Hope

In a country where names like "Patience" and "Blessing" are common, I shouldn't be surprised to find Hope everywhere. A couple of weeks ago when we brought our puppy home, we asked our security guard, a 60+ year old man who seems very wise, what we should name the dog - without hesitation, he said "Hope". It somehow felt much deeper than a suggested name for a dog.

Tonight, Ghana played Egypt in the final for the Africa Cup of Nations. Going into the tournament a couple of weeks ago, Ghana's chances weren't looking so great. At least 5 of their top players were out with injuries. On the day of the first round game, I asked my driver how he thought the team would do. I was expecting some sort of smart remark about the injuries, but instead he said simply "they will do their best". As Ghana kept advancing, Ghanaian pride became more and more obvious - cars with flags, people wearing Black Star shirts, everyone talking about "the game". I, of course, was not going to miss this. I dropped the kids off at a Pirate Birthday party that was strategically timed for the duration of the game and I headed to the Guinness outdoor screen and stage that had been setup for the Africa Cup. I'm sure there were other Obrunis (white people) there, but I didn't see any. I just enjoyed being in the middle of true Ghanaian spirit. Everything I observed reinforced the feeling of hope....people being interviewed prior to the game said things like "no matter the consequence, Ghana is the winner". "Ghana will do its best, who wins does not matter." Easy enough to say before the game, but what about afterwards, when Ghana lost 1-0, Egypt making the only score of the game in the last five minutes? People were still proud. The announcer on the radio kept trying to make Ghana out to be the sad loser, making comments about "poor Ghana" and how "devastated" Ghana must be. But when fans were interviewed, they remained upbeat and the most typically Ghanaian comment I heard was "Hope is not lost.....we lost to a very good team and we played well. There is hope."
Yes, there is hope. And, yes, Ghana IS the winner.......

Puppy Love

 think the heat is getting to my brain. I have never been a "dog person" yet somehow I found myself thinking that getting a dog here would be a good idea. My rationale was roughly this: I have all tile floors - making doggy "accidents" less of a big deal, I have a housekeeper & yard keeper around during the day to help out, I have a large, fully gated yard, dog trainers and vets are well trained and relatively inexpensive here and the kids seem like they're at an age where they can actually take responsibility for a pup. Somehow that logic went from getting a puppy to deciding we needed a Goldendoodle (golden retriever/poodle mix) since they don't shed and are low-allergen, to falling in love with #6 female - a pup from a breeder in Canada, having the pup shipped to NYC, where I'll be in March, me bringing the pup back to Ghana and us living happily ever after with our new little family member. Of course, we would have first read up on dog behavior, have a dog trainer picked out and have everything all ready for our new arrival. Next thing I know, we're walking down the street in the main commercial center of Accra and see a guy standing on the corner selling a pup that looks a lot like a Goldendoodle. We've NEVER seen a dog like that here. Turns out it is a poodle/Chihuahua mix. Much begging, pleading, planning and cajoling ensued. By the time we had finished dinner, we were scouring the streets, looking for the puppy seller. That night, we came home with Zig Zag, a little boy pup who is waiting to be joined in March by #6 female, his sister from Canada. He is very sweet and is already a part of the family. We’re working on getting a dog trainer, I’m trying to read the last couple chapters of the dog behavior book and I’m remembering what it was like getting up every couple of hours at night with a baby. Peeing seems to be a sport for him - I've nicknamed him the "little big piddler" and I'm just grateful I have tile floors…..

Female #6 - arriving in March

Zig Zag - 11 weeks

RAIN!!!

I know all of you back in the Northwest are lamenting the rain, rain, rain. Too much of anything is, well, too much. We've been having too much sun. Tonight, the skies opened up and we were deluged with sweet rain! Powerful lightning burst through the sky and the earth rumbled with thunder and it went on for a couple of hours. We were delighted! I think the pictures below speak for themselves.......

Riding into the New Year

Aaaah, after spending an amazing week at Axim Beach on Ghana's West Coast (near the Cote d'Ivoire border), we are getting back into the school/work routine.  The kids had a full month off due to a mis-guided swine flu scare and we (ok, I) decided that is WAY too much unstructured time.  I had a much needed break over the holidays and am starting the year rejuvenated and ready for the many project deadlines coming up in the next several months. 

The kids started horseback riding lessons a few weeks ago.  I take them to the nearby military base where I pay about $5.50 each for them to have a 1 hour lesson.  At that price, we're going twice a week!  A colleague from the US just returned from a visit to the States with new paddock boots &; riding pants for the kids - items not found in Ghana.  As I was sitting at the base, watching the kids ride, the sun set, women & kids waiting in line for water and the base camel walking around, I realized that we have officially moved from the "survival" phase (e.g. where do I get toilet paper, how do I drive here, what line do I stand in at the bank) into the "there's more to life than work/school/sleep/procuring supplies" phase.  We finally have a few signs that we are settling in - horseback riding, a new tent (currently pitched in the living room) for beach camping , dinner at a friends' house, a few key Twi phrases and my driving has progressed from "Vashon Island Casual" to "Accra Combat" - using the horn instead of the breaks.  We are practically native (ha!).