cold showers

Well, I have been here in Ghana since June 23rd. Everyday, okay, twice daily I have been taking showers. Here... because it is so hot and you get dirty walking everywhere... you got to "bath" at least 2x's a day. The showers are not like at home. It is a step up from my last visit to Ghana. During 2007 they were rationing the water, and at times it wouldn't run for days, so you get water from buckets. Yes, a bucket bath/shower. It was real fun.

Now... I have an actual shower, no curtain, just the tub and a shower head. It's progress.... anyways, the best part about the whole thing is the showers are cold. Cold water, as in NO HEATER!!! So.... no warm water. All of you who are taking showers every morning, please think of me when your standing under the shower head and steam is filling the bathroom as the water is so warm it is making you doze off back to sleep!!! haha. Now, turn the faucet all the way to cold, and take the same shower. Bet you can't do it!!! :) Just do it 1 time, and then think how fortunate we are to have hot water in our showers.

I am challenging all of you who read this blog to please, in honor of me ... take a cold shower. It wasn't easy I admit at first. You shiver, you want to jump away from the water, hurry and finish... but after awhile it is actually quite refreshing. Just try it.... now before it gets too cold!!

Birthday Wishes

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET SWINE!!!

26 YEARS OLD EHH??? YOUR GETTING UP THERE!!!

DID YOU EVER GO TO CEDAR POINT???

LOVE YA ESS XOXO

recent pic - I have freckles now!!!!

Heyy... this a a recent pic of me. Can you see the dang freckles?! I hate them, I never thought I would see the day that I would have them... just like Monica and Sarah. Grrr... Anyways, as you can see.... I'm okay. A bit whiter, a bit smaller, but mostly about the same.

what's new??

Well.... I am about finished with one of my major papers. I have 2 more left. I am a bit bored at times. I go to the school to help out with the kids, but it seems they often have more than enough help. I do my daily chores, and then just hang out around the house with Maa mostly. Annabelle is getting big, and naughty. She is actually a "heathen". She has now figured out how to jump out of the porch, and so she does it whenever she feels like. Today, I met her laying on the railing of the porch. What?! She is a brat. I think I may have to build her pen sooner than I had expected. Her horns are definately coming out, and she seems taller and longer. Still very cute though.

We have another funeral to attend this saturday, in Kumawu again. Apparently this funeral is at the palace because the dead king's brother has died. So... that should be interesting. Last time we attended a funeral in Kumawu we entered the funeral and sat with the current acting king. Very cool.

Otherwise, same ole same ole here. The weather is getting hot, I hate that. I am enjoying my boxes of goodies from home. I have since finished the bag of pretzel rods, and have only 3 containers of pickles left, ohh and a box of nerds is also gone.

The days are winding down, soon I will be back home. I am very excited about that. See you all very soon. xoxo Love, Steph

Down with a cold....waiting for packages

Well, per the usual, I have a cold. It will undoubtedly last about 1 month.... yuck. My mom and Dad have had a cold.... and even the Maa in my house!!! Guess it's my turn.

I am going to the post office today to check if I have any packages in Kumasi to pick up. My mom recently sent 2 boxes of stuff!!! The most important thing in those boxes will be the pickles!! I plan on eating at least one right at the customs office!!! haha. The boxes cost about $50 bucks a piece to ship, and then I end up paying about$5-10 to get them out of the customs office. I have a way better deal than my mom!!!

This week will be pretty low key, mostly because I feel like crap. I think it is a combination sinus infection, which has finally reached my chest and now that is completely congested.... also, my tummy is running again. The malaria test said negative, but they did find 1 parasite on my slide on the microscope?? At this point, taking a malaria treatment med will make me feel 100x's worse than I do now. It is like taking an overdose of a cold medication!!! You feel terrible, very weak, and can't eat. Yuck. I think I will tough it out, and maybe eat more fufuo to make my tummy stop running!!!

I will be in the house all week working on my research papers. At night, I will go to the school and help the kids with their prep work... it is kind of like extra classes at night, where they get tutored and the teacher goes over the lessons in more detail. Otherwise, things are pretty boring in Oyoko. haha. I wish I were home on campus at MSU!!! I definately miss being in class. Never thought I would say that outloud but it's true. It's a routine... that I am used to.

Talk soon.xoxo
Steph

baby chicks!!!

Here is the best pic I could get.... she seemed very nervous everytime I went in the coup. Here only 4 chicks are seen, but she has 6. 3 yellow, and 3 black. hehe. Very cute. They look just like the pics you see at Easter!!!

S.O.S.

Heyyy everyone.... well, I haven't written in awhile.... cause not much is going on. I am just working on my research papers, soon I will start doing the surveys with the students, maybe end of Oct/beg. of Nov. I have been going to the school 3 days a week to help out in the classrooms. I have even started attending the Twi class at the school. It is a bit over my head, but good practice I think.

We have baby chicks!!! I will get a pic and post it soon. She had 6, 2 eggs were bad and never hatched. The black hen now has laid eggs, I think 7?? We will have soo many babies running around. haha. They are still locked up in the coup. We are more scared of someone stealing our chickens, than of predators getting them. The other day we came home to find the coup door open!!! Our chickens were out roaming about, and that night we had to go search for them.

This weekend, will be the usual routine. Saturday.... kumasi market and sunday.... effiduase market. haha. I am going to start buying things one at a time to bring back home. My suitcases will be full of my new clothes I have had made since I have been here.... and of gifts. haha. Anyone want anything special???

I hope everyone is doing well. I definately miss home. I would give anything to be on MSU campus this fall. Fall is my favorite season, and being on campus during that time is sooo nice. The breeze is cool and the leaves so pretty.

In the event that a rumor has already started.... I will clarify that yes.... I AM COMING HOME EARLY. However, I have not told anyone when exactly that will be. Just know it is sometime between dec. 15th and Dec. 23rd. hehe. You can all be surprised when I walk through your door!!! I already have arrangements to be picked from the airport. I wanted it to be a total surprise, but... I couldn't resist teasing my mom with the news.

Love and miss you all too much.xoxo