It has been awhile

Sorry for the delay in posting but what seemed like a great post topic a year ago now just seems like another day in Ghana. I am not saying that I have gotten jaded because it is quite the opposite, what I think has happened is that I have gotten used to life overseas in a developing country.

When I talk to my friends and family back home and they ask general questions about what I am doing or how I travel or where I have been they are amazed that I just sound so matter of fact about it. Last week a former PCV was back in the country and we went to Markola (one of the largest markets in West Africa) and she was commenting on how unfazed I was by how busy it was and the general chaos. I am not saying that it does not bother me some days (I would not be telling you the truth if I said that) but on the days that I don't want to deal with the crowds and the constant people yelling at me I find something else to do, and there is always something else to do.

Our rainy season is just about over and I am sad to say that this means that Harmattan will soon be here. Rainy season is my favorite time of the year because after the downpour of rain the whole area looks so clean and still smells like rain. The rest of the time it smells like a mixture of chop food that makes me hungry. This year's rainy season was quite bad for West Africa and Benin got it the worst but that is not to say that we escaped unharmed. Alot of the maize farmers had their entire crops destroyed and when the water reached the damn by about 30 minutes from my house it is now at the maximum level. Some Army Reserves from the midwest are here to advise the damn people how to release the water without causing any damage to the people on the river below. They started to release the water 3 days ago and there has not been any large scale flooding. Thank heavens.

To my friends in the US, I can not say that I am sorry to have missed all of the campaign commercials. I heard from Mom that this year the elections were dirtier than usual which is difficult to believe. I have to confess that for the first time since I was able to vote that I did not. I just did not have the energy to request an absentee ballot. At least I won't be getting jury duty this year:)

I hope that everyone is doing good and I will try to post again before Thanksgiving!