Shopping In The Market

Tuesday, July 28th.

Eric picked us up at 8:10 and we headed back to the college. Obed and Pascale were on today. I spent the morning updating the narrative report and entering Diane's expenses into my spreadsheet. I sat and talked to Ernest and Thomas Baafi. I asked if we were going to the remote school today and Ernest said that the head teacher had just been notified today and couldn't get the elders together as they were out farming, so I suggested we go on Wednesday, as we had the last two weeks. He agreed. Then I asked about getting a local person to lead the HIV/AIDS workshop and about what we were going to do on the weekend back in Accra. Ernest then phoned the Coconut Grove Hotel and booked us for the last three nights, I thought that had been done a long time ago! They both vetoed Eric's idea of going to the big soccer match in Accra, saying that they didn't think it was a safe place for us to be. Then I asked if we could go to Elmina slave castle. Ernest said 'why not' and suggested we go to the canopy walk, Kakum, as well. I told Diane the plans and then walked to the resource centre where I found Thomas Musah . We sat together and finished the section of the narrative report that required his input. I hung out with Diane in the staff room where we worked on our reports. After lunch we left for the afternoon and Eric took us shopping in town. We parked and walked about looking for bags for Diane's group and soccer balls for their schools. It was really interesting walking around the market and watching the locals and seeing what they were selling. Some people bought creams and Marie bought a pair of padded underwear that local women wear in order to enhance their tush. Back to the hotel were Vanda and I summarized yesterday’s survey while Pascale reviewed the report. Then we had dinner. The food here is quite good and John the waiter takes good care of us. I had a vegetable homemade soup and fried rice. Then Pascale, Diane and I headed back to the college for the HIV/AIDS presentation. The speaker started early before we even got there. He was not very engaging and it was really hard to understand his accent. I thought I heard wrong information, but not sure. In hindsight I wished that we had presented the CTF PowerPoint, but too late. We went back to the hotel and settled in for the night.