Letters from Africa

I've asked Heather, and she would love me to pass on her e-mails here in my blog. Here's her first letter back home and replies to my letters. Sorry if there is stuff there you don't care about, I'm just posting the whole e-mail. Skip over anything that you don't want to read.

Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008
From: sort_of_heathery@yahoo.comSubject:
First Impression of Ghana

Sharece and I arrived in Accra (Ah-crah) late Wednesday night. Well, it was only 6:30, but it gets dark early here. Currently I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Kumasi (Koo-mah-see).

Things here are . . . different. The first obvious difference came on our bus ride to Kumasi, when we stopped for a potty break. We learned why the women here all wear dresses, because they don't have toilets - that is, toilets aren't commen. Urinals are simple for men to use, but for women. . . needless to say, Sharece and I held it for the rest of the night until we got to a hotel. We are lucky enough to have an actual bathroom in our host families house. There isn't running water, but we bring buckets in and fill the toilet each time we use it.

The first day in our village (which I still don't know the name of) we went to the schools where we will be teaching to introduce ourselves. There aren't very many white people here, and so we are sort of a novelty, being followed around constantly, which is pretty freakin' cool, but very tiring. Nobody speaks english fluently here. We must pay very close attention when they speak, and we must speak very slowly and clearly, that takes care of most language barrier-ness.

It's very very hot here. I'm starting to get used to the heat, but I still sweat large drops when I'm outside. Ew, probably TMI, but deal with it. Ha ha ha! Hmmm. . . what else can I tell you? I'm going to buy dresses today, I think. Jeans are hot, and I think it's expected for us, as teachers, to wear nicer clothes. Hopefully our African friend Emmanuel will be patient. I know boys hate shopping, but it's pretty much his job to make sure Sharece and I don't get super lost and die slow painful deaths. Which is very possible... (Just kidding mom, don't worry!)

Oh Em Gee, Mae, BTW, the men here are super hot, and hopefully I'll be able to bring you home a good one. They're very very muscle-ey.

Mikelle and Savannah, we tried one of the palm leaves. Strangely enough, after several samplings of different species, we've noticed that the vegetation tastes like pickles here!

Family of mine, I love you all and listen to Monkey every night. It still makes me smile. :)

To everyone who replied to my first message, and actually read this one, thank you so much. I miss America more then I thought was possible, and to know that you're thinking of me makes me stronger. There is a land where people understand me. Yay!!

I miss you so much, and it's only my. . . fifth (?) day away from home. I'm hoping once they put me to work (I start teaching Monday morning! Eeep!) then the months will slip away and I'll be home with you again! Also, be jealous of Ghana. Their gas is only $1.50 per gallon. I've seen it as low as $0.68, yeah. Crazy.


Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2008
From: sort_of_heathery@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: First Impression of Ghana
To: tonya_brian@hotmail.com

Oh! Yeah, we're 6 hours ahead of you! Guess what? I miss you a lot. It sucks. But I don't miss Winger's, because I brought some sauce with me! Yay! I love you, and yes, I do hope the three months will fly by. We couldn't find any pop-rocks at Wal-mart, and every time a kid runs up to us screaming "Oboroni!" I totally wish I could see the look on their face if I could give them pop-rocks. I imagine it, and it makes me smile, just a little, on the inside. Love you again!


Heather Loveridge (sort_of_heathery@yahoo.com)
Sent: Thu 6/26/08
Reply-to: sort_of_heathery@yahoo.com
To: Tonya Allen (tonya_brian@hotmail.com)

Yeah, you can post my e-mails on your blog. That saves me a lot of time and effort actually. Thanks! Addresses here don't really work. They have PO boxes, and the school will let me use theirs, but I'll leave before anything can make it there from the states. Everything in Ghana happens eventually, but it takes a wait. (Everything, that includes restaurants, busses, everything). Also, Oboroni means "white person." It's a phrase we heare a ton. Love you so much!