First impression… well shit, what the hell did I get myself into (pardon the language)?

Second impression… get some sleep Molly and snap out of this… you signed up for this and the world always seems brighter when ample amounts of sleep is to be had.

Third impression… coming as soon as I ‘officially’ move to Kute… and I’m sure it will be much brighter (currently I’m here on a site visit, and will make the grand move in the middle of August).

Ok, stop, wait, don’t think where I moved to is the dumps (do keep in mind though that this is a developing country) and it’s most certainly not paradise either… rather it’s a very, VERY rural community located at the end of the road (very, VERY bad road) bordering with Togo, that has farming as it’s main economic pull for the people.

I guess A) I should think of the positive parts of today and B) rewind a bit in time to give you (the reader) a few reasons why I’m feeling super overwhelmed…

Positive Occurrences of 7/7/10!

1. I had a HOT bucket bath… that’s right it was hot, as in steam was rolling off the body as I scrubbed myself clean… pretty darn amazing!

2. It’s only going to be a half hour bike ride to one of my good friends… thank goodness.

3. I got to eat an apple and watermelon today… so yummy!

4. At least my new home is safe and secure!

5. Jazzercise… including a Ghanaian version of Richard Simmons, Acua’s Barbie Girl on repeat, and a gymnasium built for the early 90’s (although this took place during training it might just be the highlight of the past few days)

Rewinding to the days prior to 7/7/10…

I escaped the isolated (or so I thought) village of Addonkwanta to celebrate the 4th of July with the Omnibus crew, attend counter part training (where we got to meet our counter parts, supervisors and get trained in the working relationship between the CP, supervisor and the PCV) take a site visit to where I’ll be residing for the next two years. And then continue from there to technical training (I’m still in the site visit aspect of this 3 week journey around Ghana).

Training was filled with more long and grueling hours of sitting in more than uncomfortable chairs, going over repeated information about working with Ghanaians, sexual harassment, expectations, policies and procedures of the PC, etc. It was also the first introductions to a few key people in our communities. The people who we will be working closely with on our main projects and it was a chance to sus out what else they envision us to do for the community… (where my first bout of nervousness came in)

Night one I met my counter part… her name is Mary, she is a local farmer in Kute, farming maize and ginger. So far she seems nice, quite, and I hope that she can help me get involved with the women of the community (I have some crafty projects in mind that I’m hoping the women can make and then sell these items in the local tourist communities… but now I getting too far a head… sorry). Found out from her though that I’m learning the wrong language… Well shit… Eve will work (or it’s going to have to for my language test that I’ll be taking in a few weeks), but in Kute they speak Buem… yup yup…

Day two I met my supervisor… my overly pushy, sexist supervisor who envisions that I will be able to solve all the worlds problems… or at least all the problems in Kute. Raymond (his Christian name) gave me my main project… farming ginger, dehydrating it, and then pulverizing it so the spice can be exported. Sounds legit, I’m down with this main project… but then he told me that for my secondary projects (plural there) I’ll be rearing grass cutter, keeping bees, farming snails, and teaching ICT in the senior high school… humm… yes I agree all these projects sound great… but (yes there is always a but…) I’m the one, me, Molly, who gets to assess if I need a secondary project (singular there) and have the time and energy to complete it and make it worth wild for the community. It’s not to say that I can’t and won’t try any and if not all of the options that are listed above, it’s more that he demanded that this is what I’ll be doing… demand being the key word here.

During some of the group work during the two-day training Raymond kept throwing out super sexist comments, such as “the women must be the secretaries, writing is not a job for the man…” and expecting the women to serve him his food… Time to stand up for myself and be the stronger women here and teach the Ghanaians about American culture (2nd goal for the PCV’s) and that women and men are treated equal.

Day four we all set off for the ‘site visit.’ 9 of us with our CP’s, supervisors and all our luggage (we were told to bring everything, and then live the rest of training out of a small backpack, to ensure that all our belongings make it to our villages) loaded into two tro tro’s and set off to the Volta Region. Dropping a few volunteers off along the way and splitting up in Ho Hoe to go our respective ways to our villages I arrived in Kute exhausted, over whelmed and having too many expectations in my head.

Kute is surrounded by fog covered rolling hills, filled with tropical lush vegetation and having a red dirt road as the only way in and out… Taking about an hour to get from Ho Hoe (my closest main city/town) to Kute (I’m stepping further into isolation). It was pouring rain (I’m still hoping that these rains are a blessing) on the trek to Kute… one thought that never crossed my mind was that cars are also not a waterproof place for belongings (I do believe that the majority of the vehicles in Ghana are sent from Europe when they fail inspection… or so it seams.) We pulled my bags out of the car, soaking wet and covered in mud and entered my new room.

Ok so I was told that I was to be provided with two rooms… one for sitting, and one for sleeping, there would be a kitchen or more or less a room to do the cooking in. There would be a latrine, a spot for bathing, and I would have a spot for gardening… I also threw in with my own imagination that I wouldn’t be in the middle of town, I would have a covered porch as most Ghanaian compound do, somewhere to hang a clothes line and I thought there would be some trees near by for shade, hammock hanging and to add a little scenery… Ok lesson learned, get rid of all expectations and take it for what it is.

So I have two rooms off of this building that has rows of rooms for rent… One is my kitchen (or is intended to be) and one is my living rooms, my office, my bedroom… my everything room. There is no porch, no area to sit outside and watch the rain pour or escape the heat. My view out my door is another cement wall that has a goat (live one) bleating and looking at me uncomfortably. The one, lonesome window is small, too small, barley allowing any light in. My latrine is brand spanking new (huge, huge plus), and the area to bucket bath… well being 5’10’’ sucks when they only build walls to cover so much. There is right now no door, but I requested that one be put in (don’t think I’m being to selfish here, but I really don’t feel comfortable bathing when people can just watch me.)

My supervisor said that he will get me a small refrigerator (not that necessary, but sweet if it really happens), I will have a propane stove, and I’m going to get some furniture made so I can actually make this room my new home… yep its going to happen. My supervisor seems to think that he knows what else I need… “Molly you will have carpet, and you don’t need that kind of table, you need this one so you can study mushroom farming. Your book self will… aw yes, it will have three shelves… one for mushroom farming, one for bee keeping, and the other for rearing grass cutter” (because I’m overloaded with books on these topics…and I need a place to store them…? I don’t know)

Kute seems to be swamped with mud (partially because it just poured rain). I was introduced to the chief, and started meeting other members of the village. Was given a dog, well a puppy rather, and I didn’t have the guts to say no. So name ideas anyone? Started getting marriage proposals again… just have to get it stated to the village that I have a boyfriend, I’m married or whatever they want to hear... I’m not here for marriage, end of story. And the best one was “where is all the money that you are bring to this village?” (Like I’m coming in with bags filled with Ghana Cedi??) Well… I’m not here to bring money; I’m here to help generate projects that in turn will generate more of a profit for the community. I’m here to help the farmer’s farm more efficiently, to get more of a yield from their crops, make it more nutritious, and come up with some alternative livelihood projects that can generate the profit, help in the health clinic, water sanitation and HIV/AIDS education, possibly work in the schools, start community gardens… that’s where the money is. (In that line of thought though, if anyone has any close connections with fair trade import shops at home and wants hand crafted and recycled items, hand made clothing and jewelry we should talk…)

Dinner was super awkward as my supervisor felt the need to watch me eat, observing as I picked apart the fish to remove the bones, and to see how much I ate. I thought at first that we would be sharing a meal… oh no, I’m just here for the observation… watch the white girl, see how she does it. Luckily after I ate my supervisor said he had to go… thank goodness, but I was left with my counter part… she gave me my bath water (it was hot… first hot bath in over a month) and then watched as I took my bucket bath. I tried to hang a cloth to block the door, but yeah… 5’ 10’’ and with there being no door… awkward (glad the door is the first thing to be getting built).

Welcome to Kute Molly!