Wrapping up an Amazing Year

As some of you may have heard, our time living in Ghana is coming to an end sooner than expected. While we have loved our time here, it's also been very intense for every one of us and we all need a rest. For a variety of reasons, the kids and I decided that it's best to head back to the US this summer. I'll keep my job and will be "commuting" to work - a nearly 24 hour trip - about once every 4-6 weeks while I ensure the project is on track and a leadership transition is successful.

As usual with the "G" family, we're making the most of every moment. My project is ramping up for a launch of our service in the Upper East Region in about 2 weeks. Most of the Accra staff have temporarily moved to the north and I spent about 5 days there with the kids last week. It was an amazing experience for them - we attended "durbars" which are community entry celebrations where the project is introduced to the community and approved by the chief, Sophie photographed lots of our field work and made it out to 6 of the very rural clinics where we're working and Xavier spent a lot of time playing football. We even touched a crocodile at a crocodile pond just near the Burkina Faso border and toured an ancient village (check out the photos link on the right and see the one with Xavier and his "friend" who are both missing their front teeth!).

The kids finish school this week and are looking forward to getting back to their US classrooms. My good friend, Colleen, is arriving on Thursday for 2 weeks. While she's here, we'll head out to our favorite beach for a few days and then all of us are traveling up to the north so I can work and they can touch more crocodiles :) And, of course, we will be watching every Ghana World Cup Game!!!!!!

The kids leave for the US with Colleen on July 2nd. I'll stay behind in Ghana for a couple of weeks, continuing to work, wrap up the house and figure out how I am going to get the puppies back to the US with Delta/KLM having a general pet flying ban from May-Sept.due to heat. Somehow, we’ll all make it back to our favorite little island…….