the fast life in Ghanaian time

Well everyone, my Ghanaian life finally began and JS' dayplanner has been reinstated.

Did you miss me? ;)

I began my internship with AED (Academy for Educational Development) with their project in Ghana, SHARP (Strengthening HIV/AIDs Response Partnerships). SHARP is a 5 year project funded by USAID that "seeks to use an evidence and researched-based approach to identify most-at-risk groups, understand their needs, and develop targeted interventions based on these results." With the rise in technology significantly impacting the rush towards globalization, SHARP introduces technological approaches to develop said interventions. The project that I am currently working on is called "Text Me! Flash Me! Watch Me!" Utilizing the mobile phone networks, this program works to anonymously aid the stigmatized and marginalized populations suffering from HIV/AIDs by offering private online counseling along with providing tolerant clinics. When I interviewed for this internship, I was informed that the project was doing 300x better than expected--they were not kidding.

As I am not quite technologically inclined, the barrier between technical worlds has impacted me far greater than I had anticipated. My first day I "out-teched" the tech guy with my J-friendly MacBook. The computers the offices uses need to be reformatted and are riddled with errors. The infrastructure is so poorly developed that sending and receiving anything externally is questionable. Additionally, the only database software available is a 2003 version of Excel along with Access. Now, I can maneuver my way around Excel, but I am no where near competent enough to create a database from scratch. Queries? PivotTables? What?

I was handed a pile of data dating back to May and asked to create order so as to analyze the data. As this is a pilot program, data analysis is key as is speed and efficiency. Somehow I created a variety of 'databases' and spreadsheets...unfortunately I am the only one with the information. After a week, I had a sinking feeling that I was going to be asked to analyze the data in a way that I would be unable to do. The guy working with me on statistics told me to literally tally every page by hand--I told him that that was ridiculous as after two weeks in a 12 week pilot we had over 300 entries. Move to my second week of work with a JS meltdown...don't worry, it was internal. I sat in despair in between classes on Wednesday convinced that I needed to quit school and go to work immediately to figure out a new way to enter the data. Of course, the internet at home is so spotty that it never works when you really really need it....but I shouldn't complain as there are not many people with internet any where NEAR their homes here.

Well, I decided that the only thing I could do was to invent a system so as to analyze the data. Since the stats guy had no idea how to input data into the computer, I invented the J-style system that no one except for me will understand. But it will work and ultimately that's all I care about. :) The stats guy seemed quite baffled by my little system...but, hey, he couldn't help!

It is times like these that I wish I was more computer savvy.

Well that's my work experience. I went to a "party" for our client-demographic last night and was absolutely amazed by the effects of stigmatization. The system of codes and key phrases that exist are quite incredible in the underground world. I still have much to learn about life in the developing world. Last night was quite interesting though as the SHARP driver dropped me off at the Osu roundabout and I had to find my way home for the first time ever--at 11:30pm. I walked up the street, hopped on a tro-tro (for the first time) and was dropped off at the Labone junction. Thank goodness Chris (a CRA) had shown me the way to and from the Labone junction on Tuesday morning when I rushed around to get my visa extension done. Despite having absolutely no sense of direction, I obviously got home. !!!

School is going ok...I feel intellectually stifled in my Legon courses which is slightly frustrating-I actually went and argued with my professor after class on Wednesday, much to the horror of my friend in class....but the professor saw my point and said that he may be ok with that on the exam as it showed that I was using my brain....sigh. In addition to my 20 hour internship and full course load, I am trying to organize a conference with students from Legon, Ashesi, and NYU to discuss the Aid Effectiveness Conference from September. I am in charge of twenty students in my Internship class. I am in charge of twenty students who have no desire to participate, do not accept that I'm supposed to be in charge, and who just want to party party party. Talk about frustrating....this conference has potential to be absolutely amazing and enlightening, but 2/3 of the class hates the professor, refuses to participate, and spends every night getting wasted and making a mess in my house. I am not pleased. And all of our cups, mugs, and plates have disappeared! There are definitely issues with living with the people you are supposed to work with. Hm. At this point, my professor either needs to tell the class that they need to actually listen to me or she needs to cancel the conference--why would I put in all of this effort when nothing is going to get done? Big sigh, deep breath. It is a good thing I enjoy being busy.

Last weekend a Homestay was arranged for those of us brave enough (or awkward enough) to be sent to live in a home with strangers. My family was absolutely amazing. The mom and dad were extremely hospitable, as were their three children. The eldest, Steven, was about 19 and had just finished a year of aviation school. His exam grades were not good enough to go to University so he was retaking them that weekend. The middle child, Samuel, is 16 and the youngest child, Esther, is 12.

Samuel was supposed to be studying in America for the year but was told three weeks ago that AFS couldn't find a host family for him and that he wouldn't be allowed to go. He has a visa--that's generally the hardest part for a Ghanaian. On Saturday I was taken along to Cape Coast to take Samuel to his final year of Secondary School--he was incredibly embarrassed. He had already told his friends, teachers, and peers that he would not be returning...he was so embarrassed he wanted to switch schools. Samuel is a very well mannered and intelligent boy--his grades are so good that he would have been eligible to be a class prefect. Class prefects get to sleep in a room with three other prefects. Normal students get to sleep in a warehouse type building with walls dividing groups of 12 students. Samuel more or less got shafted. If any one is interested in taking in a very polite and studious Ghanaian for a year, please let me know!

Esther and Steven have physical and mental disabilities. The strangest thing for me was that no one really acknowledged this fact--the parents actually acted as though there was nothing different about them at all. Which is fine until the Steven's poor test scores came into discussion or when Esther was trying to get her home work done. Ironically, before I came here I had mentioned to Aunty Jacque that one of the hardest things for me was working with disabled children. I definitely spent 2 solid days with Esther attached to my hip....It wasn't as hard as I had anticipated :)

The drive to Cape Coast is an experience in itself. We were supposed to leave at 7am, so I was up by 6. Well, 5 hours later I was still sitting on the couch reading/talking to Esther. When we finally left at around 1, the traffic was so terrible that we didn't arrive in Cape Coast until about 5:30pm...it is normally a 2 hour drive. We finally ate at Cape Coast University where the food was absolutely delicious! We all had "Red-Red," a plate with plantains, beans, and chicken. So good. Like, seriously, so good. I tried to pay for the meal and the dad just laughed at me. Sigh. By about 6:30 we decided that it was time to leave back to Accra.

It gets dark in Ghana at 6:30. I looked at Mr. Mensah and asked him if he was alright to drive....and noticed that he had cataracts.

O-M-G.

I sat in the back of the car with Esther sleeping on my lap for about 4 hours terrified. I was absolutely convinced that I was going to end up in a mangled car wreck on the road back to Accra and that my mother's worst fears were going to happen, but at least the money paid for SOS insurance was going to be used.... Mr. Mensah drove terribly slowly, swerved every time an oncoming car came close, and dodged every tro-tro/bus that overtook us. Terrifying. I offered to drive his not-so-sturdy manual car, but he continued to say that he was fine.

In the end, we got home safe and sound and I ate some of the leftover dinner Aunty Angela prepared. I then went to sleep under the lovely little mosquito net. I woke up at 6 cuddling with the mosquito net. Yea, don't ask. I got up and got ready for church....Ghanaian time, we were about 2 hours late for church. Which is totally fine as church is about 5 hours long. The message was good, the songs the same as the States, and the speaking in tongues an interesting little addition to the routine. I met the pastor after church and he was quite nice.

The family is so kind--we stopped by a market after church and Aunty Angela actually payed for my fruit, refusing to let me saying that it would be like letting her own daughter pay for food. I said that I paid for my own food, and she tsked tsked "The culture is different here." Oh, the oranges were 25 pieces for 1Ghana Cedi (about 1 dollar). Loveeee it.

All in all I had an incredible weekend but would have liked a more "cultural" experience. Some students shared beds with grandmas, lived on a polygamist compound, and/or pounded fufu after bathing in a bucket. But everything happens for a reason and I was put in a situation I previously though I would be uncomfortable in.

I feel as though this email is not as fun as my other ones. Apologies.

So basically, my life here is absolutely busy! I go to sleep by about...11. I wake up by about 6, and I run around Accra getting my work done before the weekend. This is the first (and only) weekend we have in town. Lots to do, lots to do.

I did watch the debates last night, 1am Ghana time. I won't go into it, but I should have just gone to bed.

Yesterday when I got to work, I had an idea of everything I needed to accomplish in my 5 hours at the office. Well, plans sure change when I arrived at 8:30 and was told that power was out, internet was down, and intranet was unavailable. While in NYC the office would be in chaos and the IT guy would be frantically trying to find a satellite to connect to, everyone just sort of....conversed. Now, those of you that know me know how awkward I am with actual human interaction....But we just sat around and talked to one another. I have been so frustrated the last few months with the bombardment of political views that I pretty much wanted to scream--yesterday I finally had a mature political discussion. Instead of having immature liberal ideologies thrown into my face (who made fun of my mother's political views) (I was pissed) I was able to have a polite discussion where I actually found out about a few educated Ghanaian views on the American election and they listened to my reasons for being undecided.

To think. People actually listened to me, understood my point of view, and RESPECTED my opinions.

I also met my first Ghanaian against Obama.

Now don't get me wrong--I am not saying that I am pro-McCain OR pro-Obama. I am not anti either party. I am the epitome of undecided. But finally having a conversation where I was respected for my views was really, really refreshing.

I hate politics.

X held a movie night on Tuesday to view the War Room, a film based on the 92 political campaign for Clinton. After the film we had a discussion about the film in relation to the current election. Now, I am fine with people who are extremely steadfast in liberal ideology, but I am NOT fine with having it spat at me in a condescending way. I am also not fine with X attacking conservative views in a snide, malicious way. I was extremely offended and went to bed extremely angry. X actually sneered when I said that my mother supported McCain and Palin and was conservative in her views.

What the hell happened to tolerance and respect?

When a friend of my introduced the conservative side for the strict purpose of discussion, X literally laughed and snidely remarked that those views were stupid.

This woman is something else. Yes, this is the woman who more-or-less told me that I was hospitalized for drinking too much, not from the meal provided by NYU. When I hadn't been drinking. At all.

Times like these I really start to lose hope in humanity. Of course, it is quickly regained when I look at the people (like you!) that I interact with on a daily basis. I suppose we have to have people like that to balance out the good in the world....

Ok, this email is too long, too jumbled, and too boring. I'm trying to upload photos from my homestay, but facebook doesn't really like me today and I have a lot of work to get done! My roommate's (Julia) 20th was on Thursday so we are taking her out to dinner tonight. We are attempting to find this elusive Thai place that does not exist online but has a billboard at the Osu roundabout....the phone lines in Accra have been down, so its existence is questionable. Should be an adventure!

I hope everything is well!!! Take care :)

Dreams of dim sum and bagna...
J