break, maybe a student would ask me for it. I did give it away one day as I was leaving the school, but it didn't seem fair to all the others. In my walks through the village, I would see some common water source, like a pipe or pump. The pipe would be where nearby neighbors would come to carry water back to their house for cooking, or drinking or cleaning.

2. Food- These people eat a lot of cassava or taro root, beans, and rice. Not much meat, only occasionally. The goats that roam the village-and there were lots of them- are not milked but eaten after a certain age. I heard they had pigs but only saw a few. One day, on my walk to school, which I did every morning, I saw a man who had just butchered a pig. The only thing that was left was the head of the pig as he sold it all to his neighbors. He offered me the head! I said "no thanks". Later on my walk back from school, one woman offered me some pork that she had cooked that day which was nice but I couldn't take a chance on that either. Other food that seemed to be plentiful there are yams and mangos. Mango trees grow everywhere and I was there during that season. To pick the mangos, you generally use a long stick to know it off the stem, then try to catch it as it falls to the ground. I love mango and could eat it everyday so that was always like dessert for me and the other volunteers.

3. Weather- Everyday was hot, probably over 90 degrees. Luckily, we had A/C in the hotel that kept us cool at night for sleeping but during the day, there was no relief. My shirt and pants would be soaking wet after a few hours. Students would often ask me if I was cold sometimes. When I answered "no" , they didn't know whether to believe me or not because if the temperature dropped a few degrees below 90, they would wear long sleeve shirts and sweaters. haha! I was still hot and I was always looking for a breeze.. I will not be complaining about Oregon weather for a long time.

4. School - I was fortunate to work in three different schools while I was there. All were different yet the same in many ways. The first school, a private school, was the most crowded. Students there sat desk to desk with only one narrow aisle. This school rooms with thatched roofs but no walls. The teacher I worked with there was Daniel, who had been teaching for 7 years. I thought he was a very good math teacher who came to school on Saturday to teach those that need review or who ever showed up. He did this for free. His salary is only about $35 USD per month.  The other school had less students per class and more room structure, but very little lighting. So when it rained, the room was very dark, and the tin roof made it impossible to hear. The students in all three schools had to copy from the board the textbook, which the teacher had written during class. Generally, students had few textbooks. For the most part, they wrote everything in pen. If the teacher was not in the room, students monitored themselves with no apparent problems. There were break or recess times, and then the students would be free to leave the class. Many didn't eat breakfast and so they would buy food about 10:30 am from mothers who had set up food stalls outside under the trees. Some students might walk a great distance to find some favorite food.  One thing that is still used in the schools is "caning". Teachers can but not all do use a cane or switch to punish students for things like tardiness, or misbehavior in the class. I never saw it actually being done but others did see it.  One teacher told me he didn't do it to his students. Students do seem to have great respect for their teachers and behavior didn't seem to be a problem.

5. Machete- everyone had one or used one. Students often brought their machetes to school because another common school punishment was cutting the grass in the field with a machete. The lawn mower had broken at one school so entire classes were in the field hacking away on tall grass with their machetes. I never saw an accident or anyone use it in a threatening way. I saw some older students use it to chop wood. Another man used his for butchering the pig.

6. Walking or using the "tro-tro" is the most common way to get around. Tro-tro is a minivan that drives up and down the highway stopping for people standing on the side of the road.  These vans are well used, beat up looking heaps for the most part but still running. Drivers are interested in getting as many people in them as possible and driving as fast as possible. In the small towns, you could see vendors and tro-tro's everywhere. I saw lots of broken down cars, vans and trucks and some very serious accidents.

7. Everyone carries everything on their head. I saw propane tanks, sewing machines, and big water buckets, all being transported on their heads. Most of the time they use a small rag or cloth that sits on their head in a form of a circle. Then, the food or article is placed on top of the head and off they walk. I thought this must improve their posture as they all walk so straight. And they look very relaxed and comfortable doing it.

8. I don't know if all Ghana is the same but this was a very religious area. Every business sign was religious in some way. Like for sewing, a sign would say "God's working Hands". Or if you asked someone how they were , they would say "fine , by the grace of God".  In the school, there was worship for all every Wednesday for one hour and they often prayed in class, either with the teacher leading or a student.

I hope this gives you some idea of my appreciation and experience there. I met very few people who were not friendly and social. All the students were eager and friendly, almost thrilled to talk to me. I did feel somewhat cut off from the world because of no news or computer access. And at night, there was really nothing to do except read a book- one TV station with local Ghanian shows. But there is something about helping in this village that gives pleasure and satisfaction.

I may write more if I think of something else to tell you. I hope you can understand my thoughts. :)

Only a few more days left in Ghana

June 7, 2012


Today began as normal with breakfast, conversation, and then off to our perspective schools. Ann and I walked to the Methodist Jr. Hi. Today started out with Worship so all the upper grades congregated into one large room. Part of the service was given by a minister who had some visual aids to help the students follow the bible story. After the homily, some selected students started beating the drums and others came to the front of the room to dance and proclaim their deep faith. It was also at this time, that the collection plate was brought out.

After worship, I worked with Mr. Theophilus in one math class and one social studies class. Tomorrow the students will have a test so they have to bring their own paper or pay the teacher for a copy. The teacher will type the test.

After lunch, I walked back to the library. As usual Fredrick and his buddy Joseph came. Also, Mohammed who I met on my walk the day before. Mohammed had asked me for money so he could eat. I didn't give him money but I did ask him to come to the library so I was happy to see him. It has to be so difficult to learn when you are hungry. I did ask Samuel, the librarian, about him and he told me this is true.

Pam, our leader, took photos of all of us reading to the students in the library. Students were more than thrilled to pose for these photos. When I walked in the community, if I have my camera out, primary children ask me to take their photos and they are totally satisfied when I show them the photo.

After the library, I walked over to the only copy place in the village to get some copies printed of a few photos. I will pick them up tomorrow. From there, I decided to walk the long way home, I only walked a short distance, when a young woman comes out of a house yelling my name. I was in her class today and she wanted to know if I would be there tomorrow. So tomorrow, I will have to look for Barbara. Next to her house, was a young boy working a rather old loom. He told me he was making "kente cloth". It looked beautiful. He is really the first one I saw with a loom in the community. Then down the road, outside a church, there was brass band practicing. I think there were 5 young men with trombones trying to create music. They were working with a teacher but it sounded like this might be there first lesson.

I continued walking down the road which has light traffic when I hear someone yelling my name. I look back and see a man far away. I can't really see his face but I then started towards him. He starts running towards me with his machete and black rubber boots. I try to walk faster saving him some steps. Then I recognize him; it is Mr. Seth the headmaster of the private school. He joins me on my walk because he is going to his farm to check on the crops. I wanted to see his farm, but he said I was not dressed properly as I had on short pants, so we parted ways. As I continued on, I saw two groups washing there "tro-tro's in unique ways. One tro-tro was parked on a slope, with all the doors wide open. The driver was splashing buckets of water inside the van. Another tro-tro group was collecting water from the large stagnant puddles near the road but washing the outside of the van. Neither had a faucet with a hose which would make this task easier.

Finally, as I neared the guest house, I saw several men working on making a wood coffin. He was using a plane to shape and smooth the lid of the coffin. Maybe it was a coffin that was going to be used soon.

Thought for the day : Winding down but still trying to maintain energy until the end.






- Posted while traveling the world

My weekend retreat

June 4, 2012

Friday morning began with our usual breakfast at 7 am. Today, Bless's six year old daughter was in the kitchen but was too shy to talk to "abalones" or white people. Pam did get manage to talk to her for a bit though in the kitchen.

Today we were leaving for Coconut Grove Resort in Elmina which is about 5 plus hours from St. James Guesthouse. We were going there for the weekend. Isaac and George were driving us in an air-conditioned van. The drive began by going towards Accra so we were seeing some of the same scenery that we saw before but it still intrigues us. In Accra , traffic stalled to a crawl and Isaac's van developed a problem. After stopping and having a mechanic do some minor adjustments we were off again but without A/C. There were many several toll booths that caused traffic to snarl and come to a grinding halt. At one place, some students almost kept up with us by running along side the van.
We did have a pit stop at a nice gas station where we could stretch our legs. At about 3 pm, we arrived at our resort.

The Coconut Grove Resort was a good place to relax and enjoy the ocean. It is a nice treat for two weeks of semi hibernation in Senchi Ferry. Saturday, we had a tour of the Cape Coast Castle by Mark. We learned a wealth of information about the Slave trade which was started by the Portuguese and the British. Walking into the dungeons where enslaved Africans were held for three months and then taken by ship to Brazil, Caribbean or North America was difficult to imagine even today. Hearing about how they were treated, like living without light the whole time, or the human waste or the branding , it was hard imagine that anyone could survive. I think I remember that out of the 5 million slaves, only 40 % survived which then were forced to live as slaves in another country. A very sad and horrible era of Western history.

In the afternoon, Ann and I went to Kakum National Park. We went on an hour and a half nature walk. The park contains lots of mammals, birds, and butterflies but we saw only a few things, yet it was a wonderful hike through a tropical rainforest. Our guide James did a good job of telling us all about the plant life in the park. Lots of hardwood trees many of which are protected. One part of the park has a canopy walkway which I didn't do because of my phobia of suspension bridges but I did look at it.

The drive back to the hotel took some time because of traffic even though the driver had the peddle to the metal whenever he could. The countryside shows me the poverty, the difficult of eking out a minimal existence. I see only basic small rectangular adobe or cinder block houses, some with a communal water pump or wells. Goats , chickens, and sometimes sheep all graze freely for any vegetation. Some people smile and greet you while others remain stoic. None can escape the oppressive heat but all tolerate it with little complaining.

We ate another nice dinner at the hotel. I had the chicken curry which was quite spicy, the way I like it. Also, I had a big bottle of Star beer. It tastes so good in this hot climate.

Sunday morning, after breakfast, I walked on the beach. I met one local young man who told me he had a full scholarship to a college in Kentucky and was leaving in August. He seemed eager to talk and learn about the U.S. As I continued on my walk, I could see many very poor shanties, with thatched roofs or plastic tarps for roofs. The contrast of the local village and the resort didn't escape me. The sand on the beach next to the village looked black , maybe oil soaked and open sewer pipes running from the lean-to's. Other places had huge wood boats used for fishing as I could see people working to untangle the fish nets.

By noon, we were on the road back to Senchi. Traffic wasn't to heavy so only a few congested spots. Isaac, the driver took every opportunity to speed even after Pam's continual warning of "Slow Down". I did see lots of signs warning of "overspeeding" and signs saying the number of people who had died at different spots on the road.

At about 4:30 pm we were back in our guest house. I decided to go for a long walk. I met several of my students along the way and other strangers too. Many are friendly and helpful. One man I met was the former Mayor, Samuel Opoku. He thanked me for coming to his community which was very nice. Another student asked for my phone number but I don't have a phone here. Another told me they were coming to the guesthouse to visit me tomorrow. I will see if he shows up.

One more week to go in Ghana. It has been great so far. I would love to come back again, see more and do more. Often, the local people ask me if I will come back. I feel very blessed in my life after being here.



Thought for the day : The darkest hour is only 60 minutes long. Light a candle and do not curse the darkness.


- Posted while traveling the world

Church in Senchi Ferry, Ghana

May 26, 2012

Sunday morning and everyone in the community seems to be going to church. Ghana , or at least this area, seems to be very religious. You can see signs for all kinds of different churches like Methodist, Pentecostal, and Catholic. This was probably an area for missionaries for many years, and maybe still now. The church buildings are not ornate or ostentatious, just a little better and larger than the homes I see in this area.

Daniel, my teacher who I had worked with this week, was going to the Catholic church and invited me to meet him there at 9 am. I had to walk around Saturday afternoon to find the church so I could walk there Sunday. Another volunteer from San Francisco was going with me too.

It was about a 15 minute walk from the guest house to the church. On the route to the church, I saw two brothers bathing outside their house, using a small tub of water. They don't have running water so they have to haul the water from somewhere. The older brother was soaping down the young brother, both seeming to enjoy the sun, soap and water. I think it was probably a Sunday ritual.

I looked for Daniel outside the church but didn't' see him. He told me he would be there early. We decided to go in and hopefully, Daniel would be there soon. Inside, was a very nice triangular shaped church with pews, an large crucifix and altar. People were sparsely populating the pews but later, most of the church was full.

Daniel arrived right near the beginning and sat next to me for moment. He apologized for being late and told me he was going to the front to play the drum. He was wearing a beautiful purple alb. He later told me had been playing the drum for Mass since we was 9 years old.

The service was interesting. There seem to be two main deacons or church leaders who led the service as no priest was available today. I guess they have to rotate to different parishes in this area. The one woman leader was very good. She spoke in English and the the local language giving the sermon or message to the congregation. This was one of the first Ghanian speakers whose English I could really understand. There was lots of singing and participation by the worshippers. The women were all dressed in very Ghanaian gowns and the men in nice western clothes. At the end of the service, the leader asked Lyn and I to come to the front and introduce ourselves, and say a little bit about ourselves. We did that and they seemed genuinely happy that we were there. The whole service lasted about two hours.

Daniel walked us back to the guesthouse. I offered to take him to lunch and he accepted. In this area, there is no restaurant that I can eat at safely-meaning without possibly getting sick. So we took the tro-tro to the Continental Hotel, which is a resort type hotel about 10 minutes from my guesthouse. Daniel had been there only once before. This hotel is either owned by an Indian family or managed by some Indian people. Their restaurant has an Indian cuisine and some local food too. The food there is ok to eat. So we had some rice, chicken and vegetables. As I paid the bill, I left a tip for the waitress. Daniel asked me about the tip. He didn't know about tipping before this. After I told him, we said we should wait until the waitress comes back because someone else might get the tip otherwise. Daniel knew these workers don't get pay very much so I thought it was very nice that he was looking out for someone else who he didn't know. It tells me a lot about his character.

It was a very nice relaxing Sunday in Senchi Ferry. Hot and dry but really appreciating everyday... Hope all is well. .




- Posted while traveling the world

Enjoying the local band

May 24, 2012

Things continue to be interesting and educational for me in Senchi Ferry.

Last Friday night, Pam and I decided to go to hear a local group play music near hear. We took the taxi. Before we got there, Pam wanted to buy chocolate which we were told as good and available in shop near the music gig. Getting out of the taxi, I could see the locals all selling their wares in a night market. Some of the sellers were just stand around with everything balanced on there head with amazing grace. This was also a place were the local "tro-tro's were stopping to acquire passengers or drop off riders. A tro-tro is a cheap transport for locals, a van that is constantly in motion on the main roads. You can just stand anywhere, flag down a tro-tro and tell them where you want to go, then pay them "cidi's- the local Ghanian money. It cost very little to ride the tro-tro and then don't try to cheat you. But you do have to hold your breath as some are safer than others , depending on the driver.

As I was snapping photos of the whole night market scene and Pam was buying chocolate bars, I hear someone yelling "Roger". I thought at first, it was a word that must sound like my name. Then, I thought who could know me here. After hearing it for the third time, I turned towards the sound. There sits a young man from Mr. Daniel's 7th grade class-David. I remembered him immediately and so I went up and talked to him for a bit. I was impressed that he remembered me.

In the meantime, Pam comes back with the chocolate bars that someone told her was going to be so good!! As we bite into them, the taste was far from divine.! haha! Kind of waxy taste, faded in color like it could be old. But it had to do in a pinch. Now we were headed for the open-air music concert.

The taxi driver pulled up next to the gas station. We walked around the back of the station where I saw about 5 musicians playing in one corner. There was a strobe light colorfully covering the dance floor. Beyond the dance floor, were tables and folding chairs for patrons like us. A large canopy covered the seating area. It was much better than we thought it was going to be.

Inside, we took a seat near the front of the dance floor. No one was dancing yet. A singer with a microphone was performing with the band but I could not understand a word, even though some of it was in English. The music as so loud I could barely have a conversation with Pam or Samuel who was with me. I gave Samuel some money to buy Malta or beer. I had read that lots of people like Malta, which is a sweet drink, which can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Samuel bought me a large quart bottle of beer and he drank the Malta. As we sat there, more people started to come and enjoy the music. They were all dressed sharply and into the music.

At first, no one was on the floor. Then gradually the men began to dance. Several were dancing with each other- not sure why the women were not dancing yet. One of the teachers I knew from the school was on the floor, and he asked me to dance with him. I gratefully obliged him, so then there were three of us guys dancing together. The only problem was the music went on and on and on! Finally, they decided we should sit down which I was grateful for.

Later, the women, not a lot of them, started to dance. One man was dancing with three women at once but they all seemed to be vying for his attention, and he was loving it. That was a show in itself. We stayed about two hours and then left. Back at my guesthouse, which was a least 10 minutes away by car, I could still here the music from the gas station. Haha! But it is quiet here and sound carries in the country I think.

Didn't great that night as I kept replaying the evening in my head and thinking about being here in this part of the world, so far from Portland.


- Posted while traveling the world

Location:Liver Pool Rd,Elmina,Ghana

School

I have spent the last two days working with a 7th & 8th grade teacher named Daniel at a private school. Daniel has been teaching at this school for about 4 yrs with two years at a previous school. He is 28 yrs old and started teaching after finishing hi school. I have sat in and helped in three of his math classes, and two social studies. He is a very good teacher. Students are very well behaved in his class with a lot of participation. He has a jam packed room with near 50 students. I use the word "room" loosely-otherwise open air classrooms. The room has only one concrete wall about waist high and a thatched grass roof. Students sit in small wooden individual desks but these are all crammed in a small space. It is impossible for students to move around or get up unless really necessary.

Daniel rides his bike to school. When he was 9 yrs old, he moved to his Aunt's house so that he could do chores for her, thereby earning enough money to stay in school. His parents lived in another province. When Daniel teaches, he writes everything on the board. Students all copy the information as only a few have books. During the class, Daniel will write problems on the board, ask students for responses, calling on many different students. Students sit for long periods of time without moving. Different special teachers rotate to the students rather than the students moving. I am impressed with how attentive these students are. There is no disruptive behavior. I mean nothing!

I did notice that none of the students were wearing glasses. Daniel told me that the students with poor eyesight sit near the front. I guess most families here can't afford to buy glasses for their children. Many families here are large by American standards. Often, the parents have 7 or 8 children. The students wear uniforms and the tuition is $110 per year. Students often come to school with no breakfast but maybe buy something in the canteen but you should see the canteen. It is very minimal operation. As volunteers, we often walk to school and sometimes walk home. It takes about 30 minutes. We take a well worn path that meanders through the backyards of many different houses. All of these houses are quite basic but they do have electricity. You can see many cooking outside over a wood or charcoal flame. Everything around looks like red clay, no grass or gardens . You also see chickens and goats everywhere. A few sheep. Today, when I was teaching , a chicken flew across the front of me in the room. I have yet to use the lavatory but we were told we could only use it to "pee". Not sure why this was but didn't want to ask. hehe!


Hot here everyday. I have the A/C running all night. During the day, while at school, my shirt is wringing wet. No amount of deodorant does the job sufficiently. But I feel good and the students are great. They all talk softly but speak English, some better than others. I have met with the principal or headmaster who gave me the whole 12 yr history of the school. Senchi Ferry is a small area that doesn't really have any major markets or stores. You have to drive to the neighboring town to get most everything.

Not sure this that interesting to all of you but for me, even though it is a world apart, I am throughly enjoying it.

Sorry, for not having any photos yet. I brought the wrong adaptor for my iPad to download the photos and I have searched everywhere to no avail. I will add photos later when I get home.




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Volunteer teaching

May 23, 2012

I had my best day yet! Started off w/Breakfast which is a little different everyday-French toast today. Pam updated us on the timetable. Then Ann, Emily, and I were off for our daily jaunt with Samuel to the school. Now, we often see some of the same people as we meander through the so called path. Baby dogs and cats, goats always and some of the same people cooking breakfast. Along the way, a young student came up and said "Are you Roger?" . I said "yes," and then he proceed to tell me he meet me Saturday near the main road. I was amazed and didn't tell him I didn't remember, but that I would look for him at school. His name was Emanuel.

At the school, I immediately went to the 7th grade class because I didn't see Mr. Daniel. Some students were carrying chairs to another location. I asked why and they said mit was because they were going to have worship. I then followed them to another room, where both the 7th and the 8th graders were in one room. After a bit, some drums began beating, and students began singing and dancing. Some had such joy on their faces, pure ecstasy. Others danced in a line, their gyrations would put Elvis Presley to shame. Others reaching to the sky with their hands. It was probably similar to a Pentecostal revival service. I was very touched and moved by their total freedom to express themselves. Later they had sermon from one of the teachers at the school. This worship was for the whole school, so 4 other rooms were all doing the same.

Daniel, the teacher, had found me early in the worship, expressing concern for me. He is such a great guy. I feel so lucky to have worked with him. After the service, I sat with him, just talking about school things. Then at 10 AM, we went to math class. On the short walk, he told me I should teach the class. I mildly chastised him for giving me such short notice but I had prepared some material last night just in case. The first problem I gave the class was given a lukewarm response but the second problem was met with much more enthusiasm. By the third problem, they were in full participation mode. These were kind of trick problems, that made them think out side the box. I left them without telling them any answers, telling them they would have to wait for the next day.

The second group, social studies, was covering rights and duties of citizens. Daniel and I co-taught that class. He would write on the board and explain what it meant and I would give some specific examples and ask them questions about the meaning. It worked out great. I noticed that Daniel was moving away from the front of the room while speaking now too, which I think is important. Tomorrow, we may get an opportunity to take the whole class to the Health Clinic for Blood pressure checks.

In the afternoon, all the volunteers went back to the Library for a individual reading sessions with students. I have been helping a 10 year old boy named Fredrick. He is really a good reader and seems very intelligent. Today, he immediately found the book that he was reading the day before and the page. Generally, there are maybe two others that join us.

From the library, we took a van to the Bead Factory. It was about a 30 minute drive and on the way, we went through another town that seem to have a lot of shops. At one point, we turned onto a nondescript road. When we pass the pig sleeping in the road, I knew we were there.

The bead factory was like an oasis in the desert. Very calm and serene, an orchard of mango and date palm trees, grass in front of the very nice abodes. Mark spent lots of time with us, explaining all the details of making different beads. It was very informative. Later, we all went to the store to buy some jewelry. Some took longer than others deciding what to get while I waited outside talking to Mark and Samuel again. Nicholas drove us back to the guesthouse.

Dinner again at 7 pm. Now we found out no school on Friday, but I think we have adjusted to the place and flexibility is our inbred in our nature. After dinner, I went to my room, quite tired yet it was only 8 pm. Good night.


Thought for the Day : There but for the grace of God go I..
When it is time to leave this place, this job, this world, you make sure you have worked hard to make sure it mattered that you were ever here.



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Accra, Ghana , Just Arrived

I left Portland Thursday afternoon with Delta Airlines, flying to Amsterdam, then on to Accra. My flight in Portland boarded early and it looked like we would get to Amsterdam an hour early, as the pilot announced that the prevailing winds would shorten our flying time by about an hour, so instead of 10 hours, it would be nine. That good news would be short lived, for just as we were to taxi to the runway, another announcement about a minor repair in one of the lavatories. The repair soon turned into a big deal. More and more repair guys keep coming but no one seemed to be able to fix the problem. Finally, after about an hour, they announced that the lavatory would be closed for the flight. Now, finally, after just sitting for an hour on the tarmac, we were off.

Most of the passengers on this flight were older adults flying to Europe to enjoy tours, cruises or just travel. Several around me were going on a bike tour, others wine tours in Italy, and some river cruises in Germany. Very few young people on board. Don't know if this is normal or not. The plane was an Airbus, which I thought was very noisy and the seat configuration was different. But the flight was smooth and we arrived in Amsterdam about 9:30 am.

I never had been to Amsterdam before, so I was eager to see the airport. I didn't sleep on the flight so I had reserved a room in the airport hotel. I decided I needed to first the hotel and sleep some. The Yotel(the name of hotel) was on the second level but clearly marked. I was shown my room and given an alarm clock so use for wakeup which was nice. The room was a small space but comfortable and quiet. I could sleep, watch tv, or shower. Couldn't ask for much more. The design reminded me of Ikea- simple but very functional.

My last flight was a little over 6 hours, arriving in Accra about 8 pm. On my flight, I sat next to a woman from Liberia who lives in Minneapolis, MN. She was very tired too. KLM airlines was nice and I think it was the first time I had used this airlines. Towards the end of the flight, the airline people start to pass out the Immigration and Custom forms. The Liberian woman didn't understand so I ended up filling out her form too. Some of the information I didn't know either but I gave my best guess. haha!

The Accra airport is quite antiquated. First you deplane using these portable steps that are not for the handicap. Then you walk into the main building. There is a very nice mural on the wall that added some culture to the building. Inside, the lines for Immigration were quite chaotic. I picked a line but true to form, it ended up to be a bad line. The immigration officer seem to be taking an intolerably long time with each passenger, so I spent about 40 minutes in this line before getting to the front. Then I noticed that I had mistakenly left the blue form in the plane. so I asked the line monitor if he could get me another blue form. He said to me " Are you carrying more than $10,000 USD? " I said "No". "Well, then you don't need the blue form". I didn't think he would be correct as the KLM people said we had to fill out both forms. But then the line monitor told me to go into the "diplomat" line. haha! So I did. That immigration officer was so nice. They finger print all your fingers and thumbs.And take a photo of course. First for that for me. Felt a little like a mug shot. haha! I found out too, that I didn't need the blue form and that they paid very little attention to anything you wrote on the white form.

Outside the airport, I looked for the hotel driver who was to pick me up. There must have been about 100 people holding up name signs, so I had to proceed slowly, scanning each sign. I never did see my name but I spotted the name of a fellow volunteer so I knew that this had to be my driver too. After verifying that he was really the right person and not a fake, he took me to the van. Along the way, he two other young local Ghanians accompanied us. They began talking to me in a heavy accent and talking very fast. I was understanding only about 10 % but I didn't ask for clarification because I knew they wanted something or selling something. At the van, they tried to tell me I should tip them for their expert advice. I didnt think they did anything, but they guy keep telling me how intelligent and strong I was. haha! I had read about all kinds of scams that can occur in Ghana, so I thought this must be like that. Finally, I decided I would give him $1 USD, because I thought maybe he would go away. When I pulled out my money, he saw that I had a 5 and 20 too, so he immediately told me that I should give him the 5 as they don't use $1 in Ghana. That is when I told me 'bye" and ended up giving him nothing.

I knew Roberta from Pittsburg was arriving 20 minutes later then me so I had planned to wait for her at the airport, then we could both go to the hotel together. The airport driver went back to find her. A little later he came out and told me that he would take me to the hotel and then come back for her. I told him "no" and that we would continue to wait. He goes back to look for her and then later returns without her. Now, he tells me , she didn't come. I didn't think that was true, so I took the sign with her name and went back myself to look for her. Finally, she came. I knew it would take her a long time to go through security. We rode back to the hotel together.

Don't know if I will get another time to post an entry while in Ghana or not because I am going to a more rural area. Also, I realize now I brought the wrong attachment to download my photos to my iPad. Darn!


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Ferry Boat Tour and Therapeutic Volcanic Mud Massage

The weather continues to be torrid. Today, the heat index was 102 degrees, and this is there winter. I can always retreat to my hotel room, thank goodness, which has the AC continually on. But I will be leaving here tomorrow and flying back to Bogota and then home to Portland. My limited experience in Colombia is 180 degrees different than what I thought I might experience. People are not overly friendly but if I initiated the conversation, they were quick to respond. I have not felt the least bit threatened or intimidated. I just need to learn more Spanish. You can't always find people who know English, nor do I expect it, but then you can find it in the strangest places. Yesterday, I was at the ATM. This ATM is like a small office and it has a guard on duty. (you do see lots of security guards everywhere). There are 4 ATM machines. The guard was talking to the locals, saying something about the machines. I started to ask him too, but explained that my native language was English. He immediately switched to English, and told me he never learned it in school, only studied on his own. His English was quite good. He was extremely helpful and friendly. Also, today, at the hotel, I heard lots of young kids frolicking in the hotel pool. Later, I saw them in the lobby and wondered if they were staying here. Billy, an employee of the hotel, told me that the boss of the hotel invites a number of poor neighborhood children to use the pool every Sunday. Then he buys them all ice cream before they go home. I thought this was a very nice gesture as these kids looked like they had very little. I saw several other acts of charity done for less fortunate. It made me feel good about the Colombians. Next time I come to Colombia I want to know more Spanish and take some cross country bus rides.






Now, to my Boat Tour. I signed up for a small ferry boat trip to two islands for the day. When I arrived at the pier, I was immediately taken to the much larger ferry boat for some reason. Knowing nothing, I didn't disagree and boarded going to the upper deck. On the upper deck, there was no room to really walk around, just rows and rows of bench seats. I was early, but after about 30 minutes, it was clear that this boat was going to be "full". Not sure if they sold more than they could legally hold, but it was no concern to any of the staff or to any of the passengers, except maybe for me. haha! Soon we were sitting ass to ass with only one aisle. I couldn't move it I wanted to. Then, after disembarking, the real "Colombia Party" began. They had an MC, an very loud stereo and karaoke machine that never shut off. It was like I was in some Colombian night club. The MC and everything was all in Spanish, Some passengers were dancing in the aisle. They were extremely active. The MC told jokes and got the audience involved. I do have to say these people do know how to party! Action nonstop! It never stopped for two hours. Finally we arrived at Rosario Island. Well, there was an aquarium there but that costs about 10 USD more, and I thought it was not worth it. The island was small with little or nothing to do, even though some people tried swimming. They we pulled out again to the next island, only this time I went downstairs. Again you couldn't really walk around there either but at least I escaped party scene. I also met a nice local family who I enjoyed visiting with.



Now, to my surprise, on the next island, they had to use two smaller boats to get us to shore. So everyone rushed to the small boat. But it would have to make two trips. This took quite a while for the boat to go back and forth. I took the second boat trip because I didn't really realize what was happening at first. Inside the small boat, people were just standing, with no space in between. Noah's Ark comes to mind, except we were not animals. After all this, I finally go to shore where were we were all going to have lunch. Again, a terrible long line, which is ok except that you have limited time until you have to board the ferry again. Thank heavens for a New York couple who saved me. I met them earlier too and they came and got me from the back of the line and brought me to the front with them. I bought them beer in return. After lunch, we then could walk around the beach but it was full of locals all trying to sell something. The water was clean looking and many did go in. Time passed quickly and then it was another huge ordeal to get back on the ferry boat. On the way back to Cartagena, I sat upstairs again but thankful most of the party people were tuckered out, so things were calmer. The MC was still going strong, and changed into his Michael Jackson clothes and did his sexiest routines. It was all in fun and I would have enjoyed it more if I knew Spanish. Not my favorite trip but live and learn.



Today, I went on a Therapeutic Volcanic Mud Massage trip. I wasn't sure I should do this either but I thought I had asked more questions this time before signing up. haha! I still need to ask a few more. Anyway, there was small charter bus that we rode in to go about 38 KM out of the city to an old volcanic site. There were about 20 on the bus from various hotels, so a much smaller group and a guide who spoke English. When we arrived, I realized it wasn't exactly like I had envisioned. This volcano seemed quite small. I knew we would have to walk a bit but they didn't say it would be up some pretty rickety stairs and the mud bath was at the top!!! Well, this was no time to back out! I decided i should be first in our group and get it over with!! The climb up wasn't bad but now, when you get to the top, you have to walk a short distance on a narrow path to step into this lava tub!! Well, as I maneuvered to the ladder to step into the mud, I tried not to thing about it. Stepping onto the ladder, you could already feel the slipperiness of the lava, so you have to be careful you didn't just "fall in". haha! And make a big splash!!



Once completely in, I could feel the tremendous bouncy of the mud. There was no way you could stand up, so you had to float on your back. Now a local man was trying to tell me what to do but in Spanish. Once I figured out what he wanted me to do, I was just floating on top of the lava and he began to massage my body. It really felt good. He did this a short time, and they directed me to turn over. Well that was a little trickier as you don't want to put your face in the mud, so I hung on to the wall. Again a nice massage on my backside. Then I just kind of soaked in the lava for a bit. Now, it was time to get out. I was a ways from the exit ladder and I just couldn't walk over there though the mud, so they just pass your body from one person to the next. And all the while, I am trying to help, grabbing on to who knows what, until I get to the ladder, to climb out.



Now for a new challenge. As I stepped out of the mud spa, I was on a small platform that attached to the descending stairs. But I noticed that the lava made your stability very dubious. I could just see myself sliding all the way down those stairs. So I started down very slowly, wrapping my arms around the stair poles, just in case. Thankful, the young Irish couple behind me, were almost as nervous as I was and told me to take my time. I was glad to reach the bottom.



Now for the cleansing in the lake. You walk a short distance to a lake to wash away all the mud. A woman leads me out to about thigh deep water and motions for me to sit, which I did. Now sitting with water almost to my neck, she proceeds to pour small buckets of water over my head and face. Each time, i am trying not to swallow any of this water just in case it might make me sick and at the same time I am thinking this must be like the Chinese water torture treatment!!! haha! I would never survive! Finally, after about 20 buckets she declares me clean and free to go. This also could be compared to immersion baptism!



After we dried off a little we, drove to another beach for lunch and some time in the water. The lunch was fresh grilled fish, with fried coconut rice and fried bananas(plantains). It was quite good. Arrived back at my hotel and felt good.



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Bus Tour

Yesterday, I signup for a bus tour. It is isn't exactly a bus but an open truck with a lot of bench seats. There must have been about 30+ people in the group. They drive around and pickup at many different hotels before the tour started and luckily I got on early and got a good seat. I was told ahead of time that the guide would speak English and this turned out to be true but I was the only one in the group that needed English, so I felt a little guilty always having it translated. For this reason, I didn't ask a lot of questions or I took his abbreviated version.



One place were visited was the old Spanish fort called Castillo de San Felipe in the historic part of town. This was built and maintained by the Spanish in about 1657. It was used like a bank because gold was brought here and kept for shipping out to Europe. At the top, you could see many different lookout posts, with cannons. Some places were like a tunnel for a secret passage out and built so you could see and hear anyone from the top but not from the bottom. I not sure how many years it was maintained. I do know that Cartagena was the first place in the Western World to free slaves. This was something I read before.


We also toured the oldest and narrowest streets in Cartagena. One place was a convent for cloistered nuns. This convent also served as an orphanage. Poor people would often bring their new babies here if they couldn't afford to keep them. Because it was a cloistered order, the transfer was done by way of a revolving drawer. The mother would place the newborn in a small box on one side of the wall. Then the box or drawer would be rotated to another side of the wall in another room. There the nun would take the baby, so no one saw each other. I am not sure how many children were brought here.


I met another young couple on the tour. They were with their one year old son. We enjoyed trying to communicate but they were very friendly by taking photos of me, helping me buy a special gift for a friend, and buying water for me. So far, I don't have any fear of walking around most anyplace. I not sure why Colombia has this bad image, but most seem quite honest and helpful. A good example was yesterday on the tour. When we got off to tour the castle, I left my Nike backpack on the bus. When I got back, I immediately noticed that the bag was gone. Then, I started to think what was in it. I decided not much and that I should have taken it with me because their are really no doors on this bus and they didn't say I could left it. Well, just as everyone returned and the bus driver was about to drive to another location, he reaches down into his ice chest and pulls out my bag. I then knew that he had noticed that I had left it and if he hadn't put it in a safe place, it would have been taken. I tipped him when I left he tour. Lesson learned.



I think I got my zipper pulls fixed today. I asked a man at the hotel where to go and then he gave the taxi driver very specific instructions. It was in the old central part of town, near the central market. I made sure to ask him the price before he started to repair it. He said 200 sols-I had him write it down too. Well, after about 30 seconds, he was done. And I thought 200 was too little, so I gave him 200 sols, which is about 1 USD. From there I walked around enough to get lost. I have decided that no one knows how to read a map nor can I find a good map of the area. You really can't get lost her as you can always get a taxi and if you walk long enough you are sure to get back, as not that big an area. But it is quite hot, about 90 degrees I think and this is there winder. It threatens rain but i don't think it has ever happened yet. On my meandering, I stopped at a coffee shop. Simple orders like coffee can take a while so best never to get in a hurry. One older man was interested in talking to me so we struck up a conversation. He was Colombia but his father was Chinese. After learning all about his marriages and children and his new girlfriend in New Jersey, he wrote down and gave me his phone number and name. Of course, I had to do the same. I think he was about my age too.


I ended up walking all the way back to my hotel.




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