It’s amazing how much can happen in a month.

Chris also applied to Global Crossroad, and we received confirmation of our placements last week. We will be working in Osu, an orphanage in Accra. There are 140 kids between 2 months – 13 years old at the orphanage. Along with our placement confirmations, we each received a packet of information about the assignment and accommodations. We will be staying in the Global Crossroad hostel in Accra, which includes “24/7 security, separate dining area, terrace, purified water, fan, and kitchen.” I am going to cut and paste a few things here:

ü  “The facilities at theroom are basic…the single wood bed is equipped with mattress, bed cover, one pillow and no mosquito net so you are requested to bring your own mosquito net, bed sheet and pillow case.”

ü  “Our kitchen staffs will provide you three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Breakfast will be bread, boiled or fried egg and tea. Lunch and dinner will be rice with stew, yam or plantain seasonal vegetable, red beans.”

ü  “The toilet is WC typewith flush water, but in some cases you must use bucket water to flush the toilet. You will be provided with a bucket of cold or warm water for a shower.”

ü  “Internet cafes are available in the area, which is 15 minutes walk. The internet fee cost 1 USD per hours, in some place you may have to pay more or less. It is strongly advised that you must contact your parents as soon as you arrive in Ghana.”

MoreNews:

Chris did get a new job. He will be starting at Apecs, a consulting company based in Boulder, on Monday the 21^st. Yay!

The assignments with Global Crossroad begin on the first and third Mondays of each month. Our original plan had been to start the first Monday in June. I would stay for 4 weeks, and Chris would stay for the first 2 weeks. This plan was a bit ambitious as we were planning on flying out ofDenver on Saturday, May 31^st – the day after my last day of the school year at Big T. So, that last week of school I would have been wrapping up the year with my third graders while simultaneously packing for a month-long trip to another country. I began wondering if the third Monday sounded a bit better.

Then Chris got the job at Apecs, and they have a very big project going on in June, so his new boss asked him to book his trip as late as possible. Jennica is getting married on August 7^th, so July is the best month for us. So, the new plan is that I will leave at the beginning of July, begin my assignment on the first Monday in July, and then Chris will come join me on the third Monday and we’ll finish out the month together.

I am so excited! I just got off the phone with Cheryl, our Global Crossroad coordinator, who has been an amazing and inspiringperson to have along on this journey. I talked to her for the first time in February, while I was still feeling very sad about abandoning the original Tumaini plan. She is based in Texas, and has that wonderful warm Texas accent. She got me so excited about the idea of volunteering in Ghana.  During our first conversation, I became overwhelmed with all the options she put in front of me. I could work in an orphanage in Accra, it’s right by the ocean and there are museums I could visiton the weekends, or I could go with a bit more rustic experience and work at an orphanage near Lake Volta. Do I like the water? Well, in that case, maybe I should got to Tanzania and work near the Indian Ocean. It’s very safe there. Or I could go to Uganda or…or…or…“Honey there are people all over the world who need your help, you just have to decide where to go.”

After some talk with Chris, we decided on the orphanage in Accra, and we would take weekend trips to the rain forests and/or the area around Lake Volta.

This morning when I was talking to Cheryl about changing our dates (which is no problem at all “we understand how life is,”Cheryl said, “sometimes things need to change.”) she told me a bit about what we could expect to work on when we get to the orphanage. She told me to go in, walk around, and we would see where we are needed. I asked if I could change diapers and she said, “Absolutely! But if a diaper changing assembly line doesn’t sound appealing to your husband, he can go outside and play with some of the boys.” I told her that Chris was planning on bringing some soccer balls.She told me that was a great idea and also suggested Frisbees, “They don’t really get the concept of playing Frisbee, but if you throw it they’ll go run after it and bring it back to you, kind of like fetch.”

She also said if we wanted to bring something that would be a really big hit, we should buy some of those long balloons with a pump like they have at carnivals. Even if we don’t know how to make any balloon animals, if we just twist a balloon around and make a hat, it will make the kids’ day. She told me, “You know, some will never have seen a balloon.” That gave me chills, to think that something as simple and cheap as a balloon could provide such amazing entertainment.

Cheryl also suggested bringing flash cards.“Although,” she said, “some of these kids have never owned anything in their lives, and if they get a hold of one of those flash cards, they just might keep it. You can’t get offended by that.”

         I told her about the school supplies I was planning to bring. (I’ve been having a really hard time knowing if they should go to Tumaini, I may split the lot in half and give a bunch to Jeff to bring to Kenya the next time he goes). Cheryl told me that the trip will be like going back in time. Paper is extremely valuable, and the schools use chalk and chalk boards. So, if I wanted to make the teachers really happy, I should bring boxes of chalk. I’m so glad I talked to her, because I never even would have thought to bring chalk!

         She also said that the little Golden Books would be a big hit. The kids love to be read to, they are amazed by books. She said they’ll crawl right up into your lap to see all the pictures and listen to the story. She also suggested coloring books and jump ropes. Then she said, “Oh but you’re going to have to watch how much you’re packing, you know your bags can only be so heavy.”

         I am so excited, I just can’t wait!!! J