More Rain, 'Who is the policeman?' and peace keeping success

The day after I arrived back from Accra (Thursday) I did very little.  I was going to pop to Ho but after breakfast and listening to the news it looked like it was going to rain, so I decided to stay put and listen to some music.  There turned out to be very little rain but after the previous two days of travelling I needed some time to chill.  The TV in the living area wasn't working so a repair man was called to come and fix it.

Main road through the centre
of Akrofu

I wasn't too bothered as I haven't missed TV at all, although it would be nice to see a film now and then.  Nearly everyone in the house however wanted to watch the footie.  It cost 5 Ghana cedis (around £2.50) to fix the TV which can only pick up two channels.  Not much was on that afternoon so we didn't bother with it.

There was a Ghanaian film shown on the coach from Kumasi to Accra (can't remember what it was called now) but to do with a man finding his wife and his house help in bed together and deciding to hire some men to kill him.  Have to admit the acting was very enthusiastic and was enjoyed by most on the coach.  I don't think it'll win any Oscars though.

Friday I did make it to Ho at around 11:30.  Went to the internet cafe so I could upload some pics and visited the same drinking spot for a beer and rice with pepper (chilli) sauce (unfortunately the cook had no yam left).  The skies were darkening and rain seemed imminent.  I needed to buy some things from the market so I drank up and quickly made my way.  Two of the stalls in the market sell carrots, green beans, potatoes, pasta etc. catering for expats and foreign visitors.  This was my first port of call for the spuds, green beans, green pepper and some spices with a few huge spring onions thrown in for free (even though some have very little  they are very generous with what they have and won't accept any payment).

After a few more stalls to pick up some onions, tea bread, scrubbing brush and cleaner for the bathroom I tried to find a tro-tro back.  There was one heading to Kpeve which is about 10 miles further on from Akrofu but the ticket seller wanted 1 cedi 20 peswas (60p), double the actual cost of the journey.  I know it's not much for us but the price is 60 peswas and that's what I pay.  A few bystanders seemed to agree with me and even argued on my behalf but the bloke was having none of it.  Therefore I headed to the main road to pick up a tro-tro and with only a 5 minute wait I was on board and on my way as the heavens opened.

It absolutely pelted down and the driver stopped half way because he couldn't see out of the cracked windscreen.  Most of the tro-tros have enormous cracks in their windscreens and even though it's more comfy to sit in the front it is also more worrying.  The roads tend to be very bumpy with lots of pots holes and makeshift sleeping police men in the villages to try and slow down the traffic.  These are on the tarmac roads so you can imagine what the dirt roads are like.  One particularly nasty bump and I can imagine the windscreens just giving up.

By the time I arrived back in the village at 5ish it was starting to rain here. A quick dash to the house and safe and sound.  Atowa and Perfect came in to see what I had bought and we tried to see what was on the tele.  Unfortunately, I think due to the weather, we couldn't get a clear picture.  The sound was ok but nothing to see. 

In the house with some visitors.

Cudjo had a go as he knew the footie was on and wanted to watch it but still no luck.  It wasn't long before a few of the kids joined us and the evening was spent playing 'Who is the policeman?' and Boy, Girl, Animal, Plant, etc while it continued to rain until around 8:30.

'Who is the policeman?' is a game the kids play over here.  There are four pieces of paper each with one letter, either: P (Policeman), C (I think stands for a reporter for some reason), T (Thief) and B (no idea what that it, and the kids didn't seem to either.  Possibly bystander).  The papers are crumpled up and four people pick one.  They keep the letter to themselves and the one with C says 'Who is the policeman?', the person with the P says 'I am the policeman' and has to pretend shot who he/she thinks is the thief.   If the guess is correct you get a point.  Exciting stuff!  It was quite fun with an amount of cheating going on and lots of laughter which is the main thing.

There was also a lot of cheating going on with the Boy, Girl game.  Everyone was copying each other when they couldn't think of a name or plant beginning with a particular letter or just making one up.  Again lots of laughter and I thought a good game to help the kids with their spelling.

The final activity of the night was the kid's idea.  To see if they could stay in a seated position against the wall for 5 minutes.  The first few attempts were I have to admit pathetic, lasting about 15-30 seconds.  After a few goes they all managed to do the full 5 mins with much contorted facial expressions, shaking legs and not so quiet screaming and laughing by the others.  I was also laughing even though this is one exercise I am absolutely hopeless at.  I think I'm going to have to include it in my morning exercise regime in case I am called upon to try it myself.

Church again on Sunday.  This time I went to one a few miles from the village just to see what it was like.  A short tro-tro journey and about a half mile walk to a tiny village without water or electricity.  Everyone was very friendly with the pastor even saying he would build a small building for me to stay in when I visit.  No matter how much I said there was no need, as I would be building a house in Akrofu, he still persisted in saying he would do it.  I hope he doesn't and I expect he probably won’t, as I only paid them a visit as a favour to Ruth in the house and see what her church was like.

As expected there was lots of singing and dancing in a relatively small one roomed building.  The pastor didn't seem to do much and most of the preaching, singing and 'talking in tongues', was done by a few others.  It seemed to be a mix of Evangelical and traditional worship.  Each of the preachers had a mike that was connected to a large speaker resulting in me being one step closer to deafness.

When we were about to leave I was called to the front where the pastor held my hand and prayed for my safe journey back and good life.  I was embarrassed to say the least but they were all very nice people and seemed to enjoy my attempt at their particular dancing - a kind of shuffling in a conga type line bending down and waving hankies in the air.

Some dancing one evening.

The pastor was kind enough to drive us back to Akrofu in a beat up granada with no air-con and unable to open the windows.  After alighting and breathing fresh air on the short walk to the house I started to prepare the stew with the ingredients and a few other bits and pieces I'd bought on Friday.  Not sure many of them liked the potatoes much but the veg went down a treat.

My first Ewe lesson with Nat Monday morning went very well I thought.  Lasted about an hour and we went through their vowels and some consonants/double consonants.  One extra vowel than the English ones.  A kind of backwards c, pronounce 'aw'.  The next lesson is on Thursday.

I thought school was starting this week but for some reason the Educational Authority has given everyone another week’s holiday.  I am looking forward to it as I've been getting a bit bored.  I enjoy relaxing and chilling out but after a month I really need to do something.  It will be great to meet the teachers I don't know and see how the kids are doing in their studies.

The spiders in the bedroom are getting bigger.  I'm thinking because they were just little babies when they arrived and are now growing into adulthood.  I don't get too close but have noticed one has a leg missing.  I would say the largest I've seen is just a bit smaller than my palm.  I'm really hoping they don't get any bigger than this and at night I've been using my mozzy net more.  As if that would help keep any wandering spider at bay.  More because the mozzies are out in full force due to the rain...great!  Just been playing tag with a particularly large nasty looking one.  Needless to say I'm losing.

I think we've come to the final chapter in the goat and chicken war.  The sheep seem to have intervened as successful peace keepers and hostilities have come to an end.  Hooray!  Now they only have to worry about what type of food they'll end up in.

I'm really going to have to carry my camera wherever I go.  Just seen two adolescent chickens staring each other out and jumping at each other.  Another one rushed up to see what all the commotion was about.  They're probably just learning to fight for when they're older but it doesn't take much to entertain me these days.  Lol.

Until the next time.  Hope you're all ok.

Sam x