There is still a lot to write, and I haven't said much about work, or things last week.. I suppose it helps that I have only been able to write twice in my first 9 days here. Ok, now to begin, and hopefully touch on at least most of what I was hoping to. Today (Monday night) was probably my best day of work yet! The day started well. It wasn’t really any earlier than normal, but we were picked up at Stephen’s house at 6:30am to drive into Accra and go to work. We drove with a missionary couple (the Terry’s) and found plenty to talk about. I look forward to meeting with them again in the future. The weekend really was so nice partly because of the influence of the church. The family we stayed with, as well as the four USU members there are all part of the church. Add on top of that church meetings, and a very long and good talk about God with Josh last night, and it was a good weekend.
We drove roughly 3 hours from Abomosu down to Achimota. We stopped in self named “bread town” and got two giant rolls. They tasted wonderful! I could eat one every morning. Otherwise the trip was uneventful. They were able to drop us off on the freeway, and we knew how to get to the office from there! (It is honestly less than a block, but we, and Kingsbridge, were very proud of us.) Another taste of independence. On our trip we found our way there, found 2 individuals who may qualify for loans, and found our way back, including a walk to the office. Once we got there we wanted to get something to eat or drink, and instead of having it ordered or being driven – we were shown a small shop where we could buy some juice! It is a small thing, but was very nice.. Josh and I decided to pretty much just eat fruit and bread for lunches. It is MUCH cheaper than ordering food, and honestly, we don’t need three BIG meals a day. Haha, I also learned that my stomach has been reacting to the food here – it has been getting bigger. Eating in Abomosu was sufficient, but both Josh and I could have eaten much more. (Abbie, we were fine, promise. We are just getting used to ridiculously sized meals.) I’m totally going to gain weight here! The only saving grace for my waistline is the point that it is all so dang healthy. Hardly anything here could be compared to ‘candy’ or ‘sweets’ there. No junk food except what we packed along with us.
Once at work, we learned the power was off. So, we just kind of did nothing for a little, then went to collect money with Emmanuel. This is another small, but significant to me, blessing. On the drive with Emmanuel, Josh let me sit in front, and then took a nap. I’m not sure why Josh toning down a bit helps me to open up so much, but it really does! I started practicing my Twi WAY more than normal. Learning new words and using phrases as we drove. (Usually I listen to Josh do this same thing, and only really repeat some things.) For some reason this just gave me a confidence boost. I had my own chance to learn, to discuss, and to practice. Then back at the office I went back to my quiet desk and got online (the power was back on). Josh soon needed a computer, (we didn’t have our laptops) and so I traded him seats. Now… Josh’s desk is the very first one when you walk into the office. Mine is literally along the back wall. (It is a small office.. one room that is long and narrow.) Being in Josh’s desk meant I was able to greet everyone when they walked in. I wrote receipts for loan payments, talked with a woman about her business, talked with new clients and interviewed them about their business, etc. and even when there were no clients – I would speak up a lot more. I was joking that, “I’m not really quiet, I’m just always in the back!” I think I honestly surprised everyone I work with. Yes I actually can be outgoing, confident, straightforward, and fun. J Essentially.. sitting in the front, with my confidence boost this morning from Emmanuel, and a booster from visiting Abomosu for the weekend, was the perfect combination of wonderful things. To top that all off, a woman came in to pay part of her loan, and I was able to talk to her (through Ivy translating) about her business, what was happening, where she got her goods, etc. She sells cloth (toma) and copper jewelry. I asked several questions about the cloth and learned a lot about how things are done here. Long story short I commented that I liked one of them. Ivy apparently agreed. She bargained with the woman for quite awhile and bought the cloth! It comes in 6 yard bolts (some sell it in 3.. which is much more convenient) and so that will perfectly make 2 dresses for us. So I’m going to have a new dress! On the way home from work we stopped at a seamstress here in the community. I was then shown 4 walls of dresses I could choose from… alright, for anyone who knows me.. how successful could this possibly be? I finally choose one that I thought was cute, but needed more sleeves. That apparently was not going to work. My next selection though, was a success! I was then measured for my dress. Such a new experience; and kind of exciting. Now I just have to wait for Friday to come, or maybe wait til Sunday or Monday next week, and I’ll have a new – African – dress. This is something that will happen again in the future.. J It will cost roughly $13, which I feel pretty decent about. Ivy and I are going to go shopping sometime or another, for cloth and beads.
There was a girl at the shop too, who decided to keep calling me ‘obroni’, to which I was now able to reply (after having learned in Abomosu) “bebeni” (black person). We then got in a small contest of calling each other white and black people, and was actually really fun. I am now friends with the seamstress shop J
Finally, I had the opportunity to wash clothes today. That involves putting like 6 articles of clothing into a very small washer, pouring in the water, mixing in the soap and clothes, and letting it spin for 6 minutes. After that, you wring them out, and put them in a bucket. That bucket is carried outside where you try to rinse the soap out. This for some reason seems to be the most difficult and long process of the whole event. Then as you rinse them out, a piece at a time, you find a place to hang them on the clothesline. Then you wait, presumably not forever, though my jeans I believe may take several days.. if it stays dry. Lol. Let’s pray for no rain, and low humidity.
All in all, very good day. Josh is going to have to defend that post of his… I think after seeing just how huge the change was in me from sitting in the back to the front.. Kingsbridge will feel encouraged to change. (I’m not totally silent, uninvolved, or depressed in the back ;) it is just harder to participate in the natural conversation that develops. Not sure when to go and awkwardly join, or stay, or put myself out there). I’m thinking that I will propose we trade off sitting in the front, because it opened up the office so much to me. Haha, plus it was the busiest day at the office since we arrived. Also, getting a dress. What a way to make a girl smile.
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